#she's running away from the mansion of those trying to kill her and the first and only car she sees who might help her nearly runs her over

[twilightkitkat]

I know we have Laura, but do you ever think of how the other kids at the X-mansion would react to Logan?

Logan was a male role model for them. He might not have been as much as a "father" as Charles but he was family. He'd help teach the children things that the other X-men wouldn't, taking them seriously despite their age. He'd sneak them snacks or "contraband" when the other X-men weren't looking. He'd explain things that the other X-men hid.

Logan was likely the first person to treat them like anyone else. He didn't judge them for their mutations, didn't get angry at or scared of Rogue even when she almost killed him. He didn't hide or sugarcoat the truth for them, he said it bluntly. He wasn't mean, but he was honest. He treated them like they could handle it and this meant they respected him, too.

He was the first person to believe in them and their abilities and teach them that they had their own choice. Like he said to Rogue: he wasn't there to be her father, he was there as her friend. He coexisted as a protector, someone who they could rely on as an authority figure when danger struck, but also as a supporter. He didn't argue with Rogue over what was the "right" thing to do regarding her ability or force her to go back to the X-mansion when she wanted to leave. He told her that he trusted her judgment and just wanted to make sure she was doing it because she wanted to.

Logan knows what it's like to be restricted. To be collared and treated like "less than." He hates feeling caged in and pressured, so he went out of his way to make sure that above all the children knew that they had a choice. They had the ultimate say in their own lives.

The other X-men taught the children to be kind, to be understanding, and to be cautious. Logan taught them to be self-confident, to learn new skills, to set boundaries, and to make choices just for themselves. He's the one who looked at these kids and told them they were allowed to be selfish when everyone else told them otherwise.

And then... Logan was gone. And he was dead. Permanently.

The children kept living, but it was never the same. Of course, they missed him. How couldn't they? He was the first person to try to understand them just for the sake of it, without trying to poke and prod. He was safe. He didn't try to influence them one way or another, he just listened. Nobody else filled those shoes when he left.

And then, by the time most of them were almost grown up, he came back. But it's different. He's different.

He's more jaded than he was before. Closed off in ways that even the most reserved children there weren't. He's tired and older and different from their Logan in ways they can't explain.

But he still looks at them in the eye, not above their head or at their feet. And he nods at them in acknowledgment. And he listens. And he's different but he's so painfully Logan despite it all.

It makes them want to cry. A few of them do.

And Logan... to his credit, takes it in stride. He ruffles their hair and pulls a few into sideways hugs. He grunts as Rogue launches herself into his arms but still holds her. He doesn't shy away.

But Logan isn't a part of the X-mansion, anymore. He visits, occasionally, but he's no longer an X-man. And never plans to be.

The only people he consistently interacts with from the X-mansion are Laura and, to some extent, Colossus and his trainees through Wade. And it almost stings more, that way. To know that he was capable of keeping in touch. That he'd do it for his daughter and Wade but not for them.

Do you ever think how the kids would feel about this? About finally having a version of the person they admired most back only for him to not want to stay? About him choosing to stay with Wade at his shitty, run-down apartment instead of coming back to them.

We, as the audience, can understand. He's traumatized and grieving and staying at the X-mansion would only be rubbing salt in the wounds and reopening cuts that finally are beginning to scab over. He's starting to move on from that chapter in his life, from the guilt and regret both before and after the X-men's deaths.

But the kids don't have that perspective. They were too young, back then, to truly gauge the environment and how Logan might have been kind, in his own way, but was never truly happy. Never felt free or at home. Like a bird coming back to the same, familiar cage because there's nowhere else to go.

And even now, they're too young to really separate their feelings from his choice. In a way, they think it's their fault. That they weren't reason enough for him to stay. That he abandoned them because he didn't want them anymore.

...And that couldn't be further from the truth, obviously, but it's complicated. It's a choice between cutting away some ties even if it hurts or getting tangled in them because all he can remember are their corpses. It's the choice between leaving them behind or being stuck in the past, reliving the same pain and guilt over and over.

And here's the thing: Logan was the one who taught the children to be selfish. Finally, finally, he's allowing himself to take his own advice.

[things-arent-what-they-seem66]

I'm desperately needing some mpreg for Adam, it's been one of those days 😫

Maybe simmer!Adam and Luci have a one night stand at the hotel, Lucifer freaks slightly because how could he have sex with the guy who tried to kill Charlie (even tho Adam apologized for it already- get over it Lucifer) and he still loves Lilith.

So he just retreats to his mansion for a few weeks, making excuses to Charlie. He still comes to the hotel but it's only brief visits.

Adams putting up a good front but he'd just feeling like shit cause Lucifer just up and left him- again. After a few weeks of feeling like shit, he finds out he's pregnant. And to his surprise, he's not mad or freaking out about it, but instead he's super excited and strangely comfortable.

When Luci starts pulling himself together and spending more time at the hotel (he still doesn't interact with Adam cause he's a prideful bitch), he notices how much of a better mood Adams in, he's constantly smiling, but when he's by himself, he has a different smile, one that almost matched Lilith when she was pregnant with Charlie.

He decides to finally talk with Adam when he goes to the lobby late at night, everyone's asleep so he was surprised to see Adam sitting on one of the couches, hands on his stomach, smiling.

Lucifer wasn't going to talk to him, but he couldn't help how curious he was in what made this huge change in Adam.

Adam sours a little bit, seeing Lucifer, so he turns his focus to the tv. After an annoying amount of small talk, Adam goes off on Lucifer, telling him how much of an asshole he was for leaving him again, that he hasn't changed since Eden, and just sees Adam as some play thing.

Lucifer watches as he storms off. But he feels like there's more to this than Adam being mad at him. So while the hotel guests are doing their group exercises, Lucifer decides to snoop around Adams room. He eventually finds a bunch of positive pregnancy tests in Adams bathroom.

He sits on his bed and waits for Adam to come back. At first he was really shocked, then happy. But the more he thought about it, he got pissed off. How could Adam not tell him? How could he have a kid with Adam, literally an enemy to hell, himself and Charlie?

He's basically pissed at himself but he's too prideful for that, so he thinks he can drove Adam off by saying horrible things about how they can't have a child together, no kid deserves to have Adam as a parent, that Lucifer doesn't want him so why would their kid? He wants Adam to argue back, call him every name under the sun because he deserves it. But he's shocked that Adam just sits on his bed, and cries.

Lucifer feels like absolute shit, especially when Charlie runs in because of her dad yelling. She quickly confronts Adam, who just leans into her, trying to hide himself. Seeing the look Charlie gives him, just kills him and hearing Adams heavy crying doesn't help. He just hands Charlie one of his pregnancy tests.

Lucifer: he's pregnant- with my kid

Adams shaking in fear, and tries to pull away from Charlie, he's terrified that Lucifer just outed him to the one person trying to help him. But Charlie holds on tighter.

Charlie: maybe you should go to your room dad, just until Adam calms down and we can talk, but you being here isn't helping right now.

Lucifer: i- ...yeah, okay

Lucifer can't sleep that night because he can still hear Adams cries.

That's all I have, I just need angst goddammit

Alright, I'll leave you alone 😫

Oh god that got angsty so fast! Lucifer you asshole!

Good luck talking your way out of that one.

[verdemoun]

au where fuck john marston because playing the epilogue has me upset. let kieran and mary-beth have the beecher's hope happiness

john replaces kieran in horsemen apocalypses with obviously much more devastating impacts

abigail is completely catatonic, leaving it to the gang to take over being jack's full-time carers

it has never been more obvious john was dutch's favorite son. chapter 5 levels of instability with hosea still there to watch his downfall and try to pick up the pieces

the gang go after colm in braithwaite fashion. in the process they discover colm has been working with bronte as mules to run bronte's weapon selling operation, and it was bronte that revealed where the gang were hiding thus leading to john's death

hosea joins in the assault on bronte's mansion, seeing dutch kill bronte and making a grim comment about not being the man he knew[loved], which almost seems to pull dutch out of it

no one realises hosea had in fact been shot until he falls off silver dollar dead, his last words to dutch anger and disgust

the gang are still forced to flee to beaver hollow in the aftermath of bronte's death, which the gang were much more visible and destructive in. all that was left of the mansion was soot-covered marble

except, kieran was able to claim colm's bounty AND retrieve the blackwater money, as an unknown member of the gang with no bounty in west elizabeth. there was an unspoken tension of the gang knowing they had enough money to flee, but dutch has no plan. dutch doesn't care anymore. he misses hosea, he misses his son

as micah becomes a more vocal presence and dutch has clearly reached a point of not caring, the gang falls apart quicker. arthur, knowing he's sick, forces lenny to leave and go find the future hosea wanted for him. strauss and trelawney both leave of their own accord. charles leaves to help the wapiti earlier, while eagle flies recovers from a bullet wound acquired trying to steal back their horses alone. miss grimshaw, seeing her words have no impact on dutch, who is no longer the passionate, charismatic man she had once loved, takes karen and tilly before their alcoholism/loyalty kills them both (arthur aggressively encouraging tilly as a sibling)

mary-beth stays because kieran (who she has fallen more and more in love with, and had those feeling requited) refuses to leave arthur, who he considers a friend and is devastated to watch waste away from illness and mourning, and because she is the only one left who can take care of jack.

abigail is captured by pinkertons, but with john's death, seeing how happy jack has been with mary-beth (who saved jack during the pinkerton attack, and can read with him and seemingly be a better mother than she has ever felt she was) fights more recklessly and is killed saving arthur from milton

sadie and arthur learn not only was micah a rat for the pinkertons, but he had also been an o'driscoll and ratted on them too. milton brags how stupid the vdls had been to let micah in, with micah telling colm their every movement, only to tell the pinkertons both gangs' secrets. which means micah had been responsible for john's death as much as bronte was, and micah had also lead to hosea's death

mary-beth and kieran leave with jack, under sadie's begruding protection while arthur tries to save dutch from blindly following micah's command as micah tries to replace hosea as the one dutch turns to when he doesn't have plan.

this leads to arthur's last stand, with dutch shooting micah as retaliation for john and hosea's death, and sitting beside arthur as he took his last breath. dutch would later be killed by pinkertons, still sitting beside his last son's corpse

mary-beth becomes an author, with jack always mentioned in the dedication as the proof reader. she buys beecher's hope with her book's first cheque because living in saint denis while trying to conceal they were part of the vdls is much more difficult

jack grows up spoiled with his love of reading nurtured and kieran a patient man teaching him about horses in a gentle way that inspires passion instead of the idea of performing masculinity. jack doesn't see his role models belittle his dreams of writing or choose revenge over staying with family. with him. they get a dog and name it merlin because the legend of king arthur is their favorite story to read together. jack reads it to kieran, who does learn to read for himself but will prefer jack reading to him

[nephilimbrute]

with side order coming up i decided to make a recap(???) of my side order au. apologies if some of it isn't clear / doesn't make sense

it starts with the retirement of off the hook after octo expansion, roughly 2 years after splat2. (note that the chaos vs. order splatfest likely didn't happen, splat3 happens in some other way idk.) this part is a little janky but there's this "commander" (not related to tartar in any way) that decides to take over inkopolis via power and mind control. out of spite and as a first step they decided to go ahead and literally Kill pearl, who later died in marina's arms. after that marina wasn't able to do anything for the remainder of the day but hold pearl's body, and as the sun came up the next day only then did she decide to bury pearl just outside the pygmy mansion

her grief still persists, marina tried her best to keep the death of pearl a secret, during interviews she just says "oh she's been off the grid lately" or "visiting family", and when going out she'd try to make it quick to avoid being spotted by fans and it would only be for running errands. marina's grief (unfortunately) keeps her alive, she takes care of herself since its what pearl would've wanted. frequently she hallucinates pearl being there, and she's developed a fear for being around others, as well as gaslighting herself into thinking pearl is still alive, just away. she spends all of her time staying in the pygmy mansion. she waits and lingers, doing this routine over and over again for ~100 years, and eventually inkopolis itself crumbles to dust and is left barren

those 100 years pass and it's marina's time to shine!..kind of...the only feasible option for her was to brainwash everybody into a state of being "calm", making them into mindless walking zombies. despite everything she still felt guilt for what happened to pearl. inkopolis turns into a bleached dystopia, corals grow due to the neglect of it being cleaned, it becomes completely quiet and only marina is left with her thoughts

by the time the side order DLC takes place, she ""accidentally"" frees agent 8 from their "hypnosis". agent 8 suffers a splitting headache as soon as they're released and completely loses the ability to speak, their memory getting worse by each passing second. often times they get a sort of "déjà vu" or "flashbacks" of when pearl and marina were happier. marina still loves them dearly but she's afraid of hurting them, so she distances herself away from them, but 8 keeps on trying to reach her. in the DLC, marina acts like a final boss to the story, and when going against her she doesn't try to stop 8 from defeating her or attack back but instead she accepts it

extra stuff; the brain coral is used to control the minds of the inkfish, the other bleached corals represent neglect. the whole theme of side order is focusing on one's mental state and watching it deteriorate(?), memory loss (and similarly to octo expansion, 8 trying to get their memories back). marina sometimes wakes up with scratches or bruises (to which she denies), and she becomes somewhat dependent on agent 8

[ausetkmt]

How Black women shaped Tim Walz’s politics after the death of George Floyd

From inside Minnesota’s executive mansion, Gov. Tim Walz could hear the grieving woman’s bellows..

Toshira Garraway’s voice quavered as she spoke to the hundreds gathered outside the residence in St. Paul. It was a sunny Monday in June 2020, just days after George Floyd had been murdered in Minneapolis.

Protesters across the world had been shouting Floyd’s name, but Garraway and other speakers — almost all Black women — were invoking the names of men who hadn’t garnered as much attention after they died in encounters with Minnesota law enforcement. Hardel. Kobe. Justin.

The lifeless body of Justin Teigen, Garraway’s boyfriend, had been found in a recycling bin in 2009. Police had said they were chasing Teigen and lost track of him when he hid in a dumpster, where he remained when the trash was compacted. Garraway was convinced police had killed him.

“They didn’t throw him in the river! They didn’t throw him in the woods!” Garraway shouted. “They threw him in the trash! That’s what they think of our people.”

“I could hear her pain,” Walz recalled in a 2021 interview with a Washington Post reporter. Walz, who is now the Democratic nominee for vice president, stepped outside the residence for a closer listen.

When Garraway heard that Walz had joined the crowd, she stepped away from the microphone to meet him. She asked for his cellphone number.

“I had been calling and writing the governor and attorney general for years,” she recalled telling him. “I want you to meet with our families.”

He promised he would.

At the most critical juncture in Walz’s tenure as governor, with the world pointing to his state as an example of gross injustice, he found insights and counsel from Garraway and a group of Black women who pleaded with him to do more to address systemic racism.

This story is based on years of interviews with Walz and those women, starting 11 months after Floyd’s death as part of research for a book on Floyd’s life and legacy.

Walz’s last interview was in May, two months before he was selected as the running mate of Vice President Kamala Harris, the first woman of color to be the Democratic nominee for president. During the discussions, Walz offered the most expansive, personal accounts he has ever provided about how Floyd’s murder changed his worldview — and about the women who helped shape it.

The women cried with him, prodded him, prayed with him. They admired his ability to listen without interrupting them, and appreciated the get-well cards he sent when they were sick. When it comes to supporting a Black woman who is already facing racist attacks in her bid for the presidency, they think Walz is ready.

But even more than his empathy, the women relished the opportunity to help Walz craft legislation that specifically addressed their concerns. That’s when the relationship became more difficult.

“He makes political calculations in terms of where he’s going to put his energy and spend down political capital, which any responsible person or elected official will do,” said Nekima Levy Armstrong, a former head of the Minneapolis chapter of the NAACP. “But because of his nature, you always have in the back of your mind that he will go the extra mile. … That’s when you get disappointed.”

Beyond Walz’s reputation as a folksy liberal, likely to be on display when he speaks Wednesday at the Democratic National Convention, the women saw a politician trying to navigate uncertain terrain. The national zest for police reform would eventually slow, and Walz’s national profile would begin to soar. And now, some in the group say he has lost interest in them.

Walz declined to comment for this article, but a spokeswoman wrote that Walz “deeply values the friendships, what he’s been able to learn from them, and the reforms they worked together to pass. He continues to meet with them and looks forward to their continued work together to improve Minnesota.”

Garraway has not heard from Walz in more than a year. When friends started texting about his becoming Harris’s running mate, she didn’t fully know what to say.

“I don’t want to bash the man, but all I can do is speak from my heart, and I’m conflicted,” Garraway said. “I cannot say that empathy was not there. But, as time went on and this was no longer the headlining topic, we became less and less important. Our families are pushed to the side and, basically, ignored. It is painful and hurtful.”

Philando Castile's mother, Valerie, holds flowers during a demonstration outside the governor's home in St. Paul on July 7, 2016.

Before Floyd’s death, Walz had been warned about the insidious threat of racism in Minnesota.

The prediction came from Valerie Castile, whose son Philando had been shot and killed at a traffic stop in a suburb of St. Paul in 2016. “Mark my word, if it keeps on going in this direction, something really bad is going to happen,” Castile recalled telling him.

“That was back in 2017,” she said.

At the time, Walz was serving in Congress and preparing a bid for governor. She told him she had dedicated her life to finding a way to bring honor to her son’s name. She spoke about Philando’s generous spirit — the school cafeteria worker would dig into his own pocket to help a student who couldn’t afford lunch.

And then, Castile quizzed Walz on why he thought Black people disproportionately die at the hands of police.

“I’m going to be brutally honest with you,” Castile recalled telling him. “We know it’s a racist factor that’s the underlying problem within law enforcement.”

The two formed a tight bond, calling themselves “friends.” Walz said her honesty showed him how “the basic joys of life are always clouded by” racism, and illuminated “the day-to-day, year-after-year systemic issues and microaggressions that people endure.”

“It just permeates everything,” he told The Post.

Walz, who grew up in Nebraska and moved to rural Minnesota as an adult, said he knew he had a blind spot when it came to the Black experience, “being a middle-aged White guy [from] a town of 300 … with no people of color.” In Minnesota, where only 7 percent of the population is Black, politicians often note how easy it can be to miss the struggles of the African American community. So many of the state’s bragging points — its high incomes, its healthy residents, its high-performing students — disguise some of the country’s widest disparities in wealth, life expectancy and education between Blacks and Whites.

After Walz became governor in 2019, Black lawmakers and activists said, he and his wife engaged with Black communities immediately. Walz said that they were eager to learn — and that they were surprised by what they discovered.

During one event, a Black woman told him she had moved to Duluth from Arkansas. Compared with racism in the Deep South, she said, she found Minnesota’s to be “quieter — but meaner.”

On another occasion, Levy Armstrong, the former NAACP official, told him that state lawmakers had a history of “admiring the problem” — acknowledging that disparities existed but not working hard enough to eradicate them.

Then a police officer knelt on Floyd’s neck in May 2020.

As video of the brutal incident spread, Walz reached out to Castile.

“What do you think they’re going to do?” she recalled Walz asking her.

“You better get ready,” Castile said. “They’re about to tear this motherf---er up.”

Castile was right. Although most of the protests were peaceful, large businesses were looted, windows were smashed and a police station was set aflame.

Not long afterward, the Floyd family asked Walz to remove the county attorney from the investigation of the killing. Walz agreed to assign Keith Ellison, the state’s attorney general, who had a history of working against police brutality. Walz told The Post that he was thinking of Castile when he made the decision.

“She was adamant, and groups of folks who had talked to me even before George Floyd [died] believed that we needed to have an independent prosecutor’s office,” Walz said. “That there’s just too close a connection between the police and the county attorneys.”

Walz, center, joins protesters in front of the Minnesota Governor's Residence on June 1, 2020, after the murder of George Floyd.

A few weeks after Walz spoke with the Floyds, he met with Garraway and the other women on a Zoom call.

Garraway spoke again about her boyfriend, referring to his death as the “2009 version of Emmett Till.”

The police account of the events had always seemed fantastical to her. But in 2009, there were no body cameras or Black Lives Matter movement — and few people took her seriously. After three years, only one lawyer said he would be interested in taking the case. By then, it was too late — the state had a three-year statute of limitations for investigating officers.

Amity Dimock told Walz the story of her autistic son, Kobe Dimock-Heisler, who was killed in 2019 by police during a wellness check. Police said Kobe had lunged at them with a knife, but Amity said she believed the officers reacted so quickly because they were ill-equipped to deal with mental illness.

Del Shea Perry spoke of her son Hardel Sherrell, who died in a jail cell in 2018. Officers ignored Sherrell when he said he wasn’t feeling well. Security camera footage over eight days captured him falling hard off a bed, going limp and dying in a pool of his own waste, never receiving medical attention.

As the women recounted their pain, Walz’s eyes welled with tears. He told The Post that he, like many in the state, needed to do more soul-searching on why it was so easy to look past the trauma of racism that Castile assured him existed.

“This is a great state if you’re White, not so much if you’re not,” Walz later recalled thinking. “And that pains me, but it has to be said. And it’s the truth.”

Amity Dimock, right, is comforted by another woman during a demonstration outside the Governor's Residence on June 6, 2020.

After the conversations with the women, Walz said he went back to his staff and asked, “What can we do? What can we change?”

They encouraged the women to work with racial justice organizations to craft legislation, and by 2021, more than a dozen police reform bills had been introduced. Some followed national trends. They asked for the state legislature to limit the use of chokeholds and no-knock warrants. They asked that the state allow police officers to be sued directly for actions taken in the line of duty, ending a practice known as “qualified immunity” that shielded them.

Other bills were directly inspired by the women’s stories. One would have ended the statute of limitations for wrongful-death suits related to police killings — potentially giving Garraway the chance to find out what had happened to Justin. Another would have referred 911 calls to mental health crisis teams when appropriate — which Dimock thought could have saved Kobe’s life. A third would have mandated wellness checks in jails — which could have led to an intervention for Hardel.

The women set out for the State Capitol to lobby lawmakers, but struggled to gain traction. About a year after Floyd’s death, conservatives were nervous that such measures might deplete the morale of police departments, which were losing officers.

“After Minneapolis started burning, the Republicans immediately went to blaming Governor Walz and Mayor [Jacob] Frey, and [saying] the Democrats will let the city burn down,” said Jeffrey Hayden, who was a Democratic state senator. Hayden said Republicans appeared hesitant to act, arguing that Floyd’s death had been “an isolated incident.”

The women said they found it difficult to find advocates even among rural Democrats, who they said would stare at them with blank faces. They asked the governor to leverage his authority, and he tried at first. He threatened to keep the legislative session open until lawmakers passed police reform, and he negotiated with Republicans, who were in control of the state’s House.

Del Shea Perry cries as she marches with demonstrators near the Governor's Residence on June 6, 2020. Beside her is a photo of son Hardel Sherrell.

The legislature agreed to pass a bill in honor of Sharell, to make changes to police training and to limit the use of chokeholds. Walz used executive action to add $15 million for violence-prevention programs, and then required that police provide body-camera footage to families within five days of incidents involving a death. But the legislature rejected the toughest measures, such as strengthening civilian oversight of police departments and ending qualified immunity.

And the measure to lift the statute of limitations also failed, meaning there would be no chance to get to the truth of what happened to Garraway’s boyfriend.

On the last day of the session, Garraway and the other women held a news conference. She pleaded with her new friend, the governor, to try to do more.

“You listen to our stories. You watch us break down. You watch us cry,” she said. “How can you make a deal to say this is okay?”

A few months after the legislation failed, Walz put his disappointment plainly: “I feel like I failed Toshira.”

Walz told The Post back then that he had learned that White men like him wanted to probe the details while Black women like Garraway sought swift action because the lives of their families were at stake.

“This is a complex issue. It’s nuanced,” Walz said. “But in the midst of this are people who say, ‘I don’t have time for nuance.’”

He wondered if the country needed a truth and reconciliation commission — like the one in post-apartheid South Africa — that would allow people to truly listen to the stories of pain and exploitation he had heard.

After the 2021 legislative session, Walz said he felt the chance to have an honest conversation about racism in America — and then work to fix it — had probably passed him by. He worried that, between the pandemic, the protests and the unraveling of the great American reckoning on race, the country was not “healing.”

“I don’t know if we’ll get another shot at it,” Walz said. “I’m worried about this. … I’m worried [about what] I’m seeing at the national level. I’m seeing our democracy under threat, and I’m seeing the community here that’s losing faith.”

Back then, he also recognized how not addressing the problem would mar his political legacy.

“One way or another, I will be associated with this,” Walz said.

Valerie Castile speaks at a Minneapolis rally on June 16, 2023, after the release of a U.S. Justice Department investigation into the Minneapolis Police Department.

Valerie Castile had not lost faith.

After a jury in 2017 acquitted the police officer who killed Philando, she spent years seeking another route to honor her son’s legacy.

She started a foundation to clear the balances of grade-school students who couldn’t afford to pay for school meals, then began pushing the state legislature to make breakfast and lunch free for all students. In 2023, with a Democratic majority in all three chambers, the bill passed.

It became one of Walz’s signature pieces of legislation, and the photo of children hugging him after he signed the bill has become an indelible political image. Watching proudly in the back that day was Castile.

“Oh my God, we finally did it,” Castile remembered thinking. “Congratulations, Phil.”

After the police reform bills were rejected, Walz tried other routes to deal with racial disparities, at the behest of Democrats eager to avoid bills that could be deemed as anti-police.

Walz worked with lawmakers in 2023 to invest more than $70 million in workforce training for manufacturing and tech jobs. After the NAACP filed a lawsuit alleging that the child-welfare system disproportionately separated Black families, they approved proactive steps to keep families together. They passed laws barring discrimination based on hairstyles and establishing an office to investigate suspicious deaths of Black women that have become cold cases.

In May 2024, Walz told The Post that these policies have helped to close some of the state’s racial gaps. For example, the median household income for Black Minnesotans has jumped 70 percent since 2011, the seventh-fastest growth rate in the country, according to the state’s Department of Employment and Economic Development.

“We’ve stopped admiring the problem,” Walz said in the interview. “We’ve learned not to do the Minnesota thing, which is to look at disparities, say ‘Oh that’s too bad,’ then go and eat pie.”

He also said he was wrong to wonder if the country might have missed its chance to eradicate racism.

“That was a part of my trauma speaking,” Walz said.

The women he met in 2020, though, still wonder if they will ever experience any relief from their trauma, a smidgen of which Castile felt when Walz signed the school meals bill. They accuse Walz of giving up on police reform too quickly. Perry, whose son died in the jail cell, continued trying to persuade Walz that they needed to do more work. In 2018, when Hardel Sherrell died, there were nine other deaths at county jails, state data shows. Last year, there were 20 deaths.

Her phone calls, though, were being returned much more infrequently. Perry’s advocacy didn’t even get a hearing during the last legislative session. When she met Walz earlier this year, he asked if she had been in touch with the Rev. Al Sharpton. Maybe some national attention would help, he suggested.

“Maybe he should call him,” Perry told The Post. “He knows him. I don’t. I’m a grieving mother.”

Still racked with pain, Garraway said there are bigger matters on her mind than Walz’s potential vice presidency.

When county prosecutors decided in June to drop their case against a state trooper who killed a Black man named Ricky Cobb II during a traffic stop, she called Walz to see if she could get answers from a man she thought she understood. Walz had supported dropping the charges, saying it would be impossible to prove that the officer used excessive force.

But after introducing Walz to so many grieving families, Garraway was desperate to know why he could side with the police in this case. She trusted his judgment. So after his big speech accepting the nomination and all the balloons and the pageantry of the Democratic convention, she hopes he’ll answer her calls again. She longs to hear his voice.

[mariacallous]

Under a clear blue sky, on a warm spring day, several dozen Virginians gathered in a suburban backyard near Richmond to plot the future of the Democratic Party. Not that this was what they said they were doing. This was a meeting of the Henrico County Democratic Committee, “dedicated to electing Democrats in Henrico County, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and nationwide,” and they had come to rally neighborhood support for Abigail Spanberger, a local girl made good.

Spanberger, a member of Congress and now a candidate for governor, lives in Henrico County—about 10 minutes away from that suburban backyard, she told me. Although she currently represents a more rural Virginia district, this is her home base, and the home team wants to help her current campaign. A local official introducing Spanberger thanked everyone present for spending “a lot of hours in offices and knocking on doors and writing postcards and delivering signs.” Another spoke about “getting the band back together,” reuniting the people who helped Spanberger during her improbable first run for Congress, in 2017, when she came from nowhere to beat a Tea Party Republican, Dave Brat.

The audience cheered when Spanberger talked, as she often does, about her notable career trajectory. Famously she served in the CIA, from 2006 to 2014 (and has always been circumspect about what, exactly, she was doing). When she returned home, she told me, “I thought I was done with public service”—until she was galvanized by the election of Donald Trump. Now, after three hard-fought wins in purple-district congressional races, her aspirations stretch beyond the Virginia governor’s mansion: She wants to change the way Americans talk about politics. “We want to turn the page past the divisiveness, the angriness, and just focus on brass tacks, good policy, and governance,” she says.

In today’s Congress, those goals are wildly idealistic. On both sides of the aisle, “divisiveness and angriness” attract headlines. Outrage, not brass tacks, produces attention. Marjorie Taylor Greene is repeatedly interviewed and profiled, even though she has never been associated with a serious piece of legislation. Matt Gaetz, known for nothing except being Matt Gaetz, is more famous than many important congressional committee chairs. Even among the Democrats, the ranking members of many important committees have a lower profile than the members of “the Squad,” a group who come from very blue House districts and have defined themselves to the left of the party.

Spanberger is part of a different, less splashy friend group, one that also includes House members Jason Crow of Colorado, Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey, and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, among others. Most are in their 40s or early 50s; many come from purple districts and swing states. They are sometimes called the “NatSec Democrats,” a phrase that explains their origins but doesn’t quite encompass who they are or what they do. Most, it is true, are veterans of the military or the intelligence agencies. Most entered Congress in 2018. Most hadn’t been in politics before that. Some of them were helped or encouraged by Moulton, a former Marine who was first elected to Congress in Massachusetts in 2014, made a quixotic run for president in 2020 and created the Serve America PAC, which backed 15 of the 28 Democrats who flipped the House in 2018. Moulton told me that Trump inspired a lot of veterans to consider political careers for the first time—and to run as Democrats. “He’s so uniquely unpatriotic and anti-American. I mean, this is a guy who didn’t try to hide the fact that he was a draft dodger. He said, The people who signed up were suckers. The people who got killed are losers.”

In retrospect, the members of this cohort turned out to be precursors of an important change, one that may end up redefining American politics. For half a century, the Republicans were the party that embraced patriotism most intensely, talked about loving America most loudly, and seemingly took a harder line on national security. But now the Republican candidate calls America “a nation in decline” and refers to the U.S. economy as an “unparalleled tragedy and failure.” That language has inspired a geographically diverse, pro-Constitution, no-nonsense backlash in the Democratic Party, a movement in favor of patriotism, concerned about national security, and convinced that only a democracy that delivers practical results can stay safe. The effect was clearly visible at the Democratic National Convention when Kamala Harris promised “to uphold the awesome responsibility that comes with the greatest privilege on Earth: the privilege and pride of being an American,” and when delegates responded by waving American flags and chanting “USA, USA.”

The Democrats who were in the vanguard of that backlash have been working together for some time. Spanberger, Moulton, Slotkin and others wrote a joint letter to President Joe Biden in December, for example, warning against Israel’s strategy in Gaza, on the grounds that “we know from personal and often painful experience that you can’t destroy a terror ideology with military force alone.” But national-security experience isn’t the only thing that links them. Tom Malinowski, a former State Department official who was also part of the group—he was elected to Congress from a previously a red New Jersey district in 2018, then lost in a close race in 2022—points out that although most of his cohort had never held elected office before, all of them had taken oaths to protect and uphold the U.S. Constitution. They came to Congress in that spirit. “We were very idealistic in our belief that our job was to protect democratic values and institutions in this country,” Malinowski explains, “and very pragmatic on the day-to-day work of Congress on issues like the economy, the budget, immigration and crime.” In other words, he explains, “we all believe the country would be fine if we had to compromise on issues like that. What was essential was not to compromise on democracy.”

Malinowski, who suggests calling the group Service Democrats, agrees that they are defined by attitude as much as issues. Although motivated to enter politics by their disdain for Trump, all of them say they are happy to work with individual Republicans. Sherrill told me that she thinks “getting as broad a coalition as possible on the legislation I want to see passed” is a sign of success. This outlook is very different from the obsessive hatred of compromise that has prevented the current Republican House majority from passing almost any legislation at all. “Anytime a Democrat supports a Republican piece of legislation, then it’s not good enough. It’s obviously not extreme enough, because then it’s a RINO bill or something,” Sherrill says.

The group’s attitude also redefines what it means to be a moderate in the Democratic Party. By an older standard, Spanberger, Slotkin, Moulton, Sherrill, and Crow might have been called progressives. They believe in abortion rights, for example—a cause once avoided by what used to be called conservative Democrats—and have joined pro-abortion-rights caucuses. But if, again, a moderate nowadays is someone willing to talk with the other side in order to find solutions, then this group is a bunch of moderates. Sherrill said she could see the appeal of what she described as a “progressive model” of politics: “deciding what you want and accepting nothing else until you get it.” But there is also a risk to that model, because you might not get anything at all. Had the Democrats in Congress been more willing to bargain with the Trump administration over the border, she thinks, they might have secured concessions for Dreamers, the children who arrived in the U.S. with their undocumented parents and have no citizenship status.

Still, the NatSec Democrats’ deeper objection is not to any particular ideological faction, but rather to politicians who, as Spanberger says, “don't actually want to fix anything,” because “performance is all there is.” As an example, she cited the border-control bill that was written and shepherded through the Senate by senior conservative Republicans but was then blocked—to the surprise of the bill’s authors—by Trump, who thought that fixing the border might help Biden. Her friends, by contrast, want to fix things: the border, the health-care system, even democracy itself. Having served in places that have collapsed into chaos, they know what it’s like to live in places that don’t have governance of any kind.

They also learned how to operate in that sort of chaos, which is useful now too. Elissa Slotkin, a Middle East analyst who was elected to the House from Michigan in 2018 and is now running for the Senate, says she still thinks the same way about solving problems as she did when she worked for the CIA, the National Security Council, and the Defense Department, among other previous employers: “My job is to identify real threats and go after threats. The No. 1 killer of children is gun violence. Mental-health issues, suicide, opioid addiction—those are real threats. I’m not going to spend a ton of time on things that I believe are exaggerated threats, like books or teaching Black history in our schools.” Spanberger, also used to being challenged, makes a point of traveling in the redder parts of her district and talking in detail about the agricultural bills she’s introduced in Congress: “You can’t both think I’m some crazy deep-state whatever, or some radical leftist,” and at the same time be chatting politely about meat-processing regulation.

Given members’ experience, the group’s special interest in foreign policy is unsurprising, but it doesn’t come cloaked in bluster. When speaking at the DNC, Jason Crow—an Army Ranger and paratrooper who served three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan before winning a House seat in Colorado—contrasted “tough talk” and “chest thumping” with the “real strength and security” that comes from alliances, competence, and continuity. “I refuse to let Trump’s golf buddies decide when and how our friends are sent to war,” he said. Over coffee a few months earlier, Crow told me that isolationism’s appeal is overrated. An outward-looking America appeals to voters, especially those concerned about security. He reminds people, he said, that “America can be a great force for good, that we are at our best when America is engaged and American leadership matters,” and he thinks they listen and care.

Slotkin, who met me in a tiny Senate campaign office she keeps near the Capitol, also told me that voters respond to that kind of expansive message about America’s role in the world. She said she talks about her national-security background on the campaign trail as a way of explaining her other policies: “I really believe that in a multiracial, multi-ethnic democracy, it’s essential that anyone from anywhere can get into the middle class. And if we don’t have that, it’s literally a security problem. If we become a country of the very rich and the very poor, it’s a stability risk.” She thinks her training helps her in a different sense too. Like Spanberger and Crow, Slotkin has also taken oaths to uphold the Constitution, and she, too, has been part of teams dealing with life-threatening situations. “You cut your teeth professionally, in jobs where mission is more important than self,” she said. “And in fact, if you put yourself ahead of the mission, you would have been fired for most of the jobs that we did.”

A few months after Spanberger’s rally, on a rather hotter summer day, I watched Mikie Sherrill deliver an equally pragmatic message. Speaking at an event held at the Ukrainian cultural center in Whippany, the congresswoman, an Annapolis graduate and ex-Navy helicopter pilot, was introduced by Thomas “Ace” Gallagher, mayor of Hanover Township. Gallagher is a Republican, but Hanover suffers from flooding, and Sherrill, he said, had helped his district get money and attention from the Army Corps of Engineers.

“She’s on the Democratic side of the aisle,” he told the room. “But for me, there are not two sides: There’s people that serve and work together and are focused on the common good. As for everybody else, they can do whatever they want to do, as long as they don’t get in the way of our good work.” Soon, he predicted, “you are going to see many people that are more moderate working together … on true solutions to our problems.”

Sherrill, who is expected to launch a run for New Jersey governor herself, seemed as surprised by this optimistic outburst of bipartisan goodwill as I was. “I look around this room, and I’m feeling a little emotional,” she said, and paid tribute back to Gallagher. “Again and again and again, we have come together here in the Eleventh District of New Jersey, to try to problem solve, to try to address the things that are scaring people, to try to make your life a little bit better, to try to just bring some rationality and sanity to a world that right now isn’t making a lot of sense.”

While she was talking—this was on Sunday, July 21—people in the audience started looking at their phones, whispering to one another. At the end of the event, the speakers asked the audience to contribute to Ukrainian charities, stepped off the podium, and learned that President Biden was no longer running for reelection. Two weeks earlier, Sherrill had joined what was still then a very small number of elected politicians openly calling for him to step down. Over lunch, she told me that she had been moved to do so because “we’ve all been saying Trump is an existential threat. But we’ve been acting like we don’t really believe it.” At that point, only two senators had publicly called for Biden not to run: Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Sherrod Brown of Ohio. Not coincidentally, both came from red states. In places outside safe blue states and blue districts, Sherrill told me, Democrats had been looking hard at the polling data and couldn’t see a path to victory.

Earlier, Sherrill had done a small event for Sue Altman, a Democrat who is running for Malinowski’s old seat, attracting the same kind of fired-up-to-do-something-positive crowd as Spanberger, a team of people who seem genuinely excited to knock on doors for a pragmatist who is offering to get things done. Young people in particular, Altman told me, “are sick of the negativity. They’re sick of politics as usual, and they want the government to work properly.” But it’s not a mass movement—nobody gets tens of millions of Instagram followers by finding long-term solutions to flooding in New Jersey.

On the contrary, in a world where social-media algorithms promote anger and emotion, where cable-news teams have an economic interest in promoting the fame-seeking and the flamboyant, charting a different course carries serious risks. The dull work of passing meat-packing bills in Congress, or fixing flooding in New Jersey—none of that will ever go viral on TikTok. Only people who still see politics through the lens of real life, and not through an online filter, will care. In a bitter Senate fight in Michigan, or a close governor’s race in Virginia, the contest could feature candidates who differ radically, but in style as much as substance.

But then, the same can be said about the candidates at the top of the ticket. In a sense, the presidential race is the biggest swing-state race of all. Like the other Service Democrats, Harris also took an oath, early in her career as an attorney, to uphold the Constitution. And like any Democrat running in a purple district, Harris also needs to appeal to a wide range of people who are “sick of politics as usual,” to get them to focus on real-world concerns—economics, health care, inflation—instead of culture wars, and to convince them that she is in politics to solve problems and not just to perform. If she looks down her party’s ballots, she’ll find plenty of allies who have been fighting that same battle for years.

[klbwriting]

Broken Prism

Chapter 18

Fandom: Red Hood

Pairing: Jason Todd x female!Reader

Warnings: intrusive thoughts, self-loathing

Summary: Jason does not do well when left to his own thoughts

Notes: this is angsty af

Bruce didn’t let Jason do anything for two weeks after the attack from Penguins men. It annoyed the hell out of him, pacing the halls of Wayne manor, unable to do anything while the rest of the house was able to go about their daily lives. YN was trying to make time for him but with Penguin’s arrest she was asked to see what else she could get now that more people were willing to talk so she was always working. Tim was at school, Dick in Bludhaven, Bruce at Wayne Enterprises. Jason had Alfred, who honestly was the most mysterious person in the house, leaving in the morning and not back until right before Bruce returned. Jason was going crazy, and he needed to escape, unplug for a while. So, he did.

Bruce had gotten Jason a new bike of course so once he felt up to it, he decided to take it for a spin, outside the city. He rode for a couple hours, putting solid distance between himself and Gotham, breathing a little easier away from the streets and the crime and the general despair that always seem to settle on the city. The lakefront town was nice, and no one bothered him as he hiked around the lake, finding a spot near the water to just sit and be still.

“There has got to be more to what I’m doing,” he whispered to himself. He still struggled so much with his role in the world now. He was a killer, well, a reformed killer at the moment, but a killer no less. He had made New Gotham the safest place in the city, had found his soulmate, reunited with his family, but something was still broken inside him. He could feel it, those shards of himself, the darkest, sharpest parts, that struggled to stay in, wanting to pierce through his chest and destroy him. No amount of care and love from those around him seemed to make that go away. Dr. Thompkins told him that everyone had those parts to them, that they were hard to deal with, but he could cope with them. It was the why bother he was having trouble with. Why bother getting better? No one really loved him. Even YN, that was because some insane twist of fate had put her there. If he didn’t give her color, she wouldn’t even care about him. Bruce, Dick, Tim, all of them. He was a tool, something to use. Why bother with him? He was just some urchin from Crime Alley who was born to be bad. He was of cursed stock, mother an addict, father a loser, he wasn’t better than that, just trash. He tried to push back these thoughts, he wanted to get them to leave them alone, he really did. But they came back stronger every time, and the laugh that chorused with them was more than anyone could take. He was trying, he really was, but he knew that soon something would need done.

He needed to face Joker. He needed to kill him. Bruce wouldn’t do it, fool that he was, but Jason would.

By the time he got back to the mansion it was dark outside, quiet, but when he got inside the silence was eerie. He wasn’t sure what was going on. He searched the house and found no one so he went to the cave where it was a different story. Everyone was yelling, even Alfred.

“You were supposed to fix his tracker…” “I did fix it! He’s not wearing it!” “I swear if someone else has him I am going to punch all of you!” “Shut up Dick! I get to punch everyone first!” “Can we all just calm down?”

“Um, what’s going on?” Jason asked, making everyone stop their tirades and look at him. Soon the men turned, looking from Jason towards YN. She pushed passed them and when Tim went to follow Bruce held him back. She walked up to Jason and shoved him hard.

“What in the fuck were you thinking?! You run off without leaving a note, you don’t take your phone! What the hell is wrong with you!” she yelled, shoving him again and again, each time getting weaker until she was just hugging him, arms gripping his waist as tight as she could. After a moment he heard some sniffles and felt his shirt getting wet. He didn’t realize she would worry like this. No one cared about him this much.

“I just…needed to get out of my head a little bit, get out of the city…” he said, trying to explain. He tried to pry her arms from him, but she held on tighter.

“No, I’m never letting you go again,” she said. “You’re not trustworthy anymore.” Jason looked at the others, searching and finding the same kind of worry on their faces and he looked down. This wasn’t right. He wasn’t right. He didn’t deserve this at all. He fucked everything up. Why did they care? Why should they care? He wasn’t worthy.

“Why do you care so much anyway?” he snapped, finally getting YN to let go of him. He stepped back and she stared at him like he’d shot her. “All of you, why would any of you care about me?” He shook his head, turning and heading back upstairs. YN followed him but he made sure to close the elevator door on her, cursing himself for the hurt he saw on her face. He really was just a worthless piece of garbage. Who hurts the person they love like that? He does. He went to his room, locking the door and ignoring the knocking. First it was YN, then Alfred, then Tim, the Dick, the Bruce. He sat in his room for hours, trying to figure out a way to finish this. Finish everything. He would go down fighting Joker, take the bastard with him. If he died YN would be fine, she said so herself, she had the memories, that was enough. He got up and went to the door, opening it and YN fell backward into his room.

“Finally,” she said, standing up and dusting herself off.

“What are you doing?” Jason asked. She cocked her head to the side and moved to pick up a tray of food by the door. Jason didn’t move.

“Get back in your room, we’re going to eat together, or I’m spilling this right onto the carpet and the stain will drive you crazy,” she said. Jason considered his options for a minute, but when she started to tilt the tray towards him, he relented and stepped back into the bedroom, letting her in. She set the tray on the small table in the room and took a seat, getting it ready for him. Everything he loved was on that tray. He felt himself warming a little at the thought of what Alfred had done for him. Doesn’t mean anything, just wanting to shut you up for a while. He winced like he had been slapped.

“How bad is it?” YN asked as Jason sat down. He looked at the ground, not wanting to look at her. She looked afraid of him. God why had he made her afraid of him?

“Haven’t had a day like this in years,” he said softly.

“Do you want to talk about it?” she asked. He shook his head. “Ok.” She sat back and when he still didn’t look up. “I’ll go, just please eat something.” She stood, moving to walk past him but he grabbed her hand.

“Don’t go,” he said softly. He felt her relaxed, her hand squeezing his before she sat down again. He finally looked at her. “Do you feel cheated knowing that I’m your soulmate?”

“No, I feel incredibly lucky that I have a soulmate like you,” she said. He grunted a laugh. “I mean it Jason.”

“Why? Besides the color, what have I possibly done for you to earn you?” he asked. She frowned.

“Why do you think you need to earn me?” she asked. “I’m not a paycheck, neither are you. You’re there Jason, you exist in this world, and that’s all I need you to do, is exist. I appreciate everything extra that you do for me, but just existing is enough.” He stared at her.

“Only because I saved you, I was Robin, now I’m Red Hood, take that away…”

“And I’d still love you. I don’t love Robin or Red Hood, in fact sometimes I downright hate them because it’s terrifying knowing you’re out there and could die…again…at any moment. If you took off the helmet and the armor I would still love you. Jason Peter Todd is the man I love, hell, even if you weren’t my soulmate I would love you,” she said. Jason looked away again, not wanting her to see him being this emotional. She reached out and turned his face back to her. “Jason, I love you.” He took a breath and stared at her, not finding a lie, a half-truth, sarcasm, nothing but care in her face.

“I wish I could feel that way about myself,” he said. She moved over and he pulled her into his lap, hugging her around the waist, head on her shoulder. She ran her fingers through his hair, her other hand gently caressing his cheek.

“Let me feel that way for you then, I can tell you about how it feels. Being Jason Todd is being a good son, a better brother, the best boyfriend, it means being funny, and so much smarter than you think, not always knowing what to say when someone is having a bad day but being willing to sit with them until its better. Jason is kind, caring, passionate, and has great taste in books. All of his girlfriends agree,” she said. Jason smiled despite himself and for the first time that day the intrusive thoughts subsided. He believed her, believed every word she said.

“I love you too,” he whispered. YN smiled and kissed his head. “I’m tired.”

“Come on, let’s go to bed, can I stay with you tonight?” she asked. He could hear the worry in her voice, like she thought he might vanish again. He nodded and she went to her room to change after making him promise he wasn’t going anywhere. He got into bed himself and felt her crawl in behind him. She wrapped her around his waist, and he sighed, loving being held like this.

[kyoukaru]

ooooo can u tell us about ur AU??!?!

Dont think I've spoke about my Creepypasta AU (not the British school one) and it's still a pretty big WIP, But I am down!!! I've been considering writing some fics for it so ;)

Okay! So the main thing is that Slenderman "feeds" off of the fear of people. Serial killers like Jeff, Nina, Liu, Jane and Natalie help him without realising it. When they become infamous enough, Slenderman proposes to them a level of supernatural support in exchange for them occasionally killing certain people of his choosing.

Meanwhile the proxies (Toby, Kate, Tim and Brian) are stuck in a more abusive relationship with Slender, where he's engineered their situations so they have to rely on him. He keeps them around in the mansion for when he wants to do an organised attack and also because their direct fear of him is pretty powerful.

The Serial Killers can enter the mansion, be that to hide, gather supplies etc... but only as long as they're following the deal with Slenderman. They don't have access to it in the same way the proxies do (I'm thinking the mansion is kinda like a haunted house. It's hierarchy is Slender -> Proxies -> Serial Killers -> Normal people) but their also not aware of the more sinister parts of the house.

Gonna put more individual character thoughts under read more :)

Toby has the most positive relationship with Slender. Primarily because unlike the other proxies he doesn't a) remember what happened pre-Slender. So he's his only frame of reference. b) know there's something wrong with how he's being treated because his brain is still affected by the abuse he faced from his dad.

The other proxies try to explain why it's wrong but it normally falls flat. They try to use their relationships with as a basis (Kate would never hurt him. Tim and Brian would never hurt each other) but Toby's like: yeah. That's because we're forced. Don't wanna know the punishment for killing one of you fuckers.

Tim and Brian are by the far the most defiant and like their life style the least. If it weren't for the fact that they saw they know if they run away, die or kill other proxies or even caused too many issues they'd just be replaced, they'd still be fighting. They plan to take advantage of all the weakness of Slender that they know. But they don't really have a solid plan. They also push the rules to their limits. Slender wants a random guy to die? Well they're gonna choose the worst guy in town.

Tim is more accepting of their situation than Brian. Tim's been dealing with Slender for a lot longer and has a bit more of a defeatist mindset between the whole thing. He settles in easier. Brian still thinks there's a life for him after he escapes, that he can get out.

I need to refresh myself on Kate but I think she's the most neutral of the 4. She goes along with what she's told to do Beyond making sure nothing bad can be linked back to her, she lets the other three do as they like.

Clockwork is the most outwardly hating of Slendy. She signs up to the deal one year after her story and already has a sort of civillian disguise set up (a normal looking prosthetic eye for example.) and was mainly living in motels and doing odd jobs to get by. While she likes the perks, such as having a place to stay and a network of people who get her, she has hard limits she won't cross. If Slenderman tried to push her past them, she'd pack up and leave. When this inevitably happens, she breaks up with Toby and goes no contact with everyone besides Jane.

Jane mainly uses Slender for his network to other killers. While part of her deal is that she can't go after those also "protected" by him, through Liu is how she first hears of Nina. Clockwork knows a couple of killers she's willing to rat out for Jane. For Jane, money and the resources to escape the police is less important because the government already provided that for her. Jane has the most neutral relationships out of everyone but she and Natalie get along well. When Natalie leaves, Jane pretends she doesn't know where she is, as long as the Clockwork killer doesn't start striking again.

Jeff and Liu have the worlds most toxic co-dependency known to man. Jeff cares a lot of Liu and attempted murder thinking it would be worse if he knew what he became. (As he gets older and can think of his life better, he only gets more firm in this decision.) Meanwhile, Liu is pacing around the hospital after being stabbed worrying about his police being too harsh on his brother and how is Jeff gonna get food? He can't exactly hide. Liu himself isn't homicidal per say but it's his way of trying to show Jeff that he's still on his side. Eventually, he just turns to murder when in tricky situations but he doesn't find enjoyment in it.

Jeff was initially offered the deal with Slender because simply hearing he might be in a nearby state is enough to make people panic, a lot. Liu's offer came after the two brothers meet and Jeff threatens to get his life together if Slender doesn't extend the deal. Liu's under no deal himself, as long Jeff is in Slenders debt, so is Liu. They never really get a reputation as a duo though.

Nina's story's basically the same. She's elated that the deal with Slender let's her meet Jeff. Or at least, get closer to meeting him. Jeff's a bit of an ass and she refuses to accept this. She slowly starts to kind of get her own identity as a serial killer while literally everyone besides Jeff tries to convince her to give up this life if it's not what she wants. Nina kind of takes it to heart.

This was going on way to long without the more detailed relationships :sobs: so I'm gonna leave it here. As mentioned, I plan on writing some fics for this AU so feel free to send me requests/prompts in my asks. Or ask me anything else about the AU.

[blackhakumen]

Mini Fanfic #1223: Settling the Awkward Tension (SSBU X Star Fox)

4:12 p.m. at the Smash Mansion's Living Room..............

Chun-Li: (Slowly Pops her Head Out While Hiding Behind the Side of the Doorway with Fox and Watching Samus and Krystal Sitting the Sofa Together in the Mid Distance) I dunno about this, Foxy.....(Looks Up at Fox) Are you sure leaving those two alone in there is a good idea?

Fox: They've been creating an awkward tension since we got here. Maybe with woth the two of us out of the picture for a little while, they can finally have the chance to talk among themselves.

Chun-Li: But what if it all goes south down the line? (Grimaces at a Thought in her Head) Something tells me those daggers in Sammy's eyes are gonna be more than enough to scare her out of here.......

Fox: Nah, they usually make someone sit down in the ground and cry if anything.....But Krystal's a tough one. A glare like that isn't gonna take her down that easily. And I've known Samus long enough to know that she wouldn't try using her fear tactic on someone without talking it out first....Unless you're name is Ridley and the only thing you're receiving is a point blank plasma blast in the face.

Chun-Li: (Starts Giggling to Herself) Or have an ignited rocket boot kicking 'em in the face.

Fox: (Chuckles Lightly) That's almost a fate worse than death. (Clears his Throat a Before Continuing onto his Poiny) But seriously though, just have a little more faith in her, alright? She does have the tendency to surprise people these days. (Puts on a Deadpinned Look on his Face) Also, quit hugging my tail.

Chun-Li: I can't help it!~ (Hugging and Snuggling Up on Fox's Tail) It's far too nice and fluffy to ignore entirely!~ Did you brushed it yourself by any chance?

Fox: (Snatches his Tail Off of Chun-Li's Hands) No! (Tidies his Tail Back Up) Samus did earlier today. (Starts Pouting and Blushing a Bit) Said she'll kill me if she sees it get messy again.....

Chun-Li: (Giggles Softly) Aww~ How sweet of her, minus the threat, of course.

Fox: (Rolls his Eyes in a Bit of Annoyance) Uh-huh.

Meanwhile Back at the Living Room..........

Samus and Krystal sitting on the sofa a few inches away from each other in silence. The former's too busy reading a magazine while the latter is trying to find some way to start a conversation without make it awkward than it already is.

Krystal: Soooooo.......I uh.....(Puts on a Small Awkward Looking Smile on her Face) Like the way your hair looks! Very nice looking indeed.

Samus: Thanks. (Waves her Hair Back a Little) It's not much, but it's at least presentable for our day out, so I ain't complaining.....(Slowly Turns to Krystal) Your hair looks nice too, I guess....

Krystal: Oh. (Smiles Shyly at the Bounty Hunter) T-Thank you. Mines isn't much to gloss over either, but I'm glad to have regardless.

Samus: (Flips the Page of her Magazine) Cool.

'More Silence'

Krystal: ('Sighs in Defeat') I can't take much more of this any longer!.... (Turns to Samus) Samus, do you truly have any issues with me as of recent?

Samus: (Scoffs a Bit While Rolling her Eyes Without even Looking at Krystal) Gee. Whatever give you that idea.......

Krystal: Well, besides the cold, distant demeanor, I been having this anger, protective, more complicated readings blending in and running rapid within your inner thoughts as of recent.

Samus: Yeah, well- Wait. (Turns Back to Krystal With a Raised Eyebrow) You can read my thoughts?

Krystal: (Simply Nodded) Yes. I've come from a long line of telepaths actually.

Samus: Hm. Neat. (Notices Krystal is Still Staring at Her Before Letting Out a Sigh) Alright, if you REALLY insist on wanting to know how I feel, then here it is: I do have a problem with you.

Krystal: (Lowers her Ears Down with a Hint of Sadness in her Eyes) I...see. And I take it has everything to do with my past relationship with Fox?

Samus: Right again. Did your telepathic powers gave you that answer as well?

Krystal: No, I....figured that would be the reason.....

Samus: Well, it is. You really broke Fox's heart in the past.

Krystal: (Sighs as She Lowers her Head Down a Bit) Yes. I have.......

Samus: But he also broke yours as well. At least from what I heard.

Krystal: That....also happened too, yes. (Sighs While Softly Facepalming Herself) God, we were both so young, stubborn, and....very stupid back then!.....

Samus: ('Sigh') Yeah, love can do that to you sometimes. Or in your case, a cracked, broken one.

Krystal: True. A lot has happened after our messy break-up. I joined Star Wolf, dated Panther of all people-

Samus: Waitwaitwait. Time out. (Points at Krystal Woth a Surprised Look on her Face) You dated PANTHER CARASO, of all people?

Krystal: ('Groans') I knoooow! I still can't believe it either, after all these years. I mean, sure, he's romantic and a gentleman to boot, but he can be such a headache sometimes!

Samus: (Shrugs) What did you expect from the playboy, casanova of the team?

Krystal: (Rolls her Eyes in Annoyance) Not a lot apparently....But after all of that didn't work out, I was so....distant from myself that I even up disappeared from the face of the earth, went rogue and started calling myself "Kursed"!

Samus: That doesn't sound too bad of a-

Krystal: Starting with a the letter "K".

Samus: (Eyes Widened a Bit) ......Ohh okay. Nevermind. That sounds like a crappy nickname.

Krystal: The worse! I wish I could just go back in time and take back all the things I said and did during those moments of my life, but....(Tales a Deep Breath Before Calming Down and Speaking Again) The world doesn't quite work like that, does it?

Samus: Nope. Best you could do us learn from those mistakes and move on with your life from there.

Krystal: (Nodded in Agreement) Right. That's exactly what I did shortly after. It wasn't the easily road I took back then mind you, I can safely say I managed somehow....(Smiles Sheepishly) B-But I think that's quite enough about me for once day, right? How was Fox doing after our break up? I-If you don't mind me asking, of course.

Samus: ('Sigh') He was mess. He was depressed all day, rarely speaks to anyone anymore, constantly blaming for what happened between you two, hell, he would even lock himself in his room all day just so he wouldn't bum anyone out any further than he thinks he has. (Crosses her Arms) He was an empty shell of himself those days and we've been worried sick about him from there......

Krystal: (Clenches her Chest a Little as She Frowns Worryingly For her Old Friend and Teammate) Oh no........He was truly suffering this whole time?

Samus: Yeah, it was pretty rough. Then eventually, one night later, we discovered Fox was nowhere to be seen in the mansion. Almost everyone started panicking enough to form separate search parties. It took an hour and a half to look for him around in the streets 'till I found his Arwing parked in front of aome random night bar. Don't have a slight clue what it's called, but I do remember it's atmosphere upon walking in. It just as sad and empty as he was. So I saw him sitting by himself at the other side and we started talking.

Flashback to an Unnamed Bar.......

Samus: (Raises an Eyebrow at Fox) You wanna go and join the G-Zero Racing competition?

Fox: (Happily Nodded) Yeah. It was the one thing my dad used to do before he founded Star Fox woth Peppy. It's a bit risky in a few areas, but it could be fun after a while.

SamuS: Fox-

Fox: I know, I know, it's a huge leap for me to make, but I think it would be the one thing that could help turn my life around for the better. Heck, I can even have Falco join along, he's a fan of this sort of stuff.

Samus: Okay, but what about everyone of us in the Smash Family, huh? We'll miss you like crazy.

Fox: I'll give you guys a call every chance I get! ('Sighs in Defeat') Then again, it'll only be a matter of time before I start missing you guys like crazy too.....(Facepalms Himself) God, I have no idea what I'm doing with my life, am I?

Samus: Honey, no one in this town has any idea what they're doing in their lives and that's fine. It just means you have to learn and experience out here, you know?

Fox: True......(Takes a Small Sip of his Drink Before Letting Out Another Sigh) I'm sorry for scaring ypu all early. I figured my mood has been bringing everyone down these days, so I went out to get some fresh air.

Samus: To a waste land of a bar?

Fox: Hey, it's not the most exciting place in the world, but it does help clear my head, even for a little bit.

Samus: Hey, I don't mind you going out and clearing your head and all, but you think could you at least give us a heads up first next time?

Fox: Yeah. Promise. Sorry again for the trouble. I promise I'm feeling a lot better now than ever before.

Samus: (Simply Nodded in Approval) Good. And I'mma stay my ass right here and make sure it gets even better from there.

Fox: You sure you wanna do that? My sulking could possibly get on your nerves real quick.

Samus: ('Scoffs') Please. There's a lot of things get on my nerves these days.

Fox: Even Ridley?

Samus: (Groans at the Thought of One of her Most Hated Enemies) ESPECIALLY that murderous bastard......The sooner none of us mention ls his name ever again, the better.

Fox: Got it. But seriously, Samus, you really don't have to stay here with me. I'm sure you have a lot of other things you need to do that's more worth your time.

Samus: (Casually Shrugs) Nah, I'm good for the rest of the night, no biggie. (Takes a sip of her Drink Before Giving Fox a More Serious Look on her Face) Look, I didn't flew all the way out here just to say 'hi' and leave. I'm doing this because you're my friend and I wanna be there for you no matter what.

Fox: (Looks Up at Samus With a Genuine Look in his Eyes) You....really mean that?

Samus: Yeah. I do. And besides, you wouldn't leave me alone whenever something's bothering me for the longest time now, I might as well return a flavor. (Points at Fox While Putting on a More Pouty Look on her Face) So you better not try and shut me out on this, Fox McCloud, or I'm kicking your fluffy ass right here!

Fox suddenly begins to bursts out laughing for the very first time after his break up with Krystal.

Samus: (Raises an Eyebrow) Oh, so my plead is now a joke to you, Mr. Wannabe G-Racer?

Fox: (Tries to Die Out his Laughter, Little by Little) No, no, not at all! I just....(Wipes a Single Tear From Off his Eye) Needed a good laugh is all. Thank you.

Samus: (Scoffs While Turning Away, Crossing her Arms Together) Whatever. I'm still not leaving, you-

Fox: I know. You're staying here with me and I appericate it a lot. (Starts Rubbing The Back of his Head Back and Forth) Though, I really don't know what else to talk about right now.

Samus: (Turns Back to Fox) I got something. I punched Ridley in the face once.

Fox: With your arm cannon?

Samus: (Forms a Cocky Smirk on her Face) An arm cannon with a charged up power shot to boot.

Fox: (Smirks Back at Samus) Nice.

End of Flashback

Samus: Then after that, we safely head back home, watch a few movies, cuddled, and call it a night. It took a while, but he eventually started to get a lot better overtime.

Krystal: ('Sighs in Relief') That's very good to hear. (Smiles Softly) You're a really good friend, Samus Aran.

Samus: (Casually Shrugs Again) Eh. I feel like it's the other way around honestly. I was a cold hearted bitch to him the first time we met, but he never gave up on me since then. (Puts on a More Determined Smile on her Face) And I'll be damned if I give up on him anytime soon, no matter how much of a goody two-shoes he is.

Krystal: (Forms a Bit of a Teasing Smirk on her Face) Don't forget worry wart~

Samus: (Looks Up at the Ceiling and Playfully Groans a Bit) ('Uggh') Don't even get me started! The guy's almost as overbearing as Peach and Mario combined.

Krystal: (Nodded in Agreement) Very much so in my case. (Places her Hands Back Onto her Chest While Putting on a More Loving Smile on her Face) But it's so sweet and thoughtful, I can't help but to hug him for all his troubles~

Samus: Same. Hell, I'm more than willing to hug him right now- (Turns her Attention Over to the Living Room's Doorway) If him and my girlfriend would quit hiding over there and reveal themselves already!

Fox/Chun-Li: (Gets Discovered) Meep!?

Samus: Yeah, we see you two over there. Don't act surprised!

Krystal: (Smiles Brightly) And don't even try and deny it either!~ I have a few, slightly jumpy emotions in both your thoughts whom would love to say otherwise!~

Chun-Li: (Looks Up at Fox) How-

Fox: (Looks Downat Chun-Li) Krystal's a telepath, Chun-Li.

Chun-Li: Ohhh, okay. Neat.

Fox: (Sighs in Defeat as He and Chin-Li Finally Reveal Themselves) Alright, you caught us. We were purposely spying on you.

Chun-Li: (Sadly (And Cutely) Bows at the Two Ladies) Gomenai~

Samus: (Playfully Rolls her Eyes) Yeah, yeah, we know you are. What? You're worried we wouldn't getting along or something?

Fox: Kinda? (Walks Over to the Sofa With Chun-Li Following Behind) You two have been acting awkward with each other all day today, so we figured-

Chun-Li: (Clears her Throat While Giving Fox a Slight Grumpy Look)

Fox: ('Sigh') I figured it would a good idea for Chuns and I to stand back and watch you two talk out your problems among yourselves.

Chun-Li: (Happily and Innocently Nodded) Mmhmm.

Krystal tries to contain her giggling to little prevail.

Samus: (Gives the Duo a Deadpinned Look) You two are hopeless. We can talk our problems out just fine without your meddling.

Fox: Yeah, I know. Just trying to be safe than sorry like I always do. (Smiles Softly) I'm glad you two are getting along now.

Samus: (Turns to Krystal Next to Her) Yeah. I am too. (Turns Back to Fox) I'm also glad to still have someone like you in life. (Gives Fox a Loving Hug) I love you, man.

Fox: (Hugs his Best Friend Back) Love you too, Samus.

Samus: (Makes a Grumbling Noise)

Fox: ('Sigh') What now?

Samus: Your tail. Why am I seeing it messy?

Fox: Blame your girlfriend. She's been hugging on it earlier.

Chun-Li: (Pouts at Fox) It's fluffy!!~

Krystal: (Happily Nodded in Agreement) Agreed. Very fluffy indeed~

Fox: (Turns to his Old Friend with a Light Glare)

Krystal: (Casually Shrugs) What? I'm just stating the obvious truth here.

Fox: That should not be explored any further, thank you!

Samus: (Pulls Away From Fox) Shimmer down a notch, drama queen, we'll drop it. (Points at Fox) You owe another fur brushing session tonight, mister.

Samus boops on the top of Fox's nose before going over to her girlfriend..

Fox: (Rolls his Eyes) I won't forget.

Samus: ('Hmph') You better not.

Fox: (Let's Out a Another Sigh Before He Notices Krystal Goes Over to Hug Him in the Nsck of Time) And what got you in a hugging mood?

Krystal: (Smiles Softly While Hugging Fox) No real reason. I just missed this. And you entirely, of course.

Fix: (Heart Begins to Melt in Genuine Happiness as He Hugs his Old Teammate Back) Likewise. Here's hoping everything goes better for us from here on out.

Krystal: (Giggles a Bit While Snuggling onto Fox's Embrace) Here-Here~

Samus: Hey! Potential lovebirds!

The duo turns to see the two actual lovebirds staring at then.

Samus: (Smirks at the Duo) Would it kill either of you to get a room already?

Chun-Li: (Playfully Pouts at the Duo While Sitting on Samus' Lap) We are trying to have a tender moment here!~

Samus: (Turns her Smirk to the Strongest Woman in the World in Front of her) Damn right we are~ (Gives the Side of Chun-Li's Rear a Little Smack and Grab)

'Smack'

Chun-Li: (Let's Out a Small Yelp) Oh!~ (Smirks Back at her Bounty Hunter) Courageous today, aren't we?~

Samus: I'm as brave as they come, baby~

Chun-Li: Really? Then prove it me then~

Samus: Gladly~

The two ladies lean over and share a tenderness, very passionate make-out session, while the others reluctantly watches.

Krystal: Goodness....(Turns Back to Fox) Are they always this passionate?

Fox: ('Sigh') Out and behind close doors. (Whispers into Krystal's Ears While Smirking) Sammy here is the Bottom of their relationship by the way.

Krystal: ('Gasps') (Eyes Widened in Genuine Surprise) Really! I could've sworn it was the other way around!

Fox: Nooope, she's a definite bottom. She can deny it all she wants, but it's underlying true. You can ask her all about it if you want. You'll get a clear picture yourself.

Krystal: (Smiles Sheepishly) I-I think I'll pass on the offer for now. The last thing I want to do is get back on her bad side.

Fox: Fair.

@bestpony666

@albion-93

@caleb13frede

@decibelcoatl

@ma-lemons

[shadowqueenjude]

Lucien finally loses his shit part 7

Lucien finds himself in a duel to the death with the male who dared to hurt his mate! Lucien knew it was only a matter of time before Azriel had him in a vulnerable position again. Still, he fought, tooth and nail, deciding if he was going to die, he was going to flip death off all the way to the end.

All of a sudden, the shadowsinger disappeared. Lucien whipped his head around, searching for him when all of a sudden, he appeared behind him. Lucien stumbled back, raising his sword to try to deflect the blow as Azriel’s knife arced towards his heart. Lucien tensed up, expecting a blow which never came.

As Azriel fell face first to the ground, Lucien stared at the arrow protruding from the center of his back.

He looked up, following the trajectory of the arrow to find Elain standing several paces away, bow in hand, looking every bit like a mighty immortal huntress. Her eyes were as fierce as Lucien had ever seen them. By the Cauldron, she was beautiful. His mate.

Lucien stared down at Azriel. He should end it. Slit his throat. But he hesitated.

His mate cared for him. Besides, he was a downed male. Smart as it would be to eliminate him, Lucien couldn’t bring himself to do it.

“The next time you come after me, I’ll kill you,” Lucien hissed. He stalked over to Elain, who handed him a bottle of some sparkly purple liquid. Lucien narrowed his eyes.

“It’s not poison,” Elain quipped, and Lucien smiled slightly. “Looks like it. What the hell is this?”

Elain only stared at him with clear, piercing eyes. “Do you trust me?”

I barely know you, he wanted to cry out. But he found himself saying, “Yes. Yes, I trust you.”

“Then drink,” she said, and tipped the glass into his mouth. He obeyed, swallowing large gulps at a time. It tasted like cinnamon and vanilla and banana and something else he couldn’t quite place. “It should help you restore your magic faster?”

“And how exactly,” Lucien said between swallows, “do you know that?”

Elain smiled slightly. “Cooking is an art. You’d be surprised how many magical recipes there are in those cookbooks.”

Lucien grinned. “Smart girl.”

Elain’s smile went a little wider at that. Lucien soon found she was right. Within a few minutes, he found much of his strength returning. “Come on, let’s get you out of here.”

Elain’s smile faded. “Why should I go with you?”

“Please,” Lucien begged. He’d get on his knees if he had to. “I’m not asking you to be with me. I just need to get you out of here. Someplace safe. Your sisters will be there too. Don’t you trust me?” he said softly. Tentatively.

He waited for the no that was surely coming, but she merely said, “Yes. Yes, I do.” Relief flooded through him at her words. “Then come with me.” He offered a hand. Elain took it with little hesitation. Her hand was so small in his. And so soft. Like a dove’s. He tried to ignore how perfectly their hands fit together, how beautiful her hair was flowing in the wind, her bright eyes as brown as a faun’s coat. He closed his eyes and winnowed.

When he opened his eyes, Graysen’s mansion was before them. There was no sign of the man, however, much to Lucien’s relief. He did not want Elain running into her foul former fiancé.

When Lucien arrived with Elain in tow, Feyre and Nesta instantly came running. Elain didn’t let go of Lucien’s hand until Feyre grabbed her in a bone-crushing hug. Nesta hugged her equally fiercely. Then all three sisters gave him a big hug which left him blushing and a little bit tongue-tied.

All three sisters continued to fuss over him as they walked inside Graysen’s mansion, but all thoughts emptied out of Lucien’s head at the look on Jurian’s face.

“What is it?” Lucien demanded. Jurian was pale and sweaty, his anxiety most unlike him. He turned to Lucien at his words. His mouth was drawn in a thin line. “It’s Vassa. She’s gone.”

No. “What do you mean, gone?”

“She was taken back. By Koschei. I don’t know what happened to the deal their father struck, but he took her back.” Jurian’s voice was filled with pain for his best friend and lover.

No. “When did this happen?”

“Last night,” Jurian choked. He wiped his face, trying to hide his tears. “She left a note.” He tossed it to Lucien.

No no no no.

Shit.

He could’ve sworn he heard the Mother speak in his mind once more. Your woes are just beginning, son of Helion.

[eclipseyll]

Pairing (PLATONICALLY!!!) : Erik Lehnsherr x Serena Rodrigo (XMEN OC)

Summary: Erik Lehnsherr couldn't sleep, as one particular member too. Erik and Serena bond with their shared trauma while being still hostile to one another.

Warning: None

A/N: this takes place after apocalypse, Erik decided to stay to teach other mutants. This is not my first oneshot/fanfic but it's been awhile so don't judge hihi. NOT PROOFREAD!

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

Serena couldn't sleep, those visions creeping inside of her head everytime she closed her eyes. She saw it coming, she saw how Apocalypse would destroy the world. And it shocked her.

It was her first time to receive such visions, she usually saw death and destruction but never extinction of both kinds that were up against each other.

Her arm still hurt from the fight, it was healed but still burns. When she saw that pale blue monstrous mutant choking a new member of the XMEN, she knew she had to do something. Serena tried using her shadow abilities by enveloping her darkness around Apocalypse to let go of Pete, she succeeded but in turn Apocalypse used her abilities against her. He used her darkness to project pain in which burned her left hand.

Serena sighed, wincing at the memory. 'Its over... Its over'. She whispered to herself, closing her shady brown eyes strenuously.

She opened her eyes again, trying to focus it on the nightlight stickers above her head. Serena now contemplated her life, a month ago she was running away from the authorities doing everything to be safe as she was, in the words of the human community a "destruction maker". But now she's in a infamous school for gifted youngsters, not only a student but a trainee to be apart of the XMEN group who swore to protect both kinds.

She quickly stood up, took her jacket across her bed and gloves in her nightstand wearing it to prevent more unwelcome visions, deciding to take a walk. She needed to clear her mind because the last thing she needed was be confused with her brand new life and reminisce

her old gloomy one.

As she strolled around the mansion, she looked up to the paintings and admiring the exterior. She didn't need light to view the inside of the mansion, as she has to the ability to see in the dark. And she was grateful to have the skill as she almost shrieked out of fear seeing a silhouette in the patio as she found herself in the garden house.

She sighed in relief as the moonlight shined on the only one Mr. Magneto. He looked tired and disheveled, it didn't need a telepath to sense that something was bothering him. And he was just staring at Serena which made her uncomfortable, he was probably trying to get peace too and Serena didn't want to interrupt, as she tried to walk away. He called out,

"Wait." His voice hoarse, like he has been crying.

Serena spun her head gazing upon the adult man. Pity and empathy rushed onto her, she didn't despise the man infront of her but then she also didn't like him. Not after the multiple acts he has done that has probably either made the situation for mutants the worse or the better.

She cleared her throat, walking up to him, "May I sit down?" Serena asked gesturing the free chair. He only nodded as a response.

The both sat there quietly, bathing each other's silence and company, staring at moon.

"It's beautiful." Serena suddenly blurted after 5 minutes of complete silence that made Erik glance at the young girl.

"You know, it's rare to view the full moon as it only occurs once every 29 days." Her mouth line reaching her ears, as she smiled quirkily trying not to be awkward. Erik just nodded again, ever since with Apocalypse he has been quiet, around her anyways. She doesn't blame him if he feels guilty with the things he have done when he was at the wrong side. Erik only stopped when Apocalypse almost killed Raven and Serena, he was burning her left hand using her abilities and he was choking Raven. Erik used his enhanced abilities trying to trap Apocalypse that made him unhand both girls and Serena appreciated that. But she wouldn't say it aloud.

"Why are you still up?” Erik asked, in a slow pace, testing the waters with the young mutant as this would be their first official interaction.

Serena bit her bottom lip, hesitating whether or not to trust this man with her worries. "I just - couldn't handle the visions and nightmare, there are just some days where everything is too much." Looking at the ground and fidgeting her gloves.

"Is that why you wear your gloves?"

"Yeah, it's too prevent any sudden visions."

"Why is that?” Erik asked curiously.

"Well when I was a child, when I discovered my ability to foresee the futures and past, nobody believed or helped me. Then when I accidentally created a shadow dome in my school, I was taken away. My sister tried to protect me but she couldn't do anything to the government people." She rambled.

"So what I have learned is that, If I don't want to be poked around with needles or people thinking I'm evil because of my power over the dark or be invaded with awful destinies and pasts. I should try my best to control and hide my powers." Serena stated trying not to let the tears go, as many miserable memories of her childhood being misunderstood and assaulted, used as an experiment and her doing everything she can to survive.

Serena received an empathetic look from Erik, him understanding her traumatic past. "I'm sorry to hear that Rodrigo, nobody deserves to have gone through all that. But you shouldn't compromise of who you are to accommodate the people around you." Serena only could muster a small thank you while snuffling.

"Why are you awake at this time then, Mr. Lehnsherr?"

Erik stayed silent for awhile, staring intently at Serena. While the girl looked at ground as if it was the greatest view she has seen, as she felt his stare drilling onto her skull. Erik hesitated is he should tell the young girl of his problems, as he was scared the knowledge he would share will be use against him and make him weak again.

As if reading his mind, "You don't have to say anything." Serena stated, reaching her gloved hand and putting above his that was laying at the table seperating the two mutants. Erik looked at her hands on top on his, then stared at her again. She was smiling warmly, as if he wasn't the most wanted man on Earth. "But if you ever do decide to say something, I promise everything you say is safe and locked here." Serena pointed at her brain.

Erik breath out trembling, he open his mouth then shut it, he was contemplating on what words should he use to explain reasons of his sadness and grief.

"It hurts," He grunted. "It hurts so much, it feels like its ripping out my heart." Serena furrowed her brows, pitying the old man.

"Shaw killed my Mother, they killed my wife and my precious daughter, they imprisoned me and they tortured me." A tear fell on his beige skin, "I never had anything left yet still, every time I show the slightest care for someone they take it away from me. Haven't I given enough?” He continued, looking at Serena crazed with anger, guilt and sadness.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Mr. Lehnsherr." Serena stated speechless, "I do hope that someday you will find peace and happiness, what you have gone through is very hard. " She awkwardly looked at him, and Erik understood she didn't know what words to use to console him but her presence and her hopefulness for Erik already gave him some bit of comfort.

"Thank you, and please I think we're past the formalities. Just call me Erik." He said smiling the pain away.

"Then just call me Serena, Erik."

The two mutants smiling each other kindly, then looked away to stare at the moon again. Tonight Serena might have just made a new acquaintance, as the two bonded with their own heartbreaks. Serena then felt the hand below hers, squeeze gently.

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

okok soo I was inspired so I made my oc and Erik interact bc why not???

I was also inspired bc last time I asked ai to make my oc and Erik interact and I loved them (Also just to be clear, I may have asked ai to make a shitty oc but the oc (name, backstory etc.) I have written and posted, is what I have created on my own with the inspiration of Remnant, Raven, Shade and Darkling. And also I just asked Ai since I needed some explaination on dark matter which is a power of another oc of my mine HAHAHHA)

and also I want to write more interactions with other XMEN members, So maybe I will do Jean Grey next!!

[taintedevesayori]

Sayo's Route: Dark Fate - Dark Prologue

Sayo's Route Masterlist

-Shin is dragging Yui through the hallway of the Tsukinami mansion

Yui: Where is Sayo?! What have you done with her?

Shin: I’m taking you to her right now. It’s easier to explain things only once. 

Yui: I see…

-Carla is waiting outside the guest room Sayo is in. She’s still banging on the door

Shin: I’m surprised she hasn’t broken the door down yet. 

Carla: Haah…Not for a lack of trying. 

Shin: Settle down! We’re coming in, so move away from the door. 

Sayo: …!

-When the door opens, Sayo’s eyes widen when she sees Yui. Yui rushes to her side

Sayo: Yui…! You were caught too…?

Yui: Yes…I’m sorry, Sayo…This happened to you because of me…

Sayo: Don’t be. I was the one who told you to run. 

-Sayo turns to glare at Carla and Shin

Sayo: What the hell do you two want with us?

Carla: You do not need to know the specifics. All you need to know is that you belong to us now. It is pointless to escape and those vampires will not be coming to rescue you. 

Yui: W-What…?

Sayo: Excuse me? You expect me to go along with this?

Yui: E-Exactly…! I can’t just accept that!

Carla: It seems some training is necessary…

-Carla grabs Yui, dragging her from the room

Sayo: Yui!

-She moves to go after them, but Shin stops her

Shin: Not so fast. Nii-san put me in charge of you. Your little friend belongs to him now, so you can’t go and intervene. 

Sayo: Tch…

Shin: I expected you to talk back since you tried to fight us earlier, but we both thought she would be obedient considering how those vampires toy with her…That’s probably why Nii-san wants to train her immediately. I should do the same since you didn’t immediately obey as well, you know.

-Sayo sits down, crossing her arms over her chest as she glares at him

Shin: We know plenty about that one, but we only discovered you by chance. Seems like those vampires you lived with showed up to look for you at the manor we took you both from. So? Why were you living with them? Were you prey, just like her?

Sayo: If you don’t know, I don’t have to tell you, now do I?

Shin: You won’t say? What’s the point in keeping quiet unless there’s something you want to hide? I’ll bet you were just like her. You’re lucky your death rid you of that vampire stench that clung to you or I would have dropped you in the lake or something to get rid of it. 

Sayo: Oh, good for me…I won’t tell you because I don’t owe a kidnapper any explanation. 

Shin: Che…So that’s how you’re going to be?

-Mertz suddenly enters the room

Mertz: Shin-sama…

Shin: What do you want? Can’t you see I’m busy?

Mertz: I have information on that girl. I thought you might be interested in it. 

Shin: Oh? Guess I’ll find out whether you like it or not. 

Sayo: Hmph…

Mertz: She was a potential bride to the Sakamaki family. She was living with them for about a year before she disappeared. The vampires who were looking for her are the Mukami brothers. She is dating one of them. He brought her back after she disappeared and she is now living with them. I was unable to find out the details, but it seems she is important to some plan Karlheinz is working on. 

Shin: Oh? You were unfortunate enough to be a bride for those vampires? My guess is Karlheinz is using her because she’s half Founder. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was the one who put the seal on her in the first place. 

Merz: You are very clever, Shin-sama. I imagine you are correct.

Shin: Is that all? 

Merz: The only other thing I could find out is that she was not very…well, cooperative. She rarely allowed them to drink her blood and would try to fight back if they attempted to force her. 

Shin: Considering she pulled a knife on me and Nii-san, I can’t say I’m surprised. 

Sayo: Speaking of my knife, where is it?

Shin: Oh, this?

-He pulls it out of his pocket, holding it up. She jumps up, trying to take it from him

Sayo: Give it back…! 

Shin: Not gonna happen. Don’t want you trying to stab us in our sleep. Not that you could kill us. I don’t get it. You deny those guys but then go off and date a different vampire? And from the stench of those ones, they weren’t even purebloods.

Sayo: What does it matter to you?

Shin: Che…! When I ask you a question, I want an answer.

Sayo: Heh…Well, I’m not always going to give one, so get used to it. 

Merz: Shin-sama…it was love, perhaps? I imagine that is the only reason a girl like this would willingly stay with a vampire. 

Sayo: Tch…Shut the hell up! You’re just some random guy who showed up, so don’t act like you know me. 

Shin: If you don’t have anything more to report, get out of my sight, will ya?!

Merz: …! Y-Yes, Shin-sama…

-Merz leaves

Shin: Heh…Ahaha! So you loved him? A non pure blooded vampire, the lowest of the low? Even if you are a halfbreed, you do have Founder’s blood in your veins. You should have more respect for yourself than that.

-She glares at him 

Sayo: Oh, self respect, is that really your problem? So you’re saying I should drop him and be with someone like you instead? 

-He stops, looking her up and down before smirking

Shin: Heh…That’s exactly what I’m saying. You can’t escape here, so just forget about that guy. Nii-san put me in charge of you anyway, so think of me as his replacement. 

Sayo: Hmph…As if. I don’t go around replacing the people I care about. 

Shin: Che…You say that now, but I’ll make you give up on that guy before you know it. 

Sayo: Not likely. Don’t waste your time. 

-Shin grabs her, pinning her against the wall. She attempts to struggle, but is unable to get out of his grip

Shin: Give it up. A halfbreed will never be stronger than me. I may not be stronger than Nii-san because he’s the king of us Founders, but I am a close second. It’s pointless to fight against me. 

Sayo: When I first moved there, the Sakamakis said it was pointless to fight against them too, but I did it anyway. And guess what? As a human, I was still able to defy them. Even if I was still a human, I would still try to fight back against you. I’m not the type to just lie down and take it. 

-Shin grabs her hair, pulling her head back

Sayo: Ouch…!

-She reaches back to try to stop him

Shin: That’s right, it hurts. This will be a painful experience for you if you don’t learn some obedience. I don’t mind being sweet to you if you learn to live wrapped around my finger. 

Sayo: Like hell…!

-Shin yanks her hair, pulling her head back even further before biting her neck

Sayo: Ngh!

Shin: Nn….Haah….I was hoping your death might have cleansed your blood, but it’s disgusting after all…

Sayo: Then here’s an idea…stop drinking it.

Shin: Nn…If only that were an option…Your blood is corrupted because of those vampires…Phew…We have to cleanse it by sucking out the poison. 

Sayo: Is that part of your big secret plan?

Shin: Hehe…It is. But I’m not telling you anymore than that. 

-He takes a step back before grabbing her chin, pulling her face up closer to his

Shin: I don’t hate those defiant eyes of yours…but I can tell your boyfriend’s fangs have given you pleasure. I look forward to the day you’ll be writhing underneath me as I suck your blood, your eyes filled with guilt as you cry out for more. 

-Her cheeks flush bright red

Sayo: There’s no way in hell!

Shin: Hehe…Don’t be so sure. I don’t need to train you to behave. I’ll break you instead. Before long, you’ll forget all about your boyfriend. 

-All she does is glare

Shin: This is your room. Like Nii-san said earlier, don’t bother with trying to escape. You can’t leave this mansion. I’ll be back soon. 

-Shin leaves the room

Sayo: That bastard…!

-Shin goes to meet with Carla

Shin: Nii-san, how did it go? 

Carla: She will require some training…and her blood will require immense cleansing. It is thoroughly tainted. 

Shin: Well…we guessed as much from her scent. 

Carla: What about the other woman? 

Shin: Her death didn’t do anything about her tainted blood, so she’ll need to be cleansed as well. 

Carla: Mertz reported to me as well what he found out about her background. I can’t imagine she’ll be very cooperative. Will you be able to handle her? 

Shin: Of course. Don’t worry, you can leave her to me. She’s stubborn, but I found a way to get under her skin. It’ll only be a matter of time before she submits to me…and it should be amusing in the meantime. 

Carla: Don’t play around too much. You mustn’t forget our goal. 

Shin: I won’t forget. But it will be worth it to get her to submit. She may be a halfbreed, but at least we’ll have a female Founder.  

Carla: I suppose…Do what you want, then. 

Shin: I will.

[therantfairysblog]

Born to Die

His cousin, apparently living a really good life. As he watched from afar, she was holding her new born baby, talking softly to someone who he assume a higher status woman. She's never changed at all.

Her gesture, her smiles, that wide smile, he still remember, her mother and his cousin's mother, her aunt, come meeting him in that small cage, smiling like a sneaky snake.

Iguro caressing Kaburamaru, he was shocked the first time he heard the news that their mansion are still inhabited by her. It's not that he hate her, no matter how much horrible thing she treat him in the past, he couldn't hate her. Ironically he developed a sense of protectiveness over her, his only family left. But as a mere human, he do envy, the fact that she could moved on from that tragedy, even live with that blood money their family left behind. Unlike him.

.....

That night, he was stationed in that island, patrolling the night life of the people around. Since their organization was a secret, Iguro was always trying to blend in and hiding his presence.

15 minutes past midnight, he getting more on guard since the human eating demons will be more active during that time. Based on his own experience, he remembered how noisy his ceiling are with the snake princess presence, watching him.

He was patrolling in the nearest forest at that time when a sudden female cry was heard.

Her cousin. He wondering what she was doing that night. As a demon hunter, it still his responsibility to save people, he running fast towards her.

Only that his step stopped when he saw the scene in front of him.

His cousin was crying, not a cry for help, rather she was crying and deeply bowing a hideous looking demon, with two face in front and a back, looking down at her with it arrogant gesture. Beside her, a cup of blood and a dead bird was there. An offering.

"You..." He didn't hesitate, with no hesitation, Iguro slashed through the demon's neck. 'Its not even a lower moon' he thought. He didn't really care of his cousin's response.

"Nooo!!! Why are you killing him!!!"

"I'm just doing my job. And saving you" iguro didn't even looked at her, he try to walk away as fast as he could before she realizes his identity but it was too late.

"You, Obanai ?" The young woman slowly walk towards him, confronting him, again with her disgusting face towards him.

"You useless murderer!! You always have your way to disturb me! I hate you!" Her left hand trembling as her other hand push him away. "You should let yourself killed..."

Not even a thanks what's more an appreciation. Iguro just walking away. He was confused yet disappointed. He looked at her, she looked white as sheet, seems traumatized.

"Why are you doing this... after what happened to the family?"

"....you would not understand! You are just a sacrifice" a little silence where there before she's crying.

"...if i didn't sacrifice anything, all that left in me, these money, my life, my family...will not be blessed by God! By them, these powerful being!!! Like the old time! All because of you!!! You are allowed to be born and raised because of her but you betrayed her! Your purpose to be born is to die why this is so difficult for you to understand??" Before she left, she looked at him again.

".... I don't want to get killed, like them...you should just left me alone. We are not related in any away again."

Iguro were left behind, speechless. Kaburamaru slithering around his neck slowly, trying to comfort him. Standing in the darkness of the forest, he disappeared.

"i was just a being who the sole purpose of living is to die" he whispered to himself.

"you, you too still affected with those memory didn't you? I'm so sorry" he caressing Kaburamaru. That night was a long night for him.

"my cousin... she's didn't moved on. I was wrong. It's all my fault" he was painfully smiling under his masked, watching his little friend gently moving to his hand.

[bb-editing]

ROXANA (Chapter 37)

*E/N: Thanks for 100 followers! I'm having a lot of fun editing these chapters, and I hope you're all having as much fun reading them :)

–––

As he ran, Cassis shot a sharp glance back at Jeremy, who had recovered from his surprise and was now looking far more relaxed. Cassis could hear Jeremy’s nasty laugh echoing behind him.

Disoriented by the initial chaos, Cassis had accidentally gotten stabbed by the Karantul’s pincer-like legs, and he was starting to feel its effects. First, the numbness spread through his limbs, before it was replaced by a cold, tingling sensation.

‘Shit,’ he thought. ‘Why are they breeding such things here?’

The surrounding atmosphere was now completely engulfed in the dense smell of poison emanating from the escaped monsters.

“Help me- HEUK!”

Cassis stopped and swung his head around just in time to see the woman who had cried for help get crushed in the jaws of another huge monster.

More monsters were advancing towards Cassis in the meantime, and while his chains were effective in curbing their attacks, there was a limit to how much he could attack without a proper weapon.

He clenched his teeth while shaking off a monster that had tried to bite him, hurriedly looking backwards for a possible escape route- but not before the monster’s poison tail sank its spike into him.

* * *

“Your clothes are getting dirty, my lady.”

As soon as Emily’s hand touched the monster, its black body withdrew with a terrible and piercing scream.

“You don’t have to do anything, so please step back.” Roxana extended her arm towards Emily’s ungloved hand. “Try not to use your power- I don’t want your life force depleting for nothing.”

Emily bowed her head in acknowledgement.

Behind us, Grizelda dislodged an iron bar from a cage, using it as a weapon to defend herself from the monsters.

Those who couldn’t fend for themselves huddled the middle of the greenhouse, away from the glass walls and fighting members of the Agriche soldiers.

I moved toward Grizelda, breaking off an overturned table leg and stabbing it in an advancing monster’s eye to kill it.

“I have to leave,” I said.

“Because of Cassis?” She asked, almost sympathetically. I nodded.

“Yeah,” she sighed. “I have a feeling this is all Jeremy’s fault. Just one of his stupid pranks. I hope your toy isn’t too badly hurt.”

 * * *

Cassis had been running for what seemed like centuries, and yet… he had no idea where he was, or where he was going. The Agriche mansion was truly a labyrinth. His limbs were tiring, and his brain was aching. Yet another monster appeared in front of him; Cassis grabbed the sword of a fallen Agriche soldier, and lunged.

* * *

“Someone- someone save me!”

Just then, someone jumped over the monster’s head. The man moved deftly, driving a sword through its forehead. The Karantul fell with a shrill cry.

“Oh… thank you, sir!”

Cassis had no reason to help the people of Agriche. But he also couldn’t ignore a person’s cry for help.

Moreover, it was partly his fault that people were getting hurt by the monsters- after all, Jeremy had only released the monsters to hurt Cassis.

“Oh, good. You’re alive.”

As if summoned by Cassis’ thoughts, Jeremy appeared in the tree above him.

 Cassis cocked his head. “You’re happy to see me alive?”

“Yeah. I guess. If you died, I’d kind of be in a lot of shit, so…” Jeremy trailed off.

“Bullshit. You were the one who let the monsters out in the first place.”

Jeremy opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the thumping of dismembered Karantul body parts landing several feet away from Jeremy and Cassis.

“What’s going on?”

A deep, languid voice emerged from behind the Karantul’s corpse. The man had black hair and red eyes- an exact- but much younger- carbon copy of Lanche Agriche.

“Are you in the middle of walking your dog?” The man continued, wiping his sword on the coattails of his blazer.

Cassis looked at Jeremy, who was gritting his teeth in frustration. “Fucking Dion… fucking bitchass,” the younger Agriche muttered under his breath.

Dion ignored the jibe. “Jeremy. Did you open the door to the feedlot?”

[itfitsitshipsart]

Promises and Trust

Part 1, Part 2

Reiji Sakamaki X S/I

After spending time at the mansion, Evelyn meets the king of vampires himself at a party for her, and he deems her worthy of marrying his eldest, the whole reason she was sent as a prospective bride. In her time there, however, she had fallen in love with not the eldest, but the second son, Reiji.

-

"Reiji!" Evelyn exclaimed, running towards the lone vampire in the garden. She clutched the fabric of her skirt in gloved hands, and her heels clicked against the stone pathway. Reiji turned to her, removing his hand from his suit pocket as she approached. 

"I was wondering where you went," her breath was heavy as she let the blue fabric fall back over her feet and brush the ground. Her chest heaved with each inhale, from the combined efforts of her searching and the tight corset she wore. "After I spoke with your father, you disappeared."

"Would it not be wise to go find your betrothed instead?" His voice was cold. "This party is to celebrate the two of you after all."

"Reiji…" she sighed. Of course this would weigh on him, especially after Karlheinz announced publicly her hand being given to Shu. It was obvious how much Reiji respected his father and his choices, and even if he didn't, Karlheinz's wishes were law.

Evelyn shook her head, reaching out and hesitantly touching Reiji's hand. She smiled at him, despite his unchanging look.

"I want to be with you right now though. Not with Shu, or anyone else. After talking with Karlheinz, and being alone, the only one I felt like I wanted to be with… was you."

Reiji's eyes widened slightly, and he grasped her hand she touched him with.

"You truly wish to be with me?" He asked softly, his grip tightening.

"Yes."

"Even if you were able to escape? To leave all of us behind?" He took a stop closer, and cupped her chin. "You'd rather cling to what you'd consider a monster, and a murderer?"

"You aren't any of those things." She responded, her smile not fading. At that, Reiji laughed loudly. He leaned close, his laughter slowly changing to a dark chuckle as his breath was cold on her neck.

"But I am. And you know I could kill you in an instant. That doesn't make you terrified? It doesn't make you want to flee?" With those words he grazed his fangs against her, and felt her pulse quicken. "You're utterly powerless. A weak human woman. Food to my kind."

But to his surprise, she did not try to pull away. She leaned into his touch, her eyes closing.

"But I trust you, Reiji." She murmured, "and I want to be with you." She stayed still, waiting to feel his fangs pierced her.

But nothing happened.

Reiji sighed, pulling away.

"Ever since you came to this mansion, I've found you to be a strange human." He shook his head, watching as she slowly opened her eyes. "Docile and naive, if father had you placed into this house without any rulesat to how you were treated, you would have been slaughtered within a week. You're incessant humming, your foolish optimism. And yet…"

His words trailed off into silence, neither speaking for a few moments. The music that came from the ballroom was faint, mingling with the sounds of crickets. He sighed once more, and continued.

"And yet I find myself unsure about how I could feel this way. The mansion feels… more peaceful with you. The way you try to help, and you listen with such interest to what I say. I don't feel…"

"...so lonely." Evelyn murmured, finishing his sentence. She shared such a sentiment with him back when they first had tea together. The simple action made her feel, in the terrifying new place, not so lonely.

"I wish…" Reiji murmured, but shook his head. "No, I do not wish that. Evelyn," he held his hand out to her. "Would you care to join me for a walk? It would be a break from this party."

"Of course," she smiled, taking his hand. "Where shall we go?"

[behindthesemasks]

7

Melania is at the hospital, and her grandfather, Ambrose, and mother, Marie, have arrived. Things are about to get interesting...

It had been three days.  Nothing much had changed except the men had started to take shifts staying at the hospital and Mel had been moved out of ICU and into a normal room.  She was stable, her brain waves were normal, but for some reason she was just not waking up.  The doctors seemed mystified as to why she was still unconscious, but the prognosis was good.  She would wake up, it was just now a matter of WHEN she would wake up.

Klaus was sitting in the room in the chair next to the bed.  Mel’s hand rested lightly in his as the rough pad of his thumb gently stroked across the ridge of her knuckles.  As he looked over at Eric, who was asleep in the other chair he wondered how things could have gone south so damn fast.  If only one of them had been faster, if Alexander had grabbed her arm tighter, if…something…anything…had been different.  Nothing could be done now, he knew that.  Still he couldn’t stop his mind from analyzing every second of what had transpired at the dig site.  This type of analysis is what made him good at what he did; normally it helped him avoid repeating any accidents.  Now, now it just frustrated him and reminded him of every single thing he could have done to prevent them being where they were now.  

Looking down at his watch, he knew dawn would soon be approaching.  That would bring Nic back to the hospital along with the elder Mr. Meirs.  He had shown up the day after Mel had fallen and for a man in his 70’s was damn intimidating.  None of the men on the team wanted to cross him, especially after hearing how he’d killed his own son to save Mel years before.  None of them had met him before except Alexander, but they all had a healthy respect for him now.  When he was at the hospital, all others cleared the room to give him time with his granddaughter.  Klaus had to admit he wasn’t looking forward to that part of the day, but he would not argue with a man who had seen and done enough to earn his respect.

Slowly the light filtered into the room through the thin drapes that covered the window.  It bathed the walls and all within in a soft golden glow.  As he looked over to where Mel still rested, the corner of his lips turned up in a wry smile.  There in the golden light, she looked almost ethereal, something he found ironic when compared with her fiery temper and her headstrong personality.  She only looked weak and fragile, especially when dancing.  The truth was that she was tough and had the respect of the entire team.  They knew what had gone on in Peru, how she had stood up to the guerilla forces who had taken her team there hostage, how she had kept the entire team alive until their rescue could come, and they had also watched her when she came back and fought to find normalcy.  

During the time that there had been a price on her head, he had been one of the snipers who guarded her dance studio and the mansion in Gulfport where she resided while those responsible for what happened in Peru were hunted down and eliminated.  He had never seen her cower, and for that he was proud of her.  Even when the asshole assassin showed up that had tried to fucking kill her, which he still believed no matter what anyone else said, she hadn’t backed down and gone into a corner.  It’s what bothered him about the scene at the dig site.  While he had seen fear in her eyes before, never had he seen the sheer terror that had resided there when the artifact had affected her.  He could only hope that when those sky blues opened again that she wouldn’t try to run away again.  He still didn’t know what had happened, she hadn’t said anything, and that bothered him.

Klaus was so lost in thought that at first the slight flutter of Mel’s fingers barely registered.  It wasn’t till the second time that her fingertips danced across his palm that he was fully aware of it.  Sitting up quickly, he tried not to grab her hand too tightly. “Erik!”  He grit out between clenched teeth not to yell at his still sleeping brother.  

Groggy eyes and a popping back came as an answer when the other man sat up after hearing his brother’s voice, trying to figure out why his brother was agitated.  Their friend was still unconscious, but it was clear that something had caught Klaus’s attention.  “What the fuck you want Klaus?  I know my snoring wasn’t that damn bad.”  Erik grumbled as he ran a hand over his face a couple times.   He was sure there was SOMETHING that had his brother all worked up, but what it was hadn’t been seen yet.  

“I think she’s waking up.  Her hand moved.”  Klaus had barely finished answering when Erik was over next to the bed opposite his brother.  Both men stared at her face, almost as if they were willing her eyes to open once more.  The room seemed almost too silent as both men were perfectly still.  It was the opening of the door behind them that had them almost jumping out of their skin.

Erik spun around taking almost a defensive stature as Klaus came to his feet quickly, leaning over Mel protectively.  A very startled Nic, Ambrose, and Marie stood staring back at them.  For a moment, no one moved, not one word was spoken.  Slowly, the two males next to Mel began to relax and Marie let out a shaky breath that turned into a laugh.  “Morning chere’s.  Twas not our intention to startle you.  Ambrose and Dominic wanted me to come straight away to see my daughter.   Seems she is in a bad way and won’t wake up.”  A broad smile spread across the face of the woman who looked to be in her 30’s, yet almost needed another zero added to the end of that to reflect her true age.  

Erik moved from in front of Mel as Marie walked over, he had heard Nic speak highly of her and knew if she was there it was to help things.  He didn’t go far though, standing at the end of the bed and keeping a keen eye on the diminutive, yet obviously powerful woman.  Marie laid her hand on Mel’s forehead.  “She is choosing not to come out of this.  Pain, pain is buried deep within.”  The elegant and beautiful woman’s chocolate brown eyes closed, her brows furrowing just slightly as she was in deep concentration.  It was also clear from her countenance that she was troubled by whatever she was detecting.  “Fear and confusion is clouding her way out of the darkness.” She sighed softly and her hand gently caressed her daughter’s forehead.

Marie drew her hand back, opening her eyes and shaking her head softly.  “I have looked at the figurine that she had ahold of when this happened.  It distorted her view of reality, and I think that is what has her trapped in her mind.  She does not know what to believe.”  Marie looked at all of those gathered in the room, her gaze resting on each one for a couple of beats before moving onto the next.  “It holds a great amount of power all these many years later.  Melania’s latent powers flared it to life and she was not prepared for its effects.  I do not know the original purpose of the item, it is hard for me to imagine why someone would create something that would do this.  The images I saw when I held it were frightening, but I am more used to such magic.” Her voice held a great deal of concern and as she spoke her face became more and more troubled.  She was truly worried about her daughter.  

“I can awaken her, but I cannot predict how she will react to seeing you all.  It will take some time for her to come back to reality most likely.  Her brothers are on their way, they should be able to help, as will I.  None of you that were there can force anything.”  Marie’s back straightened, her chin lifted, and she looked again at each of them in turn.  “If you try, I will make sure you don’t try again and you will not like my methods.  I am a mother and I WILL protect my child.  Whether what happened was your fault, I care not.  What I do care about is if you further traumatize her.”

“We understand Mama Marie.”  Nic’s voice sounded strained, almost harsh, as he spoke from the back of the room.  He was trying to keep emotion from bleeding in, which made him sound cold and distant.  If there were any in the room who knew what the last year of Mel’s life had been like, it was Nic.  He had been there through it all, and could well understand why it would be that Mel would not want to come back from a blissful darkness in which she now kept herself.  One betrayal after another, false hopes that someone could be trusted.  If she ever fully trusted another human being again, he would be shocked.  The only thing keeping him from ending up on his knees was that she had survived the blow to the head from the pottery she’d landed on.  When he’d seen the blood his heart had stopped.

Marie nodded slowly before turning back to where Mel lay.  One hand went to her forehead while the other rested over her heart, a soft chant emanating from the powerful woman.  No one in the room could understand the language the words flowing from Marie’s lips were from, so all they could do was wait and hope whatever gods she was calling upon would respond, and respond the way they hoped.  A soft breeze started to swirl around the room, just barely brushing over the skin of all those assembled.  No windows were open and the door was closed, so there was no doubt where it was coming from.  It was another reminder how much true power the small woman before them held.

Seconds seemed to be minutes and minutes were hours until slowly Mel’s hands began to twitch again.  Marie stopped her chanting and slowly backed up to where Ambrose was standing.  Nic pushed off from the wall to stand on the other side of her, taking her hand in his.  He could not imagine how she had to feel seeing her daughter once more in such a state.  The look in her eyes was wary, and her expression grim as she slowly looked at Erik and Klaus.  Both felt as if they had stones in the pit of their stomachs as they waited.  Finally Melania’s eyes fluttered and opened.  

Long slow blinks seemed to take forever as Mel’s eyes adjusted to the low light that was in the room.  Slowly everything moved from being a swimming vision to clarity.  When her eyes landed on Erik and Klaus, her expression changed from the confusion that had been in place since her eyes opened.  Her breathing quickened, her eyes becoming hard, jaw setting and the blanket becoming entrapped in closed fists as she pressed herself against the bed.  Her eyes did not stray from Klaus and Erik who were standing next to one another at the end of the bed.  “GET.THE.FUCK.OUT!!”