#started thinking too hard about rule of rose again

[demento-mori]

Rule of Rose 🤝 Revolutionary Girl Utena

Rose motifs

Prince/Princess motifs

Deconstructed fairytales

Surrealist elements

Queer themes/explorations of gender and sexuality are central to the narrative

Orphaned protagonists

"Crossdressing" protagonists (for lack of a better term)

Kids being failed and abandoned by the adults around them

Adults using their positions of power to abuse the kids in their care

Abusive, unhealthy environments creating toxic and codependant relationships

Kids mimicking the power structures of adults, creating the illusion of power

Victims of abuse inflicting their anger on other victims

Kids can be really fucking cruel sometimes

[goldsbitch]

can I request a Lando x reader where the reader’s weakness is when people stroke her hair? Her mind goes completely blank and she falls silent immediately when people stroke her hair and Lando uses it at his advantage.

Fluffy pls and ty🫶🏻

omg, i love this prompt so much - thank you and hope you like it!!

This is one is dripping with sweetness a little too much, don't say I did not warn you. No other warning.

Lando was born a tease, oscillating between clueless and shy, to unapologetic and bordeline dickish. It all depended on the setting, his relationship to the person and how much sleep he got the night before. Sometimes your boyfriend was the sweetest little thing, giggling shyly about everything instead of coming up with an actual response, and the other times he was a walking menace actively seeking every opportunity how to get you into a flustered state.

You and Lando were full on deep in the beginning of your relationship, the sweetest part of the honeymoon phase. To put it bluntly - fucking almost non stop. And the desire was never-ending. Blinding sunshine kissed good morning to every day you two got to wake up next to each other. Problems seem to be non existent. Bliss.

It was the way his hair curled when he got a little bit sweaty, his toned body what you were desperate to explore from every angle and the need to know every little secret trick that worked on him. It became some sort of a game, who would get better at knowing the other. Which one of you found all the buttons to push.

Lando rose up that morning and chose violence. Metaphorical one, of course. Snuggling up to you in order to wake you up as well for some morning work out, as he like to call it. Whispering sweet nothings to your ear and touching you all over your body. But you were just incredibly sore from the past few days, physically unable to keep up.

"Why don't you love me anymore," he pleaded jokingly as you murmured another weak appeal for your sleep.

"Lando, you know I love you more than anything," you replied, still half asleep. But it was hard to distinguish as reality resembled a sweet dream everyday lately.

"I remember when you used to want me, physically," he kept going.

"We literally had sex few hours ago, stop whining," you kissed him between your words. He looked at you with his incredible eyes, little devil dancing in each one of them.

"Exactly, too long ago. Wish I could go back in time when you were not sore and get inside you all over again."

You simply laughed, absolutely smitten with this lovey dovey side of him. His words made you melt like butter sitting under direct sun. You brushed your noses together and then he kissed you.

The best part of romantic relationships is the one that you cannot absolutely share with other people, the almost embarrassing pleas, desire and gross goofiness, simping at each other all the time.

"Fine, if you play by these rules, I'll come back with my own revenge," he said finally as you inevitably had to start getting ready to go to the paddock with him.

Today was the big day. You'd been spotted in public countless of times, the "girlfriend" title officially sitting on your head for weeks now. But this was the first time you were to join him in the paddock as a wag. You were trying to hide your nervousness, but he saw right through you. Before you exited the apartment, he made you stop and took your face in his hands. "I'm happy I get to do this with you. I love parading you around, for everyone to see that we're a team." You smiled, his words hitting like first snowflakes of the year. "Poor Oscar, I can't wait to finally trauma dump the shared misery you bring to our lives," you jokes and locked lips with him once again. "God, it's terrifying how much I like you," you said automatically, without having to think about it.

//

It actually wasn't as bad as you'd expected. It was definitely weird and strange, but not necessarily bad. Having Lando by your side as you passed the gates definitely helped. The photographers were lined up as people at a shooting range would and it did feel like that at first. But as quickly as you were initially overwhelmed, fatigue took over you and you blocked their ever-presence out. Trying to chat up those Lando introduce you to and memorizing the names. You knew how much some of these people meant to Lando, so you were trying to be at your best behavior. The thought that his friends would hate you in the same way as some of his fans haunted you.

In the middle of all the rush, you parted for a moment. To be honest, little peace of quiet and chill was something you appreciated. But remember, Lando woke up and chose violence this morning. And his plan was quite simple, yet bulletproof.

"Y/N! There you are, my love," you heard from coming from behind you. "I have someone to introduce to you! I'm very much sure you'll appreciate meeting him." As you turned, you saw Daniel Ricciardo walking your way with your Lando. You were a little perplexed as to why Lando was so cheerful about that. You clearly remembered him getting very upset when you admitted to him that at some point in the past, when formula 1 was a world far away from you, that you had a minor crush on Daniel. Which obviously went out of the window once you met Lando. That did not mean that Lando was 100% ok with it.

"Y/N, as I'm sure you know, this is Daniel, hell of a driver and good friend of mine," Lando continued and you knew him well enough to know he had ulterior motives. Not sure what to do, you smiles shyly and shook Daniel's hand.

"Hi, Daniel," you said, eyes flinching between him and Lando. You were full on preparing for anything. Lando's smirk almost had a life of his own at that point.

"Nice to finally meet you, Y/N. I've heard quite a lot things about you!" Daniel opened, life of the party as per usual.

You chuckled. "All good things, I hope!" And with that, Lando stepped behind you and put his arm around you.

"Only the best," he said, leaned closed and inconspicuously started to stroke you hair gently. Oh, he did not just go this low.

It was slow, yet like tidal wave. You stopped breathing for a moment. Your body relaxing, as if you'd just taken the world's best sedatives. The way his hands made you feel was etherial. It was the same sensation the luckier ones experienced when listening to ASMR and the less fortunate ones sometimes called an orgasm. Shivers slowly traveling around your whole body, every part becoming sensitive out of nowhere. You weren't able to look at Daniel, let alone continue speaking. Lando was more than aware of what touching your hair did to you. He'd discovered this trick quite early on. And it was his favorite one.

"So, where are you from?" Daniel attempted at small talk. But how could you possibly give a fuck at that moment. Not that your body would even allowed you to respond. The only thing you were able to take in from the outside world were the soft slow movements Lando's fingers were doing, blocking everything out instanteniously.

Daniel stared at you, waiting. From his perspective, this was a very awkward meeting.

Lando answered for you, with a smirk you did not see, but could feel from the tone of his voice. "You have to excuse her, she is bit shy in front of new people."

You could not give less of a fuck at that moment of what these two were saying. Your lips were starting to shiver from getting so sensitive. You took a short breath and someone who would be standing close and knew you well would know, that what escaped your mouth was not a nervous laugh, but something very close to a moan.

Lando and Daniel were saying words, but none of that was important, while Lando's fingers were working his magic. He would only leave your hair alone once he saw Daniel leaving.

You wanted to be mad at him. But you were still sort of high from all the sensation bomb Lando dropped on you. You slowly turned around to face him, coming down from your own personal nirvana.

You took a deep breath while he watched you without a blink and biting hims smile away.

"You promised," you let out air that got stuck in your lungs somewhere along the way. "You promised you would not do this in public." Your brain was slowly wiring up to normal again.

"I told you I'd punish you for the morning," he said as if it was the most amusing thing ever. "Also, if Daniel is my competition, I'm going to use all the advantage I have."

Lando had a way of looking at you that made you unravel instantaneously and there was no way of stopping it. There was just something about his smile that did it for you. As anyone who is properly in love, you could not imagine somebody being able tor resist that. In your love soaked mind, he was irresistible. To a normal mind, he was probably just a regular guy, but that idea was unfathomable to you.

"I'm pretty sure that after what I just pulled, you will not have to worry about Daniel liking me," you chuckled, having to accept that Lando won this one.

"I would never let my guard down...But yeah, I think this one is pretty safe," he chuckled once more. You kissed his overly proud face and promised to yourself to get back at him later, in the privacy of his bedroom.

[hisui-dreamer]

love will find a way

Characters: Riddle, Deuce, Azul, Vil

Synopsis: You shared a night of passion with your lover before you left for the other side of the mirror, but fate's cruel hands strike once again as you realise you have to raise his child alone in your original world. Thankfully, your child is incredibly drawn to magic, and they opened a portal...?

Tags: slight angst, fluffy end because im a sap, fem reader, reader gives birth to a child, reunions, bot proofread

Word count: 3.6k+

Notes: for cohesiveness sake, all the name ideas are in japanese. if it makes you uncomfortable, you can imagine that reader is japanese hehe

Part 1✧Part 3✧Part 4✧Masterlist

A few months passed as you settled back into your routine at home. Eventually, with the noticeable changes in your body, it dawned on you that you were with child—his child, your lover from the other side of the mirror whom you could no longer reach.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turn into months. You had adapted to the trials and tribulations of parenthood. Juggling the responsibilities of work, childcare, and household chores was no easy feat, but you found solace in the small moments of your child's growth and development.

Your child was a true joy to behold, a mirror image of their father in many ways, and you often see the ghost of your past lover in them. Having inherited his magic, your child experimented with their powers, leaving you to support them with what limited knowledge of magic that remained from your NRC days.

On one such experiment, your environment started to shift as a wave of magical energy engulfed you. When you opened your eyes again, he was there, right in front of you—

Yoshikazu (義和) with 義 meaning "righteous" and 和 meaning "harmony, peace"

your son had straight strawberry-red hair and greyish-blue eyes that reminded you of the stormy skies

Riddle's strong belief in upholding the rules, as well as his desire for peace and order, made the name perfect for your boy

he strives for perfection in everything he does, and has a strong attention to detail and dislikes anything that falls short of his high standards

he is slightly shy with strangers, but he's always polite and tries to be helpful

he likes to act mature so you won’t have to worry too much about him, but he not so secretly craves your affection and praise

if you don’t give him a goodnight kiss, he’ll stare at you with puppy eyes thinking he did something wrong

under your guidance, he’s actually rather helpful in the kitchen, although he can easily get upset when he thinks he did a poor job or wasn’t precise enough

in those moments, you often show him that not everything has to be absolutely perfect

see? the strawberry tart still tastes delicious, right?

he’s also rather quick at learning, and when you’re unsure about the magic concepts or formulae in your foggy memory, let him work at it for a bit and somehow, boom, he’s solved it

he tries to hide it, but his eyes are sparkling with admiration when you told him about the dedicated and fair man Riddle is, and he really wants to meet him

and through his hard work, he teleports the two of you into a well-lit and organised office, with stacks of papers placed neatly on the desk

Riddle sits at the desk, his face more angular having lost his baby fat, but his gaze remained as intense as it always had

Riddle meticulously reviews a case file, his focus unwavering as he flips through the pages. Suddenly, a swirl of iridescent light materialises in the corner of the room, catching his attention. He pushes himself away from the desk, knocking his chair backwards with a thud as he stands up, watching in disbelief as you emerge from the ethereal portal, a small boy clinging onto you tightly.

"My Rose…is it...is it truly you?" Riddle's voice wavers with a combination of astonishment and longing. His stormy grey eyes lock onto your gaze, searching for confirmation that this was indeed real.

His heart swells with a surge of emotions, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. He takes hesitant steps forward, closing the distance between you. As he reaches out a trembling hand, he hesitates for a fraction of a second before wrapping his arms around you in a tight embrace, pulling you close.

"I've missed you so much," Riddle whispers, his voice choked with emotion. "I've yearned for this moment, to hold you again, to see your face."

after the heartfelt reunion, Riddle leaves work early and takes a holiday, something he has never done before for reasons other than sickness

he takes the two of you back to his house and you spend some time catching up

he’s become a successful lawyer, having deviated from the path his mother had intended for him

that, along with his refusal to be in an arranged marriage by her will, has him basically disowned

but he’s happy with where he is in life, only he wished to find a love as fulfilling as the one he had with you

now that you’re back, Riddle does everything he can to support you in adjusting to life back with him

he’s super expressive and affectionate and savours every moment he has with you

he does get a little jealous of Yoshikazu getting all your affection, and this has resulted in all three of you sleeping together cuddled up

Riddle tries to learn how to cook because he can’t be worse than his son right??

wrong

but the two of them do get along really well, Riddle loves reading bedtime stories to Yoshikazu, and Yoshikazu tries so hard to stay awake till the end

Yoshikazu also loves visiting uncle trey’s bakery!

eventually, he might try to reconcile with his mother and have her meet the two of you, but his priority is on the two of you

Riddle's eyes show a mix of emotions, a kaleidoscope of love, regret, and gratitude. He bends down, his hands trembling, to meet Yoshikazu's gaze. A cascade of emotions surges through him as he realises the precious bond he had unknowingly missed out on.

"My child," Riddle whispers, his voice filled with awe and wonder. "I never imagined..."

Yoshikazu reaches out a tiny hand, a shy smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Riddle's heart melts as he gingerly takes his hand, feeling an overwhelming wave of love and protectiveness.

"Father?" Yoshikazu's voice was a gentle whisper, filled with innocence and trust.

Riddle's eyes shimmer with tears that threaten to spill over. He carefully extends his hand, allowing his small fingers to intertwine with his own.

"Yes," Riddle replies, his voice overflowing with tenderness. "I am honoured to be your father. I will protect you, guide you, and cherish you always, my precious bud."

Koushi (功志) with 功 meaning "a success, a great achievement" and 志 meaning "purpose, will, determination, aspiration, ambition"

your son had sleek dark hair that reminded you of the night sky, and bright cyan eyes

Deuce placed great importance on personal growth and the pursuit of success, valuing hard work and the satisfaction that comes from achieving one's goals, so you implemented those values into your son's name

he takes his tasks and activities seriously and is motivated to excel in everything he does

but at the same time, he also struggles with being patient and occasionally becomes frustrated when things don't go his way

there are many times you’re trying to console him, and he’s just standing there, fists clenched and trying to hold back tears

when you rub the back of his head though, he melts and starts crying into your chest

he can be impulsive and mischievous, but once the high passes, he’s apologising and he really didn’t mean to hurt anyone or anything

just like his father, his favourite food is egg dishes, so it’s not difficult cooking for him

generally, he’s not picky and gobbles up anything you make him except vegetables

yeahh, the vegetables are going to need some convincing, and he’ll make a big show about how he hates the taste, but still reluctantly swallows his greens

he’s not the brightest, but he strives to be the best he can be, eagerly practising and studying magic concepts, though he faces some challenges in grasping complex concepts quickly

he became so curious when you told him how much his father valued hard work, asking question after question to learn more about him

and through trial and error, somehow, he managed to teleport you to a street of residential buildings, the fresh scent of roses filling your senses

and Deuce stood in shock in front of you, looking more mature and yet still possessing that dorky lovable presence

Deuce, donned in his crisp uniform, patrols the streets with a focused gaze. As he turns a corner, his eyes widen and his heart skips a beat. There, before him, stands the silhouette of a familiar figure, obscured by the shimmering waves of nostalgia, accompanied by a small boy.

"Prefect… I’m not dreaming, am I?" Deuce murmurs, his voice tinged with disbelief and a touch of vulnerability. His pulse quickens, and he takes a tentative step forward, his hands trembling with both trepidation and longing.

Tears well up in his eyes as you nod, a mixture of emotions playing across your face. The weight of your absence suddenly lifts, and without a second thought, Deuce closes the distance between you, his arms enveloping you in a tight embrace.

"You're here. You're really here," Deuce whispers, his voice choked with emotion. He presses his forehead against yours, savouring the moment and the warmth of your presence.

once Deuce has calmed down, he takes you back to his house, where he lives with his mom to take care of her more

Deuce has become a successful police officer, and he’s decided to work in his hometown to keep the neighbourhood safe for his mom

after a quick introduction to Mrs. Spade, she’s very happy to meet you and her grandson

though she does glare at Deuce for a bit given you had to raise Koushi alone

she immediately starts gushing over Koushi and how similar he is to Deuce when he was a kid

Koushi is a little confused, but you can tell he loves listening to his grandmother and hearing about his father as an infant

Deuce can’t just leave his job whenever he wants to, but he dedicates all of his free time to the two of you

after work, he’ll take Koushi on runs, and sometimes they’ll pick a bouquet of wildflowers from a nearby field to give to you and Mrs. Spade

on weekends, you often go on family outings, like visiting the aquarium, camping, or visiting old friends!

uncle ace is Koushi’s favourite, teaching him magic tricks and telling him all the embarrassing things Deuce did back in NRC

and though Deuce had never prepared himself for parenting, he’s doing his best and making sure the two of you are happy, just like he is with the family all together

Deuce breaks the embrace and drops to one knee, his eyes meeting the Koushi's. A mixture of awe and tenderness dances in his gaze as he extends a hand toward the small boy. "Hey there, little guy. I'm your dad. My name's Deuce. What’s your name?" he asks, his voice gentle.

Koushi steps forward, hesitantly reaching out to grasp Deuce's hand. "Koushi," he answers meekly. A spark of connection passes between them, a shared understanding and an unspoken bond.

Tears stream down his cheeks as he continues, his voice filled with a mix of joy and remorse. "Koushi, I'm sorry it took me so long, to be the father you deserved. But from this moment on, I promise you, I'll be there for every step of your journey. We'll make up for lost time together, yeah?"

Akuru (渥瑠) with 渥 meaning "kindness, moisten" and 瑠 meaning "lapis lazuli"

your daughter had clear aquamarine eyes that reminded you of the sparkling ocean, and silver locks that curled naturally to frame her face

Azul had always adhered to the spirit of benevolence, so the name seemed perfect

she's quite a shy little girl, when she's in front of strangers, she'll ask you to carry her so she can hide her face in your neck

there's no way you can resist when she's staring at you with such bright eyes, her tiny arms reaching up for you to hold her

she's extremely greedy for affection just like Azul was once he let his guard down around you

she has the squishiest cheeks!!!

she also tends to observe and listen rather than being the centre of attention

but when she's alone with you, it's evident she inherited Azul's sharp intellect and has a natural aptitude for academics

you often told her about the brilliant man her father is, how hard he worked so he could become a version of himself he was proud of

the way her eyes sparkled when she heard about him reminded you of Azul's ambitious looks when he's making deals

incredibly talented at magic, she understood everything so quickly and it wasn't too long until you couldn't be much help to her anymore

but worry not, because she has brought the two of you back to your dearest lover by some accident in her experiments

Azul is sitting in a dimly lit office, his dark eye circles are evident, but he looked more beautiful than you had ever seen him

Azul sits at his desk fully engrossed in work, his quill gliding swiftly across the parchment. A sudden gust of magic sweeps through the air, causing Azul to stand in alarm, his eyes scanning the room for any signs of danger. But as the magical energy settles, his hand freezes mid-air, his eyes widening in disbelief as your figure emerges.

His breath catches in his throat, his heart pounding with a mix of anticipation and uncertainty. "It... can't be... Can it?", he whispers as he manoeuvres himself over to you, his legs trembling as if it was his first time on land.

You reach out to take his hand, your familiar warmth and presence casting away the doubt in him. His eyes well up with tears, and a radiant smile spreads across his face.

"Oh, Angelfish... You're here...", he cries as he pulls you closer, his arms wrapping tightly around you.

he's so emotional he can't stop crying

it's to the point where his tears are slightly inky

he wishes he was in his merform so he could hug the two of you properly at the same time

it's at this point jade and floyd bust into the room to see the three of you huddled together on the floor

the two of them start teasing Azul for being a crybaby, but you can tell they're genuinely happy for him

Azul, as he had planned back in NRC, had conquered all forms of business, forming an incredibly successful corporation

now that he has the two of you back though, he immediately takes a break from work so he can make up for the time lost

Azul's a bit awkward, and he's so afraid you've found someone new or don't love him anymore

but with time, and plenty of your affection, he's loving and comfortable and completely at ease with you, just like the old days

he uses this break to spend time together with you two as a family, going on family outings, discovering hobbies, etc.

takes the two of you to the coral sea to meet mama ashengrotto

oh she loves you and can't stop spoiling Akuru

he makes a lot of effort to be present in Akuru's life, and he wants nothing more than for her to be happy

and fortunately, Akuru is very comfortable with Azul, though it takes time for her to trust him on the same level as you

but you've got all the time in the world to love and grow with your dear family now

bonus: uncle jade and uncle floyd who always bring out the ambitious side of Akuru!

Azul's breath catches in his throat as he looks down at the small girl peeking from behind your legs, his heart swelling with a love he had never thought possible. Akuru's innocent eyes meet his, mirroring his own shades of blue.

"Hello, Akuru," he whispers, his voice filled with a mixture of tenderness and awe. He crouches down to her level, his eyes locked with hers. "I... I'm your father. It’s nice to meet you."

Akuru's small hand reaches out, hesitantly brushing against his cheek. The touch sends shivers down Azul's spine, his heart bursting with overwhelming emotions. Tears spill freely down his cheeks as his arms wrap around her fragile frame.

"I've missed so much... I'm so sorry," Azul says, his voice laced with remorse. Akuru nestles closer, burying her face in the crook of Azul's neck, as if instinctively seeking solace in the embrace of her father. "Oh, I promise you, my dear, I will make up for lost time. I will protect you, love you, and be the father you deserve."

Misaki (望咲) with 望 meaning "ambition, hope, desire" and 咲 meaning "bloom, blossom, flourish"

your daughter had silky blonde, hair and violet eyes reminded you of the lavender plant Vil kept in his room

you knew through Vil's dedication towards beauty and his strictness that he values hard work and effort, and so you named your daughter hoping she would flourish in whatever ambitions she pursued

like her father, she carries herself with a certain regal air that’s beyond her age

she's incredibly strict with herself, though occasionally you'll have to tell her to relax a bit and be more carefree

she listens to you a lot though, she loves making her mommy proud!

and though she might put up a front and act confident with strangers, when she's alone with you, she's surprisingly docile and affectionate

she is enchanted by the media and drawn to acting, always reenacting scenes from movies or shows you watched with her

she asks for bedtime stories every night, but it’s more of the two of you doing a dramatic reading and playing around with character voices

she also loves to play around with different hairstyles and outfits, and even experimenting with your makeup

though she’s rather displeased with her lacklustre makeup skills, she loves it when you do her makeup for her, making her feel like a star

she’s incredibly smart and fast to pick up on the magical concepts, though she’s slower with practical magic

when you told her about the meticulous and dedicated man her father was, she was fascinated by how confident and strong he sounded

and with diligent practice, it isn’t long before she manages to teleport you to a well-lit room with a modern design

Vil is sitting on the couch studying his latest movie, his hair is in a messy bun and he is wearing glasses and he is the most beautiful person you have ever seen

As Vil stares at the television analysing his performance, the tranquillity of the moment is abruptly shattered by a sudden burst of light. His heart skips a beat as he turns towards the source, his eyes widening in disbelief. There, standing before him, is the person who had occupied his thoughts and dreams for the past years, with a sweet-looking child next to them.

"Is it really you, darling?" His voice trembles with a mixture of disbelief and overwhelming joy. He takes a hesitant step forward, his polished facade momentarily crumbling as he reaches out to confirm the reality of your presence.

Your eyes meet, and in that instant, a whirlwind of emotions surged through his being, threatening to overwhelm his senses. He swallows hard, trying to compose himself.  "It's... it's been so long," Vil's voice cracks with raw emotion, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "I've missed you every day, every moment."

Vil is the most emotional you’ve ever seen him, even when you had bid each other farewell at the mirror, he had been more composed

but here he’s completely vulnerable and crying tears of joy

once he’s calmed down a bit, he immediately calls his manager to reschedule whatever plans he had because of ‘family emergencies’

since you left, vil has been completely invested in his acting career and has landed a few roles as the main character, though some of them were still villainous

he’s super affectionate and relaxed with you, always instinctively reaching out for you to confirm you’re really there

and he’s super cute with Misaki!! Misaki always goes to him for makeup and styling her hair, but she likes going to you for brushing her hair when it’s tangled

mini drama sessions at home where it’s the three of you playing out scenes from a fairytale

vil is the ‘only the best for my princess’ type of father

he’s very careful with outings so the paparazzi or the media won't just sabotage your family dates, he’s determined to spend quality time with his two darlings

takes you to meet papa schoenheit, who adores you for making vil so happy, and absolutely spoils Misaki with clothes and accessories

you’ll have to be the strict parent to make sure she’s not too spoiled

not to mention uncle rook who absolutely worships the ground she walks on and cannot resist her requests

Vil's gaze flickers to the child standing beside you, her innocent eyes mirroring his own. A rush of emotions washes over him, as he finally comprehends the magnitude of the moment. His voice trembles with tenderness as he kneels down, extending a hand towards her. "Is this... our child?" His voice holds a hint of awe and wonder, his heart swelling with a newfound sense of purpose.

Misaki's eyes widen, taking a tentative step forward to try and comprehend this newfound connection. "Are you like the daddies in the shows that come back to the family?" she asks, her voice tinged with innocence and wonder.

A brief look of confusion flashes by, before a warm smile graces Vil's lips as he reaches out, gently brushing a lock of her hair behind her ear. "Yes, darling," he whispers, his voice filled with a mix of tenderness and determination. "I am here now, and I promise I'll never leave you. I will be there for you, guide you, and cherish every moment we share, just like the fathers in the shows."

Part 1✧Part 3✧Part 4✧Masterlist

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[ihavetoomanyocsdealwithit]

Moments the boys fall in love with Yuu  

Romantic or platonic, mostly fluff, a little angst with comfort  

Ruggie Bucci, Jack Howl, Deuce Spade, Ace Trappola, Rook Hunt  

Ruggie Bucci

Yuu had been helping Crowley with all sorts of paperwork this year, as she had taken on the apprenticeship under him for education. She was already doing most of it anyway, might as well get paid for it right? But it gave her access to a lot of information other people don’t.  

So when she found the grant and looked at the details, she knew she at least had to offer it.  

Yuu knows better than to pull Ruggie out of class, he hides it well, but it pisses him off. He can’t afford to get anymore behind than he already is compared to these rich bastards. So, she slips a note to the teacher to give to him to arrange a meeting in the next few days.  

It ends up being over dinner at Ramshackle a few days later, after a late shift at the Monstro Lounge, that she finally gets to talk to him.  

“So, you can tell me off, but I ain’t doing it out of pity or nothing,” she starts, pulling out a stack of papers. He cocks his head, starting to skim over the complex and small text. “Long story short, it’s a grant for schools under a certain income bracket to receive additional help, including a three-meal program. If you can convince instructors to continue using the building over breaks, you can even continue with meal program during the breaks so that the food comes around all year, all shipped in and paid for on the governments dime. It lasts around 5 years.”  

Ruggie’s ears are flat against his head, flipping through the pages. She gets the impression that he would have set his plate down if she hadn’t waited until he had scraped the pot clean.  

“NRC obviously makes too much in donations alone,” especially from the royal families, no nepotism rules her ass, “but if you could give me some more details about your place, I might be able to-” 

“Set up an actual school.”  

That makes her pause. There wasn’t...no.  

“I know you said that you learned from the hard knock school of life but...there’s nothing?” she asked. 

“Naw. So, this grant would guarantee that a school could stay and that the kids might actually attend, especially with the promise of food.”  

“Well, I’ll need to find the forms for that, but I'm sure it's doable, especially if I can make a good case. It was pretty buried in there, so I don’t think I’d have to try too hard, I don’t imagine a lot of folks even know about it.”  

He squints his eyes at her, leaning back in his seat.  

“What do you get out of this?” he asks, folding his arms, “You don’t know my home. You don’t know my people.”  

“No, but I know you love them and you work hard for them every day.” She gestures to the apron folded over the chair. “And if you do, I will choose to. Besides, you and I both know these rich bastards have no problem taking our taxes and doing stupid shit with it. Might as well take it back and apply it where it needs to be.”  

He huffs, covering his mouth as it turns to a full cackle as he curls in. He might have said something in between his laughs? She can’t tell, but he’s cheeks are ruddy and glowing when he finally collects himself.  

“Alright Prefect, what details do you need?”  

Jack Howl

There were lots of places boarded off at Ramshackle that Yuu was still exploring. Finding a sunroom was the last thing she thought Ramshackle Dorm might have, but after sweeping and cleaning the place, it’s charming. Open windows, dark frames lining the three out of four walls, and the furniture actually isn’t too bad, just needing a wipe down and some wood oil to make it shine again. The fact that Ramshackle was also being used as an oversized storage unit helps since it has upholstery, furniture and fabrics for repairs for every dorm that she can really make the place shine.  

She knows that Riddle and the boys would love to decorate in Heartslabyul colors, line rose boxes and vines and lilies in the hanging baskets, but she has a better idea.  

“Hey, Jack!” She calls out after track practice. He raises a hand at her, giving his body a light shake to get rid of the soreness in his muscles. “Do you have any succulent or cactus cuttings you could spare?” 

His ears narrowed in straight on her, standing a bit straighter.  

“Ah, yea...I could have some sent from home too.”    

“Is this about the sunroom?” Deuce asked. “We could have some rose bushes sent in from Heartslabyul too. Riddle would be ecstatic to have the Queen’s roses out.”  

“No offense to Riddle or Heartslabyul,” Yuu rubbed the back of her neck, “But there are roses everywhere. Queen Heart’s Roses, Fairest Roses, Thorn Fairy Roses, you get the idea. Besides, I like plants that are heartier and don’t require alot of tending too. Just free to do their own thing.”  

The only reason Jack’s tail wasn’t wagging is because he was holding it. Deuce snickered behind his back, cackling as he avoided the swat at his head.  

“Let me bring what I have at the dorms right now. Besides, it’ll be nice for my dormmates to not be able to mess with it at least some of them.”  

Jack wasn’t able to bring anything big with him when he came to NRC, but the cuttings would grow quickly. The fact that his Mom paid for some of the bigger ones to be sent carefully through the mirrors helped fill out the space, and Leona donated some of the ferns and larger faunas when Ruggie mentioned it. It was in exchange for having a daybed in there so he could nap whenever he wanted, but it was a small sacrifice.  

By the time they finished putting the room together, including sewing together some pillows in Savannaclaw colors and tightening a few screws on the benches and chairs, it looked like a slice of his dorm. Mainly yellows and oranges, with the soft greens of the succulents and more saturated green of the cactus to accent it all. His cactuses were clearly the center point though, blooming like nothing else.  

His Mom had also taken the opportunity to send Yuu a few old clothes that his sister no longer fit in, warm sweaters and shirts that were very much in the style of home. Jack hadn’t known until they started unpacking the box, but Yuu had loved them and he couldn’t find it within himself to be too upset. Afterall, Yuu didn’t have much to begin with, and he knows that fall will be coming in soon.  

When he comes in a few days later He sees her curled up on a chair with her study materials. The tap of her pen against her lip, the smell of heat and fauna thick in the air, snuggled into an old hoodie of his, he can’t even blame his heart for skipping a beat.  

It’s only natural, he tells himself. Instinct even. He doesn’t have to think too hard about it.  

“Why’s your tail wagging?” Yuu asks, pointing to his back.  

“No reason!” he barks, ignoring the way he’s heart does it again as she cackles.  

Only natural.  

Deuce Spade

Deuce would tell you that he’s not the smartest guy in the room. He knows that academically he struggles, and even sometimes with common sense. There’s a lot of things that he never learned or forgot because he made some stupid shitty decisions in his past.  

Maybe that’s why he prefers studying with Yuu one on one instead of a group. Yuu is having to teach herself the basics too, history, spell work, math, literature, they aren’t exactly on the same page, but they are closer than he would prefer to admit.  

Riddle, bless him and his tenacious ways, kept his notes from all his grades. It’s binders and binders worth of material and even if they are slow at it, Riddle never says anything about how long the binder is gone from his bookshelf. He simply continues to offer help.  

Yuu gets the idea after she sees Riddle’s magicam and puts 2 and 2 together with Cater’s exam results.  

So, the next time they get together, she takes him to a side room where a broken radio is.  

“What’s this?” He asks, looking at the tools set off to the side.  

“I have an idea,” Yuu says, sitting on the floor. “I’m going to quiz you while you fix the radio.”  

“Huh?”  

“I have an idea, I think it’ll help, I just need you to trust me.”  

He shrugs his shoulders, rolls up his sleeves and starts answering questions as he pulls the panel off. The quiz is tomorrow and anything is better than nothing at this point.  

Professor Trein smiles at him a bit as he passes the quizzes back at the end of the period.  

“Well done Mr. Spade. Your studying is paying off well.”  

83. He had gotten an 83.  

“Dude!” Yuu jumps on his back, hugging him, “Awesome! It worked!”  

He knows the blush on his face isn’t pride or joy. Neither is the goofy grin. But if that’s what Yuu thinks when she sees it, she doesn’t need to know.  

If they dance together with that fixed radio and his hands linger a little too long on her hips or waist, he doesn’t think too hard on that either.  

He isn’t a very smart man, but he knows he is a happy one.

 

Ace Trappola

Ace will admit that he’s an asshole sometimes. He is self-aware enough and selfish enough to not care. But he isn’t a complete asshole, and really, he’s just preventing you from being stuck with another Overblot like what happened on Winter Break!  

That was the only reason he invited Yuu over. No other reasons.  

He of course does the polite thing and introduces you to this family, including his brother. He doesn’t dislike his brother, he’s actually pretty cool, but he’s aware that he is cooler than Ace. And smarter. And more handsome.  

He isn’t purposefully keeping Yuu away from him, but if it so happens that every time his brother is home that you two are out doing things, that’s just a weird coincidence.  

It’s sunset on the last day, and his family insisted on a cookout all together. They like Yuu a lot, and for the most part try and keep him out of trouble. Which meant lots of talking, family telling stories and comparing between the two of them, like they always do. It isn’t malicious, he knows that, but it hurts sometimes when his brother has a seven-year head start. It’s winding down now though, with his parents and brother going to bed already for work in the morning. They should have been, the train leaves early the next morning, but neither of them can sleep, so they are trying to wind down with cards. Ace always has a pack on him, but in his room he has multiple. He’s even nice enough to let Yuu pick the deck she wants.  

“You ready for tomorrow?” she asks, laying a card down.  

“Totally. I love my folks but being here just makes me itch to leave again.” he makes a pair, chuckling at her huff, “Besides my brother is...well he’s my brother, you know.”  

“I mean, he’s ok, but I much prefer hanging out with you.”  

It’s such a small thing that it shouldn’t matter. It shouldn’t. But damn if he’s face doesn’t twitch into a genuine smile. Prefers him. Yuu prefers him.  

“Ah, you gotta crush on me?” He teases, poking her cheek, “You got something you want to tell me?”  

“Oh, fuck off.” She snips, kicking his foot, “You got an ego that makes Vil look humble.”  

He can only laugh, muffling his delight into a pillow. He tucks the memory away with a breath, making another pair.

 

Rook Hunt

The gardens of Pomefiore aren’t as well-known as some of the other dorms, but they are beautiful, nonetheless. Carefully cultivated and trimmed, it has more of a nature tamed by man aesthetic, but it was still beautiful.  

Rook knows them better than most students, spending so much time amongst the trees, bushes and flowers to practice his hunting skills and photography. When Yuu asked him for pointers, he was more than happy to give her a hands-on lesson.  

“And that is how you achieve this effect!” He says, setting the glass off to the side.  

“Nice!” she nods, finishing the note she was writing. “That is so much easier than what I was picturing. I can’t thank you enough for this Rook, this will help so much with the commission that Crewel gave me. What got you into photography anyway?”  

“Having pictures of Roi De Poison and Monsieur Curiosity that nobody else has? Bliss! But also, I do so enjoy the thrill of the hunt. Photography gives me the means to shoot and not kill my target. Their beauty must live on until fate takes them. Or my arrow.”  

Yuu cannot help but chuckle a bit, figuring that was the case.  

“Vil told me a bit about the day you two met. It makes sense. He also said you started in SavannaClaw?”  

“I did. Transfering dorms was the best decision I have ever made!” He touches the leaves above him, the apple tree swaying a bit in the cool breeze. “Why do you think I switched dorms, Mon Trickster?”  

Yuu zips up the ghost camera into her bag, taking a moment to try and phase her words. The Rook that Vil described reminds her of herself here. Ambition with no direction. Goals of survival with no room for anything else. Of being so cautious and gentle with everything around, but the people aren’t with her. Even those that care for her bruise her, even when they don’t mean to.  

“I think...you got tired of your life feeling like a museum.” Rook cocks his head at her. “Before, you kept your hands behind your back, quietly observing, scrutinizing and praising the beauty around you but never interacting. I don’t know if you thought you didn’t deserve it or that you couldn’t have it, but I think you got tired of imagining what softness would feel like. I think you decided that you would rather be an active participant, in your life, even if it meant changing, however scary it is.”  

It is quiet behind her. Yuu secures the last of the props into the tote, still waiting.  

“Rook?”  

She doesn’t get a chance to turn around. His front thumps into her, arms wrapping around her shoulders.  

“Apologize Mon Ami. I was stunned by your wisdom un moment.” He whispers. She feels him take a deep breath into her shoulder, but he’s hat completely blocks him from her view. “You might be the closest yet.”  

“Huh?”  

“Nothing, nothing!” He jumps in front of her, grabbing the tote with a bright smile. “Let us return, Roi de Poison does hate one being late!”

“We are meeting Vil after this?” She asks, jogging to keep up his pace that’s more like a skip.  

“Of course! We have traveled much today. We must replenish with good food and drink!”  

He goes on to describe what is on the menu, but inside it is taking everything within him not to gather you up and take him home. Oh, Mon Trickster, you read him too easily. He will have to keep you close in the years to come to just keep himself safe, in whatever capacity needed. There is, after all, more than one way to be a lover.  

[gothamite-rambler]

"Father, I'm not with Nightwing!" Rose denied with anger.

Rose Wilson (answering her phone with an annoyed tone): Father, what?!

Slade: Wow, no greetings? I called you.

Rose (sighing): Hello Father... What is it? I'm... incredibly... busy.

Slade: Why have you betrayed me?

Rose breaths heavy with Jason on top of her.

Rose (confused): What?

Slade: You know what I am talking about.

Rose: I don't and ... busy at the moment.

Slade: Okay, you've brought down my hand. How dare you take Nightwing as a partner?!

Rose: What?!

Jason: What- Whoa!

Jason falls off the bed, grunting when he hit the ground. Rose sat up, readjusting her shirt.

Rose: I am not with him!

Slade: Don't lie to me! I've heard you've been canoodling with a member from the batfamily! That weakling is the only one I know of. What will you do to regain my trust?

Rose: Oh good Lord. Red Hood, I'm with Red Hood! He's not Nightwing. I would not be with Nightwing and not just because I'd 'lose your trust', but because he is not even in my radar and you'd definitely kill him.

Jason: I'm used to pain, but I'd rather not be killed again.

Rose: Hood, shush. That's him with me at the... Gym.

Slade: Red Hood? Hood? The red helmet man?

Rose (sly): I mean that's one of his suits.

Slade: Okay... I've heard mixed information about him. Think I met him once. Killed by the Joker- That's why you wanted me to beat him up?!

Jason: You did what?

Rose (sighing): Yes, I should've taken this off speaker.

Slade (focusing on the topic): Underhanded, manipulative... I'm proud of you, Roswell.

Rose: My name is just Rose.

Slade: I said that. As for this Hood man... I don't trust him, but I hate the Joker, but he's a member of the batfamily. Tsk, you're making this hard for me, Daisy.

Rose (sighing, frustrated): Rose.

Slade: Uh huh, said that.

Rose: If it helps he doesn't completely follow Batman's 'no-kill' rule.

Slade: It's a start. I'll be monitoring this relationship with my good eye, but if he brings your allegiance to their side, I will gut him like a fish and no green water will bring him back to life.

Jason: The fuck?

Rose: Okay, thanks father. My allegiance stays with you.

Slade: It better stay that way.

Rose ends the call and rubs her forehead as Jason sits next to her.

Rose: He's insane, I'm sorry.

Jason: I already knew enough about him and we did meet, rude he doesn't remember me. Let's just say I'm not shocked he's like that. No sorry needed.

Jason kisses Rose on the cheek then he chuckles.

Jason: He thought you were hooking up with Dick.

Rose: Yeah, I almost vomited when he said that.

Jason (chuckling): You tossed me to the ground, by the way. Ouch.

Rose (coy): Oh like I haven't done that in the past.

Jason kissed her neck.

Jason: You got him to attack the Joker?

Rose: Yup, lengthened his sentence too and I heard the clown had to eat his food through a straw.

Jason: You're so hot to me right now.

Rose: You don't have to state the obvious.

Rose giggles as she snuggles against Jason's chest. He rubs her back as they relax.

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Dirty Work 21

Warnings: this fic will include dark content such as bullying, familial discord/abuse, and possible untagged elements. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.

This is a dark!fic and explicit. 18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: You start a new gig and find one of your clients to be hard to please.

Characters: Loki

Note: have a wonderful day!

As per usual, I humbly request your thoughts! Reblogs are always appreciated and welcomed, not only do I see them easier but it lets other people see my work. I will do my best to answer all I can. I’m trying to get better at keeping up so thanks everyone for staying with me.

Your feedback will help in this and future works (and WiPs, I haven’t forgotten those!)

I love you all immensely. Take care. 💖

The gate bell buzzes and you rush from the kitchen to answer, the porcelain clinking as you leave it in the sink. You flit into the hall and to the entryway. As you pull the door open, you sense a shadow and turn to see Laufeyson at the top of the stairs. He watches but does not speak. You waver before you find the strength to continue on.

You shut the door gently and try to breathe through your rattling nerves. You don't understand what's going on. The words Laufeyson said still don't make sense to you. He can't mean what you think. You have to be overthinking. Yet the tickle of his touch remains on your skin and fuels your doubts.

How can you say no to him? If you do, he might say the same...

You repress a shudder as you reach the gate and hold the button to roll it back. Ronan steers through in his truck, pulling in just behind Laufeyson's flashy ivory car. You let the gate close and approach the truck bed as the carpenter climbs out.

"Miss," he opens the rear door to grab his bag, "you look nice, special occasion?"

You look down at yourself and wipe your sweaty palms on your skirt. It's sunny but it isn't the weather that has you fired up. You force a smile that makes your cheeks twitch.

"Uh, no, they're just...new," you sway as you push your hands behind you, "erm, so I guess... you should get started."

"I should," he checks his watch, a thick leather band with a tarnish face, "I hate to get in the way of your work. Or ruin your fancy clothes."

"Oh, uh, it's not... I'll bring you some water," you offer.

"Hmm," he hums as he shuts the door, "you're too kind for your own good. Nice to see you doing something for yourself for a change."

"I..." you swallow the truth. "Thanks."

"Not that you didn't look good before," he insists.

"Well, I..." you murmur, looking away bashfully.

"I'm talking a lot," he chuckles, "you know where I'll be."

He turns and stalks off towards the house. You blow out a breath as your eyes are drawn to the front door. Mr. Laufeyson stands in the frame, again observing you, his gaze narrowed to slits. He reminds you of a snake in coil about to strike.

The door shuts before you can reach it. You enter and he's gone. It's like some game. You return to the kitchen to finish tidying up the porcelain from tea. You set it away in the glass cabinet and fill a fresh jug of water. As you place it on the patio, Frigga pops her head up from the roses, a healthy bouquet in hand as she snips the stems with a pair of cutters.

"These will be nice in the dining room," she suggests as she shows the white petals, "Maybe a few for the study?"

"Uh, yeah," you plunk down the pitcher and glass. "Did you need any water? This is for the carpenter."

"Oh, he's here?" She says, "I didn't see him. Perhaps I can ask him about the flower boxes."

"Yeah, uh, maybe," you agree, "I'll be, er, upstairs working. Got a lot to catch up on from yesterday."

"No worries at all, darling," she assures you.

You retreat and stumble to get your shoes off once more, mindful of the rules. That's the problem. Everyone is forgetting the rules. Ronan does the gazebo not the flower boxes, you don't wear your shoes in the house, and Loki-- Mr. Laufeyson is just your boss.

You rush up the stairs, nearly too at a time, and reach the top out of breath. You hurry into the library and close yourself up inside. It's just you. It strikes you how much you missed being alone. These last few weeks have felt so crowded. Constricted even.

You finally make yourself sit still. You find it hard not to wriggle in the seat as you watch the laptop screen load. It feels so long ago that you did this. It's all backwards and you don't like it. You like clear lines. You are separate from Mr. Laufeyson. You are below. You have your tasks and he has more important concerns.

You focus on balancing his bills. There are a lot of outstanding invoices. You're still learning how to keep it all organized. You feel a bit out of your depth with all the numbers but you excelled at math all those years before.

A subtle click barely registers but nestles in your ear. You squint at the screen as you watch a tutorial on Excel functions. You're still figuring that out too.

"The carpenter has been dealt with?" Mr. Laufeyson states as much as he asks.

"Yes, Mr. Laufeyson," you confirm and pause the video. You glance behind him at the open door to his study.

"Very good," he says, "he will work faster without distraction."

You nod. You take his point. He is right. It might be better that the project is finished sooner than later. There's a big enough mess, the type you don't know how to clean up.

He strides around the library, perusing the shelves as if they are new to him. He feels along the spines of books and drags his fingers along the wood. You watch him, waiting. For what, you don't know.

"Don't let me distract you," he says without looking at you as he slides out a volume. "As you were."

Your eyes flick down obediently. You try to refocus but forget where you were. You open the ledger to make notes as you restart the video. You can sense him lurking around the room, closer and closer as his silhouette blurs the edge of your vision.

The narrator continues their instruction as you open the transcript to follow along. Mr. Laufeyson inches closer and closer, walking just behind your laptop, then around one side of your desk before doubling back. Again, he looms behind the screen and strolls along the other side. And at once, he's behind you.

You tense as you feel him watching over your head. You keep your hand moving as you take notes, writing down words you don't process. Your pulse thrums in your temples as you feel him leaning over you. His hands rest on your shoulders and he kneads them as you sit frozen.

He bends further and further until you feel his breath on your crown. He nuzzles your hair as his hands trail slowly across your shoulders. They close loosely around your neck as he exhales with a groan. Just like the one you heard earlier.

You gulp against his grip as your pen stills and you stare blankly at the screen, the narrator hazing to a drone and the colours fogging together. You drop the pen and drag your hand up to touch his. He tuts as he lowers his head next to yours, his lips brushing your ear as he speaks.

"I didn't say stop," he slithers as heat scalds over you.

You shiver and remove your hand from his, reaching for the pen instead. You pick it up, trembling as you try to read your own writing, your chin pressing to his knuckle as he tightens his hold on you. It's just scribbles, broken lines and squiggled waves.

"Notice too, you did not either," he whispers against the shell of your ear and draws away, all once releasing you. 

You gasp as he swiftly side steps and strides across the room. He retrieves the volume from the shelf and reclines across the chaise, lazily opening the pages with a sigh. You stare at him as he lingers, engrossing himself in the book as you forget all about the spreadsheets and negative balances.

👠

Mr. Laufeyson leaves without a word. A taunt in its own right. He’s toying with you impeccably. His every move, his every glance, even something as careless as breathing is a statement. He’s watching. He’s waiting. For something…

Your frustration boils over and you snap shut the lid of the laptop. You haven’t been able to focus since his intrusion. The weight of his hands on your throat remains even with him gone. At moments, it feels as if you are truly being strangled.

You get up and resign yourself to something less complicated. You near the door and stop to peek at the one attached to the study. It’s open still but you wouldn’t think to peer through it. Is he there still? Listening? Expecting something?

You go into the hall and descend, each step expecting Laufeyson to call you back, to reproach you for straying. You reach the bottom without obstacle and exhale. You hear noise in the kitchen and follow it.

Frigga is there, placing a rectangle tray on the counter. She is comfortable as she moves around lightly. She knows where everything is as she arranges her ingredients and tools. You admire her. You wish you had that confidence, especially now as you drown in uncertainty.

“Oh, darling, wonderful timing,” she praises as she looks up, “I thought to do some cooking before I go. I’m sure you know Loki is rather avoidant of doing so himself. Why don’t you join, hm?”

You blink and hesitate, glancing over your shoulder. It isn’t exactly work. 

“Don’t you fret for him, if he has issue, I will take it up with him,” she dismisses your unspoken doubts. “Come, come, I want to share with you my best recipes.”

“Okay,” you cross to her. She is undeniable, besides, you don’t think Laufeyson would be pleased to hear if you were to reject his mother. 

“Beer-marinated pork,” she announces, “roasted turnip and some hand-made bread, of course.”

You nod and twiddle your fingers. You’ve never had beer-marinated anything. Well, your culinary experience is lacking.

“Family recipes,” she explains, “adapted over the years. There was a time the bread was baked on rocks and the turnip would be roasted over embers. Imagine.”

She trills and spins around, gathering more supplies for her growing array. As she faces the counter again, she sighs.

“I much rather prefer the modern methods, of course. Not so tedious and Loki has ensured the best,” she goes to the stacked ovens embedded in the wall and sets the temperature, leaving the upper one to preheat. “A pity, such a nice kitchen and it’s barely used. That cook of his… she doesn’t know our recipes.”

You listen, too anxious to summon any sort of comment. She doesn’t seem to notice as she carries the conversation smoothly. 

“Do you cook? You must,” she answers her own question, “we will make enough for you to take home for your father. If he can’t stomach beer, I can make a sauce.”

“Oh, that’s… that’s okay–”

“I insist,” she overrides you, “it’s a labour of love for me. I love cooking. That is the one thing Sif– his ex-wife wasn’t fond of. She was always at the stable.”

You nod, trying to unravel the story from the stray threads. Little by little, you learn more of the woman who used to live here. In your head, she is sophisticated and splendid. And the way the speak of her, they seem to mourn her as much as you do your own mother.

“We will need onion and some spices, we’ll mix it in with the beer for our marinade,” she instructs, “a bowl…” she turns to take a silver bowl from the nested stack.

She puts it before you and directs you. She stands back as she lets you do it yourself. It’s nice to have the simple tasks set out one by one, even if it feels as if she’s judging your every move. You submerge the pork chops to marinate and she turns your attention to the turnip.

“Be careful chopping, turnips can be difficult,” she girds.

You shy away from the large knife and the hard rutabaga. It’s not easy to saw through as you rock the knife this way and that. You only get halfway through before the blade sticks immovably.

“Allow me,” she takes over and with a jerk, finishes the chop. The turnip splits in two as the knife meets the thick cutting board. “A bit of elbow grease…”

“Mother, what are you up to?” Laufeyson enters with a hand in one pocket.

“Oh, you know, dear, I can’t leave you without dinner.”

“I have a cook,” he counters.

“Mmm, yes, but nothing like a homemade meal,” she tisks.

He looks at you as he nears. You wipe your hands on a dish cloth and wring it tight. Frigga continues on unbothered, turning one half of the turnip on its flat side and chopping it into chunks.

“She’s helping,” she says, “please don’t take her from me.”

“I didn’t say anything,” he shrugs, his lips slightly curving.

“You were thinking it,” she huffs, “she can take some time to cook. Perhaps, she should do so regularly. It would save you money.” 

“But not time. She has other tasks.”

“You being the most onerous,” Frigga chirps as she transfers the chunks into the pan.

“Perhaps,” he does not look away from you as you twist the dish cloth to its limit. He slips his hand from his pocket and lets it brush up his shirt, “I am what you raised me to be.”

“I was saying to the darling earlier,” she ignores his snipe, “the next time you visit, you might bring her along.”

“Eh, next time…” Laufeyson swallows as his lips fall straight, “maybe…”

“You are going to visit, aren’t you?” Frigga whines, “you and your father, I don’t know why you just can’t get along.”

“I tried, mother, I did. You saw–” he stops himself, “it doesn’t matter.”

“It does. Very much. You’re family.”

“Are we? He’s disowned me more than he’s ever claimed me.”

“You’re too much alike, that’s your problem,” she chides, “and you’re both too stubborn to see it.”

“We will discuss this another time,” he says as he peeks at you again, “in private.”

“Should I…” you begin.

“Stay,” Frigga and her son command at the same time.

“I’m not sending her home empty-handed,” Frigga says, “so you will drive her home, yes? It will be too much to take on the bus.”

“Why, of course,” he accepts, “it would be my pleasure.”

“Mm, and the carpenter, he fixed the flower boxes already. A few loose nails,” she grins, “nice man, that one. I might recommend him to your father.”

Laufeyson pokes his tongue out as he squints. He turns his gaze back on you. You miss when he barely looked at you, when he hardly even acknowledged your existence. And yet, you're just the same. You can't say a word.

“I haven’t dealt with him much,” he says pointedly, “that is the house manager’s concern.”

“Probably better off,” Frigga snickers, “she won’t drive him away.”

[beyondspaceandstars]

valentine's day with matt

A/N: Happy Valentine's Day! This is a quick little headcanon/thoughts/scenario (?) I came up with. I’ve had a strong Daredevil fixation lately. But, anyway, this is just a silly little fun thing but I hope you enjoy it. I don’t know if it’s very good but it’s festive and sweet, I think :)

also apparently there is a limit to how many characters you can use in a bullet-point list so i apologize for the atrocious formatting, i can't figure out how to get around that dumbass rule with this text editor

There is no doubt in my mind that Matt is an absolute romantic when he’s in a real, stable relationship

He doesn’t let himself into them but when he finds a person and dedicates himself fully, there’s no holding him back from worshipping his partner

Matt met you in the late spring, way past Valentine’s Day for that year, and frankly, he wasn’t sure if you’d want to stick around past the summertime

He got nervous when you two started getting serious and when he eventually let you in on his nighttime activities he was sure you would run for the hills

But you hadn’t

And the next thing you both knew… it was the season of love. Valentine’s Day. Your first Valentine’s Day together was just around the corner.

You truly didn’t expect much. Maybe a nice dinner and flowers—the expectation of flowers would even be pushing it. In your past relationships, Valentine’s Day hadn’t been anything. You’d try to get your partners to do thing, go out on dates with you, but no one ever seemed very interested in it all.

“It’s a holiday to sell things,” your last boyfriend had said to you when you’d asked him if he wanted to have a nice dinner at your favorite steakhouse. It was then that you had simply assumed men just didn’t do Valentine’s Day.

Matt, on the other hand, was stressing—seriously stressing—over February 14th.

The man would be practically making himself sick trying to plan out the day. But he was very good at hiding his stress. At least, from you. Foggy wasn’t spared from witnessing Matt’s panic.

"What about that new Italian place around the corner? Does it look nice?"

"Matt, do you think you’re maybe overthinking all of it?"

Matt would never admit if he was but…yes, he was.

You were unaware of it all and tried not to think too hard about the holiday. You had gotten Matt a small gift and were going to suggest having a night in with a nice dinner and a bottle or two of wine…

But then he caught you off guard.

You were out for lunch with him the day before Valentine’s Day. You two didn’t work too far from one another and so lunch dates (depending on your schedules, of course) had become a pretty regular part of your weekly routine.

It was about halfway through your lunchtime when, out of nowhere, completely unprompted, Matt said, "I made us reservations for tomorrow night at an Italian restaurant not too far from here."

Your jaw went slack and your heartbeat shot up. The concern that fell on Matt’s face told you he noticed.

"If… If that’s okay with you," he stammered, trying to walk back on his words. "If you don’t want to do anything for Valentine’s Day, I understand, I’m sure I can cancel—,"

"No!" Your outburst took both of you by surprise. You almost start laughing out of nervousness. "I mean, I’d love to. It sounds amazing, I was just…surprised. No guy I’ve been with has ever really wanted to do anything on Valentine’s Day."

Matt frowned. A deep, serious frown. "You’ve never gone out for Valentine’s Day?"

"Not really." You felt your cheeks go warm. "I’m very excited." Your heartbeat hadn’t settled since he mentioned dinner plans.

The next day, you were giddy. You had stayed over at Matt’s place and decided to wake up early to make him a nice breakfast. He was speechless. You two would exchange "Happy Valentine’s Day" before swapping sweet kisses and going your separate ways for the day.

You’d assume you wouldn’t hear from Matt again until dinner time but then a giant — giant — bouquet of roses was delivered to your office. You were stunned. As were your coworkers. And then the flowers made you hopelessly tear up.

It was already the best Valentine’s Day you’ve ever had and you still had dinner to look forward to.

After work, you returned to your apartment and freshened up.

You were quite nervous for some reason. It didn’t make sense. You’d been going out with Matt for almost a year. You two had been on numerous dates. Hell — you two slept together regularly. But this? Valentine’s Day dinner? This was what was making you all jittery?

It was a mix between never really knowing what to expect for Valentine’s Day and wanting everything to go perfectly.

Matt was patiently waiting for you outside the restaurant when you arrived. You saw a smirk creep its way onto his lips, no doubt sensing your presence.

"Hi, honey," you said as you approached and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "You made quite the ruckus at my office today with that garden of flowers you sent."

Matt chuckled. "Were they okay? I kind of had to trust the florist’s opinion and he could’ve scammed me for all I know."

You laughed. "They’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen."

"You clearly haven’t looked in the mirror lately."

"Matthew Murdock, you’re silly."

The restaurant he had chosen was stunning. Very fancy, very chic. A nice modern, clearly high-end, Italian restaurant. You gasped when you saw the array of artistic decor. It was just all so…romantic.

"Is it… Do you like it? Is this okay? I also had to trust Foggy for advice on this place—,"

"It’s wonderful, Matt. Everything is so wonderful."

He took your elbow and gave it a squeeze.

The hostess then escorted you two to your table, Matt continued holding onto your elbow and you had to keep yourself from laughing. No doubt he had already mapped out the place in his head.

Your table was in the back of the establishment, kind of hidden and private. You wondered if Matt had dropped some extra money to get something so intimate. You were tearing up at the thought.

"Are you okay?" Matt asked after you two took your seats.

"You make me feel so special."

Wordlessly, Matt found your hand and kissed the back of it. It was almost silly but it made your heart skip a beat. Seriously, you felt like a teenager on a first date.

You diverted your attention to the menu. You quickly realized Matt had the same one as you — a.k.a. a menu he couldn’t exactly read. It looked like Matt came to the same realization as you when he picked it up.

"Oh, should I see if they—,"

Matt shook his head. "Read it to me?" He leaned back in his seat, waiting, a little cocky or proud of himself.

You blushed. "Sure, I think I can manage that."

Dinner went by very nicely. You raved about the food and Matt looked relieved that you enjoyed it. You two even split a dessert. Matt "accidentally" got whipped cream on your cheek, which he just had to clean up himself. You teased him it was just a ploy to get close to you and he didn’t deny it.

Afterward, you two walked arm and arm back to his place. The night was peaceful and lovely and…perfect.

"I have a gift to give you later," you said, breaking the silence.

"Oh, yeah?"

"Mhm," you sighed. "Well, maybe I have a couple of gifts."

"Oh?" Matt smirked.

"I gotta thank my lovely boyfriend properly. This was the best Valentine’s Day," you admitted.

Matt stopped on the sidewalk. The streets were quiet and empty. His arm untangled from yours, his hands grinding your waist with ease. "It’s not over yet," Matt said in a hushed tone. "Besides, I might have a couple of gifts for you as well."

And then he kissed you deeply. The world around you felt like it had stopped.

"Happy Valentine’s Day, sweetheart."

"Happy Valentine’s Day, honey."

[porcelainseashore]

Into the Ether (10)

Series Masterlist

Pairing: Vampire! Toreador! Leon Kennedy x Fem! Reader

Summary: At the all-night events cafe you run, you’ve become acquainted with an elusive patron, Leon, though you can never remember the last moments of your interactions together. After a harrowing encounter, a love-hate relationship develops between the two of you as you grapple with your newfound status in a world of darkness and investigate the reasons behind the untimely attacks.

Content & Warnings: 18+ Resident Evil x Vampire: The Masquerade crossover, horror, mystery, romance, slow burn, strangers to enemies to lovers, angst, fluff, eventual smut, swearing, smoking, alcohol, drug references, non consensual blood drinking, blood bond, vampire turning, violence, injury, mild gore, torture, religious themes, minor character death, RE ensemble, VtM concepts.

Taglist: @admirxation @angelstargel @miss-oranje-disco-dancer ❤️‍🔥

AO3 Link

Chapter 10: Devil's Advocate

You woke up again with a start, your face buried against something hard which stirred. Groggily, you nuzzled it, unwilling to fully come to just yet. Fingers sifted through your hair as you felt a chaste kiss planted atop your head. 

Oh.

The events of what had transpired the night before replayed through your mind as you kept your eyes shut, stilling yourself despite the fact that you were pressed right into Leon’s chest. Thank god you hadn’t activated Blush of Life yet and weren’t breathing. You could pretend to have fallen back to sleep a second time and he wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. Or would he? Did daysleep work this way?

“I’ll head down first and make us a drink, sleepy head.” His voice vibrated through his chest like a deep rumble as he chuckled, kissing your forehead another time before letting go.

Of course he knew you were awake, he’d been at this game for much longer and could spot the signs. The mattress shifted under his weight and the sheets piled as he rose up, your body swaying gently from the ripples of movement. Footsteps pattered across the floor and down the stairs. You heard a door open and the showerhead turn on, the sound of water splashing onto the ground drowning out the racket in your brain.

Clearer thoughts started to form. You kissed him. No, well, he kissed you first. But you kissed back. That had to mean something, right? Or was it just a pity kiss? Then why did you invite him to join you in bed? You had broken your number one rule in just over a week. Go figure.

He went through something harrowing back at the Bakers and you were being there for him as a ‘sort of’ friend. Because friends totally kiss each other. Not once, not twice, but multiple times throughout the course of the night. You tried to remember what it was like, his lips on yours as you involuntarily brushed your fingers against your mouth. It was soft and sweet, everything you wanted—

No, stop!

You felt ashamed for thinking that way. Was this some kind of Stockholm Syndrome you were experiencing? Falling for the man who turned you into what you were? You would have fallen twice then: once when you were alive, and again when you were undead. It was too much to think about first thing in the early evening. The shower turned off.

A few minutes later, you heard someone rummaging through the kitchen cabinets and the clinking of glasses. Drink first, talk later. Just play it cool and act oblivious, like you would when a customer at the cafe tried to chat you up. The greatest irony of it was that Leon had been one of them too.

Making your way towards the counter, you leaned your elbows on it, watching Leon as he poured a bag’s worth of blood into two glasses. His hair was damp and in a tousled mess from being roughly towel-dried. Beads of water trickled down his neck onto his bare chest. You swallowed thickly, realizing it was the first time you’d seen him topless with nothing but a pair of gray sweatpants on. Your eyes trailed across a scar on his left shoulder which he must’ve gotten in his mortal life, over to the gold necklace he wore without fail on a daily basis, noting the cross pendant attached to it. 

A quick glance at his face confirmed that he was still concentrating on what seemed to be the longest drink-pouring process ever. So, you continued to rake your gaze along his athletic build, which you assumed was honed from police training. It traveled from his tapered waistline to his lean abs, finally reaching the hem of his pants that hung loosely on his hips.

“Drink? Or are you too busy eye fucking me right now?” he teased, a smug smile playing across his lips as he slid a glass over to you.

It was just your luck that he’d catch you red-handed. But that didn’t mean you were going to give in. You snorted, narrowing your eyes at him as you brought the rim of the glass to your mouth. “You should put a shirt on.”

“Why? Am I being a distraction?” There was that stupid wink again.

Taking a hearty swig, you allowed the blood to wash down your throat, revitalizing your senses. “You give yourself too much credit for your looks.”

Pointing at his necklace, you commented, “Guess crosses don’t burn you, huh?”

“What have I told you about silly superstitions?” He folded his arms, raising an eyebrow as he feigned a look of being unimpressed. “Only a person who possesses True Faith can use these symbols to damage us.”

“Have you met any of them?” you quizzed.

“Thankfully, no,” he admitted. “They’re rare, but some of them lie within the ranks of the SI.”

Placing the glass back onto the table, you probed further, “Were you religious back then?”

Your question must’ve taken him by surprise, as a range of mixed emotions swept across his face. “Yeah, born and baptized Catholic,” he replied, scratching the side of his head sheepishly.

The memory you’d seen of him praying in the church flashed through your mind. It must’ve been his main source of solace back then. Had it changed since? Where did he find comfort now?

“You still believe in a god?”

He pursed his lips, sipping at the remaining blood in his glass slowly. “Yes, I do,” he finally decided. “But whoever it is, I’m pretty sure they won’t have me.”

Twirling the glass in his hand, he continued, “We belong to Caine now, our Dark Father, as Noddist scholars like to say.”

Whenever Leon talked in this way, it felt like hearing a bedtime story. You wondered if he really believed in all the myths and legends Kindred liked to tell themselves. Turning your back to the counter, you pressed your palms flat on its surface, pushing yourself up so you could sit on it. 

Looking over your shoulder, you met his pale blue eyes. “I never believed in anyone up there,” you stated. “Always thought we’d go back into the earth when we died.”

It was his turn to ask, “Do you fear dying?”

“Not really.” You shook your head. “I think it’s like a comatose sleep from which you never wake up. The thing is whether you suffer beforehand.”

Being able to speak freely about such morbid topics with Leon comforted you in some way, even though you found it amusing how you got there in the first place. 

Discarding his glass, he circled around the counter, leaning his hip against its edge beside you. “I fear it sometimes,” he revealed quietly.

“Are you afraid of going to hell?” you suggested, wondering if it was a form of subconscious religious guilt that haunted him.

He averted his gaze. “For the things I’ve done, yeah,” he answered, offering no further explanation.

Against your better judgment, you reached out to touch his face, though he caught your hand gently in mid-air. Stroking the back of it with his thumb, he raised your palm to his lips, kissing it reverently. “But I won’t drag you down with me,” he murmured into your skin.

One thing led to another, and before you knew it, he had moved between your legs, supporting himself with his arms positioned on either side of your body. Was he doing this to distract you from the can of worms you’d almost uncovered? Would he ever truly open up to you?

For a moment, it seemed as if time stood still, while he tried to read the expression in your eyes. There was your chance — the slim window he had offered you to protest or say anything at all, but you didn’t. You couldn’t even breathe. So much for playing it cool.

Bending forward, he captured your lips in a quick kiss, breaking away to peer at you, as though he was testing the waters. It didn’t take long for him to bridge the gap again, taking your lips into his hungrily, like an animal who’d been laid out to starve in the heat. You wanted him, yet at the same time, you couldn’t. And the latter, more rational side happened to be winning in the ensuing battle.

“Mm—” Kiss. “Um—” Another kiss. “Leon?”

“Yeah?” he slurred, as if drunk on your taste, before kissing you again.

It took every ounce of your resolve to shove him off you by his shoulders. He stopped abruptly, panting through swollen lips and his eyes glazed over in want. Though they soon widened in panic as he saw the look of discomfort written across your face. 

“I-I’m sorry, I thought you—”

“This isn’t right,” you whispered, trying to convince nobody but yourself. You hopped down, pushing away from the table, as you brushed past him, rubbing your mouth gingerly with your hand. “You’ve already damned me, and I feel like I hardly know you at all.”

━━━━━━━━━━━

Back at NEST, you were immediately accosted by Jill, who had been waiting eagerly for your updates on the case. At the moment, things between you and Leon were awkward. It felt like you were back to square one with him, where neither of you dared to say anything to each other. He gave you the space he thought you needed, though you could spot the worry and concern in his eyes whenever they met yours briefly.

In the server room, Leon ran through the information you had gathered from the Bakers, showing Hunnigan the supposed Sabbat hotspots they had marked out on the map.

“Good work, Leon,” she remarked appreciatively, clicking to zoom in on the areas he had highlighted on the screen. “My sources have correlated with the river route too. A bunch of homeless people going missing under the bridges. They’re probably tapping into them as vessels and potential cannon fodder.”

“It’s like they’re baiting,” Leon noted. “Their last attack was sloppily executed—”

“It was a fucking shitshow,” Jill interjected.

“Just seems like they weren’t serious about creating an army,” he deduced. “They just wanted the attention.”

Jill clicked her tongue. “No offense, but when have they ever been organized? They’ve never cared about attracting a lot of attention either.”

“True,” Leon agreed. “But even the Sabbat have their limits.”

Rocking back and forth on his feet, you could sense that he was getting nervous about what he was about to say next. Silently, you prayed that he would keep his word about not revealing Lucas’ involvement in the matter. The Baker family had helped you out and were counting on you to do the same.

“By the way, you were right, Hunnigan,” he started off. “A Sabbat member cast Dementation on them.”

Hunnigan nodded, smiling to herself in satisfaction, whereas Jill piped up, “Any clue as to who this Sabbat member is?”

You felt your throat constrict as you eyed Leon questioningly. He caught your gaze and a flicker of understanding passed between you. The corners of your mouth curled up slightly into a subtle smile, which he returned for a split second before turning to face Jill again. He was going to keep quiet about Lucas’ identity after all.

“A Malkavian,” he answered vaguely. “That’s how the Bakers sensed them through the Cobweb. But other than that, no clue as to who it is.”

Jill cocked her head, scrutinizing his features intently. “You sure?”

He met her stare dead-on with a blank expression on his face. “Of course.”

She shifted her gaze towards you briefly, squinting as she studied your reaction while you tried to remain as calm and indifferent as you could. Finally, she sighed, “Fine, what about Rebecca?”

“We’re working on it,” Leon reassured her. “Her Regent has been creating some complications, but we’ll get to her soon.”

“Listen, do whatever you need to do, Kennedy,” she ordered hastily. “We need that girl.”

Whenever Jill used his last name, he knew she meant it as a threat. Do it, or else. Time was running out, and he needed to make a decision quickly.

After the meeting, he dropped you off at the lounge, asking you to wait for him there while he ‘sorted things out’ with the Tremere Primogen. Before he left, you grabbed his hand, squeezing it as he looked back at you in astonishment.

“Thank you,” you mouthed, acknowledging his earlier efforts in keeping his promise.

You still weren’t keen on what he was about to do with the Tremere, but you could see that he was trying to change.

“Don’t mention it.” His fingers ghosted the outline of your jaw. Perhaps you just needed time and would come round to him at some point. “I won’t take long.”

On his way to the offices, he observed the Tremere Primogen busy chatting with another Kindred. He’d timed it well, taking advantage of when she usually took her breaks to socialize with others roaming around Elysium. Keeping himself inconspicuous, he slinked away from the crowd, continuing towards the more mundane areas of the building. Still, a nagging feeling burrowed deep in his chest. 

Was it really such a good idea for Glenn Arias to take over as Primogen? He would essentially become a mini-dictator among the Tremere of Raccoon City. And no matter how much Leon wanted to avoid internal clan politics, he would have had a hand to play in it. A serious one, with significant consequences that, like it or not, would affect everyone else as well. Was he ready to do that?

Your words came back to haunt him. How many compromises was he willing to make? Would there be nothing left within him at the end? Just an empty shell of a man, his husk dry and withering. He wondered how the elder vampires felt as their humanity trickled away, ebbing into the recesses of the abyss. It was inevitable, a voice told him. You’re only fighting a losing battle, it added.

“What would you do?” he muttered under his breath, closing his eyes and as he imagined addressing his former mortal self.

There he was, the golden boy, fresh out of his training from the police academy. He had everything going for him then, graduating with top marks and being singled out for the fast track detective pathway within the RPD. His idealism and innocence hadn’t yet been tainted — he still knew what was right from wrong. Not this murky gray mess, like sludge he waded through to get to the other side. Each time, sinking a little deeper as the mud shifted under his feet, until he was fully covered in the filth.

The boy in front of him was beaming, his closed mouth smile stretching from ear to ear, radiant like a haloed angel. So close, he could reach out and touch him. His fingers sifted through the specter, the light refracting at different angles on his hand as it moved. For years, he had looked back on his younger persona, calling him names: naive, childish, stupid. He thought he had known better, when in fact, he knew nothing at all.

“You already know,” the figure spoke, his warm palm coming to rest on top of Leon’s shoulder before vanishing into thin air.

Opening his eyes, he took a few steps forward only to come to a halt. He thumbed the side of the file nestled in the inner pocket of his suit jacket, sucking in a sharp breath through his teeth. If this is what it would come to, then so be it. 

Spinning on his heel, he headed back in the opposite direction from which he came, aborting his original plan.

━━━━━━━━━━━

“Excuse me.” Leon wedged himself politely between the Tremere Primogen and her current company, highlighting with a sense of urgency, “I’m sorry to interrupt, but may I have a word with you in private?”

Thankfully, the Primogen was apt at reading between the lines and took his cue, departing swiftly with him towards her office. Once they had settled in at her desk, he handed her the documents that had been weighing heavily on his person all this while.

“Mr. Arias put me up to this,” he proceeded cautiously, making sure to leave out your name, in case this ended up backfiring on him. “He’s been eyeing your position for a while.”

The Primogen let out a hearty laugh. “Of course he has! That scoundrel.” She shook her head, flipping through the pages within the file. “Oh, Glenn… what to do with you?”

Peeling a sheet out from the folder, she lifted it, holding it towards the beam of light hanging overhead as she examined it closely. “Hmm, impressive,” she stated. “Perfectly forged. And I know who the accomplice is as well.” She wiggled her eyebrows in mirth.

Leaning back in her seat, she rested her hands behind her head and continued, “So, tell me. What is it you want?”

“Huh?” He had partaken in many deals of a similar nature before, but for once, he was stumped.

She rolled her eyes in impatience and sighed, “You didn’t just betray Glenn out of the goodness of your heart, did you?”

Actually, he did, was what he wanted to say, but instead, he went with, “With all due respect, ma’am, I’d rather not get involved with Tremere politics.”

“Hmph,” she grunted, clearly unconvinced by his antics. “Well, let’s put it this way. Why did you head over to see Glenn in the first place?”

Smart lady, he thought. She wanted to repay the boon incurred as soon as possible to avoid it hanging over her head.

“I needed to make contact with Ms. Chambers,” he narrated earnestly. “Her expertise would prove insightful in tying up some loose ends we’ve had with the recent attacks.”

At this, she sat up straight, scooping up the bunch of papers as she tapped them triumphantly against the table to align the edges before stowing them away in the folder. “Then, consider it done, Mr. Kennedy.”

He rose to his feet and bowed respectfully. “Thank you for your assistance.”

She waved him off as if it were no bother. “I’ll need some time to take care of… her Regent,” she added slyly. “He’s had it coming though, I can assure you. Now, we’ll finally be able to put an end to this nonsense.”

“Shall we say end of the week?” she suggested, already planning her next steps and penning down the appointment date in her scheduler without waiting for his reply.

Nonetheless, he thought it courteous to do so. “Yes, that works,” he uttered to the blank wall in front of him, while she had her head buried in her notes, scribbling some random symbols on them as she hummed.

“Perfect,” she answered, still not looking up from her desk.

Was it really that easy? He couldn’t believe it, thinking that there must be some sort of trick lying in wait as he shuffled awkwardly out of the office. But there was none. Perhaps he had been wrong about things all along.

━━━━━━━━━━━

In the meantime, you’d been waiting anxiously within your booth, occasionally glancing at the curtains, hoping to see Leon’s face rather than some security personnel coming to escort you away for a crime that was being committed at that very moment. The curtains drew open slightly and a familiar head poked through. Too familiar. You were experiencing a serious case of fucking déjà vu.

“Darling…” her smooth, velvety voice made the hairs at the back of your neck stand.

“What do you want, Ada?” you asked, not caring to mask the mistrust in your voice. With the way your last meeting with her went, you wanted to avoid her at all costs.

She tutted, sildling over to you as you inched away. “You’re beginning to sound a lot like him, you know?”

Him. Your sire. Leon.

“That’s not a bad thing,” you stated defensively.

“Is that so?” she asked coyly. “Where is your sire now, anyway?”

She gave off an air of disinterest, but it was all pretense. You knew she knew. 

“He’s busy.”

She scoffed, picking at her fingernails. “Too busy to teach his childe properly it seems.”

Anger boiled in your veins. How dare she speak about Leon that way? “And you would know better?” you seethed.

This appeared to amuse her as she laughed in your face. “I taught him everything he needed to know, which is the reason he’s still alive,” she countered. “But you, my dear, won’t last a day without him.”

“That’s a lie—”

“When was the last time you fed properly?” Her voice overpowered yours with ease.

She meant through a hunt, not a ready-made blood bag waiting for you in Leon’s fridge, mocking you for being spoon-fed and pampered like the princess you were. You bit your lip, at a loss for words as you diverted your gaze.

“Thought so,” she declared. “It seems to me you haven’t truly accepted who you are, and your sire’s overprotectiveness is going to cause your downfall.”

“Why do you care?” you spat. You weren’t her childe; she wasn’t responsible for you.

Leaning forward, she whispered, “Well, if you must know, he paid a pretty price for you. So, I’d rather not see you make a fool of yourself — and by extension, him — especially when you have such potential.”

Your ears pricked up at her first sentence. Somehow, she had aroused your attention again. Turning to face her, you asked, “What kind of price?”

Evading your question, she followed up with another explanation of her own. “You see, it’s no secret that I’m more of a sire who would throw their childe into the deep end for them to adapt and survive.”

“You mean, what you did to me at the Rose Garden,” you concluded. Had Leon taken you instead, you would’ve been shielded from the elder vampires due to his presence. Would that have worked out for better or worse in the long run?

“Very good, you’re catching on.” She nodded approvingly. “Like it or not, everyone has their place in the hierarchy, and you will never be able to escape Kindred politics. So, it’s time you start learning.”

You wondered where she was going with this conversation. There was a sinking feeling in your stomach that this wasn’t bound to end well, but curiosity got the better of you, and you stayed rooted to the couch to listen.

“There will come a point where you’ll need to make deals of your own,” she forewarned. “Deals that you may not like. Even your sire has had his fair share of them.”

Was she trying to lower your opinion of him? Something inside of you made you want to fight back. “I know that,” you snapped. “But he’s a good person.”

You said it so genuinely that Ada paused for a moment in stunned silence, before she broke out into a roguish smile. A smile that instantly told you that you were clinging onto false hope.

“Are you sure?” she challenged. “How well do you know him?”

They were the questions you’d been dreading, but you couldn’t give up on him. Not now.

“Yes, he is,” you repeated, though it came out more like a squeak. “I know it.” You didn’t. But that didn’t stop you from wanting to believe.

“What is he doing now then?”

“None of your goddamn business,” you barked, biting your inner cheek until you tasted blood. You knew she was trying to rile you up and you needed to get a hold on yourself, but she was relentless. 

“What do you think he did as my lover for over ten years?” She glowed victoriously as if she had won a game of chess. Check-fucking-mate.

“He never told you about the vessel business, did he?”

“What do you mean by that?” you croaked, even though you had an inkling of what it entailed. It wasn’t difficult to guess from the terminology used, but maybe you had a masochistic side that still wanted to hear it from the horse’s mouth.

“There are some Kindred who have an acquired taste, and some who merely want to try something exquisite,” she explained. “If you could afford the best of the best, wouldn’t you too want to partake in it?”

Bile rose to your throat as you protested weakly, “No.” It was all you could utter. You felt the energy drain from your body as you braced for the worst.

“Your sire delivered such vessels to me, in exchange for favors,” she revealed salaciously. “That’s his place in the hierarchy.”

Tears welled up in your eyes as you cast your gaze downwards, clenching your fists as hard as you could to stop yourself from screaming. How could you fall for this worthless piece of shit? To think you even tried to defend him earlier made you nauseous. 

But the final nail in the coffin was when she disclosed, “In fact, he was supposed to make me a delivery, just around the time when he found you.”

Your eyes shot up to meet hers.

“Sad to say, he still owes me on that one,” she added.

It was you. You were meant to be the vessel. Cupping your hands over your mouth, you took in painful, labored breaths. The little world you had idealized for the two of you was crumbling. The room spun and it felt as if your heart had been ripped out of its chest and torn asunder.

“Angel…?” You heard his voice calling out to you, but you couldn’t respond.

“Ada, what did you do?” His tone turned accusing.

“Her sire’s job,” she replied rather matter-of-factly. “Telling her the things she should hear.”

Dashing over to you, he clasped your hands in his. You pulled away, getting up from the couch as you socked him in the gut, winding him. He crouched over, clutching his abdomen and panting.

“Was I the perfect vessel for you?” you taunted, your voice dripping with venom.

A tumultuous storm brewed in his eyes, filled with self-loathing and despair. He couldn’t deny your statement, but it wasn’t the whole story. “You meant so much more to me,” he professed. “Always have, always will.”

“You’re despicable,” you hissed. “You make me sick.”

He couldn’t bear to look at you when you said that. Your hatred for him stabbed deep, carving a gaping hole in his heart. Instead, he directed his rage towards Ada, his face red and puffy as he yelled, “You think you’re so righteous? Tell her what you fucking did to me!”

She smirked at him in response before quietly walking away. Her work here was done.

When he turned back to you, there was a maddened, hysterical look in his gaze. “She blood bonded me and I was forced to do her dirty work!” he exclaimed.

But you weren’t listening anymore. All you could hear was the rush of blood pounding in your ears. “Are you still bonded?” you contested. “Who’s forcing you now?”

His mouth opened and closed like a fish on dry land gasping for air. He had nothing left to say in his defense. There was no one else to blame but himself; he had been the monster all along.

[cherry-romper]

Loving You Sounds Like A Song

Playlist

+ Daichi, Sugawara, Asahi, Nishinoya, Tanaka, Kageyama, Hinata, Tsukishima, Yamaguchi, Kuroo, Kenma, Oikawa, Iwaizumi, Bokuto, Akaashi, Ushijima, Tendo

Open to writing more characters!

Daichi; Locked out of Heaven - Bruno Mars

I'm born again every time you spend the night

'Cause you make me feel like, I've been locked out of heaven

You can make a sinner change his ways

Can I just stay here? Spend the rest of my days here?

Sugawara; Telepatia - Kali Uchis

Who would have thought, That it was possible, To make love by telepathy

You know I'm just a flight away, If you wanted you can take a private plane

We're connected although we're miles apart

I can hear your thoughts like a melody, Listen while you talk when you're fast asleep

Asahi; Would That I - Hozier

True that I saw her hair like the branch of a tree

True that love in withdrawal was the weeping of me

Oh, but you're good to me, baby

with the roar of the fire, my heart rose to its feet

Nishinoya; She Looks So Perfect - 5SOS

We work too damn hard for this just to give it up now

You look so perfect standing there, In my American Apparel underwear

And I know now that I'm so down

I got you name tattooed in an arrowed heart

Tanaka; Steal My Girl - One Direction

She's been my queen since we were 16

Her mum calls me love, her dad calls me son

Everybody wanna steal my girl

Couple billion in the whole wide worlds, Find another one 'cause she belongs to me

Kageyama; King of my Heart - Taylor Swift

Salute to me, I'm your American queen

We rule the kingdom inside my room

'Cause all the boys in their expensive cars, With their Range Rovers and their Jaguars, Never too me quite where you do

King of my heart, body and soul

Hinata; Golden - Harry Styles

I know you were way to bright for me

You're so golden

I don't wanna be alone when it ends

Lovin' is the antidote

I know that you're scared because I'm so open

Tsukishima; R U Mine? - Arctic Monkeys

She's a silver linin' lone ranger ridin' through an open space

In my mind, when she's not right there beside me, I go crazy 'cause here's not where I wanna be

And I cant help myself, All I wanna hear you say is, "Are you mine?"

She's a silver linin', climblin' on my desire

Yamaguchi; Rose-Colored Boy - Paramore

I hear you making all that noise, About the world you want to see

But hearts are breaking, and the wars are raging on

You got me nervous, I'm right at the end of my rope

Just let me cry a little bit longer, I ain't gon' smile if I don't want to

My rose-colored boy

Kuroo; Shut Up and Drive - Rihanna

If you think you're the one, step into my ride

So if you feel me, let me know

My engine's ready to explode

Get me where you wanna go, If you know what I mean

Got a ride that's smoother than a limousine

Kenma; Ivy - Frank Ocean

I thought that I was dreaming when you said you loved me

It's quite alright to hate me now

When we both know that deep down, The feeling still deep down is good

We didn't give a fuck back then

Oikawa; Say It Right - Nelly Futado

You either got it or you don't, you either stand or you fall

You don't mean nothing at all to me

But you got what it takes to set me free

I could show you tonight

Iwaizumi; Die For You - The Weekend

I'm findin' ways to articulate, The feeling I'm goin' through

See it in your eyes, You hate that you want me

It ain't working 'cause you're perfect, And I know that you're worth it

Just know that I would die for you

Bokuto; Stargazing - The Neghbourhood

If I start, I just cant stop

Keep runnin' 'til we're lost

I can feel your heart beatin' with mine

Started with a spark, now we're on fire

Akaashi; Sofia - Clairo

I think we could do it if we tried, only to say, "You're mine"

You know I'll do anything you ask me to

But, oh my god, I think I'm in love with you

Baby you don't gotta fight ill be here 'til the end of time

Ushijima; SLOW DANCING IN THE DARK - Joji

I don't want a friend, I want my life in two

When I'm around slow dancing in the dark

Don't follow me, You'll end up in my arms

Give me reasons we should be complete

Cant you see me?

Tendo; G.U.Y - Lady Gaga

I wanna be your G.U.Y

I'm aiming for full control of this love

love me, love me, please retweet

Let me be the girl under you that makes you cry

[kaylatoonz]

Amelia Rose Thorndyke (movie Amy Rose)

I know there’s a slim chance of this happening but I think it would be interesting if they gave the human characters from Sonic X another chance, the Thorndyke to be more specific.

Context: (probably take place in movie 3)

Backstory- Just like in the show, Chris is a pretty lonely kid until Amy Rose crashes into his life 6-7 years ago (literally crashing into their family pool). After a late-night rescue, Chris takes in the small pink hedgehog to make sure it’s OK. Chris originally wanted to keep Amy a secret, but those plans were ruined the very next morning when Chuck, Ella, and Mr. Tanaka discovered her when Chris was trying to find food suitable for the little pink hedgehog. They were a bit skeptical at first, but after some convincing from Chris’s end was allowed to stay until he could confront his parents about it. Chris was concerned that their growing friendship would be cut short once his parents returned, luckily Amy managed to warm her way into the hearts of everyone in the household, even his parents and uncle. Years later Amy Rose is considered a part of the family and is spoiled with love thanks to Lindsey and Ella. Over the years Amy was able to chase away Chris’s loneliness but unfortunately not her own. Although Amy spends much of her time with Chris and her family, she feels isolated from the outside world. She understands the rules set by Mr. And Mrs.Thorndyke to never go outside to keep her safe, but she still can’t help but feel sad that she can’t meet anyone new or someone like her.

Those feelings come to an end when a shocking new cast reveals three beings that were like her, the blue hedgehog the most. The second the story was over Amy rushed over to her parents begging them to take her to green hills to meet these heroes. They immediately shoot down the idea, saying it’s too dangerous, and it could be a trap. This leads to a heated argument between the three ending with Amy being grounded until further notice. Feeling defeated Amy goes to her room as told. Left alone with her thoughts once again she came to one conclusion, she was going to take things into her own hands. That night she runs away to find the three heroes and hopefully go on an adventure to remember.

Sonic and Amy- unlike other iterations of Amy and Sonic's don’t see eye to eye as much at least at the start. Before Amy met the gang she built this image of the heroes that don’t quite compare to who they are. Despite this she gets along with knuckles and tails (though they are nothing like she imagined) it’s Sonic she has a problem with. Not only did he fail to meet every expectation she had for him, he’s also a jerky, reckless idiot in Amy's eyes. Sonic was always doing or saying something stupid getting them into trouble. Not to mention he always left her behind and never took her seriously (that is no way to treat a lady). This prompts her to prove him wrong by jumping head-first into danger that she believes she can handle (she is a bit of a hypocrite). On Sonic’s end, he sees Amy as a spoiled reckless brat who doesn’t understand anything. It’s a bit harsh but it's hard not to think that she is constantly getting into trouble when she can barely control her powers and keep making things difficult when he tries to leave her somewhere safe (sonic is also a hypocrite). Worst of all she left behind a perfectly good family to go on an “adventure”. Sonic would have done anything to have Tom and Maddie as a family on day one, so Amy's drives frustrated him. These frustrations grow during the adventure eventually leading to a heated argument between the two hedgehogs (similar to the argument Sonic had with Tom in the first film). Amy leaves the team hurt and conflicted by her original hope and goal.

“Was she selfish for running away in hopes of meeting others like her? Should she just return home where she’d be safe and out of their way?” She couldn’t help but feel guilty for her behavior towards the team (specifically Sonic) and her parents. She had come all this way to meet them only to show how much of a burden she was and she probably had her family worried sick. Wanting to set things right she decided to head back to the team to give them a proper apology before returning home where she would be out of their hair (quills) for good. Before she can do anything she gets kidnapped by Eggman or Shadow.

Back with team Sonic, Knuckles and Tails are disappointed by how Sonic handled things. They agree that Amy can be a bit of a handful at times but she has also proven to have her strengths (though there’s room for improvement). Tails even insisted that they have a lot in common if they BOTH take the time to get to know each other. Sonic disagrees that he’s anything like her until he crosses paths with Chris.

It turns out that as soon as the Thorndykes found out Amy Rose was missing Mr and Mrs Thorndyke heard straight to green hills while Chuck and Chris followed their trail to find Amy ( behind Nelson and Lindsey's back of course). This leads to them eventually catching up with Sonic and the gang but still no sight of Amy.

Upon meeting with the humans, they both learn that Amy has been kidnapped. Like everyone else, Sonic shares concerns for Amy's safety, though he lets slip an offhanded comment about her getting into trouble again which Chris and Chuck don’t take lightly.

On the way to rescue Amy, the team gets to know the new humans leading to a heart-to-heart between Sonic and Chris (this could work with Chuck but I think Chris needs some redemption after his Sonic X iteration). Chris let Sonic know that there’s more to Amy than her sometimes feisty nature. She’s always proven to be the most kind and compassionate person he has ever known and is always doing something amazing when no one‘s around to appreciate it (foreshadowing of the scene with Shadow and Amy). He also laments his mistake of not noticing sooner how lonely and isolated Amy felt which caught Sonic’s attention. As Chris continues he reveals to Sonic how having a family from the beginning Amy never had as much freedom to explore or had any friends of her own. She didn’t even know there were others like her a couple of weeks ago. Knowing this Sonic felt he owed Amy a second chance and maybe an apology.

Fast forward after rescuing Amy, Shadow, and Amy’s scene, the team saves the world (this going on long enough)

With the day bringing save and families reunited Sonic and Amy meet face to face once again. Before Sonic can voice his apology Amy starts to tearfully apologize to Sonic about her behavior. To comfort her, Sonic hugs Amy telling her he’s sorry he wasn’t the nicest guy either. Sonic even suggests that they could start over and she can join the team. Amy agrees to start over but suggests that she hold off on joining the team for a bit. She doesn’t believe she’s ready to team due to her lack of control over her abilities (at the time sonic and Amy didn’t know about the impact Amy had on shadow and how it helped a lot in the long run. Amy also feels she needs a lot of self-reflection after their adventure (she’s still guilty for causing so much trouble for the team and possibly being responsible for Shadow's sacrifice himself).

After some parting banter (less rough compared to their first meeting) Amy promises when they meet again for their next adventure she’ll be stronger than ever.

First thing when the hedgehogs arrive home both get teased by their siblings/family about their new friend).

Bonus content:

Chris and Amy have a sibling relationship, so like siblings, they can get on each other's nerves from time to time.

Nelson and Lindsey both help fund the Wachowski’s expenses that the government won’t help cover for Sonic, tails, and knuckles. Chuck also helps fund tails projects cause he has taken a liking to the little fox (though the project Chuck and Tail work on together can get a bit wild).

Chris, Chuck, and Tails whenever they visit each other work on new inventions together. This may include an explosion or two, much to the concern of the adults (between the Wachowskis and the Thorndyke).

Although Sonic and Amy are on better terms they often have a hard time complimenting each other face to face stating that it would “go to their head”. Occasionally a compliment sometimes does slip out from one of them which causes both of them to become flustered whenever it happens.

Sonic and Amy, both still share banter, though it comes out a bit flirtatious to onlookers which knuckles, tails, and Chris happily teased them about.

After their adventure, Amy loses a bit of confidence in herself and holds a lot of guilt for nearly costing Sonic his life (when Sonic got shot into space trying to rescue Amy) and the loss of shadow. This is one of the many reasons Amy is hesitant to join the team even when she gets better control of her powers. When Sonic learns of this, he isn’t having it, giving Amy a heart-to-heart talk about how she should give herself more credit ( and maybe mentioning how he’s been through something similar).

Sonic eventually learns about what Amy did for Shadow and other “small” deeds that helped the team a lot more than Amy thinks. Sonic gained a lot of respect and admiration for her after that. (He’ll let her know that whenever Amy is being too hard on herself with her shortcomings).

Whenever Sonic and Amy go on their “not date” dates Sonic offers to pay for the expenses despite Amy being loaded. (Amy’s not sure if he's just being a gentleman or he forgot she’s rich but she’ll take it).

Despite having a rough introduction with Ella(Amy nearly gave Ella a heart attack when she first arrived), Amy and Ella have the strongest bond, especially in the kitchen. They both enjoy cooking delicious meals and baked goods for the whole family to enjoy. And whenever Sonic and the gang come to visit she always appreciates the extra hands she gets in the kitchen. The boys also appreciate the food Amy and Ella make for them when they visit.

Mr. Tanaka serves as a butler and bodyguard to the Thorndyke household. He gives both Amy and Chris self-defense lessons to show that he cares about them in his own way (and to keep them safe). Mr. Tanaka was originally on the fence with Sonic due to Amy losing so much of her confidence in herself the last time she interacted with Sonic. Once he gets both sides of the story, he’s more understanding, though he is still protective of Miss Rose when Sonic is around.

Sam Speed and Amy often have a hard time seeing eye to eye with each other due to Sam’s blunt and overconfident nature. Similar to Sonic X, Sam developed a rivalry with Sonic once he learned of Sonic's super speed.

[holdmytesseract]

For the drabble/blurb request

Character: magnus

Prompt: "you're ruling the way that I move and I breathe your air, you only can rescue me" from a song called cherish the day by Sade 🙂

Unfixable

Warnings: this got quite sad... 👀 angst, mentions of breakup, sad Magnus hours

Word Count: blurb

a/n: Thank you for the request! I really hope you like this lil' blurb! Kudos to @muddyorbsblr , who helped me along a bit! 🤗

He waited in the shadows of the building across from the house you lived in; too afraid to confront you right away. He hadn't gathered enough strength yet. And besides, he didn't want to scare you. So, he waited in the pouring rain until the light in your apartment flickered to life.

Magnus could already feel the rain soaking through his thin jacket, when he carefully crossed the quiet road.

Taking a deep breath, the young policeman entered the building, took the stairs which led to the second floor and came to stand in front of your door. For a good moment, Magnus just stared at the silvery doorknob; hesitating.

Should he knock? Should he just leave again?

He was on the verge of just leaving again, when somewhere from deep within his subconscious echoed a voice; urging him on to just knock. Man up, Martinsson. Just do it!

Before he was able to think twice about it, a shaking hand raised to knock against the door. Magnus' knuckles kissed the wooden surface and in that moment he knew it was too late to back down. His brain was too caught up with panicking - and therefore he didn't even notice how the door swung open. Only the sweet, angelic sound of your voice caused the warning bells in his head to fall silent.

"Magnus?"

He was very sure that at the call of his name, his heart jump over the cliff; free-falling and landing somewhere on cloud nine.

"What... What are you doing here?"

The blond haired man needed a moment to get a grip again. Puppy dog baby blue eyes met yours. "I-I..." Magnus started to stammer; fumbling with his hands nervously. "I'm sorry for just... barging in, but..." He sighed. "I can't forget you, Y/N. I know I screwed up big time, but please... I beg you... Please give me another chance."

You swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "Magnus... We talked this over so many times... I told you I can't do this a second time." Magnus squeezed his eyes shut; shaking his head. "I know, Y/N, but... You don't understand, I- Since months I feel lost. Falling down an endless abyss and you are the only one who can rescue me. I... I still love you."

His words hit you hard. You couldn't deny that they still sent a shiver down your spine, but- No... You reminded yourself. Not a second time.

"No, Magnus. I feel flattered, but we can't fix this. I'm sorry."

His heart broke right in front of you. You saw it - and it hurt you to the core. But you couldn't change the past or rewrite the future.

Carefully, you took his way too big hand in his and squeezed in a reassuring, apologising manner. "I'm sorry..." You whispered - and let go; your hand leaving his forever.

And before the pain could get unbearable, you took a step back and closed the door shut in front of Magnus.

You didn't see how the young man fought hard to hold back his tears - in vain. Or how his knees started to buckle; almost failing him as he found himself staring at the closed door once more. A door which would stay locked for him; not opening again.

Tags: @muddyorbsblr @mochie85 @asgards-princess-of-mischief @multifandom-worlds @jennyggggrrr @huntedmusicgardenn @hisredheadedgoddess28 @stupidthoughtsinwriting @fictive-sl0th @loz-3 @javagirl328 @icytrickster17 @jaidenhawke @eleniblue @lou12346789 @lady-rose-moon @km-ffluv @herdetectivetheorist @lokiforever @crimson25 @brokenpoetliz @cakesandtom @vanilla-daydreaming @kimanne723 @glitchquake @lulubelle814 @ijuststareatstuffhereok89 @buttercupcookies-blog @november-rayne @mandywholock1980 @lokidbadguy @smolvenger @vbecker10

[so-long-soldier-writes]

Little Wolf

kai parker x reader | (wolf!reader)

summary: kai bonds with the girl that lives down the hall from him in the boarding house

tags: house party, minor titanic reference, threats, feelings, nesting, abo undertones / werewolves, tickling, siphoning, first kiss, teasing, cuddling

word count: 3.7k

“What’s she doing?” Kai asks Damon as he watches you. 

Kai poked his head inside your room looking for you, only to find you moving about quickly inside it. Your laptop is in the center of your bed, surrounded by pillows, blankets, and an arrangement of what looks to be shirts. You haven’t even noticed Kai, too focused on getting everything exactly where you want it. He’s too entranced in his observation to ask you himself, which is why he questioned the man instead. After all, Damon has been following him around all night, so it’s not like he had to direct his confusion too far. 

Damon narrows his eyes, then peeks inside your room, too. As soon as he realizes what you’re doing, he chuckles to himself. 

“What?” Kai asks again.

“Wouldn’t you want to know?” Damon rolls his eyes and starts down the hallway. 

Kai, now even more confused, follows. “What do you mean by that? I do want to know, that’s why I asked.”

He stops and turns to face the witch. “No, it’s a saying. Like, of course you’d want to know.”

“What?”

“How are you so confused? It’s-”

“I’m a little behind on modern day talk, Damon. It’s been eighteen years, and-”

“Oh well now you just sound like Rose.”

“Who?!”

“Never mind.”

The two stare at each other. Kai never got his question answered, and Damon doesn’t want to respond. With both of them being stubborn as hell, this could take all night. 

Overhead, the music continues to boom, nearly shaking the mansion. Kai feels himself getting a headache. He just wanted to come up here to find you and escape the party, but then was thrown off guard by your actions. Damon being an ass is just making him angry. 

“Just… whatever, I don’t care,” Kai turns around, sighing.

“Wait, hold on-”

“What?!”

“Where are you going?”

“To talk to Y/N.”

“Yeah, um, no, you’re not.”

Kai scoffs, “why not?”

“Because I don’t want you to. You’re in my house. My rules.”

“If I remember right, this is your Uncle Nephew Zach’s house. Who you killed, so he certainly wouldn’t leave it in your name.”

“Well he wouldn’t let you in in the first place, so you’re lucky this is 2013, and not 1994.”

That comment nearly sends Kai over the edge. He’s just about to take a swing at the vampire, but then you poke your head out from your room. 

“Hey!” You whisper-shout, “could you shut up! I’m up here to avoid the noise, and you two brought it back to me.” 

“Look what you did,” Damon hits Kai’s arm, “you made her mad.”

“I’m not mad, I’m just annoyed. And you contributed.”

As soon as you appeared, Kai lowered his hand. Now, he’s staring at you with a puppy-dog look that you can’t decipher. “Sorry, Y/N,” he mutters.

“It’s okay. Just keep it down, please?”

Damon smirks, “I’ll keep him in line for you.”

You roll your eyes, then duck back inside and away from them.

Within your thirty second interaction, Kai’s anger went from one hundred to zero. Now Damon looks at him and laughs. “Still gonna hit me?”

“No, we made her upset. She’s trying to find some quiet in this stupid house and we’re disturbing it.”

“Like you care.”

“I care about her.”

He receives a quizzical look. “Why?”

“I don’t know. Do I have to have a reason?”

“Yes. You’re you.”

Kai swallows hard. “I think I’m gonna go. This party is giving me a headache.”

“Okay, spoilsport. I’m gonna go feed on some unsuspecting college girl.”

The boy doesn’t answer. Before he can leave, though, Damon has one more thing to say. “Oh, and Kai? I don’t know what it is that you like about Y/N, or whatever you call it when you don’t want to kill someone, but leave her alone. Don’t talk to her, don’t look at her, and don’t tell anyone that you think you care for her ever again. Because you don’t have a heart, you’re a mercilessly killing sociopath. Don’t drag her into your shit, she doesn’t need that.”

“Okay,” he answers, voice small. 

“I’m watching you.”

“Fine.”

For the first time in a while, a part of him actually feels scared. His emotions are already all over the place because of you, but now he’s being told that if he even looks at you, Damon will interfere. He planned to go knock on your door instead of leaving, but now he’s trying to decide if his feelings are worth it. 

The moment the man disappears down the hall, he starts in the other direction towards the stairs. However, as he passes your door, he hesitates. For a second, he still debates knocking. But then Damon’s words ring in his head again, and he knows if he pushes the set boundary, Damon will never let him see you again. So, he makes his way to the railing. 

“Kai?” A small voice calls his name.

He wonders if he imagined it. 

“Malachai,” it says again. 

He turns, carefully, to see your face smiling at him through a crack in your door. 

“Hi,” you wave him towards you. 

Slowly, Kai obeys. Hearing his full name throws him off, and Damon’s words flow right out of his head. “Did you call me ‘Malachai’?”

“Is that okay?”

“Um.”

“Come here,” you interrupt. 

“I shouldn’t-”

“Please.”

He swallows again, looking at the ground. “Y/N-”

“I heard what Damon said. I don’t care.” You bite your lip. “And if he tries to hurt you, he’ll have to get through me.”

Curious now, Kai goes to your door. He walks through when you open it for him, and tries not to look around your room. 

“So you heard…”

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t eavesdropping, he’s just loud.”

“Yeah, um…”

“I wish I could say he’s all talk, but… um, let’s just say, he really will have to go through me if he tries. I won’t let him hurt you, Malachai.”

“Kai.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay. Actually, I don’t hate it coming from you.”

You smile. “Sit with me?”

“Uh, sure.” He follows you, cautiously, to your bed, climbing in beside you. It’s messy, but unexpectedly comfortable. Kai kicks his shoes off before bringing his feet under one of the many blankets. “Can I?” You nod, and he rests his head on one pillow, while tugging another to rest against his stomach.

“You comfortable?”

“Mhm.”

“Good. Want to watch a movie?”

“Okay.”

You had just started one before the two came upstairs, so you only have to replay the five minutes you watched so Kai can see it from the beginning. As it runs, though, his attention is much less focused on the screen, and much more on you. He smiles when you laugh at a particularly funny line, and gives you an endearing look when you nestle into your pillow when a character gets hurt. His emotions are all over the place, but for the first time, he doesn’t want to analyze them. He just wants to feel them; wants to revel in the way you make him feel. 

Halfway through the movie, you catch him off guard. 

“Intermission!” You press pause, then jump off the bed. “I’ll be right back.”

You disappear into the bathroom, and Kai takes his chance to look around your room. Movie and band posters cover the walls, many he recognizes, but some are unfamiliar. The desk beside him is cluttered, but it is in the way that girls somehow know exactly where everything is. He remembers Jo’s nightstand being like that. Their father would scold her to clean it, but she’d argue it worked for her. Jo always won arguments with their father. Kai always lost. 

Kai shivers at the memory, then looks away to dismiss it. His eyes travel to the shirts on the bed, wondering whose they are. Though he stops at a suspiciously familiar one, and pulls it out from the pile. Utter confusion hits him as he looks at it. It’s the gray Brooklyn one he brought back from the prison world. Kai thought he’d lost it, but turns out Y/N somehow stole it. He then shuffles through more of the piles, and finds a couple more of his shirts. Some, he had sworn he threw away, but here they were - in Y/N’s bed. 

A sharp gasp fills the silence as you come out of the bathroom. Kai drops the shirts, afraid he’s embarrassed you. No matter his confusion, he’d hate to lose your companionship. “I’m sorry! I-”

But you don't answer. You climb onto the bed and start rearranging the fabrics again, rather frantically. 

“Y/N?” You don't answer, again. “Hey?” Kai picks up the Brooklyn shirt and waves it in your face. “How’d you get this?”

Finally, you stop. Well, freeze may be a more accurate term. “Um.” 

“It’s okay, I’m just curious. I-”

“I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have taken that!”

“Wait, it’s okay! I’m just wondering, that’s all. I thought I threw it out.”

You bite your lip in embarrassment, then push your face into the closest pillow. You admit a very muffled, “I dug it out.”

“What was that?”

“I stole it.”

“Princess, I can’t hear you.”

You rise from your hiding spot. “I stole it. I’m sorry. I didn’t think you’d notice.”

Kai smiles. “That’s okay. But, um, why?”

“Wanted it.”

“Okay…”

“Smells like you. Wanted it for my nest.”

“For your what?”

“This,” you gesture to the cluttered space around you. “My nest. Safe space.”

“You wanted it because it smelled like me?”

You nod. “You’re safe.”

Kai’s speechless. He doesn’t know what to do, being called ‘safe’. Usually, he’s known as the exact opposite. “How? Um, how do I make you feel safe?”

“Quiet. Stand up to Damon.” Your face blushes. “Plus cute.”

“You think I’m cute?”

With a quick nodding of your head, you push your face back down into the pillow.

Kai blushes his own shade, then leans forward to grab your shoulders. “Awh, no hiding! You can’t drop that on me and shy away!”

A giggle leaves your lips and you squirm away from his touch. Kai only takes that as an invitation to tease you more. He tickles your sides, loving the way he makes you laugh. In no time, he’s making it into a little game. He tickles you for a moment, then rests his hands still. When you’re not expecting it, he starts up again. Every time he stills, you look up at him with anticipation. He smiles at the sight of your big, beautiful eyes, full of wonder about what he’s going to do next. 

By the fourth or fifth round, you’re out of breath and his arms are getting tired. He doesn’t want to let up, not wanting to lose the chance to touch you, but might have to soon. You don’t want him to stop, either. You’d be lying if you said you weren’t waiting ages to feel his hands on you. 

In fact, the deeply buried feelings belonging to both of you go on overdrive. Your skin heats up and mind races at every touch. Your wolf side that has been begging for Kai for weeks finally feels half-satisfied. Kai, on the other hand, who hasn’t had this kind of contact with someone for decades, is lost in the sensation of what it’s like to touch again. Let alone, the one girl for whom he’s managed to develop feelings. 

The game turns serious when you each have realizations about it. Kai gets deep inside his own head, so far that he neglects, for a second, to mind the present. 

Suddenly, there really is heat on your skin. It burns a little, but you find yourself liking the feeling. When you look down, a visible aura under his hand is tinted orange. 

“What’s that?” You ask, nodding to the hand relaxed upon your body. 

Kai looks down immediately, then retracts his hands. They disappear under the blanket, and so does the warmth they were producing. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do that. That was an accident. Y/N, I’m so sorry.”

“You’re okay.”

But the boy is still full of apologies. “I should’ve been paying attention. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I-”

You cock your head. “You didn’t hurt me.”

“I- what?”

“Didn’t hurt. Is it supposed to?”

“I- I just siphoned you,” he pauses, “wait, are you a vampire? Witch? How did I siphon you?”

“That’s siphoning?!” He can’t read your expression. “Damon told me some about it, but apparently nothing useful. No, it didn’t hurt at all. Felt warm, a little tingly.”

Kai looks at you, incredulous. “What are you?”

“I’m a wolf,” you reply. As if to prove it, you curl up in your nest and rest your head on a pillow. “Werewolf. Triggered my curse when I was sixteen.”

“Is that why it didn’t hurt?” Neither of you know the answer, but the question still falls from his lips.

You shrug. “I don’t know. Do it again.”

“What?”

“Do it again - the siphon thing.”

“I can’t-”

“Pleaseee,” you practically beg.

Kai’s never had anyone whine for his touch like this. He can’t help but give into your demands. “Tell me if it hurts, I’ll stop immediately.”

“Okay.”

Slowly, he pulls his hands out from under the blanket. At the same time, you uncurl your body to expose an arm to him. 

“I can do it through your shirt.”

“No, do it on my skin.”

He takes a deep breath before reaching out to your arm. His face contorts in concentration as he begins to siphon; the unusual color returns to the point of contact. 

“So you either have no concentration or you have to concentrate really hard?”

Kai nods. “More or less. Tell me when to stop.”

“Don’t.” It burns again, but the sensation travels straight down your spine. Your head feels dizzy, and you have to fight your inner desire to squeeze your legs together. After a while, it gets to be overwhelming, yet you still don’t want him to stop. 

Regardless, he does on his own. The boy smiles. A soft moan escapes his lips as the magic must be trickling throughout his body. This time, you do tuck your legs underneath you, just in case. 

“You didn’t tell me to stop.”

“I didn’t want you to.”

“Y/N, it would’ve hurt eventually.”

“You seemed to like it,” you refer to the little moan he had made. 

Kai blushes. “It feels good whenever I receive magic.”

“Like a warm sensation?”

“Mhm.”

“That’s how my skin was feeling. I liked it, too.”

“It really didn’t hurt?”

“Not at all. Like I said, a slight burn, but… a good burn.”

He nods, seemingly unsure how to react. “So… my shirt. And you said you think I’m cute.”

“I did say that, didn’t I?” 

Immediately, you try to bury your face again, but he catches you before you can get too far. Kai slips a hand under your cheek, then holds the other side of your face with his other hand. Without thinking, he climbs over your body to straddle your waist. You’re stuck beneath him, rendered completely still. 

“I’ve got you now,” he teases. 

You struggle a little, refusing eye contact. 

“Say it, princess. Admit again what you told me. Why’d you steal my shirt, hm? The one I specifically threw in the trash.”

You shake your head in defiance and squeeze your eyes shut. 

“Awh, come on now. You’ve said it once before, you can say it again.”

“Kai-”

“Are you shy? Is that it?”

You struggle against him more, giggling. The more you fight, the more his hips rub up against you. “Kai-” you try again, not sure exactly what you want from him. 

“What’s up?” He stops, grows serious, and removes his hands from your face. “Too much? I’m sorry.”

“No!” You reach up to grab his hands before they can get too far. 

For a moment, the two of you just stare at each other. You link your fingers together in mid-air. A smile graces your face, however the boy looks a tad confused. 

“Kiss me,” you say, finally deciding what you want. 

“Hm?”

“Kiss me.” You unlink your fingers to make a grab for his face. 

Kai leans down into your hands, letting your fingertips hold his cheeks, and his own go back to yours. Then, gently, he kisses you. Your lips work together perfectly; his softer than you expected. Your hands move to the back of his head, lightly scratching at the base of his hairline. The feeling of your nails causes him to deepen the kiss right before he breaks it off. 

“Hi,” you say, a little out of breath. 

“Hi,” he replies cheekily. 

“You’re a good kisser.”

“You’d be the first to know.”

“What?! How is that possible?”

Kai shrugs. He sits upright again, though his legs stay around you. You, meanwhile, prop yourself up on your elbows. The sight of him being so close after weeks of craving him makes your skin feel as hot as it did when he was siphoning. It’s taking everything in you not to push for something more to happen. 

Instead, you give him the explanation he kind of deserves. 

“When I saw you throw those shirts away, I figured you didn’t want them anymore. If you didn’t want them, it could be something of yours I could have without having to talk to you. ‘Cause, I mean, Damon’s pretty much banned us from talking, and I’m too shy to really approach you anyway. But I’ve been observing you. I mean it, when I say you’re a safe person to me. We’ve lived in this same house together for weeks and you’ve never given me a reason to not trust you. I know I don’t really know much about you, aside from what Damon’s said, but that didn’t stop me from forming a little crush. If anything, what he’s said has only made me more curious about you.”

Kai smiles. “You have a crush on me?”

“A teensy one.”

“Really? Only teensy?” He adjusts his hips. A bold move - one he’s hesitant to make - but he can’t stop himself. 

To his delight, you giggle. “Stop! You’re making me blush.”

“A teensy crush, is it? Just a small one?” He’s tickling you again.

“Kai! Fine! It’s not teensy; it’s anything but! I like you,” you grow serious now as his hands still, “a lot.”

“I like you, too, Y/N. Little wolf.”

“Don’t-”

“Don’t call you Little Wolf? I think it’s fitting, with this cute little - what did you call it? - thing, you’ve got going on here?”

“It’s my nest. Don’t make fun.”

“Ah. I would never. I think it’s cozy.”

“You’re not mad I stole your shirts?”

“Not at all, princess. I’m glad you feel safe around me. That’s not something I’m used to hearing.”

“Well get used to it with me.”

“I will certainly try.” He leans forward to kiss your forehead, then another to your lips. 

“Kai?”

“Mhm?”

“Will you cuddle with me? Finish this movie?”

“Of course.”

He climbs off your lap and snuggles back into your side. Already, your legs feel cold without him, but that’s another thing for another time.

You press play on the movie, then nestle yourself closer to him. At some point, both of you drift off into sleep. The party, and the movie, are completely forgotten. 

⁘⁘⁘⁘⁘

The next morning, Damon and the girls are running all over Mystic Falls in search of the lost sociopath. When Kai said he was going to leave, Damon assumed he’d go to the grill for a few hours, wait out the party, and then return to the boarding house. Though by morning, he was neither at the grill, nor in his room. Damon was then quick to alert Elena, Caroline, and Bonnie, and the four of them started to look. 

“Retrace your steps,” Caroline says, after hanging up with Stefan, who hasn’t seen Kai since much earlier the day before, “where did you last see him? Stefan says he saw him in the boarding house kitchen last.”

“Yeah, maybe he never went to the grill at all,” Bonnie agrees. 

The man racks his brain. “He had wandered upstairs, and I was following him, because I didn’t trust him to be alone with that many people in the house. On the way to, presumably, his own room, he passed Y/N’s, and asked me about something she was doing. Oh! He then told me he cares about her, but had no reason as to why, and I told him to never talk to her.”

“He found Y/N?” Bonnie asks, worried. Despite the two of you both currently residing in the house, they tried to keep you separate.

“I was there, thankfully, but yeah. Her door was slightly open.”

“Did you leave him upstairs with her?”

“I mean, I threatened him pretty strongly if he dared to even look at her. To be honest, he looked a little scared.”

“But did you leave him alone up there?”

“Yeah, but-”

He’s cut off by the three girls running to the staircase. Damon sighs, hoping he didn’t fuck up by leaving the boy alone. He thought his threat would’ve been enough warning. 

A second later, a gasp proves to him it wasn’t. When the rest of the search party catches up to Caroline, they all let out their own gasps. 

“Great job,” Bonnie comments, “your threat worked wonders.”

Inside, you and Kai are curled tightly into each other. Your head is pulled into his chest and his chin rests atop it. Kai’s arms are on your back, while yours rest lazily across his side. Your legs tangle beneath the sheets, blankets, and shirts that make up your cozy hideout. Your laptop, somehow, remains undamaged in the middle of the bed. 

“I don’t know how this happened! I threatened him badly!”

“It was probably Y/N, if it wasn’t Kai. You forget she can be a little spitfire when she wants to be. And the fact that she’s been nesting recently…” Elena doesn’t need to finish her sentence; they know what she means. 

“Dammit!” Damon curses, more to himself than anyone else. 

Caroline sighs. “Let’s just… let them sleep, and we can lecture them later. Okay? Okay.” 

Despite the group’s protests, she shuts the door and leaves the two of you alone.

[skyfallscotland]

A year ago today, I posted the first chapter on AO3 of a story called Fury.

A few months before that, I'd picked up A Court of Thorns & Roses. It was the first original work I'd read in years and when I finished Silver Flames a week later, I turned back to AO3, desperate to read more about these characters I'd fallen in love with. I couldn't find what I wanted. Feysand fic was all well and good, but there wasn't much of that, and Azriel didn't appeal to me, which ruled out...well, most of the archive.

Original character fic gets a bad rap and that's mostly because OC fic can often be an author's first foray into fandom and writing in general, making the quality hit and miss, but that's what I really wanted in the end—I wanted to read about other characters in this world and I wanted to flesh out the world itself. I had questions about Windhaven, about siphons and magic and all the things that had been mentioned and glossed over. I couldn't find fic that answered those questions. So I wrote one.

I'd written before, basically my whole life, but never finished anything. This time though, it was like something clicked in my brain. I wasn't back on Tumblr yet and I had no one to talk to about it, but I wrote and wrote and wrote. I'd been writing for months, in secret, not telling a single soul. I'd completely written both Fury and Siren, the second in the series, before ever posting a word of it.

I almost didn't write it, really. Almost didn't post it. I figured no one was going to read it with the way people look down on original character fic. But I felt compelled to write their stories, so I did—night after night. I actually think they might be the best stories I've ever written. The statistics don't reflect that, but I didn't have a storyline to follow, a framework to back me up, like I did later with Remi's Version, just a world and some characters and I'm very proud of them.

Remi's Version came after. I'd started writing it by September, but didn't start posting it until late October (that anniversary is next week) and I almost didn't write that either, because I thought maybe it was too much, too self-indulgent, too unbalanced. It's funny to think now, that I almost never wrote her at all.

I don't know why I'm writing this essay. Maybe just because it feels...some kind of way, you know? It's been a year, but that year felt like a decade, and it's been hard. Picking up ACOTAR was an act of self-preservation when I was at my lowest and Fury and Siren and everything that came after pulled me from somewhere I never want to be again.

It's been a year. My word count on AO3 is now 1,088,097. (That's like, twelve novels!). I've published 11 works. I've written a lot, I've laughed and cried and made friends with so many of you. I'm alive.

I guess I just wanted to say thanks, and to mark the milestone somehow because it feels like I've lived ten lives since October 17th, and in all of them, this was the high point. Happy Birthday, Tessa 🖤

[mochegato]

Even the Losers

Chapter 38

Chapter 1 Chapter 37

TW: A lot of tension in this chapter as well and a bit of a mental breakdown. Also, when reading, think Black Widow.

Marinette jerked violently as solid ground interrupted her freefall, or rather solidish ground.  It was spongy but solid enough to make it hurt wherever she made contact.  Unfortunately, she landed in a supine position, meaning the entire back of her body made painful contact.  However, the ground seemed to find the already injured areas and rose up to meet those areas harder than the rest of her body, just to drive home the agony.

She almost cried from the pain in her back, ribs, knee, head… really it would be easier to say what parts of her didn’t hurt after her fall.  She immediately started thrashing against the restraints holding her down and compounding the throbbing.  She easily ripped them off her, offering a small mercy for her aching body and she indulged herself with a moment to breathe easier.

Steeling herself, she stayed motionless but allowed her eyes to dart around the area.  Her body tensed, her mind running too slow or maybe too fast, driving the pain out of her mind as she tried to place herself and catalog the danger level, which was near impossible with her mind not functioning properly and in the darkness that seemed to follow her like a sentient shadow.  She couldn’t escape it even in this new place.

It was far too dark to make out the space around her.  So, relying on her sight was out.  She couldn’t hear anything except a static whooshing singing in her ears, not even the gasping breaths she knew she was taking.  All other noise seemed to be sucked into a sensory vacuum.  So, relying on her hearing was out as well.  She couldn’t smell anything in the air, which at least meant she wasn’t near a natural water source or nature at all.  So, she wasn’t outside… or she was just breathing too hard and fast to be able to register the smells.  Damn it, that meant she couldn’t rule out anything.  She couldn’t taste anything and refused to try; she was overwhelmed not stupid.  So, relying on her taste was out.

That only left using what she could feel.  Not exactly ideal, but at least this time she could feel, which was a damn sight better than the alternative.  It was dulled, like she was wearing several pairs of gloves, but there was feeling, and the longer she sat, the more she could sense.  She pushed her body to feel, to inform her of as much information about her environment as it could, shutting down all of her other useless senses.

The ground beneath her, rather than being solid like stone or a man-made floor, was springy, a bit like thick layers of moss or a padded floor.  But it was there, and she could feel the expanse of it.  She inched her hand out to one side and felt a sharp, straight edge indicating she was either on the edge of a ledge or platform of some kind.  Whatever it was, she was grateful to have the reassurance of something holding her up, something with substance and measurable boundaries. 

She reached out on her other side, but instantly clamped her mouth shut to silence a whimper attempting to tear from her body from the movement.  All the pain she’d forgotten about just moments before came rushing back.  Her body ached and her head throbbed as she gaped for breath, but she refused to let out the sound until she knew her situation.  Allowing an enemy to know how injured she was could be potentially deadly and she had no idea how many enemies were around and how well they could hear.  She wouldn’t allow anyone to have that kind of insight.  She couldn’t.  She closed her eyes and took a long deep breath instead, only slightly wincing from the pain radiating from her back and slicing through her chest.

When she opened her eyes again, they caught on a light she hadn’t noticed before.  A light she was absolutely positive had not been there moments before.  It wasn’t possible.  The light stood out like a lighthouse, illuminating a path in front of it and forcing all around to notice it.  She stared at it warily but intently.  As she stared, she realized it was a yellow strip of light, a yellow that was pulsating.

Worse, suddenly the silence was also shattered as noise plundered the quiet.  Muffled arguing.  Her world froze; the pain gone again in an instant.  There was nothing except that tiny strip of light, arguing, and the flood of memories from the space she’d left only moments before.  Everything was repeating, or maybe it never stopped, it just continued on, the only things to change were a solid floor and the color of the light.

As the arguing got closer, behind what she now realized was yet another door, or maybe the same door, her heart ramped back up to dangerous levels, preparing her body to move, but she couldn’t yet.  She wasn’t prepared to face them yet.  She’d been given a warning of what was to come.  She normally wasn’t so lucky, and she had no intention of squandering her slight advantage.  But she needed more information before she acted… and more backup.

“Spots on,” she murmured again, but her heart sunk when just as before nothing happened.  He had blocked her from transforming in this new place too.  But it didn’t matter.  She’d made a promise to Roy that she would do what it took to protect him and Lian and she was going to keep that promise, no matter what it took.  She allowed a microsecond of aggravation before she started planning.

Unfortunately, a microsecond was all she was given before the door burst open, and with a sudden, blinding light, Hawk Moth’s akuma had arrived.

The akuma was illuminated from behind with the yellow light, everything obscured except for its shape.  Its mass took up the bulk of the frame, almost enough to block out the light, but only for a fraction of a second.  It stepped forward allowing the blinding light to flood in again, bright enough to sear her vision.  But another akuma stepped immediately behind to block the light yet again, leaving an afterimage of the first akuma.

The arrival had happened before she could assess the situation let alone start to make a semblance of a plan.  She’d lost her advantage and was going to have to act on the fly.  Which she hated doing, but it had become so common fighting akumas it was now her strength, or maybe it always had been.  Master Fu had said that was one of the reasons she had been so perfect to become Ladybug and a Guardian.  Yes, she had lost her original advantage, but she was going to give herself another and she was not going to squander that one.

The akuma in charge hadn’t even taken a full step into the room before the akuma behind it started arguing with it.  “… get…”  Marinette only half listened to their words, focusing more on their body language; how did they carry themselves, did they favor a side, were they human appearing or was their akumatization clear in their form, was there any indication what their powers might be.  The akuma in the door turned to glare behind it.  “… her alone,” the second akuma continued, much to the first akuma’s umbrage.

So, it appeared there was a bit of dissension in the ranks.  That was it, her advantage.  She could only see two, but there had been four akuma created.  The other two had to still be in the room behind the door.  She knew how many.  She knew what they were.  She knew what they wanted.  And she knew they weren’t working cohesively.  That was everything she needed to know.  She was in charge here.

Marinette groped around her until she found a weapon behind her; light and soft but broad.  She could work with that.  She’d have to.  The first akuma seemed to be done with the argument and had turned its attention back to Marinette, but she was already in motion.  She tossed the weapon at the first akuma and immediately followed behind it, launching herself at it feet first.

The first akuma shoved the weapon out of its face just in time to see her inches away, her feet not quite aimed at the center of its chest, but rather a few inches off center.  It twisted slightly to let her slide past, but as she anticipated, it grabbed her as she sailed through the air, seeming more like a figure skater pair finishing a lift than enemy combatants.

It’s second nature for people to either bat away or grab things coming toward them and when it’s a living thing, and not a snake, the second will usually win.  It’s an instinct so ingrained, not even becoming an akuma was able to break it.  But even if it had been, she had a backup plan.

What she had not anticipated was the second akuma pulling the first akuma’s arm back violently as it had made its way into the room.  So, while, luckily, it acted as she expected and was now unintentionally supporting her as her feet slammed into the second akuma, the pull had shifted her trajectory and slowed her.  She was still able to slide between the first akuma’s arm and body, its arms closing in on her just as she hit the akuma behind in the chest with a slightly dulled force, and a bit off the mark she had intended.

She made an impact.  Just not as much of one as she needed.

She held in the groan of pain that tried to rip from her throat at the pain from the severe compression on her bruised back and her knees.  She hadn’t been fully successful, but there had been a yell of “Akuma” at the same time, which she hoped drowned out the telling noise.

The second akuma groaned as it doubled over, but not before Marinette redirected her momentum to flip back over the shoulder of the first akuma who was still holding her while she held its arm in a death grip.  The move caught the akuma off guard, which is what Marinette was hoping for.  It folded forward easily with her momentum, too shocked to realize to let go, bringing its upper body, and more importantly, its head closer to the ground, more specifically, to her knee level.

She jerked her knee into its face in one smooth, firm motion.  Luckily it was the knee that hadn’t already been injured because she was positive she couldn’t have hid that groan of pain if she’d used her other knee.  Unluckily, kneeing an akuma in the face without a magical suit was still rather painful.  Even without magical assistance, the human skull is incredibly thick, and it hurts like a son of a bitch when hit, whether you’re the one hitting or getting hit, with the assistance of being an akuma however, that magic flowing through someone’s cells and reforming their anatomy?  Her knee was already throbbing.

The first akuma let go of her to move its hand to its face with a pained groan.  She backed away just enough to body check its side, knocking it off balance.  Normally, she would have kicked him over, but at this point, she didn’t know if her knees could take it and she needed to preserve them for the moves she was positive she was going to have to pull out later in order to deal with the akuma in the next room.

As if to prove her point, her other leg wobbled and almost gave out at having to support her full weight.  She needed to move.  If she stopped for too long again, she was likely to just collapse and never move again.  “Akuma” she heard again but brushed it off as she ran toward the second akuma.

She would have to deal with whoever was screaming akuma later.  She understood their fear, but there was an order of operations here.  Deal with the akuma first, keep them away from the public as much as possible, reassure the public during the fight if necessary and if it wouldn’t interfere with the fight, unless a panicking public would make the situation worse.  Limiting the damage was the first priority, and sometimes that included the public spirit.  It was a set list of priorities and exceptions that had been drilled into her and Adrien since Stoneheart… the first Stoneheart, though its subsequent appearances reinforced the order of operations.

The second akuma, now standing straight again, held its arms out toward her like it was trying to inject calming vibes.  Yet another lesson she’d learned; never let an akuma inject you with anything.  It was never as fun for the injected as it was for the akuma.

She almost laughed at its position and the fact that the other two had stayed in the hallway.  It was like they were just setting themselves up for her, so she didn’t have to use her fists or bad knee.  And what was it with akuma and fighting one at a time?  That fact seemed not to have changed between the first Hawk Moth and this one.

She grabbed its wrist and wrenched it away from its body in a painful twist.  It moved with the wrist to minimize the strain on its bone but pulled her in close as it twisted.  Instead of fighting it, she went with the momentum and used it to her advantage, using his strength to propel her up and around its back.  Like its predecessor, it grabbed her when she spun over its back feet first, but again like its predecessor, instead of holding her in a vice grip to stop her, it was just moving her, which in this instance she hadn’t expected.

However, it didn’t matter.  If anything, it actually helped her.  Her next move didn’t depend on the strength of its grip.  She swung her legs up and around its neck and used her full weight to swing across its front and under its arm, keeping her legs locked around its neck, forcing it forward and down, giving her the vantage to knock its already off-balance body fully to the ground.  Not a knockout, but sidelined for a few precious seconds while she assessed the situation with the other two akuma she knew were in the room beyond.

She didn’t give herself a moment to overthink her next move or even acknowledge the scream behind her letting her know they were akuma and not to stop.  As if she could do anything else.

She barreled through the door into the room beyond ready to take on the next two akuma, but almost bounced off a wall that immediately met her.  It wasn’t a room but rather a hallway, filled with more doors.

She faltered momentarily as flashes of the doors from the space before took over her vision.  The thought of what might be behind these doors took over for a second.  The fear.  Were there more akuma?  More loved ones?  Oh God, what if Adrien was dying behind one of them?  And the longer she stared the longer the hallway became, more doors appearing, each concealing a terrifying mystery.

Her breath stuttered but she immediately shook it off at a noise behind her and mentally cursed herself.  She’d gotten distracted and turned her back on the akuma.  These were mistakes she couldn’t afford to do.  These were mistakes she knew better than to do.  What she did need to do, was reassess, and quickly.  She would only have one, maybe two seconds before she would have to act.

They were in a hallway.  A fairly narrow one at that with a bookshelf, which unfortunately only had what looked like kid’s toys.  Weapons would have been better, but that wasn’t what she was given and at least it was close to her.  She narrowed her eyes as a new plan formed.

The narrow space restricted her freedom.  Legwork would be much harder, kicks wouldn’t have the impact she needed, which is likely just as well since she didn’t know if her leg could handle it.  She was going to have to rely on her hands, which she really didn’t want to do.  They were still raw and bruised, possibly fractured, from the earlier fight, but she didn’t have much of a choice anymore.

If the next two akuma were like the first two, they were larger than her, stronger.  If the muscles and breadth of the chests of the first two were any indication, substantially so.  She would have to continue to use their strength against them, using it against each other would be even better.  She had to rely on surprise, strategy, forcing them to use their strength against one another and as a support for her, if she could just figure out how.

“…don’t want to hurt you.”  The words reach her ears, but all she heard is them handing the how to her.  She’d heard lies like this before.  It was a tactic so commonly used by akuma to throw her off balance, make her drop her guard, that it was basically part of the akuma script coming right before “just give me your earrings and Chat Noir’s ring.”

But she’d learned long ago not to trust anything an akuma said.  The only thing she could trust was that they would pretend to follow their lies just long enough to convince her.  Once it became apparent their lies weren’t working, they would drop them faster than Chloe dumping a boring date.  So, she had at least two to three more moves before they dropped the act and started fighting back full force.  Two or three more moves to impact the direction of the fight.  Two or three more moves to protect Roy and Lian.

They were close now, or at least one was.  Apparently, picking up your feet when you walked wasn’t included in the akuma training.  She grunted as she heard yet another, “Akuma!”, because yeah, she knew they were akuma.  That’s why she was fighting them.

She stayed frozen for a few more beats so she wouldn’t give away any indication of her plan.  When the shuffling indicated the akuma was within arm’s reach, she moved.  She lunged forward, grabbing a puzzle fortuitously sticking out from under a pile of sundry toys on the bookshelf and spun around slamming it into the third akuma’s face.  She only had to readjust her aim slightly having accurately guessed its height as somewhere around the first two akumas’ heights.  The cheap wood splintered all around them, several pieces ricocheting back into her face as tiny wooden hero figures bounced against the walls before landing innocently near their feet.

She was moving before she assessed the results, calculating as she moved.  She had been right, there were only two akuma in the hall, but the first two looked like they were making their way into the hall as well.  The puzzle didn’t appear to have done much damage, but did appear to have surprised the akuma, making it lurch to the side.  While it fell to the left, Marinette launched herself at the wall to the right, pushing off against it with her good leg and an arm to support her leg and considerably more effort than she would have liked.  She was not going to last much longer with moves like that.  God, she was never going to hear the end of this from Tikki.

She pushed herself up and around, gaining more height in the move and twisted as she punched.  She braced herself for the pain that was about to come.  The impact was almost certainly going to hurt her as much as the akuma, but it also had the potential to incapacitate it long enough to give Roy and Lian enough time to escape, assuming no extra akuma invulnerability.

What she hadn’t anticipated was it shifting smoothly, letting her punch graze across its front as though it was familiar with the move and could anticipate the trajectory.  The akuma closed its arm around her side, pulling her against its body.  She tried to twist out of it, but its other arm clamped down from her other side effectively trapping her arms down.  Fortunately, it was an insecure hold, made so quickly, it forced the akuma to stretch awkwardly.

She struggled with mock fierceness that looked like she was putting effort in without actually exerting much energy, her legs flailing like she was a kid learning to swim, partially to break free, but mostly to test its grip on her.  She anticipated it wouldn’t let her go so easily, what she needed to know was where the vulnerabilities were, so she knew where to focus her energy when she had formed a new plan and was ready to put real effort in.

She blocked out the raised voices around her, only minorly registering the “Marinette!” yelled at her, choosing instead to focus on forming her plan and the fourth akuma approaching slowly.  “Marinette!” it called out to her again, trying to break her concentration, but she kept planning, taking in all the details around her.  “…hurt you.”  The fourth akuma was smaller than the other three, shorter than her, but it moved with confidence and purpose, the kind of confidence akumas exuded by nature.

But the important thing was it just admitted they were no longer pretending not to want to hurt her.  That had to change her plan again.  She couldn’t rely on them planning to hold back any longer.  They would go full force so she had to as well.

Her blood froze when one of them yelled, “Her back!”  She had no idea how they knew her back was injured, making each twist and spin feel like a sword being plunged into her chest, but she wasn’t going to give them the opportunity to act on it.  She needed to get out of its embrace immediately.

On her next flail, she lifted her leg a bit higher and to the side, like she was going to kick the akuma approaching her, but instead she threw her full weight into a twist at the last second and pushed against the wall.  The move surprised the akuma holding her into slacking its grip enough for her to slip out as it stumbled back against the door opposite, crashing through it and almost tearing it off its hinges before the akuma caught itself.

She barely caught herself from crashing to the ground, but the strain on her back, knee, and hands became too much and she wasn’t able to hold in her wail of pain before it tore from her lips.  She stood slowly sliding up the wall for support.  Her arms wrapped around her middle in a vain effort to stem the sharp throbbing from her ribs.  The third akuma groaned as it stood, pulling her attention over in its direction, but her eyes immediately moved past it into the room beyond the doorframe.

The framed posters of Red Arrow and the Teen Titans as well as the stuffies on the bed indicated it was meant to be Lian’s room, but this one was different than the version from the floorless place.  Thankfully, this version didn’t have Lian curled on the floor.  She had to still be with Roy, wherever he was.  She hoped they were far away, but she was never that lucky.  They had to be behind one of the other doors… one of the doors to which the akuma were now blocking her access.

She straightened up a bit quicker than she should have and had to clamp her lips closed, her teeth digging into them to keep them closed, further ripping a cut from the puzzle pieces.  But she didn’t feel it as a newfound determination overtook her and shone in her eyes.  They would not hurt Roy or Lian or anybody else, not because of her.  She dropped her head forward while she gathered her breath, her back straightened until she was no longer favoring her left side.

She almost chuckled at the fourth akuma who was edging toward her like she was an injured animal, which, in fairness, she was.  But it was its words that made her scoff.  “We don’t want to hurt you.  You need to stop.”

So, they were going back to that.  They’d already admitted they wanted to hurt her and were aiming for her most vulnerable spots.  She wasn’t sure if they thought she hadn’t heard or if they thought she was that dumb.  Or maybe they thought she was so weak and desperate, she’d be willing to grasp onto any tenuous whisp they offered to end the fight.  But, regardless of what they thought, they were wrong.  She’d never lost a fight against an akuma and she sure as fuck wasn’t going to start now.

The old Hawk Moth would have known that.

Marinette finally lifted her head and let out a mirthless chuckle that sounded closer to something Hawk Moth would have voiced than something anyone would expect of her.   She met his eyes, not so much looking at him as through him, as she wiped the blood from her lip with the back of her hand.  “Oh, honey, I’ve only just started.  This is a warmup for me.  A game,” she hissed.  Her lip curled in a sneer, bearing her teeth as she spoke.  “You’re a challenge.”  Her eyes glinted dangerously as she bounced back into a starter stance.  “And I love a challenge.”

There was a few beats of stunned silence before the second akuma threw its head to the side and retreated back down the hallway, giving itself space to move later.  “Aw Hell no.  I don’t like it when she throws that back at us.  No.  Not okay.”

“Marinette…” the fourth one started, approaching her slowly with hands held up in a calming motion, just like the other akuma’s had been previously.  But like the other’s attempt, it had the opposite result making her tense further, which was only aided by yet another scream of “Akuma.”  This time she was able to discern Roy’s voice, confirming that he and Lian were still in the immediate area and thus very much in danger.

She narrowed her eyes and blocked everything else out, focusing solely on cataloging every detail so she could form a plan.  A fake kick toward the akuma closest, which it would easily dodge, but the move would just be a cover for her real move; an elbow to the face.  The force from the move should be enough. The dodge should push him toward where she intended her elbow to hit.  Once she’d broken its nose, again assuming the akuma’s anatomy allowed for its nose to be broken, she could shove it into the first akuma, who had eased closer to the fourth.  If its nose couldn’t be broken, it would still snap its head back diverting its attention and giving her the chance to body check it.

When the fourth akuma had gotten a few steps away, she acted.  She kicked out toward its knee but she kicked with her bad leg and ended up crying out in pain herself instead from overextending her leg further than her injury would allow.  Her eyes clamped shut and she allowed herself to take a breath before moving.  During that break, she heard a firm, “Hold back,” but was moving before they finished the last word.  She was not about to hold back.  She was going to have to drop her plan and improvise, damnit.

“Marinette!” the fourth akuma called out in mock concern.  “You need to stop, Marinette.  We are not here to hurt you.”  She scoffed, they may or may not intend to hurt her, it very much seemed like they didn’t know themselves at this point.  But if it was the intention, she was confident it was purely so they could give the honor to beat and maim her to someone else.  But, regardless of their plans for her, they were there to hurt Roy and take Lian.  And she couldn’t allow that.

When it stepped closer to her she swung her elbow toward its face, which it easily dodged, but when she pulled the arm right back on the same arc, she grazed its jaw.   It seemed surprised at her contact and took a second to respond, a moment Marinette used to position herself for an uppercut.  “Marinette.  Sister,” it gulped.  Her swing faltered enough it was able to easily dodge the hit, though she wasn't positive whether it was as much the falter as his skill.  She shook her head and struck out toward his chest with a palm heel strike.  “Tzih tzih,” he tried again as he stepped back up out of her reach.  She jumped forward with a high kick that he ducked under.  “Jiějiě!”

The last move had the advantage that it had pushed him back until he hit the end of the hallway and had nowhere else to go.  She swung out with a right hook to end this fight, again bracing herself for the pain.  However, just before she made contact, the akuma tried one more time, "sœur.”

She blinked, her arm loosening instantly, redirecting before her eyes focused and finally registered not only who was in front of her but that it was not an akuma pretending to be Damian.  It actually was Damian.  In front of her.  Whose nose she was about to break.  Who she had attacked and treated like an enemy.  Her little brother who already had trust issues.  Her innocent little brother who had come to check on her and protect her… but had betrayed her earlier… because he was a kid and didn’t know better.

She stumbled back.  It was too much.  There was too much to process.  If he was Damian, not an akuma, that meant the rest weren’t akuma either.  They weren’t akuma.  There was no akuma.  There was no Hawk Moth here.  But he had been here… or there.  He’d been…  It was all swirling around in her head overtaking and clearing out all in its path until nothing was left, like an F5 tornado.

“They’re not akuma!” Roy’s voice broke through the gasping as he broke through the line of men.  “Back the fuck up assholes, you’re crowding her.”  He softly cupped her shoulders to get her to stop moving and to look at him.  When her legs started to shake uncontrollably, he gently helped her down and to lean against the wall.  His hands instantly hovered over her body like he was afraid contact might be the last thing that pushed her over the edge and tumbling into unimaginable pain.

“What was that?” the third man asked.

“PTSD,” the second hissed.  He kept his distance from her but crouched down to her level, trying to take in as much detail about her status as he could from where he was.  “That’s what that was and just one of the reasons I told you you should not fucking be here and was trying to get you the fuck out and leave her the fuck alone.”

Roy stood and spun to face them, his expression thunderous, his eyes cold, and his tone accusatory.  “She’s already hurt and you decided to attack her?” he yelled.  He almost took a step toward the first akuma but refused to leave Marinette open to them to come closer.  “Can you do fucking anything that isn’t about fucking you, Bruce?”  He turned toward the third akuma.  “I expected better of you, Dick.”

“We were just checking on her,” Bruce insisted.  His voice was calm and authoritative, but everyone there, at least all the people who were still aware of the world around them, could hear the quake in his voice and could see a overwhelming of concern as he studied her.

“We didn’t attack her,” Dick objected lowly.  “She disappeared and nobody knew where she was.”

“Everybody knew where she fucking was!” Roy thundered.  Everyone flinched slightly, even Jason, who knew it wasn’t directed toward him, everyone except Marinette who was still leaning against the wall, her eyes directed toward the opposite wall and her knees pulled up but not too close to her body, almost like she wanted to pull them in to form a ball, but something was stopping her.

When he spoke again, Roy’s voice was lowered but somehow even more chilling.  “Everybody knew and collectively decided it would be the worst possible decision to let you know.  And look at that, we were right.  Because you don’t give the slightest fuck about anybody but you and what you want.”

He narrowed his eyes at Dick, moving between him and Marinette when he tried to edge closer to her.  “And you might as fucking well have attacked her,” Roy growled.  “You tried to sneak up on someone who still has massive PTSD from years of violent attacks through her teenage years and just got back from a vicious attack that almost killed her brother in front of her eyes.  What the ever-loving fuck did you think was going to happen?”

He shot them another deathly glare before turning his back on them to focus on Marinette.  She was completely unresponsive.  He crouched directly in her eye line but her eyes didn’t move toward him, nor did her pupils constrict.  She was gone and he was a bit terrified he wouldn’t be able to bring her back, but he had to try.  He stroked her hair gently and kept his voice as soft as he could despite his thundering heart.  “Hey, Fire Flower, how are you feeling?  They hurt you?”

“You are not helping,” Bruce growled

“I disagree,” Roy hissed back, only taking his eyes from Marinette for a few seconds to shoot him a warning look.  “Baby, I want to move you to somewhere more comfortable.  Is that okay?  Can you walk?”  He wanted to give her the space to respond in her own time but when she still hadn’t responded after several minutes, he gently urged her up, his arms never leaving her the entire way to standing, both supporting and protecting.  She went with him easily.  He wanted to believe it was because she trusted him, but in her current state, he didn’t know that she even registered who he was.

They had only taken a few steps before she finally spoke, her voice shaky and barely audible, but Roy would take it.  In fact, it might be the best thing he’d heard all month.  “I’ll buy you a new one,” she promised.

Roy’s brows furrowed in confusion, and he tried to catch her eyes but they were fixated on the floor in front of her, specifically several of the puzzle figures that had scattered to the floor when she had hit Dick with it.  “Mari, you don’t have to…”

“…and I’ll pick up those toys,” she added almost vacantly, her eyes moving to the stuffies and assorted items that had fallen in the fight, including that damn doll Lian loved so much.

Roy sighed heavily and tried to usher her onto the couch as quickly as possible.  “We are absolutely not dealing with that until we’ve kicked the assholes out and slept.”

“Am I one of the assholes?”  Her tone had somehow become even more distant as she dropped on the couch.

He knelt in front of her and took her head in his hands, finally forcing her to meet his eyes, though as soon as he did, he almost wished he hadn’t.  Her eyes were blank, lifeless, almost like Lian’s doll.  “You absolutely are not an asshole,” he assured her, or tried to anyway, hoping something would get through to her, if not right then, then when words would make it through to her.  “You are perfect.”

She scoffed and tried to move her head away unsuccessfully.  Her effort was too apathetic and her muscles too shaky from having been pushed to the brink of exhaustion to accomplish her goal.  “Perfect storm,” she grumbled.

“Perfect fit,” he corrected softly.

Chapter 39

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[honey-minded-hivemind]

Here's the color I mixed for Dragon's past life's skin tone. (Strangely, not the weirdest sentence I have typed.) At first I did it on my phone but I did it a second time on my computer so I can color pick the characters exactly and get the best mix of Goliath, Elisa, and Demona.

Those poor three, imagine seeing your child horrifically murdered in cold blood, only to see them again centuries later. But its not them. Their skin is so soft and different and they have no wings, their teeth are dull and they don't have claws. They have bruises from reckless risks and lack of sleep and their clothes are old and unwashed. (Dragon is STINKY. Someone bathe this child!)

But it is also them. They have the same hair and the same eyes that glare just like their father. They have the same sense of caring and leadership for their group as they used to have in the medical wing. They have that same overly strong sense of right and wrong from one mother and the willingness to break rules to do what they believe is right from the other.

Also, If our reincarnated humans eventually get gargoyle forms, Dragon probably gets one too. But what if they never get wings, just stups on their back where their wings were cut off in a previous life?

That, is perfect. Perfect! (It looks a bit like a dusty or dusky rose or lavender, like you'd see it in old tapestries or preserved flowers or in carved stone) (It's gorgeous)

The three parents are a storm of emotions. There's relief, that their child is back. There's worry, wondering where they've been, how they've been treated, and why they're on their own. There's determination, to have them back. And there's guilt, that they weren't able to save them the first time...

But one of their missing young is back, and it seems they're getting close to one of their brothers again. So maybe it won't be so hard to convince them to come out of the shadows, to come and see them...

They do know the child needs a bath, new clothing, and a warm place to rest. The cold is starting to set in, and soon it won't be safe to be out without the needed warmth of jackets and thick cloaks and sweaters...

They aren't sure what to think when Brooklyn comes home one night, nervous, wanting to tell them something but hesitating. They're gentle, not pressuring him to tell them, but let him know they won't be mad or upset. That he can tell them when he's ready. And he does, on the verge of tears, tell them what's bothering him:

That Dragon is sick, and they aren't getting better. It started out with sneezing a little, maybe a cough, but as the nights wore on, they started getting feverish, talking about things that don't make sense, and they shiver like they're freezing, but their body feels hot like fire. This night was the last straw, because now they're barely awake, and he doesn't think they'll be okay if they don't get help.

He's crying by the end, because he hates that his friend could potentially be dying or very ill, he's upset he broke their trust and told his caretakers/parents about them, and he's so, so sick.with worry. Demona is quick to tell him he did the right thing telling them, that he shouldn't feel.so ashamed, that because he did tell them, they can help Dragon. Elisa agrees, and says they can get Drahon medicine, and they'll likely be better in a few weeks, and that they'll be happy to know he cares about them. Goliath is scooping him into a hug, stroking his hair and letting his son/young one get it all out. Hudson is offering words of comfort, Xanatos is already getting a medical bed set up and llgettinh Owen to find different antibiotics and medicines, and Matt is on the case to try and figure out where Dragon stays hidden...

And Brooklyn doesn't want to, but... he decides to tell them he knows where they are. They need to get them back here as soon as possible, and it won't do to not tell his caretakers at this point...

Reader, known as Dragon, has been having nightmares, hallucinations, dreams of things they don't understand. Of being able to soar from wall to wall, of feasts and a castle, of many more beings with wings and tails and many colors, and always the same ending, of running, running, running, from a man with a sharp blade, only to be caught, their wings lopped off, and tossed from the high wall, down, down, down, to the broken, scorched earth below... and then darkness...

[rosakuma]

Predictions on What Might Happen in Drdt ch.3 Part 1

So with the emotional roller coaster of ch.2 finished, I figured it would be nice theorizing what could happen next chapter based off the current information we know and some predictions/theories I’ve either seen around or have. Share any thoughts about the theories/prediction or your own down below the comments or reblogs! This will be multiple parts due to the word limit, so let's get started!

For starters, lets go over who’s currently alive:

Teruko

Charles

Whit

Eden

J

Arturo

Veronika

Hu

Nico

Levi(Possible if Arturo can save his life)

David

Rose

As for gender ratio we have 6 girls, 1 enby, and 5 guys remaining(unless Levi dies, then only 4).

So with that being said, that means most likely to balance out the gender ratio between the guys and girls(excluding Nico our beloved furry enby), we would have to have 2 girls die and 1 guy die. Leaving only 4 girls, 4 guys, and 1 enby left. That is if Drdt follows the three people dying during chapter 3 formula(to which this post will pretend it will).

Now who would our victims and culprit be? We’ll get back to that later. For now lets move onto the current mental states and situations our cast is in and how that will reflect on their development/survival chances?

Teruko: As we seen in the last ep of ch.2, Teruko…..is not doing great. Now Teruko has definitely gotten a lot of great development in the sense of potentially starting to trust others again as we seen in the trial. But there’s also the factor that Teruko is suffering from the deaths of her classmates in secret due to thinking she’s to fault for their deaths because of her luck. Seeing Ace died affected Teruko badly because she was just like him in trying to push others away to be safe and not hurt(Ace being basically a dark reflection of Teruko this chapter). Along with seeing herself no different from him or Arei in being a bad person. This could definitely affect Teruko in her current relationships(Charles, Eden, Rose, Whit, and possibly Levi now), but I still think there’s a spark of hope that Teruko will allow herself to at least work with others or hang out a bit more with people at a distance. I conclude that Teruko Tawaki will start working with others again while suffering from guilt both survivors guilt and guilt of almost having Levi killed because she broke a rule via asking Ace to kill MonoTv.

Charles: Now last we seen of our beloved tsundere chemist was him going back to a state of shock from seeing Levi bloody and barely alive. To which after Charles recovers from it and Levi is taken care of, here’s what I think will happen to him. I believe we’ll see Charles starting to work more with others who are willing now that we see that Charles accepts friendship from others thanks to Whit(and kinda Teruko in ch.1). Along with his friends, he is definitely gonna be so worried and upset at Teruko for almost dying. Yeah she didn't get shot and instead Levi did, but still Charles was concern for her regardless if her luck would prevent her from dying. Another thing I saw brought up from a few posts is Charles starting to become more independent while still dependant on others. What I exactly mean is I think Charles will prevent others like Whit from trying to protect him as he does not want to be pitied and with him being sheltered by his parents, this increases his desire to do and face things on his own. This might cause complications in his friendship with Whit since Whit seems to be really protective of Charles to cover his eyes when death/blood happens or giving him an alibi in the trial. But who knows?(although I can see them targeting Charwhit as they had it good for too long and how every other yaoi/Yuri ship has been doomed). Also we might get more Charles and Elliot lore next chapter, I'm feeling it.

Whit: So Whit……its kinda hard predicting what will happen to Whit exactly since the dude doesn't let the current situation bother him(the secrets being all revealed, Levi almost dying, Ace dying, etc). Only concern he has is with Charles and like I said for Charles, maybe we might have CharWhit drama, its hard telling. But I will say that I believe Whit is probably going become more suspicious since we seen that one sprite in ep16. Like seriously WTF WAS THAT WHIT!? Like no joke if this keeps up, he is definitely the mastermind or at least traitor. I got my eyes on you Whit Young (≖_≖ ) . Oh and I do have a theory of what role Whit can play in ch.3 I’ll go more into another section.

Eden: Oh sweet Eden, you deserve so much 😭 Okay so definitely Eden is going to be in mourning over Arei and I feel like with now both Ace dead and Levi almost dying, she’s probably at her mental limit. Like I don't believe she’ll end up like Teruko in the beginning of ch.2, but I don't think Eden will be able to be the good support system for everyone with what she’s going through rn. Like Teruko and Xander with his family, Eden is going through survivor guilt over Arei, Min, and possibly Ace? We seen how Eden thinks Min’s death is her fault with the baking activity and think its the same with Arei during the trial. Along with Ace, Eden did state that while she doesn't forgive him for killing Arei, she feels bad for him and this happening. Like Eden said, this all could’ve been prevented. Eden probably blames herself in not checking up on Ace, trying to befriend Arei that lead to her trying to protect her, or not being able to help diffuse the fighting at the cafeteria as well since that lead up to David making everyone reveal their secrets to each other. I think it will take some time and emotional support hopefully from Teruko and anyone else kind to support her for Eden to be able to bounce back from this one.

J: Honestly I don't have a lot to say about J rn. Her main concern is on Levi, but if I was going to guess what might happen to her or be explored with her for chapter 3. We’ll probably get more lore on her family and perhaps why J seems more anti-murder than everyone else. Along with this, she’ll probably snap and get Arturo hopefully off her back for good if he still tries to stalk/bother her. Otherwise hopefully she’ll just be vibin.

Arturo: Oh Arturo, you are definitely being set up for some character development. With Arturo’s secret being revealed about his sister, his involvement with Eden and Arei, and along with having Levi’s life in his hands. He is going to be going through the wringer I tell you. To start off, if Levi lives, I think that will be a bit of hope and maybe redemption in himself in Arturo’s eyes as I feel like his dialogue to Ace in ep16 might hint he feels like he can’t save anyone since he couldn't save his sister from dying(via killing herself). If Levi dies, that is going to start a downspiral for him as he is going to believe he failed to save someone again and now has two deaths on his hands. Going into his sister and involvement with Eden, I think this is going to cause some discourse with others. Specifically J and Hu. J because she already thinks low of him because of his treatment towards her and the fact she believes he is actually responsible for Felicity’s death(although you could argue that maybe she just said that because she’s mad at him for causing this murder to happen a little). Hu I think will get on him too for both threatening Eden which lead to Ace being able to frame her and kill Arei and the fact Hu does not take lightly of someone causing a suicide knowing her secret. I think this will be apart of the discourse over the group’s secrets and potential fault in what happened last chapter.

Veronika: Oh girlie you’re the one I’m concern for the most! Okay so Veronika is starting to get more disturbing in the killing game with how she’s reacting to both Ace’s death and Levi getting injured. And with both her secret revealed and how the group is going right now, I don't think it will be good for her. We know how that Veronika uses her talent and to extent, the killing game to entertain herself enough to prevent her from self harming herself. With how I think the group will have conflict with each other, I think she’ll be fine at first since drama will be interesting to her. Even if she gets involve as I could see someone blame her for what happened last chapter since she failed to stop Nico and Ace’s fight along with encouraging Ace’s paranoia about dying. I don't think she’ll feel bad since there was other factors + she finds it more interesting how events happen. All of this will possibly come crashing down for her as if everyone starts distancing themselves from others, then how will Veronika be able to keep herself entertained? She won’t have any drama or anyone to watch horror movies with her. This could lead to her going to a dark space in possibly causing something to entertain her or be possibly manipulated.

Since part 1 is getting to close to the word limit, I’ll end this here and continue off onto the next part(will link post after I post this and finish the other): https://www.tumblr.com/rosakuma/763649926247940097/arturo-oh-arturo-you-are-definitely-being-set-up?source=share