#technically the mad hatter brings angst too

[tactician-in-green]

Two hours doodle of Ardyn cosplaying the Mad Hatter

I guess they’re similiar in their fashion eccentricity, but that’s it. Ardyn would just do evil plans all day and bring feels to all of us  ಥ◡ಥ

[suffering-and-happy-about-it]

True Faith (Part 1.) (Favored Ones, Part 17.)

Series description: Many things were surely fucked up in the year 2038, but no-one ever told anyone how all of it went down. What happened before a group of people left for Seattle to handle personal matters? Why did one girl refuse to leave all of it be? And why there were so many dead in the end?

Quote for the chapter: “I feel so extraordinary... Something's got a hold on me.” - Lotte Kestner

Part summary: Many could feel that something’s in the air when Ellie started to drift away from the reality. And the only thing that could save her and put stop to all of these thoughts was you.

A/N: Okay, okay. I know I am going against the cannon game now, because Seatlle happened at the end of March of 2038, but trust me, this slower pace will pay off in the end. And boy, does it feel good to jump back to TLOU fandom.

Warnings: Gore, angst, description of hatred and other mental states.

Word count: 3.2 K

Tagging:   @nemodoren @xxgoldenhour @missdictatorme​​ @peakymarvels​​ @davnwillcome​ @pickleriiick​ @jodiereedus22​ @gladiosamicitias​ @tamkashi​ @eternallyvenus​ @avengerssstuff​ @fangirl-inthe-us​ @avery-miller​ @mikah-writes​ @mad-hatter-98​ @sadiaafrin99​ @flavorishy

Series master list: H E R E

Joel Miller’s playlist for the bonfire occasions: H E R E

Youtube playlists: JACKSON DAYS | SEATTLE DAYS

"I've seen what happened down there, sugar." - A voice resonated through the darkness, suddenly. It seemed as if you were somewhere deep underwater. There were this cracking sounds inside of your head, making your ears ache, yet the burden you were feeling in your heart was way worse than that. But the voice was sharp, almost deafening. And sadly, you wouldn't change the voice with anyone else's. It felt nice, but horrifying at the same time to hear her. - "How are you holdin' up, hm? You're still sure you'll outrun me in a race?"

Slowly, you took a breath in, looking around you as you stood there. It was the fucking pottery shop you've been in, the one you've visited her in a thousand times. The one you remembered by your heart. And your heart was sinking low when you saw her... Just sitting there. As if she never actually left you in Jackson alone. She was looking at the machine in front of her, making a mug out of scratch. Just like the last time you've had a proper conversation with the lady. Well... You've spoken at the hospital, but... The pottery shop reminded you of Eve the most.

"Given how your leg looks like, I suppose you ain't be runnin' for quite a long time, honey." - The woman smiled at one of her creations, slowly taking it to her palm as she started to draw another of her flowers on it.

"You're dead, you know that, right?" - You answered in a joking manner. Jesus, they must've given you some darn good drugs for you to reach such a state. No matter if it were the soldiers or Bobby, they did hella good job. - "I've been talking to your tombstone for the last few months." - At that, Eve gave you a nasty grin, tapping the side of her head with her index finger.

"As long as you're aware of it, I know it. You're not so dumb that you'd make out this is real, huh?" - The woman asked you with a light chuckle at the end, leaning her back into the chair. Sure, it was obvious that you're talking to yourself. But your brain didn't want to syke you out, even more, to present you sitting... Somewhere. It could be also Joel or Ellie whom your brain would choose to project... But it was her. - "I thought that. But really, Miller? You, sugar, are surprisin' me even when I'm dead, I tell you that."

"You've caught a few words from Tommy and Joel here and there, but you never spoke like a Texas-born woman." - You answered instead of straight answering the lady. At that, she chuckled, shook her head, and looked at you. She seemed... Different. As if she got younger. She had fewer wrinkles and her eyes were full of life.

"I'm just what you've made of me, you know? This is how you remember me now. So thanks for agein' me down a bit. Also, the accent suits me, huh?" - The woman said. Technically yeah, you said to yourself, but that wasn't the subject of the conversation at the moment. - "That's what you wanted, hm? And I can understand that. Have my wrinkly face on your mind all the time... It would sadden me too." - She joked around, making you sadden at the statement. That was exactly what you wanted to happen. And until that point, it was working. But now, you wanted to remember Eve just the way she was, with all her wrinkles, grins and jokes.  

"Do you realize... That if you wouldn't go on the patrol with Tommy... Then maybe, the man you've fallen in love with would be dead? Most likely?" - Eve leaned her head to her shoulder, sending you a concerned look.

"What good does it bring when I'm most likely dead?" - You asked back immediately. The imagination inside your head chuckled, looking away for a moment. - "If you'd be dead, sugar, we wouldn't be havin' this conversation at all. Dyin', yeah, sure, maybe, but dead? Hell no." - The woman dismissed with a dry chuckle, getting up on her legs to pour herself a glass of water.

"What now?" - Eve asked you, looking out of the window into the void around the pottery shop. For a moment, you were looking at her back, and because she knew you don't know what to say, she started to talk again. - "I mean... These people are there somewhere. Abby and Owen ran away just when your friends showed up. Doesn't that make you worried, honey?" - Her voice was resonating through your ears, there were still these cracking sounds inside your ears. What you've been trying to tell to yourself? Did it make any sense?

"What is your point?" - You asked after a moment of thinking, having the old woman turning to you. Suddenly, her face started to re-shift into someone else as the surroundings changed with it, making you dizzy in the process. Of course, it was Joel's house, and you had to close your eyes instead of looking at the man, falling on the ground right after as you threw up. You were panicking, Abby's face was flashing in front of your eyes accompanied by the manic expression in her face. The whole thing was about Joel, right? So this was what your brain immediately clicks to when you'll see him? Abby and her knife? Jesus Christ, it was a lot take in.

But as soon as the man touched your shoulder, it was like flipping the card around - finding yourself in his embrace as you both were falling asleep just hours before the patrol. But the touch wasn't making you feel good at all. To be honest, your eyes were slowly slipping towards the window as you searched for something in the darkness. It took you a long time to figure out where she was standing, but when you did... She was still standing there, looking into the window. And you were watching her back.

Hell, you couldn't make out what the fuck was that all about, but you've been trapped in a loop, circling between Joel and Abby. And you couldn't tell how long is that going to take. And neither could they.

Meanwhile, in Jackson:

The weather got drastically better after everything went down. At least the blizzards had stopped and the sun was slowly melting the snow everywhere. The Jackson was just going forward, not stopping because of what happened. Why should the whole city stop because of two people? Sure, people were saddened by what happened to you, but it wasn't their business in the slightest. Some animals needed to be taken care of, clothes to be repaired and pottery to be made. Tommy was a prominent figure in the hierarchy of Jackson, but the whole responsibility was put directly on Maria's shoulders.

There was one person whose world had stopped completely. All they did was that they sit at their home all the time, trying to think of a single reason why the fuck would someone do such terrible things to other human beings without having the reason to? Something like a regular sleep schedule? They didn't know what was that? The image of Tommy laying in blood on the ground was still carved inside their brain as they woke up every night with nightmares.

If there was something that needed to be said about Tommy, he was alive. Alive, yet not awaken. There was many possible outcomes for Tommy - he could wake up and have a memory loss. He could wake up and be crippled, whether physically or mentally. Tommy may never have the chance to talk like normal people. And... Bobby was sure that his condition is stable for now, but really, there was also a possibility they overlooked even the smallest crack in his skull. As soon as Joel brought the boy, Bobby started to check his skull, stopping the bleeding - when that was done, she sewed and took care of the wound, moving on to his broken knee and left forearm. And there was the possibility that he has a concussion, internal bleeding, and many other things. The people did a number on him.

And as for Y/N... Holy fuck. Bobby had never seen such screwed up ligaments above the knee. They also needed to tear a few nails off your fingers because the nails completely tore if off from the nail beds. It was pretty disgusting, sure, but Bobby was trying to keep you alive. While no-one was sure if Tommy has internal bleeding, Bobby almost cried with happiness when she was sure you didn't have it - as soon as your nose was put back in place, and it wasn't as swollen as when Dina brought you in, your breathing got into the normal state. Also, your pulse was checking up perfectly, so apart from the reality that your upper thigh muscles were ripped apart.

Sure, most likely, you'll be able to walk normally once again... After some time. But it was obvious that you'll be climbing for a few months at least. But most likely, you were about to be okay.

This was making the person at least a bit calm. But Ellie couldn't help herself - she wasn't falling asleep at night, all she could do was to think about the persons. Who were they? Where did they come from? Sure, she went back to the cabin to look through it, but not even the dead man Dina had shoot had nothing on his. These people were ready to leave at any given time. These weren't some stupid hunters, cannibals, or anyone like that. These people knew what they were doing. But... What did they search for? Why did they need to fuck you up when you were innocent? How did you and Tommy even get into the fucking cabin in the first place? Did they drag you in?

Ellie sat in the cabin for quite some time, on the couch, watching the stain of Tommy's blood, remembering every second of finding her uncle laying there, barely breathing and unconscious. The golf club was thrown on the ground and the window was opened up as someone ran away from the room. Now, it was too late to look for them, which was making Ellie more desperate to find them. The snow was now far gone, they didn't leave anything behind - inside or outside the house.

It didn't matter how much Dina was trying to make Ellie smile again - Ellie was still wearing the same expression, barely talking, looking into the ground as the incident wasn't leaving her head. She was only waiting for you or Tommy to wake up - and as soon as she'd hear who they were, she was ready to sneak out and come for each of them. It was inside her every time the opened the door to her house. As soon as she unlocked it, the image of Tommy laying in his blood just flashed in front of her eyes, making her panic for a second. Usually, she sat down on her bed, put a hand on her chest, and tried to breathe deeply. Soon enough, she stopped crying every time she saw Tommy on the ground.

The rage which has gotten into her once she was you fucked up on the chair as you frantically mumbled something to Jesse hadn't left her for a single second. It was making her sick from her stomach, hopeless and... She felt hatred for everything around her. Once, someone had a dumb comment regarding her and Dina, and even though she didn't say a word to the person, she threw her plate on the ground, walking straight to them. Maria, thanks to God, has stopped Ellie in the last second, catching her and dragging her away.

Not even Joel wasn't able to make her talk, no matter how hard the man tried to get at least a word out of her. Sure, she was now spending time at his place a lot, because what happened was a family catastrophe and they both needed to carry the other one through what happened. But she never spoke to him.

Yet, there were moments when Ellie spoke to someone. The problem was that you couldn't answer her. She wasn't exactly speaking anyway. She brought her guitar with her, the one which was in Joel's bedroom, singing to you while they waited for you to wake up. Sometimes, she sang you Take On Me, and other times, she pulled out Johnny Cash, since Joel told her that these are your favorites. Sure, she was a was perfectly aware that singing won't help you recover sooner, but it was probable that it will make you at least feel better.

Her fingers were picking the strings lazily as she proceeded to play the slow melody which was reflecting everything going on inside of her at the moment. Ellie didn't know that Dina was standing behind the door the whole time, but it relieved her girlfriend when she heard Ellie singing. Yet no matter how relieved she felt, she didn't dare to interrupt the moment happening in the room. It took Ellie another twenty minutes to finish the small concert for one person before she put the guitar down, looking at you sleeping on the bed. At that, Dina finally entered the room to change the artificial nutrition hanging next to your bed, sending Ellie one shy smile.

"You've been listening behind the door, weren't you?" - The redhaired girl asked quietly, shifting her focus from you to Dina. Her girlfriend just smiled but didn't give a straightaway answer right away.

"You are a good a singer, what can I say, baby?" - Dina whispered, making sure that everything's in check. It was a week and a half and you were still sleeping. Sure, you'd most likely be awakened by that time, but Bobby decided to keep you under the medicaments for some time - at least before your hands get in check somehow and until you wouldn't tear your muscles of your knee when you'd stand up. There was a wheelchair prepared for you, but with the amount of pus leaving the wound every morning, Bobby didn't want to rush any of it. You've been through pain and a severe shock. You needed some rest.

Of course, the medics in Jackson knew that they can't let you sleep for too long but at that point, you were still fine. That was the last thing that made Ellie still standing and being contained because she knew you'd wish so. The girl almost freaked out when Dina put her elbows around her neck, kissing the small sweet spot below her ear as both the girls watched you.

"What is going on inside your head, baby?" - Dina whispered after a small while, as she sat on your bed. While Ellie's eyes were pinned on your face, she could at least tell it is you at that time, Dina was smoothing the small strands hair off Ellie's face.

"You know what's going on in there." - Ellie muttered out, quickly flashing her look at the black-haired woman. These two were very much in love and if the incident wouldn't happen, their relationship would be most likely blossoming at the moment. But there were different thoughts inside of Ellie's head. The hatred she felt was immersive - it was almost as painful as on the day she got to know Joel had kidnapped her from the hospital and killed Marlene to protect his baby girl.

How could the man be so calm about the whole situation? It seemed that having his brother almost paralyzed and his girlfriend almost dad didn't move a single thing inside of him. At least that was what Ellie thought. Of course, he was in deep grief and an immerse state of anger, but there was nothing to do at the moment. Who would he be hunting down? Who were they? Where did they come from? Will they come back? Joel knew better than letting the anger flash out just like that. And more importantly, he knew that if you wouldn't ish to speak of them or tell him specifically to hunt them down, he won't be going on a killing spree just like that. He had a family to protect now and a future to go towards...  Yet Ellie was just nineteen-year-old kiddo, in the end, she didn't know better.

"Ellie... I'm not sure I want you to fuck around with these people. You hear me?" - Dina asked quietly, catching Ellie's palm in her hand. At that, Ellie left out a small chuckle, shaking her head.

"This isn't a thing you're deciding about. This is my own decision to make." - Sadly, Ellie was right. And Dina knew that. Even Maria, Tommy, and Joel knew that - if Ellie had decided to avenge you, there was no way they could stop her in her quest. Only you had the power do put a stop on that, and even about that, Dina wasn't sure entirely. The only way to stop Ellie was to make sure you won't tell her about the people once you or Tommy wake up... But there was this high probability of Tommy starting a witch hunt by himself because he was a hell of a proud man.

"And is it yours to make? Ellie, what if she wakes up and tells you she doesn't want to go after the people? What if Tommy wakes up and tells you he doesn't want you to go?" - The black-haired girl scoffed ironically, rolling her eyes at her girlfriend's pride. - "You don't know the first shit about these people. What are you even planning on doing?" - Dina asked quietly. She was glad that she hears Ellie talking after those few weeks, but at the moment she wasn't so sure if it was making her feel good to hear Ellie talk about what she had inside. This behavior was selfish, hasty, and suicidal. The only thing Ellie was about to archive was getting herself killed... And Dina knew that. Ellie did too, somewhere deep inside. Yet her ego and pride when it came to these things was... Huge.

"I'm gonna find... And I'm gonna kill... Every last one of them." - Ellie whispered, her eyelid twitching with anger. Slowly, she breathed out, closing her eyes. Dina watched the girl slowly pumping her palm open and close tight for a moment before Ellie gathered enough calmness to speak. - "And you can't stop it, no matter how hard you'll try, Dina. Joel can't, Maria can't... No-one can't. I'm not gonna let these fuckers get away with this." - It hurt Dina more than just some slap, knowing Ellie is already sure that no matter what, she'll get the justice she desired for you. Dina just closed her eyes for a moment before getting up to walk around the room, catching some breath.

"If you're going, I'm going." - Dina demanded silently, covering a good portion of her lips with her palms. - "But promise me that wed go only if she wishes us to go. If she tells you to stay put, you will." - Dina begged silently, knowing Ellie will find them on her own if she'd have to. But the false promise Ellie made with a silent nod calmed Dina down. It was just for a moment, but it did help somehow.

[eirian-houpe]

Disparate Pathways - Chapter 5

Fandom: Once Upon a Time (TV)

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death

Relationships: Belle/Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold

Characters: Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold, Belle (Once Upon a Time), Maurice | Moe French, Gaston (Once Upon a Time), Spinster(s) (Once Upon a Time: Think Lovely Thoughts), Mad Hatter | Jefferson, Blue Fairy | Mother Superior, Black Fairy (Once Upon a Time), Baelfire | Neal Cassidy, Emma Swan, Prince Charming | David Nolan, Colette (Once Upon a Time), Red Riding Hood | Ruby, Widow Lucas | Granny, Dove (Once Upon a Time), Captain Hook | Killian Jones, Wicked Witch of the West | Zelena

Additional Tags: Abusive Parents, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Violence, Gun Violence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Implied/Referenced Torture, Dubious Consent, Eventual Smut, UST, First Time, Drama & Romance, Kidnapping, Extortion

Summary: Gold has a past, a past that he has rejected, but it seems one that will not let him go. ��Belle, daughter of Governor Maurice French has been kidnapped, along with her mother, and just as the authorities raid the organization that is holding her hostage, decides to make her own bid for freedom, unknowingly derailing an undercover sting, and Agent Milnor has not choice but to take her into 'protective custody,' but is he all that he seems?  As the threads of the story grow more tangled and the threat to Belle, and to Gold, her appointed protector, grow ever more real, a growing, mutual attraction makes everything far more desperate and far too personal for Gold to ignore what he knows to be the truth.

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[Chapter 1]  [Chapter 2]  [Chapter 3]  [Chapter 4]

Chapter 5 - Takedown

It was entirely too quiet and it made Jefferson nervous. He’d tried to find out from some of the others what was going on upstairs, but no one had been willing to share.  All he knew was that they’d taken both the women up to the top floor of the house. He figured that didn’t bode well.

It certainly didn’t make his life any easier. If Rab was true to his word then some time today, the joint might of the police and the FBI’s HRT, and probably, just to add icing to the shit cake, a whole squadron of SWAT, was going to descend on the house like the wrath of God.

He checked his phone, just to make sure that it was on, with plenty of power remaining, and that he had a signal. The last thing he needed was to miss the heads up that his handler had promised to send him.

“Hey, Jared.” He started slightly when one of the other guys, Ace - a shortened version of his full name -  called out Jefferson’s undercover persona. “Expecting a call from your boyfriend?”

He gave the man a sour smile, recognizing that he was being mocked and shot back in return, “Least I have one,” and made a rapid up and down motion with his fisted right hand before pointing at the guy who’d called him out.

Predictably the ‘hard man’ took immediate offense, and started toward Jefferson, his eyes full of the intention to hurt. He stood his ground. He was taller than the other man by a few inches, even though the guy was heavier set, forcing the other man to look up as soon as they came toe to toe.

“Was there something?” Jefferson asked sarcastically, then lowering his voice to a dangerous growl added, “Because unless there is… Horace… then get the fuck out of my face.”

“Tough words, pretty boy,” Ace snarled, “but do you got the balls to back em up?”

Faster than the man evidently anticipated, Jefferson grabbed his hand and pulled the pudgy fingers against the front of his jeans, trusting in the shock tactics to keep himself from harm.

“What do you think, Ace?” he asked, leaning down until he was nose to nose with the other man.  “Care to take it for a spin?”

The man backpedaled, pulling away so fast that he almost fell over his own feet in his haste to put some space between himself and Jefferson, snatching his hand away and out of Jefferson’s grasp.

“You stay away from me, you fucking freak!” Ace squeaked.

“Methinks the man protesteth too much,” Jefferson teased. “After all, you were the one that came at me first.”

“Can it, you two!” Jefferson half turned at the sound of the other voice, a tall, leather-clad man with a scruffy beard and a missing hand came out into the hallway from one of the downstairs rooms. “Jared, you’re wanted upstairs. Ace, get in here… quit baiting the bloody man!”

Glad for a reprieve, even if it did come from Jones, an unwelcome bastard at the best of times, Jefferson headed for the stairs and started to climb, on the way up thinking to himself that ‘upstairs’ was a fairly vague description of who needed him, given that there were two floors to the house in addition to the first floor. Not to mention the basement, which technically meant the house was a four storey house and— what the ever loving fuck are you thinking, Jefferson.  Head in the game, man! He cut off his own racing mind; a sure sign of stress.

He made the first landing and began methodically making his way around, room by room, opening each one and checking inside, not just for the girl and her mother, but also for an alternative way out, should his chosen route become inaccessible. He couldn’t explain why, but there was a large part of him that had a really bad feeling around the way the day was going.

Crossing a room, he found a window that looked out onto a low balcony, and looking up he saw what looked like similar from above. It would do in a pinch, but it was risky.  One slip and he’d be looking at a shattered ankle; broken leg… he decided he just better make sure that he could get out by the method of his first choice.

“Oy! Jared,” Jones’ voice sounded from behind him, irritated. “I told you upstairs.”

“This is upstairs,” Jefferson snarked back. “And you weren’t actually that specific, you—” Movement in the corner of his eye made him forget what he had been saying. Someone’s sights? Careless, but then, no… he hadn’t had a message yet. Jones evidently picked up on it and came from the doorway to stand beside him.

“What do you see?” Jones asked.

Jefferson shook his head, about to say nothing - perhaps it had been his imagination after all - when a patch of shadow moved close by the rear wall of the yard, unnatural, not like the clouds passing across the moon. His heart began to pound in his chest. They were coming.

“Bloody hell!” Jones snarled urgently, evidently having come to a similar conclusion. “The law!” He grabbed Jefferson’s arm and practically swung him away from the window and gave him a push towards the door. “Go. Upstairs… warn the others.”

“What about you?” Jefferson asked as Jones turned back to peer into the darkness of the garden.

Jones shook his head. “I’ll go downstairs. We’ll be ready for them,” he said. “What are you waiting for? Go!”

Jefferson made it look as though he was rushing to follow the man’s instructions, once outside the door he slipped to his right, the opposite side from the stairs, and flattened himself against the wall to wait for Jones to come out. He looked around quickly to make sure there was no one else on the landing, relieved to still be alone on the second floor, and he wondered what the hell was keeping everyone either downstairs or up on the top floor, though not for long as he heard Jones’ heavy tread approaching the door.

Like comedy, timing was everything. If he moved too soon, he would alert Jones to his presence. Too late and the man would be out of reach. He hated moments like that; held his breath and pulled the gun he carried out of its holster and waited. One… Two…

Things rarely went according to plan. Jones must have sensed him, because just as he would have moved, stepped behind the man and coshed him over the head with the grip of his gun, Jones turned his head.

“Jared, what the—”

Jefferson tried anyway, lunging for the other man, only to meet Jones’ up-raised forearm and with an audible crunch, instead of the back of is head, and almost as if on instinct, Jones turned and swung the sharp hook he had in place of his missing hand toward Jefferson’s head.

Not fast enough thought, and Jefferson ducked under the weapon, at the same time turning to drive the point of Jones’ hook into the wooden door frame as he pushed the mans wrist against the wood. He tried to follow quickly, to bring his gun up again and wrap Jones into unconsciousness as he’d intended before while he was still stuck with his back to him, but Jones anticipated him again, and used the fact of his hook being trapped to twist his wrist, and pull his arm free of the latch that held the hook in place.

Jefferson ran at the man, wrapped his arms around Jones’ waist and drove his shoulder into the soft spot above his hip, attempting to hook the weight-bearing leg with one of his own, but Jones read him again, and let himself fall backward, heaving with both arms and legs, until Jefferson felt himself flying through the air, mercifully along the landing. He landed heavily, and his gun went skittering along the polished wooden floor.

He didn’t have time to worry about it; didn’t want Jones to get a chance to to reattach his hook, or worse, pull his own gun, which was precisely what Jones was attempting to do as he clambered to his feet, turning toward him gun in hand, so before Jones could aim the weapon, he kicked out blindly, by luck connecting with the man’s shoulder before he could fully straighten up. He knocked him off balance again to slip back down to the floor on hands and feet and the insecurely held weapon went flying. Jefferson didn’t wait to see any other effects of his timely intervention, he just pulled himself to his feet at the same time as Jones, Still winded from the heavy landing and fighting for a decent breath was scrabbling at the floor in an attempt to get to his feet.

Jones was really pissing him off, and was still getting up again, and Jefferson scrambled over, uttering a breathless, “Let me give you a hand there… mate,” mocking an expression of which Jones was overly fond, and speared his fingers into the man’s hair at the crown of his head, and twisting, tugging him upward, while at the same time grabbing a hold of his sleeve. Then before Jones could properly realize his intent, or fully regain his balance, Jefferson launched him toward the banister rail, without letting go, bringing Jones’ head down hard against the solid oak wood at the top, not once, but twice, before tossing him backwards, to land in a crumpled heap beside the wall.

It hadn’t been the quiet disposal he’d intended, and he was certain their scramble would have attracted some attention.  He didn’t wait to find out, simply moved as fast as he could, while still trying to catch his breath, toward the staircase leading to the upper floor.

He took the stairs two at a time, and half way up, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He snatched it out, and glanced at the screen, suddenly bursting into entirely humorless, and slightly hysterical laughter. The notification read: “We are Breaching NOW!”

[paintedface]

For Forever

Prompt: Please, don’t be mad - for @bucky-plums-barnes ‘s 8k follower celebration, congratulations lovely!

Summary: Something wakes you up in the middle of the night, and that something develops into the night of your lifetime. 

Pairing: Jefferson the Mad Hatter x Reader

Word Count: 2402 words

Warnings: fluff, slight angst

Your eyes flutter open, slowly adjusting to the dark of the night. You blink in confusion, because you have no idea what suddenly stirred you in the middle of the night. Then you hear it. You sit up in bed immediately, now fully alert. The sound you heard was undoubtedly your window opening and closing, from downstairs. Biting your lip, you step out of bed as soundlessly as you can, slipping on your cotton robe. You decide against bringing a lantern with you, because you know that whoever entered your home, would be able to see you. Making you an even easier victim than you already are.

You pick up your pocket dagger from the bedside table, before making your way downstairs, holding your breath as you try to listen for any more sounds. You can make out a shadowy figure next to the kitchen table, with what seems like a piece of paper in their hand. Before you rationally make a decision, you creep up behind them with your heart thumping out of your chest, holding out your dagger. You know you've been too noisy when they begin to turn around, but you swiftly press the dagger to their throat, hand trembling slightly.

You're about to speak when the person lets out a low chuckle, before saying, "you know you've got the blunt edge of the dagger against my neck, right?"

Your eyes widen, loosening your grip on the knife as you recognise that voice.

"Jefferson?"

Your ex-boyfriend turns around fully, and you can make out a gentle smile playing at his lips in the dark.  

"Hey Y/N." He says softly, taking a step towards you. You instinctively take a step back, realising the circumstances. You can see his face fall, and you try to ignore it as best as you can.

"Why have you come back? You left me a year ago, with no goddamn explanation!" You say, your voice rising in volume. He gnaws at his lip harshly as you continue on your impromptu tirade. The initial shock and delight at seeing him has quickly turned into betrayal and annoyance, because of all your pent up frustration for the past year.

"Not even a note! Did you run off with Mariah?" Your hands clamp over your mouth when you realise what you've just said, and now Jefferson knows what you think he had done. Mariah was a market girl that you noticed Jefferson talking to a lot, whenever you went to the market. They got extremely close, and Mariah didn't particularly like when you were around, even though she knew that you were his girlfriend. His eyebrows raise in shock, running a hand through his loose curls.

"You think that I ran off with her?" He asks in surprise and slight hurt, slowly putting the piece of paper he was holding, into his pocket.

You look down, avoiding his eye contact. "Possibly...?"

Jefferson lets out a sigh, placing his hands on your upper arms, holding you securely.

"Look, there's a logical explanation as to why I left without telling you, and I was gonna give you a note so you'd see it in the morning but... seeing as you're here..." He tilts your chin up slightly and gives you a small, infectious smile.

"I'd like to take you somewhere," He says, searching your eyes, "May I?"

If where he's taking you will resolve the questioning you've been doing for a year, then it's worth a shot. Technically, you never broke up with him.

"As...as long as you're not leading me to my death." You reply finally, and his grin widens, something you've missed a lot more than you realised.

He pulls you into a close hug, and you melt into it, feeling enclosed with his warmth. He murmurs, "I've missed you so much, babygirl," and you just hold on tighter, afraid that he actually hasn't come back, and this is all a dream. The past year was torture, wondering if it was your fault, wondering if you weren't good enough. But now he's back.

You reluctantly pull away, hoping that wherever you're going, you'll be able to hug him again.

"Do I need to bring anything?" You ask, familiarising yourself with his features once again, from the flecks of silver in his irises, to the curve of his bottom lip. You notice that the vest over his loose white shirt, has reams of gold thread weaved into it. To your surprise, it looks real, how he was able to afford it is beyond you.

He shakes his head. "Not now, we can come back for it." He holds out his hand, and you take it tentatively, interlinking your fingers together.

Jefferson whisks his hat off his curls, holding it out in front of him before dropping it to the ground as it begins spinning. You take a step back, never getting less mesmerised whenever he creates a new portal. The trails of silver and purple that glitters around the rim of the hat, the seemingly never ending midnight hole in the centre of the hat that glows and pulls you in like hypnosis. Before you know it, he's gesturing for you to step in, and then you're being surrounded by darkness, your heart beating out of your chest as you close your eyes. You can feel wind rushing past your ears, the experience sending adrenaline rushing through your veins as you free fall. You can't help but let out a laugh as you drift your arms through the empty space, missing this feeling. But, to your disappoint, you land too soon, feet hitting smooth, large rocks.

You blink, trying to familiarise yourself with your surroundings. It's still night, so when you look up, you see miles of pitch black sky. Your mouth drops open, because goddamn, even though it's dark, the stars have come out. There are millions of them, and that's only counting the ones that are in your view. They seem to be twinkling, drawing back into themselves before sparkling brighter than before.

"It's beautiful, hey?" Jefferson says beside you, and you nod wordlessly. He wraps an arm around your waist and nuzzles his face into the crook of your neck. You let it be, because frankly, you miss his touch.

"Yeah," you finally reply in a quiet voice, turning to him.

After a moment, he takes your hand gently. “It’ll only be a short walk. Come on.” He says, giving you a smile, and leading you down the stone path. As you walk, you take time to admire your surroundings, the moonlight trickling through the leaves of the shaded trees. How the grass seemed to sparkle, how it all looked so much more beautiful than your dimension.

A nudge to your side startles you, bringing you out of your daze. Jefferson’s nervously raking his hand through his hair, gesturing in front of him.

“We’re here.”

Your jaw drops, eyes widening as you take a shocked step back. The pathway tiptoes up into a flight of stairs, and beyond that, an open door surrounded by a golden glow. The tall brick towers loom over you, their creamy colour creating a welcoming atmosphere, their details and roofs flickering with varying shades of blue. Windows remain dark, waiting to be filled with life again. It’s not the largest castle you’ve seen, such as the Queen of Hearts’ castle, but it’s more than enough for you to whisper, ‘oh my god,’ with wide eyes. It’s surrounded by trees and forage, orbs of light somehow drifting around the area. Before you can say anything, his rakish smile’s returned and he’s walking ahead on the stairs, nodding at you to follow him. As you reach the top of the stairs, you flinch, expecting reams of guards to be waiting there, ready to drag you away. But to your surprise, there’s nobody but Jefferson, and you.

“J-Jefferson, why did you bring me...” Your voice trails off when you enter the castle, letting out an audible gasp as you wrap your arms around you, like protection. Envision the most beautiful medieval vestibule you can imagine, multiply its aesthetic factor by 10, and add more crystals and gold. Maybe it was a little over the top, but at least it wasn’t gaudy like the Queen of Heart’s castle, the few times you had been there. The mahogany floor splits into two staircases, curving around to meet each other as they ascended, leading off into god knows where. Doorways were carved out of the marble, on the sides of the hall, and no doubt expensive, ornaments were placed around the area.

“Welcome to your new home, doll.” He says, watching you for your reaction.

If you almost fainted at that moment, nobody needed to know. But you can safely say that your heart almost stopped, spinning around to lock eye contact with him with your hands shaking a little.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Is all you can get out, not believing his words, despite his genuine tone.

He heaves a sigh, crossing his arms and ducking his head, avoiding your eyes, despite you trying to get him to look at you.

"The Queen of Hearts visited me one night, a week before I left, and offered me a chance to gain some riches, if I transported her to another dimension. It wasn't just some riches, actually, she offered to give me our own castle. I agreed, seeing as the castle was gorgeous and all the other places to live in other dimensions, were inhabited. I wasn't allowed to tell anyone, otherwise she would destroy this home, with you in it. Anyway, I don't want to go into detail now, about the things I did. But the most important thing is that I completed the tasks, and yes, it-it took me a year. I got back two weeks ago, and she grudgingly gave me the castle, and the riches. Then I've spent the past two weeks making it feel like home. And tonight, I came to get you. I was gonna leave a note, as I said, to tell you to meet me tomorrow night in front of the house. But you were apparently awake so... " He turns to you when you don't say anything, and lets out a soft, nervous laugh when he sees your wide eyes and hands over your mouth.

"So please, don't be mad. I didn't want to leave you, I promise." He mumbles, fidgeting with his hands.

"Mad? Why would I be mad? You did this... you did this all for me? You thought I was worth the effort?" You say in disbelief, looking around again, lingering on the magnificent chandelier. It looks like raindrops have fallen and suspended in mid air, fireflies flickering in between the glass orbs.

"You're more than worth the effort, I just wanted to give us the life that I wanted to spend with you, and when the opportunity came, I had to." He shrugs, placing his hands on his hips.

Before you know it, you’re throwing yourself at him, looping your arms around his neck and pulling him close. You hold him tightly, shutting your eyes as you bury your head into the crook of his neck. His arms circle to pull you in by the waist, letting his lips linger on the top of your head, and you can tell that he’s smiling.

“I’m sorry for thinking that you’d cheated on me, I shouldn’t have assumed that you’d be like that.” You mumble, ashamed of yourself.

He shakes his head, running his hands up and down your side, making tingles rise to your skin. “It’s not your fault, Y/N. I left you for a year, and it’s easy to think anything, I gave no explanation.” He tells you reassuringly, as you look up at him.

You rest your palm on his cheek, smoothing the small lines beneath his eyes with your thumb and giving him a shy smile.

“Is this okay?” You ask hesitantly, as he closes his eyes and warms to your touch.

“It’s more than okay, love. I’ve missed this.” He says huskily, leaning in.

Your lips touch, and god, it’s so perfect and you can remember this. You try to memorise the shape of his lips again, feeling fire burn through your veins as you deepen the kiss. He tangles his hand in your hair, holding you and keeping you safe. You let out a soft gasp of, “I love you,” when you pull back for breath, and his mouth flutters into a grin, murmuring the words back to you before he reels you back in.

“This is so softttttt.” You whine, as Jefferson pulls the blankets up over you.

He chuckles, watching you cuddle into the fluffy pillows. He changed you into a silk night gown, which felt like absolute heaven, and promised to treat you with a bath tomorrow.

“You’re adorable, you know that?” Jefferson says, as he gets in beside you.

You roll your eyes, sitting up, propped up against the bed head. “I’m not gonna answer that but honestly, I need to thank you again.”

He shakes his head, pressing light kisses to your neck gently. “There’s no need. As long as we spend our time well here.”

“Yeah but...”

Jefferson cuts you off with a kiss, laying you back down beside him.

“We can talk about it tomorrow, alright? Right now, I basically woke you up in the middle of the night, threw you into a portal, and brought you into a castle. I think you need some sleep.” He says firmly, and you nod, already feeling your eyes droop. You still can’t fight off the guilt that settles in your chest but you try to push it away, until tomorrow.

He throws his arm over your waist, pulling your back flush against his chest, spooning you. It’s been ages since you’ve been in another person’s embrace, let alone in the comfort of your bed. You snuggle into him, letting out a sleepy giggle when he kisses up the crook of your neck.

“Sleep, my pretty girl. You can look forward to exploring the rest of this dimension tomorrow, and I’ll be right there with you.” He murmurs in your ear, kissing the tip of it.

“Sounds perfect...” You say softly, letting yourself go to sleep in the knowledge that your lover is back.

permanent tags (OPEN): @thecrownedrose / @vibranium-arm / @gallifreyansass / @omalleysgirl22​ / @girlwith100names​ / @buckysinthesinbin / @cameronahugenerd​ / @imsecretlyromanburki​ / @megan-atthedisco-blog​ / @buckys-fossil​ / @iamwarrenspeace​ / @sofiathearab / @yikesbuckster​ / @buckyappreciationsociety​ / @debbielovesbucky​ / @metal-armed-dino​ / @helloitscrowley​ / @sebastian-stans-thighs​ / @fantastic-fantasy-fanfics​ / @sebastian----stan​ /  @feelmyroarrrr / @mjuikoli / @meganliiz / @psychicwitchphilosopher

(strike through means I couldn't tag you, sorry!)​

[spotsandfreckles]

PLOTTING CALL with actual plots because I’m trying not to be lazy and these peeps really need some more stuff going on. If any of these plots interest you or you think of something else they can fit then hmu here or on discord ! or just like this and i’ll come to you !!

ALPHA

Friends - Anybody close to his own age that can get along with a sometimes grumpy dude that is softer than he seems. (be prepared to hear lots of rants about dug and the kids)

Mentor/Parental Figure - since he was once technically a villain, he can give advice to vks who are trying to adjust and choose good

AMOS -  son of the ringmaster/20/pan

a friend that shares his love of animals

his siblings ( they can be adopted or half )

exes

enemies ( possibly someone that used to bully him )

ARMANI - son of the mad hatter/24/pan

ride or die friendship

exes

enemies/frenemies

ARSEN - son of Bomb Voyage/24/pan

enemies; it’d be funny if he made an enemy bc he’s v apathetic and they’d most likely get mad by his lack of caring over whatever fued they have

protector/protectee; somebody that he has a soft spot for and protected when they were on the isle

his twin, fraternal or identical

DOPEY - 38/pan

his ex wife ( rec fcs: morena baccarin, emma stone, shantel vansanten and open to any others ), it would’ve been a peaceful divorce and she’s probably an oc but if there’s another character that works that’s cool too

romantic plot

HAROLD - son of horace/21/pan

exes based off this ( he would’ve been the one that cheated probably )

enemies from the isle bc boy has a lot

ride or die friendship

protector/protectee; somebody that he has a soft spot for and protected when they were on the isle

KEEGAN - son of jaq/19/gay

he’s v gay but doesn’t want anyone to know so maybe a girl that he’s dating to help hide it

ride or die friendship

start of relationship plot here ( potentially lots of angst )

polyship

KOSTIA - daughter of Shere Khan/27/pan(prefers women)

a vk she served on the isle as a minion ( maybe she stills serves them or hid from them after leaving the isle )

protector/protectee; somebody that had a soft spot for her and tried to protect her on the isle

LELAND - son of smee/23/pan

more crewmates/friends

exes

he’s v heartbroken over theo and reverting back to being an asshole (minus trying to do better by his family) so if anyone wants to do something w this then hmu

LUCA - son of dr.finkelstein&jewel/24/pan

secret friends; his father kept him very sheltered and he hardly left the house. maybe one of the few times he was let out, he met someone that he clicked with well and they agreed to stay friends in secret.

MALACHAI - son of madam mim & merlin/30/pan

he takes more after his father but he still has attributes of his mother and i’d like for him to meet someone that brings out the darker side in him

ex friends; he has a lot of problems with his memory, it’s possible that he could even forget a person so maybe a friend that he forget and either they’re trying to make him remember or they hate him for it but won’t tell him why

polyship

SAUDA - daughter of scar/23/pan(prefrers women)

minions; she can’t take over auradon on her own

fwb; she don’t do emotions so this as close to a relationship as she can do

DOMINIC - son of blackbeard/25/pan

captain; probably the only person who can depend on him to be loyal

crewmates; there may not be a captain yet but there’s still never enough pirates

a vk that’s truly terrified of him bc he used to bull them or any number of reasons

an ak that he can corrupt

STEFANO - son of Stromboli/22/demi

he used to be v close with two other people from the isle but one passed away when they were teens and it hurt too much for them to be friends afterwards (if somebody wants to bring me a jack o’connell fc for this that’d be awesome but not necessary!)

more strangers than friends; they have long talks late at night and can open up to each other because they don’t actually know each other

THEIRRY - tick tock the crocodile/unknown/pan

something based of this ( he’s not a firefighter but could still help )

friends for anyone that can put up with a sassy crocodile

WENDY - 40/demi

husband edward ( any fc, also open to an oc option )

her other child/sibling to jane ( i can help search for fcs )

***unless i stated it specifically, gender doesn’t matter for any of these plots!