#tell sybil all about it at tea...

[nemo-writes]

⋆˚࿔ ⋆˚࿔ 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐞 ; 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝜗𝜚˚⋆𝜗𝜚˚⋆

↣ pack!tf141 x witch!reader

↣ chapter summary; a new face arrives in town, and everything begins to shift. something is terribly wrong strange, but no one is talking.

⚠️ warnings; none

★ next

☆ story masterlist

As the first light of dawn filtered through the windows of the apothecary, you buzzed around, busy with substituting half-way empty jars with new ones full of elixirs and various herbs. The heavy scent of sage hung in the air, mingling with the faint aroma of brewing potions bubbling in the cauldron nestled in the corner. With a flick of your wrist, you lit the candles scattered around the shop, their soft glow casting long but warm shadows around the shop. 

Your familiar Sybil, a snow white Borzoi, twitched from her spot under the counter, slightly raising her head in attention. Not a second later, the bell above the door chimed with your first client of the day. 

“Well, well, still up with the dawn, I see.” The deep, raspy voice was unmistakable.

Alex stepped into the apothecary with his usual long strides, his dark blonde hair a touch wilder than you remembered. 

“And you're still sneaking around at sunrise," you teased lightly. “Here for Farah’s order? I was just about to pour a fresh batch.”

“Yeah,” he replied, as he handed you his usual green thermos for the refill. “She’s been feeling… well, she’s hanging in there. Just a bit more tired lately.”

You hummed knowingly, tightening your apron and moving to get the order ready. 

“Have you heard?”

“About?” You replied absentmindedly, focused on getting the exact quantity of steaming liquid into the thermos. 

“The new girl that Laswell took in.” 

That made you pause and turn to look at him. 

Laswell was a witch like you, and a deeply influential one at that. That made her difficult to approach, but even harder to earn her trust. It had taken you a year of back and forth before she allowed you to set up shop in this part of the city. So to say that you were slightly intrigued was an understatement. 

“Who now?”

He snorted, stretching over the counter to wriggle his fingers down at Sybil, and who in response raised her large snot to meet them in greeting. 

“Apparently a few nights ago Ghost saved this rando girl from the Rose District―”

“What the hell was she doing in the Rose District?” 

“Well clearly she’s not from around here.” He retorted, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, which clearly wasn’t. Even people from out of town knew to stay away from that place, especially at night. She was either from another country altogether or really, really, dumb. 

“Anyways, he took her to Laswell and she offered her a job on the spot. She even let her settle in the loft above her bar and all.”

“Well, that’s….unexpected? But good for her I guess.”

“But wanna hear the best part?” Shrugging you rang him up, throwing in a few stray herbs in a satin pouch as an extra for his wife. 

“She’s magicless, and a total smokeshow.” He was clearly trying to get a rise out of you, and honestly, he was successful. Rolling your cleaning rag tightly, you snapped it against his hand. He yelped in surprise, cradling his hands with mock-indignation. 

“Anything else?” He shook his head and dropped the exact amount for the order into the ornate dish you kept beside the register. 

“You’re no fun,” he pouted, stashing the flash into his bag before pointing at the satin bag. “What’s this?” 

“They should help with Farah’s morning sickness. Just mix them in with her morning tea, a dash of honey will help with the bitterness.” 

He gave you a wide boyish grin. “You’re the best, you know that?”

Waving him off and as if telling him ‘oh I know’, you watched him leave with a spring to his step, clearly eager to go back to his wife. You waited for him to disappear from sight, before reaching for your phone in your apron’s pocket. 

9:15 am

you: hi

you: everything k? alex told me about the rose district

9:17

👻: 👍🏻

9:18

you: lmk if u need anything

you: btw your order’s ready, you can drop by anytime

you: sybil says hi 

(picture attached) 

You didn’t get a reply right away, which was strange, but not uncommon for the half-wraith. In the end, he always got back to you. Telling Sybil to stay put and care for the storefront, you moved to the back to organise the rest of the day’s orders. 

Once upon a time, Ghost’s go-to place had gone out of business (he had personally taken it down after discovering it was a front for a fairy trafficking ring), and as per Laswell’s recommendations, he had appeared one day to commission you with a list of potions and ingredients, each tailored to his pack’s specific needs. He gave you three days, and you had gone above and beyond to deliver. 

You knew you had succeeded in meeting their expectations after he came back the following month with a much bigger and more detailed list in hand. And it was through his monthly visit that you got to know the rest of the pack. 

Simon took care of pickups and never stayed long, but long enough to listen to you rant about lousy customers, all while answering to Sybil's demands for pets. 

You never got much done with Johnny around, but his charm definitely helped you with sales, especially with the older gnome ladies. The werewolf also played tug with your familiar when the shop became notably busy and you couldn’t take Sybil for her daily walkies. 

As the only son of a witch, Kyle liked to help you with just about everything. He especially enjoyed peering over your shoulder whenever you delved into one of your many experiments, smiling like a child whenever you asked for his opinion. 

You got to know John last, a human Hunter and their de facto leader. He never dropped by, but whenever you encountered him outside your shop, he never failed to greet you with a warm smile and ever warmer shoulder-squeeze. The older man also was a worrywart to his core, always asking about you and Sybil, as in have you had breakfast/lunch/dinner yet? Did you get your windows insulated for the winter? He can take care of it for you, and oh he got a good bargain on some chicken, let him share some of it with you. 

Slowly but surely, they each had wormed itself into your stiff-witchy heart. 

10:30

👻: can’t today

👻: sendin’ alejandro

The curt answer made you falter, a mix of disillusion and confusion settling heavily on the pit of your stomach. His lack of response to Sybil's picture was also worrying, that never happened. You struggled not to push him for an explanation. 

And so, you waited. 

Alejandro made his appearance a few hours later. Again, you left Sybil in charge while you greeted him and his partner, Rudy.

“Preciosa, it’s good to see you.” Alejandro enveloped you in a tight hug and kissed you on the cheek, Rudy following right after. 

You returned their greeting just as warmly, guiding them to the back and to the crates stacked neatly and ready for them to take. You watched them work, swaying a little from side to side, before finally mustering up the courage to ask them about Ghost’s unusual absence. 

“Is Ghost okay?”

Alejandro grunted as he loaded the crates into the trunk, hand falling over his hips before he turned to regard you with a raised eyebrow. “Yeah he’s fine, por (why)?”

You shoved your hands deep into your apron’s pockets, a nervous habit. “He has never missed a pickup, and he’s not answering my texts.” 

“Oh, it’s probably that girl.” He acknowledged dismissively. As if sensing your dismay at Alejandro’s lacklustre response, Rudy chimed in. 

“Leah, the new girl working for Laswell.”

Making the most of his receptiveness, you prodded Rudy for more details. “Have you met her?”

He shook his head, tilting his chin towards his partner. “Nope, but Ale has.”

“Well she’s cute, in a mousy kind of way.” He supplied while scratching his chin, and something about his pensive gesture told you that he still hadn't exactly made up his mind about her. 

They were quick to leave however, busy with their own things, plus having to drop off the pack’s order. You watched them go, fingers twisting and turning 

Yes, hopefully this strange episode would pass.

. . .

Things did not pass, if anything, they only got worrisomely stranger. 

A few days later, you found yourself in the supermarket. It was just another part of your routine that you usually enjoyed.  You reached for a jar of honey, when you felt it—a shift in the air, a tingle at the back of your neck. Straightening, you allowed your gaze to wander, searching for the source.

And then you saw him.

He stood a few feet away, staring intently at a shelf of cereals. Your heart skipped a beat, not from surprise but from the pleasant flutter you always felt when you saw him. You  instinctively moved closer, a full smile already settled on your lips.

“Johnny, hi!” 

His head jerked up as if startled, eyes widening when they met yours. For a moment, he looked at you with a strange mix of confusion and surprise, as if he barely recognized you. 

“Och aye! Hello there! Whit ye daein' here?"

“Uh, I always shop here on Sundays?” But you know that, you’ve come with me more than once!

"Oh, dae ye no? Well, anyways!” Johnny’s brows furrowed, and he blinked rapidly, like someone waking from a deep sleep. His gaze flickered away from your face and back to the rows of cereal “Whit dae ye think Leah would fancy the most?"

That caught you off guard, so much so that you couldn't give him a rightout answer.

Suddenly, a second figure came from around the corner. It was Gaz. He walked up to the two of you, but something was off. 

“Mate, stop running off! We need to get back to—” Gaz blinked at you, as if seeing you for the first time. “Oh, hi?”

“Hi?” You parroted back with an incredulous guffaw. 

You just stood there, feeling an unfamiliar and uncomfortable sensation—like the ground beneath you had shifted and you were the only one who noticed. This wasn’t right. Your relationship had always been so easy, and filled with laughter. But now, it was like there was a barrier between you and them, unseen and unsettling.

“Is…everything okay?” You asked them, voice laced with a mix of worry and disbelief. 

Gaz looked at you again, but there was no warm recognition in his eyes. “We’re fine,” he said, though his voice was flat. Then, without another word, he turned and walked away, Johnny following him like a shadow, a box of chocolate flavoured loops in hand.

He hated that kind, not even bending whenever Gaz tried to coax him into getting them as a treat. 

You watched them disappear down the aisle, dumfounded. The vibrant hum of the grocery store around you flickered slightly as your mind whirled. 

Taking a breath, you forced yourself to stay calm. You should head back to the apothecary and Sybil, maybe even check in with Laswell. 

She’d know what to do, right? She always did.

banner credit

[gibor-zolel]

Tabitha: The sacrificial lamb? And possible Sybil motivations + partnership with Wayne

So in this post I'll be discussing why I think Tabitha is supposed to be the sacrifice and we're supposed to run the town.

I will also give a theory as to what Sybil's motivations might be and why her and "Wayne" seem to be working together even though they appear to dislike each other.

SPOILERS AND MANY SCREENSHOTS BELOW. THIS IS A LONG POST BE WARNED.

Right at the beginning of the game we can tell that Tabitha is unhappy with her lot in life and feels forced into doing what she believes is best for the town (similar to how Neeks feels forced and trapped)

She even admits as such during our time with her in chapter 3.

She; as the cousin who is older and has lived in Scarlet Hollow has been groomed by her mother into thinking that all this falls on her and she needs to sacrifice her life and happiness for the sake of the town.

But she's not the only one that believes this. Both Keneeka and Sybil have stated as much. Keneeka makes an offhand comment about how "we're not even a real Scarlet like Tabitha and this should fall on her" if we give up years of our life in chapter 3.

But Sybil is more....insidious and serious when she says this;

Sybil thinks it's Tabby's responsibility to give up a decade of her life to placate a ghost that was murdered by a Scarlet decades ago. I'm not gonna screencap every time Sybil makes an argument "for the greater good" but if you listen to her all throughout this story, you'll notice she does it A LOT.

Here's one example;

Everything has a price....but would Sybil do something like this herself? Perhaps...but it's more likely she's willing to do something horrible to her own daughter "for the sake of the town". She makes a big deal out of how the people in Scarlet Hollow are tied to this town and how they can't just get up and leave in chapter 2. She's not wrong but it's also obvious she's plotting and hiding information from us.

Which brings me to this; There's a strong possibility that "The Witch" is not merely an ancestor of Sybil but rather Sybil herself. In this scene we notice that The Witch has many poisonous plants...similar to how Book Smart can point out all the poisonous plants in chapter 1 or 4.

The Witch also sends Charlie on a dangerous mission to uncover the seals...hmmm who does that sound like? In chapter 4 after our tea session with Sybil she tells us to investigate the seals and find out what's hidden beneath them.

More importantly....if you have Mystical or don't drink Sybil's tea you can resist the urge to open the door in chapter 3.

We also learn towards the end of chapter 4 that Sybil is the one who told Dr Kelly to poison her son but we can only learn this if we didn't drink the chaga tea in chapter 2.

So it's pretty clear that Sybil wants two things;

(1) Uncover the seals

(2) Protect the town....even at the expense of others

But something that's interesting is that Sybil and whatever is piloting Sam Wayne's corpse seem to be working together for a common goal..even though the two don't seem to like or even respect each other.

We learn in chapter 1 or 2 depending on our choices, that "Wayne" has been coming by Sybil's tea room. Although it's unclear if the original Sam Wayne did this as well.

Regardless; Sybil tells Wayne she can't help him tonight and tells him to go away. In multiple chapters Sybil refers to Wayne as a drifter who'll be gone soon. She also stresses that we should be wary of him and to steer clear whenever he's around and we'll be fine. It's clear she knows what Wayne wants and most likely knows what "he" really is. She also gets this worried (disgusted?) look on her face if we tell her we're in love with Wayne (sorry no pic lol)

But she also steers clear of Wayne as well and rarely interacts with him and Wayne straight up threatens her if we choose to give up years of our life.

So why this hostility? And why do I think they might be working together?

Lets talk about those boxes in chapter 4. If you have Keen Eye in chapter 4 and open the closet you get this;

So it's Wayne that opens these boxes and shifts the doll around. Why? Well at the end of chapter 4 he tells us to investigate the estate and that we might be surprised at what we find. Wayne does this thing where it's obvious he knows what's going on but he won't directly tell us what's happening. He says it's because it'll be better for us to find out ourselves so "we can know who to really trust".

In other words; Wayne believes that once we uncover everything we'll be on his side. He's pretty confident about all this and I'm unsure how much to trust him; given that he repeatably bad mouths our friends and suggests we abandon them to save our own skins.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Why did Wayne open these boxes? Did he hope to find damming information against the Scarlet's? I find it hard to believe that Tabby has that pushed into the front of our closet but maybe she doesn't know it's there? And why didn't he put the boxes back in place? Almost as if he wants us to open that specific box.

What if...Wayne planted something there? Or maybe he took a piece of evidence and hid it? I think option 1 is more likely considering he seems to be isolating us from our friends.

I believe Wayne is working with Sybil to make sure Tabitha is the one to pay for all the crimes the Scarlet's did and insure that we are unharmed. I don't think Sybil cares too much if we get hurt but I also think she's of the belief that it's Tabitha who should be the sacrifice not us. Tabitha is the only one that Sybil agrees on being "The Cat" in episode 4. Sybil pushes you to distrust Tabby and perhaps Wayne planted something there to make us distrust her too.

Look at this interaction between Wayne and Tabby during the haunting;

He says this if you deliberately taunt Tabitha but I don't believe he's being sincere here. It sounds like he's mocking her in a subtle way given what he says in another option;

So far Tabby and Wayne haven't interacted much but imo it appears that Wayne enjoys taunting Tabitha and rubbing her ex's dead body and their failed relationship in her face. Pretty nasty but Wayne is pretty nasty to a lot of our friends.

Either way; Wayne is very invested in making sure we're safe and he gets pissed if we sacrifice ourselves and this is the only time we see him have any kind of emotion.

So what if he's so intent on keeping us safe he wants Tabby to take the fall for whatever skeletons are in the Scarlet's closet?

There's also this theme of the heir to the estate sacrificing their younger siblings or others to keep themselves in power. After all; Enoch sacrificed Teddy for power.

Tabby may be older than us but she's not the child of the heir, that's us. Vivian was supposed to be the boss of the mines but she left after she discovered she was pregnant.

I believe the Scarlet's have a history of having one side of their family rule while the other side gets used as sacrifices for whatever is cursing this town. Wayne wants to protect us from getting murked and Sybil is willing to do whatever it takes to ensure the people of the Holler can keep living their lives.

And let's face it; most of the town believes Tabby is to blame for all of their problems. She isn't sociable, she's blunt, she's isolated, she's alone....the perfect scapegoat?

[mrstellmeafuckingsecret]

sybill trelawney hcs? luv ur names fatima/jack btw idk smt about it js gives me the best vibes youre like that small transition between autumn and winter where the wind is cold and it cuts right through you because you're not quite cold enough to wear your coat and warm layers yet but in that second you regret it

hi hello that's litr the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me umm haha msg me let's get married ily

also, i was litr just thinking of sybill. i have my pinterest board for her to open rn. uh, have some hcs <3

she was raised in a muggle village as an only child

severely autistic child who showed violent magic since a very young age

couldn't make any friends easy at all

at hogwarts, she was one year above the marauders

the girls in her dorms were nice but in an overtly condescending way

she got horrible grades in nearly everything. she could memorize contents and stuff, but she couldn't write right for shit, her hands wrote down what her brain thought with absolutely no format

she was slightly better at herbology than the rest of the subjects

on that note, absolutely abhorrent handwriting

she took divination because of her grandmother and grew to absolutely adore it

she also took arithmancy (which she was less good at, but good nonetheless) and ancient runes

was bullied a lot because she had mini-visions in school occasionally

invited by slughorn to the slug club, but she never went since she never had anyone to go with her

hated hated hated silence, she talked excessively

she became close to the girls in her dorm eventually, one in particular whom she developed a small obsession with

that girl, call her lucy, was her lesbian awakening (she had just assumed she never liked any boys at school, none of them showed overt interest in her either.)

listens to 40s music near-exclusively

had a horrid burn on her chest that she got when she was fifteen, she was making tea and the water fell on her because she got her first prophecy

after that, she only wore large clothes that covered her entire body

speaking of body, sybill's body weight fluctuates horribly often bc she hyper fixates on stuff and forgets to eat (+sleep) and also binge eats

told dumbledore that the spy may be from the marauders which is why he believed it was sirius

felt guilty about the (harry/voldemort) prophecy bc she felt if it was her own fault

she predicted deaths every year because she foresaw her loved one's death and didn't tell them

i have more but im sososo sleep deprived rn. i love sybill (and u im sirius serious let's get married)

[jaylienpotter]

Part 4 of Let them be | 1k words

> Part 3 | Part 5 (to come) <

Credit to @starsarestories for suggesting including Hagrid in marauders fics!

Let people want none

"Comin'!" With a loud creak, the wooden door opened wide. "Ah, Peter! What'cha doin' here? Come in!" Rubeus Hagrid was a half giant who was Hogwarts' gamekeeper. He was extremely sweet, despite his intimidating figure. He had guided Pettigrew and Potter on their first day there and they quickly warmed up to the hairy man. Peter went to his cabin from time to time.

"Hello Hagrid. I'm honestly hiding from my peers, you're a calmer presence so I came here. Hope that's alright?"

"O' course! Hungry?" The man infamous for his cooking skills. If Hagrid invited him for tea, he felt bad refusing, eating the rock hard pastries he made. The flavour wasn't bad. It was just hard to chew.

"No, thank you."

"Tea?"

"Yeah, alright. Thanks." He prepared the tea and sat opposite to the student.

"So. What'cha hidin' for? Did ye get into a fight?" No, but he had been further from starting one.

"No. It's just… It's James. He keeps messing with me, saying I fancy this person. But I don't! And it's really frustrating…"

"Ye told him that already?"

"I keep telling him Benjy and I are just friends- Benjy is the one I'm talking about. Benjamin Fenwick, Ravenclaw, a year above." Hagrid nodded once, maybe he knew Ben. Or he was just being polite. "But James doesn't believe me. Says I'm in bloody denial. But I don't like Benjy that way!"

"Yer just not gay, that's alrigh'. Ye can be close to a friend."

"It's not that… I never fancied anyone. At all. Girls or boys. Sybill liked me at one point and she's sweet and passionate and pretty but… I just don't feel it. Maybe I'm broken…"

"Nonsense! Yer so young, ye'll find the right person, don't worry boy." Wormtail exhaled after taking a sip from the hot wonky mug.

"You don't understand, I… I don't think I'm capable of feeling that, you know? Like… everyone is coupling now. James is head over heels for Evans as usual. I think she's gaining a liking for him, which will make him impossible to be with. Marlene and Dorcas are a couple. Oh, Remus and Sirius got together by the way."

"Ah, did they? Good for 'em. I think they make a good couple."

"Yes, finally. They're two oblivious idiots. But anyways. Everyone is all lovey-dovey and I just… don't get it? I don't see what's so special about being in love. If anything it seems annoying and disgusting. And everyone is expecting me to join in but I don't want to…"

"Then don't. Simple. Ye gotta learn not to fall under pressure, Peter." He did have a point. Saying 'no' was a very difficult task.

"But what if I never feel fulfilled?"

"Lemme tell ye a secret, Pete. Ya don't need a partner nor family to be happy. I'm happy and haven't had a girlfriend since my years at Hogwarts. It's just been me and my animals. It's enough for me. Some people, like James, need love to feel fulfilled but not everyone. Some people don't care about it or do not wish for it. One example is Professor Mcgonagall."

"She's never had a partner?"

"Not as far as I'm aware. She much rather have her space and doin' other things. An' that works. Maybe it's what works for ye too." His head of house was a brilliant witch. Tired, for sure, but who wouldn't be when you have the Marauders as your students?

"I see… Maybe you're right. But how do I tell people? Everyone will think I'm odd."

"Just say ye don' feel that attraction. Ye prefer friendship. Or don't say nothin'. Ye don't owe anyone explanations, yeah? Do what feels best for ye." Wormtail relaxed. He needed to hear it. That he wasn't broken. He wasn't the only one like that. And it was okay.

"Thanks, Hagrid. I'm glad I came to talk to you."

"Anytime. Always good to have som' company. Ye welcome to come over whenever, alright?" The boy smiled and nodded, finishing his tea and saying his goodbyes.

"You won't believe it! I got my hands on an Incredible Hulk! Can't wait to read it!" He might not have been a scholar like Remus. And big literacy books were boring to him. Comics, however? He owned a huge collection. Marvel was his favourite.

"That's great! You'll have to tell me about it when you finish." Benjy was the only one really willing to listen to him ramble about the things he liked. James read comics too, but it was hard to have a conversation about it, Prongs always ended up being the only one talking, too absorbed to notice he was cutting off Wormy. It wasn't his fault, yet it still made the short boy feel invisible. Not with Benjamin, though.

"You can read it afterwards, if you want. And then we can discuss it."

"Thanks but I prefer it when you explain it. You're cute when you're excited." Pettigrew wasn't stupid. He knew his friends were right when they said Fenwick fancied him. He would just rather pretend he didn't know. Pretend it's not true. Live in ignorant bliss.

"Oh, thanks. So uhm… Have you been drawing?" Ravenclaws were mostly known for their intelligence and academic values. What people often forgot was how it was also the House of creativity.

"Yeah, here and there." A comfortable pause followed, the mood shifted as soon as the silence broke. "Pete… Can I tell you something?" Oh no. No… No, please don't confess. Please. Everything was going so well…

"Sure, what's up?" His voice sounded casual, even though his stomach took a toll. If this was anything like what people described as 'butterflies in their stomach', Wormtail was glad he didn't feel attraction.

"You probably know this already- or you don't and are oblivious. But… I like you. As in I fancy you. Have been for a while." The Ravenclaw probably wasn't expecting that reaction. Maybe a rejection, an unsureness or if he got lucky, a kiss. Instead he was met with sadness. Pettigrew looked down, leg bouncing from anxiety. "Please say something…"

"I can't…" Voice broken, much how he felt inside. "I-I can't love like that… It's not-"

"'It's not you, it's me', heard that one."

"No, Benjy! Listen to me, please… I don't think I'm capable of having romantic feelings. I can't bring myself to be interested in any of those things. Kisses grosses me, couples annoy me, the whole societal norms in regards to love leave me bloody fuming! I don't know why I'm like this. I just really don't like that sappy stuff. It's not for me. And if I did like it and feel romantic attraction, I would've definitely dated you. It just doesn't feel right to be with anyone… I'm sorry for giving you any wrong signals…"

"It's okay. I thought there was something, sorry for misinterpreting our relationship." No, don't go!

"No! Benjy there is! Just because it's platonic doesn't mean it's not special! You're my best friend…"

"I… I thought it was the Marauders?"

"Well… James is sort of on your level. But you've been climbing your way up, I feel. Remus is a good friend and Sirius too but… Nothing compared to you. You make me feel loved, like I'm worth something."

"You're worth the whole world…"

"Then let's not change things… I'd really hate it if you stopped being my friend because of this…" No, go back inside! Bloody tears!

"Okay. If that's what you want, I'm happy to just be near you. We can keep our Wednesday tea dates. Platonically!" The small boy chuckled. Benjy was the best, he made everything better. Wormtail could always count on him.

"I'd like that." Ben opened his arms wide and Wormy walked there in baby steps until his head was against his friend's chest. He let himself be hugged, taken care of. "Are you mad?"

"At you? Never."

"I'm sorry for this. You're truly special, Ben."

"So are you. As a lover or a friend. So are you, Petey..." They stayed like that for a while. And then they carried as usual, their bond the same as before, if not stronger. Things hadn't gone the way Benjamin wanted them to, but the Marauder knew he got touched by being called a best friend. And Peter meant every word of it. Not loving romantically didn't mean not loving at all. Platonic love was just as important, just as intense, just as real.

[juleshollow]

Kaneeka-Tabitha theory

Oh my god I might have hated on Kaneeka unfairly

In my previous post I wrote about Kaneeka becoming a different person whenever Tabitha is involved. It just hit me: Kaneeka acting so uncharacteristically, against her core principles... COULD IT BE SYBIL'S TEA??

Ok it might be a strech but hear me out. Most of the things Kaneeka says about Tabitha make total sense. She's against the exploitative coal baroness, fair. She doesn't like her personality, also fair (we know Tabby is an asshole). But she goes beyond that.

In my playthrough, I called Tabitha before going into the mines. Kaneeka was terrified of the mines. She should have been relieved that someone knew where we were, in case we needed rescue. She's responsible, so she should have put our safety before her personal opinion of my cousin. But it was Tabitha, so she didn't.

In Episode 3, Kaneeka didn't want me to invite Tabitha to the ghost hunt, but she accepted when I insisted. She was even nice about it (she said "I guess she's your family" and smiled)! But when the gang got together she suddenly became cold and made us leave before Tabitha arrived. Kaneeka is rational and mature, so she shouldn't go back on her word after making an agreement. But it was Tabitha, so she did.

And then, if Tabitha doesn't sacrifice her years and leaves the ghost in the library:

Kaneeka is smart, so she should see that exchanging part of life for a house is not a good deal. She should have said that the ghost was trying to rip us off. But it was Tabitha, so she didn't.

And she is caring and compassionate, so she should have reassured us that our well-being was way more important than any material thing. But it was Tabitha, so she didn't.

What I'm trying to say is that she goes against everything that defines her for Tabitha. Kaneeka forgets her fears and her very identity in order to be cruel to our cousin. It goes beyond dislike: at one point it becomes hate.

And we KNOW Sybil is already mind controlling her daughter with her tea. So, what if Sybil amplified Kaneeka's underlying dislike for Tabitha in order to keep her away from her?

We already suspect that Sybil is either The Witch from Charles Shaw's play or her descendant. We might not know what Sybil's intentions are yet, but it's clear that The Witch played a great part in the Scarlet family's downfall. And Sybil is already manipulating the only remaining Scarlets: she gives Tabitha special tea for the goat and she tells us to go find the rest of the carvings. We don't know what kind of magic ritual we're being part of, but I think Sybil might want to get rid of the Scarlets once and for all. In fact, Sybil wanted Tabitha to sacrifice her years. She tried to convince her!

So it would make sense that Sybil tried to keep Kaneeka as far from Tabitha as possible! We're constantly facing mortal danger, after all.

So... if Kaneeka sometimes does things that go against her nature... and she's also occasionally hypnotized by her mom... you know...? I mean she only does this when Tabitha is involved!

[chi-the-idiot]

HUGE SCARLET HOLLOW SPOLERS FOR CHAPTER 4 UNDER THE CUT

Just me being incredibly freaked out about something people arent really talking about.

So is it just me or is Sybil the so-called cat in thr situation?

For the uninformed, in chapter 4 Sybil (Kaneeka's mother) invites you for some tea, where she performs a reading of leaves. She basically predicts all of the usual (danger, race against time, etc) but also says that "There's a central figure here. A cat. An enemy, lurking in plain sight.", basically establishing that someone is setting up these events on purpose.

You get the option to speculate on which of the characters you've met thus far might be the cat. Stella, Kaneeka, Tabitha, Avery, Oscar, Reese, Wayne, the creppy church pastor, and even Reese's mom.

But there's an option that stands out: Sybil herself.

In most cyrcumstances, it seems like the game itself tells you "don't be dumb, choose someone else". But if you have chosen the Mystical trait, you get to still ask her "what if it is you". She shuts it down, saying that it would be dumb for her to warn you if she really was the traitor.

However, if you then try and get Kaneeka to come with you to Reese's house, Sybil will interrupt you two, saying that her daughter needs rest for her "cold". She especially puts emphasis on how she needs her to "hold the family together".

Your own narrating dialogue seems to agree that you are in the wrong, until your mystical nature oposes it, saying that something isnt right.

You eventually leave alone, Sybil's eyes following you.

...

SO AGAIN, MAD SUS, RIGHT?!

And you may ask: "But why would she warn you then? It doesn't make sense."

Yet I raise you: it is not a coincidence that a cat was chosen to potray this enemy of sorts.

According to a quick search, cats tend to play with their prey once they are caught. Research proposes that this is done so that the animal is more confused and tired, thus being easier to kill for the cat.

Then, think for a minute, about how much Sybil seems to know. She knew about Wayne, and let him roam freely. She has limited herself to be cryptic about what is going on, when it feels like she knows much more than she lets off. And not to mention her attitude towards Kaneeka is so strange.

Personally, im certain that she is the evil hidden in plain sight, and this warning was given to confuse you and tire you out.

---

Also I don't think the pastor is the one. Like, yeah he's REALLY weird, and he has done wrong things (like that stuff at Kaneeka's dad's funeral), but it feels more like a red herring to me than anything. Maybe it's setting up a future chapter. But he's not evil to me at least.

[moon-witchs-world]

Growing Pains - Remus J. Lupin part nine

Growing Pains - part nine

A Hogwarts tale

Remus Lupin x Fem!Witchreader

1,5k words

This is part nine of a multipart series. You can find part eight here

Masterlist

A/n: hey lovelies! Thank you so much for reading this series of mine. I enjoy writing this so much and always look forward to hear what you think. Leave me a comment or reblog, it makes my day!

You had no idea why you had said agreed when Sybill Trelawney asked you to come to her office to drink tea after supper. You should have known she would lure you in with the promise of tea and then take the opportunity to tell you all about your future. You never took Divination when you were in Hogwarts, it seemed like a silly subject, nothing serious and definitely not something you would need for the job that you envisioned for yourself. 

But right now there was not really anything you could do to stop her from telling you things you didn't even believe in. You sat opposite Sybill, tea cup in hand and she was staring at you with her big, magnified eyes just waiting for you to finish the tea. As soon as you did, she grabbed the cup from your hands and placed it upside down on the saucer. She mumbled a few words, waited for a bit and then took the cup into her hands. She studied the contents of the cup for what seemed like hours, while she hummed and raised her eyebrows in surprise from time to time. 

‘Well, well. This is an interesting cup, very interesting indeed,’ she said finally. You nodded in response, not sure what to say. 

‘It’s a wolf,’ Sybill said matter-of-factly before turning the cup your way so you could see it for yourself. Even with a lot of imagination, you found it hard to see what the Divination professor was seeing. In your untrained eyes all the residue of the tea leaves looked the same. Like tea leaves. 

‘I’m not sure…’  you started to say, but Sybill quickly took the cup back and started talking over you. 

'Definitely a wolf. It’s a positive omen, my dear. It means overcoming enemies and misfortune or sorrow in life,’ she said while nodding. 

‘And since it’s placed in the middle, it also means you’re helping others with their concerns. Making others feel at ease. Apparently you provide much comfort,’ she continued. 

For a moment you were speechless. You did not believe in this kind of stuff. But this was very fitting. A wolf? Seriously? You stared into Sybill’s eyes as if you were trying to figure out if she was playing a trick on you. She must have seen you and Remus together and thought this was what you wanted to hear. There was no way this was legit. You were even a bit embarrassed you were so quick to believe it. 

‘Well, thank you for the tea, Sybill. But I should go. I have quite some essays to grade,’ you said while hoping it wasn’t too obvious you wanted to get out of her office as quickly as possible. 

‘Of course, dear. Take some time to think it over and if you need more advice, let me know,’ she said with a big smile. You thanked her again, not really sure what for and then left. It was weird but while you walked away, all you could think about was how hard Remus would laugh if you told him about this. 

You walked to the staffroom. You always preferred to work in the library, but you feared you would run into Remus if you went there. Ever since your argument last night you hadn’t seen him. It hurt your heart to not talk to him, but in a twisted way it made sense. He had to realize he had to take care of himself and if you were preventing him from doing just that, it was better to keep your distance. 

When you entered the staff room, you saw Minerva sitting in one of the chairs in front of the fire, reading a book. You quickly walked towards her and sat down in the chair next to her. As soon as she noticed you, Minerva slammed her book shut and looked at you with a cheeky smile. 

‘I’ve heard you’ve been busy,’ she said. You looked at her with surprise in your eyes. 

‘Not particularly, I only had two classes to teach today and then after dinner I went to drink a cup of tea with Sybill but it was an ambush and she insisted on reading my tea leaves and..’ you stopped talking when you saw Minerva shaking her head. 

‘That’s not what I meant. Severus told me he saw you and Remus kiss,’ she said with a giggle. It was so weird to see Minerva this girly and giggly about something and you involuntarily smiled as well. 

‘Severus is a creep. He sat in the dark in the Defence classroom waiting for Remus. We didn’t see him when we got in and..’ you didn’t finish your sentence, suddenly embarrassed. 

‘Because you were obviously busy. I’m so happy for the two of you,’ Minerva answered. You just stared at the fire, hoping that she would change the subject but of course she didn’t. 

‘Why do I get a feeling you’re not happy?’ she said after a short silence. You sighed and quickly explained what happened between you and Remus last night after Severus had left. You didn’t even hesitate. It felt good to talk about it to someone else and it had been bothering you the entire day. When you finished, Minerva looked at you with a frown between her brows. 

‘So after finally admitting your feelings to one another you get into a fight because Remus tells you you make him feel better than ever?’ 

You quickly shook your head. 

‘No, you don’t understand, Minnie. He’s being irresponsible. He needs to take his potion and I can’t be the one who prevents him from doing so. No, not even if he says I make him feel better than ever,’ you snapped back. She was acting like it was just that simple. 

‘You’re scared. This is a commitment. What if he hurts you? What if you hurt him? But that’s the thing with love, my dear Y/N. It’s all about taking risks. And right now you’re not even giving it a fair chance. You’re just making up all of these different reasons why it won’t work out. That’s not exactly brave.’  For a while you just sat there. Minerva’s words weren’t nice to hear, but you knew they were true. In an attempt to protect yourself and Remus from getting hurt, you hurt the both of you. 

‘Well, I’m a true Ravenclaw, I guess. Head full of knowledge but no courage to be found,’ you mumbled more to yourself than to anyone else. 

‘Luckily one of you is a Gryffindor,’ Minerva said with a smile, after which she pointed to the door. Remus Lupin had just entered the staff room. As soon as you caught his eye, you looked away. This didn’t stop him from coming over to where you were sitting. 

‘Y/N. Hey. I went to the library first and when you weren’t there I hoped to find you here. Can we talk?’ he quickly said. He was even brave enough to softly touch your arm, a true Gryffindor indeed. 

‘Remus. Just the person we wanted to see. Can you hand over your watch please?’ Minerva said sternly before you could respond. And because it’s the only right thing to do when Minerva McGonnagal tells you to do something, Remus obeyed. Minerva took the watch from him and then handed it over to you. 

‘See, Y/N is going to put an enchantment on your watch so it reminds you every night to take your potion. That way you won’t be able to forget,’ Minerva explained. You looked at her in surprise. Of course. This was so simple yet so effective. Somehow she had just come up with the perfect solution. You smiled and then grabbed your wand. It was a simple spell and you were done in the blink of an eye.  

‘It will start ringing every night at eight and it won’t stop until you complete your task,’ you said after you were done. Remus gave you a smile. 

‘Then I won’t postpone the task for too long, the ringing will probably get on my nerves,’ he answered. 

‘Yeah, that’s the idea,’ you answered and you helped him put the watch back on. 

‘Thank you, love,’ Remus said and then he grabbed your hand. 

‘Do you want to go for a walk? I haven’t seen you all day,’ he then said and you nodded. You said goodbye to Minerva and then left the staff room with Remus. 

And just like that, everything seemed perfectly normal again. Aside from the fact that you were now walking hand in hand with the Defence professor trying to stay calm but wanting nothing more than to kiss him again. And again. Oh how you hoped you would get to kiss him again soon. 

To be continued…

tags: @turvi @carlito55ainzbae @spidermansolosurfav

[adoracora-elizabeth]

Drabble - Cake

Robert walked into the great hall when he saw Cora come up from the kitchens. That was a weird time to discuss the menus with Mrs Patmore he thought. They were not expecting any special guests, were they?

She had a weird expression on her face. It made him stop in his tracks, should he let her know he saw her? Before he could decide, Cora walked up the stairs. Her face was directed to the floor. Something was bothering her, Robert knew. The way her shoulders bent forward and how she tried not to look up, so she would not make eye contact with anybody walking by.

Robert gave her a minute before he ran up the stairs. He needed to know, what had happened in the kitchens. He knocked on her door and without waiting, he opened the door.

He found Cora standing in front of one of the windows, staring outside. Her small figure looked even smaller than normal. Her chestnut brown curls were neatly put up in an updo. She had not reacted to him stepping inside the room. Had she not heard him knock? Quickly he closed the distance between him and her. Gently he placed his hands on her shoulders. "Cora?" He asked.

This startled her. "Oh, Robert. I did not hear you come in. I am sorry." He saw how she brushed over her cheeks, to hide the tears probably. He could see in her eyes, that she had been crying. She quickly turned her face back to the window.

"What is wrong my dear?" Robert squeezed her shoulders and started massaging them. He felt her react to his movements. He did not like all the fabric between his hands and her skin. He reminded himself that he should give her a proper massage, tonight after they retreated to bed. When he felt Cora let out a deep sigh, he stopped and stepped next to her. "Cora? Can you tell me what is wrong?"

Cora gave him a soft smile. "I just got reminded of how fast the time goes by and....." her voice stopped, she lowered her eyes and tried not to cry.

Robert got worried, what was making her so upset? He saw her glimmering eyes when she looked up again.

"This war......." her voice broke again. "Now our youngest is also involved. And what if something happens to Matthew? Or even Thomas."

"I know, darling. I know." Robert said while taking her hands in his. "Sybil will be alright, she is a strong young woman." Suddenly he saw Cora's face light up.

"She is." Cora said. "Carson took me down to the kitchens, where I saw her in the kitchen with Mrs. Patmore and Daisy. I think you will like the cake we will eat this afternoon tea."

Robert looked at her a little bit confused. "What do you mean, darling?"

"Sybil baked a cake."

"She did? Truly? our Sybil?"

Cora smiled and squeezed Robert's hands. "I was worried, but I am not anymore. I still wish Isobel had not suggested her to become a nurse. I do not want to think about all the horrors she is going to see. But I also know she is resilient. Carson brought me down, to scold Mrs. Patmore or even Sybil, but I will not. Our little one has grown up and I am proud of her."

Robert kissed the back of her hand. "You raised three strong woman. It feels like yesterday when you showed me Mary for the first time."

"Twenty-six years ago, can you believe it?" Cora answered.

Robert stroke with his hand over Cora's cheek. "Looking at you, I cannot believe almost thirty years have passed, since the first time I saw your beautiful face."

A smile played around Cora's mouth. "We should go downstairs; it is almost time for afternoon tea."

[sir-griswold-of-macelwain]

If i had to change one thing in season 3, it would be Violet forcing Clarkson to lie about Sybil's death to the Granthams.

I want tom and robert to be the only ones home for tea (perhaps it's just after the luncheon at mrs crawley's + matthew is somewhere on the estate) and they're, like... uncomfortably sharing the room, Tom hasnt had lunch so Robert rings and asks Jimmy to bring some fruit or bread or whatever (jimmy, because i think he only arrived after sybil's death, so what follows, he cant have planned).

Jimmy brings in some fruit, common enough that they have it in the kitchens but uncommon enough that they didnt have any since sybil's death. Apricots maybe.

When tom sees the apricots, he breaks down sobbing because Sybil loved them so much. He just cries uncontrollably and Robert just joins in, crying and sharing with him the memories they have of Sybil. Cora enters through the other door, they dont see her, she hears how they all miss her so much, and later that day she tells robert he can move back in because sybil's death was punishment enough or because they both suffer so much they should support each other in their grief or something.

I want them to really bond in their grief instead of... clarkson lying??? And also it would lay down useful bases for Robert bullying Tom to join his cricket team later on. They didnt just become friends because they lived under the same roof, but through sybil, too.

[krowbby]

For the character ask game: Sybil pls because I love her and want to hear your thoughts!

omg yes i love her

003 | Give me a character & I will tell you

How I feel about this character: I love her! I love that she's powerful and strong in her own way, not in the way that many Badass Women (tm) are just a normal male hero that they gender swapped with no thought. She's also a really interesting character as a member of the nobility in a book series that is largely anti-nobility. She's clearly neurodivergent with her dragon special interest ("And there were requests for donations, and talks, and things that added up to a heart big enough for the whole world, or at least that part of it that had wings and breathed fire."), and has some social difficulties that she manages with scripts (think: writing all those letters to Serafine while getting none back because it's What You Do with Old School Friends) but she's not incompetent in those matters. She seems to be pretty respected in society and she is able to negotiate favorable trade deals with the Low King. She is a soft power in the political sense, but also in the way that she is powerful in the story because of her softness. And of course, it's so nice to read about a woman who is the main character's love interest and is unapologetically fat, does not have a character arc revolving around losing weight, and in fact stays fat and is not made fun of it.

All the people I ship romantically with this character: Just Sam! I don't think she would have married anyone else if not for the events of Guards! Guards! I went looking for this quote because it's one of the reasons I relate to/love her: "It was clearly the room of a woman, but one who had cheerfully and without any silly moping been getting on with her life while all that soppy romance stuff had been happening to other people somewhere else, and been jolly grateful that she had her health." Absolutely iconic.

My non-romantic OTP for this character: We don't have many of them but all the interactions we get between Nobby and Sybil are so funny and so good! They're both very earnest people (in their own ways) and I imagine them having afternoon tea especially when Nobby finds out he's well, nobby.

My unpopular opinion about this character: Hard to say! I think I generally am pretty aligned with the fandom on here. I guess I'll go with that I've seen some criticism of Pterry's treatment of fatness in his books (especially with Agnes' self-criticism, villains like Cosmo) and while I do think there is some merit to that, the way he writes Sybil and Nanny in particular is such a breath of fresh air to me. There are some "jokes" related to her weight (the classic "her bosom rose and fell like an empire") but I think for the most part they are not mean spirited and there are just as many similar jokes for other body types that it doesn't bother me. However being fat and engaging with media truly sucks sometimes so I would never tell another fat person they don't deserve to feel some type of way about the treatment of a fat character.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: I would have liked to see more of her as a mom. Even once young Sam is born, I still think most of how we see her is as a wife, not as a mom. It's not totally absent, but I think it would have been cute to see more!

My OTP: Sam/Sybil!

My OT3: I'm not a huge shipper in this fandom, but I will say that the only V/V content I've enjoyed has been with Sybil as a throuple so I'll go with that!

[soulsxng]

🎰 this is a perfect way to make friends, trust me

@suizokukans | Crackship Roulette | No longer accepting!

Etoile & Death (I can see Death taking an interest in her, which means they'll poke around her asking lots of questions, and otherwise messing with/playing tricks on her. As long as they don't get on her nerves with their antics, it should be okay. They, uh...tend to be good at getting on people's nerves, though.)

"You should be careful doing that kind of thing when there are still humans around. They tend to be pretty weird about violence, after all!" The Horseman smiles as they hang upside down from a street sign, watching the curly haired woman with a smile that's likely just as eerie as it is amused. "What'd they do, anyway? Do tell!"

Tomio & Vanyllo (P robably not. Nyl honestly doesn't give humans the time of day, and if he does...it's usually because he was hired to kill one for some reason, or because they bugged him first. Both cases would NOT end well for poor Tomio orz)

He's sunbathing on a stony outcropping near the shore, tail tapping leisurely against the water below. It had seemed like the area was deserted at first, but a gasp nearby eventually had him raising his head and looking over to the source of the noise with a little frown...it seemed a human had seen him.

"It's rude to stare. I mean, I know I'm pretty and all, but come on. You act like you've never seen a guy with a tail before." He's being sarcastic. Trying to decide if the human would run off on their own, or if he would have to head out, instead.

Sybil & Zikiriel (As soon as I saw this one, I felt like they would have a sort of cute dynamic-- whatever that dynamic might end up being. I can see Zi trying to watch over her a little, especially with her troubles with memory loss!)

"Miss? Are you alright? You seem a little...lost." The angel had noticed her a minute or two prior, and the more he watched, the more he was convinced that something wasn't right. "If you need some help, I'd be happy to offer some assistance."

Kiyoshi & Alsina (I could see them getting along, though Alsina would probably poke fun at Kiyoshi here and there, with how gullible he is. That aside though, she's pretty easy going, and is more than happy to jump into a conversation about anything and everything!)

"Incidentally, I have never been somewhere like this, before. I am, ah...hypoglycemic (or close enough, anyway. She hoped she was remembering the right term!) so I simply came into the first restaurant I passed." Her eyes scanned over the menu for a moment, before ordering tea, alongside something sweet. "Is this place supposed to be for entertainment and food, then?"

Julius & Zeqyabin (I think they could balance each other out pretty well, even just in the fact that Zebi tends to be pretty lowkey, and quiet; happy to sit back and listen to others talk. Julius' flair for the dramatic would also remind him a little bit of one of two of his loved ones too, so he'd be relaxing around Julius pretty early on)

The demon is crouched down at the base of a tree, and seems to be collecting something growing on it. A type of moss, that he was carefully tucking into a bag. He probably looks pretty odd when the stranger notices him, but Zebi doesn't seem to mind. In fact, he even flashes the other a friendly smile, and a wave!

[doodle-spooder]

Chapter 4

Man I'm scared but here we go!

So Nile wakes up talks to Kaneeka about disappearance of Stella, and get's herself ready to go. Tabby tells us about the strike and her feelings on it. Wish honestly to not fight with her men, and how she doesn't want do anything drastic. Avery meets Nile to walk her into town. (Maybe in a different play through I'll romance Avery.) They flirt and talk about Ditchlings, and Avery is okay with their parasitic cycle of life. Meet Kaneeka, and make a game plan to find Stella. We all check the her house, and figure out she came back to make a sandwich and get her jacket. Wayne hasn't been there so he might not have done anything to her. We go to the Diner and talk to the small group of strikers. They grumble that due to the Tabby rescuing three girls from the collapse they can't get more people to help since she's a 'Town Hero'. But they haven't seen her either.

We talk to Oscar and check in on Rosa. Doctor Joan Kelly is there, and being nice to Rosa but acting like Nile's spat in her coffee. Oscar is thinking about leads and possible cults but doesn't want us to look at the seal at his house. We go to the mines and talk to the strikers. Nile asks if she could take their demands to Tabitha and if she could go through. They think its fine. Nile politely knocks on the door till Tabby lets her in and meets Rodríguez, but ops not to call him on working with the boss. They talk once he leaves. Nile tells Tabby that due to her 'Town Hero' stats she might just have to wait out, and Tabby is relieved that she won't have to pull anything drastic. Nile goes with the gang to the Church and talk with Daniel. He asks Nile why everyone thinks he's weird/creepy and she gives him some harsh truths. Then after meeting his kid, get's him to spill that she has been talking to rats in the Church and he thinks they're evil. Go to see Sybil and do the tea reading, but can't opt to walk away and so have to drink the tea... but tell her that she might be the Cat. Nile also doesn't hint that she's going to the Clinic. Once there, Nile walks through the door and makes it to the morgue. (Suddenly I notice, the flirt button it works. Must not, I have self control...) Nile flirts with Reese in the morgue and Nile gives him a lot of hints that something mystical is in his house, and that it gives Nile visions. After getting his mom to leave we go into the doctor's office, where Nile takes the family death records to read later. They make it to the medical storage, when doctor is coming back. Nile let's Reese into the closet. Nile hears his heart beat fast and she brings it up. 'I think our hearts are beating fast for the same reason.' 'I don't know, why is yours?'

'Cause I'm in the closet, close to my crush.' 'Then yes, it is for the same reason.'

While getting the axe out, Nile finds the journal. And hits on Reese more... We make it to the morgue and Nile let's Reese work out some frustration. Gives him a heads up about possibly fainting and sees the seal. Come to in his bedroom, and talk it out. Offer him to come live with her in the cramped attic and ask to be drawn like on of his French girls. He touches her face and she leans in for a kiss when WAYNE ruins the mood. Reese goes beast mode... (and I make a hard decision, I have in the past gone to stop him from doing something he'll regret. But I don't want him to die...) so Nile obediently waits for him to come back to the basement. She hugs him and he holds her as she talks to him. Finally she tells him that he's beautiful. And they are now forever linked as romantic partners. Wayne scares him off and she walks back into town with him. Finds Gretchen and goes to find Stella. They have a heart to heart and Stella finally gets out of her head about her parents death. She feels better and they become into good friends. But Nile needs to tell her about what happened today. Stella morns Doc, but finds it funny/weird that Reese and Nile are dating. Nile walks Stella home before Wayne walks her the rest of the way home. She goes to bed.

'As you drift off, you think of Reese, out in the woods somewhere, bloodstained, free and beautiful.'

[dabihawksluvr]

.: My Current Theory(s) :.

I've only played this game for around a couple days, but I've also been hunting down theories outside of it...and hoo boy, my hunches for most things going on make me so excited to see what happens next. I'm glad I'm not the only one seeing these things, and I will definitely try to use other traits (I main Street Smarts and Mystic in my canon playthrough) to see if I can get other stuff to pop up.

But for now, I'm gonna talk about my own playthrough and my theories for events after Chapter Four.

(+) I didn't like my cousin at first, honestly she weirded me out and I fully believe she's part of everything going on..but I can tell she's not entirely 'bad', she's probably just stuck doing these things and feels she simply can't leave. And I do like that she doesn't want us causing trouble, I do believe she cares but isn't trying to get too close (for reasons). I even protected her during the psychedelic ghost 'vision', giving up years of my life in her place. I hope I can get closer to her in future chapters, even if she betrays me I'd still not entirely be angry about it.

(+) Sybil is definitely sus. I kept on feeling there was something about her, I mean she knows about Ditchlings and doesn't seemed scared in the least by anything going on. But when she did the tea reading...I got the ability to actually push past my option to suspect her being the 'cat' being flipped on me. So my fears were correct, she definitely knows what's going on. And may be even the mastermind behind it all. I wouldn't be surprised in the least at this point, especially after she literally stood in a doorframe and had shadows on her the entire time. So I'm gonna be watching out for her.

(+) I hope that the church is important soon, I do wanna see the mysteries behind that place and Tetanus Lake. I bet the 'rats' are either Ditchlings, or possibly even ghosts of those who died in that lake...and I bet we'll have to jump in. Possibly to find another one of those symbols/seals buried underneath. And I'm actually starting to like the priest, I don't think he's a bad guy and is simply just trying too hard to be liked...though a part of me hopes I'm wrong. If I'm wrong, I want it to be revealed that the priest is actually running a cult of some kind. Because those little tidbits throughout the story are driving me up a wall.

(+) I didn't save the doctor in my canon playthrough, so I hope that doesn't screw me over in the future...but it probably will. I'll probably get bad metal poisoning and all that from the lake, and there'd be no doctor to help with that. I just hope Reese comes back...I'm trying to romance him, I just want my monster boy to cuddle me as I deal with this hellscape of a town.

(+) I think Reese is most definitely NOT human. He's most close to an Incubus, at least with how he was conceived...but he's also similar to a Vampire and/or Werewolf, I mean he can shapeshift and even has a tail. Maybe he could also be part Ditchling...I wouldn't be surprised if he was, considering. I just hope that I won't have to face him possibly going into a hunger frenzy at some point, and I hope he doesn't get a hunger for humans after chomping down on his own mom. But, I'm also not against helping him with that...*grabs axe*

(+) Stella NEEDS to be found. And soon. I hope she really isn't a part of everything going on, but after she just up and left I'm not leaving out any reasoning. Even asking Wayne about her didn't get me anywhere, but tbh that whole thing after Reese I'm far less wary of him now than before. I mean, the guy wants me to leave the town...so he is definitely on my side, even if he did try to hurt Reese I'll still try trusting him more. He may be the only lifeline I'll have to save myself in the future.

[juleshollow]

Obviously Sybil sucks and all but at one point with Street Smart you can tease Tabitha about "picking up tea" meaning buying drugs and Sybil will play along and tell you she has "the best devil's lettuce" in town. So we have to give her credit for that.

[caramelapplesauce]

Astrologically Compatible

peter x sybill

warning: mention of dead parent!

they held hands as they made the journey to the new crystal shop. peter had never felt so safe with another person since his mum died. sybill felt comfortable and reliable and everything he ever needed in life.

they met at an asexual meet up a few months back. he was surprised to find someone that not only felt the same as him, but clicked so well. they sat next to each other and instantly connected. they talked about astrology and different types of crystals, and compared their tarot card decks. they also found out that they were astrologically compatible. a leo man and a libra woman! what are the chances?! after the meeting, they had went for tea and continued talking into the night. they both really loved park walks at night so that’s where they went after tea. they were a romance written in the stars.

it has been six months since then and they have been on many dates. they have been to various crystal shops, psychic readings, and antique shops that took all of their money. and now they were on their way to a crystal shop that was on the outskirts of town, basking in each others company. as they entered the shop, they turned to each other and knew, without even having to say anything, that this was their new favorite shop. it had rows and rows of crystals and all of them had labels. there were shelves of books that explained the different crystals and what they did. there were various necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and all sorts of jewelry, laced with all kinds of crystals. sybill and peter looked at each other, gave a curt nod, and separated. peter went straight for the pink crystals labeled rose quartz and sybill, he noticed, went straight for the onyx. he focused back on the rose quartz in front of him and sifted through the multitudes of jewelry that was there, trying to find the perfect present for sybill’s birthday. after about ten minutes of looking, peter was about to give up. there was nothing that was special enough to give to his love. he started to walk away from the table when something caught his eye. he turned to it and instantly realized this is what he was looking for. he quickly picked it up, walked to the cashier, and bought it before sybill found him and saw it.

a few weeks later, sybill and peter were siting across from each other at a little diner for her birthday. peter twiddled his thumbs as a nervous habit and sybill seemed to take notice.

���peter, dear, what’s wrong? you seem so nervous and you can’t be nervous on my birthday, it is simply not allowed” she smiled that soft smile and booped him on the nose before picking up his hands and holding them in her own. he instantly relaxed. he let out a sigh and said

“i… i have a gift for you a-and something to say b-but i… i’m just… you are…” he breathed out and tried to calm his racing heart.

“it’s okay, love, take your time.” she traced circles around the back of his hand, waiting patiently. this was the moment peter realized he just had to tell her. he couldn’t hold it in any longer.

“okay, well first, i wanted to say happy birthday, my dear, and that you are the most amazing person that has ever come into my life.” he began. she was already smiling and peter gave her a slight smile back. “you have been everything i have ever dreamt of and more and so here is a rose quartz crown. it is sort of like a flower crown but it is made of a gold chain and laced through rose quartz be-because,” he started stuttering because when he chanced a glance at her, she was all teary, “oh no don’t cry.” he went to wipe a tear from her eye.

“oh, sorry, i’m just being silly. it’s just… it honestly is the best present ever. and i-i-i,” she started really crying at this and peter was starting to panic. this was not what he expected. he quickly pulled out the gift and handed it to her so that maybe she would stop crying. he was wrong. she started crying even more and was staring at it with tears streaming down her face.

“oh, oh my it is beautiful! goodness!” she was struggling to breath as she spoke and she looked right at peter and stated

“i love you so much, you complete me in ways i never thought i needed and you are the most beautiful thing to ever happen to me” peter gaped at her. that was his line, wasn’t it? she took in his expression and her eyes widened a little.

“oh! oh my sorry i just- i don’t- i don’t know why i said that. it just… it’s true but - and you don’t have to say it back but i j-i just needed you to hear it an-“ she was quickly cut off by peter standing up, walking around the table, and kissing her so deeply that she almost fell off her chair. he pulled back, and whispered

“i love you so so much. you are the one thing that i know is right in the world”

[legends-of-time]

The Journey of Living at Downton

Chapter 23: Mid August 1920

Masterlist

Robert and Cora's relationship has thankfully improved. Billy had inquired with Robert whether him staying at Downton is agreed upon, admitting that going back to the house they used to live in seemed dreadful. Robert seems more than happy to let the man stay.

Emma sits with Billy in the Nursery, as he holds baby Sybil, or Sybbie as her maternal grandmother has taken to calling her, and she holds Ivy.

"I'm only staying for a while. Until Sybil's death isn't as... fresh." Billy informs her.

Emma nods. "Robert will let you stay as long as you need or want to, Billy. So long as his granddaughter is near for as long as possible."

"Have you and Tom told them you're leaving once I do?" Billy asks.

"Not yet but soon." Emma answers. "It feels strange to leave now."

"You sure you want to leave?"

"Of course!" Emma tries to say with certainty but Billy's face tells her it didn't work.

——

Mr Bates is also back much to Emma's relief but she worries about what will happen with Thomas now. Gemma is upset Emma and Tom are leaving again but understands. Emma worries about telling Thomas, particularly due to the situation he's in.

Emma finds Mr Bates selecting a book in the Library.

"Mr Bates!" She cries joyfully. He gives her a smile.

"Mrs Branson." He greets.

"Oh please. Call me Emma, everyone else pretty much does." Emma assures.

"Emma then. It's good to see you."

"You too." Emma sees a pile of books in front of him. "Trying to select a book?"

"Yes. I'm having difficulty in choosing from these three." Mr Bates replies.

"Oh, let me help."

——

"Of course, it's a lot to take in, but I'm sure it's right," Matthew says at dinner that evening from between his mother-in-law and Emma. "A leap of imagination. So that's why I've asked Murray to come up so that we can talk it through together."

"You've asked Murray to come here without consulting me?" Robert asks, displeased. His mother sits on her usual seat on his right while Isobel sits on his left with Billy then Mary and Tom. Emma winces, disliking this conflict that has arisen.

"I felt I wasn't explaining things well and I know he can," Matthew replies.

Alfred bends down to serve the Dowager. "Oh, lovely, what a treat." The woman comments but she pulls up the napkin on her lap, she knocks the cutlery balanced on the plate and some of the food slides onto her lap before Alfred can fully catch it. "Oh!"

"Oh, my, Your Ladyship!" Mr Carson cries in alarm, practically leaping forward.

"It's all right. No, no fuss, no fuss. Just scrape me down and get me a spare napkin." The Dowager reassures as Mr Carson clears her lap.

Emma frowns as she watches Jimmy mutter something to Alfred before taking the dish from the man's hands. Jimmy seems to be taking over the first footmen role as Alfred now carries the sauce.

"I saw your cook in the Village today, Isobel. She seemed upset." The Dowager says.

"Yes. Mrs Bakewell was rather unkind." Isobel replies.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Emma says. She hadn't gotten along with Ethel but that doesn't mean she wants her to be treated as poorly as she does.

"It seems a pity that even in this pretty little Village, people can be so unforgiving."

"Some people are unforgiving, others are insensitive." Robert receives several looks for his remark.

"What time do you leave in the morning?" Cora asks Edith, who sits next to Emma.

"I thought I'd get the ten o'clock. I'm meeting him for tea." Edith answers. Emma frowns at Jimmy as he serves the Dowager successfully. She doesn't like this Thomas kind of behaviour.

"You're not encouraging this?" Robert says, aghast at his wife.

"She hasn't agreed to anything yet." Cora reminds him.

"Oh, Mama, talk to her. Talk to all of them. Say something sensible." Robert practically whines.

"Yes. Let's hear how a woman's place is in the home." Isobel quips.

"I do think a woman's place is eventually in the home, but I see no harm in her having some fun before she gets there." The Dowager argues. Emma is surprised at her comment, not thinking she would side with her granddaughter.

"Oh, Granny! Thank you!" Edith says, relieved.

"Have you changed your pills?" Isobel remarks. Robert chuckles.

"And another thing." The Dowager continues. "I mean, Edith isn't getting any younger." She chuckles. Emma winces and gives Edith a sorry look. "Perhaps she isn't cut out for domestic life." Edith deflates.

"Well, who knows what the future has in store for her." Emma awkwardly adds to deflect the blow. Edith gives her a small smile.

"How are your plans proceeding, Tom?" Matthew asks, seemingly timidly. Emma almost laughs.

"I was telling Lady Grantham, my brother has a garage in Liverpool," Tom explains. "He's asked me to go in with him."

"And Emma is just expected to move to Liverpool?" Robert demands. He has weirdly been protective of her lately and Emma wonders if it has anything to do with her own close relationship with Sybil.

"Robert, I am fine with moving to Liverpool." Emma sighs. "Tom doesn't make decisions without discussing it with me first." Robert grumbles and downs the last of the wine in his drink.

——

Edith goes to London the next day to see the editor of the newspaper as he has repeated his offer despite her father's complaints.

Thomas is off and withdrawn when she tries to talk with him when she wanders round to the Servant Courtyard when he's having a smoke.

"Thomas is acting odd," Emma says to her husband as they walk hand in hand along the landing after seeing and feeding Ivy.

"Well, he is Thomas. You know how he acts towards everyone." Tom remarks.

"Yeah, but not to me," Emma argues. "Do you think he's upset that I'm dining and chatting with them now?"

Tom snorts. "Doubt it. Not with how he acts as if you're his annoying little sister."

"Oi!" Emma jokingly swots him on the arm with the hand that had been holding his.

"I never said you were!" Tom argues, chuckling.

It feels good to joke and laugh after all the despair surrounding them. Billy had perked up in the sense he's not mindlessly walking around the Halls, which is progress.

——

"It makes no sense to retain this bit as a separate section," Matthew complains after dinner as he, Mary, Tom, Emma and Billy look over a map of the estate laid out on a table in the Drawing room. "No sense at all. But, of course, Jarvis won't see that because he hates change."

"Just try to carry Papa with you. That's all I ask." Mary pleads to her husband. She and Tom take their drinks from a tray that Alfred is carrying.

"He'll be with me in the end, because this is the only way forward," Matthew replies. "And at some point, he's going to see that."

"Hopefully it's soon," Emma adds.

"What do you think, Tom?" Mary asks. Emma watches with interest. Tom had told her about him and Matthew talking about the latter's ideas for estate and he seems to have a possible knack for it himself. She doesn't dare to hope that he'll go down this route instead.

"I agree with Matthew. The estate can offer proper compensation to the tenants now, while the money's there, but if we miss this chance, it may not come again." Tom declares.

"So says the Marxist." Robert suddenly calls to them. Emma turns to Robert with a frown.

"If you don't mind me saying so, you have a narrow view of socialism." Tom counters.

"You seem to have a very broad interpretation of it." Robert throws back.

"Now, now, children." The Dowager intervenes. "If Branson is watering down his revolutionary fervour, let us give thanks."

"Tom." Mary corrects as she walks past her grandmother.

"Do you know anything about farming, Tom?" The Dowager asks.

"A little. My grandfather was a sheep farmer in Ireland." Tom answers.

As the conversation continues, Emma notices the tension is still there between Alfred and Jimmy and quietly walks over. It has been brewing throughout dinner.

"Why do you keep giving me funny looks?" Jimmy hisses.

"I'm not." Alfred retorts.

"What's going on?" Mr Carson hisses at them. "Have you both been up to something I don't know about?"

"Not both of us," Alfred replies. Jimmy gives him a dark look.

"Mr Carson? Jimmy? Alfred? Is everything all right?" Emma asks, drawing their attention.

"Of course, Mrs Branson." Mr Carson quickly answers.

"You should ask your good friend, Mr Barrow," Jimmy remarks pointedly.

Emma frowns. "Thomas? Why?"

She doesn't receive a reply as the footman walks away.

——

The meeting the next day between Matthew, Robert, Mr Jarvis and Mr Murray doesn't go well as it ends with Mr Jarvis resigning. Emma is not sure how well this will work for Matthew and his plans for the estate.

They sit down for dinner that evening. Edith has returned from London and sits between Emma and her grandmother then it is Robert, Mary, Tom, Billy, Cora, and Matthew.

"How did you get on in London?" Matthew asks Edith.

"Well, as a matter of fact, I've got an announcement to make. And now's as good a time as any." Edith replies. She then raises her voice to the rest of the table. "Listen, everyone. You have a journalist in the family."

"Oh!" Her mother gasps.

"Since we have a country solicitor and an engineer, it was only a matter of time." Her grandmother remarks.

"Well done, Edith," Emma says.

"Thank you." Edith beams.

"How was the editor in the end?" Mary asks.

"Oh, nice, very nice," Edith replies, a little flustered. Emma shares a raised eyebrow with Mary.

——

Billy pulls Emma to the side of the Drawing room after dinner to tell her some news.

"I got a job." He whispers so no one can overhear.

"That's brilliant, but where? And what?" Emma exclaims.

"It's in York. As an engineer. More upmarket than my last place." Billy reveals. "I know I was only going to stay until Sybil's death wasn't so recent but I might stay so Sybbie can grow up around her family."

"Why aren't you telling this to everyone?" She questions.

"I wanted you to be the first to know. You are my best friend." He answers.

Emma almost feels like she is going to cry. "I'm honoured, Billy. That you thought I should be the first to know. And I'm so happy you're staying."

"Even though you're leaving?"

"I'll visit." She defends. "But you really should let everyone know. Robert agreed to let you stay, didn't he?"

"He said I could stay for as long as I wished."

"Then tell them."

Emma then leaves him to chat with Edith about her job and finds her sitting with her grandmother and Isobel. She arrives and sits next to Edith just in time for said woman to tell Isobel that she's put an ad in a magazine to help Ethel find another job. Emma is surprised but knows that this might be better for Ethel.

"I don't understand," Isobel says, looking at the grandmother and granddaughter duo in disbelief. "You've placed an advertisement in a magazine to find a job for my housekeeper?"

"I knew you'd be against it." The Dowager remarks.

"Well, how would you feel if I found other work for your cook or butler?" Isobel retorts.

"Granny feels that for Ethel's sake she should move elsewhere," Edith explains.

"Oh, nonsense. She couldn't give tuppence about Ethel or anyone like her!" Isobel snaps.

"You've been reading those communist newspapers again." The Dowager snips.

"Why don't we ask another party," Emma says to the women. "Mr Carson." She calls to the butler as he passes them. "Would you ask Mrs Hughes to meet us in the Hall, please?"

"Very good, Mrs Branson." The man says and leaves the room.

——

"Mrs Hughes, you've always taken an interest in Ethel. Do you think I'm wrong?" The Dowager asks. She, Emma, Isobel, Edith and Mrs Hughes gather in the Great Hall.

"No." Mrs Hughes replies. She turns to Isobel. "While Ethel is in this Village, she is doomed to be lonely."

"Society will not give her another chance unless she starts afresh elsewhere," Emma adds. "Then no one who she is or her past."

"She's not a bad cook now," Edith argues. "And with a respectable reference, which, of course, you can give her..."

"I can't get over how you've planned all this without a word to me," Isobel complains.

"Well, I knew you wouldn't agree. I know how you hate facing facts." The Dowager remarks.

"I resent that. I'm sorry, but I do." Isobel retorts.

"Mrs Crawley, I hope you don't see me as an intolerant person." Mrs Hughes says.

"No."

"Because I agree with Her Ladyship." Emma thinks the Dowager looks a bit too smug at that sentence. "In a new place, where she can start again, Ethel has far more chance of happiness than in re-enacting her own version of The Scarlet Letter in Downton."

Emma can't help but agree when she remembers the book she had to read for Uni. She remembers how the main woman was cast out.

"What is The Scarlet Letter?" The Dowager asks.

"A novel, by Nathaniel Hawthorne." Edith answers.

"Well, it sounds most unsuitable."

"I'll talk to Ethel." Isobel decides and walks off.

——

Emma finds Thomas in the Courtyard and is determined to not let him get away with not telling her this time.

"Has something happened?" She asks.

"What makes you think that?" Thomas replies despondently. He scuffles his shoes on the floor, refusing to look at her.

"Well, Jimmy and Alfred have been acting odd and when I asked, Jimmy implied I should ask you," Emma says, deciding not to beat about the bush.

"I'm surprised you noticed now you are one of them." Thomas unfairly retorts as he finally looks at her.

Emma raises an eyebrow. "I think that was uncalled for."

"Maybe." He looks sorry for his remark.

"So, instead of taking it out on me, why don't you tell me what the matter is?"

"I misinterpreted things, Emma," Thomas admits.

"What do you mean?" She hopes he doesn't mean what she thinks he means as she knows the consequences if it's reported.

"You know who I am Emma. I know we don't talk about it but I know that you know that I'm different..."

"Yes?" Emma prompts.

"Well, I thought Jimmy was too."

"Oh Thomas," Emma says sombrely. She reaches over and gives him a hug. "It'll be alright." Maybe she's wishful thinking but she hopes she's right.

——

It is the day of Sybbie's christening. The women have now transitioned from the black they'd been wearing to shades of purple and blue. Billy doesn't have any family left except a distant cousin who arrives the same day to act as godfather while Mary is the godmother.

They all walk out of the Church and see a photographer waiting. Emma can't help but feel amused at the sight of the massive thing. Oh, how technology changes.

"What's this?" Billy asks when seeing the man.

"I hope you don't mind," Edith says. So this was her idea.

"If you could all form a group around the father." The photographer suggests.

"Here." Billy hands his hat to Tom to hold so Mary can pass her niece and goddaughter over to her father.

"Right. Mama, if you want to go next..." Robert says as they shuffle about. Isobel stands at the end then it's the Dowager, Matthew, Tom, Robert, Billy with Sybbie, Billy's cousin James, Mary, Cora, Edith and Emma.

"It seems so strange without Sybil here." Edith comments.

"She's watching. I know." Says her mother.

"I envy you. I wish I did." Mary speaks.

"You just have to have faith," Emma argues.

"Ever so slightly, thank you so much." The photographer encourages.

As they pose, Emma can see Robert, Tom and Robert muttering and wonders what they could be talking about considering Tom's frown.

"Perhaps one with the grandfather holding the baby? And maybe the great-grandmother with him?" The photographer says.

Everyone moves out of the way and Billy hands over Sybbie to Robert. Despite what has happened recently, Emma can't help but smile.

——

Emma is excited when Tom pulls her aside once they get back to Downton to explain to her that Robert had offered him the job of estate agent once Mr Jarvis has left. It means Emma won't have to leave the home she has created at Downton and leave Billy while he's still mourning.

However, soon after they come back Mary herself seems to be staring sadly at Billy holding Sybbie and Emma holding Ivy as they all gather in the Library.

"Mary?" She asks Mary quietly, walking over to her. She had handed Ivy over to her dad. "What is it?"

"It's nothing." Mary dismisses.

"Mary..."

Mary sighs. "It's just... Matthew and I have been married for a few months and nothing seems to have happened." The eldest Crawley daughter confesses.

"There's nothing to worry about just yet," Emma argues. "I, and Sybil as well, took longer than a few months before we individually fell pregnant."

"But still... I cannot help but worry." Mary replies sadly. Her eyebrows are creased in a frown.

"Well, it could be the man. Is his performance all right?" Emma asks.

Mary is uncomfortable but it needs to be asked. "Yes."

"Mmm... it could be the count. It could also be something to do with you." Emma muses. "Have you thought of getting the both of you checked?"

"No, I haven't talked to him about it," Mary says. "Though he has worried if he's the reason."

"You should talk to him."

"It does not matter," Mary argues. "I have already been to see Dr Clarkson and he suggests I go to London for better tests."

"Do you want me to come with you?" Emma asks. Mary looks relieved and nods.

——

A/N: Please leave comments on how you're enjoying this story and what you think.