#the Smiler bit at the end is a nod to where people probably EXPECTED me to go with this

[victorluvsalice]

Merry Christmas SatiricalDemon!

@thesatiricaldemon *waves* So you requested a fic about Daniel, Dommik, and N on an inter-dimensional vacation to one of my other fic verses...and the very first thing that came to mind was a follow up on a thread about a certain crystalline butterfly birthday present Dan sent to the Victors that my Secundus boy found very inspiring. XD So yeah, that's what you're getting. Hope you enjoy!

This Feels Like A Recipe For Disaster

“. . .and that allowed me to dampen the threat response! They still react if one of the flock gets injured, but it’s more of a ‘chase away the potential threat’ thing – they won’t try a full swarm unless you full-on shatter one of them.”

“Oh, excellent, excellent! And I see in your notes here you were looking to see if you could get different colors – I would imagine that if you added that lovely compound to the caterpillar mid-metamorphosis, you could get a truly acidic shade of green!”

“Maybe, but that also has a good chance of completely destabilizing the metamorphosis entirely. . .though I guess it’s all about how much I add. . .”

Alice looked over at the two, hunched over the main experimentation table in Victor’s greenhouse lab, and shook her head fondly. “I’m sorry, it sounds like they may be at this for a while,” she commented, turning back to their other two guests. “Victor was – very inspired by that little gift your Dr. Daniel sent along for his birthday.”

“So I can see,” Dommik said, grinning in that rather off-kilter way he had. Then again, Alice supposed that since he was really some sort of odd vampire-worm thing running around in a human suit (and how she wished she didn’t know that), it was only to be expected. “Daniel was hoping that he’d enjoy the statue, but I don’t think he expected him to try and recreate it.”

Normally it’s a bad idea for anyone to attempt to copy anomalous flora and fauna, N added, their cold gaze fixed on Daniel and Victor as they kept exchanging ideas on tweaks to the crystalline butterflies Victor was working on. But your husband seems to have a rare talent in that regard.

“Only because it’s a butterfly, I’m sure,” Alice replied, folding her arms. “Lepidoptery is Victor’s specialty. He can work with other insects too – we’ve got a hive of modified bees from a honey-making venture he attempted a little while back – and he’s got some talent with engineering, but butterflies and moths are where he shines.” She grinned. “Possibly because his very first project as a Touched was figuring out how to make them glow.”

“Oooh! I’d love to see that!” Dommik said, excitement shining through his eye sockets. “I’m sure they’re beautiful!”

“They are – and much less deadly than the creatures you lot apparently deal with on a daily basis,” Alice said, glancing between them and Daniel. “I thought Secundus could be a rowdy place to live sometimes, but after the stories you’ve told us of your world, it seems almost – peaceful.”

It is a difficult place to exist sometimes, N agreed. But we have found happiness there, regardless of the circumstances. They tilted their head at her. I do still find it interesting you do not exhibit the same Hume potential as the Alice we know at home.

“Oh, I’d love to be able to bend reality to my will,” Alice grumbled. “It’d make life so much easier. . .then again, your Alice seems to have had a very different life to mine, even if some of the broader events match up?”

“Mmm? Oh, yes – I’ve noticed your meta-narrative placement is much different from hers,” Daniel commented, looking up from the notepad he’d been sharing with Victor. “As is this Victor’s from the one I know. No waking up Emily means no potential for necromancy at all!”

“I’ll take raising butterflies over raising the dead,” Victor mumbled, scribbling something with a frown. “Hmmm – I’m not entirely sure that’s adding up right. . .”

“I’m just wondering where Smiler is,” Dommik said, looking around.

Alice blinked, then glanced over at Victor, who looked equally confused. “Ah – who?”

“You know – Smiler! Your themfriend?”

“Wrong universe, dearest,” Daniel said, with a slightly softer version of his trademark manic grin. “This romantic situation was resolved before their creation – though they may be here somewhere in potentia! Perhaps I could look into the matter!”

“Who are they?” Victor asked. “Other than a ‘themfriend.’” He smiled, tone light. “What, are we supposed to be a threesome too?”

Daniel laughed. “You could if you wanted to be! In fact, in studying the meta-verse for this trip, I actually located a reality where you and Alice are part of a nine-person polycule!”

Alice and Victor shared another, much more astonished glance. “. . .all right, now you have to tell us about that one,” Alice said after a moment, shaking her head. “Because I have got to know.”

[angelmavmurdock]

Our Little Secret: Part Two - A.R.

Word count: 2880 Summary: Lenora introduces y/n and Arvin and something seems to spark between the two of them. 

-

Arvin's POV

I got home from work at 4 which was early for working in the mines.

"Afternoon, Earskell." I nodded my head as I walked up the stairs to the porch of the house where Uncle Earskell sat on a rocking chair.

"Afternoon, boy." He nodded to me.

I walked inside and took my jacket and cap off, sitting them on the side table by the door.

"Grandma?" I called through the house.

"Kitchen!" She replied.

I walked through the house and into the kitchen where Grandma was cooking.

"Hey," I kissed her on the cheek.

"You're back early," She smiled.

"Yeah, we got off for the weekend." I said, sitting down at the table.

"That's great. You need your sleep." She stroked my hair.

I smiled weakly, "I know."

Grandma went back to cooking and I looked around with my brows furrowed.

"Where's Lenora?" I asked curiously.

Grandma sighed, "She said she'd be studying after school so I guess she's just caught up. She knows to come home by 5."

I clenched my jaw. I was very protective of Lenora. Probably too protective. I hated the fact that she wasn't home straight after school. She could be getting harassed by those god darn bullies again. The boys in that popular group of school always torment her. She does nothing wrong, Lenora is the kindest and sweetest girl out there, she wouldn't hurt a fly, but that's what those assholes like.

"She should be home straight after school, Grandma." I shook my head.

"She's nearly 18, Arvin, you have to let her become her own woman without you shadowing her."

"She's hardly a woman, Grandma. She's gettin' bullied senseless by those popular boys." I scowled.

The popular group in school never liked people like Lenora who were smart and kind and timid, that's why they prey on her. They never liked me much but after a handful of fist fights, they got the memo to stop. Anyway, I was out of school so it didn't matter.

We heard the front door open and I snapped my head around. Lenora had come in with a huge smile on her face, looking almost flushed with glee as she skipped through the house.

I stood up, "Where the hell have you been?" I asked sternly, looking down at her.

"Woah, Arv, what's wrong?" She asked, her brows furrowed.

"Did those boys hurt you? I'll kill them-"

"No! They didn't!" She smiled, holding my shoulders.

"Then where were you?"

"I met a girl who's new to town and we got to talkin'! Oh she's lovely, we're already close!" She beamed, sitting next to me at the table.

I squinted and joined her, "Who is she?"

"Her name is y/n. She's from New York, can you believe it?! And she lives up-state with her mother - who is from Ohio originally - and her father."

"She lives up-state? And she's friends with you?" I asked, raising a brow.

"Yes, Arvin. She's so nice. You'd expect her to be really mean because she's in the popular group but-"

"Nuh-uh. No way. You are not hanging out with a girl from that group." I pointed at her.

Grandma called uncle Earskell inside and sat our dinner in front of us.

"Why? She's not like the rest of them, Arv. She's really nice and we'll be hanging out a lot more so expect to see her around." She smiled.

I shook my head, "They'll be playing with you, Lenora."

"No they're not! She told me she doesn't even like them! She's just in the group because she was new and everyone was goin' crazy over the fact she was rich and from New York." She took a bite of her food.

"She don't sound like good news to me." I shook my head.

"Arvin, Lenora can be friends with whoever she wants. You should invite her over for dinner." Grandma smiled.

"Oh she'd love that!"

I rolled my eyes and continued eating, a scowl on my face.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

It was Wednesday and I was waiting outside of the high school to pick Lenora up. She didn't mention going to see her mother's grave but just in case, I came along. I waited outside, lighting a cigarette as I watched some students flee the grounds before the bell. My elbow rested outside the window, breathing in the smoke then blowing it out and breathing in fresh air.

The bell rang and not even a minute later kids were flowing out the doors. I watched them, trying to spot Lenora and any of the assholes that would follow.

I turned the radio up and kept watch, she was usually one of the first out. I was getting angsty. Where is she?

I nearly got out the car to search for her but I saw her arm in arm with a girl in a cheerleading uniform.

The cheerleader was beautiful. She had her hair tied up in a ponytail by a yellow ribbon and her skin was glowing. The cheerleading uniform was a yellow and blue cropped top, showing her midriff, and a white pleated skirt with white frilly socks and soft shoes. They were walking out together, laughing and Lenora looked really happy. I smiled briefly but I remembered...

That's the popular girl.

"Arvin!" Lenora exclaimed, waving at me.

They jogged over together, looking at me through the car window. The cheerleader seemed shy.

"This is y/n, remember I told you about her?"

I moved my eyes over to her, scanning her body from her shoes to her eyes. She blushed and gulped, looking away.

"Vaguely." I commented, blowing smoke out of my mouth.

"Well, Grandma said it was okay for her to come over for dinner so could you take us back home?" Lenora asked.

I licked my back teeth, looking at Lenora's hopeful face to y/n's awkward one.

I sighed, "Fine."

They squealed with joy and they got in the car; Lenora next to me and y/n in the backseat.

I drove off and we sat in silence, letting the music play through the radio into the car.

"So, y/n, you're here from New York?" I asked, throwing the cigarette butt out the window.

She nodded, "Yeah."

"You live up-state?"

She nodded again, "Yeah."

I looked at her through the rear-view mirror.

"You don't speak much do you?" I asked.

"Depends on who I'm talking to." She retorted.

I bit my tongue and held back a smile. She definitely wasn't the shy girl she seemed to be.

"You're accent is southern, how do you get that from living in the big city?"

"My mother is from Ohio. Not Coal Creek but she lived here her whole childhood so I just inherited her accent." She spoke but didn't look at me.

"But your daddy's from New York?"

"Yeah."

"I'm guessing you were the popular girl back in the city, huh?" I asked, looking at her through the rear view mirror.

She licked her teeth, turning her head and looking back at me.

"Yeah but I don't like it. It just happens." She shrugged.

I nodded slowly, thinking of my next question. I was just trying to catch her out. I needed her to say something nasty so I could tell Lenora never to talk to her again.

"Where about up-state are you?" I finally asked.

"Fernpark House." She said.

"Fernpark House?" I repeated, turning around to look at her in shock.

I didn't realise she was that rich.

"Arvin!" Lenora whisper-shouted at me.

I turned back around and didn't ask any more questions.

Fucking Fernpark House. The biggest house in the whole village, maybe even the whole fucking state.

I drove the girls back to the house and they leapt out the car as soon as I came to a stop.

"Careful, Lenora!" I shouted after her as she and y/n jumped up the stairs.

I shook my head and sighed, turning the car off and getting out. I walked up the stairs and nodded to Uncle Earskell again.

"Hey boy, who's that girl?" Earskell asked.

I sighed, leaning against the wooden pillar at the top of the porch stairs and bringing another cigarette out. I cupped my hand over it and lit the end, inhaling then exhaling.

"Lenora's new friend, y/n."

"y/n? That don't sound like an Ohio name."

"She's new from New York. Popular, rich, city girl. Livin' up state in Fernpark house."

"Fernpark? Damn boy, she's doin' good for herself." He chuckled.

"Yeah well, somethin's off about her. No popular kid's ever wanted to hang out with Lenora. I bet it's a set up." I shook my head, taking another breath of tobacco.

Uncle Earskell shook his head, "Just cause she a cheerleader don't mean nothin'. You gotta stop being so darn protective over Lenora."

"How can I stop when those jocks are after her?" I raised my voice.

I sighed, "Sorry, it's just frustrating I can't do nothin' about it. Now one of them is in our house?"

"That's an innocent girl, Arvin. Not a 6 feet tall hooligan wantin' to harass a young girl. Let it go."

I dropped the cigarette and squashed it with my foot, "Easier said than done."

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

We sat down for dinner at the usual time. I sat next to Uncle Earskell while Lenora and y/n sat opposite. They had a whisper fight about who would sit where and I couldn't tell if she didn't want to sit across from me or Earskell but she sat in front of me. I lifted my glass to my lips, watching her over the crystal as she sat down.

She was beautiful and looked innocent. Her skin looked soft and glowing and the smile she seemed to constantly wear was almost infectious...and I'm not a smiler.

Grandma served us food and she sat at the head of the table, next to Uncle Earskell and Lenora.

"Let's pray." She smiled before everyone dipped their head.

"Heavenly father..."

I looked up from my lap like I usually did. I wasn't religious or a prayer so I usually just stared into space. But this time, I had somethin' to look at. I looked up and y/n was sitting opposite me, eyes clearly open but kept lowered to be respectful. I watched her with my head still tilted down, looking at the way her mouth twitched side to side with awkwardness. She must have felt my gaze on her because she looked up and we caught eyes. A small smile lifted my lips and she flashed a genuine smile at me. It was our little secret.

"The power and the glory forever, amen."

We all lifted our heads and dug into the food. Grandma spoke to y/n most of the time and she gleefully complied, chatting away. Grandma clearly already loved her. I seemed to be the only one wary of her antics.

It hit 9 o'clock and I was sitting in the living room listening to the radio, a glass of whiskey in one hand and a cigarette in the other. I heard Lenora's door open and she came out with y/n who still had her uniform on and carried her backpack on one shoulder.

"Thank you so much Mrs Russel for havin' me." She smiled to Grandma as she got up to say goodbye.

"Oh please, call me Emma, and it was no trouble at all, darlin'." Grandma rubbed y/n's back.

"Are your parents outside?" Lenora asked.

"Oh no, they're not collectin' me I'll just be walkin' home." She smiled.

"Nonsense, you are not walkin' alone at this time of night with that outfit on." Grandma said.

I kept my back to everyone, prayin' Grandma didn't call on me.

"Arvin,"

I clenched my eyes shut in annoyance, knowing what she was about to ask.

"Why don't you take y/n home?"

"Oh no please, I don't wanna be no trouble-" y/n began to protest, probably knowing how much I didn't want to.

"No, come on Arvin. He'll take you no problem." Grandma smiled at me.

I sat my glass down and rubbed the cigarette out on the ash tray.

"No problem at all." I said, standing up.

"Great...thank you." She smiled.

While y/n said goodbye to everyone I grabbed my cap and jacket with my keys inside. I opened the door for her and she quietly thanked me on the way out. Lenora stood by the door and waited on us. We got into the car and it was already awkward. I turned the car on and we buckled in, waving to Lenora as I reversed out and drove away.

I turned the radio up once we got on the straight road.

"Pretty woman, walking down the street,"

I heard y/n's soft hum as she listened to the radio. I looked over at her. She had her elbow outside the car and rested her head on her hand, letting the wind fawn over her face. Some of her hairs became loose but she didn't mind. She looked gorgeous.

"Pretty woman, the kind I like to meet,"

"Do you know where you're goin'?" She asked softly, still not looking at me.

"Yeah I know the way." I said.

"No one could look as good as you."

"You like the radio?" I asked, coughing awkwardly.

She nodded with a smile, "I love music."

I smiled slightly, "Me too."

"What's your favourite song?" She asked, turning her head to look at me.

I shrugged, "Don't have one. I just listen to whatever's on the radio."

She moved more so she would be facing me.

"You don't have a favourite song?" She asked, a smile spread across her face.

"No." I smiled briefly at her then focused on the road again.

She paused for a second, looking at me.

"Hmm." She hummed, sitting normally in the seat again.

"Pretty woman, won't you pardon me,"

"Well, this is one of my favourite songs." She said.

I looked over to her, "Yeah? Why?"

"He talks about her nicely." She smiled.

I scoffed, "That's what makes you like a song? If a man talks of a woman nicely?"

"Well yes, it's important that a man talks about a woman nicely. Or else he's just a sick bastard on the highway to hell." She commented.

I scoffed a laugh which turned into a chuckle. She laughed too. Again with that somewhat dark humour you wouldn't expect a girl like her to have.

I turned up on Fernpark drive and kept driving through the wooded area. The road was real smooth, unlike everywhere else in this town. That's when you knew you were well off.

"You can just drop me here-"

"No need, I'll drop you outside your house."

"But my ma and daddy might see you and think-"

She stopped mid-way through her sentence.

I looked over to her. Her mouth was open, not saying anything like she had frozen in time.

"Your ma and daddy might see me and think what?" I prompted.

She was gonna say somethin' about my tatted clothes and my rusty car. Somethin snobby. I had her, finally.

"They might think we've been...you know..." She fiddled with her fingers.

I held back a smirk cause' I knew what she was implying. I just wanted to hear her say it.

"What?" I finally stopped the car outside her house.

"They might think we've been doin' somethin'."

I chuckled lowly, "You're gonna have to be more specific, darlin'."

She gulped and her cheeks flushed pink, "Submarine racin'!" She whispered, grabbing her bag from the floor of the car.

I raised my brows, "Submarine racin'? I doubt it. A pretty, rich girl like you wouldn't date no worker like me that's for sure, never mind submarine racin'."

She tilted her head, "I will date anyone I want to, Arvin. Even some worker like you. As long as a man treats a woman right, then that's all you can ask for ain't it?"

I smiled and nodded, "I guess so."

"But so we're clear; I wouldn't date you because you're Lenora's brother." She said proudly.

"But you find me attractive?" I smirked, licking my lips.

She stuttered, "No. I don't find you attractive, Arvin. And I would never date you, so don't try and put words in my mouth."

I held my hands up, "I wasn't gonna."

"Good."

"Good."

We sat silently, both thinking about what it would be like to date or even submarine race...

"y/n?! Is that you?!" A woman in a white silk robe shouted by the door.

"Shit. I gotta go, thank you Arvin!" She called, jumping out the car and shutting the door.

She hurried up to her mother at the blue front door and I could hear the distant questions being asked.

"Who is that?" "Lenora's brother?" "He drove you home?" "He polite? He nice?" "Fine."

Her mother waved and I waved back before driving out of the grounds and down the private road until I hit pot-hole city on the ground again.

I kept driving back home, noddin' my head to the music.

"Pretty woman, walkin' down the street..." I sang to myself the whole way home.

-

Submarine Racing: "Watching the submarine races" is a euphamism for making out (and more) in a car.

{Tags: @notanordinaryprincess95​}