#the last days of the deeks

[ravenwind-75]

A Christmas Kiss || AU

Word count: 3000

No beta: fight me

Pairing: Ominis x Johanna

tagging: @heylorrain and @butternutt613 because they shared.

and @accio-bagel and @ps-cactus who helped me with ideas.

@leaping-toadstool-caps

and @anomalyaly and @zetadraconis11 for fluff therapy after reading ITSOI recently

...................................................

“Christmas is a time of coming together, of cheer, of laughter, of remembering what is most important to us. Think back on the year, the lessons we learned, and how we can grow and change. But most of all it is remembering the greatest gift of all, love…”

*******

Ominis Gaunt had had Christmas before. At Hogwarts and some with the Sallow’s, snug by their fire on a cold winter's night. They would sip warm glogg and warm their small cold hands from the snowball fights under blankets and on each other’s skin, just to hear each other shriek. Anne had been the cruelest of them all, chasing her brother with her icy fingers. He had fond memories of those childhood days. They had washed away the memories of lonely nights he’d spent in his manor the years before. His family had often gone off to parties without him, ashamed to be seen with their crippled and weak son. The only joy was when Aunt Noctua would return with a small bag of sweets that she slipped him when no one was looking. 

Yes, Ominis had many different types of Christmases but never had he had one like this- a Christmas alone.

Sebastian had gone off on a holiday trip with Poppy and Anne. Originally he was planning to just go with his fiancee but he couldn’t say no to his sister, especially when they hadn’t had a trip together since she got cured. Ominis was glad for them and couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of Poppy trying to deal with those two. Anne’s mischievousness picked up a lot since Johanna was able to cure her last year after long months of study and travel. 

 And Johanna, she was back with her family..where she should be. Why would she spend Christmas with him?  He was just a reminder of Sebastian, who had broken her heart. It didn’t matter that his heart belonged to her when all she’d ever seen him was as a friend. His friend. 

Sebastian that bastard. 

With a deep sigh Ominis flicked out the lights and pulled on his jacket, closing his-her shop, and wished Penny well. As he pulled the door shut, the bell jingled brightly reminding him  once again of the cheer there was supposed to be tonight. 

“Mr Gaunt sir, Penny doesn’t want you to spend Christmas alone sir. Penny and Deek could keep you company. Penny is very at cooking and Deek could decorate and-”

“Don’t worry about it Penny, I’ll be fine. I enjoy solitude.”

“But sir no one should be alone at Christm-” 

Ominis held back a groan,“Penny…go enjoy Christmas with your husband. I’ll be fine.” Afterall, it’s not the first Christmas I’ve been lonely. He wanted to add. But never completely…

 It didn’t matter though. What was Christmas anyway? Just another day where people put on their best acts, their best clothes, and found another excuse to spend money. It didn’t stop people from showing their true colors as soon as it was over. The love, the gratitude, the fakeness was sickening. 

Maybe spending the holidays alone would be better after all.

*******

Johanna tucked her hands deeper into her pockets as she trudged through the snowy streets of Hogsmeade. The tiny shops were all decorated from top to bottom with gold and silver, with red bows decorating most doors and lights strung across the rooftops in a long line, as if making a trail for Santa Claus to follow. Did wizards believe in Santa? The thought made her pause a moment before she just shook her head and continued on her way. A ridiculous notion really. 

The moon hung high in the sky, sending a silvery glow over everything. It looked enchanting and so peaceful. A shadow flickered across the ground making her look up. She smiled at the sight of a thestral flying in front of it, carrying a bough of greens in her bill. Even they were celebrating in their own sort of way, carrying back their own gifts of love for each other. 

She nodded at the few couples that she passed but her smiles were half-hearted. She couldn’t help the sharp pang that went through her chest that threatened to bring tears to her eyes. It was so fresh. It was just a year ago that it had been her and Sebastian walking down these same streets hand in hand, before he had thrown her over his shoulder and tossed her right into a giant snowman. He’d made some joke afterward that earned him a snowball to the face. 

Ahhh Sebastian…

The boy he was. 

Hopefully one day he’d grow up. Maybe someday he’d think before he acted and grow the guts to apologize and not make ridiculous excuses for his behavior for once. She still loved him but gosh, when would the pain end? He was happy so she shouldn’t be jealous anymore. It wasn’t Poppy’s fault. He was with someone he loved. He had a healthy happy family once again, and heaven knows Sebastian needed it. 

But some didn’t have a family this Christmas. Or friends. Someone who needed family most. 

Don’t worry Ominis, I’ll be there soon. 

She was determined to make this the best Christmas he’d ever had. Ominis deserved happiness, he deserved to have everything he ever wanted. After all, he’d done so much for them over the years. Sebastian was a free man, she was safe from his family after he turned them in. It was wrong that he should find himself alone this holiday. Or anyone for that matter. She had a few stops to make first but she would be there when he woke. She would make sure of it.  

And with that thought in mind, she continued on her journey. 

…..

Waking up to the sound of soft humming and the smell of gingerbread was definitely not Ominis’s plan for Christmas morning. At first, he thought it must be an intruder, but then he realized anyone with evil intentions wouldn’t have let him live or would have left, not stayed to bake cookies. Secondly, he thought Penny had ignored his request and decided to come anyway, but since when had house elves sounded so angelic? 

With an annoyed sigh, he rolled out of bed, ran a hand through his hair briefly to straighten it, and felt for his wand before making his way into the living room, the pulses of light guiding his way. The sound of singing grew louder as he approached the kitchen. He turned in its direction and cleared his throat, preparing himself to scold whoever had invaded his space. 

“Oh, Ominis! Good morning!”

Oh…This had to be a dream. There was no way it could be her standing in his kitchen smiling, based on the sound of her voice. He pinched himself and when nothing changed he realized that she was really there. His brief elation was interrupted by the thought that she was here with him. 

“Shouldn’t you be at home? With your family?” He asked rather sharply. 

“Should I?” She asked lightly, continuing to stir whatever was in the bowl she was holding. “I didn’t know that.” 

“Yes! You should be spending Christmas with them, not me!” 

“And why can’t I spend Christmas with you?” 

“Because-because I-….” Ominis struggled for words. “Because I’m…. not your family. You should be with those that are special to you, not me. Don’t take pity because I’m alone.” 

He hated how his voice was empty and cold. But he couldn’t help but feel offended by the fact she might have come here just out of obligation, to make him happy. It didn’t matter if he was happy or not because- 

“Well, good morning to you too!” She laughed. “I think someone hasn’t been eating enough sweets lately. A bit sour are we?” 

“Hey! I am not!” 

“Are too!” She shushed him and put a dollop of whipped icing on his nose, laughing at the frown he gave her and how he fought back the smile that twitched on his lips.

He tried to be upset with her and continued to protest as she made him breakfast but he couldn’t stay angry at her for long though; her adorable laugh filled him with a warmth that nothing else could compare to. 

Not even the smell of gingerbread, the rays of the sun, or the sound of a carol could match it. No, she was a different tune entirely, a different everything. She was his everything.

….

Johanna watched him eat and listened to him share about how the shop was faring. She was glad to hear the shop was doing well and was thrilled Penny and Deek were finally married. She wished she could have been there. She was glad he was well but her heart was heavy from what he had said. He didn’t actually think he wasn’t important to her, did he? 

Ominis gladly seemed to relax as he shared with her and that nervous slightly angry expression had melted into one of comfortable ease. Smirks and flickers of contained laughter moved over his face when it was her turn and she recounted her recent struggles with nifflers stealing all the golden baubles from a Christmas tree shop. His brown creased with concern however when a shiver ran through her. 

“Johanna, are you alright?” 

“I’m fine,” she said immediately, not wanting to worry him. However, the lie didn’t go undetected. 

He sighed. “I told you before not to lie to me. You’re cold aren’t you.” It was more of a statement than a question and since she was caught she decided to tell the truth. “Yes, I am cold. Why on earth don’t you have some kind of heat on? It’s wintertime. Plus I had to trek here in the snow.”

Without a word he stood up and walked to the bedroom, returning with a blanket. “Sit,” he said, gesturing to the sofa by the empty fireplace. 

“But the cookies-” she began to protest. 

“Don’t worry about the cookies. I’m perfectly capable of taking cookies out of an oven. Sit.” He insisted. 

With a reluctant grumble, she sat down, but couldn’t help but sigh in relief when he tucked the blanket snuggly around her. It was the one she had made him sixth year. She was touched that he had kept it for so long. 

“Now stay here,” he ordered before pulling on a coat and stepping outside. 

She relaxed into the blanket's warmth, but the sound of voices outside made her perk up. It sounded like someone was arguing. She was about to get up when he returned inside, awkwardly carrying some wood. 

“Don’t,” he said, as if he could sense she was about to get up to help him. “It’s my fault you’re cold. I tend to keep the house cold in the winter.”  

“I thought you didn’t like the cold.” She asked as he began to place the wood into the fireplace.  He laughed, a bit embarrassed. “I guess I’m just used to it.” He stepped back, pointing his wand at the fire. “Confringo!” Soon the fire was roaring and the heat spread through the room, chasing the cold into the corners of the small flat. 

Before she could ask what had happened outside the smell of the cookies wafted over. “They’re probably done, are you sure you don’t want me to get them?” 

“I’m sure. You stay warm.” Ominis headed into the kitchen and she watched as he carefully removed them, placing them on a plate before feeling his way around the kitchen for cocoa. Eventually, he came and sat beside her, wordlessly handing her a glass, and placed the plate of cookies between them on the blanket. They sat in silence for a while before Johanna finally spoke. 

“Who was outside?”

Ominis stiffened. “It was Sebastian. He heard you were here from your mother. He came to apologize. I figured you didn’t want to see him so I sent him away. He got angry.” 

…

Ominis heard a light sigh escape her lips. “Oh… well, I’m glad he finally came to his senses, even if it took a year.” She laughed, though the sound was bitter. Ominis felt his heart sink. He knew that Johanna was still hurt by Sebastian's affair, and he wished he knew how to make it better. He longed to tell her how much he loved her, but the words caught in his throat. He realized that to express his feelings now would be selfish. 

Boldly, he reached out and gently took her hand, causing her to suck in a breath of surprise. He usually didn’t like physical contact, but with her, it felt different. He appreciated the gentle touches of encouragement she offered, the surprise hugs, and the accidental brushing of hands. It had been too long since he felt her presence, and he craved it. At the same time, he wanted to comfort her, just as she had done for him countless times.

“I’m sorry he broke your heart, Jo. He didn’t deserve your love, especially after taking it for granted like that. A love like yours is rare. You care deeply and passionately for people, giving everything you have for them and remaining loyal to a fault. You deserve someone who can cherish your love and return it just as deeply. You deserve to be happy with someone special. 

He sighed. “If there is anything I can do to help, please let me know. I’m sorry I didn’t do more before; I was afraid of getting in the middle. But I’m not afraid anymore.” 

Her silence was deafening but her pulse pounded faster against his fingertips. He worried he went too far. Had she caught on to his feelings? Did he scare her off? 

Finally, she spoke, her voice a little shaky but also steady. “Ominis, I didn’t come here out of pity. You told me that I should be with my family—people who are special to me this Christmas. I hope you don’t think you’re not special because you are. You are very special.”

He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Was he really special to her?

She continued, “I know you feel like you’re not worth anything because of how you were treated as a child. But you are worth a lot. You’re not the only one who always gives of yourself. You gave Sebastian a second chance even when he didn’t deserve it. You comforted me and stood by my side through all the drama that happened after fifth year. You just told Sebastian to leave for my sake, even though I’m sure you wanted to see him for Christmas as well. You deserve to have a good Christmas. You deserve to be with someone who cares about you, not to be alone. That’s why I came, Ominis. Not because I pity you, but because you are special to me. Even more so than my family because—because…”

He struggled to breathe, concentrating solely on her beautiful voice and the words she spoke. He fought back the tears threatening to spill and willed his heart to return to a normal pace as he waited with bated breath for her to say the words he longed to hear more than anything.

“Because I love you.” She whispered. 

…

“Because I love you.” She had finally said it. The words she longed to say for months. Yet now she wondered if she should have because of the way Ominis was gaping at her like a fish. She nearly snorted at the expression but the anxiety of what he might be thinking made the laugh die in her throat.  

“Omi-?” 

“You love me? Me?” he whispered, tears spilling down his cheek, making her heart ache. She scooted closer and took both of his hands in hers. He tensed at first but relaxed slightly when she began to rub soothing circles into the backs of his hands with her thumbs.

“I do. I don’t know why I didn’t realize it sooner, but you were always there, loving me quietly. You noticed things no one else did, and slowly, you won my heart. I was a fool to give it to Sebastian when I should have given it to you.” Her voice was genuine and soft.

“I don’t know what to say. You come here, leaving your family on Christmas, wake me up by baking the most delicious cookies I’ve ever eaten while singing in the loveliest voice known to man, and then you tell me you love me. I don’t have anything for you. No Christmas gifts, nothing,” Ominis rambled, flustered and pink with shame and confusion.

“Ominis the best gift is just being here with you. And having your heart, but if you don’t feel the same way that’s fine. I’m sorry if I ruined everything by saying so and-” 

“No!” he shouted, causing her to jump and pull away. A grimace crossed his face as he felt a pang of guilt. Gently, he took her hand again and took a breath before continuing, his voice much softer. “You didn’t ruin anything. Not one bit. You’ve made me the happiest man alive because... I love you too, Johanna.” He lifted his gaze and somehow found her eyes.

“You’ve held my heart since that day in the catacombs all those years ago. I just didn’t think you’d want to be with someone like me. Even when I realized my past didn’t affect how you saw me, it seemed like you were happier with Sebastian. He was stronger and made you laugh. It’s so overwhelming to hear that you feel the same way.”

“I do.” 

He leaned in and they shared a gentle kiss, under the mistletoe Johanna involuntarily conjured with her magic, the small green and white plant clinging to the wooden beams above them. It was the most magical thing Johanna had ever experienced in her life. 

The best gift. 

The end

[stanathanxoox]

Our Babies

“Our babies would be so cute.”

“Oh, yeah?” - Ominis Gaunt x MC

You had just escaped from the hospital wing, your boyfriend helping to escort you there when you had began to feel incredibly nauseous and dizzy during potions class with Professor Sharp. Matron Blainely had insisted that you spent the rest of the day in the hospital wing until whatever ails you passed, having sent Ominis back to class straight after he was sure you were settled. Matron Blainely had run some tests throughout the afternoon and come to only one conclusion, one that you should’ve probably suspected given your most recent turn in your relationship with your boyfriend. You made your way through the door into the room of requirement, having sent Ominis an owl when you were being released from the hospital wing for him to meet you there. You settled on the couch having noticed that he hadn’t arrived yet. Deek appeared a couple minutes later and bowed in front of you saying

“I have a plate full of plain crackers and some soup at Matron Blainely’s request for you Miss Y/N, she said that given your certain situation at the moment you may not feel like eating what is being served for dinner in the Great hall”. You take it gratefully, and chew slowly on the crackers

“Thank you Deek, I appreciate it greatly. Do you mind giving me and Ominis some space while I tell him?” you ask and Deek nods, taking your hand in his small one before he says

“Mr Gaunt has been worried sick about you all day Miss Y/N, kept on calling me to see if I knew any more about your condition. I’m sure he will be positively thrilled to hear your news”. And with that theres a poof and Deek is gone.

You don’t have time to even think or dwell on what Deek had just said to you because the door cracks open and you hear the worried voice of your boyfriend call out

“Y/N? Are you in here? I got your owl and came as quickly as I could” he says as he rushes into the room. You stand and make your way over to him, suddenly very nervous about the whole situation. You had known right from the beginning of your friendship with Ominis that he didn’t care much for his family or for what they had done and how much he wanted to escape. How much after this last year of school he wanted to leave and never return to his families home ever again. You hadn’t really talked about children apart from that if you had them they weren’t to be anything like his family. But you couldn’t help but worry what would happen given that you were both unmarried and - you couldn’t think of that. Your hands are ringing together, a sign of how anxious and nervous you are, something that even though Ominis can’t see he can still pick up

“My sweet Y/N, what is wrong?” he asks, placing his hands gently on your arms to reassure you

“Our babies would be so cute” you say, blurting the first thing that comes to your mind, another anxious trait you had. He raises an eyebrow even more confused as he asks

“Oh yeah?” and you nod your head before gently taking his hands and placing them on the slight bump that is your growing baby. You watch the different expressions flicker across his face, from shock, astonishment and wonder, to happiness and excitement

“Are you serious right now?” he asks, his voice a whisper and you nod leaning in and whispering

“Yes Ominis, we’re having a baby, Blainely thinks I’m about 12 and a half weeks pregnant” 

“We’re having a baby” he whispers before pressing a kiss to your lips and you smile

“Ominis, what does this mean for us and the baby?” you ask and he places a kiss to your forehead

“We have two months left till graduation my sweet girl, and then we can marry and raise this baby  together” he declares as if it was the surest thing in the whole world.

“Are you sure?” you ask and he nods

“Of course I’m sure my sweet girl, a life without you in it just doesn’t seem worth living and now that I know we’re having our own precious little one well that’s even more reason for us to be together don’t you think sweet girl?” he asks and you nod, as tears slip down your face

“I love you Ominis” you whisper and he beams. 

Tag List: @tiva-jenry-caskett-rizzles-densi​, @jimmybpride​, @dressed-up-just-like-z1ggy​, @nikkiwierden​, @samchelforever007​, @kirkspockbones​, @xoncisxncislaxncisnolaox​, @lasalle-pride-sebastian-love​, @haliannej​, @brooklyn-99-amyxjake​​, @mizzezm​, @genius2050​, @twilight-twihard​, @cullencoven2019​, @wxlfgirlx​, @luciferxchloeislove​, @drethanramsey-ismybabe​, @sawyer-oakley-is-mighty-fine​, @loverofoneshots​, @aelin-thefirebreathingbitchqueen​​

[dr-spencer-reids-queen]

Reflection of Desire: Final Part

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Female!Reader

Word Count: ~1.8k

Warnings: canon violence, canon language, canon talk of death, methods of kill

Summary: Women are being kidnapped and are being posed as Hollywood Starlets after the unsub kills them. Washington DC police have called in your team for help.

Season Six Masterlist

Author’s Note: I do not own anything from Criminal Minds. All credit goes to their respective owners. If there are any warnings that exceed the normal death/kills from the show, I will list them.

x

Knowing this press conference is going to bring the unsub out of his hole, you have to be driving around town in hopes you'll spot him. You and Spencer are in one car, Rossi and Hotch are in one, and Emily and Detective Croft are in another. The radio is on so you can hear the press conference instead of watching it.

"Penny Hanley went missing two days ago. We have received over three thousand calls. Her family is obviously deeply worried and is looking forward to her prompt and safe return," Pen starts.

"Isn't Penny Hanley yet another victim of the Hill Ripper?" A female reporter asks.

"Right now, all we know is that Penny is missing."

"Who sent that photo in just like the Kelly Landis case?" another asks.

"We'd like to take this opportunity to reach out to the public. Penny was last seen here, leaving Union Station--"

"You mean she was taken by the Hill Ripper?"

"Rumors are that Kelly Landis was found with her lips cut off."

Reporters keep cutting Penelope off, and she's trying her best to keep the focus on Penny.

"We are not prepared to discuss the details of Kelly's case."

"Isn't the mutilation, in fact, what you call a signature?"

Even through the radio, you can feel Penelope's panic. Come on, Pen, you can do this.

"Penny Hanley's name has captured the attention of not only the nation but also the entire world." She holds up the black-and-white picture of Penny. "This photo is the most recent image of Penny. We believe it was taken and sent by the person who took her."

"I want to say something." You recognize the voice of Penny's father. "I want to say something to the sick son of a bitch that has my daughter."

Mr. Hanley, we all want to find your daughter, but you really need to calm down. Mr. Hanley, don't do this," you hear Derek say in the background.

"If I say something, she dies. If I plead for her life, she dies. I don't have any money and my wife passed away two years ago. She is all I have, and if this sick bastard gets away with this--just let me say something."

"What would you like to say to the man who has your daughter? If the Hill Ripper is watching, what would you tell him?" a female reporter asks.

"My little girl right now is in your hands. Maybe she's already with God. Either way, your life will be in my hands."

They pause to process his words.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I have just received this." Deek must have handed her the paper Hotch wanted him to hand to her. "The police request that the general public reduce their movements around M street and Georgetown, for the next few hours."

"Do you have a lead in the Hill Ripper case? Agent Garcia, do you have a lead in the ripper case?"

"No, we don't. We have an address."

Just like that, the press conference is over. You're connected to the other agents through the earpieces so you can talk to them while you drive.

"If he's moving, he's moving now," Rossi says.

"Reid, Y/N, where are you?"

"We're headed south down Jackson Street. There's hardly anything moving," Specner answers.

"Except cop cars. We've seen five in the last ten minutes. Hotch, if he's out here, he's got nowhere to go," you say.

You continue driving through the city, looking for anything suspicious. You pull up to a red light and wait for it to turn green. While waiting, you feel something prick at the back of your neck. The unsub is near. Spencer sees the alert look on your face and sits up straighter.

"What is it?"

"I feel him." You take off as soon as the light turns green, and you head to the darker parts of town. You're driving fast because you're following the energy leading right to the unsub. "Hold on." You shove your arm across Spencer's chest as you slam on the brakes right in front of an alley. "He's in there right now with her."

"Call Hotch."

You turn the car around and drive into the alley, shining the headlights onto the car. The unsub panics and hops out of the car before he can finish killing Penny. You put the car into park and jump out, already racing after the unsub.

"Stay with her and get help!" you yell at Spencer.

You can hear Spencer's voice over comms but you're not paying attention to his words. You aim your gun at the unsub and shoot twice, hitting him once in the leg. He nearly trips but he doesn't stop running. Not only is he faster than you, but he had a head start. There is no use in chasing after him. You pant and lightly jog over to Spencer and Penny who are surrounded by paramedics.

"Hotch, he's headed your way. I tried to chase him. I shot him in the leg. He won't be as fast."

"Copy."

Penny is already being loaded into the ambulance by the time you reach her and Spencer.

"Penny, your dad's going to meet you at the hospital," Spencer says.

Just then, Hotch and Rossi show up and get out.

"He got away but you hit him good. We found traces of blood down the alley. K-9 units are on the way."

"Agent Reid?" Penny asks.

"Yes?"

"Please don't leave me," she whimpers.

"Go, Spencer. We've got this," you encourage.

Spencer gets into the ambulance and stays with Penny the whole time. The unsub was forced to leave his car behind which is good for you since you'll be able to ID him from that. You walk to the front and notice a disabled permit hanging from the rearview mirror.

"This car has a disabled permit."

"Registered to who?" Rossi asks.

You take out your phone and call Penelope who is back behind a computer screen. You give her the license plate number and the make and model of the car, and she does her magic.

"The car belongs to May Walden. The unsub is Rhett Walden, her son. I have an address. 1503 Hope Street." She pauses. "Oh, my God."

"What is it?" you ask and look at the others who are staring at you. You put her on speakerphone. "You're on speakerphone."

"May's black-and-white photo looks exactly like Kelly and Penny."

"When was it taken?" Derek asks.

"1956. It's a set photo from a movie called Reflection of Desire. May was nineteen when this was taken."

"She's got to be over seventy by now."

"Yeah. M Street and Rykers Alley are the locations of this film. It was the only movie she ever made, and she was four months pregnant when this picture was taken which ended her career."

"What about the father?" you ask.

"Her co-star. Do you think she made her son do all of this?"

"Penelope, I think she made her son do a lot more than this," Derek answers.

The team heads over to Rhett's house and surrounds it with agents, police officers, and a SWAT team. Detective Croft stands behind one of the police cars and uses a megaphone to talk to Rhett who he knows is inside the house. It's the only place he'd go.

"Rhett Walden, this is the police! We know you're in there. Come out with your hands up!" He repeats it. "This is the police. We know you're in there. Come out with your hands up."

The front door opens and Rhett steps outside with a bloody leg from where you shot him and someone in his arms. The person is frail and small but her hair is covering her face so you're unsure of who it is.

However, you know she's dead.

You gasp when you see the skeleton in his arms and lower your gun in shock. That must be his mother.

"Get down on the ground!" Derek yells.

He does immediately but you think it's because his injured leg can't hold him up any longer.

"I need a medic!" the detective orders.

His mother's hair moves away from her face, and you gasp a second time when you see what's been glued to her face.

"Is that...?"

"Lips," Emily says. "They're Kelly's."

Rhett is taken away probably to a mental health facility because you know he is not sane if he kept his dead mother in his house long enough to play dress up with her. With this case over and done with, you and the team head to the theater to see Penelope in her play. She was apprehensive when you told her that you would be going but you encouraged her to give it her all.

Even JJ decided to come with you.

The play is about a crime that a woman has committed. She was kidnapped, attacked, and raped so she decides to enact revenge on the man by kidnapping him and killing him. She found the man responsible for her trauma and is using his past against him.

She's not the first woman he's beaten and raped.

Penelope is on one side of the stage under a spotlight wearing a black wig. She is staring at herself in the mirror and recites a monologue.

"I believe humanity was born from conflict. Maybe that's why there lives a dark side in all of us. Some of us choose to embrace it. Some have no choice. The rest of us fight it. In the end, it's as natural as the air we breathe. At some point, all of us are forced to face the truth. Ourselves. For me, that day has come. I was eighteen when I faced a man who chose to embrace his dark side, and by doing so, he took my humanity. Every day since I have put on a mask to hide what now suffocates me. The truth. And nothing speaks louder than the truth."

She gets up and faces the man... her revenge.

"Melissa Crane?"

"Get out," he sneers.

"Alison Gardner?"

"Get out before I call the police."

"I called them, and they'll be here but not before I'm done."

"Done? Done with what?"

Penelope raises a prop gun at the man and shoots him once in the chest. He gasps and falls backward on stage. She walks over to him, kneels by his dying body, and makes him look at her.

"Nine girls you raped and you butchered. You took from them what you took from me, but I survived. You should have killed me, Clarence."

The stage goes dark, and everyone stands up to clap for them. Penelope is good. She was born for this sort of thing. The lights turn on and both she and her male costar bow for the audience. She looks at her team, locking eyes with you. You give her two thumbs up, extremely proud of her.

"I believe humanity was born from conflict. Maybe that's why in all of us lives a dark side. Some of us embrace it. Some have no choice. The rest of us fight it. And in the end, it's as natural as the air we breathe. Some point, we're forced to face the truth... ourselves. – Penelope Garcia

x

Want to be tagged? Follow my library blog @aqueenslibrary​​​​​​ where I reblog all my stories, so you can put notifications on there without the extra stuff :)

[bullet-prooflove]

For Jesse Boone

“Oh, but that black dress makes it hard to breathe”

Tagging: @thiashazzywriting @whateversomethingbruh @district447 @Gatefleet @EryBerry109

Raincheck - Jesse finally decides to get that raincheck.

Last Night - Jesse can't remember the night before.

Perfect Gentleman (NSFW)- Jesse has a certain reputation.

Feel Just Too Damn Good (NSFW) - Jesse has never felt as good as he feels with you.

Happy - You and Jesse have a frank conversation when you see an email from Heather.

Makapipi Falls - Jesse and you take a trip together.

Wild (NSFW) - Jesse realises what he was missing in his marriage.

Companion piece to upcoming fics: Scar Tissue & Wild Horses

When Jesse sees the picture of you in that little back dress, he finds it hard to breathe. His chest constricts, his heart pounds and his vision tunnels. He’s taken back to that night, that one a couple of days ago where you turned up on his doorstep wearing it with nothing underneath. You’d kept it on while he fucked you on the rug in the hall, he remembers laughing into the curve of your throat in the aftermath because you, you always make him do the craziest things.

He flicks through the other pictures, they’re all from the past few days. You going about your life, doing normal things. He knows who sent them, he knows why he sent them.

They’re a message to you from Henry Scofield.

I’m watching you, I’m coming for you.

This is what Marty Deeks was warning you about when he made the trip last week, that the man who hurt you was on the loose, that he’d escaped from prison.

He thinks about the scar between your breasts, the one hidden under that tattoo. He’d almost killed you that night, plunged a knife right into your chest, watched as you bled out. It had ended your career as a detective.

It’s the reason you retrained as a criminalist and moved to Hawaii, in a way it’s the reason you met him.

Jesse knows what these pictures are going to do to you. He’d found them this morning propped against your door in a manilla envelop and he’d known, he’d just known what they contained.

“Why are you hanging around out here?” You ask him as you open the front door and he freezes, the photographs gripped tightly in his hand.  

“I need you to pack a bag.” He tells you as he hands you the glossy images. “You’re coming to stay with me.”

Love Jesse? Don’t miss any of his stories by joining the taglist here.

Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[little-emerald-snake]

Kinktober Day 26

Squirting / Overstim - Ominis Gaunt X F!MC

🔥NSFW �� MDNI

1.9k words

Ominis could never deny her anything. So when she’d approached him and asked him to help her have an orgasm he found himself unable to say no to one of his best friends.

She’d confided in him a week after their mandatory sex ed course. She knew a few students had already started experimenting. But some students, like her, had never put much thought into sex up until now.

She’d tried for the past few nights with different methods, trying to obtain an orgasm. She’d tried with her fingers, a pillow, even her wand. But no method felt suited to get the job done alone.

After much thought she’d decided asking a close friend to help her would likely be her best bet. At first she’d thought of Sebastian and quickly shut that thought down before thinking of Ominis.

He wouldn’t take advantage of her inexperience and she couldn’t help but feel a little better that he couldn’t see her, which eased some of her insecurities and discomfort.

Ominis had agreed without hesitation. He didn’t tease or chastise her for asking for help and instead was glad she trusted him to help her with something so personal.

He said he’d do some reading and meet her in her room of requirement after curfew so they would have complete undisturbed privacy after the students and Deek had gone to sleep.

Ominis had spent the rest of his day reading up on everything he could get his hands on for how to help her. Everything from spells, potions and just plain anatomy books.

He’d felt fairly confident that by the time he let his wand lead him to the ror that he’d be able to help her with her problem.

In all honesty he was a mess. He’d dreamed of doing something like this with her for so long but never imagined it could actually happen. He was hoping that if he made it really good for her that she’d want to do it more…or maybe she’d even return the favor one day.

When he’d entered the ror, he took a breath and stepped inside. He was surprised to find her waiting on the couch for him, face lifting from her book as he entered. “H-hello, Ominis…”

She quickly stood and brushed the skirt of her silky nightgown down, heat already creeping up her cheeks. She felt silly wanting to dress kind of sexy for him but felt like it could be a small thanks in trade for his help.

He smiled and approached her, his non-wand hand at his side, itching to reach up and touch her. He didn’t know the level of intimacy she was interested in and figured he’d let her lead the way.

She wanted him to touch her, to realize she wasn't in her school attire. But she didn’t want to seem too intimate and drive him away. After all, he was only here because she asked, right? She swallowed hard and took his hand in hers, planting it on her hip as she slid closer to him.

He sighed happily and let his fingers wander over the silky smooth fabric of her nightgown. He bit his tongue to stifle the hum of satisfaction that threatened to leave his lips. “You wore this for me? I’m sure you look absolutely edible, darling.”

Her cheeks heated, happy that he approved of her. She let his hand wrap around her and stay on her hip as she led him to the small room she’d set up with a four poster bed. She’d occasionally slept here when she stayed up late studying and didn’t want to bother her roommates or when she wanted a bit of privacy. Mostly the last few days as she’d been exploring.

Ominis was vaguely familiar with her ror and could tell she was taking him to the bedroom. His heart sped up and he tried his best to keep his nerves from showing. He wanted to appear dominant and confident, both things she had mentioned finding attractive over the time he’d known her.

She stopped by the bed, swallowing hard as her nerves started rising up. Ominis turned to her, hand still on her hip as he lowered his wand. “Did you want this to be strictly business or would you like some sensuality?”

Her cheeks heated as she fussed with the lace trim of her nightgown. “I erm, I was hoping it could be a bit sensual…I-I think it would possibly help me relax a bit more.”

He nodded and gently slid his arms around her, placing his knee on the bed and lowering her down to lay on the edge. “Would you…like to be kissed?”

Her breath was taken away as he delicately lowered her onto the bed. Her heart raced as she looked up into his milky blue orbs. “Y-yes please…”

Ominis smiled and gently pressed his lips to hers, letting the passion and care bleed into the kiss. She kissed him back, mouth parting as he licked along her lips. A taste so overwhelmingly ‘Ominis’ took over her senses, causing a new little tingle to form low in her belly.

Ominis was careful, lifting her head to place a pillow below it as he made sure she was placed where he wanted her on the bed. His hands wandered to the bottom of her nightgown, finding her smooth legs beneath them and teasing his fingers over the skin.

She gasped into the kiss and he swallowed her soft sounds. Finally his lips left her swollen ones, he positioned himself between her legs on his knees beside the bed. He carefully lifted her skirts up and worked her panties down her legs.

He spread her legs open and placed her legs over his shoulders. She blushed, bringing her hands down to cover her exposed core, he chuckled in response. “Darling, I can’t even see you. What is there to be embarrassed of? I’m sure you look absolutely ravishing.”

She whimpered, allowing him to pull her hands away as he kissed his way up her inner thigh. His lips came to the apex of her thighs and her core clenched around nothing. He stopped, looking up in the direction of her face, chuckling before laving a thick stripe between her folds.

She shivered in pleasure, head tipping back as the image of him peering from between her legs right into her eyes played on loop in her mind. His tongue slid past her folds again and she shivered when it met her sensitive clit. “O-oh gods, Ominis.”

He chuckled, bringing his hand up to her core, dipping his middle finger into her silky wet sex. “I find it hard to believe you can’t achieve orgasm if you’re this sensitive, darling. Look at you, practically shaking already.”

She moaned softly, focusing on his second finger sliding in to meet his first. She had no thought to ask Ominis if he’d ever done this before but now, as she laid on the bed in front of him, his fingers curling against her g spot that she’d never managed to find, she very much doubted he was as innocent as she had believed.

Pride swelled in his chest as he heard her soft breathy gasps turn to full on moans while his fingers slid gently back and forth over her g spot, his tongue circling her clit softly but assuredly.

She was already climbing a ladder of pleasure she’d been unable to reach. Her back arching up bit by bit, her fingers gripping into the bed sheets, her legs quaking as she fought the urge to close her thighs tightly around his skull.

Her moans crescendoed, her hand reaching down to lace her fingers in his hair. Her hips had a mind of their own as she practically ground against his face. “O-o-oh! Ominis! I-oh y-yes!”

He worked his fingers faster, lips suctioning around her clit as she tumbled over the blissful edge. He felt her walls tighten around his fingers and he palmed his aching erection through his pants while he listened to her beautiful sounds.

He kept going till she released his hair, body twitching but relaxing back against the mattress softly. “O-oh my…w-well I can see what all the hype is about now…Merlin…that was incredible Ominis.”

He chuckled as he lifted his face, licking up the sweet taste of her from his lips. He kept his finger seated deep witting her, unmoving but still there. “That was magnificent darling. I must say though, I’ve heard if you have multiple in a row, it can be quite the experience. That is, if you’re up for it…”

She bit her lip, excitement coursing through her. If he was right then that means the feeling could possibly be even better. As someone who brought her so quickly to orgasm after days of trying by herself she was not keen on refusing his offer to bring her even more pleasure. “I erm, if you really don’t mind, I’ll try it.”

He smirked, devilishly and nodded. “In that case, just tell me when to stop, love.”

He lowered his head between her legs and got right back into it. She moaned, the sensitivity was maddening but something within her didn’t let her pull him away. She craved the feeling, craved watching him pleasure her so eagerly.

Ominis gave her his all. Lips perfectly around her bud and fingers massaging her g spot at a maddening pace. He brought her to the brink and shoved her over it once, twice, three, even four more times.

Her legs were absolutely shaking now and he could tell she was overly sensitive. Her walls spasmed wildly around his three fingers and he’d given up on her clit entirely seeing as she shoved his head away every time he tried after her third orgasm.

She was a mess, sheets completely disheveled beneath her as she arched upward. His fingers brought her closer and closer. She knew this felt entirely different but didn’t know why or how.

A great pressure grew within her and before she knew it, her walls were clenching down and the pressure was being relieved rapidly, a clear fluid releasing from inside of her.

She was in her own mix of heaven and hell. Pleasure so intense, like nothing she’d ever felt before. And shame so intense it burned her cheeks.

Even as she squirted down the front of his chest, he didn’t falter, a devious smile still plastered on his face. Once she’d gotten a hold of herself and Ominis had pulled his fingers from her she got to apologizing immediately.

Ominis simply shushed her and pulled his wand, casting a quick scourgify on himself and anything else affected. “Shhh. Don’t apologize, love. It’s perfectly normal. Although, not all women can. I must say I’m impressed.”

She sat up, a bit confused as he stood up and laid on the bed beside her. Her eyes failed to miss the massive bulge in his trousers. “What you just experienced is called squirting. Only some women can and even less figure out that they can. It’s perfectly normal. I find it quite hot that you are capable.”

Her face was still red with shame but she was pleased to hear he at least liked it. “I-I’m glad you liked it. I erm…see you are quite affected by what we’ve done. I-I’ve never…b-but if you want to I could try t-“

He pressed his finger to her lips and shushed her as his hand slid down to adjust himself in his trousers. “Why don’t I just take care of it myself and you can watch, darling?”

Kinktober Prompt List

[ejzah]

A/N: Suggested by @mashmaiden after we rewatched “Spiral” tonight. A little Densi post-ep.

***

“Ow,” Kensi moaned, limping out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her chest. She’d felt decent when she left the office, but after the drive back, her muscles had seized up and her ribs ached from the direct hits by their armed man. Dropping the towel, she found one of Deeks’ old t-shirts, and pulled it on, only lifting her arms as high as absolutely necessary. It was amazing how quickly she’d fallen into the cliché, but his clothes were so comfortable.

“Deeks!” she called out. He was somewhere around the apartment, likely cleaning up after her. She felt a twinge of guilt after their tense and physical day. He’d gotten clocked pretty good too, and looked equally stiff when they got home.

“Yeah?” he called back from another room.

“Can you get me a bag of ice and ibuprofen?”

“Sure. Anything else?”

“Ice cream?”

Deeks’ muffled laughter made her smile as she shuffled around the room and grabbed her phone off the dresser, kicking a spare pair of pants out of her way on the way to bed. With a combined groan and sigh of relief, she crawled under the covers.

“Just as my Ladybird requested,” Deeks announced a few minutes later, walking in with a glass of water and white bottle in one hand and a bag full of ice balanced on top of a tub of vanilla ice cream.

As he set it all on the table, the bedside lamp played directly over him.

“Oh my god, Deeks,” she gasped, sitting up and tossing her phone to the side.

“What? Is it your ribs? Do we need to go to the hospital?” he asked in quick succession, already reaching for her in concern.

“No, your face.” Carefully, she took his chin between her forefinger and thumb and turned it towards the light. When they’d gotten home his cheek and around his had looked slightly bruised and irritated. Now, the entire socket had bloomed into a deep blackish-purple and below that, his cheek and jaw were clearly swollen.

“Oh yeah,” he said, touching under his eye with a wince. “I guess it took a little while to set in. I figure I’m pretty lucky though since that guy could have given Sam a run for his money.”

“Baby, that looks awful. Come on get in bed,” she encouraged him, z patting the side that had become his in the last few weeks.

“Kens, I’m fine.”

“Stop it. You brought me all this.” She gestured to the pills and bucket of ice cream. “Let me take care of you too.”

After a few moments of hesitation, Deeks stripped off his jeans, leaving him in boxers and the shirt he’d worn all day, and slid in beside her. Turning onto her side, Kensi gently ran her fingers over his skin, barely making contact.

She reached behind her without taking her eyes off him, and grabbed the sweating bag of ice, pressing it to his cheek. He inhaled deeply, staring back at her with a soft, vulnerable gleam in his eyes.

“I’m glad we didn’t die today,” he murmured.

“Me too,” she whispered back. Leaning down, she kissed him softly, wrapping her free hand around the back of his head. Deeks curled his arm around her, tucking her into his chest, and she closed her eyes, sighing in relief.

[festivalsofmargot]

You Are a Memory {Sebastian Sallow x GN!Reader}

Introduction: END GAME SPOILERS!!! AGE 18+ SCENARIOS

Starts after Sebastian’s questline and goes until the two of you are in your 7th year, aged up to 18+. Sebastian has just killed his uncle, and it finally dawns on the two of you how far down the dark path you’ve gone. You aren’t good for one another, and it’s time you let each other go. 

Could be a standalone, but if you’d like some extra background on yours and Sebastian’s relationship, feel free to read these first: Pining in Potions Class, Pretty Thoughts, and Selfless. (I like to write a non house specific reader, but Gall of a Gryffindor can work too if any of you Gryffindors out there want that little extra).

Word Count: ~ 5,400 😬 whoopsies

Warnings: Kissing, Angst, Sex (first time making love, gender neutral so not crazy explicit smut level, characters are aged 18+)

Author’s Note:  Listen listen listen listen… it’s not that I don’t like you guys. I just wanna make you pretty cry a bit, okay? You and Seb have been too happy together in my short stories and I’m ready to be the drama and add a little spice. This is my first attempt at a sex scene and a gender neutral one at that. I’m happy with how it turned out, but I’ll keep pushing myself to write better. Enjoy everybody, hope you’re having a good day 😊

Songs (if interested, bonus songs because it’s a long one today, pop them on and join my sad vibes):

You Are a Memory - Message to Bears

In This Shirt - The Irrepressibles

Exit Music (For A Film) - Radiohead

September 15, 2017: Cassini - The Grand Finale - Sleeping At Last

Light - Sleeping At Last

Falling Colour - Vanbur

You finally left the room of requirement after having spent a good amount of your Saturday there. The magical beasts you saved were always excellent company, even in a time as dark as this. When Deek had excused himself for the night, it was then you realized you should probably get to bed yourself.

You silently cursed when you saw how dark and empty the halls were. It was difficult to keep track of time with the vivariums and Deek’s room ambience enchantments. No question you were well passed curfew. Though, a detention was the least of your worries at the moment.

You heard your name called from somewhere in the darkness. You gasped and turned quickly to see Sebastian pushing himself off the wall he was leaning against.

“Sebastian? What are you doing here?” The two of you hadn’t spoken since he ran from the cave. You hadn’t sought him out when you returned to the castle. You let him have his space, and heaven knows you needed it too.

“I needed to see you.” He said, not meeting your eyes.

“How long have you been waiting? I’m so sorry, if I had known -”

“It’s alright. I... needed the time to think about what I was going to say to you.”

Noticing the room of requirement’s door was still there, you pulled him back in with you. “Let’s talk in here.”

Sebastian’s eyes roamed the room. He would have been in awe at the beauty of it all. But the image of his dead uncle and the heartbroken look on Anne’s face took away any levity the room could have given him.

With Sebastian’s hand still in yours, you guided him to a nearby couch which had been your favorite spot aside from the beast vivariums, though you had a feeling it wouldn’t be any longer after your conversation that night. You sat and gently tugged at his hand for him to sit down with you.

Releasing your hand, he leaned forward, elbows on his knees. He looked down at the floor, and you waited for him to speak first. You didn’t want to rush him.

“How did things go so wrong?” He buried his face in his hands, his voice faltering. “I didn’t mean it. I didn’t mean to -” 

Hearing his distress, you placed your hand on his back, rubbing up and down.

He took a shaky breath to right himself. He then grabbed your hand that was rubbing his back and held it in his lap. He rubbed a thumb across your skin and stared at the lines that graced your palm. “We need to end this.”

Your breath hitched in your throat and tears stung at your eyes. You also knew the two of you were heading this direction, but to hear one of you actually say it out loud still broke something in you. “I know.” You whispered.

Sebastian shot a hand up to cover his eyes, desperately trying to stop tears of his own from falling. His shoulders began to shake with silent sobs.

You leaned forward, wrapping your arms around his waist, resting your cheek against his back. “I know.” You said again, still with no conviction. “I’m just as tempted by the dark arts as you are, Sebastian. If we stay together, I'm afraid we’ll cause even more damage.”

“I don’t want this.” He choked through his tears.

You held him tighter, the tears finally falling down your cheeks. You breathed in his scent once more, taking in everything you could of him before he would leave that night. “Neither do I.”

He gently tugged at your arms to get you to release him. He stood to his feet and made his way to leave. You knew you should let him go, but you jumped up from the couch and called for him just as he was going to open the door. “Sebastian!”

His fingers hovered over the handle, he turned slightly to look at you. He waited for you to continue, but you could only stare at him, eyes sparkling with tears. 

Digging his heels into the ground, he closed the distance between the two of you in only a few steps. He took your face in his hands and crashed his lips onto yours. You met him with just as much need and grabbed at the fabric covering his chest to keep him close. The both of you whimpered at the despair in your kiss, cheeks wet with tears. This was the end of it and there was no running from the pain.

Before you knew it, Sebastian left your embrace, speeding out of the room. Once the door shut behind him, you collapsed to the floor and allowed your sobs to consume you.

-

The remaining days of your fifth year went by the slowest. Each day you weren’t working with Professor Fig on your ancient magic and going through the keepers’ trials, you struggled to fill your time. Poppy was finally taking it easy after you had helped her with the centaurs. And Natty was still recovering from your fight with Harlow. Her mother had a closer eye on her than ever before, so spending time with her away from the castle wasn’t happening.

Every time you saw Sebastian, you did everything you could to keep your distance and avoid looking his way. At first you tried to sneak glances, but you found it hurt too much, and it only tempted you to run back into his arms. 

“Maybe we were too rash. Maybe we can be better together.” You envisioned yourself saying to him, but you knew it wouldn’t be true. It was made clear every time you left the castle and ran into poachers. They made it difficult to stray from your dark path. Seeing what they had done to so many animals, you were nowhere near done with the cruciatus curse. You weren’t good for Sebastian, you needed to accept that and let him heal. He could be better, and he would be.

-

You don’t know how you made it out alive against Rookwood and Ranrok, yet there you were. You shifted uncomfortably in your bed in the hospital wing of Hogwarts. Aside from some deep gashes that needed stitching, a ton of bruising, and a sprained ankle, you had managed to make it out all right. But Professor Fig hadn’t, and it weighed on you heavily.

Word spread fast about how you fought alongside the professors to defend the school.  All your friends had come to see you - well - almost all of them. Even some people you didn’t know very well came to check in. 

When Ominis came in to the hospital wing, you felt yourself go stiff. Along with leaving Sebastian behind, you left Ominis as well. You panicked at the thought of facing him. If you had never entered their lives, Sebastian might not have been able to dive so deep into the dark arts. He might have listened to his closest friend and the whole mess wouldn’t have happened.

“How are you?” Ominis asked as he pulled up a chair by your bedside.

“A little roughed up, I suppose. And you?” You were afraid to ask, because the conversation could so easily move towards Sebastian.

“I’m well thank you. And a little roughed up? From what I hear you sound like you belong in this hospital bed for the remainder of the year.”

You began to laugh but then hissed in pain, grabbing at your side. “Well, I can’t really disagree with you there, can I?”

He gave a soft chuckle, and then he fell quiet. The look on his face made it seem like he was debating his next words. “Look, I heard what happened between you and Sebastian.”

“Ominis, please -”

“Let me finish. I heard what happened between the two of you but I’m still here for you. That day you took on the cruciatus curse for him, I knew you’d proven yourself to be a true friend. I understand why the two of you are no longer speaking, and as much as I’m sure it hurts, I agree it’s what’s best for the both of you. Please know, you don’t have to be a stranger when it comes to me.”

It hit you how much you had missed Ominis as well. “Thank you.”

“I'm afraid I have to get going now, I snuck away from Sebastian to check in on you. I feel I’ve constantly had to talk him out of coming to visit the second he heard what happened.”

You nodded your head, “It’s best he doesn’t come. I think I’d fall out of this bed and crawl right into his arms if he had.”

“I thought the same.” He stood up from his chair. “Now get some rest. I can grab something for you from Honeydukes later.”

“Chocolate Frogs, I’m begging you.” Just as you were starting to cheer up, the thought of Hogsmeade reminded you of Rookwood, and what he had told you before he tried to kill you. “Ominis, wait. There’s something you and Sebastian need to know about Anne.”

-

Sebastian couldn’t stand it. Though he knew full well Ominis was right about how he shouldn’t go to visit you, it had gotten to a point where he wasn’t able to sleep without having seen how you were doing with his own eyes. 

Sneaking out of his dorm, he made his way to the hospital wing. He crept in, cloaked with the disillusionment spell and stood at the entrance. Eyes searching, it didn’t take long to spot you. You seemed to be the only student admitted.

He tiptoed over as not to wake you. When he reached you, his heart crumpled at the sight. A majority of your body was covered by the blanket, but from the skin he could see on your neck and face, you were riddled with bruising and stitches. Without thinking, he brushed his fingers along your cheek. 

You let out a soft moan and Sebastian yanked back his hand, panicked he had woken you. But you went quiet again, the only sound escaping you was your breathing. He should have listened to Ominis, seeing you again like that had pulled him right back in. He needed to get out of there.

Just as he as he turned to leave, you mumbled, “Sebastian?”

He looked back fearfully, thinking he was caught. But you were still sound asleep as you murmured his name. He ached to kneel before your bedside and grab your hand. He wanted to kiss it over and over, reassuring you saying, “I’m here. I’m here. Everything’s alright now.” But he couldn’t, and before he could fight himself on it any longer, he forced his feet to move one in front of the other until he was back in his dorm.

-

It was the beginning of your seventh year at Hogwarts when the Triwizard Tournament was announced to take place. It sounded like just the thing you needed to get through your last year.

You don’t know how you made it through your sixth year, it wasn’t nearly as eventful as your fifth had been. Though you were thankful everything seemed to be going a lot smoother in the world and your friends were safe, you were still uneasy with all the free time you had. You busied yourself up in the room of requirement if you weren’t with Poppy or Natty, and would stay just late enough to make it back right before curfew.

Though it was impossible to not see Sebastian, you did everything you could to minimize the chances. By the end of the year, you had found a good routine to get you through the rest of your time at Hogwarts. And adding this tournament on top of it could really help you thrive.

You fiddled with the folded up parchment that had your name written on it as you stood in the crowd around the Goblet of Fire. You were standing side by side with Natty who was also going to put her name in, the two of you waited for your turn to walk up. It was interesting watching all the Beauxbaton Academy and Durmstrang Institute students put their name in. They all looked so confident, and with such athletic builds, you couldn’t believe some of them were only 18 years old like you were.

After Natty placed her name in, you clapped along with everyone else and threw in a special holler just for her. Then it was your turn. As you were about to let the parchment fall in and be swallowed up by the flames, you looked out to the cheering crowd and locked eyes with Sebastian. Out of everyone around you, how did you manage to spot him? Dropping your name in, the crowd erupted in applause. You bowed your head and smiled as you left the circle.

When you returned to your position amongst the crowd, you tried to shake the image of his face from your mind. The way he was looking at you when you entered your name into the fire, it was almost as if he was crushed to see you do so. But you immediately dismissed the thought. It was dark in there and the only light source came from the Goblet, you couldn’t have possibly gotten a good read on his reaction. You two were no longer in each other’s lives and it’s been that way for a while. Get over yourself. He wouldn’t care what you did any more.

-

“You? But... why?” Was all Sebastian could ask his best friend. Ominis had just informed him he was the one taking you to The Yule Ball. Sebastian had known you were going with someone after overhearing you turn down a Durmstrang student, apologizing and explaining you already had a date. He had been in a dreadful mood ever since. But his sour mood turned perplexed at Ominis’ announcement.

“Honestly? Because I’m afraid of what you’d do to anyone else who did. Also, it looks good for a Gaunt to be going to the ball with the Hogwarts champion, if I’m not going to be the champion myself. Got my family off my back somewhat.”

Sebastian sighed. “Ominis, you didn’t need to trouble yourself. I’m fine now. We’re fine. We haven’t spoken in who knows how long. The two of you should go with people you -” have an interest in. He finished in his head, unable to say the words aloud without feeling sick.

Though he’d hate to admit it, Sebastian was filled with immense relief Ominis was the one taking you to the ball. He had seen the rather large amount of people who had approached you, and he wanted to shoo off each one of them. But he had no right, he needed to let you live your life. After all, it would have been highly hypocritical of him considering he had said yes to going with Amelie Dupont, the champion for Beauxbatons Academy.

-

Sebastian and Ominis waited side by side at the bottom of the stairs for their dates. He was hoping with every fiber in his body that you would walk down those stairs before Amelie did, because he knew he wouldn’t be able to resist watching you come down with undivided attention. And that would be horribly rude of him with his date at his arm already.

But of course, Amelie arrived first. He shouldn’t have expected any different knowing how you were. Always off doing something until the last minute.

With Amelie’s arm linked in his, all champions and their dates stood, lined in formation to enter the ballroom, except one.

“Ah Mr. Gaunt, here is your date now.”

Sebastian shot his gaze to the stairs at Professor Weasley’s words and went stiff. In that moment, he could have sworn his heart stopped. You were breathtaking. He had never seen you in such formal attire. For some reason, feeling foolish about it then, he had expected you to be dressed in some variation of the Hogwarts uniform. It had been all he’d seen you in for the passed year and a half.

“So sorry I’m late.” You called down as you descended the steps, watching your step as you did so as not to trip in your new fancy shoes. You were still breaking them in and weren’t the most confident. When you looked up your eyes met Sebastian’s, and the way he was looking at you had your insides twisting.

Sebastian swallowed thickly when you looked his way, and for a brief moment he let himself live in the fantasy that you were walking down the stairs to meet him. Time slowed down and memories began popping up all at once in his brain: the first time you met, the both of you trying to hide your laughter at Garreth’s nonsense in potions class, your first kiss in the library, all your sneaky pecks to his cheek, and even the times he’d rest his head on your lap as the two of you laid in the grass under the sun.

“Alright you two, join the line here.” His thoughts were interrupted at Professor’s Weasley’s voice. You took Ominis’ arm and got in the back of the line. Sebastian made himself face forward, awaiting further instruction.

“You look very handsome, Ominis.” He heard you whisper to his best friend.

“Thank you, I’m sure you look wonderful yourself.” You and Ominis cackled.

Walking out in front of everyone and doing the traditional first dance was all a blur. Sebastian hadn’t been able to compose himself after he saw you coming down the stairs.

Once the dance was over, he excused himself from Amelie and went to the washroom. He leaned against the sink, trying to steady his breathing. How could he have ever thought he was over you? You still meant as much to him then as you had when you parted ways in the room of requirement. He was extra thankful Ominis had been your date, if anyone else had been and he had to watch you link arms with them he didn’t think his heart could take it.

Once he returned to the ball, his eyes landed on you and Ominis on the dance floor. You were talking and laughing with him easily, seeming to not have a care in the world.

Do I have even the slightest effect on you anymore? Sebastian wondered as he watched from afar. He thought back to when you put your name in the Goblet of Fire. Your eyes had met his and he silently pleaded with you not to go through with it, people died in this tournament. Though he knew you were capable, having to watch you be put in harm’s way and he wouldn’t be able to help had him petrified. But you dropped it in and turned away, proud to have your name in the running. When your name was chosen from the Goblet, because of course it was, the terror and misery that went through him was paralyzing. Ominis had to help keep him steady the rest of that day.

He had a sick hope he made you hurt at least a little having come with Amelie. But you were the one on the dance floor, happy as can be, not the one trying to keep it together in the washroom like he had just been.

Sebastian went and found Amelie. He apologized and asked her for another dance.

The night went by decently enough for Sebastian. Amelie was beautiful and talkative, so when the two of them weren’t dancing, they were surrounded by a group of people asking her an abundance of questions. He was thankful she took the reins in conversation because he wasn’t in a socializing mood. Every now and then he took glances your way, not once did he catch your eye.

It was nearing the end of the night and Amelie had asked if he wanted to go back to the dance floor. He looked out and saw you and Ominis were back out there already.

“I - I apologize, I promised a friend a dance and it’s slipped my mind ‘til now.”

Amelie nodded with a smile and went back to speaking with a few Durmstrang students who were eager for her attention.

Before he knew it, he was making his way over to you and Ominis. When he reached the two of you on the dance floor, he held out a hand towards you.

Your laughing and dancing ceased.

“May I cut in?” Sebastian asked, gaze on you unflinching.

Your insides began buzzing with nerves. The thought of your first time interacting with Sebastian again through a dance was nearly too much to handle.

“Go ahead.” Ominis said with a smile as he released you, his approval taking you by surprise. “I need a rest anyhow.” Before you could protest, he was gone, leaving you and Sebastian alone.

You tentatively grabbed his hand and he pulled you into a dance. This being your first time speaking and touching after nearly two years, you didn’t think you would be able to look him in the eyes. But that was the only place you could look.

The two of you didn’t speak, it seemed you didn’t need to. Over the course of your dance, the two of you moved in closer, dismissing the official waltz stance you were supposed to be in. Your arms found their way around his shoulders and his around your waist. He leaned his head against yours as you slowly swayed from side to side.

You had fought so hard to distance yourself from him, and all it took was one dance to pull you back in. You never wanted to let go. Because as soon as you let go, he would be gone from your life again. The way he was holding onto you made you believe he had the same worry. You breathed in his scent like you used to do when you were this close. You hummed and pulled him closer, he still used the same cologne you loved.

Sebastian closed his eyes, imagining it was just the two of you in your own little world. He relished every second of this dance with you. Having you back in his arms felt right, like this was where you were always supposed to be.

“Excusez-moi? Sebastian, I’m getting tired. Would you like to walk me back to the dorms?” Amelie hiccupped, seeming to have had some drinks other students snuck in.

His eyes shot open and you tried to pull away quickly, but he grabbed your hand with a strong hold so you wouldn’t get too far. As the two of you looked at Amelie, you shook your hand from his grasp and cleared your throat. “Of course he would! Appreciate you letting me steal him away for a quick dance. Always great to catch up with an old friend. Goodnight, you two.”

Sebastian watched as you escaped to Ominis’ side, your vanishing warmth making him feel empty. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t leave things there and not speak to you for another year and a half. Dancing with you and holding you close would never have been enough to hold him over.

“You’ll have to guide me.” Amelie giggled, linking her arm in his. “This castle is a maze.”

“It can be. Would you excuse me one moment?” He slipped from Amelie’s grasp and ran to your side. He touched your elbow and your attention was back on him.

Your eyes widened at the gall Sebastian had to leave Amelie’s side. You already felt terrible she had to witness the two of you dancing the way you were, but truth be told she was probably too sozzled to notice. “Sebastian, you can’t just -”

“Meet me in the undercroft, I’ll be there shortly.”

“I can’t, I -” You gestured weakly to Ominis who was aware of everything that was happening.

“Please.” The rigor in his voice made it clear he wasn’t asking, then he returned to Amelie’s side.

You looked to Ominis, dumbstruck at Sebastian’s actions. “Ominis, you need to speak with him. Get him back to his senses.”

But Ominis only shook his head, “Meet with him.”

-

After all this time, you found yourself in the undercroft again. While you waited for Sebastian, you looked around, nostalgia washing over you. You found your way next to a wooden table covered in markings you hadn’t remembered seeing. Sebastian’s, Ominis’, and Anne’s names were all over, along with some carvings of stick figures. One of the carvings was a heart with yours and Sebastian’s initials. You rubbed your hand over your chest in hopes to slow down your rapid pulse. Then you ran your fingers over it.

His heart ached as he watched you. “I did that when you were recovering in the hospital wing. I was a mess.”

You startled slightly at his voice.

“A few weeks after we... well...” He looked down, kicking the dirt at his feet, wanting to change the subject. “We haven’t bumped into each other down here since fifth year, have we? How often do you come these days?” He asked, looking back up to you.

“Oh, I... I haven’t been in here since fifth year.”

“You haven’t?” A large part of him hurt at the thought of you leaving the undercroft behind.

You shook your head, eyes continuing to roam around the room. “No. This place was always yours, Ominis’, and Anne’s. Never mine.”

“I tried to make it yours too.”

You met his dispirited gaze, and you didn’t know how to respond. You turned away and began meandering around. “What is this about, Sebastian?” You hoped he would get on with it, this whole night had been torture. Watching him dance with Amelie and barely leave her side, you were thankful you had Ominis to lean on.

He took a step towards you. “I want to be in your life again.” He blurted.

Your heart picked up its pace again and you froze. It was exactly what you wanted to hear, but as much as you wanted to run and jump into his arms, you kept yourself in place. It wasn’t what was best for him.

“I want us again.” He said, taking another step towards you.

“Sebastian.” You sighed.

“Believe me when I say I’ve changed.” He began desperately. “I have no more temptations with the dark arts. Just ask Ominis! He’ll tell you how far I’ve come. I’m better now.”

You swallowed thickly in your throat. “But I’m not.” You confessed, barely above a whisper. You released a shaky breath and met his stare. “I am so proud to hear you’ve come far. Truly, I am. But I am still no good for you.” You glanced away from him then, unable to say it to his face. “I still use the unforgiveable curses... all the time.” You went tense at the admission, “These poachers Poppy and I come across, they conjure up something so monstrous in me, I -” You stopped yourself, not eager to explain further.

“I can help you.” He was by your side then. “I brought you into the dark arts. I can help get you out. My hatred for Ranrok’s loyalists? I was able to overcome that too.” He took your hand and pressed it to his chest. “You don’t know how far I’d go for this. I’m so in love with you it hurts. I can’t stand to see you and act like I don’t know you anymore.”

You shook your head at the overwhelming nature of it all, an unsteady exhale left your lips. The look on your face told him you were considering his words, and he couldn’t help but hold his breath. “Sebastian, if I pull you back to the dark arts, I’ll never forgive myself.”

“You won’t.” He brought the back of your hand to his lips. “I mean it when I say I’ve changed. Have a little confidence in me, will you?”

You bit your lip, and thought through everything that could go wrong if you went back to him. But him telling you he was in love with you had taken away all your resolve. All the warnings you usually chided yourself with were falling flat, not being at all effective like they used to be even just a moment ago. You nodded your head. “Okay.”

“Okay?” His eyes went wide, unable to believe it.

“Okay. And I love you too. So much, Sebastian.”

Sebastian picked you up and swung you in his arms, causing a boisterous laugh to spring out from inside you. He set you down and brought one hand up to cup your cheek, smashing his lips against yours. Being able to be with you like this again had him bursting at the seams with joy.

You kissed him back with just as much fervor. Your hands shot up to his hair and you gripped his locks between your fingers. He backed you up until you hit the wooden table you were looking at earlier. Without taking his lips off of yours he hoisted you up and positioned himself between your legs. He licked at your bottom lip and you opened your mouth partly for him to taste more of you. You let out a whimper, then you felt him press his front against yours. You gasped at the sudden feel of it and he made himself stop kissing you.

“I’m sorry.” He said breathlessly, forehead pressed to yours. “We don’t have to. I just couldn’t help myself. You just -” He buried his face into your neck and sighed, “Every time I see you, I go mad. I’ve missed you all this time and to finally have you here in my arms -”

You began to unbutton his shirt with delicate fingers. He pulled back and looked you into your eyes. 

“A - Are you sure?”

You smiled at him and nodded your head, continuing to undo his buttons. He helped you shakily yet eagerly. Then he began to help you undress, covering you in comforting kisses as he did so. It was nerve-racking, undressing in front of each other for the first time. But you weren’t with just anyone in that moment, you were with Sebastian, and he was with you. The two of you were hopeful for the future, but in that moment neither of you cared what happened from then on. The two of you were ready, and you wanted be each other’s first. 

You moved to the floor together, laying on your clothes, he covered your body with his. He leaned down to kiss you, his chest pressing against yours, and the feel of his skin was electrifying. You could feel his hardness pressed against you as you continued to hold each other, taking your time exploring one another in a way no one else had.

He shivered as you touched him, sighing your name against your lips. He dragged his fingers from your neck, lightly touching down your body, passed your waist, until he placed his hand between your thighs.

And right then, with the urgent need about to burst from both your cores, you knew there was no other place in the world you'd rather be. This ache you felt for each other left no room for doubt, this couldn’t have happened with anyone else, you were made for one another. You both were on the brink with each other’s touches, clueless how it could possibly feel better than it already had. 

“I’m ready.” You whimpered.

Sebastian, eyes clouded with desire, nodded his head. You both adjusted until you fit each other perfectly, starting slow to get the hang of it, and eventually losing yourselves in one another in a tangle of limbs. You covered each other with kisses, licks, and even some bites as the need to melt into each other grew more and more. In those moments together, as your breaths and moans echoed throughout the undercroft, the only temptation presenting itself was each other, and it was pure bliss.

[densi-mber]

A/N: Merry Christmas! I hope everyone has a fantastic day.

***

Santa Clause is Coming to Town

For the first time in a couple years, Kensi and Deeks were hosting everyone for Christmas again. Nell and Eric had flown in for the month and would be arriving soon, Sam and Callen had found time in their schedules, and even Admiral Kilbride had deigned to accept their invitation. The dining area, living room, and front room were completely filled, broken to little groups either chatting or eating.

Kensi and Deeks made their way around, greeting everyone and making sure there was enough food.

Fatima, Rountree, and Rosa sat on the couch, entertaining Sophia and Caleb. Or maybe it was the other way around, Deeks decided as he watched Fatima flip Caleb and break into laughter at his squeals of delight.

“Hey guys, thanks for coming,” Deeks said, giving them each a hug.

“Thanks for having us.” Fatima reached before her, pulling out a small gift box. “That’s for tomorrow when you don’t feel like cooking.”

“Thank you.” Accepting the gift, Kensi turned to Rountree. “Is Summer ok? I thought you said she was coming.”

“She’s ok,” Rountree assured them. “Not happy, but fine. She’s on call and got asked to sub in for another who’s sick.”

“Yeah, I remember those days,” Deeks said with a grimace. “Well, there’s lots of food in the kitchen, water and pop in the white cooler, and adult beverages in the blue one.” Deeks lowered his voice to a whisper. “There’s also mixed drinks in the top cabinet over the refrigerator, but don’t let Arkady see.”

“Gotcha.”

“Yeah, last year was not good,” Rosa said, shaking her head.

“What happened?” Rountree wondered with a hint of trepidation in his eyes.

“We had to retrieve Arkady from the neighbors after he had a little too much Christmas cheer and decided to regale them with stories of his past.”

“Fortunately it was an older couple who found him very entertaining,” Kensi explained.

“Well, at least he seems occupied for now,” Fatima pointed out, nodding to where Arkady held court with Colonel Hanna and Roberta. Whatever tall tale he was telling had both of them cracking up.

“For now.”

The doorbell rang and Deeks heard Nell’s voice a moment later.

“Eric and Nell are here!” Rosa said excitedly, rushing up to go greet them. Deeks title his head to see the top of a boingy elf hat that could only belong to Nell and Eric’s signature holiday top hat.

“Well, I guess we’ve been replaced as the welcoming committee,” Deeks joked.

“Up.” Caleb started to climb Deeks’ leg, and he picked him up, propping him up on his hip, then Sophia when she immediately reached for him too.

“Are you hungry?” Kensi asked.

“Cookie?” Sophia said hopefully.

“Mm, maybe after some cheese and crackers.”

“Alright, we’re going to get these guys some dinner. Or at the very least, some snacks. You want anything?” Deeks gestured to Fatima and Rountree.

“Eh, I already ate like ten Christmas cookies,” Rountree revealed with a grimace.

“I told you to pace yourself,” Fatima reminded him.

“I know.” He sighed. “But they’re so good.”

“Ok, we’ll back in a little bit,” Deeks said, hefting the twins higher. “Sheesh, you guys are killing my back.”

After Caleb and Sophia ate a well-rounded dinner of cucumbers, crackers, and cookies, they ended up chatting with Anna, Eric, and Nell.

“It’s great being back at work,” Kensi was explaining to Nell and Anna. “But I also really miss these guys.” She nodded to Sophia and Caleb, currently building a tower with Sam.

“That has to be so hard,” Nell said. “I’m so happy for you two though. Well, five.”

“Thanks. Every day is crazy, but it’s an amazing kind of crazy.”

“Ooh, speaking of crazy, remind me to get your gifts before we leave,” Eric said.

“That’s a concerning segue,” Deeks observed, pursing his lips. “Do k wanna know?”

“Probably not,” Eric told him happily.

“I would be very scared,” Anna told Deeks in an undertone. “And what is my husband doing?”

A few feet away, Callen had interrupted the block building by presenting Sam with a large white box.

“Come on, Sam,” he cajoled.

“I’m not putting that on,” Sam insisted, leaning away from Callen as he tried to make him take the box. He picked Caleb up, using him as a sort of human shield.

“There are children present. We need a Santa.” Callen pointed to the twins as evidence, pulling out a white beard and hat.

“Yeah, well it’s not going to be me. I bet it wouldn’t the suit wouldn’t even fit me.”

“It stretches.”

“Grisha Callen, leave him alone,” Anna interceded.

“Ooh, you just got full first-named,” Deeks teased.

“Martin Atticus, tell Sam he needs to participate,” Callen said. “It wouldn’t be Christmas without Santa.”

“Tanta?” Sophia asked, looking around excitedly.

“See?” Callen gestured to her as evidence. “You wouldn’t want to disappoint your little niece.”

“You’re shameless.” Sam said, shaking his head. “Ask Deeks.”

“Sorry, the twins would see through that in a second.”

“Enough with bickering. Good lord, it’s like I’m back in the office,” Kilbride grumbled, getting off of his chair with a grimace. “I’ll do it.”

“You’re going to be Santa?” Deeks repeated, fighting back a grin.

“It wouldn’t be the first time,” Kilbride responded with as much dignity as he could.

“I did not see that coming,” Kensi murmured.

“Ooh, and Eric and I can be elves,” Nell added excitedly. “We brought our costumes just in case.”

“I’ll get them out of the car,” Eric said, hurrying off. Kilbride didn’t look too pleased by this update and grumbled something about needing another drink as he grabbed the box from Callen.

“I’ll be right back,” Kensi told Deeks.

“Where are you going?”

“To get my phone. This moment needs to be recorded for posterity.”

Merry Christmas to us,” he sang, sitting down beside Caleb and Sophia. “Hey, don’t worry if Santa seems a little extra grumpy this year. He’s a big old softy deep down.”

[lacontroller1991]

Fluff/WhumpTOBER Day 10: Deacon x F!Reader

Day 10: Bet, Game Contest/Blow to the Head Masterlist Warnings: 16+, alcohol consumption, language, suggestive language Word Count: 1k

The bitter, cold wind moans against the built up boards surrounding the house, but the two people inside don’t pay attention. It’s night time in Sanctuary Hills and most of the residents are sound asleep in their makeshift rooms except you and Deacon, whose glasses lay to the side of him. 

With a smile, Deacon passes the bottle to you. The last few hours have been like this, just you and him sitting by the fireplace in your house, keeping the cold at bay as hours dwindle away. Taking a sip from the liquid, you try not to make a face as it burns down your throat. “Shit was never this strong. I don’t know what you people have done to this but it’s like straight ethanol.”

Deacon grabs the bottle back, taking another swig as his head twitches in response, making a satisfied sigh. “Ahh that’s the good stuff.”

Shaking your head, you wrap the blanket further around you, holding your hands toward the fire. “I wish I could take you back to my time, where food was good and so was alcohol. I have a feeling you would really like fruity cocktails.”

Scrunching his nose, he shakes his head, blue eyes watching the fire cast light onto your face, highlighting the features that he loves. “Nah, I’m a man. Bourbon all the way.”

“Deeks, you can deny it all you like, but you’d 100% be into those fruity cocktails. I just know it.”

Humming in response, the room is quiet aside from the cackling of the fireplace before Deacon opens his mouth again. “Why don’t we play… two lies and a truth!”

Letting a chuckle slip past your lips, your eyes peer over to your companion, a sense of longing burying itself in your core. From the minute you’ve met him, you’ve been instantly attracted to him, and with him traveling with you, it’s only grown your attraction. Not that he would ever know that of course. “I’m pretty sure it’s two truths and a lie.”

“Aw come on boss, I can’t give too much away,” he explains with grandiose, his arms spreading as you roll your eyes with a smile. That’s another reason why you’re in love with the spy, he never fails to make you smile.

“Sure, whatever, Deacon. You first.”

“Oooo, gotta make it a good one,” he pauses for a minute, fingers on his chin, rubbing the stubble as he pretends to think of something.

“Ok, one, my favorite color is blue, two, my eyes are actually gray, and three, I’m a ginger.”

“Seriously?”

“Scouts Honor.” His cheshire grin spreads across his lit face, reaching to his eyes, which are definitely blue. Not MacCready’s shade of blue, but blue nonetheless. 

Taking back the bottle, you take another sip with a sigh, the alcohol burning a pit in your stomach. “Well, from what I’ve seen of your eyes, when you show them to me, they’re blue. Pretty sure your favorite color is black, so that leaves the truth to be that you’re a ginger, which makes no sense.” His grin widens as he leans forward, shoving his arm in your face, orangish blonde hair lightly dusting his toned arms. “No way? You’re actually a ginger?”

“I thought that was kind of obvious, but whatever,” he leans back against the couch, smirking at you. “Your turn.”

Ok, think of something. “One, I used to want to be a doctor. I didn’t get into medical school which is why I went into law. Two, I had a pregnancy scare in highschool. Three, I was obsessed with bugs when I was younger.” You hold back a laugh as his face drops, not really sure what to make of your options.

“Hmmm. So, judging by how you get sick to your stomach every time we venture into a hospital, the first option is a lie. Same with number three, you get sick every time we kill a bloatfly, which leaves the pregnancy scare being your truth.”

“Checkmate, Deacon. Drink up!”

“What? No, come on, there’s no way you would lie about something like that.”

“I’ve learned from you, haven’t I?” He grumbles, taking a drink from the bottle with a frown, his blue eyes not leaving yours. “I used to want to be a doctor, but I did a clinical rotation in my senior year of undergrad, saw a surgery gone wrong and passed out. I was very grateful that my med school application was denied.” 

Deacon scoffs, the alcohol setting into his system. “Damn, you came to play.” Shrugging your shoulders, you let a smile spread across your lips, knowing that you got the liar. “If that’s how you want to play, then let’s play,” he comments, criss crossing his legs and pulling his poker face out. 

“Oh no, Deacon is getting serious! Everyone, hide your children!” A laugh erupts from your throat, your head feeling light from the alcohol. “Ok bad boy, hit me with your worst.”

“One, I’m in love with Glory. Two, I’m in love with Desdemona. Three, I’m in love with you.” Well, that sobered you right up. Heat rises under your cheeks at the implication. You have a one-third shot of getting this correct, but do you want to get it correct? If you’re honest with yourself, you don’t want to know who he’s in love with, in fear that it’s not you.

“Um…” “Did Deacon catch your tongue?” You silently curse his poker face. There’s no way you can tell what he’s thinking, even with his glasses off.

“You’re in love with Desdemona?”

He hands you the bottle with a smirk. “Drink up, pal.”

“Wait, so you’re in love with Glory?”

“That’s two drinks baby girl.” That means…

“Deacon, I-,” he doesn’t let you finish your thoughts before he’s surging forward, placing his large hands on either side of your face, pressing his lips against yours. Despite it being freezing cold outside, his lips are warm. Slipping into the kiss, your arms wrap around his shoulders, lips moving in tandem for a minute before breaking away, your forehead resting against his.

“That was-”

“Yeah. That was.” He chuckles softly as you try to wrap your head around it. 

“So you’re in love with me, huh?”

“Yep. Have been for a while, but I didn’t want to do anything about it until a little birdy told me that you harbored feelings too.”

“I don’t like this game,” you comment sarcastically against his lips, breaths mingling with each other.

“Why don’t we play strip poker instead?”

-fin-

@unrepentantweirdo

[chiefdirector]

Bullets and Broken Glass | G Callen | NCIS: Los Angeles

No.26: Curse

Callen knew from a young age that some people were meant to be alone, that some were forever cursed to solitude, that some people did not deserve to be loved. For a long time he thought that he was one of those people.

And then he met her.

Agent (Y/N) (L/N) crashed into his life with a series of bullets and broken glass. She was on an undercover operation, sent in from the NCIS basis in Washington D.C, nobody in the L.A office knew that she was here. Hetty had a field day talking to Vance about her presence and her abrupt gatecrashing of their own operation.

It didn't take long for Callen to know he wanted her on his team; it also didn't take long to convince her Los Angeles wasn't so bad. Despite his reliance on his partnership with Sam, Callen always cherished the days where he ended up with her in the field instead. It took him months to realise that the ease and trust he felt with her was something more than a professional friendship.

He had never truly be in love before, so much so he didn't even clock onto the feeling until he found himself wrecked by another nightmare and he found himself driving to her apartment, craving her presence. He also did not realise that he confessed his love for her at her doorstep not even twenty minutes after.

Callen hadn't expected to have the pieces of his life fall into place shortly after. Everything started to make sense; he did not believe in fate, but even he would acknowledge that something greater was at play to send something so divine to him.

He should've known that it wouldn't have lasted forever.

He lost her the same way he had found her, with bullets and broken glass. Nobody had expected the operation to go wrong, the building was meant to have been abandoned weeks ago; they were just scoping out the place to see if anything valuable had been left behind.

They were right, the building was deserted, but the neighbouring rooftop was not. The glass window next the the staircase gave the sniper a clear and direct view to (Y/N). Nobody noticed the red dot hovering on the back of her head until she crumpled to the ground. She died before she hit the floor.

It took a few moments for Callen to notice that she hadn't dodged the attack. He had assumed she had dove for shelter when the gunshot fired. As soon as he clocked on to what had happened, he rushed to her side, pulling her body into his as if that would bring her back.

The crunching of the glass around him caused him to lift his head away from her. Sam, Kensi, and Deeks all stood there, looks of pity on their faces. Callen looked down at her again, not letting himself believe what had happened.

Eventually the M.E came and took her body away. Sam took Callen back to the office and they both sat in silence. It took a while, but he stood up again and moved to the locker room where he stripped out of his ruined clothes and into the showers where he washed her blood from his skin.

Callen stood under the water for a while. He couldn't help but blame himself. He could not love anything without it being destroyed. Maybe if he hadn't of loved her then she would have lived. Deep down he knew that her death had nothing to do with him, but as his thoughts circled on the diamond ring he had planned to give her this evening, Callen couldn't help but feel cursed.

Masterlist | Whumptober Masterlist

@ailesswhumptober @happygirl-0408

[killedbythehuntress]

Stockholm Syndrome

★·.·´¯`·.·★ .:**:.☆*.:｡.✿ ★·.·´¯`·.·★ 

Also On: AO3 and Wattpad

Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three

Beautiful art work below by @diligentcranberry - Thank you again, love!

Tags/Warnings:

Rape/Non-Con Elements, Twisted Love, Dark!Sebastian Sallow, alcohol use.

★·.·´¯`·.·★ .:**:.☆*.:｡.✿ ★·.·´¯`·.·★ 

Chapter One.

She doesn't know what makes her stop. She's walked past this stand a lot of times, the moving pictures barely catching her eye before she continues on her way. But something inside her makes her stop today. Hand over a sickle to the tender and take a copy of the Daily Prophet before she continues her daily errands.

It's not until she's home, everything unpacked, the door locked thrice and a cup of tea on the table in front of her did she finally pull out the bunch of papers she'd felt compelled to buy. The air suddenly feels like it's sucked out of the room and she can barely breathe.

Breaking News!

The Wizarding Community is on high alert at the news that Dark Wizard, Sebastian Sallow, has escaped Azkaban prison. The 24-Year-old has been in Azkaban since being convicted of the murder of his uncle in the winter of 1891. Nothing has yet been released on how he escaped the notorious prison, but we urge the community to stay safe and vigilant.

She doesn't even finish reading, instead, her eyes find their way to the picture next to it. A fifteen-year-old Sebastian stares out at her, a frown on his lips, dark eyebrows furrowed, and a look of sadness, betrayal, and regret in his eyes. She couldn't bear it, instead, she whipped out her wand and cast a quick Incendio, the Prophet immediately turning to ash on the table. How could she have been so naive to have thought the Wizengamot would've gone easy on him given everything? She may have only been 15, and while she'd been a part of the community for a good few months, she should have known that an Unforgivable - especially Avada Kadavra - would land someone in Azkaban for life. Something that Sebastian Sallow didn't deserve, regardless of his actions.

With another flick of her wand and the ash is gone, cleaned up, and almost forgotten. Her elbows rest on the table, her face buried in her hands as she sobs for the first time in years for what was lost - she'd only wanted him to learn his lesson, she hadn't wanted to lose him. Hadn't anticipated the entire fallout. Anne and Ominis had been beside her at the time, happy for her to be the one responsible to make the decision - probably to save themselves the guilt of it - but also likely using her naivety and lack of understanding of the Wizarding Law in hopes she wouldn't feel the guilt herself.

That had lasted all of three days when she saw the article detailing Sebastian’s sentencing. That had been the first time she'd broken down about her decision, she'd screamed at Ominis in the Undercroft for not telling her turning him in meant never seeing him again. She'd collapsed into his arms, sobbing into his chest but the thought that it wasn't Sebastian brought the sobs harder and faster until she pushed Ominis away and curled in on herself.

She'd finished her last two years of Hogwarts in silence, only speaking when a professor asked something of her. She pulled away from the many friends she'd made during that fateful year - not from their lack of trying - she just couldn't. She spent any time not in class in the Room of Requirements, she'd even gone through a period where she didn't eat because she couldn't face the Great Hall. But Deek had caught wind of that and made sure to always have something set on a table for her.

For as excited as she was to attend Hogwarts, leaving had felt like a relief. There were too many memories haunting her of him, and the friends she'd left behind. Part of her had wanted to run as far away from Scotland as she could, but the other part - the larger part - couldn't.

Even if she couldn't be with him, she wanted to be close.

The thought terrified her, he knew it was her decision. He'd looked so angry, so hurt as he was hauled away by the Aurors and the article detailing his sentence had quoted him. He'd promised he'd get revenge.

It was stupid of her - likely still naivety - that made her move from the Highlands surrounding Hogwarts to a small Hamlet in the northernmost area of Scotland. She'd managed to buy a single cottage on the outer edge of the hamlet, the back leading to the forest and while being there was lonely, she hadn't made much of an effort to befriend anyone. It was private, it was hers, and honestly, if Sebastian had to deal with life alone because of her. She felt she deserved it too.

Her sobs quieted after some minutes, the air in the room still heavy with the melancholy she felt. Her tea had gone cold, not that she felt she could stomach it. Her insides were in knots, she felt that any attempt to eat or drink could cause her to vomit. Any movement could cause her to collapse further in on herself.

She took a deep breath, a sigh escaping her as she reminded herself that no one knew where she lived. Not from lack of trying on their part, Ominis, Natty & Poppy had continued to try and open her back up for her last two years to no avail. Following their graduation, they'd reached out via Owl. Although the more she ignored them, the less they came.

A knock at her door pulled her from her increasingly spiraling thoughts and she frowned, pulling herself up slowly from the table. "Who is it?" She called cautiously, although it probably wasn't her best idea. It was likely just the friendly old woman down from the house closest offering her something she'd baked.

"Open the door, it's Ominis." Her eyebrows furrowed then, stepping closer to the door but not unlocking it.

"How do you know where I live?"

"I work for the Ministry, it wasn't hard." She felt a pang in her chest at his clipped words, she'd never admit it but she had missed it, missed him. Finally unlocking her door and pulling it open, she took a look at Ominis. The years had treated him well, his hair was still slicked back and his suit still made him look as regal as he always did.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, a little exasperated at the situation. Her words, while firm, still held the edge they did when she'd been crying and she hoped it had been long enough that her unexpected guest didn't notice.

"Checking in. I don't suppose you heard the news." And there it was, his way of letting her know he still cared but not in such a way she'd run and lock the door in his face. "Sebastian escaped." Stepping back slightly, audibly so that he knew he could come in.

"I did catch a glimpse at the Prophet, yes. Is that why you're here?" She asked, her voice needlessly harsh as she continued. "Here to see if I'm hiding him somewhere?"

"No, of course not." He mentioned with a frown of his own. "You surely remember what he said upon sentencing. I was merely worried about you." The words took all of the fight from her and once again she found her lip trembling as she held back her tears, another wave of guilt washing over her.

"How long has he been out?" She brings herself to ask, the newspaper was from today, sure. But if Ominis thought Sebastian could have already found his way to her, perhaps it'd been a few days.

"We think he escaped Monday, but we can't be sure. The guard he'd managed to switch with was in no condition to talk." Monday… They thought Monday and he'd only shown today for fear of her safety. It was Saturday for Merlin's sake. She felt a small flame of anger flicker in her chest. "No one realized until Thursday when the next guard was sent through."

She couldn't help but laugh at the sheer stupidity. No one noticed a guard had disappeared on his rounds. She knew the tales of Azkaban were horror stories, but for Helena's sake, she didn't expect them to be that bad. She could only imagine what it was like to be there full-time.

And that thought was enough to snuff out the anger and bring back the melancholy from earlier.

"If you're wanting to look around, just in case. I haven't been home for long." She murmured, not even sure why she'd said it. But Ominis was quick to nod, his wand flashing its usual red as he walked around the small cottage. Picking up the cup of forgotten tea, she couldn't help but feel on edge, but she wasn't sure if it was because of the news of Sebastian or if it was because there was someone other than herself in her house. No one else had been here since she moved in six years.

She busied herself doing the dishes, staring out the window into the small Hamlet until Ominis had finished his sweep. She could feel him standing by the table but she didn't turn, neither of them saying anything for a while.

"I think it's time you-"

"I want you to write to-"

They both spoke at the same time, and she finally pulled her eyes from the children she saw running in the field to look at her guest. "You first." He assured, clearing his throat. She suddenly felt a little awkward, her nose wrinkling slightly as she thought back on what she was going to say.

"No, you first." She finally decided it was for the best since she'd been about to tell him to leave.

"I want you to write to me, let me know you're okay at least weekly." Her brows furrowed and she felt another flicker of irritation.

"I'm sure I'll be fine, Ominis. I made sure that when I moved here no one would know me or that I'd moved here. Until you showed up, that is." She couldn't help the bitter tone in her voice, she'd tried so hard to make sure there was no way anyone could track her down. She supposed that even without that effort, his connections at work would mean he'd always known.

"I'm serious, I just want you to let me know you're okay. At least until he's back in Azkaban." The genuine concern in his voice was bittersweet, he clearly wanted her to know that he meant it. "If I don't hear from you, I'll have to stop by again."

Heaving a frustrated sigh, she gave the blonde boy a glare that he couldn't rightfully see. "Fine. If it means I'm left alone." Deep down, she realized she didn't mean it. She'd felt so lonely and part of her felt that perhaps she wouldn't follow through just so he would turn up. But then she remembered the guilt and knew that she had to be lonely because that's what she'd sentenced Sebastian to eight years ago. "Now I'd you'd be so kind to leave, it's getting late." She finished, leaving no room for argument as she stepped to the door and pulled it open.

"Take care of yourself, please," Ominis said as he stepped back through the door, still a small look of concern on his face that made her turn away.

Once he was out, she closed the door and once again triple-locked it before checking the windows. Only when she was sure everything was secure did she curl up on her couch with a blanket, and a book open in front of her - not that she paid it any mind. Her focus was on the flames licking in the fireplace as she waited for the time she'd move from the couch to bed. 

— — — — — —

The feeling of something trailing over her forehead caused her to stir slightly, sleep slipping away from her. She groaned, turning over and burying herself further into the pillows and blankets of her bed before the realization struck her.

Sitting up quickly, she looked around the bedroom, the low light from the lamp on her dresser casting shadows. But besides her and her heavy breathing, the room was empty.

She was going crazy. Paranoid.

It had been a week since the article and Ominis' visit. A week of knowing that Sebastian was out there somewhere, likely looking for her. A week of constantly feeling like she was being watched when she wasn't. It was taking a toll on her.

She briefly contemplated asking Ominis if she could stay a few days with him, to see if she felt any different. But considering last Saturday was the first time they'd spoken in years, she likely wasn't welcome.

Sighing softly, she pulled herself up from her bed. Some tea would likely help calm her. Grasping at the lamp, she stepped from her bedroom and into the main room, heading for the stove and her small tea kettle. She got busy, setting the water to boil and taking hold of a cup she'd used earlier in the day. Her eyes settled out of the window just as they had a week ago. The streets of the hamlet were dark and empty, it was raining heavily, and for some reason that soothed her a little. She'd always liked the rain.

A loud bang from her bedroom jolted her from her thoughts, dropping the teacup she held as the sound of wind howled through her home. Once more grasping her lamp, she took her wand from the counter too and crept to the doorway, looking through it cautiously. The room was still empty, there weren't any hiding places after all. The room was only big enough for a bed and a dresser.

Her eyes lifted from their observation of the room to the window. Seeing it had flown open. Frowning, she stepped further into the room and towards the window until she was able to pull it closed, locking it. She swore she'd locked it before she'd gone to bed. But perhaps the stress of the last week was getting to her, her days blending together.

She had nothing to worry about. No one but Ominis knew where she lived and he wouldn't tell anyone. It had to have been the wind from the storm, she hadn't latched it properly before bed, clearly.

The sound of a quiet whistle sounded from her kitchen and she sighed. Right, yes. Tea. That's what she needed. Pulling her curtains closed, she made her way back into the kitchen to finish her tea, hopefully when she drank it she'd be able to get back to sleep.

— — — — — —

A few days later, she found herself stopping next to the stand holding the Daily Prophet, she glanced at the headline.

Sallow Still at Large!

She didn't bother picking up a copy this time, it was likely just going to be a reiteration of what was said in the original article. Instead, she forced herself to push on, the hood of her robe pulled up over her head.

The feeling of being watched magnified each time she left the house, to the point where she was seriously considering dropping her errands to one day a week and holing herself up inside of her cottage.

She stopped at the produce vendor, picking up some pieces of fruit and vegetables as she did often, paying quickly before turning on her heel. Usually, she'd make a stop at a few more stores, but right now, she wanted to go home. She wasn't in dire need of anything else - today at least.

Walking down the main street of the hamlet, her hood up and her head down to avoid being seen meant that she wasn't looking where she was going. So it wasn't surprising when she walked into someone, the bag she held falling to the floor.

"Merlin, I'm sorry!" She said, reaching down to collect her things.

"Don't be, miss. Accidents happen." A friendly voice said she looked up briefly to see a man of around her age, brunette hair and while his smile was friendly and it definitely wasn't Sebastian she was looking at, she couldn't help the flash of his face in place of the strangers.

Suddenly she was in a bigger rush to get home, her hands trembling as she fought to ensure everything she'd dropped was picked up.

"Let me help." The young man offered and she frantically shook her head, scooping the last of the produce into her bag and standing quickly.

"N-no n-need. It's fine. I must get home." She brushed off, pushing past the kind stranger that made her think of Sebastian and speed walked her way back to her cottage, not looking back. Although that feeling at the back of her neck, that she was being watched only grew as she stepped over the threshold and once more thrice locked her door. A sigh of relief fell from her lips as her clammy forehead rested against the cool wood.

— — — — — —

Two weeks. Two weeks had passed since she'd seen that article since Ominis had visited and nothing had happened besides her losing her mind from her paranoia.

Since her run-in with not-Sebastian, she hadn't left the house. A traitorous part of her brain just wanted him to be found and back in Azkaban so that she could go back to how life was before.

As much as she didn't want to leave, she had to head into town. If she didn't want Ominis stopping by again she'd have to drop off the letter she'd written him. She also needed to get some food.

She supposed she could be quick about it, not stopping beside the two shops she needed to and then heading straight back. Chewing on her bottom lip, she considered not leaving, her eyes staring at the front door as if it could decide for her. Taking a deep breath, she opened it and blinked against the bright sun. 'Quick, just be quick.' She told herself, closing the door behind her and heading towards the main street. And if she stopped to buy a bottle of fire whiskey while she was there, who was going to judge? 

— — — — — —

Slamming the door behind her, she panted - a slight panic overtaking her. She was definitely going crazy, she swore she'd seen Seb so many times in the small time she was out, only to do a double take and there would be no one there. She had to be going crazy.

Dropping the bag of food onto the kitchen counter, she rummaged through the bag until she found what she was looking for. The bottle of fire whiskey glinted in the sun streaming through the winter. Briefly, a voice in her head told her it was too early to drink, but she shut it up quickly as she pulled the top off and took a large drink.

The fiery liquid trailed down her throat and she held back a cough, even as the wince made it through. Dropping herself into the chair at the kitchen table, she held the bottle in an iron grip. As she took another long drag from the bottle, she could feel the familiar haze of calm falling over her.

She tried to remember when she'd last eaten and realized it had been breakfast yesterday. Pair that with the fact she didn't drink often and it was only normal for barely a quarter of a bottle to hit her so fast.

Time passed slowly, and the contents of the bottle also slowly dwindled as it got dark outside. At some point, it started raining again but she didn't care. She'd drunk a good amount of the bottle and she couldn't very well keep her head up off the table.

She'd never be able to get herself to bed in this state. Rolling her head to the side, she looked at the couch, wondering if she'd be able to make it there. It was only five steps, maximum.

Pushing herself up, grasping the edge of the table hard to steady herself as the room spun. Once she felt situated enough, she took a step.

So far, so good.

Another step, then another and that's when her knees buckled. Her stomach churned and she closed her eyes as she waited to meet the floor. But the meeting never came. Two arms had wrapped around her, catching her in her fall.

"Woah, there, Sweetheart. Missed me?"

[nye-the-ravenclaw]

The Memory of Nothing

Summary: Melanie Nye isolates herself from the student body. Sebastian finds her after the Room of Requirement decides to intervene. Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x MC WOrd CoUnt: 2300 ~ Or read it on AO3. Notes: Just gotta hit harder on that grief. They will take turns, eventually.

The Room of Requirement was silent, as the sounds of the student body were hidden away behind transfigured walls. 

The death of Professor Fig was sudden and unexpected for everyone, but after a period of time, the school had resumed its regular activity. It was not surprising, for barely anyone truly knew what had transpired beneath them. Most hadn’t even been remotely aware of how much danger they were in until the last moment, when students near the Central Wing were hastily evacuated.

Melanie couldn’t decide which was worse, the amount of condolences she received or how quickly it stopped - as if the death of a faculty member was just another morbidly normal event the students went through in their years of schooling. It was unbearable. Once she had cleared out all the camps in the Highlands, she decided to sequester herself into the Room of Requirement. 

Curled up on the sofa in the middle of the room, she stared listlessly into the entrance of the vivarium, gleaming into its sky beyond - the warmth of a summer’s day shining from within. Aside from the bubbling of brewing cauldrons and the tamper of raining, watering clouds hovering above the plants, it was quiet. She was quiet, deep in thought. Deek watched on, hidden away, letting her have her space. 

The image of Professor Fig dying replayed in her mind over and over again. The warmth of his hands ebbing into a terrifying chill, the light in his eyes fading away. The regret, fear and sadness he had towards Miriam and towards her. It was hard to impress the meaning of his emotions. For once in her life, Melanie struggled to understand. Magic had become an extension of herself within the span of a year and a half. The knowledge imparted to her by her professors and friends took quickly. But Death - Death was hard for her to understand. It always has been so.

She understood the gravity of Professor Fig’s remorse in his dying breath, but there was a certain unwillingness deep inside her that refused to truly accept - something? Refused to accept that he was truly gone?

The drum and click of the entrance shocked her out of her reverie. Deek was here somewhere. Had he left? Was it Professor Weasley? She gathered herself, turning to see who the Room of Requirement had opened the door for. She laid eyes instead on brown tousled hair that belonged to none other than Sebastian. A very surprised Sebastian at that, in awe of the room that he found himself in. 

Sebastian? What was he doing here? How? 

His eyes soon caught onto the top of Melanie’s head peeking out from behind the sofa. 

“Melanie?”

She sat up to get a better look at him, vice versa. 

He frowns upon seeing her face. Her eyes were puffy and red. Had she been crying? 

Who hurt her? 

“S-Sebastian. What are you doing here?” She reaches up to her face and realises that she had been tearing up a little. She quickly pretends to rub her face, pretending to have woken up from a nap in an attempt to disguise wiping her tears. “H-how did you manage to get in here?” 

She was truly baffled, the Room of Requirement had never let anyone else other than Professor Weasley and Deek in here. What was it doing?

“I was wandering around looking for you actually. I saw that you were a little distracted today at the courtyard, so I wanted to see what you were up to. I thought you were in the Astronomy Tower. When I was on my way up, a door had suddenly transfigured in front of me. Obviously, I entered.” Sebastian states, as if there was any doubt that he wasn’t going to enter a new mysterious door that suddenly made itself known in front of him. 

“I see.” Melanie was still figuring out the room’s intentions. 

It was a lie, the part about him simply wondering about what she was up to today. In actual fact, now that Melanie was more available in the castle, Sebastian wanted to speak to her about what happened in the catacombs. He wanted to make sure that they were alright. But Sebastian gathers that what Melanie needed now was a listening ear and a manner of support instead. Though a little small talk is necessary before he can ease into what was bothering her. “What is this place?” His awe and curiosity were genuine.

“It’s the Room of Requirement. I was shown it at the beginning of the school year to help better my studies.” Sebastian wandered in, taking in the sheer size of the room. 

“So you had your own little Undercroft and you didn’t think to tell us? I’m hurt.” He feigns, bringing up a hand to his chest. “All those times you disappeared in school, you were up here?”

Melanie had a couple of options she could use to explain herself but for once, she fell silent. He closes the gap between himself and the sofa, leaning his hands on the back of it, staring into the vivarium beyond as well. A pause. 

“Are you okay, Melanie?” He is gentle in his words, not taking his eyes off the vivarium. 

She lets out something close to a sound of surprise. His gentle tone of concern caught her off guard, it stirs something else within her as well. Her fingers lightly crease the fabric of her skirt.   

“Yes, I am fine. No need to worry about me.” She smiles a little, attempting to bolster her usual polite demeanour to shun him off. 

He does not look at her, trying to leave her some personal space in hopes that she would feel comfortable enough to divulge her feelings to him. 

Sebastian presses a little. “You know you can tell me anything and I would understand. I believe I, of all people, would understand what you are going through.” His expression hardened as he recalled his past years. 

Melanie remembers the first time they ventured into Hogsmeade together for her school supplies, and the times after, how they bonded over their affinity towards Thestrals. 

“But if you don’t wish to, please know that I am here for you, as you have been for me all this time.” He finally looks at her, prompting her to look back at him. 

There was that same sincerity in his eyes again. Whatever Sebastian had promised her in the Undercroft that day, he had intended to make his word on it. 

“Thank you Sebastian. That means a lot to me.” She looks down, her hands suddenly a point of interest. “I suppose I have been a little under the weather as of late.” 

“I don’t blame you, given everything that has happened. There are some days when you feel like you just need to get away from everyone, away from it all.” He settles his forearms on the couch this time, crossing them in an effort to get a little more comfortable.

“Exactly.” She lets out a lithe chuckle, and then a sigh. “Everyone has returned to their days as if nothing happened. As if we weren’t under a massive Goblin invasion just a couple of weeks ago.” Sebastian lets her continue. “And remembering Professor Fig. I find myself struggling to come to terms with it. I see his face over and over again every time I close my eyes or even when I let my mind wander just for a bit.”

Her voice begins to tremble as she goes on, her emotions building. “His eyes were filled with remorse and regret. A sadness, of what would never be.” 

Melanie’s eyes well up, but she does not stop them this time, unafraid to show vulnerability towards her friend. Sebastian feels for her deeply, he lets her continue. As she spilled her thoughts, she felt it. She suddenly understood. The missing feeling. She just wanted- just needed to hear herself say it out loud. 

“He said…” Her voice trembles, as she struggles to say it. “Miriam, his wife…she-she would have loved me.” Her voice finally breaks into cracks, eyes close as her face scrunches into an unforgiving show of her despair as tears stream down her face, the dam breaks into an uncontrollable sob. 

Sebastian was startled by her outburst, but keeps his cool, rounding the sofa to seat himself next to her. There was a moment of alarm, but he went with the best thing he could think of. Tentative, he circles his arm around her shoulder and guides her close. His need to comfort her, instinctive. 

She buries her face in his collar, tears streaming. She knows she needs this, but doesn’t want him to see her all broken up. He places a gentle hand on her head, his other arm still fastened around her shoulder. It settles on her head protectively. She chokes on her sobs, unable to form anymore words. 

It burns something within Sebastian as he feels the collar of his shirt growing damp. There was more beneath her words. Melanie never spoke much about her family, only of her distant aunt who was constantly travelling. Perhaps they were more similar than he thought. He frowns. 

After everything they had been through, and the people that she had helped - there was just no winning to be found. 

Time passes as he remains steadfast for her, keeping her trembling frame close to him. Her sobs quieten as she calms a little. She sniffles, and the embarrassment of weeping into the nook of her good friend’s shoulder begins to creep on her, but she is all emptied out now, in a good way. A sense of peace begins its ripple towards her soul. Wiping the remainder of her tears, she slowly dislodges from him. A soft ‘thank you’ emerges from her lips, her cheeks flush with tinted red.

…cute. Keep it together Sallow, your ‘friend’ just had a good cry on your shoulder, don’t be daft. 

“Think nothing of it.” His reply was soft as well, regarding her with utmost care. Battling trolls, breaking into numerous Goblin and poacher camps - facing off infamous enemies and even fighting against Rookwood and Ranrok themselves. It makes their trip into the Scriptorium look like child’s play. 

Melanie ponders thoughtfully, “Perhaps this was what the Room of Requirement knew I needed. A friend.”

“A kindred spirit.” He adds on, a grin on his face.

She smiles at their moniker, “yes.” She looks down at his collar, clearly soaked. Flustered, she reaches out to pat on it in an attempt to dry it. “I’m sorry. I made your shirt all wet.”

As she does so, Sebastian Sallow feels an adoration for her blooming within.

“It’s alright.” He assures, absentmindedly reaching up to feel at the cloth, brushing her hand away in the process. “It’s just a shirt. What matters is that you’re feeling better.” He gives a brief, understanding smile. 

“I’ll make it up to you next time.” Melanie promises. 

“No need, I owe you far too much. Besides, I couldn’t just stand by and watch my best friend go through her troubles alone. If you ever need to talk again, you know where to find me.” His playful demeanour returns to him, that charming smile just for her. 

She returns the favour with a coy smile of her own. “Best friend?”

“And you think I don’t appreciate what you’ve done for me.”

“I thought I was just a ‘good friend’.” She teased. He realises that she was referring to their conversation in the Undercroft after the events of the Catacomb.  

“Oh come on, a wizard needs some time to process things.” He can feel himself getting nervous. Sweet Merlin, what is happening to him? This is not like him at all.  

“I see, and what about Ominis?” 

Sebastian doesn’t let himself fall for the same tricks twice. “A guy can have two best friends, can’t he?” He replies, more confident this time, reaching into his usual bravado.  

Mirth glosses her features as she smiles at him, clearly enjoying the banter. He grins, the  feeling was mutual. Then just for a moment, they find themselves caught in the comfort of each other’s eyes. Brown to Blue.  

Suddenly, he becomes very aware of her as she is of him. 

Oh. Oh.

Sebastian is the first to react, for both their sakes. He glances about the room, eager to fixate on something else aside from the metaphorical storm brewing between the two of them. 

“Well, now that I’m here. Why don’t you introduce the room to me? I assume being invited in means that I am now a welcome guest, and it will be seeing me more often?” The Slytherin stands, eager for a tour. 

Mischief breaches Melanie’s tone as she stands as well, ever-adapting. “Of course, and I will be asking if Ominis can join in as well, make it our new hangout.”

Sebastian supplies a chuckle, shoving down his jealousy for once. He is a big boy, he can share. Even though it was he who discovered the room first - and the one that was invited in by the room itself. “I’m sure Ominis will be thrilled. Though, I expect that he will be more cross than I was once he finds out that you’ve been hiding this place from us all this time. We could have been lounging on couches and napping under warm sunlight, rather than sitting on dark, damp crates.” 

“We’ve been by that corridor at least three times together. It is clear that the room deemed you weren’t ready for it.” She protests, leading him down the steps into the alcove she had designed for when she was finally ready to invite her friends. “Not anymore.” He quips back, smirking. She only lets out a defeated sigh. 

Peeking out from the railing above, Deek watches as the two students disappear down the stairs, their voices getting softer as they make their distance. 

“So who introduced you to this room? …Professor Weasley?” A surprised reaction from him.

“Mhm. And did you know that I fought a dragon?” She asked, eager to tease him a little more. 

“A what?!” He exclaims in disbelief.

Deek smiles in relief, the students will be just fine.

[cursedonyx]

Professor Fig Adopts the Emerald Trio (Part 2)

The second instalment of an AU in which Professor Fig has survived, and has adopted Sebastian, Ominis and Dracaena.

Part 1

Sixth year begins and with it comes the NEWT preparations. Fig discusses with the Trio what careers they might take, and tries to help Ominis begin to process his childhood trauma. Sebastian and Dracaena end up in possession of contraband.

Word Count – 5.7k

Warnings – Mentions of childhood abuse (Ominis) | Contraband (drugs)

The summer of 1891 was an enjoyable affair for the Emerald Trio. Dracaena, Sebastian and Ominis spent most of their days taking full advantage of the mostly empty castle, exploring every nook and cranny and delving into places they were more than certain they shouldn’t be, before retiring for the evening and having dinner with their new guardian, Professor Fig.

Dracaena took the opportunity early on in the summer to show them all, including Fig, the Room of Requirement, revelling in the praise heaped upon her by her mentor and her best friends for all she’d done with the space. It became a retreat of sorts for her and her best friends, a far warmer and more comfortable hidden spot than the Undercroft, which they visited only on rare occasions (and mostly when hiding from Peeves). Fig didn’t come into the Room all too often, telling the trio that it was their space, and he’d only enter if he needed them for something that couldn’t wait. That didn’t stop him enjoying his frequent invitations, particularly enjoying spending time with the beasts Dracaena had acquired during her adventures, and bonding with the Phoenix that she had named Miriam.

But time marched on, and summer eventually came to a close. The other students came back, and word quickly spread that the three were now cared for by none other than one of their own Professors. Some muttered irritably that they were now protected from consequences, and others tried to test the waters by teasing and attempted hexes, but they were dealt with as Sebastian, Ominis and Dracaena had always dealt with irritants. Swiftly and without mercy, which landed them all detention before the first week of term had ended.

The weekend arrived, and Dracaena lounged on one of the sofas in the Room of Requirement, her feet propped in Sebastian’s lap, occasionally tickled as he turned a page of the book he was reading. Ominis was tending to a large Flutterby bush he’d been cultivating all through the summer, and Professor Fig was seated at an elegant desk, marking homework. Deek swanned around, a smile on his face as he offered them all tea and biscuits, the light pattering of his feet accompanying the gentle music piped from a magical gramophone.

With a light sigh, Fig placed the last essay onto the pile and leaned back in his chair, running a hand over his face as Miriam the Phoenix ruffled her feathers from the perch behind him. He eyed the three Slytherins, one corner of his lips lifting and pulling out a touch. His charges. His kids. His smile broadened, and he decided to disrupt the soft peace by clearing his throat.

“I think we all need to have a little chat,” he said, fighting to make his expression stern as all three of them stilled, throwing guilty looks to each other, Ominis doing a remarkable job of it, all things considered. He let the silence hang a long moment as they turned to him, then he chuckled.

“About your future careers,” he clarified, smirking like a schoolboy as his adopted charges all uttered various sounds of relief and irritation at his little joke.

“Merlin’s arse, Elly!” Dracaena said, pressing the heels of her hands into her eyes. “You made me think we were in for a bollocking!”

He chuckled, warmed by the freedom with which she now spoke to him, her comfort with his presence obvious. The lads weren’t quite so informal, but that would come with time. At least they all still called him ‘Professor’ when they were around the rest of the school. He waved a hand, and the three gathered in front of his desk, conjuring their preferred chairs and settling before him.

He clasped his hands and leaned forward with a smile. “So, any thoughts on what you want to do once you’re finished with Hogwarts? I know the careers advice of last year might not have sunk in with all you endured.”

Dracaena was the first to answer, ever eager and certain of herself.

“I thought being an Auror would be good,” she said.

“Yeah, I thought about that too,” Sebastian agreed. “Or maybe a cursebreaker, or research, or something like that.”

“Marvellous ideas,” Fig said, turning to Ominis. “What about you?”

He gave an elegant shrug. “I’ve no idea.”

“Surely you must have some thoughts?” Fig pressed.

Ominis twisted the corner of his mouth. “Nope,” he replied, his hands tightening in his lap.

Sebastian and Dracaena shared a significant look at this oddly colloquial word, and Sebastian cleared his throat.

“You know, I’ve got to go grab something from the library,” he said. “Care to give me a hand, Drac?”

“Yep,” she jumped to her feet, and caught Fig’s eye, tilting her head meaningfully at Ominis with a look that said he needs your help. Ominis began to rise, but Dracaena put her hand on his shoulder, leaned down, and whispered in his ear. A flash of fear crossed his face, but his friends were already halfway out the door.

“Well…” Eleazar cleared his throat gently as the young Slytherin before him shuffled his feet, looking for all the world as if he wished he was anywhere but here. “Is… everything alright, Ominis?”

His shoulders tensed immediately.

“What have they said?” he demanded. “There’s nothing wrong with me!” Almost instantly, another flash of fear lit on his elegant features. “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude.”

Frowning lightly, Eleazar got to his feet, and the young Slytherin bolted out of his chair, taking several steps back. Alarmed, Eleazar followed, raising his hands.

“Ominis, it’s alright, you're not in trouble,” he said. Far from relaxing the lad, he seemed to become more agitated, his eyes darting around, as if he was seeking an escape he couldn’t see. “Come on now, come and sit with me, and we’ll have a nice cup of tea, and a chat about whatever’s bothering you, hm?”

Ominis looked terrified.

“You think he’ll be alright?” Dracaena said, following Sebastian through the castle. “I feel awful, like we were abandoning him.”

“Nah, He’ll be fine,” Sebastian said, the back of his hand occasionally bumping hers as they walked side-by-side. “Fig really helped me, more than I thought he would, and Merlin knows Ominis has some heavy shit to get off his chest.”

Dracaena sighed. “All the same, I do feel a bit guilty. He always seems so much happier when we’re with him.”

“Well, you,” Sebastian grumbled under his breath.

“Sorry, what was that?”

“Nothing.”

She chuckled, and took his arm, causing a blush to flow up the back of his neck. “So, what was that thing you needed to get?”

“Absolutely nothing,” Sebastian grinned. “I’ve been trying to get Ominis alone with Fig for ages now, and didn’t want to waste the opportunity.”

“Is that the only reason?” Dracaena teased, and the blush crept onto Sebastian’s cheeks. He glanced away.

“Fancy a walk?” he said, gesturing vaguely at the windows. “The weather’s good.”

They made their way down to the grounds and took an easy, rambling route, meandering up to the quidditch pitch to spy on the Gryffindor team’s practice for a few minutes before they were chased off by an irritable Madam Kogawa, losing ten points apiece for Slytherin. They decided it was worth it. Giggling together, they wandered off in the vague direction of Hogsmeade, before Sebastian glanced meaningfully at the Forbidden Forest.

“We've only landed the one detention so far,” he said casually. “I feel a bit strange without getting into trouble every now and then. How about it, Hoctina, you feeling brave enough to go in?”

Dracaena gave him a level look, trying not to grin at the cheeky smile on his face. “You do know I was in and out of that Forest more often than I was our common room last year, right?”

Sebastian chuckled. “Rubbish. Yeah I get that there’s a load of rumours about you, but you don’t need to make them up to impress me. We already did loads together that would scare the pants of most people.”

“So why are you doubting me?” Dracaena said, sufficiently rankled. She dropped his arm and marched over the tiny bridge, her nose in the air, Sebastian scampering along behind her. His free laughter told her he’d gotten exactly what he wanted, and she sighed, chuckling a little herself at how easily he’d played her. He’d always had such a talent for it.

“Hang on,” Sebastian said, after trekking down the path for a good ten minutes and occasionally blasting spiders out of the trees. “What’s this?”

Dracaena paused, peering at the tangle of thorns Sebastian was investigating. A battered pair of boots poked out, and she felt the familiar prickle of cold shiver up her spine, the same feeling she got whenever she saw a dead body.

“Careful,” Sebastian said, as she stepped closer. He held out a hand to stop her. “There’s a Devil’s Snare in there, probably what got the poor bugger. It’s hiding now because the sun’s up, but still, be on your guard.” He used his wand to levitate a few of the brambles out the way. “Looks like he was a courier, there’s a parcel there. Maybe we could deliver it on his behalf?”

“Good idea,” Dracaena said. “But why was he walking through the Forest if he was delivering something?”

Sebastian accioed the parcel into his hands and frowned as he turned it over, a light clinking coming from within.

“No address,” he said, and picked at the string tying the brown paper together. “I wonder what…”

The paper fell away, and Sebastian’s brows went up as several tiny bottles were revealed, all neatly packed together in a small crate. Each tiny bottle contained a swirling, white-blue substance that seemed to slide between a liquid and gaseous state.

“Bloody hell,” Sebastian said. “This isn’t good.”

“What is it?” Dracaena asked, huddling up to him as he picked out one of the tiny bottles. “Unicorn blood?”

“Nah, that’s way thicker, and the colour’s more silvery,” he said. “This is moonflower essence. It’s extremely rare, worth an absolute fortune, and very, very illegal.”

Professor Fig sat patiently on the sofa in the Room of Requirement, a leg crossed over the other, his foot tapping the air slightly as he sipped steadily at a lovely cup of tea. He was settled back against the arm, trying his hardest not to ask for the fourth time what the matter was with Ominis. The young Slytherin was sitting bolt upright on the opposite end of the sofa, clutching a cup of tea that he hadn’t touched. Half an hour had passed, and he’d not said a word aside from variations of “I’m quite alright, thank you,” despite the older man’s gentle probing.

Eleazar had his suspicions, of course. The way he’d reacted when he’d thought he’d spoken out of turn to a parental figure spoke volumes of the kind of trauma he suspected he’d endured, and he knew as well as anyone that Ominis had to talk about his past in order to be able to process what he’d gone through, to begin to heal. But he couldn’t force it, for that would only make matters worse.

So he sat, and he waited. Unfortunately, it seemed Ominis was far more accustomed to long periods of silence than Sebastian was, and he sensed that if he was going to get anywhere at all, he was going to have to prove that he could be trusted. But how? Ominis was mistrustful by nature, and it didn’t take much for him to dismiss those around him as a bunch of lying fools, even if he wouldn’t say such a thing about his elders out loud.

The best way to get Ominis to trust him enough to open up would either be through gradual increments over a very long period of time, or it would have to be through shared experiences. Eleazar had no desire to wait for possibly years for Ominis to open up to him that much, walking on eggshells and praying he didn’t inadvertently abuse the young man’s trust. But he had very little in common with the lad, in truth. From what he knew from the gossip amongst the professors, Ominis was the polar opposite of his family in every way, though this realisation had only really come to pass in recent months as his dear Dracaena practically dragged him out of his shell when they were together.

Ominis, it seemed, had not had a happy childhood. The fact he went to live with the Sallows the moment he could signified that. But Eleazar had had a thoroughly enjoyable boyhood with warm and loving parents. How could he connect with Ominis like he needed when they were so different?

Another fifteen minutes passed, and Ominis gave a long, almost silent sigh.

“Forgive me sir, but I really ought to finish tending my Flutterby Bush,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “Might I be excused?”

“You don’t have to ask,” Eleazar said. “You’re not being kept here against your will, you know.” He paused as Ominis set his untouched tea on the low table and got to his feet, berating himself silently for not being able to help the lad when he so desperately needed someone to care for him. “Do you want some help? I might not be the most green-fingered of men, but-”

“I’m perfectly capable, thank you,” Ominis said, his tone carefully neutral, and Eleazar avoided swearing aloud by a narrow margin. Of course the poor chap would think everyone wanted to help him because they assumed his blindness rendered him helpless, and not just because they wanted to out of the kindness of their hearts.

But then, Ominis hadn’t known much kindness in his life.

“Well, perhaps you could talk me through what you’re doing?” Fig got to his feet as well. “I’ve always held a bit of a fascination with magical plants, but never really had the time to study them.”

He was keenly aware that Ominis wanted to be alone, but he couldn’t give up, not now. He had no idea how long Dracaena and Sebastian would be before they finished fetching whatever it was they were going to get (or rather, knowing them as he did, getting into mischief), and if he missed this chance to get through to Ominis, it was unlikely he’d ever get such an opportunity again.

Ominis’ shoulders moved with another silent sigh. “Of course, sir.”

Eleazar followed him down a corridor and into a rather glorious, long room, where Dracaena had conjured a number of potting stations at one end, the walls covered with tools, diagrams and cuttings, and at the other end were her cauldrons, where she and Sebastian occasionally experimented, with significantly more success than their Gryffindor friend, Garreth.

Ominis headed straight for the Flutterby Bush, a pretty little shrub whose leaves waved and shivered independently, giving the whole plant a pleasant rippling affect. Eleazar took up a station beside Ominis, clearing his throat a little to let him know where he was, and he clasped his hands, waiting patiently.

To his utter delight, this tactic worked.

Though Ominis’ speech was monotone and halting to begin with, he soon settled into his usual pattern of casual conversation, a small smile even appearing on his lips as he spoke about the shrub before him, how to care for it, nurture it, and what results Professor Garlick expected by the end of term.

After half an hour of this, Fig risked a question.

“What is it about Herbology that you enjoy so much?” he asked, crossing his fingers.

Ominis gave an elegant shrug.

“It’s predictable,” he said. “Magical plants generally won’t hurt you, and those capable of causing harm do so only as it’s their nature, and that’s easily avoided if you know what you’re dealing with. You don’t have to deal with dangerous plants if you don’t want to.”

“It’s safe, then?” Fig said, and Ominis hesitated, his fingers brushing the tips of the shivering leaves.

“Yes,” he said, slowly. “I suppose one could call it that.”

Fig clamped his lips shut, waiting for Ominis to continue speaking. He had to wait a while, but his patience was rewarded as he sighed, lowering his hands to the worktop.

“Plants don’t lie to you,” he said, his voice so soft Fig could barely hear it. “They don’t seek you out to hurt you. They don’t force you to hurt other people. They don’t ignore you and manipulate you and disregard your feelings out of spite.”

Eleazar leaned to the side, peering at him. Ominis’ face was set in a fierce scowl, quite at odds with his gently delivered words. He looked about ready to hit something, and his hands were white-knuckled on the worktop.

“I don’t know about you, but I could use another cup of tea,” Eleazar said gently, and to his delight, Ominis nodded, turned, and led the way back to the sofa.

“What should we do with it?” Dracaena asked, staring at the little crate of tiny bottles in Sebastian’s hands. They’d rushed out of the Forbidden Forest as fast as their legs could carry them and holed up in the nearby stately ruin lying along the road to Hogsmeade. Now, they were huddled up behind a stack of crates, and Sebastian had conjured a blanket to lie on top, shielding them from all sides. The space was quite small, and they were pressed up together. Dracaena tried very hard to ignore how warm he was.

“We could do loads,” Sebastian said. “By my guess, there’s got to be at least fifty-thousand galleons worth of essence here.”

Her jaw dropped. It was an almost obscene amount of money, enough for her, Sebastian and Ominis to buy a big house and live happily on the profits well into their middle ages, probably longer if they were sensible. Of course, Fig would live with them, and…

“We probably shouldn’t,” she said. “Bassy, if this really is worth that much and is as illegal as you say, how the hell would we even sell it? How would we explain where we got the money if we managed it?”

“Well… we’d need to launder it so the Ministry doesn’t get suspicious,” Sebastian said, rubbing his chin. “But that’d mean we need a business, and none of us are likely to do that until we’re out of school.”

“So we just sit on it? What if we’re caught with it?”

“Azkaban, probably,” Sebastian said, pulling one of the bottles out again and tilting it to and fro, his eyes on the swirling, liquid mist within. “A few drops of this makes for a powerful hallucinogen, giving you visions of blissful things. Easy to get addicted to, but the more you use it, the more you need, and the more you take, the worse the visions get, until you’re in a waking nightmare, but you can’t stop. People who get addicted to this end up wasting away because they forget to eat, cowering in a corner and surrounded by horrors.”

Dracaena bit her lip. “We probably shouldn’t sell it, then,” she said. “I don’t want something like this out on the streets where vulnerable people can be hurt by it.”

Sebastian shrugged. “Hey, if people want to take it, it’s not for me to tell them no,” he said. “Their body, their choice, right? And if it makes us rich in the process…”

Dracaena thumped his arm, and he chuckled, rubbing it.

“Take it easy, Sparks,” he said, teasing her with the nickname she hated, and she stuck her tongue out at him. His eyes flicked to it immediately, and his smile slipped for a fraction of a second. He wrenched his gaze away and back to the bottle in his hands, barely larger than his little finger.

“It’s not just used as a drug, it’s a really valuable potion ingredient too,” he said.

Dracaena laughed. “That's better. So we sell it to Pippin?”

Sebastian shook his head. “He’ll want to know where we got so much… even a single bottle of this would raise eyebrows.” He pursed his lips, and Dracaena found her eyes drawn to the shape they made. “The only way to sell this would be outside of Ministry regulations. If we own up and say we found it to anyone on the right side of the law, the Ministry would confiscate it, and maybe we’d get a ‘well done’ in the Daily Prophet or something. Now, I don’t know about you, but if someone asked me whether I wanted to take a risk and the result was fifty grand, or do the ‘proper’ thing and get a thank you if I’m lucky, well, I know which one I’d pick.”

Dracaena nodded slowly. “You make a good point,” she said. “But it’ll be dangerous. We should probably take it back to the castle and hide it somewhere until we know what to do with it.”

“Don’t tell Om-” Sebastian began, but Dracaena poked him hard in the ribs and he yelped with a pained laugh.

“Have you learned nothing? If we don’t tell him, he’ll find out anyway, then be upset we excluded him,” Dracaena scolded. “I’m telling him the moment we get back and Fig’s out of earshot.”

Ominis slumped on the sofa, his head hanging. His voice had returned to its monotone state, but for the first time, Fig was glad of it. He thought he’d heard the worst kinds of neglect when Sebastian had told his story (though he suspected Sebastian hadn’t quite told him everything), but the horrific abuse the young Gaunt had suffered at the hands of his family chilled him to the bone. It was a wonder he was even alive, and the story had only reached up to when Ominis was four years old.

“Marvolo used to put me on a broom for fun,” he said, speaking to his knees. “One might think that’s a brotherly thing to do, but once my feet left the ground, I had absolutely no idea where I was. I didn’t have my wand or even the barest hint of magic at such a young age, so I had no way of telling whether I was two foot from the ground or twenty. He used to love sitting in the sun with a book, listening to me screaming for help. It was music to him. He always did it when Aunt Noctua was away, because when she caught him at it, even my father couldn’t stand in the way of the beatings she’d give.”

A tiny flicker of a smile passed his lips. “I suppose it’s funny in a way, looking back on it. She used to frighten the daylights out of Marvolo, but I wished she wouldn’t sometimes. He always hurt me worse after she twisted his ear of whipped his behind bloody. I do miss her.”

“When did she pass?” Eleazar asked, gently.

“Oh, many years ago now. I think I was six when she stopped coming back.” A flash of pain crossed his face, swept away almost instantly by the carefully neutral expression he so often wore. “Ten years… I can hardly believe it.”

Eleazar raised a hand as if to place it on the young man’s shoulder, but he thought better of it. Ominis was a bit funny about being touched, he shied away from contact from almost everyone. Indeed, he’d only ever known Ominis to accept a brief hug or pat on the back from Sebastian, though he did seem perfectly content to lean on Dracaena when they studied. Not that this surprised him, she was a warm and likeable young witch, able to get on with just about anybody.

He tilted his head as Ominis sighed slightly.

“I apologise for going on so, sir, I don’t want to talk your ear off,” he said, his voice still low and dull. “It must be a frightful bore to listen to me complain so.”

“Nonsense,” Eleazar said. “It’s good for the soul to get things off your chest once in a while.”

Ominis shook his head slightly, turning away, and Eleazar bit down on a swearword. He’d been doing so well, and now he was pulling away again! He drew a steadying breath. Patience, Eleazar, let him go at his own pace.

“I could make us another hot drink, if you like?” he offered instead. “Perhaps something other than tea? A coffee, perhaps, or a hot chocolate? I might even have a little firewhisky on hand if you’re in need of a pick-me-up?”

Ominis huffed a soft laugh. “No thank you, sir,” he said, lacing his fingers together and leaning back until he was resting properly against the back of the sofa, his hands in his lap, his head pillowed, his crystal eyes gazing unseeing at the ceiling.

“Did you know that my parents tried everything they possibly could to fix this?” he said, waving a hand at his eyes, before it fell back into his lap. “Everything, I’m told. Gold no object. There was no Healer too expensive, no shaman too far away, no treatment too experimental.”

Eleazar, who had been about to take a sip of coffee, froze, the rim of the cup touching his lip. The darkness in Ominis’ voice chilled him to the bone, and he dreaded hearing what was to come next.

“None of it worked,” Ominis said, his head lolling a little to the side, his eyes closing. “All of it hurt. They’d make me sit there for hours, trying all these different spells, making me drink potions, rubbing poultices into my eyes…” he shuddered. “I think if I wasn’t blind already, I’d have lost my sight for all that they did. Apparently one of their experiments fused my irises together, not that it made any difference to me, but it made them treat me more like an outcast. ‘At least people will know right away that you’re broken, boy, and won’t trouble themselves with you.’ That’s what my father said when it happened.”

“Ominis,” Eleazar began, but the young Slytherin seemed oblivious to his presence.

“They used to give me a piece of chocolate once they got bored of trying to fix me.” He said. “I was never in the mood for it, I was usually in too much pain to think about eating anything. But they forced me, told me I was being ungrateful. I never could stand the taste of it after that.”

Eleazar shifted guiltily, thinking of all the times he’d made the trio a hot chocolate before sending them off to bed, the warm treat a favourite of his as well. Ominis had always accepted with polite thanks, and usually left more than half his cup undrunk once the other two had scoffed theirs. The few times it had been empty, the cup had been spotless, and Eleazar suspected he’d vanished the contents so as not to offend.

“I’m so sorry,” he said. “Ominis, what you’ve endured is terrible. I don’t know how someone who was hurt so badly by those that were meant to love you has turned out to be one of the most well-mannered, kind people I know.”

If Ominis registered the gentle compliment, he didn’t react to it. Instead, he sighed.

“It gets worse,” he said gloomily. “Once I got my wand, and had practiced enough with it, they decided to let me join in on the family sport, something I’d always been curious about, until I found out what it was. Marvolo had always called it ‘hunting,’ and I suppose it was, in a way. The thing is, what they were hunting was muggles.”

“Ah, shit, they’re still in there,” Sebastian said, his ear pressed to the door opposite the tapestry of Barnabus the Barmy. “Can’t hear what they’re saying, but it’s mostly Ominis talking.” He flashed Dracaena a grin. “Told you it’d work.”

“I hope you’re right,” she said. She’d been anxious about Ominis’ declining mood for a good while now, and she got the feeling he desperately wanted to talk about it, but didn’t know how to start. She was wise enough to know she was ill-equipped for helping him considering the little she knew of his past, no matter how much she wanted to be the one he bared his soul to. “But enough about that for now, where the hell are we going to hide the moonflower essence?”

“Shh!” Sebastian flapped his hand at her, glancing nervously along the corridor. “Anyone could be creeping up on us!”

“Revelio,” Dracaena said, her wand revealing nothing but them. “No, there’s no one.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t trust the portraits,” Sebastian muttered. “Gossips, the lot of them.”

“I guess we could hide it in your dorm?” Dracaena suggested, eyeing the bundle of robes Sebastian was carrying, the crate of essence hidden within.

“Why mine? If anything, we should hide it in yours, everyone loves you and would believe you if you said you didn’t know what it was or where it came from,” Sebastian argued.

“Because I can get into your dorm, you can’t get into mine,” Dracaena said. “If one of us is indisposed, the other should be able to move it pronto, don’t you think?”

“I could get into your dorm if I wanted to,” Sebastian muttered, then his cheeks flushed. “We can’t just keep carrying this around. Maybe if we just hid it in a suit of armour or behind a tapestry or something?”

“Too exposed,” Dracaena said. “We can’t risk someone stumbling on this. Knowing our luck, I bet Peeves would find it.”

As if he was summoned, the colourful poltergeist zoomed around the corner, cackling madly, his arms full of star charts he’d clearly just stolen. He pulled up short in midair with a screeching noise as he saw them standing there, and his little black eyes narrowed in malicious glee.

“Oooh, it’s feeble Fig’s new adoptees!” he cackled. “Up to no good, it seems to me, thinking a professor dad will save your skins!”

“Don’t,” Dracaena said, grabbing Sebastian’s wrist as he went for his wand.

Seemingly disappointed by their lack of reaction, Peeves glowered, his beady eyes lighting on the bundle of robes in Sebastian’s arms. His grin almost split his face in half when both students tensed.

“Oooooh, what’ve you got there? Is it foody or drinky, or something much more naughty?”

He swooped towards them, dropping the star charts, his hands outstretched. Sebastian swore and dived to the floor, holding the robes to his chest. Dracaena stood over him, firing hexes at Peeves as he soared about her, trying to get to Sebastian. She swore herself as he began throwing things at her, vases, potted plants, portraits that yelled at their unexpected flight, and more. She drew the line when he pulled a fat tarantula out of his pocket and flung it at her face.

Dracaena yelped and whacked it away, and unfortunately, it decided to take refuge down the neck of Sebastian’s shirt. He flung himself into the air as though he’d been electrocuted, the bundle of robes flying away as he scrabbled for his collar, howling like a wounded wolf. Dracaena avoided his flailing limbs and hurled herself after the robes as Peeves shot forward, cackling. He caught one end of the robes and Dracaena caught the other, and the wrapped package came flying out.

“Accio!” Dracaena yelled, and it shot into her hands. “Depulso!”

Peeves was blasted backwards, vanishing through the wall with a yelp.

“Get it off get it off get it off get it off!” Sebastian yelled, kicking and slapping at his torso. Dracaena spied the poor tarantula making an eight-legged run for it into the shadows, but delayed saying anything, because at that moment, Sebastian saw fit to tear his shirt right off.

She raised a brow, admiring the freckles on his shoulders, the light dusting of hair on his chest and navel, the tiniest hint of weight around his belly. He blinked up at her, caught her staring, and they both went as red as Gryffindor.

“No spider,” Dracaena said, clearing her throat and nudging his shirt towards him with her foot, averting her gaze. “Look, we better get out of here befo-”

The door to the Room of Requirement opened, and Professor Fig poked his head out. His brows flew up as he caught sight of Sebastian sitting half dressed on the floor, both he and Dracaena blushing furiously. To her surprise, she saw that his eyes were rather red.

“I hope I didn’t interrupt anything,” Fig said, trying to smile. “Did you get everything you needed?”

“Uh…” Dracaena glanced at the package in her hands, then at Sebastian. “Actually, Elly, there’s something pretty serious we need to talk to you about.”

Sebastian swore under his breath.

The package sat on Fig’s desk in his office as he stared at it the following day. Dracaena had told him everything about what they’d found, and he’d advised them both, firmly, that as tempting as it was to sell it and get a lot of gold for it, it would only end up in trouble for the lot of them. He would have to take it to the Ministry. Sebastian set up a fierce protest of course, arguing a passionate case as to why they should do things his way as Dracaena sidled over to Ominis and gave him a huge hug that he eagerly returned, burying his face in her shoulder.

Fig had already had a word with Aesop and written to Minister Spavin, and most of the little bottles would make their way to the Ministry for a small reward, about a hundred galleons or so.

He chuckled softly. It wasn’t fifty grand, but it was something. The other would be tucked away in Sharp’s private stores for his more difficult potions.

His smile slid away as he remembered all Ominis had told him before Dracaena and Sebastian had their fight with Peeves. He hadn’t been able to stop himself weeping, hastily casting a Silencing Charm on himself as he listened to all the poor lad had endured. Endless abuse, mindless torment, even torture.

But listening to him had helped him. Ominis had strode to breakfast that morning with a smile on his face, arm in arm with Dracaena, Sebastian on her other side, the three of them laughing and joking freely. Dracaena had caught his eye and mouthed a thank you to him. Fig had raised his goblet, hoping against hope that his youngest charge would feel more comfortable coming to him with any problems he had in the future. The first step, after all, is always the hardest.

Masterlist

[bullet-prooflove]

Scar Tissue: Jesse Boone x Reader

Tagging: @yezzyyae @thiashazzywriting @kgkslgohogkdlslgk @whateversomethingbruh @kmc1989

Companion piece to:

Raincheck - Jesse finally decides to get that raincheck.

Last Night - Jesse can't remember the night before.

Perfect Gentleman (NSFW)- Jesse has a certain reputation.

Feel Just Too Damn Good (NSFW) - Jesse has never felt as good as he feels with you.

Happy - You and Jesse have a frank conversation when you see an email from Heather.

Makapipi Falls - Jesse and you take a trip together.

Wild (NSFW) - Jesse realises what he was missing in his marriage. Prequel to:

Black Dress - Jesse makes a decision about your saftey when he discovers some pictures in your door step.

You’ve never told Jesse why you made the move from LA to Hawaii, or the reason you decided to step down as a detective and become a criminalist instead. He thinks it’s something to do with the scars that are hidden underneath the ink of your tattoos. He’s kissed the raised welts underneath the rose that decorates the space between your breasts. He’s traced his fingers over the divot that’s hidden within the stem, surrounded by thorns.

Whenever you talk about your life before it’s with a wistfulness, you skirt around a few things, he can tell, but he never pushes you. Your secrets are your own. When you’re ready to share, he’s here, ready to listen.

It’s Detective Marty Deeks that changes things. The instant he sees the two of you interact he knows you used to date. He only sees the exchange from a distance but there’s a familiarity in the way the detective touches you, one that indicates intimacy. There’s a guilt there too, a sadness, he sees it in the both of you as you talk.

When you cancel your plans with him that night, he knows it’s because you’re seeing Deeks.

Something’s come up, you text him. I need to take a raincheck.

There’s no further explanation and Jesse doesn’t press you. He simply replies with a thumbs emoji.

The two of you haven’t put a label on your relationship, you’re free to see who you want, when you want. The thing is he hasn’t looked at another woman since he met you and he was pretty sure up until now you had no interest in other men.

You’re illusive over the next couple of days, too busy to respond to his messages. When he drops by your desk with lunch, you’re absent, nobody seems to know where you are. It’s then that he sees the casefile, the photocopied one from LAPD. It’s tucked under a bunch of paperwork in an attempt to hide it. It’s when he flicks through the first couple of pages that he starts to understand what’s going on with you.

All the lights are on at your house when he turns up that night, he has a takeout bag from Wally’s in his hand and a four pack of Coconut Hiwa Porter in the other in case he needs to beg for forgiveness.

When he knocks, it takes you a minute to unlock all three bolts. You’ve never used all of them, not in the time he’s known you. When you open the door, he sees the exhaustion in your features, there’s dark circles under your red rimmed eyes. You’ve been crying he thinks.

“Jesse.” You say, your voice pained. “It’s not a good time.”

“I know.” He responds holding up his offerings. “I just wanted to drop these off, make sure you eat.”

You take them from his hands, your mouth pursing into a grim line. You don’t meet his gaze, your shoulders are slumped, dejected. He hates seeing you like this, so upset, closed off.

“Are you ok?” He asks you and you shake your head in response.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

You raise your eyes to the ceiling, trying to blink away the tears that sting your eyes.

“Zoe.” He says softly. “I saw the casefile, I know what happened to you in LA. I know why Deeks is really here.”

You swallow hard against the well of emotion in your chest. This is the last thing you wanted, you’ve worked so hard to put that shit behind you, to claw your way out from underneath it but it just keeps coming back to haunt you.

“Zoe?” Jesse says again and you find yourself staring into those warm hazel eyes of his.

Right now you’re at a fork in the road. You can shut down, walk away, forget about Jesse, Hawaii and the life you’ve built here or you can face it head on, stop being a victim and start being proactive.

That’s the decision you’ve been trying to make over the past couple of hours.

To stay or to go.

You still haven’t made up your mind.

“You’d better come in.” You say quietly, holding the open the door. “There’s some things we need to talk about.”

Love Jesse? Don’t miss any of his stories by joining the taglist here.

Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[jeongyunhoed]

As seen on my FF.net Also seen on my Ao3

Following the events of fifth year, a new adventure awaits for Norah Lee. Boys, exams, school events, common room parties, and old foes outside of Hogwarts. Even battling pensieve guardians was easier than this.

Main Pair: OC / Ominis Gaunt Genre: Adventure/Angst/Fluff (it's a little of everything, tbh)

KEEP IN MIND: Characters are aged up (even if the story's got them in sixth year) to make it more appropriate. Time period is leaning towards the modern day so in case you might find anachronisms in the dialogue or references, this is why. This may also be quite a lengthy fic too.

BE WARNED: Social anxiety, mentions of blood and injury, grief, drinking, kissing but nothing more than that, death (this is Hogwarts Legacy, after all)

P.P.S: Norah and Ominis being idiots Part 3. This is also quite a short chapter.

Masterlist

Chapter 21

Norah and Natty were in Diagon Alley the next day, both of them keen on restocking their supplies of combat plants and some potions. The two of them were alert and well enough to go out for the day as many, if not most, of their fellow students were now nursing hangovers from the night before. Henry had taken it upon himself to check on Amit, with Norah offering to let him rest in the Room of Requirement. She had even told Deek to send food in case they got hungry while he was there to which the house elf happily agreed.

"It's nice to hang out again, without the boys around," Natty said, as they crossed the bridge to the Magic Neep. "Amit should keep Henry busy for a while. It was nice of you to let him study in your Room of Requirement."

Norah shrugged at the thought. "He's been overwhelmed lately, and afraid of telling both Nellie and Samantha that he's not prioritizing a relationship right now."

Natty nodded, finally understanding Amit's sudden urge to get drunk the night before. "Henry did mention something to me about how Amit was feeling with all the romantic attention."

The Slytherin girl was amused. "Look at you and Henry, already acting like a married couple and we haven't even left Hogwarts yet," She teased, making Natty blush. "At least two people among us are happy."

Natty shook her head profusely. "I told myself that I would never be that kind of person who would always be so preoccupied with their relationship that they forget their friends. Romantic relationships may come and go, but friendships are the most valuable."

"Right," Norah teased some more, making Natty nudge her. "But you are right," She added as they entered the Hogsmeade Graveyard to visit the mausoleum where Professor Fig and his wife were buried. Lodgok's grave was also next to the mausoleum.

"What about you and Ominis? Have you told him how you felt?" It was Natty's turn to tease.

Norah shook her head. "I don't think it's worth it," She said, suddenly remembering their conversation during the party before they were interrupted. "But..I found out that it wasn't Anne that he was interested in."

Natty's eyes widened. "You did? He told you?"

"Mhmm," Norah hummed. "He said it wasn't Anne, but he didn't say who it was. So I know but at the same time I don't."

As she laid down some flowers she picked nearby, she spotted a flicker of light coming from another mausoleum. Norah turned her attention back to the graves before them, only to hear a faint ruckus coming from the same mausoleum. She nudged Natty, who seemed to be noticing the same thing. The two girls exchanged looks and quietly stepped out of the mausoleum, hands in their pockets poised to take out their wands as they approached the entrance.

"The Tomb of the Villager," Norah said, hearing that faint ruckus coming from inside. "I cleared this out of Ashwinders last year, who might be coming back here now?"

Natty shrugged. "With Harlow on the loose again and restarting his cause, I wouldn't put it past him to revisit old haunts, like this supposed tomb."

"Could Harlow be hiding out down there? There's nothing much to be seen except those rising columns," Norah was curious.

"We can't know for sure, but this is a good place to set up a secret hideout," Natty pointed out. She turned to Norah. "Shall we go in and find out?"

Norah thought for a moment. "As much as I would like to immediately go in there and give them a piece of my mind, I think we need to keep watch before we make any move. Officer Singer might try and keep us out of this if she finds out."

"She is incredibly unfit for her job, I have to admit."

"I suggest we keep observing this until we know more. We can tell the boys what's going on," Norah explained. "In the meantime, let's go back to the castle."

"Good idea," Natty agreed. "It won't hurt to have a disillusionment charm with an invisibility potion on hand though."

Norah laughed as they left the graveyard. "Make it a dozen vials."

~

Norah and Natty returned to the Room of Requirement that afternoon to see Sebastian and Ominis already there, sitting by the multiple potions stations while avoiding the large vat that was the dung composter. As Norah had suspected, Deek did indeed summon food from the kitchens to be laid out for the boys. Henry, on the other hand, was hunched over one of the tables, his bag, along with his books and journal, were splayed out in front of him next to a glass of water.

Sebastian was seated at Norah's desk, where she kept all the letters and notes she found in fifth year. "We came as soon as we got your owl," He looked over at them as Amit was already helping himself to some food to cure his hangover. "Ashwinders going into that mausoleum in Hogsmeade?" He was confused.

"Yes, we were wondering the same thing, especially as Norah already cleared that place out last year," Natty nodded. "I think they're using it as a hideout of some sort, but from what Norah told me, that place is a little too small to house those people."

"Then there must be something more to that tomb," Amit suddenly spoke in between bites of food. "Like a secret passage."

"Thinking about it, the graveyard is close to the Hog's Head, and behind the Hog's Head is the cellar that was an Ashwinder lair," Natty recalled.

Norah sensed where this was going. "With Harlow's lot trying to look back into the goblin mines, could they have used the drills to... maybe..."

"Underground tunnels?" Ominis tilted his head at them. "Could they be that smart to think of burrowing further underground?"

"It makes sense that they'd do that. Possibly connect the tunnels to the Ashwinder camp. They'd have two points of entry," Norah agreed. "It would make it easier for them to mobilize. But if they do that, Hogsmeade would be in danger."

Their expressions fell at the thought. "An Ashwinder-run Hogsmeade? That would be terrible," Amit shuddered. "What makes it even worse is how close it is to Hogwarts."

"I think they are counting on it being close to Hogwarts for the very reasons we heard in Horklump Hollow," Norah glanced at Sebastian, who remembered their little trip. "Harlow is looking to retaliate and restart the empire he built with Rookwood."

Ominis felt a pang of anxiety, while Henry sat up. "You mean Harlow is coming for you? Again?" The Ravenclaw boy questioned.

"Possibly. And he might come after Natty too, since we were the ones he faced in Manor Cape that night," Norah glanced at Natty, who nodded. "So, hear me out for a bit, I'll have to do the investigating on my own-"

Unsurprisingly, it was met with objections from most of the people in the room. Even Amit, who they knew to be especially cautious and timid, voiced his objection. "Norah, I think you're underestimating how much we can protect ourselves and help you. You're only one person," Sebastian said as-a-matter-of-factly.

"I know you can. Truly, I do. I was actually thinking of being the lure. I'm the trap you guys can spring onto Harlow and those Ashwinders. If they try and get to me, that will be your chance of striking, does it make sense?" Norah explained with some uncertainty. "So if they see me doing all of this on my own, they won't see the rest of you coming. They know I have friends, but they don't know you guys will also be there to trap them."

"Oh, so we're moving in the shadows, eh?" Henry grinned. "That's awfully sneaky of us. I like it."

"Something like that," Norah shrugged. "So, what do you think?"

They all nodded in approval. "That's a much better plan," Ominis said. "So, what do you plan on doing now?"

"I was thinking of observing for any activity nearby whenever I'm in Hogsmeade. It might be too risky to go in there without drawing attention, so best be discreet for now," Norah explained.

That made Amit think. "We usually stop by 's before we go astronomy table hunting, right? We can do that too."

"Things like this can take time. Unless someone gets to Harlow again before we do, we'll have to wait to find out more for now," The Slytherin girl shrugged. "I have a feeling Sirona and others might tell us again to stay out of it, but if Harlow is set on endangering people once more, we might have to get involved."

Her words were followed by hums of agreement. There was still time to look through the rest of the abandoned loyalist mines to find out more information on the work Isidora and Bragbor had done. Norah wished that Ranrok hadn't killed Lodgok. If he were still alive, or at the very least, spared by the goblin warlord, Lodgok would've provided them with some insight into their ancestor. Seeing as both of them were now dead, Norah needed to keep searching for a lead.

~

All of them opted to have dinner at the Room of Requirement that night. Deek was more than happy to tidy up and send for more food. The air in the room was different, filled with the excitement and anticipation of the plan Norah hatched. Amit was feeling considerably better by then, but remembering his whole situation all over again had him sulking.

"At this point, just tell them," Henry said with an exasperated sigh, making everyone at the table glance at him with concerned expressions on their faces. "You can't mope around forever, you'll have to make it clear to them about how you feel."

Ominis had a feeling Henry wasn't just saying that to Amit. "They won't want to be left hanging and wondering if you'll ever consider them," Norah added. "I remember, back when I studied in a muggle school, some girls would leave the classroom crying after being led on by the boys they liked."

"Norah's right," Natty agreed. "It will hurt, but I'm sure they will get over it."

Amit sat up. "I-well-I-it's not like I don't particularly like any of them. They're both great. I just need some time to think."

"Who would've thought Amit Thakkar was like this," Sebastian shook his head, with Henry agreeing.

"Alright, we won't press you on that anymore," Norah grinned, thinking of shifting the topic. "You know, my parents told me about this thing they did when they first met. In Japan, boys would give the person they liked the second button of their school shirt or blazer."

The rest of them were curious. "How odd. Why?" Henry was especially intrigued.

"Because it's the button closest to the heart," Norah revealed. "It usually happens at the end of term. I think it's really sweet."

Ominis tilted his head down, one hand already feeling the buttons at the bottom of his shirt. It didn't go unnoticed by Sebastian, whose expression fell slightly at the sight of it. Little did Ominis know, Sebastian also saw Norah fumbling with the buttons on her shirt.

Following dinner, Deek immediately sought to clean up as most of them decided to leave while Norah took to tending to all the beasts in the vivariums. As she sat down in the meadowy vivarium to brush the puffskeins while dodging a surprise tongue from time to time, she wondered if what she was doing was the right thing.

She was going to risk detection again, and possibly end up in detention a lot, and maybe cost Slytherin hundreds of house points. But the cause was bigger, if she couldn't stop Harlow, who will?

Once she was done feeding and brushing the jobberknolls, she stepped out of the vivarium and went to the magical loom, weaving all the materials she got into the clothes she found during her latest treasure hunts. She would sell them all when she got to visit Hogsmeade again the following weekend.

What Natty asked her earlier in the graveyard stayed with her, about her telling Ominis how she felt about him. Maybe she could, there wasn't anything wrong about it, wasn't there?

She approached her desk, noticing the scattered notes that Sebastian looked through while he waited earlier. Luckily, he didn't get to see the thin wad of letters that Ominis sent her during Ronen's assignment, terrible poems and all. Norah sat down and a small object immediately caught her eye. It was placed at the very corner of the desk.

A button.

[ejzah]

A/N: The first time Rosa calls Deeks dad.

***

The first time it happens, it’s not planned out or some moment of particular significance. It’s about two years since they adopted Rosa, and Deeks is dropping her off at college since her car has a flat tire.

“You got everything?” Deeks asks, watching her grab her backpack, water bottle, and phone.

“I think so.” She frowns, patting down her pockets, and nods. “Yes, I do.”

“Ok, I’ll pick you up at 4:30 by the fountain. Do you want me to pick you up something to eat? I can swing by the sushi place around here.”

“That would be nice,” Rosa says. “If you have time, maybe we can eat in.”

“I like it. Too bad Kensi’s busy all day because she’s going to be so jealous,” he anticipates, and Rosa nods, laughing softly. “Alright, I’ll see you later, Rosalie. Have a good day and call if you need anything.”

“I will. Thanks, dad.”

She’s almost out of the truck when Deeks registers what she just said. He stays frozen, not sure if he should respond at all. It was probably an accident, a slip of the tongue. Then she turns around, her eyes a little wide and shocked.

“I—”

“It’s ok,” Deeks assures her quickly.

“No, I—see you later, dad,” she says, repeating the last word with purpose.