#the second i saw her i genuinely got light headed and started tearing up and i got so excited when i saw some of my faves got her <33< /div> Explore tagged Tumblr posts

[pikhachu]

i fell in love with her the second i saw her name empanada i love you

[mrsmnsn]

You Belong With Me

wc: 2.9 (i got excited lol)

warnings: angst/conform!; eddie!xfem!bestfriend!; there is a smutty scene but nothing too serious; depreciation and low self esteem; friends to lovers!- they’re just obsessed with each other

tell me if i’m missing something!

a/n: Hi guys, i’ve been off for a while, a little longer than expected, but i needed to organize some stuff from my personal life. Anyways, i wrote this, of course is not super original, but i’ve been with this ideia of using songs, this one in particular, to write stories. As a source of inspiration. I hope you like it! <3

You and Eddie have been friends for a long time, longer than it seems, and he has always been there for you. When your mother yelled at you for some reason and you got upset or for when you needed money and he helped you, even though he didn’t had any and you knew it, he help you anyway or when you graduated and he was held back but he got happy for you and even took you out on a fancy dinner, to celebrate. He was always by your side and you were always by his.

There was kind of a rule between the two of you, if one of you gets sad or mad about anything is an obligation to call the other. Honestly it was just another reason to see each other. And today, well, you can tell it was not your happiest day ever. You were fired from this job you got five months ago in a bookstore because they couldn't pay the rent and the place went bankrupt. You were so happy with this job, genuinely, but you guessed that wasn’t enough.

So you didn’t waisted a minute and immediately called Eddie, it was a super emergency meeting that you wanted to spent all your money (the money that was left over) in ice cream. But he didn’t answer. You tried one, two, three times, but there was no answer. So, instead of trying a fourth time, you headed straight to the trailer park, a place which the way you already knew by heart.

It was already dark when you parked your car in front of his trailer and there was a red car, a BMW. That was odd. Eddie had a van that you were yet not sure how it was standing by itself and Wayne had a truck. You just ignored the car standing there and went to the door. As you got closer to the door, you could hear loud music coming from inside, to be more specific it was “Sex and Outrage” from Motörhead. You just ignored and got in, you knew that if you kept trying to call him from just knocking at the door, he wouldn’t listen. That’s probably why he didn’t answer the phone in first place.

So you walked down the little corridor to where his room was but stopped the second you heard a voice. A girl’s voice. And she wasn’t talking. You also heard his voice in the same tone as hers. You risked taking a look and there was the girl you had heard, on top of him bouncing up and down in the yellow lights of his room. Her hands squeezed and held his hand against her breasts. They both were moaning as if they were in a porn movie. You felt your eyes burning with tears. This girl was no stranger.

Margaret Fowler, or Maggie as everyone called her, was one of the most popular girls in your school. You weren’t in her class, she’s two years older than you and graduated before and yet people still talked about the most talented cheerleader and hot chick to walk through those corridors. To be with her was just a a fantasy, or at least it was what the boys said.

You couldn’t believe that she was there, naked and fucking your best friend. She opened her eyes and saw you standing there behind the little slit of the door like you were a perv watching them fuck. It didn’t took you long to run away before she could say something. You didn’t wait another second to start the car and get out of there as soon as possible. Tears started to fall from your eyes. When did that happen? You haven’t seen him in a week or so. How did Maggie end up there with him. It seemed like a lie, because most girls stayed with Eddie either to lose their virginity or to see what it was like to be with the freak. You hated yourself for thinking like that, but it was the truth, or at least it was what he told you. But you never understood how no one saw him the way you did. He had a charm, something that even you couldn’t explain. It was some sort of magnet that pulled you to him even though you didn’t want to.

But of course you never told him. How could you? The only person who knew was Robin. You had such a good relationship and how could he like you. Now it was all you could think about.

“Please, wake up, will you? Look at her. She has an amazing body, she was the cheer captain, popular and with beautiful hair and friends AND she’s older than you… and him. Most men like that, right?. And you… you wear t-shirts, you’re a bookworm, average non-interesting girl that on school games, were always on the bleachers waiting for your friend to play with her band.”

Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop……..

Without even realizing, you drove to Robin’s house and started to desperately knock at her door

***********

It only took you two 30 minutes to put on a stupid movie and open some ice cream pots. You cried more and explained everything to Robin.

“I should have just walked away, it would’ve saved me all these tears. I’m so fucking stupid. On my head, he belonged to me!” You said looking at her TV and putting the spoon in your mouth. “They really mean it Robin, when they used to say that she looked like an angel!”

Robin just mumbled “Believe me, i know…”

“And i feel really bad because i should be happy for him right? I mean, i’m his friend and… oh wait, what if they’re dating? Oh no, then we can’t be fri-”

“Y/N! STOP WITH THAT! I’ve heard you and i’m here for you but won’t stand listen to you go all crazy on your own assumptions, and i won’t stand neither of this treatment i’m seeing here. Do you see how bad are you talking about yourself? You are so much more than that! So please… why don’t we wait until this whole…. thing settle down and then we can talk about it, maybe go to Eddie’s and see what is actually happening?”

In the moment she stopped talking you heard someone knocking at the door.

“Oh fuck! Oh shit it’s him, i can feel it!”

“Calm down woman. You stay here, i’ll go check.”

You shrunk on the couch as you waited for her to answer the door.

“Thank god! Hey Robin, is she… is she here?” You heard a very familiar voice coming from behind you. So he knew that you were there, great! Just awesome!

“Look Eddie, do you know what day is today?” I could see the face she was making and i had to hold my laugh. Eddie stayed quiet. “Today is my sacred day! Full of mundane activities such as watching movies and eating a lot of ice cream and not giving a damn about the world outside and now, with this kind of unexpected visit of yours, you are interrupting my peace so if you please just… go. That would be great! I’m not being rude, it’s just the day, remember.” Robin was closing the door, i could hear it squeaking, but then there was a stomp. “Eddie… if you want to talk to her, why don’t you go to her house?”

“What, do you think i’m fucking stupid? i tried to call her, but she didn’t answer the phone then i drove there and kept knocking at the door for minutes but nobody was home so i came here, hoping to find her and now, for your behavior, you just turned yourself in. So please, i really really have to talk to her.” He spoke with no pauses, all just rushed. You had to really pay attention to understand every single word.

“Where is this girlfriend of yours? I mean, that’s none of my business but, how come you were having sex with like, the most popular girl we know?” Robin changed the subject in a not so natural way. You mentally thanked her for trying to help you.

“She is not my girlfriend! This was casual fuck.” He yelled at her, but then he got himself back together. “Not that i need to explain myself but we were playing at the Hideout and she was there on the crowd. I was surprised to see her there. As far as i knew, she was just one of the many boring popular kids in school that only got popular because she looked twice her age. But she started to hit on me and i was miserable, ok! I just needed to forget everything. And you know how it is, i don’t have a long list full of girls that wants to be with me. So i just acted easy and… well.” I could see his face now. He was ashamed, with those big puppy eyes.

“Can you wait here?” It took her a couple of seconds to absorb everything he said and to speak again. He probably just nodded because i heard the door close.

“You have GOT to go there! Come on, go talk to him.” She yelled-whispered to me

“Robin, i can’t, not now.” I said getting up speaking in the same tone

“Why not?”

“If i see his face, i don’t think i can take it, i’m too weak now, i’ll just fall into his charm again! I need to be well enough so i won’t ruin everything.” You know that if you walked past that door, in this moment of weakness, you would cry your eyes out again and you would beg him to be with you. In short, you would just humiliate yourself.

“Nonsense! You go there and face it. It’s right there outside, you can’t runway from that man which is by the way your best friend. Honestly, i know that you got sad but, that man is Eddie. You know how he is, he would never do those things that you were saying.” Of course you were being dramatic, it was easier to just start assuming things than actually having to face them.

You just nodded and walked to the door. With a very fake bravery, you opened the door once more. There he was, all anxious, grumpy and smoking a cigarette. You always find it funny this little pout he puts on.

“Hi sweetheart… can we talk, please?” His words came out softly from his lips, contrasting with the way he was talking to Robin, and he threw the cigarette away.

You just nodded and closed the door. He was analyzing your swollen red eyes and as if it would protect you, you cross your arms.

“I’m sorry that i ran away like that, i didn’t mean to ruin your night or to concern you but i just didn’t think it would be good if i stayed, you know? And i had a very shitty day and…” The breeze of the night hits your face and you feel lines under your eyes getting colder than the rest of your body. Great, you were crying again! “I just really needed a friend and i was completely wrong to invade your house like that, i’m really sorry for that too, i just heard loud music and i thought that you were there practicing or whatever. I just… sorry Eddie.” You could hold anymore and you broke into tears again.

He was listening very carefully and didn’t waist a second before giving you a hug, a very tight and gentle hug. You started to ground yourself in his arms.

“I’m not going to force you, but would you like to tell me why was your day so bad?” He said still hugging you.

“I got fired, it’s a long story but the bookstore is closing and i was going to yours so we could call the night you know?…” He hummed and caressed your hair. “And you know the rest.”

“I’m sorry i wasn’t there for you. I was also going to call the night but then… i think you heard it too?” It was your time to hum and you broke the hug.

“Look, i’m just going to say it, because i’m holding it back since i realized and i think if you’re smart enough, you’re going to connect the dots anyhow so… i think it’s better just to tell you.” He was still close to you, looking at your eyes anxious. “I like you Eddie, i really do! Not in this cute little friend way, i’m not talking about that. I’m talking about complaining to Robin and Steve every time you hook up with a girl because i know they don’t know you like i do, they don’t get you humor, your music and what is means to you, your friends and the club, and a whole different part of your life that only i know. I keep telling them ‘you guys don’t understand what i’m talking about, but i’m telling you, he belongs with me!’. You belong to me and not some other random girl who is not interested in the Eddie that i know. And i get even more angry after realizing that even knowing you enough, I wouldn’t be enough to be with you.” At this point, i just seemed like a foolish spoiled girl, but i didn’t care anymore, i needed to say everything, all those words. “I know i don’t sound completely sane right now but it is exactly how i feel. And i didn’t want to ruin everything by telling you just so you could open my eyes that i was being delusional and we could never be together.”

He just stood there, without saying a word. You just took deep breaths hoping he wouldn’t think you were too crazy.

“First of all, you heard that i said i was miserable right? That i just accepted Margaret, not because she is Margaret, but because a she was a girl who wanted to do something with me?” You just nodded your head too scared of what would be the next words coming out of his mouth. “Sweetheart i was miserable because Steve talked to me earlier, he said that you wouldn’t stop talking about some guy, and how your eyes would be in heart shape every time you looked at him. And even though i bugged him to tell me who it was he didn’t. I went crazy! I wanted to know why were you into some guy who was probably everything that i was not. I felt like shit, i just took advantage of her. I know it’s not right but i just needed someone who could fuck my thoughts out of me and she was there. Believe me, that moment you saw us, she was not on my head at all.”

You were in shock. You didn’t say anything, you probably couldn’t even blink. Was he really declaring himself back to you?

“And second of all, why lady, why did you think that you were not good enough to be with me? Is very amusing, i’m not gonna lie, the fact that you think that i am good enough for anything.” You were about to interrupt him but he was faster, he just spoke louder than you. “You don’t have the right to tell me what to think of a girl, if she is good enough or not. I decide that, and believe it or not when i tell you that i was the one thinking that i wasn’t good enough for you.”

He caught you by surprise! You didn’t expect to be scolded like that. You didn’t have words to describe what you were feeling and, probably, neither did he. You just kept looking at each other not knowing what to do next.

“We’re really stupid, you know…” You said and he giggled. That sound made you smile. You felt lighter with that.

“What now? What are we going to do?” He said putting his hands in his pockets.

You just wanted to do something so this weird vibe was gone. So you hugged him. It took seconds before he hugged you back. It was even better than the first one.

“Sorry that i turned this into a huge confusion…” You said in a barely above a whisper

“Only if you forgive me too.”

You separated a little just so you could see his face. You didn’t say anything, just leaned into a gentle kiss which he fully accepted. His soft lips met yours and you could feel butterflies flying in your stomach. His hands that once were in your waist came up to your neck. His big hands grabbing and pulling you closer to him. Your hands also traveled and they stopped right on his chest. You could feel his heartbeats and they were faster than ever. That only made you smile into the kiss. Like it was contagious, he smiled too and with that you just separated your lips and leaned your foreheads.

“You guys i NEED to go there and hug you both, so pleeeeease tell me i can just go there!” Robin said. anxious. Of course she was listening to everything.

You and Eddie laughed and called her to come out. After talking about this whole misunderstanding between you two, Robin invited him to have a night with you girls, only this time, it wasn’t about bad events but to commemorate!

[muiitoloko]

Hi! I've been devouring your alan fics so much! They're so so so good! Do you do requests? If so I'm kinda craving for some platonic love 🫶. Is it alright to have an Eli x daughter reader? I don't have a specific plot in mind. I just want some fluff but to make it better add some angst.

But if you don't do requests, it's fine. Just ignore this lol. Just really love how you write!!

Title: Become a great artist.

Summary: He wanted you to become a great artist, so you did. But Eli realizes that you have always been a great artist.

Pairing: Eli Michaelson × Daughter! Reader

Warnings: Angst, Angst, Angst, Angst! Neglectful father, criticism, mention of rape, kidnapping, suicide, death.

Author's Notes: Thank you for reaching out and enjoying my stories. I have to admit, I got a bit carried away with this one. What started as an attempt to create something cute took an unexpected turn into anguish, and I found myself writing through tears. If this isn't what you were hoping for and you prefer something cute, just let me know, and I promise I'll whip up something adorable for you.

First, Second, Third and Fourth part here.

As the birthday celebration for your father, Eli, continued, you couldn't wait to unveil the gift you had painstakingly crafted for him. The table was already adorned with a collection of thoughtful presents, but yours was the final touch to the evening.

With a hopeful smile, you presented the oil painting you had spent countless hours creating. The canvas depicted a striking likeness of your father, Eli, capturing his essence in vibrant colors and intricate details.

But as Eli glanced at the painting, his expression remained unchanged, his lack of enthusiasm palpable. You felt a pang of disappointment as you looked at him expectantly, hoping for a more heartfelt reaction.

However, your mother, Sarah, sitting beside Eli, immediately took the painting into her hands, her eyes lighting up with admiration. "Oh, darling, this is absolutely beautiful!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with genuine appreciation. "You're so talented!"

Your brother, Barkley, chimed in with his own praise, echoing your mother's sentiments. But despite their encouraging words, you couldn't shake the feeling of deflation at Eli's lackluster response.

As the dinner progressed, Eli seemed content to focus on his meal and his glass of wine, his attention drifting away from the festivities. You tried to console yourself with the thought that your father was simply not one to show emotions openly, but it still stung to see him so disinterested in your gift.

As Sarah noticed your hopeful expression towards Eli, she intervened with a comment meant to uplift your spirits. "You know, darling," she said, her voice warm and encouraging, "you have such a talent for art. You could be a great artist, like Van Gogh."

But Eli's response was not what you had expected. He scoffed dismissively, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Van Gogh? Please. The man cut off his own ear and ended up killing himself," he remarked, his words laced with derision. "Unless you're planning on following in his footsteps, I highly doubt you'll ever become a great artist. You know, the painter has to die for his works to become famous; that's how I see it, at least."

You felt a lump form in your throat at his cutting remark, your heart sinking at the realization that your father saw little value in your passion and talents. Hanging your head in disappointment, you tried to blink back the tears that threatened to spill over.

Sarah shot Eli a reproachful glance, her eyes flashing with indignation at his insensitive remark. "Eli, that's enough," she scolded, her voice firm and resolute. "There's no need to be so cruel."

But Eli remained indifferent to his wife's reproach, his attention already drifting back to his meal. Ignoring Sarah's scolding, he continued to sip his wine, his disinterest in your feelings painfully evident.

Forced to put on a brave face, you mustered a weak smile and nodded in response to your mom's apology. "It's okay, Mom," you said, your voice barely above a whisper. "I understand."

But inside, your heart ached with the weight of Eli's disappointment and disapproval. Despite your best efforts to please him, it seemed that nothing you did would ever be enough to earn his approval.

As the dinner continued, you tried to push aside your hurt feelings and focus on enjoying the rest of the evening. But deep down, you couldn't shake the sense of inadequacy that your father's words had stirred within you, a painful reminder of your status as the perpetual disappointment in his eyes. But you forced a smile onto your face, and you were happy. After all, it was a night to celebrate. It was your father's birthday, and everyone should be happy. You turned to your brother and started an animated conversation with him, talking about everything and nothing.

And so, the night passed until you and your brother said goodbye and prepared to leave. However, as you made your way to your car, you realized that you couldn't find your keys in your pocket. It suddenly dawned on you that you had forgotten them at your parents' house. As you approached your parents' house to retrieve the forgotten car key, you hesitated for a moment outside the door, the voices of your parents drifting through the air. Initially, you thought they were just chatting or perhaps discussing plans for the next day, but as you listened more closely, the tone of their conversation sent shivers down your spine.

"...at least pretend to be happy about her gift," Sarah's voice, tinged with frustration, reached your ears first.

Eli's response was immediate, his tone dismissive and biting. "Why should I pretend, Sarah? It's just another one of her silly paintings. If she wants to waste her time on that nonsense, fine. But don't expect me to pretend it's anything more than that."

You felt a pang of hurt at your dad's words, his lack of appreciation for your efforts cutting deeper than you cared to admit. As Sarah attempted to defend your gift, Eli's retort struck you like a physical blow.

"And what was that comment about having to kill herself to be a great artist? Honestly, Eli, can't you see how hurtful that is?" Sarah's voice, filled with exasperation and sadness, echoed your own feelings of disappointment.

Eli rolled his eyes, his impatience evident in his voice. "Oh, please. I was just being realistic. She's not going to make it as an artist, no matter how much you coddle her. And besides, if she's dumb enough to think her paintings will make her a great artist, then maybe she deserves a reality check."

You felt tears pricking at the corners of your eyes as the weight of your dad's words settled heavily on your shoulders. Despite your best efforts to please him, it seemed that nothing you did would ever be enough to earn his approval.

As the argument between your parents reached its peak, you forced yourself to open the door and step inside, your head hung low as you made your way to the counter where you had left your car key. Your parents fell silent as they watched you, their expressions filled with surprise and concern.

Picking up the key with trembling hands, you turned to face them, your voice barely above a whisper as you addressed them. "I forgot my key. I'll just...I'll see you later," you mumbled, your heart heavy with disappointment as you turned and made your way back outside.

As you closed the door behind you, you couldn't shake the feeling of despair that settled over you like a dark cloud. Despite your best efforts to please your father, it seemed that you would forever be a disappointment in his eyes. And as you drove away from your parents' house, tears streaming down your cheeks, you couldn't help but wonder if you would ever be able to escape the shadow of your dad's disapproval.

As you drove home, your vision blurred by tears, you couldn't shake the weight of your father's harsh words. Each syllable echoed in your mind like a cruel refrain, cutting deeper than any knife ever could. The familiar scent of paint greeted you as you entered your apartment, your sanctuary, your studio. But instead of finding solace in the comforting aroma, it only served to remind you of your own inadequacy in your father's eyes.

With trembling hands, you made your way through the cluttered space, your eyes falling on the canvases scattered around the room. Each painting, a testament to your passion and talent, now felt like a mockery of your futile efforts to win your father's approval.

In a moment of overwhelming despair, you lashed out, sweeping your arm across the nearest table, sending brushes, paints, and canvases crashing to the floor in a cacophony of destruction. The sound of shattering glass and splintering wood echoed through the room, matching the turmoil raging within your own heart.

As you stood amidst the wreckage, tears streaming down your cheeks, you felt a sense of catharsis wash over you. With each shattered piece of paintbrush and torn canvas, you released a fragment of the pain and frustration that had been building inside you for so long.

But even as you succumbed to the chaos of your emotions, a flicker of determination stirred within you. You knew that there was only one thing that could ease the ache in your heart, only one outlet for the storm of emotions raging within you: painting.

With renewed purpose, you retrieved a fresh canvas and a palette of vibrant colors, your hands moving with a sense of urgency born from desperation. With each brushstroke, you poured your heart and soul onto the canvas, channeling your pain and anguish into a whirlwind of color and emotion.

Hours passed in a blur as you painted through the night, your movements fluid and instinctual, driven by a need to escape the suffocating weight of your father's disapproval. Each stroke of the brush was a release, a cathartic expression of the turmoil raging within you.

You painted sadness, despair, and chaos, each image a reflection of the tumultuous storm that raged within your own soul. But amidst the darkness, there was also beauty, a glimmer of hope shining through the layers of pain and uncertainty.

As the first light of dawn began to filter through the windows, you stepped back to admire your work, the exhaustion of the night weighing heavily on your shoulders. But despite the weariness that threatened to consume you, there was also a sense of peace, a quiet acceptance of the emotions that had driven you to create.

With a heavy heart and aching limbs, you collapsed onto the floor beside your paintings, the tears finally drying on your cheeks as you surrendered to the embrace of sleep. And as you drifted off into the realm of dreams, you knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, as long as you had your art, you would always find a way to weather the storm.

Days later, despite the emotional turmoil you had experienced, you found yourself slipping back into the familiar pattern of seeking your father's approval. It was a habit ingrained deeply within you, a longing to win even a sliver of recognition from a man who seemed perpetually out of reach.

But then, news came in a surprising package: your father, Eli, had won the Nobel Prize. The announcement came through your mother, Sarah, who couldn't contain her excitement as she relayed the incredible news to you and your brother, Barkley.

Filled with a mix of disbelief and pride, you made a point to visit your parents' house to congratulate your father in person. As you entered the room, Eli's face lit up with a rare smile at the sight of you, a genuine warmth in his eyes that you hadn't seen in a long time.

"Congratulations, Dad!" you exclaimed, unable to contain your excitement as you rushed forward to embrace him. Your dad returned the hug, his arms wrapping around you with surprising tenderness, a gesture that felt unfamiliar yet oddly comforting.

"Thank you, sweetheart," Eli said, his voice tinged with pride as he pulled away to look at you. "I couldn't have done it without the support of my family."

You beamed at his words, a surge of happiness flooding through you at the rare display of affection from your father. In that moment, you felt a glimmer of hope, a flicker of the bond that had been strained for so long.

As the evening unfolded, you found yourself sharing a moment of camaraderie with your father, a sense of connection that had eluded you for years. You laughed together, reminisced about old memories, and even shared a toast to celebrate your father's incredible achievement.

And amidst the laughter and joy, you couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for the opportunity to share this moment with your father. Despite the years of disappointment and frustration, you cherished this fleeting glimpse of the man behind the facade of arrogance and indifference.

As the night came to an end, and the celebrations had taken their toll, you found yourself in a state of inebriation that made driving impossible. Eli, being the responsible parent, decided to take you home. However, getting you into the car turned out to be a bit of a challenge.

You were feeling particularly stubborn and silly, bouncing around the living room with an air of joviality. "I'm the Nobel Prize winner's daughter!" you exclaimed, a mischievous grin playing on your lips as you twirled around the room. "And my father is a geniuuus" you sang, your voice filled with laughter.

Eli couldn't help but suppress a smile at your antics, his eyes rolling with amusement as he watched you dance around the room. But when Sarah voiced her concerns and urged you to be careful, Eli knew it was time to intervene.

With a gentle sigh, he made his way over to you, his arms outstretched in a gesture of patience and understanding. "Come on, sweetheart," he said, his voice laced with affection as he reached out to scoop you up in his arms. "It's time to go home."

You giggled uncontrollably as Eli lifted you off the ground, your arms wrapping around his neck in a playful embrace. "But Daaaad!" you protested, your words slurring slightly with intoxication. "Can't we stop by McDonald's?"

Eli chuckled softly at your request, shaking his head in amusement as he made his way towards the door. "Maybe next time, sweetheart," he replied, his tone gentle yet firm as he carried you towards the waiting car.

As you waved goodbye to your mother over your father's shoulder, a sense of warmth and contentment washed over you, despite the haze of alcohol clouding your senses. And as your dad carefully buckled you into the car, you couldn't help but feel grateful for the rare moment of connection shared between father and daughter, even in the midst of your drunken antics.

As Eli drove to your apartment, he couldn't help but suppress a chuckle at your off-key singing, the melody of your voice filling the car with a sense of lightheartedness amidst the chaos of the night. Despite his usual stoic demeanor, there was a hint of amusement in his eyes as he glanced at you, his daughter, swaying in the passenger seat with a carefree grin on your face.

Ignoring your playful antics, Eli focused on the road ahead, navigating the familiar streets with practiced ease. But despite his outward composure, there was a sense of relief in his heart as he guided the car towards your apartment, knowing that he had managed to get you home safely despite the challenges of the evening.

As the two of you arrived at your apartment building, Eli turned to you with a concerned expression, his brow furrowed with worry. "Do you think you'll be able to make it up to your apartment on your own?" he asked, his voice tinged with genuine concern.

You nodded in response, a lazy smile playing on your lips as you reassured him. "Don't worry, Dad, I'll be fine," you slurred slightly, the effects of the alcohol still lingering in your system. "Thank you for getting me home."

Eli softened at your words, a flicker of warmth in his eyes as he reached out to gently pat your hand. "I'm always worried about your safety, sweetheart," he admitted, his voice quiet and sincere. "Just promise me you'll take a shower and get some rest, okay?"

You nodded in agreement, your head bobbing slightly as you struggled to maintain your balance. "I promise, Dad," you replied, your words muffled by a yawn as exhaustion began to weigh heavily on your eyelids.

With a gentle smile, Eli helped you out of the car and escorted you to the entrance of the building, his protective instincts kicking into overdrive as he made sure you would enter safely. "Take care, sweetheart," he said, his voice tinged with a hint of fatherly affection. "I'll see you tomorrow."

You waved goodbye to your father, a playful grin spreading across your face as you stumbled towards the entrance of the building. "I'll paint a picture of you with your Nobel Prize!" you called out, your words slurred but filled with determination.

Eli rolled his eyes at your drunken proclamation, a fond smile tugging at the corners of his lips despite himself. "Don't waste your time on that," he replied, his tone teasing yet affectionate. "Just focus on getting some rest."

As you stumbled through the doorway and disappeared from sight, Eli stayed parked outside the building, his gaze lingering on the entrance with a sense of lingering concern. Despite his dismissive words, there was a part of him that couldn't help but worry about you, his daughter, stumbling through the darkness alone.

He knew he was tough on you sometimes, but he just wanted you to be better, to have the best, and he knew his silly paintings wouldn't give him that.

With a heavy sigh, he finally pulled away from the curb and began the journey back home, the events of the evening swirling through his mind as he navigated the empty streets. And as he drove through the quiet night, a sense of gratitude washed over him, knowing that despite the challenges and complexities of their relationship, he would always be there to watch over you, his beloved daughter.

Meanwhile, you went up to your apartment, fumbling a little with your keys before getting in, falling straight onto the couch tiredly. Despite the alcohol-induced haze clouding your mind, you couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment and warmth lingering within you. The evening spent with your father, Eli, had been unexpectedly pleasant, filled with laughter and genuine moments of connection that you hadn't experienced in a long time.

As you settled onto the couch, your eyelids heavy with exhaustion, you couldn't help but replay the events of the night in your mind, savoring each precious memory like a cherished treasure. Despite Eli's usual indifference and tendency to dismiss your passions, you had managed to share a moment of genuine camaraderie with him, a glimmer of the father-daughter bond that had been strained for so long.

In that moment, you felt a surge of love and gratitude towards Eli, a flicker of hope that perhaps, despite his flaws and shortcomings, he did care about you in his own way. You drifted off to sleep with a smile on your face, the warmth of the evening wrapping around you like a comforting embrace.

But days later, your sense of security and reassurance would be shattered in an instant, replaced by a chilling realization that would rock you to your core. Bound and gagged, staring into the face of your kidnapper, you felt a sense of disbelief and terror wash over you as they dialed your parents' number, putting the call on speaker for you to hear.

As the voice of your father, Eli, echoed through the room, you held your breath, desperately hoping for a glimmer of compassion or concern in his words. But what you heard instead sent a shockwave of pain ripping through your chest, leaving you reeling in disbelief and agony.

"I'm not giving you two million dollars for her," Eli's voice, cold and dismissive, cut through the silence like a knife. "She's not worth that much."

The words hung in the air like a death sentence, crushing any lingering hope or illusion you had held onto about your father's love and affection. In that moment, you realized with devastating clarity that Eli's indifference towards you ran deeper than you had ever imagined, his actions speaking volumes about the true extent of his disregard for your well-being.

Tears welled up in your eyes as you struggled against the bonds that held you captive, the weight of Eli's betrayal bearing down on you like a heavy burden. How could he abandon you like this, in your darkest hour of need? How could he place a price tag on your life, as if you were nothing more than a disposable commodity?

As the reality of your situation sank in, you felt a sense of despair and hopelessness wash over you, threatening to consume you whole. And in that moment of darkness, the flicker of love and gratitude you had felt towards Eli was extinguished, replaced by an overwhelming sense of betrayal and abandonment.

"I'm not joking," the kidnapper insisted, his tone cold and merciless. "I want two million dollars, and I want it now. If you don't pay up, she'll suffer the consequences."

How could your father refuse to pay for your freedom? The realization that he considered you unworthy of such a sum was like a dagger to your chest, leaving you gasping for air as you struggled to comprehend his callous indifference.

Meanwhile, in his hotel room in Stockholm, Eli ended the call with a dismissive flick of his wrist, his mind already moving on to other matters. When Sarah questioned him about the call, he brushed it off with a casual shrug, dismissing it as unimportant.

"No one important," he replied, his voice tinged with annoyance. "Just some prank caller trying to get a rise out of me."

But little did Eli know, as he lounged in his luxurious surroundings, that his daughter's life hung in the balance, her fate at the mercy of a ruthless kidnapper who saw her as nothing more than a pawn in his twisted game.

Back in the dimly lit room where you were held captive, the kidnapper crouched in front of you, his eyes filled with uncertainty as he pondered his next move. The prospect of not receiving the ransom he had demanded left him feeling conflicted, unsure of what to do with you now that his plans had been thwarted.

"What am I supposed to do with you now?" the kidnapper muttered, taking the gag off of you, his voice tinged with frustration and uncertainty. "If your daddy won't pay, then what's the point of keeping you around?"

Your heart pounded in your chest as you listened to his words, fear and panic gripping you in their icy embrace. The thought of what he might do to you now, with no hope of rescue in sight, sent shivers down your spine, your breath coming in ragged gasps as you struggled to keep your composure.

But your terror only intensified as you saw the hungry look in the kidnapper's eyes, a predatory gleam that sent a chill down your spine. You knew what he was thinking, could see the lust and desire written plainly on his face, and the realization filled you with a sense of helpless dread.

"No, please," you begged, your voice trembling with fear as you pleaded with him. "Don't do this. Please, just let me go."

But your pleas fell on deaf ears as the kidnapper's gaze lingered hungrily on you, his lips curling into a sinister smile that sent a shiver of revulsion down your spine. In that moment, you knew with chilling certainty that your fate was sealed, that there would be no rescue, no salvation from the horrors that awaited you.

Desperate and terrified, you called out for your father, Eli, your voice cracking with anguish as you begged him to intervene, to save you from the nightmare unfolding before your eyes. But deep down, you knew that he would never come to your rescue, just as he had never come to your aid on that fateful day when you first learned to ride a bike, falling and crying out for him, only to be met with silence and indifference.

And as you lay in the hospital bed, staring at the blank white ceiling above you, memories of your father flood your mind like a torrential downpour. You can't help but think back to that day when you were just a child, learning to ride a bike for the first time. You remember the excitement in your heart as you pedaled furiously down the street, the wind rushing through your hair as you gained speed.

But then, disaster struck, and you lost your balance, tumbling to the ground in a heap of scraped knees and tears. Through the blur of pain and disappointment, you cried out for your father, hoping for his comforting embrace to soothe your wounded pride. But he was nowhere to be found, lost in his own world of ambitions and achievements, too preoccupied to spare a moment for his injured child.

That day was just one of many in a long list of your father's neglectful moments, a pattern of behavior that had shaped your relationship with him for as long as you could remember. From missed recitals to forgotten birthdays, Eli's indifference had left an indelible mark on your psyche, a wound that festered with each passing disappointment.

And today was just one more addition to that list, a stark reminder of your father's priorities and his lack of concern for anything or anyone outside of his own ambitions. As you lay in the hospital bed, grappling with the aftermath of your ordeal, you couldn't help but feel a sense of resignation wash over you, a bitter acceptance of the fact that your father would never change.

Meanwhile, outside the hospital room, your brother Barkley paces back and forth, his footsteps echoing in the empty corridor as he anxiously dials your parents' number. After several rings, his father Eli finally answers, his voice tinged with annoyance as he questions Barkley's reason for calling.

"What is it, Barkley?" Eli snaps, his tone curt and dismissive as he brushes off his son's attempt to interrupt his celebration. "I'm in the middle of something important. This better be worth disturbing me."

Barkley takes a deep breath, steeling himself for the confrontation that he knows is about to unfold. "Dad, it's about [Your Name]," he says, his voice trembling slightly with emotion. "She's in the hospital."

Eli's response was immediate, his tone shifting from annoyance to genuine concern as he pressed Barkley for more information. "What do you mean she's in the hospital?" he demanded, his voice tinged with panic. "Is she okay? Explain this properly."

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Barkley relayed the details of the situation as best as he could. "She was found abandoned in a dirty alley," he explained, his voice trembling with emotion. "Some people called 911, and she was taken to the hospital. They tried to call you and Mom, but you didn't answer, so they called me."

There was a moment of stunned silence on the other end of the line as Eli processed the gravity of the situation. Despite his usual self-centered demeanor, a flicker of concern and fear crept into his voice as he responded. "Is she okay? What happened to her?"

Barkley hesitates for a moment before delivering the next piece of devastating information. "The doctor said she was raped and assaulted," he says, his voice barely above a whisper. "They found evidence of trauma...down there."

Eli's breath caught in his throat as he struggled to process the horrifying news. "Oh my god," he whispered, his voice filled with shock and disbelief. "Is she...is she conscious? Can she talk?"

Barkley's heart aches as he shakes his head, the weight of the situation bearing down on him like a leaden weight. "No, she's not talking to anyone," he replies, his voice choked with tears. "She's just...staring into space."

Eli's mind raced with a whirlwind of emotions as he struggled to comprehend the extent of his daughter's suffering. "Is she going to be okay?" he asked, his voice trembling with fear. "What did the doctor say?"

"The doctor said she's in shock," Barkley explains, his words coming out in a rush. "They're doing everything they can for her, but...but we need to be there, Dad. She needs us."

Tears welled up in Eli's eyes as he listened to his son's words, the weight of his daughter's suffering bearing down on him like a crushing weight. "I'm coming," he said, his voice filled with determination. "Tell her...tell her I'm coming to her. I'll be there soon."

As Barkley looked out the window, his heart sank at the sight of you lying motionless in the hospital bed. He felt a surge of helplessness wash over him as he listened to your father's voice crackle over the phone, his words filled with a mixture of concern and desperation.

"Dad, I don't know what to do," Barkley confessed, his voice trembling with emotion. "She's not responding, she's just...staring into space."

But before he could say anything else, Eli's voice cut through the air, his tone strained with worry. "She'll be fine, Barkley. She has to be," he insisted, but Barkley could hear the uncertainty in his father's voice, the underlying fear that threatened to consume him.

Barkley nodded weakly, his own doubts and fears swirling inside him as he struggled to find the strength to comfort his sister. "I know, Dad. I just...I wish there was more I could do," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

Eli fell silent for a moment, the weight of the situation hanging heavy in the air between them. "Just be there for her, Barkley. That's all we can do," he said finally, his voice tinged with resignation. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

As the call ended and the limo sped towards the nearest airport, Sarah clung to Eli's side, her own worry etched across her face. "Is she going to be okay?" she asked quietly, her voice tinged with concern.

Eli wrapped an arm around her, drawing her close in a comforting embrace. "She'll be fine, Sarah. She has to be," he repeated, but his words sounded hollow even to his own ears, the guilt weighing heavily on his conscience.

Meanwhile, in the hospital room in California, Barkley walked in and approached your bedside, his heart heavy with worry. He took your hand in his, squeezing it gently as he tried to find the right words to say.

"I talked to Mom and Dad," he began softly, his voice laced with uncertainty. "Dad's coming, you know. He'll be here soon."

But you remained silent, your gaze fixed on nothing as you lay there unmoving. Barkley felt a pang of sadness in his chest at your lack of response, the weight of your suffering bearing down on him like a heavy burden.

"I know how much you love Dad," Barkley continued, his voice cracking with emotion. "Maybe when he gets here, you'll snap out of this. Maybe you'll come back to us."

But as he spoke, Barkley couldn't shake the sinking feeling in his gut, the fear that you might never be the same again. And as he sat there holding your hand, surrounded by the sterile scent of the hospital room, he prayed silently for a miracle to bring you back to them.

But you remained silent, your usually vibrant personality seemingly extinguished by the traumatic events you had endured. Barkley had never seen you so quiet; you were always the talker, the light of the family, bringing laughter and joy wherever you went. But now, the silence that surrounded you felt suffocating, like a heavy blanket weighing down on their already burdened hearts.

Days passed, and Barkley's fears began to materialize. Despite being released from the hospital, you remained distant and cold, your eyes hollow and devoid of the spark that once lit up your face. The only time you opened your mouth was to recount the harrowing details of your kidnapping and assault to the police at the hospital. After that, you retreated into yourself, shutting out the world and refusing to engage with anyone, not even your father, who had always seemed to be the center of your world.

"Barkley, I don't know what to do," Sarah confided in him one evening, her voice trembling with worry. "She won't talk to me, she won't talk to Eli...I'm afraid she's slipping away from us."

Barkley's heart ached at the pain in his mother's voice, his own sense of helplessness mirrored in her eyes. "I know, Mom. I'm worried too," he admitted softly, his voice tinged with sadness.

Together, they sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts as they grappled with the enormity of the situation. Barkley couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt gnawing at his conscience; if only he had been able to protect you, to prevent this tragedy from befalling you. But deep down, he knew that no amount of regret could change what had happened.

As days turned into weeks, Barkley watched you from a distance, his heart heavy with worry and guilt. You had retreated into yourself, isolating yourself in your apartment and shutting out the world. Barkley couldn't help but feel a sense of helplessness as he watched you paint, your once vibrant and colorful creations now replaced by somber and melancholic images.

He tried to talk to you, to break through the wall of silence that surrounded you, but you ignored his every attempt. It pained him to see you like this, lost in your own despair, but he didn't know what else to do.

One evening, as Barkley once again attempted to reach out to you, you brushed him off without a word, your silence speaking volumes. Defeated, Barkley turned and walked away, his heart heavy with disappointment.

But Barkley had a plan, a desperate bid to escape the suffocating weight of his guilt and the toxic environment that surrounded him. With your mother's help, he concocted a scheme to steal money from your father, Eli, and leave town for good.

Together, they managed to steal two million dollars from Eli’s accounts—enough to start a new life, far from the pain and suffering that consumed his family. They assured you that you would be fine, asking if you wanted to go with them, but your silence was answer enough.

And so, one fateful night, Barkley and your mother disappeared into the night, leaving you behind in your empty apartment, alone with your thoughts and your paintings.

Meanwhile, in his luxurious home, Eli wasted away, drowning his sorrows in alcohol as he wallowed in self-pity and regret. He had lost everything – his money, his wife, and now his son. But he still had you, his daughter, his beautiful daughter whom he had failed to protect.

Eli's cell phone rang on the coffee table in the dimly lit living room, breaking the silence that had enveloped the house for weeks. He glanced at the caller ID but didn't recognize the number, yet he answered it eagerly, hoping for some sign of life amidst the desolation.

"Hello?" Eli's voice trembled with anticipation as he held the phone to his ear.

"Dad?" Your voice, soft and distant, echoed through the line, sending a surge of relief and concern coursing through Eli's veins. He hadn't heard your voice in weeks, and the sound of it now filled him with a mixture of joy and apprehension.

"Is that you, sweetheart?" Eli's heart raced as he waited for your response, his mind racing with a thousand questions.

But before he could say anything else, you interrupted him, your voice carrying a weight that chilled him to the bone. "You were right, Dad," you said, your words hanging heavy in the air. "The painter has to die for his works to become famous."

Eli froze, the blood draining from his face as he struggled to comprehend the meaning behind your words. His mind raced back to your paintings, the somber and melancholic images that had replaced the vibrant and colorful creations you had once produced. Was this what you had meant?

"What do you mean, sweetheart? Where are you?" he questioned, his voice laced with concern and dread.

You continued speaking, your voice hollow and distant. "Because people like it, right? People like tragic things, sad things," you said, your words echoing with a disturbing clarity.

Eli's heart sank as he realized the gravity of the situation. "No, no, my dear, please don't do anything rash," he pleaded, his voice tinged with panic. "Tell me where you are. I'll come to you right away."

But you remained resolute, your mind seemingly made up. "I'm on a bridge," you replied calmly. "I'm going to jump, father. I'm going to become a great artist like Van Gogh."

Eli's hands shook as he held the phone tightly to his ear, the weight of your words crushing him with a suffocating sense of helplessness. "No, please, don't do this," he begged, his voice choked with tears. "I'll do anything, just please come back to me."

Eli's heart sank as he listened to your unsettling silence, his sense of guilt and regret weighing him down. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I know I haven't been there for you like I should have," he said, his voice filled with sorrow. "But please, don't do this. I'm coming to you right now. Just stay still, okay? Don't move."

But you interrupted him, your voice cutting through the air with a bitter edge. "You never came to my aid when I needed you, Dad. You never did," you said, your words laced with disappointment and resentment.

Eli's chest tightened at your accusation, the weight of his failures as a father bearing down on him like a crushing weight. "I know, and I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "I've been a shitty father, and I regret it every day."

But you remained steadfast, your resolve unyielding as you spoke once more. "The key to my apartment is under the rug," you said calmly, your voice cutting through the chaos of the moment. "My paintings...put them up for auction. Maybe then you can recover the money Barkley and Mom stole."

Eli tried to protest, to argue that the money didn't matter in comparison to the value of your life, but you silenced him with a swift motion, sliding your cell phone and tossing it off the bridge, watching it disappear into the depths below.

With a deep breath, you steeled yourself, your mind set on your decision. "Become a great artist," you whispered to yourself before taking the leap, the rush of wind drowning out the sounds of the world around you.

As you plummeted towards the water below, a crowd of onlookers gathered on the bridge, their smartphones held high as they captured the moment for posterity. But you paid them no mind, your focus solely on the journey ahead, whatever it may bring.

A month had passed since the tragic day you took your leap from the bridge, and Eli found himself enveloped in a fog of despair. Despite his best efforts, there was still no sign of your body, no closure to the nightmare that had consumed their lives. The newspapers relentlessly replayed the cell phone footage of your final moments, each viewing tearing at Eli's heart anew.

With a heavy heart, Eli finally gathered the courage to fulfill your final wish. He put your paintings up for auction, just as you had requested, each stroke of the brush a painful reminder of the vibrant soul you once were.

Sitting at the back of the auction hall, Eli struggled to maintain his composure as each painting was presented to the eager bidders. Memories flooded his mind with each piece, from the happiest to the darkest, each one a testament to the complexity of your spirit.

He remembered the little girl he once carried in his arms, her bright eyes gazing up at him with an innocence that melted his heart. Back then, he had felt a twinge of disappointment at having a girl instead of the son he had hoped for, but that feeling quickly dissipated as he held you close, your warmth and love filling the void in his heart.

He recalled the annoyance he felt when you were a child, following him everywhere and refusing to leave him alone for a second. He had often found himself exasperated by your constant presence, yearning for moments of solitude that seemed perpetually out of reach.

Then there were the times you had forced him to have tea with you and your dolls, a memory that now brought a bittersweet smile to his lips. He remembered the humiliation he had felt, sitting awkwardly amongst your toys, pretending to sip from a tiny porcelain cup as you chattered away happily.

But perhaps the most vivid memory of all was the day you had drawn on the important papers he carried with him everywhere. He had scolded you harshly for it, unable to understand why you would deface something so precious to him. But you had looked up at him with tears in your eyes and explained that you just wanted him to carry a little piece of you with him wherever he went. In that moment, Eli had felt a surge of tenderness towards you, his anger melting away as he realized the depth of your love for him.

As another painting of you went up for auction, Eli forced himself to become stoic, his emotions threatening to overwhelm him. He watched with a mixture of pride and sadness as the bids climbed higher and higher, each one a testament to the impact you had made on the world with your art.

Finally, a man stood out amongst the crowd, offering two million dollars for one of your paintings. The auctioneer turned to the man and asked for his name, and Eli's heart skipped a beat when he heard the answer.

"Lionel Shabandar," the man introduced himself, his voice carrying a note of authority as he met Eli's gaze with a steely determination.

But Eli looked away, his mind racing with conflicting thoughts and emotions as he remembered who Lionel Shabandar was. One of the richest men in London, Shabandar's presence in California seemed out of place. Why would he be here, at this auction, to buy a painting of his daughter's?

The auction continued, and Eli watched in surprise as Shabandar purchased nearly all of the paintings, one after another, with unwavering determination. Eli couldn't comprehend why Shabandar, a man of such wealth and influence, would be interested in his daughter's art. But the sight of him acquiring every piece only deepened the mystery.

As the auction drew to a close and Shabandar rose to leave, Eli felt a sudden urge to confront him. He hurriedly followed Shabandar, calling out for him to wait. Surprisingly, Shabandar halted in his tracks and turned to face Eli, greeting him with a nod as if they were old acquaintances.

"Doctor Eli Michaelson, isn't it?" Shabandar's voice was smooth and cultured, with a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes.

Eli nodded, a sense of unease creeping over him. "Yes, that's me. But forgive me if I'm mistaken, but do we know each other?"

Shabandar smiled knowingly. "No, not personally. But I've heard about you, Doctor Michaelson. Congratulations on your Nobel Prize," he said, his tone respectful.

Eli brushed off the compliment, his mind focused on the matter at hand. "Thank you, but that's not why I'm here. I need to know why you bought all those paintings."

Shabandar raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. "Isn't it obvious? Your daughter was a remarkable artist."

Eli's eyes narrowed skeptically. "Remarkable, yes, but why would you, of all people, be interested in her work?"

Shabandar chuckled softly, gesturing towards the paintings on display. "Because I recognize talent when I see it, Doctor Michaelson. Your daughter's art spoke to me in a way that few others have. Each brushstroke, each detail, conveyed a depth of emotion that is truly rare."

Eli remained unconvinced, his suspicions lingering like a shadow. "And what do you plan to do with her paintings now that you've bought them all?"

Shabandar shrugged nonchalantly. "Display them, perhaps. Or perhaps donate them to a museum. It's too soon to say."

Eli studied Shabandar carefully, searching for any sign of deceit or ulterior motive. But Shabandar's demeanor remained calm and composed, his intentions shrouded in mystery.

Before Eli could press further, Shabandar glanced at his watch and made to leave. "I must be going, but congratulations, Doctor Michaelson, your daughter has become a great artist," he said, offering a polite nod before disappearing into the crowd.

Eli was left alone, standing still amidst the bustling auction hall, his thoughts consumed by a flood of memories. As he turned to look at the paintings that had once adorned the walls of your apartment, he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride welling up inside him.

You didn't become a great artist, no, you already were for a long time. Since you were a child and scribbled on the walls, on Eli's important papers, until Eli got fed up and gave you a painting kit. He remembered the day vividly, the frustration in his voice as he handed you the brushes and the canvas, hoping to pacify you with a creative outlet.

He could almost see you there, looking at the blank canvas and the paints in your tiny hands, asking your father what you should paint. And he, in his typical dismissive manner, had simply replied, "Paint something that will make me proud."

And you had smiled at him, a radiant beam of innocence that melted his heart, before setting to work with a determination that belied your tender age. You painted and painted, your tiny fingers creating masterpieces that Eli had never thought possible.

But despite your talent, Eli had never been proud of your paintings, always dismissing them as mere child's play. He had been blind to the beauty and depth of your art, too wrapped up in his own ambitions to see the world through your eyes.

As he stood there now, surrounded by the remnants of your creativity, Eli felt a pang of regret gnawing at his conscience. He wished he could go back, to cherish those moments with you, to celebrate your talent and nurture it with the love and support you deserved.

But it was too late for regrets now. All he could do was honor your memory, to ensure that the world knew of the remarkable artist you had been. And as he looked around the auction hall, at the eager bidders clamoring for a piece of your legacy, Eli couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude towards Lionel Shabandar, the enigmatic stranger who had recognized your talent when he had failed to do so.

With a heavy heart, Eli made his way home, the weight of his emotions threatening to crush him with each step. But amidst the grief and the guilt, there was a glimmer of hope, a flicker of pride in knowing that you had left behind a legacy that would endure long after you were gone.

And as he gazed at the painting kit he had given you all those years ago, now gathering dust on a forgotten shelf, Eli made a silent vow to cherish the memory of his daughter, the talented artist whose brilliance had shone brighter than he could have ever imagined.

[ashecampos]

ANYONE BUT HER 7

JANIS IMI-IKE X FEM READER

a little Regina x reader

Warnings - swearing, mentions of cheating, mentions of anxiety. Regina being Regina. Hurt. Angst

The POV switches between reader and Janis (I use — when I change the POV)

there will be more parts to this, make sure to reblog and comment and I will get the next few parts up as soon as I can, happy reading lovelies 🫶🏼

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TALES OF TESSA MAKE SURE TO READ THIS AND PREVIOUS PARTS BEFORE THIS, LINKED IS FROM THE POV OF TESSA (readers best friend)

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I am startled awake by a familiar vibration next to my head, i squint to see who’s phone is ringing, of course it is mine. I groan and sleepily wiggle out of Janis’ arms, grabbing my phone while exiting the room to take the call, I find my way to the bathroom again and sit against the bathtub, answering the call not bothering to read the caller ID, assuming it’s Tessa or Damien.

“Y/n?” The person on the other end asks, as if they knew there would be a chance someone else could’ve answered. I instantly freeze up recognising the voice on the other side of the phone call. “B..Bea? Why the fuck are you calling me?” I say as I start to pace back and forth. “I know im the last person you want to hear this from but I was told you have been seeing Janis Imi’ike, im so sorry y/n” she says, obviously putting what she needs to say off. “Just spit it out bea, whatever you must say, say it” i speak with a sense of urgency “me and Janis have been seeing eachother in secret for a few months now, she had admitted she only helped you that night to make sure you broke up with me” she says. I search for a reason for her to be lying about this but come up with nothing, all rational thoughts gone. I make quick work of ending the call and storming back into the room where me and Janis were peacefully sleeping not even five minutes prior. I grab my hoodie and jeans, throwing them on, I then grab my shoes and leave.

One foot after the other I make a run from it. Like I ran from bea when she cheated. Like I’ve ran from every situation that’s caused me pain. I make my way back to my house, seeing a figure sat on my poarch, it seems they had saw me before i got the chance to see them. The person stands up and walks over. Only now do I realise the hot, sticky tears running down my cheeks causing my ability to make out the person falter. I desperately rub my face using the sleeves of my hoodie, silently praying it’s not my mom who is the one to see me like this. Thankfully I see blonde hair. Bleached blonde hair. Regina George.

She makes her way over, her pace quickening when she sees the state im in. “Oh y/n what happened? Are you okay? Did someone hurt you?” She bombards me with questions while gripping my chin and tilting my head up to look at my face properly. A frown upon her own. “I’m fine I just want to be alone, go see Aaron or something Regina” I choke out trying to hold back the tears threatening to pour again. She shakes her head, unhanding my face and instead grabbing my hand, dragging me into the house. And up the stairs into my room. “Jesus y/n why is your room so dark. No wonder you’re so pale..no offence” she says while running to my curtains, pulling them open and allowing the natural light inside. I wince at the brightness of the morning sun.

She sits me down on my bed, leaning closer to me. “So tell me what’s got you so upset?” She says gently and in a genuine tone. So I tell her everything. I mean it’s Regina George. She may be seen as the ‘queen bee’ but honestly she’s never been bad to me or my brother so I trust her.

“So let me get this straight. She got you to break up with your ex so she could get with her then continued to see the both of you behind each other’s backs? Oh my god. I’m going to kill her” the blonde says while grabbing her phone out of her pocket and aggressively typing away. After a few seconds she looks up and smiles sadly “you’re gonna sit with me and my group at lunch now, trust me she won’t bother you baby.” She says while putting her phone away.

——-

I wake up and stretch, extending my arms out, feeling the surface of the sofa to find it empty. My eyes shoot open looking for the girl. She’s nowhere to be seen. I groggily stand up and head for the bathroom. She wasn’t there either. I sigh assuming she got asked to run some errands by her mom or something. I turn some music on and start to move the basement back to how it was before the date.

The day goes by so fast. The day turns into the next and then the next. No word from y/n at all. She must just be busy.

Entering school on the Monday was probably one of the worst decisions of my life. First everyone was looking at me. Then I got to my locker and there she was at hers. She sees me and walks away quickly. I frown assuming she was just in a mood with it being so early in the day or something like that.. until I see Damien and Tessa storming over. “Janis ‘Imi’ike I have known you for fifteen years but this. This is a new low even for you” the boy starts. “Tell me this is some sick joke right now Janis I swear to god” Tessa says almost immediately after Damien. I look at them taken aback at their sudden disgust and anger toward me. “Can someone please tell me what I done?” I say slamming my locker shut, staring both of them down. “you used her to fuck her ex. Janis I thought you genuinely liked her” Tessa snapped before Damien could say anything “what are you talking about? I do like her. And I despise bea” I say, frowning. “well the morning after you and her had that date night, I got a call from Regina telling me to haul ass to y/N’s house because the poor girl was hysterical, turns out Bea had called her and told her everything about you and… oh fuck, it’s a setup. We need to get to y/n before they do anything else”

——-

These past few days Regina has been the nicest I’ve ever known her to be, yes she is the ‘queen bitch’ of north shore but she’s always been nice to me for some reason. After what happened the other day, she’s only been nicer. I haven’t really spoke to anyone about what happened. I kinda went off the radar until Tessa turned up at my house demanding to know why I hadn’t been answering. Naturally I broke down and told her everything and after reassuring her (a lot) that i would be okay, she left to go home and sleep for school. Aaron didn’t really care about what happened. Not that I really told him. Yes he’s my twin, I’ll always love and be there for him but we don’t really associate with each other anymore. So when I woke up this morning I decided to ‘suck it up’ as my dad would say. I threw on a hoodie and some baggy jeans. Then Regina called me. “Hey short stuf- oh Jesus please tell me you aren’t wearing that?!” She nearly screams down the phone, I cringe looking down at my outfit earning a sigh from her. “I’ll be over in five, do your makeup and I’ll pick some clothes for you when i get there okay?” She asks in a sweet tone. I smile and nod before hanging up and grabbing a joint I rolled last night ready for today. I stare down at it for a few minutes contemplating what im going to do if Janis approaches me today. I haven’t spoke to her since the phone call. I didn’t confront her, I just ran. Shaking my head I light up and take a few drags of the blunt with laying on my bed, all tasks out of sight and mind.

By the time I finished the joint, Regina is in my room and looking through my closet, she looks over at me her smile fading while she grabs an outfit that fits ‘plastic’ standards, but is still in my style. Then she comes and sits next to me on the bed. “So what’s the plan?” She speaks before I can, I shrug “go into school and show her who she messed with” I say in a mocking tone earning a smack over the back of my head from the blonde, she laughs and drags me off of my bed, keeping a tight hold on my wrist to keep me steady. She drags us into my closet and sits me down, pulling my hoodie off and replacing it with an old band shirt I made into a cropped vest, she smirks and grabs my backpack, throwing it at me. She grabs my hand and we are out of the door, in her jeep and on the way to school.

I stand at my locker waiting for Regina to find Gretchen and Karen and come back to get me so she can introduce me to them. Looking up from my phone I see Janis, I roll my eyes and walk the other way, not wanting to start a fight twenty minutes before homeroom. I pull out my phone and call Regina to ask where she is.

Minutes later im stood with the plastics. Gretchen looks me up and down trying to figure me out, while Karen just stands there smiling at me. “I love your shirt, where can I get one?” Gretchen starts off, I smile with a little bit of a blush forming “oh uhm I made it actually” I say looking at the shirt I made a few weeks ago just after meeting Janis. The girls eyes light up as she leans closer “omg so your like an artist and a musician, that’s so fetch” she bounces with excitement. A laugh erupts from beside me “what’s fetch?” Regina asks cringing a little. “Oh it’s like slang from some movie I saw” the girl explains the plot of the movie, I smile at her and her little quirks “well that movie sounds fetch, we will have to watch it one time, right Regina?” I nudge the blonde, knowing how mean she can be towards Gretchen at times. Karen looks over my shoulder and gasps a little. We all turn around to see the commotion. Tessa and Damien are shouting at Janis. I guess Tessa told Damien. Well at least they’ve got to her before I could. Not that I’d even know what to say. “Hey cmon we should get to PE so we can get changed out of sight from the creeps” Regina tugs my arm. I know she’s never early for anything, which lets me know that she is only suggesting that so I wouldn’t have to see Janis. She grabs onto my hand as we all walk to the changing rooms. I drop my bag to the floor and pull off my vest, replacing it with the track hoodie I originally had put on. I change into some shorts and put on my not so white converse. Once we are all changed, we sit on the benches outside of the changing rooms, waiting for the bell to ring and for everyone to come to class, I put my hair in a messy bun before looking up to see two faces laced with shock “you have a tattoo?” Karen says with a smile, earning a confused look from me “you guys don’t?” I answer the question with another question, they all shake their heads making me laugh, I shrug the interaction off and pull on the strings of my hoodie.

The bell eventually chimes and people start flooding into the changing rooms, Janis and Damien included, the both of them are glared at by the three girls while I stare at the floor. The coach shows up, smiling at me, waving his arms around like a goof “y/n congratulations on last weeks race kid” he enthusiastically says before patting my back. “Thanks, hope the next one is just as easy” I laugh a little. To say track is stressful would be an understatement. Some people join to have something to put on their college forms, some join because they love sports, me, I joined because my dad wanted me to be apart of every hobby, he wants me to have as many skills as possible. I know he means good but the pressure to be the best at everything is crushing. I get snapped out of my thoughts when Regina’s hand holds onto mine, I look around and see people leaving to head to the field, I look at Regina and she mouths “you okay?” towards me, I simply nod, I wasn’t about to scare off the person who offered me a safe space this fast.

Approaching the field I see the teacher is holding a bag full of equipment, I look over at Tessa knowing what’s in the bag. Fucking rugby balls. I’ve never liked rugby but Tessa on the other hand. She loves it. It’s her whole life. She has been scouted by professional teams since we were kids. Me on the other hand, not the type of person to tackle people, I would happily just stick to track.

I look up to see Tessa running over to me, a massive grin on her face. “Y/n cmon we are doing rugby” she waves a ball in my face like an excited child. I look over to where she is pointing and see Damien and Janis, I frown and shake my head a little “wait T you aren’t in this class, why are you here?” I laugh a little knowing she is meant to be in English language class right now. Once again she waves the ball in my face “coach pulled me out asking if I would help with some tackling drills.” She nudges me before going to grab me to go see Janis. “Actually im going to stay here and help the plastics” I mumble knowing she won’t like me hanging around with Regina. “What why? Your not like in love with my cousin right?” She crosses her arms and stares at me “you and Janis need to talk. Sooner than later I suggest” she lectures me just as the coach blows the whistle.

Me and Tessa both get forced to grab a tackle practice pad and hold them up ready for the coach to tell people to try tackling us both. A lot of them don’t try to tackle too hard, a few manage to push me back a little but one manages to knock me. Regina. She stands staring at me like a predator scoping out its prey, she then gets a running start, getting lower to the ground with every stride closer she gets and eventually she has her arms around my torso and she manages to buckle my legs and she’s on top of me, smirking down at me with a satisfied grin. “Falling for me already huh?” She leans closer to my face with a cheeky grin, we stay like this for a few seconds before she gets off of me and we both stand up. I take my place back at the line, bag in hand ready to go.

I tilt my head to the side and see Tessa and Janis laughing, Tessa looks over at me with a sympathetic expression, it seems like she knows more about this situation than she’s letting on.

Once the lesson is practically done and everyone is walking off of the field I jog a little to catch up with Tessa and nudge her. “Hey can I grab you for a sec after we are changed I need to tell you something?” She says with a sad smile, she glances at Janis and Damien who are a few feet in front of us, then she looks at Regina and the plastics who are a few feet behind us. “Omg yes, I feel like I haven’t seen you since last week, sorry for going off the rails though” I frown feeling as if im to blame for this situation “that’s actually what I need to te- …oh hey Regina” she starts before Regina comes and joins us causing her to quickly change the topic of conversation. “Hey Tes, you should totally come sit with us, y/n has finally agreed to sit with me and the girls” Regina almost brags, a massive grin plaster across her pretty face.

[fanfic-lover-girl]

I finally watched HTTYD 3 and I am still in shock

I knew I would likely dislike the movie but I wanted to watch the entire trilogy. I feel robbed when I remember I paid $4 to rent the movie. I even watched it a second time (which I don't usually do) by myself to make sure I never had first watch bias or something.

There are several posts already about the flaws of the movie. I want to do something different. I went into this movie with a lot of prejudice from Youtube reviews, Tumblr posts and even some fanfics. So I will highlight how these prejudices were challenged when I watched the movie.

Let's start with the positivies:

How the movie was not as bad as I thought

The fate of the Death grippers

I don't care much about animals. In fact, I am not too fond of how the movies paint the dragons as innocent victims all the time (except for the dragon queen) and the humans as the evil ones. Not all dragons can cohabitate with humans and some are genuinely dangerous. The death grippers are vile creatures and I felt little pity when Toothless barbequed them. Grimmel using their venom to control them was so dumb.

Gobber and Eret

People made it seem like Gobber was hitting on Eret. Sure, he said Eret had the body of a norse god but that was basically it. It's easily forgettable. In fact, when I first watched the movie it didn't even sound like flirting but Gobber making a quip in response to Snotlout's idiocy.

Hiccstrid peptalk

I don't agree with Astrid that Hiccup was back where he started. However, the scene where she agrees that Hiccup is a screw-up was not as bad as I thought. There was more levity than people give credit for.

The animation

Hiccup and the others looked way too pretty but it didn't bother me much.

Light fury and Toothless' relationship

I have seen people describe it as shallow. Meh, it was ok. It never got me emotionally invested but I didn't hate it. They had three fairly adorable courting scenes and the light fury was obviously interested. I was confused why she was pursuing Toothless instead of trying to get as far away from Grimmel as possible. When I first watched the movie, I thought Grimmel was forcing her to chase Toothless as part of his plan. I guess that was not the case. I don't agree that she only likes him because he's an alpha. Even if she did, she's a wild animal. Given that Toothless and she are animals, I am not fussy that their relationship was not given more depth. It just meant that I hardly cared when Grimmel was holding her hostage to control Toothless. In fact, I kissed my teeth when Toothless sacrificed Berk's dragons for her. All I could think was 'Berk has TWO crap leaders'.

Toothless not defending Hiccup from the Light Fury

I was not a fan of this scene. At all. But I surprisingly had more grace for this scene for some reason. The light fury is aggressive because she's frightened and after Toothless growls at her she backs off. It just sucks that Toothless shows little to no concern about Hiccup.

Who died and made you chief

Not as bad because everyone on screen reacted appropriately and Gothi whacked him on the head :)

This is Berk

Not too bothered that this movie lacked the classic Hiccup intro and outro. Hiccup's perky intro tied in nicely with the complete chaos of the Berk opening scene (still not over the monstrosity Berk became - glad they left that dump behind). I hated Hiccup's message in the outro but at least there was something. I wish there was more exploration about New Berk though :(

How the movie was worse than I thought

The gang was annoying as hell

Tuffnut was the top offender. His marriage pep talks made me want to tear my hair out. So cringe and unnecessary. What a waste of screentime. Fishlegs and Fishmeat were annoying too. Everytime I saw Fishmeat on screen, I felt slightly angry. Snotlout's crush on Valka was also unnecessary and the triangle with Eret made me roll my eyes. Why is Valka entertaining this fool? Ruffnut was not as frustrating given her minimal screentime.

The intro scene

The intro scene was so bad. The gang have been dragon riders for 6 years now so why are they acting so sloppy?? Hiccup ruined the scene the minute he shushed the guard and opened his mouth.

Hicctooth in shambles

The friendship between Hiccup and Toothless was severely lacking in this movie. Toothless spent most of the movie not giving a damn about Hiccup. Toothless runs off to the hidden world without even a goodbye. I had thought Hiccup had let Toothless go permanently at that point but nope! Hiccup was expecting him back and it's heartbreaking how Toothless immediately moves on from Hiccup for his new mate. Being with Hiccup seems like a total chore to Toothless.

Romance means the end of friendship

What I love about Hiccstrid is how Hiccup is able to love Astrid and Toothless without any conflicts. He doesn't put one before the other and Toothless and Astrid share a bond too. Why is this not the case with Toothless? Why does mating with the light fury mean leaving Hiccup in the dust? Why is the light fury not given the chance to bond with Hiccup? I would hope that my future significant other would be relatively close with my friends. I think the Hiccstrid marriage happening after the dragons leave also leaves a sour taste in my mouth. The whole argument about not being ready for marriage was a waste of time. What exactly made them not ready for marriage!?

Grimmel as a villain

I have mixed feelings about him. He's simultaneously fun and boring. I can't explain it. I thought the scene within Hiccup's house was badass. But other than that, he fell flat for me. Maybe it's because everyone around him was so stupid. Not sure why Grimmel never killed Toothless when he had the chance instead of taking the light fury on a joyride.

HW!Toothless is not my Toothless

What made this point worse for me was how Toothless dropped the ball as Berk's alpha. He abandoned his pack for the dragons in the hidden world - makes no sense how he became king of dragons btw. I don't know why the dragons are compelled to follow him when he is not a true alpha dragon and he easily traded their freedoms for the life of this light fury he practically met yesterday. Also, Toothless was a lot uglier than I expected him to be. Toothless showed more anger over the light fury stepping on his drawing than he did the THREE times the light fury attacked Hiccup. Toothless was a total disgrace! Toothless had more regality as a lone wolf dragon than he does as an alpha simping over this nobody dragon.

The plot was boring

I feel like the threat Grimmel posed was ruined by the dragon romance. Berk is under threat by a dragon hunter and Toothless is more concerned about chasing tail. Plus, the hidden world was a concept with wasted potential. There was no point in the movie where I felt a sense of awe like the first two. From the first movie, test flight and Hiccotooth bonding. From the second movie, Hicctooth intro flight and Toothless breaking Drago's control because his bond with Hiccup was that powerful. The third movie left me with an agape mouth and millions of questions. I just felt sad at the end. The departure from Berk was too rushed. Toothless' departure was too rushed. The dragons leaving Berk was too rushed. The movie was too rushed and too slow at the same time.

These are the major points for me. There are other disappointing things about the movie but I am glad I watched it so that I have my own opinion of what a letdown this movie was.

[uniquevoidflowers]

Four's Birthday part 3!!!

“Hurry, hurry!” Wind urged, a grin on his face.

The colours obliged and went into a building. “Happy Birthday!” All the chain cheered.

Red gasped and his eyes sparkled with awe as he looked around. Blue yelped before softening and smiling. Green was stunned for a second before wrapping an arm around Red and grinning as well. Vio crossed his arms with a smile and a blush creeping up on his face.

“Thank you!” Red said, with tears in his eyes.

“No need to thank us, you did a lot of the planning.” Hyrule piped up.

The room was decorated with red, blue, green, and violet colours, lights dancing across walls and the ceiling. Tables were littered with various foods and beverages, a birthday cake standing tall in the back. Vio inspected the cake, eyes glimmering. Red dove for the snacks and drinks, giggling. Blue inspected the many gifts sitting on another table, smiling genuinely. Green stood there, glad to see his brothers grinning and enjoying themselves.

The sailor ran up to Red and began babbling about how amazing Wild was at cooking and baking. The cook in question scratched the back of his head as he flushed and the rancher laughed and clapped him on the back. 

Legend looked soft for once, and he turned on some background music. Blue wandered off and ended up beside the veteran who started teasing him. “Seems you got soft.”

“Same to you.” Blue shot back, although didn’t deny the vet.

“What? Me? Soft? Never.” Legend shook his head.

Blue rolled his eyes and grabbed a beverage. “You know you were supposed to go clothes shopping earlier, right? Something about not being in a dirty tunic during a ‘special event’ like this.” Legend huffed.

The blue link blinked and then scowled. “No. Wind never told us.” 

Legend sighed. “Of course he didn’t.”

“What’d you expect?” Blue huffed.

The vet gave a soft snort. “Anyways, I saw you staring at the gifts.”

“Oh I don’t know, maybe I was simply admiring the wrapping paper.” Blue said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Nice isn’t it? You can thank me for that.” Legend retorted.

“Well thank you for all your kindness, and softness, and care.” Blue smirked.

Legend sputtered. “Not what I meant!”

Meanwhile the old man wandered over to Vio. “The champion certainly has incredible skills.” 

Vio startled a little and then nodded. “Indeed. I must get a recipe from him as soon as possible, and the design just fascinates me. How he knows exactly what me and the others enjoy and incorporates that in a cake, is beyond me.”

“Make sure to tell him that later.” Time chuckled.

Vio smiled. “I will. I’m glad you guys did this. Blue is smiling for once, Green isn’t trying to be more than he is, Red isn’t crying…”

“You all deserve this.” Time said.

“That’s…Thank you.”

“Well, this is your birthday too. What are you hoping you get?” Time wondered.

“Oh! Well, some books on dark magic and maybe mirrors would be helpful. Other books of course, none that I can name of the top of my head though.” Vio answered.

Time chuckled. “Is that so?”

“Yes. I have a project I’m working on, to…put myself at ease I suppose.” Vio responded cryptically.

Time hummed. “Dark magic is not something to be meddled with unless absolutely necessary.” He stared at the violet link with piercing eyes. “You better have good intentions.”

“Y-Yes it’s…not just for myself. For one of my friends.” Vio looked away.

Time sat there for a second before nodding. “You said mirrors? Interesting.”

Vio said nothing. Time sighed. “Well I can worry about that another day. Tell me more about your friend.”

“He wasn’t my friend at first but he had a change of heart.” Vio murmured.

Time listened as Vio continued. 

Wind gasped. “So you had a fairy on your adventures too?!”

“Well for a little bit! She helped me!” Red responded in between mouthfuls of food, grinning.

“I had one on my second quest. Her name was Ciela. She had lost her memory but she embodied courage.” Wind explained.

“Was she nice?” Red asked.

Wind nodded. “What happened to her?” Red asked bluntly.

“Oh uh I guess…I lost her.” 

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

Wind shrugged. Red wrapped him in a hug instantly. “Anyway, that’s enough about me.” The sailor grabbed a pastry. “Do you have any fun stories from your adventures?”

The red link though for a moment before nodding. “There was the time we thought Vio betrayed us.” 

The sailor gestured for him to go on, looking surprised. “Well, before that the four of us got split up. The fairy I was talking about earlier helped me save Blue from being frozen forever. We went and found Vio…or an illusion of Vio..? and he told us that Green was dead, but we found out quickly that it was fake. Then we almost got eaten by a monster. Then we found Green and went to Vio who was at Death Mountain, sitting on a throne. He was with Sha-err our shadow and Vio pretended to betray us, saying we were drowning him? I dunno. But anyway, Green and Vio fought, it was quite scary, and then Vio knocked him unconscious. We all thought Green had died, and so did our shadow. So Vio left, and the fairy told us Green was alive. Green awoke and then told us that Vio had used the not pointy end of the sword to defeat him, and he was really trying to get more information from the enemy.” Red explained.

Wind blinked a couple of times before nodding, barely comprehending what was being said. “Yeah it was really scary, but we got Vio back in the end and…never mind. Do you have any cool stories?” Red asked.

“Well…”

After awhile the traveller approached Green. “How’s it going?”

Green startled but saw Hyrule and laughed a little. “Good, good. You guys really know how to party.”

The traveller laughed too. “Well, that was mostly the others.” 

Green doubted that, the traveller often thought he was doing less than he really was, but he didn’t say anything. “Do you wanna dance?” Hyrule blurted out, pointing to the spot near where the background music was playing.

“Sure.” Green shrugged and Hyrule led him there, a little embarrassed.

Green began dancing along to the music, grinning. Hyrule looked a little nervous but then as the green link laughed at his moves, Hyrule joined. Green saw Legend notice and turn up the volume.

The traveller was great at dancing, actually.

The veteran hero looked proud. Green saw Blue staring at him and gestured for him to ‘come here’. Blue instantly shook his head no. “C’mon Blue!” Green called.

Blue scowled and muttered something before walking up to the dance floor. “I hate you.” Blue hissed.

“You love me.” Green smirked and Blue began cursing under his breath as he danced.

[Insert Green telling corny jokes to Hyrule while Blue covers his ears dramatically]

“You’re absolutely horrible.” Blue snapped.

“Mhm. I bet you secretly like my jokes.” Green joked.

“Shut up.” Blue replied.

Green laughed and Red bounced over with the sailor. “You want to hear my awesome jokes, Red?” Green teased.

Red’s face scrunched up. Green gasped dramatically. “Are you implying my jokes are bad?!”

“Yeah.” Red said.

Green gaped. Blue snorted. “I thought they were brilliant.” Time sighed. 

“Of course you would think they were good old man.” Legend drawled.

Red giggled. “I don’t know what you mean.” Time insisted and whispered something in Green’s ear. Green stifled a laugh. “Oh, come on!” Blue growled.

“It was a mistake coming over here.” Legend lamented. 

“Agreed.” Blue mumbled.

“Hey guys, what do you call a—“

“NO! No, just no.” Blue yelped.

Time snickered, mischief glimmering in his eyes. “Y’all let’s open gifts now!” Wild demanded.

“Perfect timing.” Legend stopped the music and they all gathered around the gifts. 

“Uhh, Green first.” Sky declared.

Green was handed a box wrapped in his colour, and tore the wrapping paper off. He saw a new sword, the Triforce engraved near the green hilt. He made sure he was out of the way and swung the blade around. “This is powerful…” he muttered.

“It’s from all of us, but the old man got the blade.” Sky informed him.

“Thank you so much.” Green said and put it on the table.

Sky picked a random gift off the table and handed it to Vio. Vio carefully ripped the wrapping paper off to reveal a woodcarving of a mirror. “This is incredible!” Vio exclaimed, examining the piece with awe.

“He’s going to be asking questions about it later.” Green whispered into the traveller’s ear.

Hyrule giggled slightly. “Thank you.” Vio murmured and set the piece down on the table next to Green’s sword. 

“Next is…Red!” Sky decided and handed Red a bag.

Red took his time setting the tissue paper down nicely and then pulled out a knitted blanket. The blanket was red of course, and it had hearts all over it. Red gasped happily. “This is so cooool! Thank you, thank you!” Red squealed and then asked, “Who made it?”

Warriors nudged Legend who rolled his eyes and said, “I did.” 

Red ran and hugged the veteran who froze and then hesitantly hugged him back. Then the red link hugged all the others. After he was done the skyloftian handed Blue a gift. Blue tore off the wrapping paper and Green leaned over to see a hammer, the Triforce engraved on it and blue cloth wrapped around the hilt. “Fuck yeah!” Blue cheered.

Red giggled at his reaction. "Language!"

“Thank you I guess.” Blue mumbled and set the hammer on the table next to the other items.

“You guess?” Time teased.

Blue rolled his eyes. “If you keep rolling your eyes like that your eyes are going to get stuck.” Green said jokingly. Blue blinked slowly and then scowled.

“Next we have a gift for you all.” Sky announced.

The colours perked up curiously. They saw four woodcarvings of the Four Sword, knitted ribbon wrapped around the wooden hilts, each in different colours. Red was crying with tears of happiness, Vio looked soft, Blue was grinning, and Green examined it in awe. “Thank you!” They chorused.

The chain chuckled. “It’s all thanks to the chosen and the veteran, actually. They worked very hard at the gifts.” Hyrule chimed in.

The chosen blushed and the veteran scratched the back of his head. Red pulled them in a hug and then they all began talking about the gifts, and how much fun this whole thing was. Wild handed out cake, saying “Y’all better eat this.” 

“Woah this is really good!” Green exclaimed and shoved the cake in his mouth.

“It’s just a simple vanilla cake since the town didn’t have anything else.” Wild shrugged.

“Doesn’t mean the cake isn’t any worse.” Blue retorted.

Green took that to mean the blue link really liked it as well. “Ah yes, I definitely need the recipe.” Vio said to himself.

“I’ll write it down!” Wild called and scrambled to get a pen.

Time chuckled. “Well boys, I think this day has been pretty successful. However there’s still something to be done. The party will go on longer.”

Green remembered and swore. They had to give the old man the bottle. Who had it? Wind. Wind did. The sailor looked at Vio who facepalmed and whispered something to Red. Red nodded and then started wailing at the top of his lungs, tears gushing out of his eyes. Green tapped Time on the shoulder and pulled him away while the chain tried to see why Red was crying. Vio hurried over but the veteran noticed. “What are you doing?” He called, narrowing his eyes.

“We need to talk to Time because…” Green trailed off.

“He wanted to know what our favourite foods were before the party ends.” Vio finished, elbowing the green link slightly.

The veteran seemed to accept that answer as he nodded and turn back to the commotion. “What have you got?” Time whispered.

Vio pulled out the golden bee. The old man stifled a snort. “What does this do for me?” He asked quietly.

“The shopkeeper said monsters don’t stand a chance to the bee.” Vio hissed.

The old man contemplated this and then nodded. “It’ll do. Now go comfort your brother.” He said, winking.

“Green get your ass over here.” Blue growled.

Green ran and hugged Red whispering reassurances before the red link sniffled and “finally” calmed down. Red and Green walked away and the chain relaxed. Legend turned up the music and they danced until Time deemed it time to go. The colours collected their gifts, Wild and Twilight collected the leftover food and the others collected decorations. They retreated to the inn and Time left to go get supper for the chain. “That was one awesome birthday party.” Red murmured.

“Yeah. I’m going to be using this sword soon.” Green smirked and slashed his new sword around, being careful not to hit anything. “Don’t get me wrong the Four Sword’s great but I could use a new weapon.”

“This hammer will be pretty useful. My other one is damaged.” Blue hummed.

Red was nestled in the blanket on the bed. Vio had the wooden mirror sitting beside him, and there was a glint in his eye. The only reason the colours were split right now is because it was their birthdays and they had needed to split in their last battle. It felt refreshing though. 

Time returned and handed everyone slices of pizza, and soon everyone was laughing and chatting. Warriors strategized with Vio. Sky chatted with Red, making sure he was okay. Legend and Blue stuck together again, bantering playfully. Time and Green chatted amicably, just about the day and the old man asked abruptly, “Do you know why Vio is interested in dark magic?”

Green stiffened. “What?”

Time repeated himself. “Do you not know?” He questioned.

“No, I know…” Green hesitated then said, “He wants to get a friend back.”

The old man softened. “Just make sure he doesn’t go too far, okay?”

“I won’t let that happen.” Green assured him.

[robynstumpytail]

Weblena Week 2024 Day 7: Free Day - Remix Day

hey yall! last minute entry to weblena week! ive been having a lot of fun keeping up with it, so heres an excerpt from a weblena fanfic ive been working on abt lena's mental health and growth through the series for the free day. this is the last part, the most explicitly shippy, taking place after the end of the series. its my first time publishing my own fanfic, so i hope u like it!!

The fire crackled. Lena sat on her couch across from it, watching it flicker back and forth. It was the only light in the room. It had been years since she last saw Magica, longer since the worst of her control. Still, old habits die hard. Every time Lena thought she saw movement in the shadows, red eyes flickering in the dark, she reflexively checked to make sure she was alone. She always was, but still. She took a sip of her hot chocolate and sank deeper into the sofa.

Her ears pricked at the sound of the door unlocking, then the door opening. “Lena! I’m home!” Webby’s voice called, one room away.

“I’m in here!” she called back, not taking her vision away from the flame. Only when she saw a flash of movement did she look. This time, it was Webby, standing in the doorway. Despite the shadows, Lena could still make out her furrowed brows, the concern in her eyes.

“Everything alright?” she said, sitting down next to Lena. Lena waited for Webby to notice the mug on the coffee table and take a sip as she gathered her thoughts.

“Yeah, just thinking,” Lena said. She paused as Webby wrapped her arms around her in a cuddle. Of course, Lena reciprocated, giving Webby a kiss on the top of her head before continuing. “I started imagining what would happen if you and I hadn’t met. I don’t even remember what triggered it. Something stupid, like maybe an online quiz. But then I just got stuck in there, thinking about how long I would’ve been with Magica and how she would’ve hurt me. It started feeling more and more real, like you were actually gone. So…” she trailed off, motioning with her mug to the fireplace. Webby knew about the ways in which they grounded her; she didn’t need an explanation.

Webby started rubbing Lena’s arm. “Okay. First off, you know that you can call me about this stuff any time, right?”

“Sure,” Lena said. “But you were coming home soon enough. Plus, I called Violet when it started. She helped.”

“Oh, awesome! Second,” she said, drawing back enough to look Lena in the eye. She hoped that her tear stains weren’t obvious, “That’s never going to happen. I’m right here, and I always will be.”

“I know,” Lena said. She squeezed Webby tighter, trying to commit it to memory. Webby’s here, Webby’s here, Webby’s here. They sat like that for a minute before Lena couldn’t resist chiming in, “Unless you find an artifact that changes the past or something.”

“Lena,” Webby groaned. “That’s not the point.”

Lena knew Webby was right. Lena also knew that she was right. “Which one is it?”

Webby paused for a minute, clearly fighting something her instincts. “...The Wall Flower of Bielefeld, but still!” Lena laughed, and Webby quickly joined in. She quickly got serious again. “Even if that does happen, I’ll find you again. I always will.”

Lena got choked up and started to feel her eyes water as she pressed into Webby’s shoulder. “I love you, Webby,” she said.

“I love you too, Lena,” she responded. They sat like that for who knows how long. Lena wasn’t counting. All that mattered was that she was with Webby. Passionate, lovable, caring, genuine Webby. She was safe.

After however much time had passed, she asked Webby, “So how was your adventure with the triplets?”

“Oooh! It was awesome! First of all, they love the bracelets you made! Second, Dewey has gotten way better at flying. He only crashed…” As Webby kept talking and Lena started to drift asleep, comfortable in her arms, she saw red flash out of the corner of her eye. She didn’t bother checking if it was Magica. It didn’t matter. Only this moment, right now, mattered.

[albertbutyoucancallmebert]

@stuckinuniformdevelopment

(prev) Teddy nodded while giving Sherri Jr. chin rubs for being such a sweet little girl. “I hoped that he’d actually escape but… even if he did follow my advice he didn’t have time to find someone willing to risk his life for him.” Then he let out a deep, long sigh as he allowed himself to put his weight on her instead of trying to hold his head up. It wasall his fault for being more scared of an awkward conversation than the possibility of Thomas being officially marked for sacrifice at any given moment. If only he approached him earlier. If only he showed that he was trustworthy earlier. If only he didn’t selfishly avoid him to avoid grieving. If only he took substantial action instead of thinking that a warning would be enough. If only… Teddy nuzzled Sherri’s side one more time before sitting up and pulling his Glornist notebook out. This was impossible to talk about without risking another breakdown. Really, it amazed him how Bert could keep up with a tidal wave of panic. He stuck a stiff envelope under the page to avoid leaving any indents in fresh pages while he carefully printed what happened. It was in semi-flowchart form with rough sketches filling in occasional gaps where words weren’t enough. Sam was pissed at Teddy for stealing partial credit. Teddy wanted to get it over with. Sam yanked Teddy into the back room even if he was already following (rude.) He thought he’d be fine because she never injured him before. They slammed him into the cabinet. He kept up smug bastard act to avoid giving him satisfaction. Sam punched his jaw. She grabbed him in an arm lock and forced him to the ground. He struggled because he realized that getting hurt would delay the ritual. (His genuine panic went unmentioned.) Sam told Teddy about how he was their second choice after Thomas. So if he ever disobeyed him, got in his way, or if sacrificing Thomas wasn’t enough to get promoted he’d be next. Which it wouldn’t be since Teddy made the mistake of telling Mike, who blabbed to Bishop Percival like a dum- Teddy blocked his page with his body as he frantically erased the last section. Then he sighed as he rewrote it in a calmer manner. Bert needed to know how his stupid scheming put their entire operation in jeopardy… Sam confirmed that they would frame him if they had to. Then they twisted his arm too far. Gloria (a weird evil hippie) decided to play doctor because he couldn’t keep quiet. But apparently shoulder reductions haven’t changed so whatever. Still forced her treatment on him. Still drugged him. So he slept through most of the workday. Once Teddy was done he slid the notebook over to Bert. The begining was neater, yet too light to see well. Then his writing got darker and sloppier as he pushed his pencil into the page. Which meant that he was unable to completely erase what he didn’t want to show.

Ohh… So the Thomas character didn’t actually escape, it sounded like. Bert noticed how dispirited Teddy seemed about that.

He paid no mind when Teddy got out a notebook to write the rest down. He knew full well how much of a struggle it could be to express thoughts verbally. He wanted to give Teddy as much time as he needed, so while he was writing, Bert began tidying up the table. Sherri Jr helped. Maybe it would help lessen Moe’s frustration with Bert making a mess of his lab in just two days when he comes in tomorrow. At least this table is clean! 

He only glanced over when Teddy frantically erased something, but otherwise paid it no mind.

When Teddy handed him the notebook, Bert smiled and nodded as he took it. He did have to squint to better see the light, neat handwriting, but was able to read the darker messier writing just fine. 

Predictably, the more details Bert read about Sam and what they did to Teddy, the more heated he became. He absentmindedly gripped the notebook so hard the page started to slightly tear. And it wasn’t just Sam. Bert indeed saw the remains of what Teddy tried to erase about Mike. Even just seeing the name "Bishop Percival" made him scowl. And then there was this Gloria character on top of everything else??

“...I hate every last one of them,” Bert growled under his breath.

He briefly glanced over the page one more time before setting it down on the table with a sigh.

"So this Sam character is a real threat to us now, huh?"

[cyberneticwhump]

Wʜᴜᴍᴘ-4-Lᴇss (Pᴀʀᴛ 3)

Cᴏɴᴛᴇɴᴛ & Sᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ

[Entry for “2023 Year of Whump” challenge, January 15.]

[Chosen prompt: experimental injection + “I promise this won’t hurt”]

[Content: insomnia, syringe, begging, intimate whumper, mentions of torture.]

[Summary: After his training, Natasha visits Damian in his room to make him an offer. She tells him that he has a bright future at Whump-4-Less, and he could start his first session the next day. This keeps Damian up all night, as he isn't ready yet. Before his show, Natasha gives him memory blockers to help with the flashbacks and nightmares later, and he gets ready to step on stage for the first time.]

[Word count: 1.7K]

[PREVIOUS PART]

I ᴘʀᴏᴍɪsᴇ ᴛʜɪs ᴡᴏɴ'ᴛ ʜᴜʀᴛ

Twenty minutes.

It was only twenty minutes, and it left Damian broken. He felt like he couldn’t even breathe by the end, and all Natasha was doing was cutting into him and burning him, not even for a long time. She said it gets way worse in the actual sessions, but it was simply too hard for Damian to even imagine that. This was too much.

Way too much.

After dragging himself back to his room, he throws himself down on his bed, holding his arm that has been wrapped in bandages by the medical staff at the end of his training. He just can't get Natasha’s words out of his head, the way she was telling him how good he looked while he was in pain and how much the audience would love him. She said that he was a perfect candidate, and they haven’t had anyone like him in a long time. She even promised him that if he takes the torture well in his first few sessions, she will get him a raise, despite him being a newbie.

But Damian knew he wouldn’t be able to take it well. He knew it was gonna get worse, and he knew it would be too much to handle. As he was laying on his bed, he couldn’t get the memory of the cold blade cutting his skin open out of his head. He couldn’t think of anything else than the overbearing pain spreading through his body.

Just then, he heard a knock on his door, and he jolted as the sudden sound took him by surprise. He got up, wiped the tears from his face, and opened the door.

“Can I come in?” Natasha asks, and her voice sends a shiver down Damian’s spine, which the girl notices. “You know you don’t have to be afraid of me, right?”

“You’ve hurt me,” Damian says, holding onto the bandages on his arm. They still hurt, but not as much since the medical staff gave him some light painkillers after he was practically begging for it.

“I understand, but this is your job now. You signed the contract. But anyways… I came here to check on you. Seems like it was a lot worse than you thought it would be.”

“Y-yeah, it was. I… don’t think I’m ready,” when the man says this, Natasha puts her hand on his shoulder, and gently pushes him aside so she can enter the room.

“Yeah, no. I know you are not ready, but no one is. This is not something you can prepare for. So I suggest we start tomorrow. The club owner saw the footage of your training, and he was very impressed.”

“You said I wouldn’t start until next week,” Damian says quietly, trying not to let his voice quiver. “You said—”

“Well, don’t you want it to be over faster?” Natasha sits down on the bed and invites the man with her hand to do the same. “Come on, sit down. I have an offer for you.”

After a few seconds of hesitation, Damian joins her, avoiding eye contact at all costs. He is focusing on the floor under his feet, trying to get lost in the patterns on the artificial wood.

“We don’t usually do this, but you are extraordinary. I will be straight up with you right now, okay? I’ve been working at Whump-4-Less for more than five years now. I’ve tortured hundreds of people. And none of them… I repeat, none of them had what you have. Everything about you, from your facial expressions to your voice, is so… pure, so genuine. I honestly would be really sad if we couldn’t work together.”

She puts two of her fingers under Damian’s chin, making him look up at her. He doesn’t try to resist; the touch of the woman practically paralyzes him with fear. He is too afraid to move or say anything to her.

“I have an offer for you, Damian. I know it’s your first time, and it’s gonna be hard regardless, but we got our hands on memory blockers recently, and I would be willing to give you some for your first few sessions, until you get the hang of things.”

“Would I still feel it?” Damian swallows in nervousness.

“Of course you would. And it wouldn’t completely erase all your memories, either. It would help dealing with it, reducing nightmares and flashbacks that usually follow the sessions,” Natasha says in a soft, soothing voice while looking at the man’s face, trying to read what he is thinking.

“I… I need that.” His vision is starting to get blurred by tears as he can't stop himself from imagining how bad the pain will be. Just hearing how the sessions cause nightmares and flashbacks fills him with a newfound dread, and he can’t help but start trembling in his whole body.

“You will be fine. No one ever died from a little torture. Besides, I will always be here, if you need me,” she places a small card on the bed next to him, which includes her name and a scannable code, most likely containing all her contact information. “Your first session starts at 9PM tomorrow. Be backstage at around 8PM, at least. Until then, just try to rest.”

“W-wait!” Damien exclaims after the girl stands up from the bed, ready to leave the room. “Will you be the one… doing it?”

“Do you not want me to?” She asks without turning back.

“Just… can you please go easy on me…?” There is a slight quiver in his voice, no matter how much he is trying to hide it.

“Get some rest, Damian. You have a big day tomorrow.”

\ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \

The night went by without a minute of sleep. No matter how much he tried to, Damian couldn’t stop imagining the upcoming torture, his first session on stage where he would be brutalized for the sake of entertainment. It seemed unreal, but as time passed, it felt more and more inevitable. He knew that even with the memory blockers, he would still feel every detail of the pain inflicted on his body. He would feel every cut and every burn; he would feel his body getting destroyed with no way of stopping it.

Before he could realize, it was already 7PM on the next day. He forced himself to get out of the bed so he could eat something before his session, then changed into the hoodie he had been wearing the day before, which already had some dried blood on it. It was a light beige color, so the red stains were clearly visible on the sleeves, adding an artistic touch to the otherwise boring fabric.

He took one last look at himself in the mirror; there were dark circles under his eyes due to not being able to sleep, his light brown hair was messy, and he already looked like he had been through hell.

But it was just about to begin.

When it was time, he made his way down to the backstage, where the rumbles of minimal techno were already shaking the walls. Natasha, who had been sitting on a comfortable couch, stood up the moment he entered the room and welcomed him with a warm, genuine smile.

“It’s good to see you, Damian! Are you excited for your first show?” She wrapped her arm around him, as if they were good friends. “You look like you are about to pass out. Is everything okay?”

“I just didn’t have much sleep, that’ all,” Damian lies, visibly uncomfortable by the girl’s proximity. No matter what he thought of her as a person, he couldn’t deny his attraction to her physical features, and her pushing her body against his made him almost as nervous as the approaching show.

“Well, I prepared the memory blockers for you,” Natasha says, and she pulls out a syringe from one of the pockets on her white cargo pants. It’s filled with an opaque, cyan liquid, and the thought of it entering Damian’s body fills him with anxiety. He has no idea how he will react to the drug; he’s heard that some people have severe side effects from it, and it can even cause permanent memory loss or brain damage.

“Are you… are you sure this will help?” He asks, trembling in his whole body from the dread that slowly, but surely fills every part of his mind.

“It’s supposed to. It won’t help with the pain, but it will help you block out the flashbacks later, as it will be harder to remember the events that happen while you are under the effects of the drug,” she pulls away from the man, and flicks the syringe with her finger a few times. “Now give me your arm.”

Damian is frozen in place, shaking with fear, and the girl grabs his wrist, pulling up the sleeve of his hoodie to expose the veins on his arm.

“Please, Natasha… please, I don’t want this. I don’t want to do this. I’m so scared, I… I just don’t want it to hurt… please promise me that you will go easy on me,” he begs quietly, the bass of the music almost drowning out all his words.

“Relax, Damian. It will be okay. I promise this won’t hurt.” With that, she jabs the needle into the man’s arm, who lets out a small gasp of pain as the substance is slowly pushed into his system. It fills him with a cold, calming feeling, and for a moment, he believes he can do it.

For a moment, he believes it won’t be that bad at all.

But soon after that the door opens, and the stage manager enters the room, holding a tablet with the schedule on it.

“Ten minutes,” he says, and gestures towards Damian, who is now sitting on the couch in the corner of the room. “All good?”

“I just gave him the memory blockers. He will be alright,” Natasha replies, to which the man responds with a nod before closing the door behind himself. “You will be amazing, darling.”

[Tᴏ ʙᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴛɪɴᴜᴇᴅ…]

[NEXT PART]

If anyone wants to be added to the taglist, feel free to message/send an ask/comment!

[passerine-writes]

Chapter 36

Warnings: Panic attack, minor medication usage, mentions of past trauma Word count: 2220

Back to Masterlist

Chapter 35 | Chapter 37

I snuck downstairs later on to get some food after not participating in 'family dinner', four boys on the phone since I refused to carry my laptop and they refused to leave me alone if it wasn't for the bathroom. I put in some earbuds and kept my phone in my back pocket, I felt completely and utterly out of it, but I slowly made my way over to the kitchen and pulled out left overs to heat them up in the microwave.

With a minute left on the clock, I heard a creak on the stairs and saw Komini coming down.

"What're you doing up?" I gestured to the microwave and he scoffed, resting against the kitchen counter. "Seriously though, you're so stuck up you won't even eat dinner with us?" I stayed silent, hoping I could just wait out the last forty eight seconds and go back to my room. I went to turn, flinching when I was stopped my hand tightly gripping my wrist. "Answer me." I tried to pull my arm back, my breathing picking up when he only tightened his grip.

"Get off of me." I couldn't help it as my voice shook, my breaths shallow and inconsistent. It took a moment to realize my body was shaking as well. His hand dropped suddenly as tears welled in my eyes, I could hear the boys in my earbud trying to get my attention but I couldn't pay attention.

He's not Jaakuna, it's not him.

He's not here.

It's just Komini.

He won't hurt you like he did.

"Kaara?" I heard the steady beeps of the microwave and Komini's voice.

"I'm going to bed, I-I'll see you in the morning." He looked like he wanted to say something but instead he sighed as I walked quickly and quietly up the stairs. I switched back onto my laptop and immediately started searching for my meds.

"Talk to us, little atom." I kept scrambling around, searching through my overnight bag from this weekend.

"Kaara," I looked up like a deer caught in head lights, "take a moment and breathe, you're safe." I swallowed the lump in my throat at Keiji's words, logically I knew I was safe, but every other instinct in my body was telling me otherwise.

I took a slow, deep breath before resuming looking through my bag. After I didn't find it, I gave up and grabbed my emergency bottle, quickly downing what I needed to dry. I turned off my camera in a daze, my meds could only do so much so I was still feeling it, but it was dulled. My heart beat calmed down a bit, my arms less tingly and the fuzziness in my vision decreasing, but I still felt the panic.

Without thinking too much, I changed into one of Tetsurou's old hoodies and Keiji's sweats, both things from middle school but still bringing a certain amount of comfort for some reason.

I turned my camera back on and locked my door before finally sitting back down. I curled up in a ball while one of my legs shook violently. I just wanted to disappear, I didn't want to feel this anymore.

"What happened, baby owl?" I glanced up at the sound of Kou's voice before quickly looking away again with a shrug.

"Just Komini being Komini." I finally muttered out, fidgeting with my fingers.

"I'd say tell your dad but he won't exactly do anything." I nodded absentmindedly with Tetsurou's words. All of us freezing when there was a knock on my door.

Hesitantly, I got up and unlocked it, cracking it open to see a tired Arise.

"Hey honey, Komini woke me up and told me what happened. Are you alright?" I shrugged after a second, keeping my arms wrapped around myself. "Can I come in?" I stepped aside and let her in, shutting my laptop as I sat on my bed. Whatever this was, the boys didn't need to hear it. "I noticed you haven't really left your room today, you're not taking well to the move, huh?" Her voice was sweet and gentle, not condescending or fake, but genuinely concerned.

"My mom did this a lot, so I'm not exactly thrilled." She hummed and smoothed out her clothes, trying to figure out what to say.

"And now your fathers doing it, so it's hitting a little too close to home?" I nodded, still overwhelmed after having a panic attack. "Komini told me that you had a panic attack after he grabbed your arm, he was a little shaken up and by the looks of it, he's beating himself up." I looked at her in shock.

He's feeling guilty?

"I just don't know why he keeps doing it." She let out a deep breath at my sentiment.

"I'm not sure honestly and I wish I had an answer for you. I'm glad he's protective of you, however I'll admit, he does need to learn to tone it back a bit. Especially when it comes to your soulmates. Speaking of, if you're comfortable with it, I'd love to meet them. Maybe one of these weekends you can have them over, set up the basement however you like and crash down there. I'll make sure Komini stays out of your hair and I'll run it by your dad." I smiled softly at her excitement. Something about how cheerful and open she is made me feel mutually happy, but it also made me feel guilty for giving her the cold shoulder.

"I'd like that, I'll talk to them about it and see if they can get away from practice one of these weekends." She smiled tiredly. "Arise?" She hummed and looked at me. "I- I'm sorry for how I've been acting. I know it seems like I don't like you at times and I just wanted to tell you that that isn't the case. I'm not good with change to begin with, and after all the stunts my mother pulled, it's just hard." My voice shook as I spoke, threatening to crack under pressure. "I just wanted to let you know that you haven't done anything wrong."

"Oh honey, you didn't give me that impression at all but thank you for talking to me. I'm just curious, if it bothers you so much then why not talk to your father? He's pretty reasonable at times." I immediately shook my head.

"He just, he wouldn't get it. And any time I try and talk about my mom or anything that happened there, he just doesn't believe me or takes her side without fully listening to me. That's what most of our fights are about, if you haven't noticed." She frowned at this, not seeming particularly fond of his actions.

"Well, if you'd ever like to talk to me about it, or have me be a mediator, I'll listen and help where I can. I know it doesn't change the past, but sometimes talking helps." I wiped away a stray tear, not expecting her to be so kind and compassionate about something she knows nothing of.

"Thank you. You remind me a lot of Mama Mei." Her head cocked to the side.

"Mama Mei?" I nodded and sniffled.

"She's Bokuto Koutarou's mother. She's really sweet and treats almost everyone like family. She loves cooking and baking and will always talk to you about whatever's going on in life. I've known her for over thirteen years now and she sorta became a second mother to me. Along with Keiji's mom, Akaashi Kanami. She loves her teas and we would always taste test new ones together growing up." She smiled delicately as I spoke, avidly listening to my rambling.

"So that's why you have a big tea collection?" I nodded along happily yet surprised that she actually remembered that.

"Yeah, anytime I was having a rough day, she would make me my favorite tea and wrap me up in a blanket. Keiji would feel left out so she would sit us on the couch, wrapped up in some blankets, put on a little cartoon and give both of us our favorite teas. If Kou was there, she'd make him a hot chocolate cause he was weird about his tea." She pulled one of her legs up on my bed and angled towards me more.

"I can't wait to meet them, they sound like great kids. What are they all like?" I chuckled a little, reminiscing on so many memories.

"They are. Kenma's on the quieter side and really likes his video games. Tetsurou is a huge science nerd but specifically with chemistry. Keiji loves reading and is very down to earth. Koutarou is volleyball obsessed, I actually met him with a volleyball. Kou and Tets are a bit on the more wild and energetic side, but know how to kick the brakes when needed." She now rested her chin on one of her knees, fully invested with the topic.

"So how did you meet, oh what's his name, Bokuto, with a volleyball?" I blushed in embarrassment but continued to tell her about that day. "I bet that's why he loves it so much." She said with a laugh, her words made me break out giggling.

"That's what we've all come to agree on! It can't just be a coincidence." She shook her head profusely.

"No, not in the slightest." She glanced at my analog clock and grimaced at the time. 11:56 at night. "I should probably head back to bed. You can stay home tomorrow, I'll tell your dad. I know how hard it is after a panic attack that bad." My eyes widened at her words, completely shocked that she offered.

Let along understood.

"Try and get some sleep, hun. I'm not going to work tomorrow so I'll see you in the morning, alright?" I nodded mindlessly, mumbling a small 'good night' as she left my room.

After a moment, I clicked back on to the group call to find Keiji and Koutarou fast asleep. Tetsurou insisted on waiting up for me and Kenma was on his video game but even he was looking tired.

"Everything alright, little atom?" I nodded, still mulling over what exactly we talked about. "What'd Arise want?"

"She wanted to make sure I was okay a-and told me that uh, she wants you four to come over one of these weekends." His eyes widened in disbelief.

"Really?" I nodded, still processing it myself.

"Yeah, sh- she uh, said we can take the basement and she said she would make sure Komini's doesn't try to start anything." He hummed in a delighted surprised tone.

"We'll talk to the others about it in the morning. You should probably get some sleep though." I shrugged and picked at my fingers.

"I'll be fine, I'm not going to school tomorrow. Arise told me to stay home for the day since I had a panic attack. Y- You both need sleep though." He shot me a look, silently telling me that I needed sleep as well.

"I'm glad she's letting you stay home tomorrow but you still need sleep. So if you're not sleeping then I'll stay up as long as I can with you." My face dropped, the guilt starting to consume me again.

"You don't have to, Tets. I don't want you jeopardizing your sleep schedule just because I had a rough day." He scoffed and sat up straighter on his bed.

"I'm not 'jeopardizing' anything, pretty. So stop trying to convince yourself of that. I don't mind staying up with you, okay?" I nodded begrudgingly, still feeling guilty that he's staying awake with me.

"Alright I guess." He smirked in content and leaned back a smidge.

"Good. So are we making a plan for when we visit? Cause knowing you, you're not going to want to stay inside the house with Komini all day." I chortled out a laugh, his joking assumption was spot on.

"You're not wrong, I'll try and find some things to do around here." He nodded and got this look on his face, one I had seen many times before. "Tets, just ask." He cocked an eyebrow and smirked again, having his own turn of amusement at how well I can read him. After a moment he turned serious and I started regretting opening this can of worms.

"What happened earlier?" His tone was delicate and warm, open and light but still serious.

"I had a panic attack." He shot me a pointed look.

"You had another flashback, didn't you?" I turned my attention to my hands, fidgeting with my fingers. "Do you wanna talk about it?" Instinctively, I shook my head before it sunk in that he deserves a verbal explanation.

"N-Not really, it's also something none of you would understand. It's a lot different then the divorce and stuff. I wish it wasn't as complicated, but I just can't get into it." He nodded sympathetically, accepting my ramble of words as a reason.

"Okay, just know if you do want to talk about it, all of us are here for you. Alright?" I nodded with teary eyes, silently grateful that I had them.

I truly am lucky.

[sxnburst]

Hopefully Wang Yi doesn't notice just how Sun is watching him. Like a predator to an prey. A spider waiting for its meal to be trapped. Maybe not quite. Sun isn't trying to start anything as he's more GENUINELY curious. Still, one supposes they can't really control the look behind their eyes, right?

It's only briefly though and Sun smiles and shakes his head, "Mm-Mm!" Chipperly he adds, "We both saw these glowing lights." He pauses. The ache to his chest is still there. What was returned to him was only just one big part of what he was missing, but it wasn't WHAT he was searching for it seems. The pain is still there. Heavy, suffocating, a little frustrating. He may just explode any second now .

and now I have this....to think about, too.

"You know....When she got it back, the light? Her memory, she started crying. Did....you guys have a fight?" Sun had never known them to be so close either, but that memory proved him wrong. They seemed SO content and happy in each other's presence, so why what happened?

He couldn't make up exactly what Nicolette had said, only bits and pieces. What he did understand?

It was more than an fight, and Wang Yi was the source of all that turmoil and tears. ...

It would have left such a heavy feeling in Nicolette's heart. Wang Yi really did have that power didn't he?

It had only been a few days after the laser tag and well, a lot had happened since. For starters, he had not been prepared to stumble across a memory that belonged to Nicolette and he had not expected to learn so much from said memory. There had been a lot that was revealed, and in turn wouldn't it have been right to seek Wang Yi out? See what happened.

It wasn't his business and while he may not entirely know (Or remember) both Wang Yi and Nicolette, he knew they were friends enough. They were his friends and he liked them because they were nice to him. Right? The problem lied when he saw Wang Yi really. He felt it back then and he feels it now. The heaviness in his own chest. It's not the HEART ripping, gut wrenching kind of heaviness, but it's there. As if he's missing a crucial part of their friendship.

Anyway, he's approaching with a small wave of his hand and a big smile on his face, "Did you miss me THAT much? Hehehe! I didn't know you liked me that much, Wang Yi!" He's being playful. Silly.

"Oh, OH. I saw Nicolette earlier. I wanted to ask you something." But how should he go about asking him something that was between him and her? Her refusal in accepting the mote, her tears....Has he ever seen her cry that way? If he did, he doesn't remember. But....but it hurts.

[xxsabitoxx]

Dad!Giyu Headcanons

Sanemi • Rengoku • Gyomei • Tengen • Obanai

Warnings: tons of fluff!

A/N: let’s try this again! I swear this time I’ll do Giyu justice — so if you saw that first attempt? No you didn’t. Remember how I said Kyo’s was significantly longer? I lied. This one is so long

He’s initially a bit terrified

Is he worthy enough to be a father? Is he capable of raising a little human?

This pregnancy came as a complete surprise, so there is also a huge shock factor along with the fear

You have to sit down and talk to him for a bit after telling him, getting him to open up can be a bit tricky. You could tell by his reaction there was definitely other emotions along with the happiness

Giyu warms up to the idea very quickly after the initial shock and fear subside

It’s not that he doesn’t want to be a dad, he just didn’t think he’d become one at the age of 21.

Ironically, for corps members that’s super young to become a parent. For people outside of the corps, he got a late start

Shinobu is the second person you both tell, she’ll be giving you checkups after all. And well… you couldn’t resist the reaction she’d give

The next person you share the news with his is Tanjiro — who actually starts crying tears of joy for you both.

Within a week of sharing the news with Giyu, all the Hashira plus Kagaya are aware of your new incoming addition

Giyu is so sweet :( he starts learning to cook breakfasts that will be easy on your stomach since your morning sickness is a bitch

He’s holding your hair back and running your shoulders. He’s putty in your hands. Anything you ask him to do, he’ll do it with no complaints

When he thinks you’re asleep, he’ll start talking to your stomach

He’s a little to shy / embarrassed to do so when you are awake. But when he thinks you’re sleeping *key word: thinks* he will talk none stop.

You’ll even feel him place soft kisses before falling asleep himself

You don’t realize just how observant he is until he points out your bump as begun to grow

You yourself didn’t even realize until he pointed it out. It was barely there, but there nonetheless

When you reach your second trimester, Giyu is the first person to feel the baby kick with you.

He’s a little more comfortable talking to your bump in front of you now that it’s more visible

Turns out, his voice makes your baby get excited and they’ll start kicking wildly

Giyu is 100% a big brother / low key father to Tanjiro and Nezuko so expect them to be a big part of your pregnancy

Nezuko is so damn cute, she’s so fascinated by the movement in your stomach.

In her little demon form she’ll be sitting on your lap and resting her ear against your bump

Tanjiro is so apologetic about her clinginess but you assure him you love it

Giyu gets super protective of you. He always has been, but your stomach is growing so much he feels like you’d be a prime target for demons

After losing so many people in his life, he can’t even stomach the idea of losing you or the baby. It genuinely makes him nauseas

Jumping ahead into your third trimester, Giyu doesn’t take a leave. But he does request a little more time off, as he sees it he can still work until you are close to giving birth

He loves coming home each morning to your smile and your large baby bump

You spend most of the days he has off laying in bed and talking — Shinobu advised you to stay off your feet as much as you could in the weeks leading up to labor

When your water actually breaks Giyu gets light headed as fuck — like you gotta pause your own panic to make sure this man doesn’t pass out on you

The whole duration of your labor, Shinobu is teasing Giyu for looking a little green. This man really is about to pass out lmao

When your baby is finally born? Giyu is in silent awe

Hearing the cries for the first time make it all finally feel real.

The smile on your face is enough to make his eyes water. When you motion for him to come over he seems to forget how to function.

“Are you in shock?” • “maybe.”

He is so awkward trying to hold your newborn

It takes at least thirty minutes to get him comfortable with the position he’s in

It’s actually a fun experience for you teaching Giyu things like how to change a diaper and how to burp the baby

Luckily for you he gets the hang of things pretty quickly

Once you are settled back in your home, truly alone for the first time with your baby, things really hit Giyu.

“I’m a dad.” • “I-I know. Did you just realize that?”

Giyu is not a morning person at all, but he seems to become one fairly quickly because of your baby

All thought he is getting up to pick them up from their bassinet with his eyes still closed

Giyu’s baby has the same habit as Kyojuro’s - pulling hair. Unlike Rengoku, Giyu leaves his hair down and will just let the baby tug on it. It’s too early in the morning for him to care

When I tell you, this baby is so damn chunky. Like chubby cheeks, rolls on their arms that make it look like you could twist their little hand off. Giyu cannot physically handle how cute they are

Neither can the other Hashira or Kamado siblings. Even Sanemi wants to hold them.

You blame the baby’s chubbiness on all the food Giyu made for you during your pregnancy

Giyu loves wearing a wrap and carrying your baby around

You actually find it a bit funny, you sometimes have to fight to wear the wrap because you both want to hold your baby

Giyu is the first person to make your baby laugh, an accomplishment he himself can’t even believe

It happened while Giyu was in the bath with them, the bubbles from the soap he used were floating around the air. He popped one and didn’t expect the laughter that echoed the room. “Y/N! Come here!”

This turns into twenty or so minutes of Giyu popping bubbles to hear not only your baby laugh, but to hear you laugh too.

Giyu actually cried when your baby took their first steps

When your baby is old enough to walk and play, Giyu constantly has them up on his shoulders or gives them piggyback rides

You love seeing the sparkle in his eyes again, your baby brings out the inner child Giyu had to suppress before he was ready

He swears to himself he will keep you and your baby safe. Not only does he refuse to lose either of you, he refuses to have your child experience anything close to what he did

Giyu surprises himself one night while you two are having some fun by asking you if you want another baby

After the fact he said it was a heat of the moment comment — but it’s already been done ;)

[soulwillower]

cleaning the room • richie tozier

(richie tozier x reader smut)

requested:  heyyy i love your work!! can i maybe request a Richie smut where their like in the middle of doing “it” but then someone calls the reader (maybe bev or eddie or sumn) and instead of stopping richie keeps going and so she has to continue the call and pretend like shes not in the middle of such unholy acts haha sorry if its too specific,, thank you!!!

warnings: swearing, smut, spitting, v light cum play, light light slapping (reader smacks richie bc theyre frustrated he was teasing them), unprotected sex, risky sex, talking on the phone w someone, use of the words whore/slut, degradation, this has literally no plot its all smut LOL

heyyy finally bback w a fic, i have awful writers block so this was all i could do. hope u guys like it

[ 18+ ]

1.8k words

♡

"richie," you purr, sighing with lust as your boyfriend's hands pull your hips harder towards his own, arching your back as his hand rises to gently push you down against the mattress. he hums, leaning down to kiss your lips hard, thrusting into you as your back rubs the sheets under you. 

richie leans back and his mouth opens to murmur something to you, but a ringing noise makes you jolt. both of you turn to look at your phone, which has lit up with the call from someone. richie sighs and you groan, arm reaching out to grope around for the phone as your other hand threads into richie's hair, tugging him as he slowly eases on his thrusts. 

"oh, god," you say, half moaning as richie's strokes slow, changing angles as he looks down at you with mischevious eyes. "it's eddie." you add, tossing your phone to the edge of the bed.

 richie hums, pulling out of you and grabbing the phone. you whine, looking at him, "no, please keep going, i can call him back later." you beg, desperate to feel richie again. richie raises his brows, "you know he'll just keep calling." 

you lean back, sighing because you know richie's right. "fuck you richie. fine." and then you snatch the phone, pressing the answer button. "hey, wh-what's up?" you ask, breathing slightly heavily. 

"hey, i was wondering what your plans are later. we need to get some supplies for the party." eddie says cheerfully, and you swallow. god, couldn't he have called any other time? at least this will be quick. 

you jolt but keep quiet as you feel richie's fingers gently run through your slick folds, thumb teasing your clit. you let out a short whine and gulp, "oh, uh, yeah i can-can hang out later, just not now-" you swallow. your face feels on fire, excited by the idea of possibly being caught. 

"you okay, y/n?" eddie asks genuinely, sounding concerned. you bite your lip so hard you think it may draw blood as you gasp, "yeah, just...not feeling good." you say, sharply inhaling as richie quietly chuckles. you send him a glare. 

"richie and i are c-cleaning his room and there's... it's hard work." you mutter breathlessly as you go up on one elbow, eyeing richie as he smirks, his hand trailing down to stroke his cock. you barely resist a moan as you watch him, biting your lip as you wish you could have him in your mouth. 

"okay..." eddie says absently, immediately dismissing your excuse as he launches into a conversation with you asking about what you're bringing to mike's surprise party on saturday. you're biting your lip as you fall back onto the mattress, heart racing as you think back to twenty seconds ago when richie's cock was inside you. "-and, you know, i think richie's bringing weed and some handles, but maybe if you still have your fake you could try and get us some-" 

but you accidentally cut eddie's sentence off with a sharp gasp tailed with a moan, because as you were listening to eddie, richie lined himself back up to your entrance and pushed straight into you.

your eyes are wide as you stare at richie, watching as he winks at you, finger going to his lips in a shush motion. you hate how immediate your shivers of lust flow through you, as richie starts to slowly thrust into you again. you roll your eyes but your face heats up as eddie's voice breaks the silence over the phone, "y/n, wh... -are you sure you're doing fine?" 

you pull your hand off your mouth, "yes! yes, i just-" you cough to cover up a moan as richie spits down onto your dripping cunt and starts to thrust harder, "i stubbed my fucking toe." richie's smirking darkly at your words, looking down at you as his large hand creeps up your body, splaying across your breasts and then to your neck, ghosting a squeeze before slipping a finger into your open, panting mouth. 

his other hand finds purchase on the skin of your thighs and he winks at you, moving his hips and hitting the perfect spot inside you. the pleasure you feel has your eyes falling back, toes curling. 

"oh. well make sure if it's bad that you ice it, because one time my ma stubbed her toe and she had to stay in bed for a week," and then eddie launches into a quick story and you hum along to make it seem like you're listening even though all you can think about is richie and how his hand is tweaking your nipples, splaying across your sternum, as you suck on his fingers. 

then he pulls his fingers out of your mouth and presses them to your clit, rubbing in a pattern that has you seeing stars. 

"-wait, you said you're with richie?" eddie asks and you cough, throat caught after having richie's hand on it, "yes, he's- he’s right here." you say breathlessly. 

"can you let me ask him something?" 

your eyes widen and you gasp a bit, making eye contact with richie. "s-sure, here he is."  richie's giddy face as he grabs the phone from you makes you nervous, but you bite your lip as he mutters, "hey, eds." 

it's quiet for a bit as eddie's voice drawls along on the other line and suddenly richie's pushing your legs up towards your shoulders and speeding up his thrusts, the deep angle almost making you scream in pleasure. his hand falls over your mouth, keeping you quiet as he leans over you, pumping into you and making tears of pleasure form in the corner of your eyes. 

richie mutters, “mhm? yeah, yeah.” to eddie, but the sultry way he’s staring at you and the way your nails are raking down his back make you wonder if the words are also for you. 

"yeah, she's helping me out, she's always so good like that." richie says, voice shockingly even for the way that he's fucking you into your mattress. and yeah, that definitely is for you. 

 the desperation and pleasure creep up on you alarmingly quick and you can't help the whimpers that quietly escape you - you thank god for the loud fan in your room to cover your noises. 

richie hums to eddie a few more times, then he slaps your thigh gently as you try to close your legs from the pleasure, knowing when you cum you won't be able to keep quiet. it makes you feel even closer, though. "yeah, eds, i can do that. now listen, i got something important to finish off here so i'm going to give you back to my girl." 

you bite your lip, feeling warm as you squirm under richie's touch, hands shakily taking the phone back from him and then richie’s kneeling above you, fucking you down into the mattress and filling you up fully. "eddie," you gasp, "i also have to go, i'll - i'll call you later?" you say, trying your hardest to hold off your orgasm as richie spits on your chest, licking and biting and leaving a love bite in the same spot as he thrusts hard into you. 

"sure, bye y/n!" eddie chirps.

and then the second your finger presses the off button you're a begging mess, eyes screwing shut as you reach up to grip richie's neck. his hands push your knees up towards your head, hitting a spot that has you clenching around him, legs shaking as your chest stutters.

 "please, richie, god, i'm going to kill you for that." you hiss, causing him to grin, "i fucking hate you, i hate you." you mutter, smacking his cheek lightly. the grin after you leave the smack makes you even closer to the edge, and his hands grip your tits as he leans towards your ear. 

his strokes are hitting you deep and hotly as he chuckles, "you liked it. i saw it in your face. pathetic desperation. i can feel it." he whispers against your clammy skin, his fingers brushing against your slick heat as he mutters. your cheeks are hot in embarrassment, and you whimper in need. 

you bite your lip hard, resisting a moan as a sharp cry falls from your lips, shaking as you beg, "richie, just - please, let me cum. please." 

"you're so pretty when you beg, look at you. perfect little whore, talkin' on the phone to my best friend while i fuck you." he mutters, hand caressing your burning cheek as you whimper. "all mine, so eager and willing to do whatever i want."  

you nod, "yes, i'm yours, just - please, please." you whimper. "please say i can cum."

he smiles as he kisses your nose, "would you do whatever i want?” 

you stutter an exhale, “yes! fuck, richie, yes, yes i would. i’m yours.” 

he smiles, “cum, then." you do after the next three thrusts, shaking and gasping and calling richie's name. the euphoria rushes through your body and makes your eyes roll back, chest rising and falling as richie rides you through your high. 

only a minute later, richie pulls out of you, hand moving to pump himself. "my perfect slut." he mutters as you sit up slightly on shaky elbows, tongue out and mouth open as you pant, richie's hand moving in quick movements as he chases his own high. then he's grabbing your neck and pulling you toward him, moans leaving his lips as he cums in spurts onto your open tongue and down your chin, a bit dripping onto your chest. his thumb caresses you, opening your mouth wider and smearing his cum on your lips, wiping it from your tits and slapping them lightly, pinching your nipples and making you grin up at him. 

and his chest is heaving as he smiles down at you, shaking his head as you swallow his cum, "christ, you're perfect doll." you tug his arms so that he falls down onto you and you're both chuckling as you become a tangled mess of limbs and beating hearts and blushy cheeks, sticky bodies cuddling close. 

"he's going to find out." you say after a few seconds. richie hums, "what makes you say that, sugar? it's not like you were all 'richie, fuck me harder, please, yes!' while you were on the phone. that was only after." he teases, and you smack his chest lightly, "shut the fuck up, richie. i hate you." you say through a laugh. he's laughing too as he pulls you even closer, kissing your hairline, "i love you so much, y/n." he says, smiling giddily. 

you pull his chin to you, kissing him sweetly. "i love you too, richie. but eddie's going to your place later, he's going to see that we didn't clean the room." 

richie laughs, shrugging as he runs a hand through his messy curls, "let 'em guess. it's funnier that way." and then he's kissing you, rolling on top of you and tickling your sides as you scream and squeal. 

tag list:  @gabiatthedisco @blisshemmings  @stenbrozier  @sft-core @clownsloveyou  @moon-shine-baby  @daughter-of-the-stars11 @trashedfortozier @oceandog13 @chl0bee  @kait16xo @upamongthestarss @fiantomartell @beverlyparkerr @beauregard-s @diorbubs @leighjaenikhowell @groovybimbo @deepestofwaters @unfortu-nate-ly  @sassy-uris @loverloserrr @hauntingkaspbrak @soph-ec @hockslutter @babytortie  @decafcoffeew @etaerealboy

[believinghurts]

Their Daughter

Chapter 5

Author’s note: I use Grammarly to fix my mistakes, but there could still be some so sorry for that. Also, I am getting back into writing and am hoping to have a few more works out soon! Please reblog, like, or comment feedback is appreciated.

Word Count: 4,400

Warnings: None? Sirius being a d*ck? Maybe language, but I don’t think so.

Regulus wasn’t sure how much time had passed as he stroked his niece's hair. He was mad at his brother for basically throwing away the only good thing that had ever come from the Black family. Sirius was too blinded by the past to see what was right in front of him. As children, Sirius often told Regulus that he was their family's favorite and that it bothered him, but if he knew what it was like to be less loved then how can he love Harry more than Ali? He understood that Harry was Sirius's Godson, but couldn’t he love Ali and Harry equally? If Sirius made the effort maybe Ali and the other children could even be friends. His heart ached from the emotional battle that Ali was going through right now. Even if Sirius didn’t see it, he and Remus did. Ali’s light was dimmer than before and when she was lighting up again after finding out Sirius never came for her, Sirius just had to go and snuffed it out.

Carefully sliding out from under Ali and placing a pillow under her head Regulus left the room. He shut the door behind him casting a locking spell so she wouldn’t be bothered. He needed to speak with Remus first before doing anything. They needed to decide what to do about Ali. As much as Regulus wanted to spend time with her before she went back to school he didn’t want her to be this upset anymore. He walked into the study to find Remus and Nymphadora sitting near the fireplace.

“How is she?” Nymphadora blurted the question as soon as she saw her cousin. Remus had owled her after Ali had gone to her room. The older sister in her wanted to go up to Sirius and give him a piece of her mind, but she knew that it wouldn’t do any good.

“She’s asleep for now. All the fighting has exhausted her. I honestly don’t know what to do. I want her here, this is her home, but if Sirius doesn’t stop acting like the brut that he is it is going to hurt her more. Speaking of Sirius, where is he? It’s quiet.” Regulus flopped down on the chair across from Remus and Nymphadora raking a hand through his hair. His worry for Ali was causing him a headache. On one hand, he wanted to send Ali to stay at the Malfoy Manor for the remainder of summer, but on the other, he wanted to hold her close and have her stay in her home where she belonged.

“Sirius left with Harry after you went upstairs. He hasn’t been home since. The Weasleys stepped out to Diagon Alley to get the kids stuff for school.” Remus replied. He was secretly thankful that the house was mainly empty. This way at least Ali could come down if she felt like it without the chance of someone bothering her. Remus was having the same thoughts as Regulus about keeping Ali at home virus's sending her to the Manor. He just wanted his niece to be happy. The hope that he had of Sirius and Ali having the father/daughter relationship was gone. If only Remus could get Sirius to open his eyes to the pain he was causing to the girl, but Sirius was nothing if not stubborn.

“I think I am going to write to Cissa and see if she can keep Ali for the rest of summer. If that’s what it takes for her to be happy then so be it. We can see her off at the -“

“I don’t want to leave,” Ali’s voice interrupted. “I want to stay here with you. Please don’t make me leave. I can handle it, I promise.”

Ali knew that she and Regulus were going to have to talk about the fact that she called him dad, but that was a private conversation. Right now she needed to convince the adults in the room that she didn’t need to leave. She could take Sirius. Yes the words that he had said hurt her and the actions he did tonight furthered that hurt in her heart, but she was done. She didn’t owe him anything, and it was clear she knew that he didn’t want to be her father. She had meant what she said to Regulus. He was her father in all the ways that counted. He loved her unconditionally, was always there for her, and protected her.

She went and sat on the couch in between Nymphadora and Remus who wrapped an arm around her pulling her close to his chest. “It might be best if you went and stayed for the rest of the summer at the Manor, Al. This isn’t good for you mentally. We all can see how drained you are.”

“No, this is my home. I can handle it. I have you all plus the older Weasleys and Fleur. You'll protect me and if I need to get away for a little bit I’ll owl Blaise or Draco to go to Diagon Alley or something. I want to spend time with you. Times are hard right now and you never know when you are going to lose someone and I would like to have as much time with each of you just in case.”

Regulus leaned forward taking Ali’s hand in his, “Nothing, and I mean nothing is going to happen to us. I love you more than you could ever imagine and if you want to stay here you can.” Ali smiles brightly at that before Regulus cut her off, “but you have to tell me, Remus, or Severus, if anything happens. And you have to come out of your room. I am not having you locking yourself away again. Got it?”

Ali pounced on Regulus, hugging his neck tight. She was excited to spend some more time with her family. She had meant what she said about never knowing when something was going to happen. Wizards had been disappearing all over London and she was genuinely scared something was going to happen to her loved ones. She was going to make it a point to take plenty of photos and make enough memories to last a lifetime the next couple of weeks.

Regulus held his niece tight, fighting back the tears when she whispered, “Thanks, Dad,” into his ear. He had been called a lot of things in his life, but this was one title he was going to wear proudly.

Remus’s voice interrupted the moment, “wait for a second, why are you going to owl Blaise? We have an agreement, young lady, no boys till you're thirty!”

Ali’s giggle was music to those in the room with her, and for the first time that summer they all saw Ali smile at home the brightest she had since everyone arrived.

————

The rest of the day was eventful which was something that everyone was thankful for. Nymphadora left shortly after spending some time with Ali since she had something to attend to with Moody, so that left Regulus, Ali, and Remus to watch the Star Wars movies in Ali’s room. Kreacher brought them snacks while they made a fort on the floor. Ali was incredibly content laying on the mounds of pillows in between her Uncles. When she was younger they would have movie nights like this once a month until she started Hogwarts. Even then she and her friends carried on the tradition in the boy's dorm since Draco was often present at the ones hosted at home. She wished that she could have Draco over now, but knew that if she brought him here then everyone in the house would throw a fit about it, maybe it was something to bring up to Regulus later.

Molly called them all down for dinner shortly after the second film ended. Leaving the mess on the floor the trio made their way downstairs with Ali trailing behind her Uncles. She could feel her nerves spike the closer she got to the dining room. She thought about excusing herself stating she wasn’t hungry, but the loud growl in her stomach gave her hunger away. Everyone had already sat down beside Harry and Sirius when they got into the room. Regulus pulled the seat out next to him for his niece. Fleur shot her a smile when she sat down by her uncle with Charlie on her other side. At least she was sitting near someone who didn’t hate her.

Chatter and the sounds of forks on plates filled the room as everyone got their fill of Molly’s meatballs and onion sauce. Everyone broke off into separate conversations. Remus, Regulus, and Arthur talking about the Ministry, the younger Weasleys, and Hermione talking about Quidditch, Bill and Fleur about their upcoming wedding, and Charlie and Ali talking about his work in Romania. “What are you planning on doing after you leave Hogwarts?”

Ali shot a glance over at Remus who was doing a terrible job of disguising his eavesdropping on the duo. “I am thinking about becoming a professor. I like creatures obviously so I was thinking something along those lines, but I also like Herbology. So maybe that. I just know I want to teach.”

Charlie shot her a grin. “Have you thought about where? I know Hogwarts has Sprout for Herbology and Hagrid was doing Care of Magical Creatures, but you still have three more years of school so maybe they’ll need someone by the time you're done.”

Ali shrugged her shoulders. In all honesty, she wanted to leave England and travel for a bit but knew that if she brought it up now it would be a fight or something so she bit her tongue. “Maybe.”

The noise came to a halt when the door slammed open in the living room. Everyone hopped to their feet, wands at the ready. It felt like hours had passed before the intruder walked through the door. “Sirius! Harry! Merlin, you scared us all.”

“Sorry, it’s raining hard and we were in a rush to get back home.” Sirius shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. Everyone retook their seats beside Milly who served Harry and Sirius. Ali tried her hardest to keep from looking at the latest duo that entered, not wanting to cause any more trouble or to give Sirius a reason to lash out at her.

Dinner passed rather quickly, conversations flowed in their small groups. Charlie had gone with Fleur and Bill on a scouting mission shortly after eating, while Fred and George worked on new products for their shop. Ali was in her head thinking about asking to go to meet Pansy in the coming days to look at a new book shop. Pansy wasn’t much of a reader but was always looking for an excuse to get out of her house. She was startled when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking up Molly was smiling softly at her while handing her a letter in a dark blue envelope. She instantly knew who the letter was from since only one person used that kind of envelope when writing her.

“This came for you, dear, when you were with your uncles. I didn't want to bother you then I almost forgot just now.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Weasley.” Ali smiled at the kind woman. Despite her feelings towards most of the Weasley children, their parents were quite nice.

Molly patted her cheek before walking off. Ali started to rip the top off when she got Regulus’s eye and he winked at her. He knew who the letter was from having met the boy a few times already. Her cheeks flushed and continued to do so while reading it.

Dear Supernova,

I hope you are surviving the dreadfulness that is upon you right now with all the people in your house. Yes, Draco told me what was going on yesterday when I finally threatened to out his crush if he didn’t explain why we hadn’t been seeing you a lot this summer. I have to say I am quite hurt that you didn’t tell me yourself. Best friends I thought. Just joking, but seriously you could have told me about him and I wouldn't have said a word to anyone.

I miss you, Supernova. We’ve only got to see each other once this summer and we both know when school starts you will have a book shoved in front of your face in the first three minutes. Could we get together sometime this week? It has been awful at home and if I have to hear Draco's voice one more time without you there to tell him off for being annoying I may throw myself off the astronomy tower.

Your uncle may not agree, but you could come to stay at mine for a night. Mother agreed to it as long as Regulus does and we have separate rooms. If you can't, maybe I can come to you? I don’t really care what the redheads have to say about me being there so don’t worry about that. We have much to catch up on; like the fact that you got Headgirl and also didn’t write and tell me. I had to find that little tidbit out from Parkinson's. Don’t worry we’ll catch up whether that's soon or on the train.

love,

Zabini

Ali felt a pang of guilt hit her square in the chest. She hadn’t meant to forget to fill Blaise in on her life but it had been so crazy recently she hadn’t got to write anyone much. In all the truth no one knew that she had gotten Headgirl. She had gotten the letter from Flitwich a few days after the Weasley’s arrived and completely forgot. Although she told her Uncles she didn’t want to go anywhere spending some time with Blaise sounded nice. Deciding to just rip the bandaid off she looked up to find Regulus and Remus looking at her with amused smiles on their faces.

“What’s you got there, Ali?” Remus asked, causing her cheeks to flame red. She wasn’t scared to say that she wanted to hang out with a boy. She did it all the time whether it was Blaise, Theo, or Draco; it was more to do with the fact that she was about to ask to spend the night at a boys' house. Even if they were going to be in separate rooms and they had fallen asleep cuddled together weeks prior at the Malfoys, something none of her Uncles knew, it was going to be a little fight to get Remus to agree as he made the ‘no dating till you’re thirty’ rule when she was five and asked for a boyfriend for Christmas.

Looking around she noticed all attention was on her even if the other adults in the room were making it seem like they weren’t listening while the children openly gawked. “Uhm,” she was cut off by Severus stepping into the room. Great, now she had to face all three Uncles. Where were Dora and Cissa when she needed them?

Severus hugged her quickly before taking a place by Regulus. “Who's the letter from Ali?” He asked her letting her know there was no getting out of it and that she was going to have to spill the beans.

“It’s from Blaise,” A look of amusement passed Regulus’s face, making her think that he knew what was in the letter already while Remus looked like he was going to snatch the letter out of her hands and read it himself if she didn’t hurry up.

“And what possibly could it say to have your cheeks looking like the inside of Gryffindor common room?” Regulus teased further.

She coughed trying to get her nerves resealed. “He was saying that we need to catch up before school starts, and invited me to come and stay with him and Mrs. Zabini for a night this week.”

Remus grunted while Regulus smiled. Ali had to hide a giggle as she noticed all the other mouths in the room had dropped to the floor. Ali knew that except for Hermione and Harry the Weasley’s never stayed or had anyone else with them.

“Can I, please? His mother said we would have separate rooms and she will be there as well as the house-elves. We only got to see one another once this summer. He said if I can’t he could come here, but honestly, I think the first option is better. Please?” She pulled out her best puppy eyes and pouty lip. She was not above begging for it but didn’t want to do so with everyone staring at her.

Regulus looked over at Remus. Ali could see the silent conversation going on between them. Regulus’s head inclined slightly toward Ali which she hoped to Merlin was a good thing. Remus looked back at his niece with a look in his eye she couldn’t read. “Rosalynn said you’ll have separate rooms?” Ali nodded her head so fast she almost gave herself whiplash. “And you’ll stay in them?” Once again she nodded, although she knew that they more than likely would be in the family room till late hours in the night. He looked back at Regulus, “you have no problems with her going?”

“No, I already knew about it. Rosalynn wrote about two days ago. If she wants to go, that's fine. You know Rosalynn will look after her as she does Blaise. And the Heavens know that boy would jump in front of the Knight Bus for Ali.” Regulus chuckled at Ali's shocked expression.

“Y-you knew? Why didn’t you say anything?” Ali struggled to get the words out.

“Rosalynn said Blaise wanted to ask you. She was just giving me a heads up, knowing how Remus is with boys and you. You know we talked quite often, Als.” Regulus winked at her.

“You may go,” Remus stated. She was shocked she didn’t have to put up more of a fight.

“WHAT?” Sirius shrieked. He knew that Regulus would let her go to the Death Eaters house, but Remus? He thought he could count on his ‘friend’ to at least say no. “You’re letting her go to the Death Eaters house? AGAIN? Who's also a boy and staying the night? Are you mad?”

Remus looked at Sirius with disdain, “No I am not. She is a good girl and Blaise has been her friend for years. Rosalynn loves her as much as we do and would never let anything happen. And for God's sake quit calling everyone a Death Eater.”

“Outrageous.”

“Sirius, you have no say in what she does. You gave that up last night. Ali is a good girl who makes good choices. Not only that but she also deserves a little something since she got Headgirl this year, don’t you think?” Regulus smirked as he saw the Granger girl's face fall.

“You got Headgirl?” Hermione whispered to Ali with disbelief lacing her voice.

“Yeah, I did. Draco got Headboy I believe, but it may be Theo. I haven’t asked yet.”

“Why do you and Draco get Head of Houses? Why not Hermione and -“ Ali cut her dear Godbrother off.

“And who? You? Ron? Why would any of you get Head of Houses with all the trouble you bring in? Sneaking out, stealing things, picking fights. We do have the highest marks in most classes as well as treat others equally unlike the likes of you.”

If looks could kill Ali would be dead three times over. In all honesty, she kinda felt bad for the younger Weasley boy seeing as all of his older brothers, bar Fred and George had been Headboy. But then she thought about the trouble he and his friends had caused her and her friends as well as others over the years. Harry preached about equality among the houses but she had witnessed many times when younger Slytherins were picked on by Gryiffndors. Hufflepuffs generally didn't have any problems with the other houses so long as everyone was being just. Ravenclaws tended to keep to themselves unless it really involved them. Whereas Slytherins preferred to stand up to those picking on other Slytherins especially the younger ones. Slytherins were always made out to be the bullies when in general if you got to know them people would notice that they are a lot more than what their parents used to be.

Ally had heard the stories of how mean James and Sirius were to those in Slytherin even if they never did anything to them. She believed in harmless fun could be had pulling pranks, but tricking someone into going to a place where a werewolf was was downright cruel. She had no doubts in her mind that James and Sirius were once good people like her Uncle Remus is now, but seeing as Sirius still acts like a child those doubts were becoming known.

“I just think that Slytherins shouldn’t be Head of House when all you will do is favor your own, and treat everyone else like dirt,” Ron stated.

“Ronald Weasley! How dare you say such a thing?!” Molly exclaimed.

“It’s alright Mrs. Weasey. I am used to hearing such things come from them and others in their house,” Ali looked Ron in the eyes, “You seem to forget that I’m a Ravenclaw, not a Slytherin. I do not favor anyone and will not when I start Head Girl duties but know this. I will give you as many detentions as you deserve if you are caught bullying, harassing, belittling, any of the other houses. You may think that Gryiffndors are the bravest of the houses and maybe you are in some ways, but you are cowardly in others. Maybe some Slytherins are as bad as you make them seem, but Harry,” she turned her head slightly to the side, “you seem to forget just which house Peter Pettigrew was in when he was the one who betrayed your parents. And Regulus was in Slytherin but seems to be more loyal to his friends and family than that rat was.”

“It seems that Alianova has given you all something to think about as you're getting ready for bed,” Molly stated looking at all the children present in the room. Her face grew red when she saw that none of them had moved a muscle. “Now.”

Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny, jumped from their seats and booked it to the stairs scared of Mrs. Weasley’s wrath. At some point, Charlie, Fluer, and Bill came back from scouting. Charlie ruffled Ali’s hair causing her to grin. “Good job, kid. You’ll make a great Head Girl.” Bill and Fleur nodded in agreement. “Nothing happened while we were out. We’ll give a full debrief tomorrow, but we will be heading to bed as well. Good night everyone.”

Molly walked to Ali and pulled her up out of her chair before placing both hands on Ali’s pale cheeks. “Don’t you worry, dear, I will be talking with all of them in the morning. You made a lot of valid points, and I for one am proud that you are Head Girl.”

She kissed her forehead before taking her husband to go to bed after waving her wand to get the kitchen clean once again. Arthur offered Ali a small smile before disappearing behind his wife. Sirius scoffed at the behavior which everyone heard but chose to ignore.

Ali turned to her three Uncles, waiting for the answer about going to her friends, and the scene that just played out in the kitchen.

“I am proud of you as well, Alianova. You have done excellent, and I know it is Remus and Regulus' decision about going to Blaises’, but I see no problem with it. I will stay in the guest room. Come get me if you need me. Good night, Ali.” He hugged her tightly, making Ali tear up slightly at the thought of Servus being proud of her. It also made her giddy at the thought of rubbing it in Draco’s face since Severus is his Godfather and never said such a thing to him.

Remus followed after Servus, wrapping his niece in a bear hug around her shoulders. The height difference amusing Regulus to no end seeing as Ali only came about midway in Remus’s chest. “You may go as long as it’s okay with Reg, and you stay in separate rooms. I am a little mad though that you didn’t tell me yourself about getting Head Girl, but I am still incredibly proud of you. No one deserves this more than you do, not even Harry.” The last part was whispered in her ear. He kissed her forehead, before heading to his room.

With the three Blacks being the only ones left in the room. “I don’t think you should go.” Sirius’s voice was venomous as he thought about his only child, his legacy, spending time with Death Eaters.

“It’s a good thing it doesn’t matter what you think isn’t it?” Regulus smirked at his older brother. He was not going to take this away from his child. “Ali, you may go so long as you stay in your separate rooms whenever the two of you decide to go to sleep because I know from having all your mates over it will be late.” He walked to Ali cradling her freckled face in his hands. “I am so proud to call you my daughter. Even after all that you have been through in your life you have still managed to form your own beliefs and thoughts as well as stand up for them. You deserve Head Girl over anyone else, and hopefully, you get to share it with one of your friends.”

Ali dove into her Uncle's chest. Tears welling up into her eyes at the thought that he really did think of her as his own even if she already knew it. It was nice to hear out loud. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I love you, dad.” She kissed his cheek before heading to her room to write Blaise.

Sirius felt his anger sore to new heights when he heard Ali call Regulus dad. He had enough courtesy to wait till she was out of earshot before grounding out, “We need to talk, Regulus.”

[twinsunstars]

@marvel-starwarsfangirl thanks for the tag!! omg uhhh i havent written fics in so long and usually i keep them to myself bc im shy lol…. last year before ahsoka came out i started this fic where ezra lost his memory while him and thrawn were stuck in space and eventually sabine and ahsoka would find him all with some amnesia and everything, so i’ll just share the prologue….

Darkness was the only thing that could be seen. Voices could be heard faintly in every direction. The voices felt like they were calling to him. Different tones went in and out, changing every second. There were voices that were playful, sad, angry, filled with joy, or scared. Sounds of vibrations and lights appeared within the darkness, swaying around, but he couldn’t figure out what they were.

He could start to see some figures appear one by one, talking in muffled voices. He couldn’t recognize them, but he felt like he knew them. There was a man who would either appear with his eyes open or covered, a green Twi’lek woman, a girl who had different hair colors and colorful armor over her clothes, a purple beast who shared a smile, and sometimes a little orange droid would appear. Other people appeared throughout the visions, but these five would be the most common. Each of them would speak one by one, or at the same time. Sometimes, he could hear his own.

One voice echoed the loudest from the rest. “The Force will be with you. Always.”

He didn’t know why, but his eyes teared up. One tear fell loosely down his cheek, his thoughts seeming to savor the memory.

With a halt, everything returned to the darkness. Silence could only be heard.

The young man’s eyes opened, the visions completely gone from his head. He looked at his surroundings and his clothes, covered in bits of dirt. He didn’t remember his legs being a little longer, but guess it was time to finally grow some height.

He groaned and pushed himself to stand, feeling the cuts on his arms sting. The back of his head throbbed, and when he put a hand to it, it became sensitive to the touch. He couldn’t recognize where he was. The damp forest surrounding him looked nothing like Lothal’s plain sunny atmosphere. He didn’t remember how he got here, or how he got the injuries that began stinging like hell. On the ground, there were some footprints and claw marks embedded into the dirt.

“There you are!”

He saw a tall man who had a deep blue skin tone, bright red eyes, and medium length that bounced as he ran towards him. His clothes were shaggy and his scarf torn. “I was beginning to think you got killed by that thing!”

“Whoa whoa, stay back!”

The blue man froze at the young man’s tone. He had put his hands in front of him, ready to protect himself from whoever this blue man was.

“Relax. That thing’s gone-“

“Who are you?”

The blue man arched his eyebrows. “I’m not in the mood for playing around, Ezra Bridger.”

“How do you know my name? I’ve never even met you.”

Thrawn was going to say more, though instead he closed his mouth and studied Ezra. His expression, the way he was ready to protect himself. The young man was genuinely scared and confused.

That’s when it hit him.

:) no pressure tag: @ladywren7 @jessicas-pi @jedi-nurse @half-truths-and-hyperbole-louk @anyone else!!

WIP tag game

Tagged eleven times since the last time I did these (two weeks ago, whoops)

Notable offenders (<3) are @winterinhimring, @musewrangler, @kraytwriter, @afaroffsong, @informedimagining, and @called-kept. however I’ve also been tagged in the Heads Up Seven Up twice, by @kraytwriter and @musewrangler. So how abouts I take care of all this at once by adding twenty-five (not all consecutive) sentences?

 She had children old enough to take on some extra responsibilities, so there was no question that they could get by. Which might be why Erran’s offer of help felt like such a gift, despite his lack of experience. He could have looked at what they had and assumed that he wouldn’t be needed or wanted. He could have decided that his own responsibilities (whatever they might be, for surely he had to make his living somehow,) were more important.  

Working on the tunic till it was time to start supper brought them more than halfway to completion. They often stopped to compare progress and make sure neither of them strayed off course. If Shona had a slight advantage in age and experience over Isie, it showed more in speed than in neatness, and in the end when Rose compared the sides they were both even. 

>>——>

As it happened,[name] hadn’t learned much from his conversation with Erran. They’d talked mostly of the work, as she might have known they would. She pondered over what she’d gleaned from [name] as she rolled out dough for pasties: only a confirmation that Erran was not from the area, and that he had lived in a city before coming to live somewhere away west of town. An odd change to make, especially coming alone as he had. What sort of work had he done? Had he been apprenticed in a trade? [name] did not seem concerned about his lack of experience. He was willing to learn and the fact that he’d offered his services at all seemed to speak well of him, and that was enough for [name].

“The lads know enough to teach him,” [name] had said. “T’will be good for them as well.” 

And well it might be.

____

The next morning, earlier than before, Erran was back and the work on the thatch resumed. He’d arrived with red cheeks, twinkling eyes, and three more apples for the children to share but his hands had been very cold. He could use some mittens.

She did raise her brows at the apples though. Where had these come from?

“Wynn Fullrede sends his greetings and says to say thank you for feeding me yesterday,” Erran said, rather sheepishly in response to her look. 

Rose smiled. 

EDIT: you’re all tagged back for the WIP game

[rickmandowneyjr]

Cuts to Cope

Angst, fluff Pairing: Severus Snape and Student!Reader (platonic) Warning: talk of self-harm, mentions of character's death Word Count: 2348 A/N: This is a little piece I wrote a while ago but didn't know if I should post or not. After re-doing certain bits, I decided to upload it. Hope it's not too difficult to read. As always, the ending is a little abrupt and not too detailed, leaving it sort of up to y'all as well :) Sorry if there are any typos (I only ever get the time to write when it's quite late nowadays)

Yet another day at Hogwarts - waking up at 6:30 am, showering, getting dressed in your robes, and heading to breakfast. Wishing everyone you passed a good morning, wearing your signature smile as you did.

You were a 7th year, one of the few returning ones after last year's incident with Cedric Diggory. He'd been your best friend, or at least that's what people thought. Cedric Diggory and you had been dating for the last 7 months before his death. You didn't want anyone knowing because being star students meant eyes prying into every aspect of your relationship.

People praised you, a model student and now, prefect, who set an example. An example of how to be strong and cope no matter what life threw at you. Little did they know, you harboured a little secret. A dark, horrifying, and disturbing secret that would never let anyone look at you the same way if they ever found out.

Your first class for the day was Potions. You were a brilliant student, especially at Potions, yet Snape still had something against you. You didn't take it personally, though; he wasn't really fond of anyone. You walked into class, taking your regular seat at the front. Snape walked into class a little while later, slamming the door behind him, commanding everyone's attention.

"Turn to page 420," he drawled. You opened the book to find the recipe for Amortentia. Your heart felt a tug at the name of the love potion, never having been able to find out the answers with Cedric.

Snape's deep voice brought your focus back to class as he said, "Since it takes a week to brew, I've already completed most of the process. All you need to do is the last day's work," making the class sigh with relief. "However," he continued, "The last day of brewing is crucial and not easy. So, I expect your attention to be fully on the task at hand."

You began brewing the potion, following the steps perfectly. Snape sat down to grade papers as the class worked. He looked at you and said, "Ms. [L/N], roll up your sleeves while you work. I'd hate for there to be mishaps in my class because of one student's carelessness."

You hesitated, but then did as asked. You weren't the best at wandless magic but had made sure to perfect this spell solely for such instances. As you rolled your sleeves, you subtly waved your hand over your forearms, mumbling, "Illusiont," and casting the disillusionment charm.

You saw Snape narrow his eyes at you and panicked for a second before you saw him shake his head and return to grading. Breathing a sigh of relief, you returned to the task at hand and continued brewing.

After a while, you'd finished, and were the first one to have done so. Snape walked over to your desk and took a whiff of the potion, raising an eyebrow before giving you a single nod of approval, letting you know that it was perfect. Once everyone was done, he walked around, starting at the back, and asked everyone to announce what they smelled. You hadn't smelled your Amortentia yet and hadn't planned on doing so either, feeling quite relieved when Snape hadn't asked that question earlier.

Your heart rate quickened as you began to worry about how your body and mind would react to smelling it. You couldn't do it last year, since the Triwizard tournament had led to a bunch of classes being cancelled. As you thought about how excited you had been at the prospect of sharing the experience with Cedric, Snape's voice pulled you back to your potions class.

"Ms. [L/N]."

"Yes, sir?"

He rolled his eyes in annoyance. "What. Do. You. Smell," he spoke, irritation evident in every word.

You swallowed hard as you leaned forward to inhale the scent. Your pupils dilated, your heartbeat quickened and your knees threatened to give out at the all-too-familiar fragrance. Your throat went dry as you stopped the tears from forming.

"Well? We haven't got all day, class is to be dismissed soon." He raised an eyebrow at you, asking you to hurry up since you were the last one.

With every ounce of energy, you calmed yourself and stopped your voice from wavering. "Old books, butterscotch and... vanilla," you sighed. Your breathing was erratic and you knew you needed to get out of class and get to the abandoned girls' washroom.

As if on cue, the bell rang, dismissing the class. Snape gave you an odd look and was about to ask you what was wrong but you had already gathered your belongings and were marching out the door. He decided to follow you since he'd never seen you act like that before and was wondering what had happened to you all of a sudden.

You made your way up the stairs, hurrying before you had a breakdown in the middle of the hallway. As you reached the washroom, you started rummaging through your bag since the hallway was empty. You took the small blade that you carried around out, pushing the door to the bathroom open.

Snape's POV

I followed her out of the classroom. Though not my favourite, [Y/N] was an incredible witch and this wasn't normal behaviour for her. She'd marched out before I had even dismissed class which concerned me even more, given her usually 'perfect' behaviour. She paced through the hallways and up the stairs so fast that I could've sworn she was moving around faster than I did on a normal basis. There was an urgency in her stride and I don't know why, but it concerned me.

She finally turned into the hallway leading to the girls' washroom on the third floor, which was odd. No one used this, as far as I was aware. I was a little embarrassed, considering I'd just followed a young girl to a washroom. In an isolated area, at that. I swear I never would've imagined myself going even further and following her in, but what I'd seen had shocked and concerned me enough to do just that.

End of Snape's POV

As you entered the bathroom, you had missed Snape, whose eyes were wide with shock. He couldn't believe what he'd seen. [Y/N] [L/N], the golden girl of Hogwarts, had just walked into an abandoned washroom after pulling out a blade from her bag. Not wanting to jump to any conclusions, he rushed in, wanting to confirm what his eyes had just seen.

As you were about to enter a stall, the door to the bathroom, swung open, making you jump. You hid the blade by making a fist, unintentionally cutting into your palm. You winced at the unexpected pain but didn't let it show.

You turned to face Professor Snape, and he was eyeing your hand. 'There's no way he saw it, is there?' you thought.

"Ms. [L/N], care to show me your hands?"

You panicked. He knew. You tried to divert his attention. "Sir, this is the girls' washroom."

"I'm aware," he stated. "Now... Hands," he said as he glared at you, letting you know that he wouldn't fall for any attempts to change the subject.

You sighed and opened your hands, and saw his gaze soften. He walked to you taking your hand in his as he gently pulled the razor out. You winced as it came out, knowing this would impair you for the rest of your classes.

"What were you thinking?!" He scolded, startling you. He reached for your arm, rolling up your sleeves once again and muttered, "Finite."

The scars on your arms started showing up and you couldn't do anything but look away, your eyes resting anywhere but his gaze.

"So that was the Disillusionment Charm I heard you use, earlier."

You stayed silent, still refusing to meet his eyes. Of all the professors, it had to be him. Sure, he wasn't fond of you, but you had immense respect for the man, and to let him see you in this light... it took every bit of you to not lose your composure.

"Look at me," he said.

You turned to face him. His usually cold eyes showed too much concern and the uncharacteristic response from the potions master was proving to be a lot to handle. Tears stung your eyes as he stared at you.

"Why?" He asked, his voice so genuine that you couldn't help but let your emotions spill, creating a mess that you couldn't be bothered to care about anymore.

"I can't do this anymore," you sniffled. "I don't want to. He was everything to me and it just hurts so much."

"Who?"

"Cedric."

"Ah, yes. I'm aware you and Mr. Diggory were best friends. I'm sorry, [Y/N]."

"No," you said, finally being able to talk to someone about it. "He was my boyfriend. And... I never got to tell him I loved him... because I wasn't sure. Today just made it worse when I smelled him in my Amortentia. It confirmed that I did and I never got to say it." You were sobbing now, not caring what you looked like, what a mess you probably were, or what Snape was thinking of you and your confession.

You felt him awkwardly wrap his arms around you as he pulled your head to his chest. Your cries got louder and your wails of agony echoed in the empty washroom as your hands clutched the fabric of his robes. The feeling of someone comforting you was overwhelming. You'd always had to keep up this image of a perfect student, reliable friend, someone who could never have such horrifying tendencies.

Even then, as you cried out loud, your instinct made you bury your face in his chest, muffling the 'ugly' sobs. Snape's heart broke as your thoughts flooded his mind. As you struggled to breathe, he turned your head slightly, making you audible again. He didn't hush you; just stroked your hair as your tears soaked his robes.

It took a while, but you finally calmed down, your sobs reducing to soft whimpers before they died out entirely. Your throat was sore, and lips, chapped from all the crying. Your eyes were red and puffy, and the reality of the situation finally came crashing down on you.

Your secret was out. More than one, at that. One of the professors knew, and the strictest one too. You had just spent Merlin knows how long crying into his chest, which was now soaked with your tears.

"I'm sorry," you mumbled, your voice, hoarse. "Your robes are all wet now," you said, trying to move away.

"That's the least of my worries right now," he said, keeping your head in place as he continued, "I understand what you're going through. Better than you'd know." It sounded like it was painful for him to talk about it, the tone of his voice giving the vulnerability away. "But this is not the way to deal with it," he said as rubbed your back.

"Does it go away?"

"I'll be honest," he sighed. "It does get lesser with time if you allow yourself to heal. However, it never goes away entirely. A part of you will always love and miss him. I'm sorry," he said.

"No, I'm glad. I don't want to forget him. Or my love for him. Cedric Diggory was and will always be - my first love."

You finally pulled away from his chest and looked him in the eyes as he gave you a gentle smile. You managed to muster a somber one and sighed.

"Do any of your friends know?"

"Merlin, no!"

"Why not? They're your friends. They could-"

"I can't have this getting out. Everyone will-"

"Who cares what people think?" He raised his voice. It was silent for a while before he sighed and spoke again.

"[Y/N], I want you to promise me something."

You knew what was coming. You gulped and nodded softly.

"I want you to promise me that you'll stop this. Cedric wouldn't want this for you."

"I know, and I've tried before. It's not that simple-"

"I know," he said, cutting you off. "Which is why, the next time you get the urge to do this, you'll come to me. No matter what the situation might be."

You were surprised at his words. It was incredibly nice of him to offer this to you, and you nodded, accepting his generosity.

"Also," he continued, "Please stop going to such great lengths to please others and worrying about what others think. It's not healthy."

"But-"

"But nothing. Your health is suffering and you can't even bring yourself to tell anyone because you're so busy keeping up this little charade of 'everything is fine'."

You stayed silent. There was truth in his words and you couldn't refute his accusations. You just looked up at him, once again, finding the uncharacteristic concerned look meeting your gaze. Nodding softly, you agreed. How could you not when someone had shown you such consideration and compassion?

A small smile graced his usually stoic face as he helped you up, and you both made your way out of the bathroom. He escorted you back to your dormitories, ensuring you were alright before the two of you parted ways.

The rest of the school year passed and Snape stayed true to his word, and you to yours. Every time you felt the urge to hurt yourself to relieve the pain, you'd find Snape. He was patient and helped you every step of the way. Slowly, but surely, you were able to overcome your urges and also found yourself living for yourself, rather than up to others' expectations.

By the time you graduated, you had overcome the habit and thanked Snape in your graduation speech, never giving away the details as to why. A lot of people had assumed there was something between the two of you, especially since you went to meet him all through the school year, but you didn't let it bother you, because... Who cares what people think, right?

-

P.S. - Sorry I've been a little slow with the writing. My college assignments have started rolling in and I'm currently swamped. Also, I'm working on a little something (announcing it in 2-3 days so make sure to check in lol). Rest assured, I'm slowly and steadily making my way through requests. Thank you for understanding <3