#then theo started yelling for them to come to the gardens

[astoryofsuchwoe]

A Midnight Conversation . . .

(what's better than a sibling conversation about ur past? there are brief mentions of cigarettes and alcohol! dividers by @/cafekitsune !)

(theo ; @tsukacchako and pale ; @sotogalmo :3)

"What the fuck is up with you?"

Well, that was definitely not a question Vic was expecting at midnight.

He looks up from the cigarette in his hand, swirling his wine glass in the other.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Seriously, Vic? Don't play dumb right now."

Trix is standing in the doorway of his room, both hands on her hips. A frown is placed across her lips, and Vic wishes he was in the state to relieve her of it.

"You've been off since this morning. I mean, you usually isolate yourself or whatever, but...You didn't even come for dinner."

Shit, was it that late? Today felt like a blur. Vic lets out a heavy sigh, taking yet another drag from his cigarette.

"I'll go eat then-"

"No. What you're gonna do is tell me what the fuck happened this morning."

This morning. Right. When he saw...

He shakes his head, moving to take a drink from his wine glass. Trix is quick to snatch it away from him, fixing him with a stern look.

"Vic, I swear to god, I'm going to force everyone to gang up on you if you don't tell me-"

"I ran into some AREPH members."

It was true, but Trix can obviously tell that there's something deeper he isn't telling her. She fixes him with a stern look, and he can't help but crumble.

"I...I knew them."

"You knew them? How?"

He's struggling to get his words out, and Trix stays quiet while he gets his thoughts together.

"From the...past."

Trix's frown softens, and she reaches out to wrap an arm around his shoulders. He tenses, but leans into his sister's side, even if it is uncomfortable with how much taller he is.

"Are they from the garden?"

Vic silently nods, and while he usually was quiet, he felt so...different to Trix. She tries to lighten the atmosphere the only way she knows how.

"I didn't realize you had friends."

Vic shoots her a weak glare at that, and Trix snickers. He looks hesitant to open up, so she tries to be less harsh.

"Were they your friends?"

He nods again, although he seems less sure this time.

"I...They were the only people I tolerated besides you. I...I knew them as good people. But, now they're..."

Trix can see the conflict in his eyes, and she gently rubs his shoulder.

"Hey, hey, them being...whatever they are now isn't your fault."

"It is, though."

Vic's voice drops, and Trix watches as he struggles with his emotions. It's the first time she's seen him this close to tears.

"I...One of them was yelling at me. Yelling about how I left, how I made him like that-"

"Okay, what kind of bullshit is that?"

Vic blinks, stunned to silence. Trix looks pissed, her eyes narrowing.

"If he's fucked up, he's fucked up. You leaving is not the only reason."

"I..."

"No, Vic. I am not going to sit here and let you blame yourself entirely for whatever bullshit a stupid AREPH member went through."

Vic stays silent, and Trix continues on.

"People who hunt other people already have zero faith in humanity. They...Whoever this asshole is, you're not responsible for every action he's taken against humans. He must have already not believed in humanity from the start."

There's a war behind Vic's eyes, and Trix decides to change her approach. She brings him into a hug, rubbing his back the same way he would when they were younger.

"Do you think leaving was the right decision?"

He hesitates, but eventually gives a small nod.

"...But wasn't it selfish?-"

"Selfish? Vic, out of everyone in the fucking universe, you're the one person who deserves to be selfish."

Vic stills at her words, and Trix pushes on.

"You- You give up so much of yourself, all the time. I'm sure that was even worse back in the garden. You leaving was the best thing for you, to hell with them, to hell with me."

Vic's frown deepens, and Trix is quick to reword.

"I mean- I know it was hard, leaving me behind. Leaving them behind. But you putting yourself first doesn't make you a bad person."

A silence falls over them, and Trix is the one to speak next.

"Did you love them?"

It makes Vic freeze.

Did he love them? He knew he loved Trix. He knew he loved the rebellion. He loved to go out and fight, to protect as he could.

He loved Theo and Pale too, in a way. They were his friends, his roommates, how could he not? They were the closest thing he had to a sense of normalcy in the Garden.

But...After seeing them again, seeing what they'd become, he wasn't sure if he truly knew just what they had felt for him. Trix always talked about how she felt about An, he's watched the couples in the resistance many times...Is it possible they felt that way for him?

What was he supposed to do with that? What could he do, with the knowledge that he was loved and he didn't even realize it? What could he do, when he's realized it too late?

He had sent himself into a spiral, but he found himself focusing back on Trix's question. Did he love them?

"...Not as much as I should."

[bluberimufim]

I am the sword of the Goddess of Time

Since "Theo having a mental breakdown because of killing people" won the poll by a landslide, here's the snippet I promised:

trigger warnings: talking about killing people, brief mention of body horror (just one sentence, really), idk how to describe it simply but Theo is going Through It mentally à la "out damned spot" scene in Macbeth

She found Theo by the riverbank, in a silent part of the hills almost beyond the camp. She had a pile of clothes at her side, all white. She drew closer and sat by her side, but Theo didn’t notice. She was too busy washing her coat, scrubbing it incessantly against the washboard, with such force that the embroidered insignia of the Goddess of Time was starting to come undone. Her breath was quick and tense, in contrast with the calm sounds of that sunny morning. Hesitantly, Seth stretched out her hand. “Theo?” “He looked at me!” she yelled. Her voice shook as if she was holding back tears. “He looked at me! He looked me in the eyes!” “Theo…” “I killed him! I killed him! I killed him!” She started scrubbing faster. “And his body grew more eyes and they all kept looking at me as he died!” Seth didn’t try to call her a third time. “They all look at me! They beg me not to kill them but I kill them anyway because that’s what I’m supposed to do!” Theo stopped scraping the coat against the washboard and studied the fabric, leaning down to examine every thread. “And now his look won’t come off! I can’t wash it off! His blood is still here!” Seth looked at the fabric. It was perfectly immaculate, washed with such intensity that it had begun to tear. Not knowing what else to do, she hugged her, pinning her arms to her sides so she couldn’t wash her clothes anymore. She put her forehead against her face, her eyes closed, as if they were the only people in that vast expanse of hills. “Theo, please come home with me,” she begged. “Let’s go home and pretend this never happened. Please?” “I can’t,” Theo replied, still panting. “While the war lasts, I can’t.” “Forget the war. Come with me.” Theo shook her head and shoved her to the side. She still hadn’t looked her way since Seth had arrived. Her eyes were fixed entirely on the half-torn insignia on her coat. “These people can’t go home if the war doesn’t end. If I don’t end the war. So, I can’t go either. I must kill so people stop dying…” “They’ll continue the war without you. Come home.” “I am the sword of the Goddess of Time,” Theo said. The words sounded rehearsed, as if she’d spoken them millions of times before. “It is me who protects the souls of my Mother’s believers. Only I can end this war.” With a defeated sigh, Seth got up and returned to camp. Theo kept scrubbing her coat, already dried from how long it had been out in the air.

I hope you enjoyed! Because I did!

As I said, I'll get to the others eventually. This is just the first. Maybe I'll go from most to least voted. See how it goes.

taglist: @little-mouse-gardens and @wildswrites

(Please correct me if the english is weird, since tall my snippets are translated and I may miss stuff)

[onegianthotmess]

Why do I feel like Vincent’s daughter would be weirdly morbid or dark in her humor?

Like, she’s still so sweet and an angel like her father, but she’d just have a strange fascination with anything dark. She has a weird fascination for horror stories and she can be seen admiring knives from the kitchen and makes Sebastian panic because she did that when she was a child and almost cut herself while admiring a fucking meat cleaver. She’ll just sit in the garden and watch King chase squirrels and occasionally catch them and eat them.

She sketches strange and morbid scenes and honestly kind of scares Vincent sometimes. She even scares Theo, and he’s the intimidating one out of him and Vincent!

And she’s definitely scared the residents many times because she’s always been quiet and has had the habit of following people when they do something that interests her. Like she’ll follow Jean around and watch him spar with Napoleon and she’s even followed him into town to his weapons shop.

Speaking of Jean’s weapon shop, Vincent’s daughter fucking loves it. She just sits there with her sketch pad and draws weapons and had drawn Jean caring for the weapons. It scared Jean the first few times she quietly followed him to the weapon’s shop without him knowing because she was literally a CHILD, but he eventually started asking Vincent if it was okay for her to tag along with him because she just kept on following him into town.

And kids in town have made fun of her or called her a freak for liking such morbid things, even some parents have called her a devil child at times. People also tend to avoid Vincent’s son and make fun of him because of his big sister’s strange obsession with morbid things, but a quick scary smile from both her and Vincent makes apologies instantly come out of people’s mouths and they run away.

No one fucks with Vincent’s family, especially his precious baby girl or baby boy. And Vincent’s daughter will throw hands at anyone who says anything bad about her baby brother.

She even put a full grown man in a fucking choke hold when she was six because he was yelling about how her brother and her whole family were going to hell because of her, and no one says shit about her family unless they want to get killed. Theo had to pull her off of the man because Vincent was conflicted between letting her choke the man until he passed out or pulling his daughter away from him because he also wanted to sucker punch the guy for saying stuff about his family.

And Vincent’s daughter constantly apologizes to her brother and the rest of her family for the way she is and even tried to stop liking dark things and tried to be interested in something that girls are supposed to like. Her family assured her that she was fine and was allowed to like what she likes, which was good because when she tried to get into gardening and botany, she only just fell down a rabbit hole of extremely poisonous plants and flowers and fruits, which ended in her spending three straight days in Comte’s library reading every single book he had on poisonous plant life cover to cover.

This turned into a full on mini rant, but I kind of like it. I just wanted to get a thought out and now I really wanna make the kids for the suitors. The wives/partners may take longer, but I’ll describe physical characteristics of them when I do the kids!

[serphena]

Bull & Lena at the Winter Palace, main priority: cake

[ikeromantic]

Hi there how are you doing? Since the ask box is open I rushed here with a request 😁

So my request is Theo and Mc have their first fight. (Theo start the fight first) And no bad endings. Advance thanks :)

So some angst and sweetness with Theo! Approx. 1000 words.

Theo inspected the painting with narrowed eyes. “You bought this today?” He didn’t look at his assistant as he asked. Just continued to go over the painting, magnifying glass in hand.

“Yes! I saw it and thought -”

“Hondje, it’s a forgery. I can’t believe you would be this idiotic.” He gestured to the signature. “Even the signature is botched! Fragonard never signed like this.” He finally turned to look at her. His lover, his partner, and right now, an absolute mess. Her face was flushed and there were already tears in her eyes.

“Did you just call me an idiot?”

Theo frowned. “No, I said you were idiotic. It’s not the same thing. Look, I don’t understand why you even bought this. You were supposed to be looking for a good gallery space. Tell me you at least found something.”

She took a shaky breath. “If you’d let me explain -”

“I don’t need you to explain, hondje. You got taken in by a forger. Obviously, you need more training. What’s worse is that you wasted time! We need more space to display this season’s artists. I have four new talents and -” he stopped and took a breath. Yelling at her just wasted even more time. “I’m going to head to town and see if I can get something done. You just . . . figure out what to do with this garbage.”

Theo began to put on his jacket.

“Sometimes you are such an ass.” She said it so quietly that Theo wasn’t sure he was supposed to hear her. Then she turned and left, slamming the door behind her.

He stared at the spot she’d been and sighed. Now she was upset and it was his fault. He knelt down to get a look at the forgery she bought. It was a really nice copy. The brush strokes were off, and the color palette wasn’t quite right, but it was pleasant to look at. The artist had real talent, if they would put it toward their own work.

That wasn’t the point though. It could be complete trash and he would still be in the wrong for shouting. Work should never come before love. Theo took a deep breath. Then he stood and went looking for her.

She wasn’t in her usual places. Her room was empty, Leo was in the thermae, and Sebastian said he hadn’t seen her near the kitchen. Isaac was hiding in the library, alone all day, he’d said.

Theo checked every room, but couldn’t find her. He stepped outside to check the garden. Empty, empty, all empty. It was only when he made it to the edge of the rose garden that he spotted her. Sitting in a tree, her legs dangling from the branch, her gaze skyward.

He made his way to her slowly, careful to step around the tiny sprouts of new plants in the soft soil. Then he sat down under the tree, his back against the rough bark.

“I don’t want to talk to you. Go away.”

“I’m not talking.” Theo kept his eyes on the garden as if he could care less whether or not she was there.

She huffed but fell silent.

Neither of them said anything for awhile. They watched the horizon, breathing in the cool air of the late afternoon, and waited for the sun to drop below the trees. They sky was a deep, bruised purple when she finally spoke again.

“I knew it was a forgery.”

Theo nodded, then realized she might not be able to see the gesture from her vantage point. “I figured that out.”

“You should have let me finish talking.”

“I should have.” He agreed.

She sighed, her breath loud in the quiet evening. “It makes me feel like you don’t trust me. You think I’m stupid.”

A warm droplet hit Theo’s arm, and then another. “Neither of those things is true.” His throat felt hot and tight and closed as he realized how he must seem to her.

“It is.” Her voice broke as she tried not to give away her tears. “I found your - your stupid venue for the next art show. And I got the name of the forger too. I thought - I thought you’d want to meet him. But you didn’t let me say anything. You just yelled at me.”

“I . . .” The words stuck fast in his throat. Theo forced them out, his heart aching for the hurt his thoughtless words caused. “I’m sorry. I was wrong.”

He heard the scrape of her clothes against the tree limb. “It’s just how you are. I know that. I just . . . I don’t know if I can -”

Theo felt a tear in his chest as he anticipated what she would say next. “Please -” The word came out with breathless desperation. “Let me - let me try again. Let me show you how I trust you. How much I adore you.”

She sniffed. Another tear drop landed, this time on his upturned cheek.

“My beautiful, intelligent, amazing lover. Please. I know I can be . . . I can be an ass. And you shouldn’t put up with it. I - I can’t promise to change but I can promise to try. Please.” It was a flood, words and breath and his own tears. If he lost her for his own stubborn idiocy . . .

“I love you.” She smiled down at him, her lips curved in a sad smile. “That’s why it hurts so much.”

He nodded agreement.

She held her arms open as if to hug him and he understood what she wanted. Theo stood and waited, ready. She flung herself from the branch and into his arms.

He caught her. Held her close. The rapid beating of her heart matched his own. Then he kissed her. Tentatively at first, but she threaded her fingers through his hair and deepened the kiss.

Theo carried her back to the mansion, exchanging whispered endearments in the bruised twilight. Promises to cherish each other. Promises written in their hearts and on their souls. Love comes first.

[bonniebird]

Theo x Reader

Requested by Anon

Masterpost

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December Event

“THEO IS GOING TO KILL (Y/N)!” Stiles said as he burst into Scott’s house. Scott jumped up and hurried after Stiles. They hurried to the end of the road where your house was and found Theo.

“Theo! Stop it isn’t worth it.” Scott shouted. Theo frowned as he turned around. 

“Oh it totally is.” Theo assured them. Scott and Stiles glanced at each other.

“It’s a crime!” Scott offered up.

“Yeah but just a little one!” Theo insisted.

“A little one! It’s the biggest crime! Like literally the biggest crime!” Stiles yelled. Theo frowned again and glanced at your house then back at them.

“What are you talking about?” He asked them uncertainty.

“What're you talking about?” Scott repeated back to him.

“It snowed this year.” Theo said. Before he could go on Stiles interrupted him.

“So? And? What does that have to do with the hammer in your hand?” Stiles asked sharply.

"It snowed last year too: I made a snowman and (Y/N) knocked it down and I knocked (Y/N) down and then we had tea." Theo explained. Then he gestured with the hammer in his hand. “So this year I’m going to destroy (Y/N)’s blow up snowman. I got a replacement one for their gift. So you don’t need to go on about vandalism… what did you think that I was going to do?”

“Oh… you know. We just… saw you hanging around with a hammer and assumed…” Scott and Stiles started to explain as they glanced at each other and spluttered.

“You thought I was planning on killing (Y/N)! When it’s almost Christmas!” Theo said quickly.

“I’m sorry would it be less horrible to suspect you of murder in mid June?” Stiles asked sarcastically.

“What’re you lot doing in my yard!” You said as you yanked the door open and found a crowd near the end of your garden path.

“I’m here to vandalise, these two are here to accuse me of murder.” Theo explained and gave you the most innocent grin he could muster. While holding a large hammer. 

“Well you might as well come inside, my parents want to know if you want food. Also Scott my Mom made extra for you, she’ll drop some off for your mom when she starts her shift at the hospital later.” You said. They nodded and all decided to head inside out of the cold and join your family at the dinner table. 

[glisseoo]

the garden

draco malfoy x reader

a night at malfoy manor.

a/n | heavy on the dialogue, mostly how i think interactions between the gang would go. (reupload)

w/c | 1.2k

The sun set upon the horizon, every ray of light painting both the sky and the lands the light could touch. The delicate flowers of Narcissa’s garden swayed in the cool evening breeze and the winds carried scents of lavender and rose, creating quite the serpent atmosphere.

Until three brooms whizzed past your head, three familiar boys perched on each broom. The whizzing did barely anything to silence the booming laughter that came from the boys, but you didn’t mind whatsoever.

Draco, Blaise, and Theo had challenged each other to a three way quidditch match to settle a debate over who was the better player. While in the middle of dinner their debate had popped up, naturally starting with your boyfriend, Draco, who loved to boast about his quidditch skills. They had been at it for hours—Blaise was in first, Theodore and Draco tied for second.

“They’re never coming down.” Pansy groaned, settling herself on soft grass. “You can kiss your boyfriend goodbye, y/n. Daphne, come give me attention.”

Daphne giggled, gracefully kneeling next to her girlfriend who lay on her stomach, and began rubbing her shoulders. “You’re extremely needy today.”

Pansy merely grumbled in response, but placed a hand on Daphne’s knee to show her appreciation for the simple act.

“I don’t think I would ever get the chance to kiss him goodbye.” you thought aloud. Tilting your head back you stared at the blonde as he grinned brightly when the quaffle made it into a makeshift goal, scoring him another point. “He’s not brooding at this moment so I will take this win and leave him as is.”

Daphne snorted and Pansy made some noise of amusement. “I suppose this is better than broody Draco.” her voice came muffled due to her face near buried in the ground, but it was loud enough for you to hear.

“Cheers to that, Pans.” you chuckled, blowing a cheeky kiss to your now distraught boyfriend.

“Just because I’m in the middle of a very intense game of quidditch that doesn’t mean I can’t hear you three!” Draco yelled from the sky. At your shrug of ignorance he swooped low, low enough that the broom was eye level with you who sat on a garden bench. He clicked his tongue, “You’re so cruel to me, darling.”

“I’ve always been cruel to you.” you bit. Draco merely flicked you forehead as you glanced toward Pans and Daphne. “Why can’t we be like them?”

Draco eyed the couple, then you. “Pans and Daph?” he questioned, brow raised. “You want to lie face down in the grass and complain while I work the knots out of your shoulders?”

“Hey!” Pansy shrieked.

You both dismissed her protest. “You have the roles reversed. We both know you would be the one in the grass as I work the knots out of your shoulders.”

“She’s right,” Daphne said, letting up when Pansy whined at the painful pressure, “you’re also a naggy, whiny baby.”

Draco began to argue but he bit his tongue, concededly nodding.

“You gonna come down soon?” you asked, once again switching the subject. Your eyes flitted towards Blaise and Theo who were fighting for the snitch, then back to Draco. “I would like to spend some time with my boyfriend.”

“As you wish,” he teased, bowing his head. “I’m about to accept my defeat against Blaise. I really should’ve known better when it came to challenging the quidditch god.”

Blaise released a string of chuckles, “You truly should’ve, my friend.” he boasted, swirling on his broom with the snitch in hand. Theo sighed, defeatedly, and watched as his friend did his victory routine.

“I thought his ego couldn’t get any bigger.” Daphne said, shaking her head.

Pansy lifted her head, squinting, “Have you forgotten our seven years of school with these idiots?” she asked, waving her hand in the general direction of said idiots.

“Daphne wasn’t even a part of our group until fifth year when you decided she was the love of your life.” you added, snorting lightly at the fond memory that resurfaced all of your minds. Daphne hummed in agreement.

“Still, Blaise always had something to flaunt.” Pansy mumbled, then dropped her head to the ground once more.

Draco slid off his broom, and tossed it to you who set it on the plush grass and he began, “Congratulations, Zabini!” he shouted, clapping his hands. “You have proven your claim of best quidditch player in our year.” he mockingly bowed, arms stretched wide.

“Thank you, thank you,” Blaise grinned smugly, swirling on his broom once more. “You’re too kind.”

Draco winked. “Charity work, Zabini.”

Gasping, Blaise drove his broom to the ground and hopped off. “My mother’s inheritance from her seven mysteriosuly dead husbands just began screaming in agony.”

“There was a time in my life when I aspired to be your mother.” Pansy admitted, pushing herself off the ground with a smile for Daphne. “But then I decided I cannot stand to be intimate with men.”

“Correction.” Daph clutched Pansy’s outstretched hand and let Pans lift her to her feet. “You met me, the greatest thing to have ever walked into your life.” Daphne joked. Pansy shrugged, neither confirming or denying the statement, and kissed her forehead.

Theodore now landed next to Blaise, eyeing his friends. “What are we doing?”

“Third wheeling.” you answered, standing from the bench.

Theodore quirked his head to the side, and leaned on his broom. “So, the usual.”

“No,” Blaise blurted, popping a finger in front of Theo’s face. “The usual is third wheeling those two.” his finger accusingly pointed towards you and Draco just as your boyfriend went to kiss your cheek. “They’re always doing some disgustingly cute couple shit.”

“Name one cute couple thing.” Draco interrogated. He narrowed his eyes at Blaise, kissing your cheek anyway. You giggled, resting your head on his chest.

Blaise moved the finger from Theo’s face to cover his view from the two of you and cried, “That. That shit. That shit right there. Disgusting.”

You grinned, arms sliding around Draco, “You wouldn’t have to third wheel if you actually looked for a significant other.”

Dracos hands were sliding up and down your back when Blaise retorted, facade over, “I don’t have to look, everyone comes to me, I just chose to relax a few years after graduating before I began dating again.”

“It’s unbelievable.” Theodore threw his hands up, stalking towards the manor. “He breathes and he’s got everyone fawning over him.”

“Oh don’t feed his ego even more!” Daphne groaned, following Theo with Pansy’s hand in hers.

“I can’t just lie! He has it so easy…”

Blaise scoffed, clamping a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “As if you don’t have it well with the ladies…”

“I don’t, thank you very much.” Theo lifted his nose. Blaise shoved his shoulder.

“Theo you had two girls ask you on a date last Saturday within an hour of us sitting at that diner.” Pansy hissed. “You said you were busy. Did you even do anything that night?”

“I had a vigorous night of reading planned.” he told her, glaring at Blaise.

“Come on, Theodore. Just one date, then we can have triple dates!” you gushed, skipping out of Draco’s grip. You heard him sigh from behind you and grab his broom.

“You’d leave me for dead just like that?” Blaise cried again, placing a hand over his heart.

“Yes.” you all said in unison.

“Fine. I see how it is. I’m going to find Narcissa and a bottle of fire whiskey to soothe my aching heart.” Blaise sashayed into the manor, leaving the rest of you to follow with suppressed giggles at his dramatics.

[babybluebex]

quad cuddle puddle [tom holland fluff]

➽ pairing: dad!tom holland x fem!reader ➽ word count: 2.5k ➽ summary: tom forgets his birthday, so you and your twin sons help him remember. ➽ warnings: EXTREME FLUFF, dad!tom to boys with super curly hair :,)) ➽ a/n: this entire thing makes me go uwu wow i nEED dad!tom

“‘Morning, Mummy.” 

There was a swift kiss placed on my cheek, accompanied by the smell of Tom’s shampoo, and I watched my husband pick up a mug and hand it to me. “‘Morning, babes,” I mumbled. “You’re up early.” 

“The lads wanted me to make them breakfast before football,” Tom shrugged. “Their eyes got all big and they started pouting; you know how it goes.” 

“And where would the lads be?” I asked, sipping at the warm earl grey in a mug that declared Tom to be the world’s best daddy. 

“Garden,” Tom said. “Running around with Tess.” 

I nodded and placed the tea down, and I captured Tom’s arm in a hug. I sighed heavily, and I whispered, “Let me think. We have a football match today, yes? Anything else?”

“Not that I’m aware of,” Tom said, nestling his mouth into my messy hair. 

My heart thrummed. He had forgotten, which was so typical of him. Tom Holland would forget his head if it wasn’t screwed onto his neck. “Silly old bear,” I giggled. “Old, old bear.” 

“Hey,” Tom squeaked. “I’m not that old!”

“Are you sure?” I asked. Just then, I saw Tessa in a blur, rushing past the sliding glass door, quickly followed by Theodore and William. “You’re not forgetting something?” 

“Christ on a cracker, Y/N,” Tom chuckled. “Am I?” 

“I’d say so,” I told him, unwrapping myself from around his arm. “But what exactly?” I turned and stuck my tongue out at him as I walked backwards towards the door, and Tom’s eyebrows knitted together as he mumbled to himself. 

As soon as I opened the door, I heard shouts of “Mummy!” and Tess’s baying at my entrance. Tom and I had just started dating when he got Tess and all of the Hollands said that I was her true owner, more so than Tom. She always came running to me with tail wagging and drool dripping. My boys weren’t much different in their greetings. 

I kneeled to the ground and was tackled by a 40 pound boy. Theodore was the oldest twin, but he was still über attached to me. A lot of other boys at school and football were starting to shed their mothers, but my Theo was always at my hip. I didn’t mind one bit, of course. Even when Theo gets to be older with his own family, I’d still gladly let him hold my hand. “Hi, Mummy,” Theo said with a toothy grin. 

“Hi, my darling,” I smiled back and I ruffled up his tawny curls. “Did Daddy brush your hair?” 

“Yeah,” Theo nodded quickly. “Liam’s too.” 

I looked over Theo’s shoulder to see my other boy Liam laid on the grass and wrestling with Tess. William was younger by a half hour and was a bit smaller than Theo, but everything else was identical. Same brown curls that turned caramel in the summertime, dark brown eyes, freckles and button noses and-- as much I hated to say it-- crooked teeth. Tom had had braces when he was young, as did I, and I hated the thought that my boys would have to endure that. Theo and Liam were the spitting image of their father, hardly anything left for me to contribute to them, but I didn’t mind. Having the house full of Tom and a pair of Tom clones made me happy. 

Liam’s hair was a mess just like Theo’s, and I laughed softly. Liam’s hair was getting long, to about his shoulders, and I briefly wondered if he would let me braid his hair before his match, but the thought was interrupted by Tom from the door. “Lads!” He called. “Breakie!” 

Our boys raced to the door and careened to get their food, and I hung back at Tom’s side. “Theo said you brushed their hair,” I said. 

“Yeah,” Tom said. “Wanted to let you sleep.” 

“Hmm,” I hummed softly. “Did you dress them too?” 

“Yeah,” Tom nodded. “Why do you ask?” 

“Liam’s shirt is backwards,” I said, stifling my laugh. 

“What? No,” Tom said quickly. “No, I-- The logo’s on the back, isn’t it?” 

“No, my love, the logo is on the front of their kit,” I told him. 

“Yeah, Daddy,” Liam chimed in, climbing up into the stool at the counter. “Logo’s on the front, or how else will you see it?” 

Tom scoffed and playfully rolled his eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me, you goose?” he said and lightly tickled Liam’s side. Where Theo was a momma’s boy, Liam was a daddy’s boy through and through. He had always been that way, ever since he was born; I could hold him, Dominic and Nikki could try, we even let Harry, Sam, Patty, and Harrison have a crack at it, but Liam only ever stopped his awful wailing when Tom held him. There was a time when the boys were two and Liam absolutely refused to wear clothes unless they matched Tom’s. That led to several months of candid paparazzi pictures and headlines about how Liam was basically Tom’s Mini-Me. That was a hidden perk to marrying and having children with a famous actor: I could never run out of pictures of Tom or him with our boys. “You goose!” 

“You’re the goose, Daddy,” Liam giggled. “‘Cause you forgot--” 

“Liam,” I giggled, snuffling into his neck. “Let Daddy remember for himself.” 

“You’re killing me,” Tom laughed. His eyes wrinkled at the corners as he smiled, and he turned his attention towards Theo. “How’re you liking those eggs there, T?” 

“There’s some shell in them, Daddy,” Theo said, patting the scrambled eggs with his fork. “They’re crunchy.” 

“Isn’t that how Uncle Sammy makes your eggs?” Tom asked. “I could have sworn he told me that you liked your eggs extra crunchy.” 

“No,” Theo said, his cheeks turning pink as he giggled. “I didn’t say that.” 

“We can get something to eat on the way to football,” I offered. “I think today’s worth celebrating, right, lads?” 

Luckily, Theo and Liam had caught on, and they nodded. “What’re we celebrating?” Tom sighed. “Why won’t you just tell me?”

“I’ll give you three guesses,” I told him. I began to carefully plait up Liam’s hair, and I watched the gears turning in Tom’s head. 

“It’s not our anniversary,” Tom began. His nose scrunched up, and he mumbled, “And it’s not any birthdays… Theo. Is it your birthday today?” 

“No,” Theo giggled. 

“Liam? Is it yours?” Tom asked, his brown eyes twinkling. 

“No! Theo and I have the same birthday!” 

“Oh yeah. Duh. Not yours, I know that…” Tom said, looking at me, and his eyes suddenly widened. “Is it my birthday?” 

“Happy birthday, Daddy!” Liam exclaimed. I had seen him ready to burst with it, and the look on Tom’s face was unforgettable. It was glee, the most potent and joyful glee. 

“How did I forget my own birthday?” Tom laughed. “Is that why you called me old?” 

“You’re getting there, love,” I said, pressing my finger to his chin. 

“You’re mean,” Tom told me, and I wound my arms around him. 

“But you deal with it somehow,” I said, and Tom nodded. 

“How do I manage?” Tom sighed, and he leaned down and quickly kissed my cheek. With that, the boys groaned, and Tom rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah, Mummy and Daddy are gross, I know. You’ll understand one day.” 

The glass door was open as I sat on the couch, a July evening breeze warming the room. Theo and Liam had won their football match, and we all had gone to lunch with Tom’s family and Harrison (who was an honorary Holland at this point). I could hear my husband and sons in the back garden playing, with a bark from Tess every so often, and I looked down at my book. Then, there was an exaggerated yell from the yard, and Tom called, “They’ve got me! I’m being attacked! Mummy, help! Oh, Jesus, Tess, that’s my mouth.” 

When I looked into the yard, I saw Tom splayed out on the grass, twins sitting on his chest as Tessa was licking all over his face. Theo and Liam loved to wrestle with Tom, even though they always won, and it had become a nightly routine ever since we realized that the boys were out like a light about half an hour after the whole thing. 

“How’d you get yourself into this?” I asked. “I thought Spiderman was a really good fighter.” 

“Not when-- Tess, stop the licking, please-- not when he’s ambushed by clones,” Tom said, pushing Tessa away, but she went right back to licking his forehead. “Genetically modified clones!” 

“Oh, dear,” I playfully sighed. 

“We’ve got you, Spiderman!” Theo cried. 

“You might’ve caught me,” Tom began, wrapping a muscled arm around each boy. “But I… Am… Spiderman!” With that, he worked himself to his feet, each son under his arm, and he began to spin in circles as they screamed with glee. I’m not sure either Theo or Liam would ever get over their dad being Spiderman. I remember taking them to set when they could barely walk and having Zendaya and Jacob go all heart-eyes over the “baby Toms”, but Liam had been in a world of his own that day. He clung to Tom’s leg nearly all day, and, whenever Tom was able to take off the mask. Liam just looked up at him and giggled. Theo also liked the fact that his dad was Spiderman; he had told me once that it made him feel safe and happy, and that spoke volumes to me. 

Tom was terrified when I first told him that I was pregnant. We were young; he was only 19 and had just officially landed the role of Spiderman hardly a month before. I was scared out of my wits as well, but I knew that Tom’s heart was good and that he would be a loving father; not to mention I had a whole clan of Hollands behind me to catch Tom if he started slipping up. The first few doctors appointments he missed, due to Civil War filming, and when he finally had a break at the same time as an appointment, he held my hand the entire time. The doctor had passed the wand over my swelling belly and, after a moment, there was the faintest heartbeat. Tom cried. He often cried when it came to our boys. Then, when the second heartbeat joined, that’s when panic started to come in. Twins. We were hardly adults, Tom had a new job, I was still a uni student, and we were fit to have twins. It all seemed impossible. 

Until Civil War was released. Tom-Mania extended to the far corners of the globe, and suddenly there were millions of people backing us. His management team around him was advising him on how to tell his new fans that I was pregnant, but Tom, in typical fashion, didn’t listen to any suggestions and opted instead to post a picture of me on his story with my sweatpants pulled under my big belly, crying about Toy Story. And everyone loved them. Theodore Dominic Holland and William Thomas Holland were more loved than they could ever fathom and now, at five years old, they continued to amass a fanbase of their own. 

According to routine, after our nightly wrestling was bath time (translation: Liam tries to take a shower like a big boy but always ends up needed help washing his hair, so either Tom or I sit in there for half an hour and let him do his thing until he calls upon us), and, if need be, a small snack. When Tom was training for a movie, I tried to keep the whole family on a semi-similar diet, but you could definitely tell when Tom had wrapped a movie just by the state of our larder. It was usually at the pre-bedtime snack that the Oreos were brought out, even if I tried in vain to get them to have a bit of orange. My self control was fairly weak, however, and I gave into the cookies every time. 

And then, the main event. Bedtime. The boys had gotten into a habit of falling asleep in our bed and having us tuck them into their own, but lately, we kept “forgetting” to move them and ended up letting them sleep with us. Two adults, two children, and a dog didn’t leave much room, but we made it work. I was extra conscious of small moments like waking up with little boy drool on my chest, because I knew that there would come a day when I didn’t have that. One day, my boys would grow up and would maybe tolerate a hug at times, and I wanted to savor the moments I had with them. 

Tom read them a story every single night. Lately, at the recommendation of their school teacher, we had begun to read them chapter books, and they were nearly halfway through the first Lord of the Rings book already. The time it took to read a chapter was enough for me to manage a shower, and then I would make sure they stayed down while Tom did the same. 

Usually I did. Sometimes, like tonight, Tom fell asleep while reading. 

He was laying in bed, his legs crossed at the ankle, propped up against the pillows. Liam was nestled in the crook of his right arm, sucking the corner of his blankie, and Theo was in his left. The sight of all three of my boys sleeping together made tears well in my eyes. If I thought they looked alike when they were awake, it was nothing compared to when they were asleep. Tom’s cheeks went red when he slept, usually if he was having a good dream, and Theo and Liam had inherited that. The universe really said copy-paste with my boys. Sometimes, I would hear Liam or Theo say something, and I could’ve sworn that my husband was the one to utter it. 

I stopped briefly to take a picture of the affair, topped off with a toppled book, and I quickly sent it to Nikki. I was nowhere near as good of a photographer as she was, but I knew that she appreciated the little candid moments in our house that she couldn’t capture. Then, moving slowly so as to not wake the sleeping boys, I slipped under the blankets. Tom gave a little snuffle in his sleep and his eyes opened slowly. He looked at me, then at his sons, and he sighed. “How long s’I asleep?” He mumbled, smacking his lips. 

“I only just got out of the shower,” I whispered. “Couldn’t have been more than 10 minutes.”

“Goodness, I’m sorry, love,” Tom whispered. 

“For what?” I asked. “You had a big day, Mr. Birthday Boy.” 

“Dunno,” Tom said, and he brushed a hand over Theo’s curls. “I’m just exhausted.” 

“Go to sleep, my love,” I whispered. “I think they’re gonna sleep really well tonight, what do you think?” 

“Yeah,” Tom whispered. 

I scooted closer to the trio and put an arm over Theo and across Tom’s stomach so that my hand could reach Liam’s side. We had perfected the art of a quadruple cuddle puddle. “I love you.” I whispered. 

“Love you, Mummy,” Theo mumbled, his little voice oh-so quiet, and a tear escaped my eye. Oh, how I loved my babies so.

[luverofralts]

Arkhelios University

The gardens were blooming at the Mishra residence. Darcy kept a small, but fruitful garden that supplemented Wbuna’s cooking for the enormous household. Of Darcy and Adam’s two children, Mark was the one that took after his mother the most. Mark grew up helping his mother plant seeds and harvest vegetables, and had earned a bit of a green thumb himself. He was still a young teenager, just a handful of years older than his cousin Roman’s son, but he had already started dreaming of becoming a botanist like his mother. (Mark is older than Cain and Rose Rivales because I didn't replay the Rivales house until later on, even though I the 'canon' play rotation would make them much older than him)

Their crowded household often felt like an isolated island in Arkhelios to Mark and all the smaller children. They were a part of the Bellamy family in some way, but none of their parents acknowledged it. Omar and Adam were not fond of reminiscing about their childhood, and only visited the Bellamy house when Wanda put pressure on them, like she had for her Winterfest party. Wanda and Hunter usually came to visit the former Bellamys at their small home, and didn’t stay long enough to make an impact on the children. They were always friendly, and Wanda had promised to make time for any of her nieces and nephew if they needed it, but the Mishras and the Vybirlbhs remained intentionally distant from the Bellamy legacy.

The few times Roman graced his father with a visit were usually followed by hushed discussion among the adults and whispers of curiosity for the children. Roman was the Bellamy heir. Roman was in newspapers kissing queens and dukes, and wielding the forces of darkness to get what he wanted. His son was a bit of an asshole, but thankfully Roman didn’t bring him around that often now that Theo was in school. Roman himself didn’t come over often and when he did, it was usually to yell at his father. The kids had all seen pictures of him in his dark form despite their parents’ best efforts, and it had become a running dare among them to try to trigger Roman into shifting into it.

No one knew why Roman had showed up that afternoon, but the kids were all whispering conspiracies to each other. He’d brought his two daughters with him, and deposited them at the activity table to have a discussion with his father.

The girls looked friendlier than Theo, who always seemed to be glaring at them. While Luci and Addy dug into the provided blocks, the Mishras and Vybirlbhs slowly began to approach them. When they didn’t bite or glare at the other children like Theo always had, the twins were immediately accepted into the group. They didn’t talk in full sentences yet, so sadly none of the Bellamy outcasts got to ask them any of their many questions about everything their parents hid from them.

While the children were distracted, Roman sat beside his father, trying to find the right words. This wasn’t going to be an easy or pleasant conversation, but Roman had to have it. His grandparents were dead, and Adam and Hunter likely had no clue about the things Roman needed to know. It was either talking to his father or following even further down his grandmother’s path and holding a seance. He had never liked sitting in on Malika’s seances, and he wasn’t about to try it for himself any time soon. He needed his father.

“So,” Omar began, fidgeting a little in his seat. “I imagine you’re here for a reason. You never stop by unless you want something. What do you need now?”

Roman scoffed at his choice of words. This was already going terribly and they’d barely even said hello to each other.

“Now? You say that like you’ve given me something I’ve needed before today. I can’t even think of the last thing you’ve given me. Not even a present for your grandson for Winterfest.”

Omar folded his arms defensively, and Roman pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to manifest calm before things escalated.

“No, we’re not going there,” he declared. “This is too important to waste time arguing about little things.

“What do you need?” Omar asked. He’d been trying to think of anything of his that could matter enough to his son to set aside their differences. Adam was afraid that Theo was sick and needed some kind of compatible transplant from his grandfather. Omar’s guess was that Roman wanted some obscure trinket or heirloom from his grandparents that he would of course blame Omar for losing.

“I need you to tell me the truth for once,” Roman said slowly, trying to be calm while saying the words he needed to get out. “Tell me about Mom; anything about her. Where did you meet her? Where was your first date? Does she have any siblings? What drew you to her in the first place?”

Omar physically recoiled upon hearing the request. He didn’t have the greatest poker face at the best of times, let alone when he was thinking about his ex-wife.

“Why?” Omar searched his son’s face, looking for answers of his own.

Roman didn’t move, but Omar could practically feel the walls his son was raising against him. It was funny that Roman should be asking about his mother. Kamalani had been a master of walling him out of her life.

“Because I asked you to,” Roman stated coldly. “I deserve to know my own family history, and Grandma and Grandpa aren’t here to ask anymore. She was your wife, why can’t you tell me how you met?”

Omar thought it over for a moment, realizing that Wbuna was likely in the background criticizing his parenting skills. She didn’t understand the rift that had developed between him and his son, and frequently urged him to heal the relationship before it was too late and Roman stopped visiting altogether.

“I was introduced to her shortly after graduating high school,” he said slowly. “Tabitha had just cheated on me and I was heartbroken. I’d really thought that she was the one, and that I’d never be happy again. Your grandmother insisted on taking me to a local art exhibition to cheer me up. She introduced me to your mother. They were close, far closer than I’d ever seen my mother be with someone outside of the family. Your mother asked me out for coffee, and my mother accepted for me. So I went for coffee with her.”

“Grandma set you up?” Roman asked.

Wasn’t that convenient? His grandmother needed one of her children to carry on Kamalani’s bloodline for her curse against Abraham to work. It should have come as no surprise that she was the one who introduced his parents, especially after a break up when Omar was vulnerable. Was his grandmother also behind Tabitha’s cheating to force her son to be so pliable? Considering that Tabitha had cheated on Launce too, it wasn’t likely, but Roman had learned not to put anything past his grandmother.

“And you fell in love and started dating?” Roman pressed. “When did you ask her to marry you? Did you meet her father before you asked?”

Omar looked towards the kitchen with a pained look. He could do this for Wbuna’s sake. The last thing he wanted was to make her upset.

“You do know that your grandparents were arranged to be married by their families, right?” Omar asked and Roman shook his head.

“No, no one told me that. They were so in love though, Grandpa worshiped the ground Grandma walked on.”

Omar rolled his eyes.

“They fell in love after their wedding,” he clarified. “They were perfectly matched, and their love developed soon after. Your mother and I weren’t so lucky. My parents arranged a marriage between your mother and I, and I was so heartbroken about Tabitha, I agreed. I never met her father at all, but my parents apparently did. He didn’t even come to the wedding. I guess that should have been a red flag.”

Wbuna smiled, watching her husband let down a little of his guard for his son. She would bring those two together again if it took the rest of her life. There was no reason for a father not to reach out to a child that was asking for help.

“What was Grandma’s family like?” Roman asked, honestly curious. It wasn’t Salem’s side of the family that he was following in the footsteps of. How many of his ancestors embraced the supernatural, and what were they like? What kind of environment had produced a woman like Malika?

Omar shrugged.

“Cold, distant,” he replied. “They didn’t come over often, and my brothers and I got a card with five simoleons in it each year for Winterfest that supposedly came from my grandparents. I think my grandmother died when I was still in grade school because my mother actually took us to the funeral. I vaguely remember her mentioning that we had an aunt and uncle that we would meet at the funeral, but I don’t remember meeting them. I was just a kid.”

Roman frowned. There were relatives somewhere out there connected to his grandmother? That was a lead he was eager to chase down. Maybe Abe could help him sign up for one of those genealogy websites.

“Do you know Grandma’s maiden name? I’d really be curious to see if I could connect with some of her family.”

Omar chuckled a little at the question.

“Easy, it’s your last name,” he said, laughing despite himself at Roman’s double take.

“Grandma and Grandpa were related? Like cousins or something? Nothing closer than cousins, right?”

“Nothing like that,” Omar explained. “Even though we barely saw them, the Bellamys were apparently a big deal wherever they were from. Your grandfather took their name when their marriage was arranged. He made it some ridiculous thing that he had come from nothing and made a name for himself, when he’d married into money or power or whatever the Bellamys had that made them so great. He loved rubbing Abraham’s nose in it whenever he could. He was a Bellamy, and would lead his own little Bellamy clan to greatness as a proof that he deserved to marry into the family. It’s why your uncle and I changed our names when we got married. I guess that makes it a family tradition of sorts. The Bellamy name is tainted because of your grandfather and his aspirations. We’ve barely even met our mom’s family. It’s like she was ashamed of us or something, and we don’t need the baggage that comes with the name.”

“That’s why Grandpa didn’t remove me as the Bellamy heir,” Roman gasped, seeing the bigger picture that his grandparents had created clearly for once in his life. “Grandma spent years teaching me her family’s ways. She taught me everything and no one else. I’m not Salem Bellamy’s heir, I’m Malika Bellamy’s.”

“There’s really no difference,” Omar said, a little too snidely from years of being reminded that his son had more value to his parents than he did. “You were all either one of them wanted from the moment they knew we were pregnant. Ask either of your uncles. Our parents forgot we existed once you were born. Not that they had cared much about us before, but still. I don’t really miss having them around as terrible as that sounds.”

“I do,” Roman said quietly. “I mean, I miss Grandma mostly. Grandpa was kind of a dick, and I’ll never get over him trying to arrange a marriage for me behind my back while I was at school.”

If the subject of his father was going to be discussed, Omar was going to need a drink.

“He had a habit of doing that,” he sighed. “I went actually through with my arranged marriage. Yours might have been with an actual human though, not...not whatever your mother is.”

Roman had been so distracted picturing a larger Bellamy family that would embrace the parts of him the rest of Arkhelios were reluctant to, that he’d forgotten the urgency of his visit. It wasn’t his fault that his father and uncles treated family history like state secrets.

“You’ve never met any of Mom’s family? Even when I was born?” he pressed.

“Not until they invaded our home and tried to murder me,” Omar snapped, reaching his limit of painful memories for the day. “She just said they weren’t close and I believed her because why shouldn’t I believe my wife? Until she walked out on me and tried to kill me the moment she came back. If I ever mysteriously disappear some day, she’ll be the one to blame, mark my words. It’s like she finds the fact that I’m alive offensive or something. She has to erase all the evidence that she ever lowered her standards to marry me, even though she’s the one who negotiated the engagement. She’s the one who humiliated me in front of everyone, I was trying to make things work.”

“Where was she from?” Roman continued to press, seeing the irritation in his father’s face and continuing to push his luck. “Did she ever talk about her family? How old is she? Why was I an only child? Do you ever have dreams about her?”

“I think that’s enough for today,” Omar groaned. “None of this is particularly pleasant to dwell on for too long. Let’s go find Wbuna and spend some time with your sisters. We can be a family. Leave the past with the dead and come make new memories with us.”

“I can’t,” Roman replied quickly. “I need to know everything I can about our family. About what I’m facing. Abe is in danger if I can’t protect him. Probably a lot of other people too.”

“Knowing silly things like your mother’s age and favourite colour won’t make a difference,” Omar chided. “Your mother’s gone, and Abe is going to be fine. You’ve been hanging around the Helios family too long. Some of their paranoia is starting to rub off on you.”

“What?”

The last thing Roman expected was to be scolded for trusting the instincts of a family that had done nothing but support him. Elaine wasn’t some gossip spreading lies about the Bellamys; she was a smart, cunning woman who knew when she was being threatened. All of Roman’s nightmares screamed to him about danger. What did this buffoon in a kitschy sweater know about danger? About loss?

“Dad, I need your help,” Roman pleaded. “This isn’t trivial. I don’t have time to sit around playing board games with children. My children are in danger. I’ve already buried one husband, and I wake up every day knowing that if I can’t do something now, I’ll be burying another. I don’t sleep at night, and when I do, the most horrible things run through my head. I’ve talked to doctors, professors, monarchs, you name it. None of them had answers, so I’m asking you. Please, be my father. Tell me what I need to know. Help me.”

Omar tried to process this information. For what it was worth, Roman really did look terrified. This probably wasn’t some lie he was making up for pity or attention like Omar would usually assume.

“Roman, you need to walk away from this,” Omar urged in what he hoped was a kind voice. “Let your mother go. Let your grandparents go. Stop chasing ghosts and come be a part of our family. We love you. Everyone here would love to see you and Abe and the kids visit more often.”

“This isn’t some game,” Roman continued to plead. “I’m asking you as your son to help me save your grandchildren. Just tell me about Mom. What was she like to live with? Did she have any secrets stashed away in a box that you’ve found?”

“Roman, stop!”

Omar’s voice rang through the house, disturbing the nearby children and causing Wbuna to step out of the kitchen she was eavesdropping from to frown at him.

“I can’t give you what you want!” he shouted. “I don’t know anything about your mother! I don’t know anything about the things you talk about, and I don’t want to. Why do you have to be like this? Why stick your nose where it doesn’t belong? Why chase after dangerous people who have never loved you when you have a family right here in front of you? Why can’t you just be normal?”

Roman reacted as if he’d been physically struck. The pain he felt rising in his chest certainly felt real enough. His hands balled into fists as he forced down the tears that threatened to betray just how hurt he felt.

“I’ll go,” he said quietly, standing from the couch to go collect his daughters. “I don’t know why I thought you could help me. I guess I was desperate and thought that maybe you’d changed over time.”

“Roman,” Omar said, trying to reach out for his son, wishing he could retract his outburst. Wbuna was glaring daggers at him across the room. “I didn’t mean- I just get so afraid and- you don’t have to go. Roman, stay. We’ll keep talking.”

“I’m sorry that I make you uncomfortable,” Roman stated, scooping a toddler in each arm. They were starting to get heavy to carry both at the same time. “I didn’t choose to be like this, but you know, neither did my son. Theo scares the shit out of me sometimes with what power he may be capable of, or how quickly he lashes out when he’s upset. We had to take him out of school recently in case he started fires if he got upset. He has a dark form that looks as intimidating as my grandfather’s and Abe cried when I told him that. We’re scared too. We wish things were different all the time. The one thing we will never stop doing though is supporting and loving our son for who he is. I’m sorry for thinking that you could feel the same way about me.”

Without another word, Roman and the twins had vanished in a puff of smoke. All of the children looked entranced by the display of any kind of magic and began whispering new ideas about their fantastical cousin/brother. The look Wbuna gave her husband was filled with anger and disappointment. Once Rosemary heard about this, Omar was sure that he was going to be sleeping on the couch for the foreseeable future.

[mollymauk-teafleak]

Noise

It was the ever incredible and wonderful @minky-for-short's birthday yesterday so I wrote her this fic! Thanks for being such a good friend and also for coming up with this brilliant Artist AU for Thanatos and Zagreus!

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Please consider leaving a comment on Ao3 if you liked this!

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Thanatos wasn’t used to coming home to a quiet house.

When he was younger, he’d always walked in from school or training classes to the racket of a house full of his siblings. There would always be someone yelling, someone arguing, something crashing to the floor, a handful of brothers and sisters sprinting past. And something inside him would sink under the weight of it.

Even for the size of the house of Nyx, there were very few quiet places, driving Than up onto the roof if he actually wanted some peace after a long day. But then there would be Zagreus, on the good days, sitting beside him and telling some story to cheer him up when he could see Than was tired and getting run down. He was there waving his hands in the air, gesturing wildly as he walked across the spine of the rooftop, eyes bright and wild and full. There was all the life and joy inside him bursting out as noise the way, later in life, it would burst out in his art.

Was it any wonder Than had fallen in love with him? He was the only kind of noise that had filled him up rather than worn him down.

And then he’d moved out but you’d really be surprised how much noise Sleep Incarnate could make when it was just the two of you sharing a cramped dorm room. And when your boyfriend was over half the time, bumping his elbows on everything and playing his guitar very badly as you tried to study, making you laugh, or sketching you as you typed an essay and throwing balls of paper at you when you moved and changed the light.

And you’d smile and you’d realise this was the man you were going to marry.

Now they had their brownstone, perfectly placed between Thanatos’ office and Zag’s studio and there was more noise contained in those walls than the mansion and that little dorm room combined. At first it was music, bright, cheesy music blasting as they unpacked all of those boxes and fit their two lives together for good. It was Zag singing in the shower on a morning, it was Than clattering pots and pans as he recreated his favourite recipes of his mothers, pared down for just the two of them. It was Cerberus barking at the birds on the fire escape or whining and kicking in his sleep, sprawled out across the sofa Than had definitely asked he not be allowed on.

And then Theodora happened. When neither of them had been looking, their bright, beautiful baby girl had come into their lives with one green eye and one gold one and all of her daddy’s spark and her papa’s brains and if Than had thought his life was noisy before, he was a fool.

But his life felt fuller than it ever had.

So when Thanatos walked through the door that evening, he immediately froze, overwhelmed with the sensation that something was very wrong. Because his house was silent.

Frowning, he hung his keys on the hook and shrugged out the heavy black coat he’d been sweating in for the last few days of warm weather. He’d had meetings with potential clients all over the place today and it felt like each one had required at least a block’s worth of walking. Of course he could just have taken the heavy thing off, as Zag often suggested, but he didn’t feel quite right without it. But drowning in sweat or not, he’d sold three of his husband's paintings today and he really felt like it warranted at least a welcome home kiss from said husband, followed by his daughter hauling herself onto her wobbly little baby legs, begging him to pick her up. And any other day, he’d have that wall of noise washing over him, loud and comforting and familiar.

So where were they?

The living room was eerily silent too, Theo’s toys lying in boneless patience for the next time she came along to play with them, the radio normally permanently tuned to Zag’s favourite station voiceless. Than frowned, the sense of disquiet getting a firmer grip on him as he passed through into the kitchen. The pots from breakfast were still in the sink, the dregs of Than’s coffee he’d hurriedly downed on the way to his office now ice cold sludge in the bottom of his favourite mug. Normally he’d be coming home to Zag attempting to cook dinner, it was his job to calmly survey the knife edge of disaster it was balancing on and diplomatically extract his husband from the stove so he could turn it into something edible. It was the thought that counted. But there wasn’t so much as a pot of tea brewing, the normally warm and raucous room cold and still.

Than’s frown deepened and he looked for a note, something to explain they’d gone to the store or the park, Zag often scrawled something on the back of an invitation to the latest gallery showing or letter asking for him to submit some work and stuck it onto the fridge. Thanatos had rescued commission requests worth thousands from the front of their fridge before, still valuable even with a request for eggs and milk scribbled on the back.

But he couldn’t see anything. The fridge only held a now week old reassurance that Zag had picked Theo up from his parents’ and taken her to get ice cream. Not much comfort to Thanatos, his heartbeat now increasing significantly.

Zagreus never left him worrying like this, he knew his husband's anxiety was only ever waiting for the slightest little nudge to topple over into overdrive. Hands starting to tremble now, he groped for his phone in his pocket, unsure whether to first dial Zag, his mother or the National Guard.

Fortunately, he didn’t have to work that out because just as he was about to yank his phone free, he heard a noise from behind the back door, something muffled coming from their tiny little walled garden. Laughter. Two kinds of laughter and he knew both of them well.

Relief settling over him, Than tried not to look like he’d been panicking that much as he pushed the door back and walked into the golden late afternoon sunlight. Their little yard wasn’t much, just a square of concrete tiles, but the borders were overflowing with greenery and flowers in sheer defiance to the lack of soil, all thanks to Than’s mother in law. In was in the sparse shades of these towering grasses and flowering vines that Zag and Theo were giggling. They were both grinning the same crooked grin, both pairs of eyes alight with that same joy.

And they were both covered in paint.

“Good evening,” Than found himself smiling too, before he even really knew why, “And what are we up to exactly?”

If Than was still a little miffed at his lack of a welcome home, it was quickly made up for when both his husband and daughter gave unison cries of delight and rushed towards him.

“Than!”

“Papa!”

Than laughed, bracing himself so he wasn’t completely knocked off his feet by their hugs, wrapping his arms around them. He accepted a lingering kiss from Zag before Theo loudly interrupted it with a retching noise, tugging on the bottom of his coat and demanding his attention.

“You gross!” she declared loudly, “Daddies gross!”

“Oh are we now?” Than chuckled, scooping her up and covering her pudgy little face in kisses until she squealed, “Is this gross?”

“No but your shirt might be going that way,” Zag grimaced apologetically, noticing the paint smearing from Theo onto her papa, “Sorry.”

Than glanced down, eyebrows raising, “Ah. And why exactly is my daughter covered in paint? I know a small amount is normal but this rather looks like she’s been rolling in it.”

Zag’s face brightened, “You’re not far off! I had this incredible idea, you see…”

“One that involved an awful lot of mess?” Than’s smile quirked fondly.

“All my best ideas do,” Zag winked over his shoulder before stepping to one side so Than could see the large roll of paper spread out across the ground.

Already it was filled with multicoloured smears and a few handprints, some footprints too, a cacophony of shape and colour. There were a few in different palettes hanging and drying on the back wall in the sun.

“You see, little Teddy’s going to be my new collaborator!” Zag spread his arms grandly over their work, “She starts them off and she can use whatever she feels like, just really moves with the energy of it all, y’know? Then I come in and tie it all together! She’s a phenomenal abstract artist!”

Than looked over the paintings they’d made together. Part of why he was such a good art dealer and such a good agent for Zagreus was that he found more to love in his work than anyone and he was good at making others see it too as he sold it to them. His love for the man spilled into the art, in the shapes and colours and textures he saw the person he’d loved since he was a kid. It was like Zag’s art spoke a language Thanatos was fluent in.

And looking at this art, the art Zag and their daughter had made together, it took his breath away. It was familiar and it was new all at once, it was bright and joyful as the two of them clashed and flowed together in the paint. If he looked long enough he could start to see what was Theo simply having fun splashing around in the colourful stuff she saw her daddy getting to play with all day and what was Zag fondly stitching her marks into something cohesive, something musical and formed.

And in it Thanatos could see his family. He could see noise.

“What do you think?” Zag’s eager smile had started to dim, his eyes getting a little anxious as he searched his husband’s face, tumbling into a nervous ramble, “I will clean her up, I promise, I put her in clothes she doesn’t love love, y’know? I will get the stains out, I swear and I can wash your shirt too if you want? I’ll use the special stuff that works really good, I mean, you might have to show me how but if there’s instructions I’ll just read those...”

Than took a step closer, careful not to damage the painting, reaching over and putting a hand on his shoulder. As it always did, the touch alone was enough to calm Zag, his nervous stumbling coming to a stop, turning into a self conscious smile.

“Zag, it’s beautiful,” Than murmured gently, moving the hand to brush his cheek affectionately. Fortunately, Theo didn’t deem this unacceptably gross, just pressing her face to Than’s neck and nuzzling contentedly, “It’s really, really beautiful.”

Zag beamed, tilting his head hopefully, “Beautiful enough that you wanna help us make another one?”

Than smiled back, already maneuvering Theo so he could shrug out of his work jacket and let it fall to the floor, Theo giggling and squirming with excitement as she helped him push his sleeves up.

“Well, I’m not a phenomenal abstract artist like you two but it does look like fun…”

The works from this new series would go across the country, thanks to Thanatos. He really was a good agent.

They didn’t sell them, Zag didn’t want them to be sold for money after the initial exhibition. Instead they were donated to art schools and children’s hospital wards and after school clubs. But the one that all three of them had done together, the one with the two sets of bigger handprints in varying shades of red and purple and the flurry of tinier ones, the smudges and smears and bright splashes of eye watering colour, that one stayed firmly where it belonged, hanging in their living room. Over time they would take it down and add to it, especially when they had two more sets of tiny handprints to add to it.

And around it, their house would never, ever be quiet.

[kerie-prince]

We're Worlds Apart (2)

Draco Malfoy x American No-Maj!reader

series m.list | general m.list | previous chp

warnings: light cursing, mentions of death, angsty Draco

summary: Draco Malfoy is a pureblood wizard. Magic runs through his veins and has been since his birth. You're a Wiccan No-Maj; a non-magical being with ordinary blood through your veins, but practices what you call magick. And this very practice upsets your neighbor.

(gif not mine)

The surrounding neighbors have been very nice; one elderly couple walked up to Draco’s door with an apple pie, quite the American staple, and he seemed to appreciate it. They seemed normal and sweet. Much unlike the feeling he had for his neighbor. Y/N. He hasn't made any attempts in the month that he's lived in the small suburban neighborhood to see her. He avoided her like she was a deadly plague.

Albeit, it was probably harsh and extremely childish. The whole point of him becoming a new person was changing his views he had been taught in adolescence. Or else why did he help Harry Potter all those years ago when he swore he hated him?

It was currently around 3 in the morning, he was standing in his backyard and made sure no one would be awake as he sent his owl to send a letter to his best friend, Blaise. He was the only person who still contacted Draco on a regular basis besides the occasional letter from Theodore. Gregory cut all contact with Draco after the Battle, especially since Vincent had died that night in the fire in the Room of Requirement. Pansy was living her life somewhere, and although the Golden Trio had forgiven Draco for his actions, it didn't start any friendships. But Draco was fine; Blaise and Theo had been there for him in more ways he cares to admit.

He never mentioned a word about Y/N to Blaise until now when he asked what Draco’s American neighbors were like. Majority of the letter contained contents of how work has been, the differences in not only culture but also how things are called, and just his own well being. He did say something short for the elderly couple, but when it came to Y/N he had a lot to say.

These muggles are far different from the ones in England, Blaise. They know things about the magic world but input a fantasy in their heads. They believe they can actually practice witchcraft and wizardry, calling themselves “Wiccan” or whatever rubbish it is. Bloody hell, they even have films and tv programs of them. My neighbor is one of these and she does the most ludacris things in her house. Quite laughable, really. If Salazar was alive today to see this happening, I’d bet he’d curse the whole lot.

She had been lingering in his mind since that day of his discovery. It was annoying him. Every night, he would catch her in her room doing whatever the hell she was doing and he felt as if the universe was mocking him. This is what people think what you really are was the message he got from it all. Draco never thought something like this would make him feel like a freak. But he did. This act of hers was an indirect insult of what he was capable of. And she had no idea.

—

It was a fine autumn morning. The shop was closed today, so you had lots of time at home to catch up with cleaning. You stood over your bathroom sink brushing your teeth and saw from the reflection of your mirror your cat stretching herself before walking into the bathroom to rub herself on your legs. “Good morning, Aurora,” you cooed at her. She purred in response and ran off to her tower in the living room.

After getting changed into some comfortable clothes, you walked up to a closet in the hallway that had collections of crystals, oils, sage bundles and more. “Let’s see, where did I put the angelica root?” you asked out loud to yourself. Going through the shelves, you pulled some sea salt, ground lemon balm, ground angelica root, and a feather. You carried the items outside in a bowl to your backyard and set them at a small garden table. Walking over to your garden, you pulled some elderberry flowers and started your cleansing spell.

You sprinkled the salt onto a censor dish and placed a charcoal dish on it and lit it up. In the bowl you had used to carry the items out, you started mixing the herbs together as you waited for the charcoal to burn red. Once it did, you sprinkled the herbs on top, creating a cleansing incense. You picked it up from the bottom of the censor dish, picked up the feather and made your way steadily to your front door, lightly wafting smoke towards it. Reaching your front door, you drew a pentagram over it with the feather and smoke,

“Be gone negativity,

Here now blessed be.”

You repeat your incantations throughout the house until you have finished and walked back to your living room, drawing one last pentagram. You placed your feather and censor dish on the bare floor, stood up and tapped your foot three times,

“By my will, so shall it be.

Sealed now shall this cleansing be.”

You sat on your couch and turned on the television, waiting for the incense to burn out so you could scatter it around your backyard. After a couple of hours of watching a guilty pleasure of yours, you decided to get some actual cleaning done. First thing was to do some trimming and gardening outside, so you grabbed some gloves and headed out back to your yard.

Before grabbing your garden scissors, you looked up and saw something rather strange. There was an owl in your neighbors yard. In broad daylight. From the backyard, you heard a car pull in and peeked over the fence to see that it was your neighbor coming home. You ran to the front leaving a dirt trail in your house and ran out the front door.

He hadn’t walked in yet, so you started waving your arm, “Hello! I’m Y/N!”

He had just nodded his head and walked a straight line to his door. Not wanting to lose this chance of having a conversation with him, you yelled for him one more time, “There’s an owl in your yard!” His eyes widened and without a word, he ran into his house in a panic. From a distance, you heard him say 'shit' before closing the door.

Building up confidence, you walked up to his door and knocked a few times and patiently waited. You fixed your hair and stood surprised as he hastily opened the door. “H-hi! It’s so nice to meet you, I'm Y/N,” you stretched your hand out to shake his hand. He looked at it and had a displeased look, causing unease within you. Looking at your hand, you noticed you still had your gardening gloves on with dirt on it.

“Oops, sorry!” you chuckled as you took it off and reached out again.

Again, he just looked at you with a straight face for a couple of seconds before finally speaking, “Look, I’m really busy, so if you don't mind.” He shut the door without giving you any chance to say anything back. You stood there in shock, replaying his British voice in your head. And as you stood there, you wondered why it is that he doesn't want to talk to you. The Charles couple across from your house were able to introduce themselves, and even got a smile from him. But for some reason, you could never get the same treatment.

—

Ian had proposed to Draco a housewarming party during lunch. Of course Draco had never been to one, much less hosted one.

“It’s alright, boss. I can fix all the arrangements up. All you gotta do is relax,” Ashley proposed. To say that Draco is extremely happy is an understatement. He had friends that actually enjoyed his company and not his influence. Not that he had much of that anyway.

America was really working out for him; work was great, people were nice, and the area he lived in was peaceful. Yes, he didn't like his neighbor, but she wasn't ruining his life in this new country. He just didn't like what she did.

“Thank you, Ashley. And you know you can just call me ‘Draco’.”

“I know,” she replied. Ashley grabbed her Blackberry phone and started drafting up an email, asking for his address so she could let people know where it would be. “Is this Friday a good time?”

“Yes, that should be fine. I don't have any plans that day.”

“Great, it's sent out to everyone in our department. Now if you'll excuse me, I have an attending to watch over for a surgery. See you guys later!” Draco, Blaine and Ian waved at Ashley as she left.

Blaine left soon after, leaving Ian with Draco. “Alright man, how’s it going on your street? Are you finally settled in?”

“I finally got the last of my things delivered from London yesterday. I was a bit nervous though. That mugg— I mean No-Maj neighbor of mine saw my mum’s owl in my yard. Thankfully, she didn't ask any questions,” Draco said as he cleared his lunch tray.

“Wait, you still use an owl? Ha, I didn’t think people still did,” Ian chuckled. “Well, of course I do. Do you not?”

“No, most wizards here in the States just use the usual ground post that No-Maj’s use. Things are a bit more modern around here. Speaking of your neighbor actually, have you ever spoken to her?”

Draco shrugged nonchalantly and said a simple ‘No’ when he really wanted to scrunch his nose and eyebrows in disgust and say ‘Fuck no.’ Ian, however, is gifted in Legilimens. He heard what Draco really meant but kept to himself. I guess things are different in the UK he thought.

—

“Hello my dear baby, I just wanted to call and give you a heads up; your brother and I are coming for Thanksgiving. He’s bringing Stephanie so do me a favor, please no witchy stuff.”

The voicemail played out loud in the kitchen. Please no witchy stuff. Your mother had repeatedly explained to you that she was okay with ‘it’ all, but growing up you never really got on the same page with her. And you knew it was because of your practice. Your younger brother would say comments every now and then when you grew up, but he always stood up for you when other people called you a ‘satanic freak’. But never once did you regret starting the Craft. You enjoyed it and it made you feel whole.

It had been a week since your encounter with your, now known British, neighbor. It bothered you a lot that he didn’t seem to want to get to know you. You were lost in your thoughts that you almost didn’t notice the doorbell going off. You answered the door and saw your neighbor.

“Hi dear, do you think you could help me and my husband with something?” Mrs. Charles smiled sweetly at you. “Of course, what can I do for you?”

“My grandson is coming in from Vermont, would it be alright if you could give us a ride to the airport? I’d ask Draco but he’s always busy at work and I don’t want to be a bother.”

Draco? “I’m sorry, who’s that?” you had a confused look.

“Our new neighbor, dear. I thought you had met him already. You two are the same age after all,” she informed you. Draco. How unique. You instantly recognized the name from the star constellation. It was nice to finally put a name to a face. Distracted again, Mrs. Charles waited for your answer, “Y/N? Can you do it?”

“O-oh, sorry. Of course I’ll help. Frankie was his name, correct?”

“Yes, it’s Frankie. Thank you so much. His flight comes in on Friday. I’ll see you then,” you wished her a good night and looked out your window to make sure she crossed the street safely. The rest of the night consisted of you and and your cat laying on your couch watching TV, but what was on the screen didn’t have your attention. Draco did. And you had no idea why.

—

“Dude, why do you not have a TV?” Blaine looked around Draco’s house and studied the arrangements he had. It was quite plain, almost minimalistic. Looking around, Draco couldn’t help but think how different it was from the Manor back in London. Instead of grand chandeliers, moving portraits of the Malfoy’s before him, and intricate designs on the walls, he had simple white walls with just one moving picture of him, Blaise and Theo a couple minutes before a Quidditch game against Ravenclaw. He had a bookshelf full of old school books from Hogwarts and some small relics he liked from the Manor.

“I’ve never had one growing up, and once I moved here I just never gave any second thought of it. Besides, what would I even watch?” Draco replied. Despite having one letter off from being the same name as his best friend, Blaine reminded Draco of Theo. They were both funny and outspoken. He would’ve loved for them to have met. They’d probably get on.

A few moments later, Ashley and Ian knocked on Draco’s door. The door was unlocked for them to be able to open the door. They looked around the living room before settling onto the couches. “Okay so I was thinking that we can just have some trays of snacks and desserts with some champagne. Does that sound good to you guys?” Ashley suggested. They just nodded along to whatever she said. She had gone to the store with Blaine to get everything prepared before the party tonight.

Ian looked at the pictures of Draco with his friends and one of his mother that laid on top of a chimney. “Do you still have lots of friends from Hogwarts?”

Draco thought about it, “You know, I actually didn’t have a lot of friends back in school. Back then, I only hung out with probably six people. But now it’s just two.” He sounded a bit sad, but figured that two were better than none.

“Do you think of what happened a lot?” Ian implied about that day at Hogwarts. He had been the only one that Draco trusted enough to tell. “Sometimes,” Draco gave a short reply. The action of opening up was still new to him, but he knew he shouldn’t wallow in it. Plus he’d rather have a friend instead of a doctor to talk about it.

Ian really felt bad for Draco. It must have been really traumatizing for someone to go through something like that at just the age of 17. Sure, Draco wasn’t the best person at the time. Who is he kidding, he was probably the biggest git in the whole school. It didn’t necessarily mean that he had to go through what he did. He lost one of his friends in a fire, and one left him after said friend died. Another left for no apparent reason. And another wanted something different in her life. Those things affected Draco, and probably will for the rest of his life.

He didn’t pity Draco, but was feeling sympathetic. “Well if it makes you feel any better, I don’t have much friends from Ilvermorny. It sucks now, but hey, down the line you get new ones.” Ian held a fisted hand out, waiting for Draco to bump it. It made him laugh as he bumped Ian’s fist.

Outside, Ian looked out to see a certain neighbor walk to her car. “Hey, is that that chick you were talking about?” Draco looked out the window and saw you grab some things out of your trunk and into your house. “Yeah, that’s her.” Ian never really pressed on Draco to explain why he didn’t like his No-Maj neighbor like he did the elderly couple across the street.

“Well, I gotta say. She’s a sight for sore eyes for a weirdo.” She’s a what? Beyond the nightly activities he had caught you doing on occasion in your bedroom, he never really looked at your face. Or really just at you. But now that Ian mentioned something, he started studying you. She’s not so bad looking— wait, what are you thinking?

By accident, Ian snorted at the words Draco thought. “Did… did I say that out loud?” Draco asked with suspicion in his voice. “No, I’m sorry. I don’t really mean to be invading your mind or anything. It runs in my family,” Ian laughed nervously.

“It’s okay. My godfather was also good at Legilimens and Occlumency. I’m pretty sure he’s heard worse during his classes. Come on, I’ll give you a full tour of the place.”

“If the other rooms are anything like the living room, I’m sure I’ve seen the whole place then,” Ian joked.

“Piss off.” As Ian walked towards the bathroom, Draco looked back outside to see you again. He watched as you helped the Charles couple in your car and drove off to Merlin knows where.

—

The party was rather fun. It lasted until almost 1 in the morning. He thanked Ashley for handling everything and spent the night talking and laughing with his colleagues. Once everyone left, he changed into comfortable sweats and a plain black t-shirt. Out on his bedroom window was Blaise’s owl with a sealed letter. He quickly opened the window, grabbed the letter and looked out to make sure no one was watching. Your room was dark and it seemed as the drapes were down. He guided his friends’ owl with his hands to a small, make-shift owl post against the fence that separated your yards. It had food and was enchanted to be at a comfortable temperature. His owl laid on one side of the post, resting as Blaise’s owl joined it.

Draco opened the letter and read its contents to himself.

Well mate, I’m glad you’re having a good time in America. There’s not much going on here in London. I’m just working at Gringotts until something opens up at the Ministry. Not really sure what I want to do, but I’ll figure it out. Anyways, I think you’ll be pleased to hear that Theo and I are going to be joining you for the holidays. Theo got a hold of a couple American muggle films and he figured that if the women there were as fit as the actresses, then you must be living the best life and he wants to join. As for that muggle neighbor of yours, I can’t wait to see her in person. We’ll see you, Malfoy.

From the corner of his eyes, he saw lights turn on in your room and your shadow walk around before turning off once more. Sorry Blaise, but there’s no way in hell you’ll meet her.

—

Frankie’s flight was delayed, causing you to get home so late. You were extremely tired and your feet and back were sore. Usually, you’d take a bath with some salts and oils to relax yourself, but tonight you were really lazy. So lazy that you just shook your shoes off and plopped yourself on the bed.

The second you hit the mattress, you dozed off. Your mind was wandering and found yourself dreaming.

You sat in your backyard in a pretty sundress. There was a slight breeze in the air and you held a cup of coffee in your hands. Someone sat at the chair opposite you and blocked the sun’s light in your face. You looked next to you and saw your friend smiling at you.

Draco.

—

next chp

(っ◔◡◔)っ taglist: @beiahadid @malfoy-styles-wife @fivenightslaughter @juneballoon999 @leydileyla

[missdawnandherdusk]

I Will Rise

Hufflepuff!Reader X Draco

You can take everything I have

You can break everything I am

Like I'm made of glass

Like I'm made of paper

Go on and try to tear me down

I will be rising from the ground

Chapter 1     Chapter 2    

Chapter 3    Chapter 4

Chapter 5     Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Summary: With the next winter holiday things get to their lowest point. But rock bottom is always the place to start building up. 

A/N: So this was supposed to be super angsty with no end in sight but ya know, I changed my mind. This is angsty don’t get me wrong, but this is also where choices are made and people are changed for the better or worse. Sidenote: I just ended a four year relationship yesterday and ya know. I’m great. Anyway. Love yall!! Let me know that you think as always!!

Draco and I stood at the Manor gates. Dark clouds rolled in, suffocating us. They threatened with snow, ice, and fury.

“It’s the Dark Magic,” Draco noted, his voice seemingly indifferent, taking my hand.

I nodded, sighing. Something was to be said about missing sunny days and warmth. Even in the dead of winter, this chill sat differently on our shoulders. Winter promised spring... this artic promised nothing but death.

Inside and unpacked, Draco and I shared a bit of tea in front of a warm fire. He was reading The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe aloud, and despite my adoration of the book, I couldn’t seem to lose myself in the words as I once had. Even with the silkiness of Draco’s voice. I now had a deeper understanding for Narnians before the events of the book. An endless winter with only a small gossamer of hope to cling too.

“Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight,

At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more,

When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death,

And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again.”

The words mocked me. Draco seemed to pick up on my disinterest.

“Don’t tell me you don’t prefer the book any longer?” There was a soft teasing smile on his lips as he closed the book, setting it on his lap. It was the one I had given him almost a year ago.

“No, I do,” It was a sad sigh. “I just... do you think someone is out there for us? An Aslan to come and save us?” I hugged my knees.

“Well, you know as well as I do,” He took the same book and flipped further back before settling on a page that seemed to satisfy him.

"Dearest," said Aslan very gently, "you and your brother will never come back to Narnia."

"Oh, Aslan!!" said Edmund and Lucy both together in despairing voices.

"You are too old, children," said Aslan, "and you must begin to come close to your own world now."

"It isn't Narnia, you know," sobbed Lucy. "It's you. We shan't meet you there. And how can we live, never meeting you?"

"But you shall meet me, dear one," said Aslan. "Are — are you there too, Sir?" said Edmund.

"I am," said Aslan. "But there I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there."

A smile brushed my lips as he closed the book again.

“But do you think that was meant for us?” I laid my head on his shoulder.

“I think that it was meant to give hope,” Draco decided after a quiet moment, “Aslan, by any other name, would still be something to believe in,”

“Unless that name happens to be Harry Potter,” I chuckled, drawing a laugh from Draco. “And have you been reading my Shakespeare?”

“Maybe a bit,” A smile toyed at his lips.

“Romeo and Juliet though?” I rolled my eyes. “I told you, it wasn’t a good story to read presently,”

“I think you also told me that it was worth keeping the books that didn’t have a happy ending,” Draco set the book on the coffee table and pulled me into his hold.

“Do you think we’ll have one?” I asked softly. “A happy ending?” His face was hard to read as his eyes fixed on the burning fire.

“How can we with what we’re going to do?” The words echoed in my thoughts as we both sobered.

The plea for him to not do what he was asked of came rushing to my lips, but I held them there. I wouldn’t tell him. I had decided on that long ago. This was the one choice that he needed to figure out how to make on his own. I was torn myself. I wanted to tell him to stop, to help him make this choice, but I couldn’t. I didn’t know how to. But I could stay beside him... I prayed that it would be enough for him.

Even with the holiday upon us, the air was void of excitement and magic. The Manor was decorated immaculately even still. Tears stung my eyes, when thinking that this was the first Christmas I ever had without my mother, without baking or cooking or the music or movies. There was nothing to do in the kitchen with the house elves working and practically shoving me out of the room. There was nothing to clean. Nothing to tidy or move... It felt unnatural. Draco pulled me into his arms, giving me the comfort that I craved so desperately.

“Your mother is arriving soon,” He murmured softly. “Are you going to be alright?”

“I think so... we’ve been civil through writing. How bad could this possibly be?” My words were cynical but hopeful still. “Besides... at least it won’t be just the four of us. By comparison my mother will be a delight,”

“Bellatrix has agreed to be civil, and Snape always comes for Christmas. Or has before the last couple years at least. He’s my godfather, you know. He and my father were close when they were young,” Draco’s voice was strained. “But I suppose they will all be needles in a haystack,”

“It was right to invite the rest of...” I trailed off. “They’re alone too,” 

“Always the Hufflepuff, are we?” He mused softly.

I hummed in acknowledgement. I was still wary about Bellatrix attending supper. Too many things had the chance of going poorly.

“You know we have to do this,” He read my thoughts.

“The perfect children. The perfect couple. The perfect soldiers.” I sighed. “What I wouldn’t give to go back to that night at the Ball. Or the month after...”

“It’s ironic,” Draco chuckled darkly. “That we now know ignorance is bliss,” I nodded at the doorbell chimed throughout the house.

“Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be,”

It was something quite different dining with just the Slytherins and dining with their parents as well. It wasn’t just I and Draco who were playing perfect children, but all of my friends, everyone I knew. All sapped of joy, of smiles, expression... under the scrutiny of their parents. Blaise, Vincent, Greg, Theo, and Pansy.

“How has schooling been?” My mother tried asking as the first course was served. 

“Well—”

“Ugh,” Bellatrix scoffed. “Who can learn anything with that daft old fool as headmaster?” 

“Bellatrix,” Narcissa warned gently.

“Yes, yes. Civil. As you wish,” She rolled her eyes and slouched, digging into what I assumed was quail.

Draco and I shared a look. Attempts for conversations halted after that.

Dinner passed and I barely tasted any of the surely rich foods that were placed before me. After the awkward affair, my mother asked to speak with me in private. Draco, Narcissa, and oddly enough, Snape eyed me warily.

“Of course,” I gave Draco one last look. He looked as if he were ready to pick me up and make a run for it, but he refrained.

I led her to the small rose garden that Draco had once led me to. It seemed sacrilegious to tread upon this secret haven, but it was a place that gave me comfort. Though it was covered in snow and the trees and bushes were bare, I still remembered the summer warmth the garden offered.

“You have surrounded yourself with quite a group people my dear,” Her voice strained out the words. “And that dress is lovely,”

“A gift from Narcissa,” A tight smile touched my lips. 

“So, you’ve replaced me then?”

I turned, frowning at my mother.

“You really think that?” I was baffled.

“Well look at you! New dress, new shoes, new friends! You’re living and dining with a bunch of Death Eaters for Merlin’s sake!”

“Yes, because I had so much of a choice to abandon the people I love and come home and live with my mother who lied to me for fifteen years and manipulated me!” I watched as my sharp words silenced her.

“You could have come home any time,” It was a quiet notion.

“No, I couldn’t have,” I wrapped my arms around myself and took a deep breath. “I’m going inside,”

“Please, dear. It is Christmas,”

“Yes,” I turned to face her. “And I’d rather be inside with Draco, if you can understand that.” 

“Draco,” It was nearly a sneer. “I have heard... rumors about him.”

“I really don’t think you have any right to say a word,” I said, my tone as ice.

“You’re blind. Your own love blinds you to who he really is. You’re going to get hurt,” There was an air of concern in her voice.

“No! I’ve spent years of my life terrified of letting people in because you’ve got it so deeply ingrained in me that I might get hurt! Well you were wrong about the world! And you were wrong about me!” I stalked up to her. “I have done things that you will never know! That you will never understand! I’m living through a war for god’s sake mom! And you’re here yelling at me about who I’m dating!?” I took a small step back, shaking my head. “This was a mistake...”

“Y/n, wait, please, you have to understand—”

“No mom! You... you don’t get to just waltz in here and ask me to understand! I don’t have to understand, and you really don’t get to give a damn after all you put me through! Don’t you think I want to have my mother here for me!? That it doesn’t kill me inside because I’ve never felt so alone in my life!? That everything I’ve known has been pulled from under me and while I’m trying to set myself somewhere new you just criticize me!? No! You just...”

“And what would your father say?”

I gaped at her, enraged.

“How dare you!?” I annunciated each word. “Dad would be damn proud of me! And he never would have let you do what you did to me! I am supposed to be your daughter! But I’m done.”

Without another word I stalked up to the house and inside, fuming. Draco caught me at the door, but I shrugged him off.

“Love,”

“No,” I snapped. “I need to cool down, just...” Wordlessly I headed upstairs before collapsing behind a random locked door, sobbing.

After a while, when my tears had subsided and my frame only shook minimally, I pulled myself up off the ground and stumbled over to a vanity. It must have been a guest room that I found myself in.

The girl looking back was a mess. Tear tracks stained with mascara ran down her cheeks and red lipstick was smudged out of place. Her hair was hanging haphazardly and out of order. Her eyes were red and puffy, and her lips etched into a permanent grimace.

There was a knock at the door. 

“Go away, Draco,” I sniveled.

“Do I look like that blond-haired prat to you?” The door clicked closed softly as I saw Pansy’s reflection in the mirror.

“Pansy, please... I—”

“You don’t have to tell me anything. I’m not here to console you, not particularly,” She came up beside me and leaned against the vanity. “Everything’s really fucked up, huh?” Her voice was depressed as she looked down.

“That doesn’t even begin to describe it,” I muttered.

“You know, I can’t tell my parents about Abby at all,” Her confession was small and weak. “She’s not a pureblood, and well, they’re not as accepting as her parents are about our relationship...”

I looked up at her, my eyebrows furrowed, trying to figure out why she was telling me this now.

“We haven’t spoken all holiday,” This wasn’t the strong confident Pansy I was used to seeing, but rather a broken scared teenager. “She’s mad at me because I won’t tell my parents about her, and I... I can’t do it. I’m a coward,”

I let out a hopeless laugh and smiled at her.

“I just told my mother off and now I really think I’ve been disowned,” A dry humor coated my voice. “And I’m in love with the son of the man who killed my father,”

“Well shit girl,” Pansy laughed. “You make my problems seem so trivial,”

“Not my intention,” A smile met my lips. “And I’m really sorry about you and Abby... not saying that it’s anywhere near the same... but I’m aware of what it’s like to be scrutinized for my choice in partner.”

Pansy nodded and a silence fell between us.

“You’re going to run yourself thin, Y/n. Trying to be everything for everyone.” Her voice returned to its somber mood.

“I think I’ve past that point,” I muttered darkly.

“Then tell me, little Hufflepuff, who are you going to be?” There was a slight challenge in her eyes. “You don’t have parents watching over your every move, you don’t have the constant expectations.”

“I can’t just—”

“And why not?” She shot back.

“Because I have to protect Draco,” I breathed out. “Play the part and get through this,” 

She eyed me; eyebrow raised but said nothing. “If that’s what you think,” She mused. 

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” I shot back.

“Well, the girl I met a couple years ago would stop at nothing to be herself even if it meant being teased and bullied by a couple Slytherins. The same girl who cut off all her hair and started to fight back. I just wondered what changed.”

I opened my mouth to refute her point but refrained. A lot had changed. Draco was a Death Eater now. We had a trial to get through alive or we would both die. I had to somehow manage not to get killed by his aunt preferably. I still had to pass my bloody N.E.W.T.s as if the rest wasn’t enough.

“Tell me, or don’t. But I care about Abby and Draco a lot. And now I’ve got this kid sister under my wing and I don’t want to see her drive herself into the ground like I have. This war is shit, but you... Y/n, you’re someone to believe in.”

I tutted out a laugh. “I’m a mess. Please don’t believe in me,”

“But that’s what makes you so valuable to all of us. Blaise, Theo, Vin, and Greg too. You gave us all a second chance. It doesn’t take much to lay down your life for a good man, but to forgive a bunch of villains?”

“You’re not villains,” I refuted.

“See, that there. That’s why we believe in you.” Pansy smiled. “Even through it all, you still are kind and believe in us,” She tucked my hair behind my ear. “Now let’s get you cleaned up, because I’m sure Draco is on the verge of breaking in here himself,”

I laughed and pulled her into a hug.

“Thanks Pans,”

 _____________________________________

Draco paced outside the door as he heard your ragged sobs coming from within wishing nothing more than to go in there and hold you. But you had asked for space, so he tried to honor that. Draco jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“Pansy?” he asked, relaxing a bit. “What—”

“I’ve got this lover boy,” She smiled and patted his shoulder.

“She doesn’t want to be bothered,” Draco defended, glowering.

“Maybe not by you, but I think she needs a sister about now, what do you think?” Pansy raised an eyebrow at him, and it reminded him of all the times that Pansy had been there to be a sister to him and he nodded, knowing that it might help you more that he could.

Draco leaned against the wall, next to the bedroom door, his eyes closed.

“Draco?”

He peaked an eye open to find his mother on the landing with him.

“Is she alright?” Soft concern colored his mother’s voice.

“I have no idea,” It was a ragged whisper. “I knew we shouldn’t’ have invited her mother. I knew it was a bad idea,”

Narcissa laid a hand on his shoulder and tilted his chin up so that his eyes reached hers.

“It was going to happen eventually, but maybe now she can get some closure from it,” His mother sighed. “I remember the night that Andy walked out... it was weeks before that last fight and I could see how much it drained her. And you know it’s been hurting her too,”

“Andy?”

“Your aunt, Andromeda.” Narcissa smiled sadly. “Married a muggle and was disowned... she was barely older than you,”

“Talking about our dear sister again?” Another voice snarked from behind them.

They both turned to see Bellatrix leaning against the stair banister.

“She was a traitor, Cissy,” The witch sneered. “Walked away from this family. Married a muggle,”

“I know,” Narcissa’s voice was strained. “But I thought perhaps it would give some insight to what Y/n is going through,”

“Are you sympathizing with our dear sister then? Are you a traitor sister mine?” Bellatrix raised an eyebrow.

“Of course not,” His mother snapped. “If anything, Y/n has just affirmed her loyalty by turning her back on her muggle loving family,”

Draco knew the words were said to appease Bellatrix, but still he flinched at the reality of them and what it looked like on the outside. He knew that was far from the truth. He knew that you had walked out on your mother because she had a problem with you being with him. It had nothing to do with blood status. But perhaps the wicked narrative would keep you safe.

Three pairs of eyes snapped up as the door opened. Pansy emerged first, a smile on her face and you followed behind. You were smiling and held your head high. You were also barefoot, your stilettos in hand. Draco smiled at the sight.

His aunt on the other hand.

“Improper if you ask me,” She muttered.

“I don’t think anyone did,” The smile on your face was tight and he had to refrain from laughing at the look of shock on Bellatrix’s face. “My apologies Narcissa, I do believe that I may have ruined your dinner party,”

“Think nothing of it my dear,” His mother smiled. “I’m just glad to see that you’re alright.”

Tucked by his side, Draco tried to read your facial expressions, but even he couldn’t pick anything up. What you showed him seemed real. A real smile and real confidence, but he doubted that it was really the case given the present circumstances. But perhaps it wasn’t far fetched after all.

Bellatrix glared at you, but you held no air of worry or fear. Instead it was almost as if you were challenging her. Which left him wondering what in Merlin’s name had Pansy talked to you about.

Draco kept a close eye on you all night, but you really did seem alright. Curled up under his arm on the sofa in the company of just your friends, you were almost at ease. He itched to know what had happened between you and Pansy, but there was never a moment alone with just the two of you.

The night wound down, and soon it was only you, him, and his mother left in the large house. The both of you had drifted to the sitting room that held the grand piano. Draco’s fingers danced along the ivory keys, remembering how last Christmas he had composed for the first time. Your song was still remembered under his fingertips as it became a part of mini concert.

Christmas morning came and there were few presents under the tree, most of them trivial. Christmas seemed trivial. He had gotten a pack of permanent markers from Abby with a note saying that you would know what to do with them. You had gotten a pair of diamond earrings from him—and his mother. You both agreed, however, not to get each other anything. It was a depressing notion, but there was simply nothing to say about the occasion.

That evening, you donned your cloak and smiled at him softly.

“I’m gonna go visit Papa,” Your voice was soft and subtle. “Would you like to join me?”

His eyebrows shot up in surprise. He never expected for you to invite him to something like this. After the events of yesterday he didn’t feel worthy to go with you, let alone meet your father.

“It’s okay Draco, I can go alone,”

“No,” It was immediate. “You’re not going alone,”

Draco never thought that your father would be buried here. At Godric’s Hollow. He supposed it was a common place for wizards to be buried, but... he didn’t make the connection. There were others here as well and he could hear the faint hymns being sung at the church down the road. You and he were just cloaks in the crowd, two hoods visiting a loved one. You paused at a gravestone.

Walter Y/l/n

1956 — 1983

A Father and Husband

~Have Courage and Be Kind~

“Happy Christmas Papa,” You whispered softly, waving your wand, riding the gravestone of snow and frost. You sank to your knees, tears in your eyes and a smile on your lips. “I brought someone here to meet you,” Your fingertips brushed the stone. “This is Draco, Draco Malfoy. I know you probably don’t like the last name Papa, but... he is good,”

Tears welled in Draco’s eyes at the interaction. He stooped beside you, wrapping an arm around your shoulders.

“Hello,” His voice was tight. “You have a wonderful daughter,” A pause. “And though I cannot atone for my father’s mistakes, I will try. And I will be someone worthy of her affection and love,”

You laid your head on his shoulder, not saying anything, but rather enjoying the quiet night, the soft snow starting to fall. Drawing his wand, Draco conjured a small wreath of holly at the bed of the grave.

“He would be so proud of you,” Draco murmured. “As I am.”

“He would be proud of you too,” You looked up at him, snowflakes on your eyelashes. “We should go before the snow gets worse. I can feel it growing dangerous,”

Draco’s eyes darted around to the other mourners in dark colors that made only your silver cloak stand out when his eyes landed on a rather large focal statue. You followed his gaze and stood, standing.

“Do you think Harry has ever...?” The question was soft.

“I don’t think he knows it’s here,” Draco answer truthfully, his brows tugging together.

He led you down the rows of headstones until you were before Lily and James’ gave. It was sobering, seeing it like this. Draco knew the legends and stories, of course, but looking at the small bundle etched in the stone, cradled in Lily’s arms, it seemed almost too real. With your wand, you used the same spell and cleared the grave of frost and snow.

“As much of a prick that he is...” You trailed off. “I hope he’s having a good Christmas,” 

Draco hummed in acknowledgement.

___________________________________

Narcissa greeted us at the door to the Manor. A warning in her eyes. The warning, proven to be in vain because nothing could prepare us for what was awaiting inside. The treacherous smile of Bellatrix greeted us, as she was flanked by two others, in hoods and masks—deeming them unidentifiable. Even though I had seen her the night before, her civility seemed to have vanished.

“The young prince returns, dear sister,” Bellatrix cooed. “But he has not been such a good young prince now has he?” She twirled her wand in her hand as Draco took a step in front of me, his own wand out.

“Bellatrix,” A steady recognizable voice called.

My eyes snapped to the right where Snape stood. His nonchalant demeanor almost blending in with the gloom that hung in the air.

“You know his fate, Bellatrix,” Snape did not attempt to stop her, but something held in his words accomplished the feat.

“Yes,” Her head cocked to one side as she drawled out the word. “But he is not above the Dark Lord’s law. And that goes for his harlot.”

“You will not speak to her like that,” Draco spat, growling.

I placed a hand on his shoulder. I could handle some name calling. I was just desperately trying to figure out Bellatrix’s game and why she had come back and why the hell Snape was here too.

“You know, you might have gotten away with it, little tramp, had the Ministry and that blood traitor Weasley stepped in and torn through the enchantments,” The purr fell from her lips. “And Cissy you should really know better than to leave me alone anywhere,”

Bellatrix waved her wand and I felt unseen hands grab my arms and drag me forward, to the center of the foyer, and then they were gone, causing me to stumble onto my knees. I glowered up at the witch, picking myself up and drawing my wand.

“Bellatrix!” This time it was Narcissa.

“Worry not little sister,” The witch stalked up to me, her wand tracing along the scar that resided under my shirt: from her knife the last time we had met. “She is in no harm... The Dark Lord has plans for her after all... But I am afraid that her possessions...”

My eyes went wide. I shoved the idea that the Dark lord had plans for me and finally figured out her game. The reason she was here.

My room in the manor. Filled with my muggle books, and records, and photos... Everything I had left from the family and home I no longer had.

“Yes, little pet.” Bellatrix snapped. “But I wanted to take this as a learning opportunity. That the Dark Lord will expect nothing less than perfection—dedication.”

“Bellatrix, please—” I started, only for my voice to be taken by a flick of her wand. 

“You will be silent, little toad,” She snapped.

I turned, and saw Draco standing with his mother, pure fury written on his face as Narcissa held him back. As much as I yearned for his touch and comfort, I knew that this had to be played very carefully for us to survive. His eyes met mine.

“Come, come,” The deranged witched cooed almost happily.

Draco wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me along beside him. I looked up at him with frantic questions in my eyes, but he just shook his head. Though I couldn't hear the others behind us, I was sure they were there. Standing at the door of what was once my room, I saw the scattered books, torn pages, and absolute destruction that was in the room’s wake. Tears welled in my eyes at the sight. Draco’s and Narcissa’s arms around me were the only thing that held me back from running forward to save something—anything.

“Draco,” Bellatrix motioned him forward. Rigidly he let me go and took a step forward.

“The Dark Lord and every Death Eater believes that Purebloods are superior. That Muggles are filth and should not be considered human. And yet you allow such scum in your house. Muggle scum.” Bellatrix turned to Draco. “Destroy them. Prove your loyalty, little prince.”

Narcissa’s arms became a vice grip, holding me up instead of holding me back. I ducked into her shoulder, not being able to bring myself to watch what I knew had to be done.

“Confringo,”

Time passed. I wasn’t sure how much time. Maybe seconds... maybe an hour. Everything froze around me. My lung burned for oxygen. My eyes saw nothing. There was nothing left for me to see. Nothing but destruction in wake.

________________________________

“Draco give her mind time to protect itself,” Snape’s calm voice chided, watching the young boy pace outside the room you were in, nursed by Narcissa.

“No.” He snapped. “She—Fuck she’s going to hate me! Do you realize what I’ve just done!” He nearly screeched. “I’ve just destroyed everything—”

“And rightfully so!” Snape hissed. “Do you think the Dark Lord would be as forgiving as Bellatrix? If he came here and saw such things?” Snape’s eyes narrowed. “If it weren’t for the Dark Lord’s plans for her, she’d be under a gravestone by now.”

“Plans for her!?” Draco rushed his teacher, wand out. “No. He doesn’t touch her.” The threat was malicious and icy.

“It is out of your hands,” Snape merely brushed Draco’s wand away. “Has today not been enough for you to understand that there is no other choice for you here?”

Draco took a cool step back. “Crystal.”

The door opened and two pairs of eyes snapped and fell upon a weary Narcissa.

“She is awake,” Her voice wavered slightly. Narcissa walked forward and placed a hand on her son’s shoulder. “She’s asking for you,”

Ice ran through Draco’s veins as dread filled his chest. Maybe this was it. Maybe this was goodbye. Maybe this finally broke you. It’s what he dreaded the most, but knew it was coming.

You were sitting up, on the edge of the bed, your gaze cast to the floor. 

“Y/n, please, you have to—”

You held your hand up and shook your head.

“Books... can be bought again. So, can records...”

“But they—I...”

“Draco,” You called, squeezing your eyes shut. “I know.” Your voice was curt. “I know, but right now, if I dwell on that...”

He nodded and looked down.

“Can you ever forgive me?” Tears welled in his eyes as he sat beside. “Please forgive me,”

“You had no choice,” Your voice was small. “They’re just... things.” Your eyes still didn’t open. “They��re trying to break us. Break me. The Dark Lord has plans for me,” You almost scoffed. “Like I’m his pawn. Like I belong to him!” You stood pacing the room. “Well you know what? He can watch me bleed, he can watch me burn, but I will not give in!” Your voice was vehement. “I—won’t—break,”

Draco gaped at you, utterly shocked. This was... new. This was different. This was also the first time that he had ever seen you so adamantly speak against the Dark Lord with such fervor. A kind of courage that he wished he possessed. A determination that made him believe that maybe, if nothing else, you would get through this. It gave him hope that maybe he would too.

You sat beside him again and took a deep breath, running a hand through your hair. 

“How are you feeling?” You voice was gentle and soft.

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” A small smile touched his lips.

A shrug fell from your shoulders and your hand ran up and along his left arm. The action alone eased the ache of the magic etched into his skin.

“I hate what I am,” He confessed through tears. “I hate what I’ve done and what I have to do. I... I don’t want to kill anyone. I don’t want to hurt anyone,” Sobs wracked his frame. “And I don’t know how you’re getting through this so well because I’m just breaking. I’m broken.”

Your arms wrapped around him, head resting on his shoulder.

“And that’s okay,” You pressed a kiss to his shoulder. “Go ahead and break. You’ve been strong too long, Draco.” Your hand ran through his hair.

He clung to you desperately, sobbing into your shoulder, hiding there. And he did break. He broke on you. He came apart at the seams in your hands and you held him together.

“I—I don’t w-want to kill him,” He sniveled. “W-why haven’t you tried to stop me?” He started to hiccup from the lack of oxygen.

You took his shoulders and looked him in the eye.

“Deep breath,” You instructed and took an exaggerated breath waiting for him to follow suit. It was shaky and ragged, but Draco managed a couple. “And because I wanted you to figure that out on your own. I wanted you to make that choice,” Your thumb brushed away his tears. “And I’m so proud of you for making it,”

He nodded and collapsed back into your arms a sense of relief flooding through him despite the threats that closed in from all sides.

__________________________________

“M-miss?”

It was early January when the house-elf came to me, clutching something in her hands tightly. Cassie, I thought was her name.

“Yes?” I knelt down, a soft demeanor to the action.

“I—I am—” She started to hyperventilate, tears in her wide eyes.

“It’s alright, sweetheart,” I soothed softly. “I won’t hurt you, nor tell you to hurt yourself. You’re safe in my presence,” I held my hands out, a slow action, showing the cowering house elf that they were empty and held no threat.

“I—I have been a b-bad house elf,” She cried. “I s-stole from M-miss,”

I frown furrowed my brows. I couldn’t think of anything that I owned that was worth stealing. A depressing thought tacked on that I didn’t own anything worthwhile even to me at the moment.

“It’s alright,” I smiled something sad.

The house elf held out what she was clinging too.

My photo album, the gift from Abby last Christmas. Tears sprung in my eyes as I hastily snatched the book from the house elf’s grasp.

“P-p-please do n-n-not be cross with C-C-Cassie,” The elf sobbed. “S-she likes l-l-looking at the p-p-pictures of h-h-happy mom-ments.”

“Oh, I’m not mad,” I quickly rushed out. “Not even in the slightest,” Tears streamed down my face. “You saved this,” I set the album down and drew the elf into a hug that she tried to scramble from but eventually relaxed, sobbing into my shoulder. “Thank you, thank you.” I cried.

“P-P-Please do not tell Master D-Draco,” She sniveled. “Y-Y-You have a-a-always been k-k- kind to us e-e-e-elves, p-p-please,”

“Y/n?” Draco’s voice was concerned. “Tell me what?” Cassie squawked and hid behind me, cowering. 

“M-m-m-master D-Draco,” The elf stammered apologies.

“What’s going on?” Draco was reserved, a mask of calm.

“Cassie, she saved my album.” I ran my fingers over the leather cover. “She took it from my room I guess... said she liked to look at the photos,”

Shock and relief flitted across Draco’s face in waves. He knelt down beside me and brought the book into his hands tears in his eyes.

“Thank you,” He spoke softly to the house elf. “Thank you for saving what I couldn’t,” 

“Draco,” I chided softly, reaching out for him. “It wasn’t your fault,”

“Regardless if it was or not,” He turned his attention back to the house elf. “You have my deepest gratitude,”

I flipped to a worn page by my own hand, to a day last year in the snow of four friends laughing and smiling. It wasn’t much, but I supposed it was something to believe in.

.

Chapter 9

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Masterlist

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[bedbellyandbeyond]

Dinner at the Demers

(Story Post)

“Here we are,” Fay said pulling up the driveway. He parked and smiled to Theo. “Let me get your door.” “I got it,” Theo chuckled, opening his door and getting out himself. As his case worker, Fay had been helping Theo a lot with talking out his feelings around his pregnancy. The merman was more than friendly and Theo always felt comfortable around him, even when it came to very personal things like body dysmorphia or feelings of loneliness. Theo had found that he and Fay had a few things in common, like the fact that they'd both left home to pursue their careers. After just a few sessions with him, Theo liked to consider the merman his friend and was very happy to be invited over to his place for dinner. “Thanks for having me,” Theo said as he followed Fay to the front door. “I don't get out much, especially now.” “It's no problem,” Fay said. “Dari was glad to hear you were coming. He has a habit of taking group members in under his wing. Camilo's like a son to him now.”

“I'm pretty sure I'm older than Dari…” Theo said. “You're the same age actually,” Fay stated. Theo blinked. “He's thirty?!” “Looks can be deceiving,” Fay said. “He looks like he's twenty at most,” Theo stated. “Is he aging backwards?” “It's a little complicated but it isn't my place to explain,” Fay said. “Let's just say his body needs time to catch up.” “Okay, but, like…” Theo rubbed his neck. “I'm gonna have a hard time not thinking about that.” “If you get him in the right mood, Dari will tell you whatever,” Fay assured. “Anyway, we eat a lot of fish in this household, but I understand someone in your condition might prefer something safer so we also have chicken. What do you prefer?” “Oh, fish is fine,” Theo said. “Dr. Aias said there really isn't any diet restrictions for me, so long as I eat healthy for myself. I can smoke and drink if I want. The baby's not going anywhere. I don’t smoke. Haven’t really touched alcohol either… Still feels kinda wrong.” “Fair enough,” Fay unlocked the door and let them inside. “Oh, don't let the cat out.” “Huh?” Theo looked down to try and see if any animals were at his feet but he then realised he couldn't see his feet at all and a second later, a cat dashed out from under him and onto the porch. “Ah, sorry Theo, I wasn't thinking,” Fay said. He managed to catch the feline and pick her up. “This is Slippers. She's very curious and friendly.” Theo offered a hand to sniff and then pet the cat on the head. “She's very cute.” “I got her as a gift for Dari a while back,” Fay said. “He's very protective of her so even though we don't get much traffic out here, she's best as an indoor cat.” “Got it.” “Come meet the kids,” Fay said. “Twins should be down for a nap right now, but otherwise, trouble should be about.” It didn't take long until the first few heads popped out to see them. “Papa!” one child yelled, flinging themselves around Fay's waist. Another just stood there and pointed at Theo. “Baby belly!” Theo flushed red. “Uh, yeah...” “Otter, pointing is rude,” Fay said, pushing his son's hand down. “Apologise to my friend Theo.” “Sorry, my friend Theo,” Otter said, still just staring up at the man. “It's fine,” Theo assured. “Siv, mon poussain,” Fay said to the other boy, sliding a hand between his side and his son to pry him off. “Papa can't move if you're hugging so tight.” “I missed you,” Siv whined. “I missed you too,” Fay said, petting his son's head. “Where's Daddy?” “Green room,” Siv said, pointing to the back of the house. “Greenhouse. And your sisters?” “Um... Ari and Kat with Milo and Zoe with Daddy and the babies sleep.” “And do we remember the babies names?” Fay asked. “Um...” “I do!” Otter said quickly. “I know you do,” Fay said patting Otter's head. “I want Siv to remember. They're a little harder.” “Oh.” Siv racked his brain. “Uh, Anna and...” He looked at Otter who was signing to him. “Isa...belle?” “Annabelle and Isabelle, that's right,” Fay approved. “Next time, no cheating. Get your big brother and let's meet in the greenhouse, okay?” Siv looked at Otter and then grabbed his arm. “Specifics... Both of you get your eldest brother, understood?” Fay rephrased. “Yeah!” Otter said, letting go of his father and taking Siv's arm to go get Milo with him. Fay took Theo outside to the back of the house. Theo was immediately impressed by the spacious yard, with a pool as well as a relatively large greenhouse. Inside, there were rows and rows of vegetables and flowers growing. Dari was found between the leaves, dwarfed by his own six-foot-tall tomato plants. Zoe was toddling about at his feet and grabbing any ripe tomatoes she could get her little hands on. Dari looked upset when he heard Fay and Theo entering. “Zoe, tomatoes in the basket, bunny,” he instructed as he pulled off his gardening gloves. Zoe completely ignored him and just kept grabbing tomatoes, ripe or not and trying to put them in her mouth. “My love,” Fay said, stepping up to his husband and wrapping his arms around him. Dari took his sun hat off and wacked Fay over the arm with it. “You should've reminded me Theo was coming over! I would've started dinner early.” “I told you this morning. What more reminders do you need?” Fay asked. “And that's not a jab, I want you to know.” “...Maybe, an hour before you leave work,” Dari said. “It takes two hours to make dinner?” Fay asked. “It can!” Dari said. “It allows me time to prepare. Now a guest will have to wait with us.” Fay kissed his forehead. “I'll make dinner. You can do your thing. Hang out with Theo.” “Hi, Theo,” Dari finally said, acknowledging his guest. “I'm sorry about this.” “You really have nothing to apologise for,” Theo said. “I don't mind waiting to eat. I had a big lunch.” “Come here,” Dari waved Theo over. Theo obeyed, going over to Dari. “Your garden is amazing. I feel like you never have to get groceries.” “That’s the idea,” Dari said, nodding. He hovered a hand over Theo's stomach. “Can I touch?” “Sure. You're not the first.” Dari placed his hand on the protrusion and rubbed softly. “Aliens, right?” “That's right. Though, they’re not big enough to feel or anything…” “I'll go start dinner,” Fay said, leaving them be. “Were you abducted?” Dari asked. Theo shook his head. “No. Well, not really. Not in the traditional sense. I was...visited in my dreams.” “That's different...” Dari pondered. “Different?” Dari took his hand back and patted his own chest. “I was abducted. I had children for the aliens, each ripped from me the moment they were born. Or even before.” Theo frowned. “I'm so sorry... That's terrible.” Dari shrugged. “I don't really...feel anything from it anymore. It's like a part of my life I won't get back so why should I lend it any feelings?” “I mean, I guess that's good...” Theo considered. Dari suddenly lifted his own shirt, revealing his slightly distended and scarred stomach. “You see this ‘X’ scar? They implanted an artificial womb inside me and a ‘gamete converter’, which basically steals my DNA and turns it into egg cells... In a way, I stole it from them... I was able to make my children with it, so...it's like...not all bad.” “...Why are you telling me all this?” Theo asked. Dari pulled his shirt back down. “I don't do well in groups but when I heard your situation, I knew I had something in common and I feel like everyone needs people they can relate to for support. I want you to know that I'm here and, at least on the non-consensual alien pregnancy level, I understand more than most people will ever understand.” Theo smiled a bit. “Oh. Thank you. I guess you're right.” “If there's ever anything I can help you with, don't hesitate to contact me,” Dari said. “And don't for a second think you have to forgive them for doing this to you. I haven't.” Theo nodded slowly. “...Um, so Fay mentioned you and I are the same age?” Dari tilted his head. “Are you thirty?” Theo nodded. “You just... You look so young.” Dari put his hands on his hips. “Why, cause I'm short?” “No, well, um...” Dari looked away and started meddling with some cucumber. “I was abducted when I was fifteen. This thing inside me synthesised a chemical similar to estrogen so I didn't really have a chance to finish puberty until I got back... I'm on hormone therapy now. I was supposed to be, ever since I got back, but I couldn't really do it while pregnant five times, could I?” “Five times?” Theo asked. “I thought you have eight kids.” “Twins exist, Theo,” Dari said. “Fay carried Otter and Milo was born well before I got back to Earth.” “But, wouldn’t that—” Theo was cut off when a big red beast of a person came bounding outside carrying two little girls with him and with Siv and Otter at his heels. They came inside and the small children immediately dispersed to go look at the plants and pick anything that looked ripe enough to eat off the stem. The giant red man went directly to the adults and loomed over them, his head nearly brushing the ceiling. Theo was shocked beyond belief and froze up immediately. “Milo, my biggest boy!” Dari cooed wrapping his arms around his son's waist. He was two or three heads shorter than Milo and could barely see above his chest. “Milo, this is Theo. He's a friend.” Milo put the girls down and waved to Theo, before signing to his father. “Milo says he really likes your hair,” Dari said. “I think it's because it's a colour he can actually see well. He’s a bit colour blind.” “Oh, um. Tell him thanks for me?” Theo requested. “Tell him yourself. He can hear you, he just can't speak like us,” Dari explained, happily patting Milo's chest. “He's my big growly boy...” “Oh! Okay, thanks Milo,” Theo said, running a hand through his own hair. “I need to dye it again soon though.” Milo nodded, smiling and signed again. “He thinks you look cool with the roots,” Dari said. “It’s almost like Fay and Ari’s hair. You’re like an honorary merperson.” Theo smiled. “Thanks, but I think Fay pulls off two colours much better than I do. It’s not even blended.” Milo signed again to Dari but Dari didn’t translate and just signed back. Milo looked a little upset and then signed again. “Milo wants to compliment you on your pregnancy,” Dari said. “I told him it might not be appropriate but he insisted.” “That's cool. Thanks, Milo,” Theo said, trying to stay calm in front of the seven-foot-tall red man. “How um, how old is he?” “Twelve or thirteen, we think,” Dari said. “Hard to say.” “You don't know?” Theo asked. “Yeah, well... They weren't really handing out Earth calendars aboard the sex trafficking space ship, so I really don't know when he was born,” Dari said. “We use the day that he came home to us as his birthday.” “That's really... That's some crazy stuff that happened to you, Dari,” Theo said. “I'm so sorry.” “Don't be. It was years ago.” “But really, you talk about it so casually. You know, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to.” Dari patted Theo’s shoulder. “It happened. It was terrible. It's left me physically, mentally and emotionally scarred for life. But that's all it is. Scars. I can't do much about it. All you can really try to do with scars is put lotion on them or tattoo over them. I'm tired of doing that, so I just wear them. The nightmares come less and less. My physical scars don't hurt anymore. When I tell my story, I can detach myself from it. I don't let it bother me.” He patted Theo's cheek. “Oh, but if it bothers you, I won't talk about it.” “Oh, no, no. I don't mind,” Theo said. “Thank you for opening up.” Dari sighed and put his hands on his hips. “Of course, you don't have to share either if you don't want to. But I am curious... You weren't abducted, but you also don't strike me as the type of guy who hangs around alien bars. No, wait. You mentioned dreams? How does that work?” “It's kind of embarrassing...” Theo said. Dari lifted his own shirt and patted his stomach. “Looking four months pregnant for the rest of your life is embarrassing.” Theo proceeded to tell Dari everything, how the celestial apparently impregnated him in his dreams and how on the first day, he grew so rapidly. Dari listened intently and when he was done, offered up his sympathy and advice. Theo mentioned Henderson, but only as a friend helping him out. He didn't mention that they'd slept together because he still didn't know what it meant yet. They chatted a little more for a while until it was dinner time and they headed on inside. Theo enjoyed his time at the Demers house. The food was good and there was nothing but energy in the dining room as they ate. Siv took a liking to Theo in particular and spent most of the meal telling him about his favourite frog he found the other day. Fay later expressed to his guest how delighted he was to see Siv opening up so easily with Theo since he was apparently the shiest child. This made Theo feel quite a bit better about having to listen to ‘hop hop hop’ and ‘ribbitty ribbit’ over and over. At the end of the night, Fay drove him home. He welcomed Theo to their house any time and Fay would be happy to drive. Theo thanked him for hosting him and then got himself ready for bed. He was exhausted from just being around so many children at one time and was very glad that he would not be dealing with anything like that for himself any time soon.

[mangolover]

Christmas Get Together - Ikevamp Mozart fanfiction

Title: Christmas Get Together

Prompt: “Oi! That’s my hot chocolate!”

Fandom: Ikemen Vampire  / Ikevamp

Pairing: Mozart X You (F!Reader)

Genre: Fluff

Warnings: cringy fluff

Spoilers: No spoliers that would ruin Mozart’s route. GO READ IT, I LOVED IT AND I JUST FINISHED IT YESTERDAY!

Word Count: 1900+

Description: You suggest that residents and Will have a little family get together on the Christams day since it’s a modern tradition and after a fun snowball fight, you decide to make yourself some hot chocolate.

Enjoy!

Merry Christmas to anyone who celebrates it! I wish You a wonderful day and some amazing gifts!  💖

It wasn't a common tradition to celebrate Christmas in the 19th century France like it is in present time. But since it was your first December in Le Comte’s mansion, you decided to propose the idea of having a little “family get together” to Comte. You were even ready to invite William Shakespeare, even if some of the residents like Theo and Leo weren’t too happy with that idea. Comte was aware of the celebrations that were happening in the present and he was more than happy to help you organize your little gathering.

You, Comte and Sebastian discussed everything that was necessary.

“Is there any way we can get even a fake Christmas tree to decorate? It’s a common tradition for families to gather together on the Christmas Eve and decorate it, putting the star on the top and then place the presents under it, telling kids that Santa put them under.”

“I’m sorry ma chérie, that might not be possible on such a short notice,” Come de Saint-Germain said with an apologetic look on his face. That was understandable, after all it’s not a tradition yet. Still, you couldn’t help but feel a little sad.

“So, we will have to discuss all the meals we need to make. Not to mention baking all the cookies,” Sebastian was making a mental check list and mumbling to himself. That really sounds like a lot of work, though.

Half an hour late, you three have planned everything and the only thing left to do was inform all the residents and send an invitation to Will. As you were walking down the hall, collecting dirty sheets to wash, you heard the melody of piano coming for the music room. It was a new composition, that was for sure. It was a happy melody, filled with love and leaving a warm fuzzy feeling in your chest. Playing the piano was none other than your lover, a talented and famous Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. You knew that you had work to do and that he wouldn’t mind you coming into the room to listen to him playing, but you decided to sneak up closer to enjoy that feeling just a tad bit longer. You put the basket with laundry down and crept up to doors to music room on your tippy toes, holding your breath and trying to make as little sound as possible.

But like any other time, Mozart heard you and stopped playing. That startled you and you tried to get away unnoticed, but failed miserably as Mozart opened the door with a raised eyebrow. You turned your head around and gave him a sheepish smile. He just let out a little sigh, shaking his head with a smile on his face.

“How many times do I have to tell you meine liebe? You’re always welcome to stop by and listen, no need to try sneaking up on me.”

“Sorry, I kind of get lost in that melody you were playing. It’s perfect for this winter time.”

“Why do you think so?” He asked, a puzzled expression on his delicate face.

“Well, in future we celebrate this holiday called Christmas on 25th of December. And all the Christmas songs leave a fuzzy and warm feeling in your chest, just like this one.” You explained with a smile on your face. Christmas was your favorite holiday ever, “that reminded me! We’re having a little get together in the mansion that day. Everyone will be there, even Shakespeare.”

On mention of William’s name, Mozart made a bitter face, but he knew you were getting along just fine with him. You respected him and you would sometimes go hang out with him and Vincent when either Vincent asked you to accompany him or when Theo asked you to look out for him so that, and I quote, “Snake”, can’t manipulate him.

“So, can I count on my lover to be there as well?” You asked sweetly.

“You know I can’t leave you alone because you would end up doing something stupid.”

“That last part was uncalled for!” You pouted, “but I’ll love you, so I’ll forgive you if you give me a kiss.”

Mozart happily obeyed your wish and kissed you tenderly on your lips, placing his hands on your cheeks. When he pulled away, you quickly bid him farewell with a quick embrace and then you went to do your usual work, excited about the upcoming event.

And so, preparations started. Everyone has been informed and most of the residents were eager to help you prepare for this, dear to you, modern holiday. You even got shy Isaac to join you, but under one condition. You, Arthur and Dazai are not allowed to make fun of him. And Theo was only helping and attending because Vincent made him and Napoleon bribed him with his pancakes.

When the 25th of December finally arrived, you were ready to eat till you were sick and then relax in the living room where Mozart would his new composition that left you feeling so warm and fuzzy the last time you heard it. Of course, you had to beg him and bribe him with chocolate, but he promised that he will play it, only because you are the one that asked him to do it.

That morning you woke up before the dawn and got out of Mozart’s bed, trying not to wake him up. You silently got ready for this special day and got down to kitchen to help Sebastian with the breakfast and slowly started making the special lunch menu you and him have settled on. Residents slowly started piling up in the dinning room as they woke up, getting their rouge or blanc and some breakfast if they wanted.

Fast forward to lunch time. You helped Sebastian serve everyone a meal and then grabbed yourself something. All 13 of you sat down at the table and everyone silently turned their heads toward you, staring.

“Uh, do I have something on my face?” You asked nervously and gently outstretched your hand towards a napkin.

“Could you all not stare at her, please?” Mozart lowered his gaze, “you’re all clearly making her uncomfortable.”

“My apologies Mozart,” Comte chimed in with a polite smile, “we’re all wondering what we should do next.”

“Oh, I forgot about the traditional toast, I’m sorry everyone!” You apologized and slowly rose to your feet, gently raising your glass and softly calling: “I wish you all a merry Christmas, I’m really happy I have this amazing opportunity to celebrate this holiday with my family, and that includes you too William. So, I wish you all a pleasant rest of the day and I would once again like to thank You all with all your help and for this opportunity, I love you all”, you finished with a smile on your face and everyone smiled, even Mozart, Jean, Isaac and Theo and followed your lead, rising their glasses and wishing each other a merry Christmas.

After the wonderful lunch, you all moved to the living room where the piano from the music room was moved so Mozart could play for you all.

“Remember, you owe me a chocolate,” he whispered in your ear before walking and settling down at the piano followed by the applause of the audience. His fingers flowed from one key to the other, a soft smile on his lips. He was in his own world now and you started at him in awe. No matter how many times you watched him play, you were always fascinated by it. You’re sure you will never get bored of his playing.

Few nice comments and one more applause arose from the residents and yourself as the last note faded and Mozart dipped in a little bow, announcing the last part of this get together. Qualitly family time!

“Okay everyone, settle down” you spoke, “now is the time for some Christmas stories and hanging out.” And so, you told them of many modern Christmas stories, some happy and some sad. And when you noticed the sunset begging to appear, you suggested to go out and have a snowball fight in the garden.

“Got you Hondje!” Theo called out as he hit you right in the face with a snowball. The impact made you stumble backwards and you fell on your bum. You quickly wiped the snow of your face and opened your eyes only to see Mozart’s worried face a few inches away from yours, tinting your cheeks a slight rosy color. “Are you alright, meine liebe?” Mozart asked, his voice full of affection and worry.

“Yeah, I’m alright don’t worry Wolf” you smiled and he got to his feet, only for Theo to make his way to you and hold out his hand, “I’m sorry hondje, here.”

He helped you to your feet and you laughed, shoving some of the snow you picked up before you took his hand, right in his face. This irritated him and you had to start running for your dear life as other residents laughed. “I’m sorry Theo, please don’t kill me!”

“Come here Hondje, I just want to talk!” He shouted behind you, throwing some snowballs your way.

“Theo, be gentle!” Vincent yelled out of concern for you even if he knew Theo wouldn’t hurt you.

“Eeek! Let me go!” You screeched with surprise as Theo caught up to you and picked you up, throwing you over his shoulder. He had much longer legs after all. He carried you back to the group of residents that have all scattered around as Comte and Leonardo teamed up and dominated over them, throwing seemingly endless number of snowballs their way.

“Well Theo, that’s no way to treat a lady” Arthur said with a teasing smile, rising from his hiding place only to get hit by a snowball.

“You’re going to make our little Wolf jealous,” Dazai chimed in, giving away his safe spot, only he managed to avoid getting hit.

Theo put you down and you couldn’t stop laughing, clearly having the time of your life as you ran to Comte and Leo and joined them in shooting other residents.

And so, your little snowball fight continued on late into the afternoon. You all only returned back in to the mansion because you were all freezing and your hands felt numb. Some of the residents decided to go and warm themselves in thermae while some decided to go back to their rooms, seeking a change of clothes. You however decided to go change into some warm and dry clothes and then head to the kitchen.

You wanted to make yourself some hot chocolate since that would definitely warm you up and you always remembered drinking it as a kid in the winter. But just as you poured the hot beverage into your mug, you felt someone’s warmth against your back and saw a delicate hand reaching for it.

“Oi! That’s my hot chocolate!” you turned around ready to fight anyone who might try and take you favorite drink from you, only to see Mozart with a smirk on his face.

“As I already said, meine liebe, you owe me some chocolate, so I’ll be taking this now” he said and stepped to the side.

“Whatever, I’ll just make myself another one” you said with a little sigh and a shrug.

After you put the milk on the stove you stole a glance Mozart’s way, only to see him with a childlike grin on his face as he slowly sipped his hot chocolate. You had to place a hand over your mouth to stifle a giggle back and not ruin that adorable sight that surely warmed your heart and made this Christmas the best one so far.

 The end!

[hamilsquadwritings]

The Flowers (Philip Hamilton Soulmate AU) ~ part 3 ~

A Soulmate AU in which flowers bloom from your left ring finger, coiling up and around your body, Identical to your soulmates. They stop growing when you meet and turn white when you get together

Soulmate AU in which flowers bloom from your left ring finger, coiling up and around your body, Identical to your soulmates. They stop growing when you meet and turn white when you get together Soulmate AU in which flowers bloom from your left ring finger, coiling up and around your body, Identical to your soulmates. They stop growing when you meet and turn white when you get together

(I decided to work on an old idea I had on my old blog @stargazelaurens and develop it properly)

Words - 2.2k

Warnings - Eacker being an asshole, a couple swears

Tag list {omg people want to be tagged?!<33}: @elizabethgrace459 @agelicl-y @popbubblegum @livylululivy @fanfic-addict-98 @xoxotashxoxo @laic2299 @multifandom-loser @loomingisabel

{{let me know if you wanna be added!!}}

Your flowers had stopped growing.

You couldn't be sure, but all of your flowers had six petals. All except the new one blooming, it wrapped its way around your pinky finger but only five petals were present. Uncertainty filled your mind. 5 petals. How long had they been there? Was it possible that it was working on a vine or a leaf, only to come back to the last petal, if there was to be a final petal.

It had been 2 days since you’d spent the night with your sister, Theodosia and Philip. Spending time with them was a solace and you were more then eager to be away from the monster that was unfortunately still your fiance. You spent a full day with them on a picnic yesterday. Sure it was a bit awkward to start with but at least you werent the only third wheel anymore, you had someone to keep you company while Theo and your sister occupied each other

---

"theyre pretty cute huh.." philip says softly. He was leaning against a tree while you sat across from him working on a drawing. He looks over across the meadow to watch your sister and Theodosia pick wild flowers to weave into each other's hair.

"they’re so perfect for eachother" you say looking up from your drawing over at them your eyes meeting his in understanding

"I wish I could meet my soulmate..." Philip sighed softly. He hadn't stayed up to date with his flowers. He'd been obsessed at one point, his eyes glued to his arm. He’d trace them with a pen, growing disappointed when a new vine or leaf would emerge from under the ink. He rarely glanced at them now to avoid the disappointment. Philip knew the chances of meeting your soulmate was slim but he couldn't help but hope, desperate as hope may have seemed. It didn’t help that he was engaged to someone who had already met her soulmate.

"me too.." you say as you take a second to glance down at your own markings. You looked to your newest flower tracing the familiar pattern with your fingertip counting the petals, sighing softly, still only five petals.

"Is everthing okay?" philip asks curiously

"uh.." you say quietly briefly looking at him and then back to your flowers "I think maybe my flowers might have stopped growing.. Im not entirely sure but I think they might have..?" You trail off meeting his eyes as you lean back.

"Do you know who it could be if they have?" Philip asks as he looks over, he catches a brief glance at your wrist, his breath catching in his throat, the flowers weaving their way around your hand looked so familiar- no no he shook his head. How could he could he even entertain the thought, there was no way...

"no..." you say with a soft sigh, even on the small chance that you had met your soul mate, the options weren't looking good. On one hand you had George; you would rather live without a soulmate than live with him. On the other hand the only other new person you had spent time with in the last few months was Philip. The universe would never be that kind to you, besides there was that teeny tiny problem. He waa engaged to your sister.

---

Philip had spoken to his mother the day after you told them what had happened with George. She, as expected, was completely horrified. She listened as Philip explained what you had told him and your sister and how it made him feel. He didn't need to embellish anything, he would never admit it but he cared about you, more than in just a sister in law way. He couldn't do anything about it of course, because you were engaged and so was he. But with your sister and Theo being confirmed soul mates he knew he would never be number one for her. Philip was honest with himself, and sadly felt a bit cheated. He'd always grown up with his parents' example, they may not have been soulmates but they did truly love each other. He thought he would have that when he grew up. Well, he had hoped anyway. But the world seemed to have a very different plan. The conversation you'd had with him the day after the picnic only made his feelings and thoughts more confusing. 

You were sitting in your room with your sister, Theodosia, Philip and Angelica when the Eackers arrived. The shouting was heard by all through three closed doors and a flight of stairs. Philip filled you and your sister in on what had happened the day before. His mother had interrupted Alexander at work to tell him he had to do something. He'd listened as his wife relayed everything Philip said to her that afternoon. Allowing her own suspicions of how their son felt about you to be heard as well. He  agreed to call off the engagement. Not only could Alexander see how much it meant to his son, but if a family was willing to pretty much give their youngest daughter away to be a prisoner locked in a room. It wasn't a family he wanted his son to marry into.

He'd met with your parents the next afternoon, they were equally horrified. Your mother was beside herself, your father however was embarrassed at hearing about it from an outsider instead of you. When he’d called you into the office to explain, your sister had spoken for you. She hadn't realised Philip would be talking to his parents so quickly. She herself had planned to bring it up that afternoon. Then the yelling had started. Your father at you. Your sister and mother at your father. 

Mrs. Hamilton had quickly intervened, telling Philip to take you, Theo, your sister and his upstairs. They would be the ones to handle things for now. Your father had sent a message for the Eackers, requesting their urgent presence. Alexander and Eliza had just taken their leave before the Eacker’s arrival.

The Eackers were in your fathers office with your parents for over an hour before you heard anything. A stark change to when the Hamilton’s were in there, it was so silent you could hear a pin drop.

"Y/N!" Your father calls. You look at your sister quickly, unsure what to expect. She stands at the top of the stairs with Angie, Theo and Philip as you make your way down. George was waiting at the bottom of the stairs with your father. His parents were already waiting outside in the carriage.

"Darling” George says with false endearment. “Your father has told us the most disturbing things. I'm not sure how you’ve become mistaken.. I am so sorry that you thought we’d ever.. well that we’d ever mistreat you in any way, I could never.." he says holding out a hand for you, taking yours when you stare into his open palm, he uses it to pull you flush against his, his other holding you close “you have to know that. I would never dream of treating my bride to be with such hate.” His voice was thick with sadness and regret. You were a bit impressed by  his acting abilities, though they were merely an extension of his twisted nature and despicable lies. You were even more repulsed that he could even put on such an act after the way he had planned to treat you. 

"Well now that all that has been sorted.. until next time Mr Eacker" your father says dismissively as he breezes past you both without a glance in your direction retreating back into his office. You looked around for your mother, she had already left to the garden, leaving you alone with George.

"Wait.. were still getting married?" You ask in confusion, your eyebrows furrowing across your forehead. You could feel your skin growing cold. The realization of your near future playing vicious images in your mind, this couldn’t be happening.

"Well of course we are sweetheart.." George saying taking your arm, squeezing just hard enough that it was uncomfortable. He watches your fathers office door shut as he leans in "listen, closely, I wont say this twice.. if you ever pull a stunt like this again.." his voice was rough and cold, dripping with the thrill of threatening you. 

You look up the stairs meeting the curious and worried eyes of your sister, best friend and the Hamiltons. George pulls you out of their view. You barely heard his harsh words, they didn't make any impact, you couldn't believe it. Not only had George managed to weasel his way around your father, but now your father was angry with you for telling the Hamiltons before you told him. According to him therewas nothing wrong and you had made a fuss only to embarrass him in front of the Hamiltons and the Eackers. That couldn't be further from the truth, although you knew he would never see it that way, if he wouldn’t listen to Mr and Mrs Hamilton what hope did you have?

You were pulled from your thoughts as George kissed your cheek, it took everything in you not to flinch "I'd spend as much time as you can with them. That room of yours is going to be terribly lonely.." he whispers lowly looking from you up to the stairs where your friends were waiting. George smiled widely and waved, leaving your wrist with a handprint, that brought a red color to your flowers, before he headed to the door to leave with his parents. As soon as they were out of view, you dashed up the stairs to join your best friend, sister, her fiancé and his sister. 

"What happened??" Theo asks asks as your sister hugs you tightly. 

"Nothing... he lied and- “ You had to pause trying to control the fear your voice was sure to give away. “were still getting married" you say quietly as you hold onto her. Theo wrapped her arms around you both, holding you close. She couldn't believe it. Much like your sister, she'd offered to go and sort George out herself when your sister filled her in on what had been happening. Theodosia was a big believer in soulmates, the day she found your sister was the happiest day of her life. She felt that everyone deserved to experience the once in a lifetime happiness. Though she understood why some people didn't marry for love, she'd always found it cold how people married their children off. Even when it worked out. It was unfathomable to her that George and his family would treat you like that, and to actively plan it before you got married was beyond horrific. 

"How- what-" Angie says looking over to Philip quickly. He stood with his hand clenched tightly around the banister watching the carriage retreat down the drive. His jaw was set and tight with tension, his eyes full of anger. He really thought this was going to work. When you'd told him and (S/N) what happened he thought your father would listen to his and sort it out. He was horrified to learn not only was George getting away with it but just as your sister had predicted, it didn't seem like your father cared. At least not enough to put a stop to it, unlike his own parents. 

When Eliza had told Alexander he'd been furious, admittedly not just at the situation but for his own reputation (which was a problem in itself but not the one Philip wanted to focus on right now). If word got out that his daughter in law was being kept prisoner in such awful conditions the fall back on him, as a politician tasked with shaping the future, would be astronomical. And make no mistake, it would get out, Philip and (S/N) would make sure of it. 

(S/N) was pissed, there was no point in talking to your parents now. As far as they were concerned everything was resolved, it was just teenage meddling, despite the fact Philip’s parents has been involved. Your parents, especially your father, wouldn't hear anything more on the subject. In fact he was likely to raise his temper if she even thought of bringing up the subject. She glanced at Philip before she and Theodosia lead you to your room. She could tell he felt bad about talking to his parents straightaway. He should've listened to her and let her approach your parents first, it was a little late for that however.. she thought settling you into your bed tucking the small blanket around you comfortingly. 

"Thats it... there's nothing to be done. I have to marry him.." you say slowly, your voice full of defeat.  Your shoulders slumped as your sad eyes look to your sister and your best friend, taking their hands in each of yours "I'm going to spend every second with you guys.” You said finding a new determination “The next time I see him will not be a second before I have to"

[imaginarypeteel]

Trust The Cat: Theo Raeken x reader

Requested by anonymous

Warnings: curse words, angst, fluff, bad plot

Word count: 3k

A/n: First of all, I am soooo sorry that this isn't very good. I will probably make a part 2 for this so maybe that'll be better.

Unlike most supernaturals in Beacon Hills, you weren't very close with the McCall Pack. Well to be fair you weren't that much of a nonhuman anyway, having 10% of yourself being witch and the other pure human. But still, you knew rituals that had to be done for certain things and plants bloomed longer around you. The rituals would maybe be useful for the pack but your parents strictly forbid you from talking to any supernatural other than your family's black familiar cat Diablerie, your father and your grandmother. Your grandmother being half-witch and father being quarter of a witch...or whatever you'd like to call it for men.

But still, at school, Scott had noticed that the almost dead anthuriums on the window had come back to life when you had sat beside them. So safe to say, right after school you were questioned by Scott and Stiles. Knowing full well who they were, you knew better than to run off. Scott would catch you anyway. So, you decided to stay and talk to them.

That had gotten you into being a secret informant if they were dealing with something. You were an absolute mythical creatures nerd so only by hearing few details about something abnormal happening, you already had a list of creatures who could do it.

So when dread doctors came around and you couldn't figure out at first who it was, Scott constantly checked in with you. That of course got Theo's attention.

And so, him seducing you and giving you all sorts of attention started. Your naive nerd self didn't think twice about it. Stiles warned you, he told you he was suspicious, he told you not to get involved with him, he told you something was very off with him. But his warnings were overrun by Theo's good looks and sweet words.

Little did you know, all he wanted was information from you. You had the bad habit of blabbing out secrets of all kind once you got talking. Could've been anything from something minor you did in kindergarten to pack secrets you were trusted with.

But when you finally saw his true colors, you were wrecked.

Why didn't you listen to Stiles? Why didn't you think everything over before rushing into the relationship like you usually do? Why would someone as good looking as Theo even want to be with you? You were a nerd for fuck's sake! Didn't even really have any friends. Yes, you were part of a nature club but that really wasn't something to stand out with.

Why didn't you listen to Diablerie when she attacked him? Every single person in your family knows to always listen to a familiar's intuition. In this case Diablerie knowing that Theo is not to be trusted.

After finding out about Theo's betrayal - and after his sister had dragged him away - you distanced yourself from the pack, afraid you'd blab out more secrets.

Other than Stiles, none of them could even come into your garden. Your grandmother and father had set all sorts of traps and spells over your living quarters. If anyone who didn't have the blood of your great-grandmother but was a supernatural even dared to put their pinky toe over the invisible border, they'd quite literally fall six feet into the ground.

~~~

You had just gotten back from your long trip to Monaco with your family.

With great hesitation, you had sneaked off to Scott's house. Telling your nosy mother that you were going to the library. Wouldn't say you were lying since that was your plan after.

Now you were here, wanting to get this over with before Diablerie would somehow send a signal to your mom that in fact no, you weren't at the library like you told her. The damn cat was very cute and huge help very often but was also too loyal to your parents for your good. Her being able to know everything about everyone in your family didn't help at all.

"Let's get this over with, I don't have much time until Diablerie-" you cut off as your e/c eyes connected with certain blue ones. Mouth still open, eyes growing wide, you slowly turned your body towards Stiles before grabbing him by the ear and dragging him to another room, muttering, "Let's have a word."

You shut the door after letting his ear go. Seething, you turned towards the brunette boy who was rubbing his ear. "What the actual FUCK STILES?!" you hissed like a snake.

"Look, I know I was the one to say he is dangerous and off and all that and he was. I was right, nobody wants to listen to me though," he gave you an accusing look but your angry expression didn't waver, if anything, it got even more furious. "Okay, okay. So, Liam and Hayden might have released Theo because, well, ask them." You blinked. What the hell? What were they thinking?!

"Stiles what the hell were you dealing with here?" You asked. "The Wild Hunt," he simply answered. Your mythology nerd self got switched on by those three words. "The Wild Hunt? Like the English type? Or the Norse like? Or some else type?" your curiosity made you forget your lying bitch of an ex for sometime. Stiles was at loss of an answer, "Uuuuuummm, I dunno, just Wild Hunt?" You rolled your eyes, reason for this conversation coming back to you. "Alright, well why is he still here?" You asked furiously. You were scared actually, scared of Theo because after you had gotten to know everything he could do, everything he had done, anyone in their right mind would be scared.

"Because he has changed?" Stiles replied as if it was an obvious thing. "HOW CAN YOU KNOW THAT?" you yelled. Actually yelled. You didn't need to be a were-something to be able to here that from outside of the bedroom the two of you 'hid' in.

"Listen Y/n, I know it may be hard to believe but he took away Gabe's pain before he passed. And you know a bond needs to be created for that. And he-he sacrificed himself basically and-" Stiles sighed when he saw your wide eyes staring back at him, they were getting glossy. Did he really do all that? Had he changed? Was it a game again? Was it a lie? But if he really took away Gabe's - whoever that is but seems like a good guy - pain then it can't be a lie. Right?

You were skeptical. Your trust had been broken, your heart had been broken, your soul had been broken. All by Theo Raeken. Were you really up for trusting him to be near the others and yourself? To be free?

"I... I should go," you mumbled. Silently, you opened the door and walked out. Every single person in the living room was looking at you, as you rushed through it. Grabbing your backpack. For a moment, your eyes met with Theo's. He looks cute with his new hair. Wait, what the fuck am I thinking? He smiled at you, making you frown. You looked away and walked out of the house, muttering a 'bye' in the process.

~~~

At home, you were reading "The Lunar Chronicles: Cinder." If staring at a book with a troubled face, thinking about a certain someone else and not memorizing any words from the pages counts as reading.

Giving up on trying to read, you grabbed your phone from beside you. You went on instagram, curious on why you have a notification there because you had no viral life either. You were horrible at taking selfies, so no basic girl posts from you, not a big meme maker nor artist who posts their stuff. You just followed your friends and some tags.

Turns out the notification was a follow request.

From Theo.

Your thumb stood over the Accept button. Your breath hitching when you realized that his profile picture was of you two making silly faces. You took your finger away and pressed the back button.

Sighing you picked up the book again. "Diablerie, what do I do?" The black feline rose her head. "Meow?" As you were petting the she-cat's head, you let out another sigh.

"You remember Theo right?"

"Meow."

"Well he is back."

"Meow," Diablerie nodded. What, she knew?

"And he apparently is different."

"Mow?" The familiar stood up and cocked her head to the side, as if asking either 'if you believed that?' or 'is that true?'

"I- I don't know. I mean Stiles believes that and you know he was right the last time."

Diablerie was quiet for sometime, staring at your blanket but not really because her gaze was unfocused. She was standing still on the blanket, tail twitching, ears facing different directions and tail tip twitching but not in an aggressive way. You realized that she was thinking.

You gazed at the queen for sometime before she finally returned her gaze back to you. "Meow!" she sounded determined but you had no idea what she just said. "Um..."

Diablerie gave you an unimpressed look when after 5minutes, you still hadn't realized what she told you.

The feline hopped down from your bed and headed towards your closet, tail high. You were confused on what the heck she was doing. With some difficulties, the she-cat climbed to where you kept your shirts. One of Theo's old shirts is there. Your e/c eyes widened as you remembered that. That shirt had been something that you lived your hate and betrayal because of a certain blue-eyed boy out on when he was dragged away by his sister. It was torn, absolutely ragged, had burn marks and looked very ugly with the stains of uncountable different things on it.

Once you realized what Diablerie was looking for, you got off the bed and went to help the familiar.

You pulled the drawer back and stuck your hand down to try and find the ragged piece of clothing. You didn't even know why you kept it, with your own clean shirts nevertheless.

The miniature panther like animal balanced herself on the side of the drawer as you pulled it and hopped down when you were pushing it back in and walking back to the bed.

Placing it on the bed, you gave the cat a face full of unanswered questions. With no difficulty whatsoever, Diablerie hopped back on the bed

She set her paw gently on the shirt. Still not getting it, you stared at your cat cluelessly.

"Theo?"

"Meow."

"Umm..."

Diablerie had a scowl on her raven black face at your response.

She placed her paw yet again on the ragged piece of fabric and then did a spin.

"Spin Theo?"

The cat shook her head.

Diablerie hopped down from the bed again and walked out of your room. Dumbfoundedly, you just stared after her in confusion.

As you were waiting for Diablerie to come back, your phone buzzed. Looking down, you saw a notification pop up, saying that you had a message.

Unknown: «Hey!»

The message was from an unknown number which freaked you out. Was this a scam? Had you accidentally deleted someone's contact? Was there a proje- no you weren't in school anymore.

As you were debating on if you should answer or not, another text came through.

Unknown: «It's Theo»

You froze. No, no way. No way in hell that he is texting you now.

Unknown: «Just wanted to let you know that this is my new number»

Unknown: «You can message and call me anytime you want»

Unknown: «I'm sorry»

You gulped, staring at the last message as your eyesight blurred, tears fighting to break free. Finally, few trailed down your cheeks. Who were you kidding? You weren't over it.

You wanted to believe that he really was sorry but how could you know that he wasn't using you this time?

Soft fur being rubbed against your arm broke you out of your thoughts. "Meow."

Diablerie placed something on your lap. You rubbed your eyes to see what the familiar brought. It was a picture of her and you. It was of your 12th birthday, when your grandmother had brought Diablerie to your family after the raven Sombra had passed. Diablerie had been only 8 months old then but was already wiser than you.

"You?" It took you few moments before it clicked. "You want to meet him?" Diablerie purred happily as a confirmation to your words.

You gulped, e/c eyes returning to the picture in hand.

"Mow."

The feline was staring at your phone screen that was darkening, about to close, texts from Theo open.

"I-Okay, okay, I'll do it."

Hands shaking, you grabbed your phone and quickly tapped on the screen so it wouldn't turn off.

The nessage you were about to send had to be deleted many times because you just couldn't touch the right keys. Heart hammering, you pressed send.

You: «Meet me tomorrow at 6pm, you know where»

Saving his number, you finally let yourself breath.

Theo: «Okay! Sounds great😁»

~~~

"And where are you going?" your little sister asked suspiciously just as you were about to run out the door.

"Out. Didn't know you were blind. Sis, tell mom to get you glasses," you rushed out. Your sister threw a glare your way. "So you of all people are going out looking all fancy just because? As if."

Smiling innocently, you flipped her off before shutting the door.

Diablerie was napping on the gate but rose her head when you neared. "Okay, let's go."

You didn't even know why you had put on the best clothes you could find and put on makeup. You weren't trying to impress Theo, right? You were just checking if he was trustworthy. I hope he is.

~~~

It was 5:55pm when you stepped into the small clearing in the forest. You could see Theo there, he had flowers in his hands and was dressed in a pretty casual way. Now you felt embarrassed that you had put in so much effort to look nice. You thought about backing out and going away but a certain someone was already trotting towards the man, whip like tail held high.

Theo heard the feather like steps Diablerie took in the grass and his eyes widened. He straightened his back. His last encounter with the cat hadn't been positive and truth be told, he feared the cat.

You could see the nervousness in your ex's face and were now convinced that he was out for no good and planning something again. But then, then you saw the tiger lilies in his hands and your heart warmed up. They were your favorites and he remembered it.

Now a bit more confident, you walked up to him. Still eyeing the cat with one eye, he gazed at you with the other.

"Y/n! Hi, you look great!" He smiled widely. "Here, these are your favorites, right?" he stepped closer to you and stretched out the hand that was gripping the flowers. "Yeah... Thanks," you accepted the tiger lilies, keeping your eyes on Diablerie. The cat did few circles around Theo, padded a bit closer and then sniffed him. "Uhm..." the blue-eyed man was confused and gave you a questioning look. The only response he got was an awkward smile from you. Deep down, you knew that you hoped that Diablerie would approve of him.

As the cat took more and more time to give her approval, you were beginning to think that Theo hadn't changed and was still untrustworthy and evil. But just as you wanted to turn around and run away, Diablerie let out a pleased purr and rubbed her body against Theo's legs. He was confused and surprised while a genuine smile stretched onto your face. The warm feeling of happiness spread throughout your body. He had changed, for real.

"You really have changed," you mumbled and - surprising both yourself and Theo - threw yourself onto him, arms wrapped around his built torso and face buried into his chest, squeezing the life out of him. Slowly, the man wrapped his arms around you and buried his face into your hair. "I have no idea what just happened but I'm not complaining," he laughed.

You grinned.

"Now, Theo, you better tell me what the hell happened while I was tanning in Monaco?" you demanded curiously as you pulled away to look up at him. The blue-eyed man laughed, "Well..."

~~~

"Theo, you are not sleeping in your truck," you told him sternly. "Well I can't go anywhere else, babe," he shrugged. "Surely you have friends here now who you can stay with." Theo tongued his cheek, "But I can't stay with them forever Y/n. I missed school so much that I can't graduate, I can't go to college and literally no one will hire me." You stared at him while chewing on your cheek, "Then... Go back to school?"

"Can't."

"Why?"

"One word, broke."

"Then, we will find a way to get you a job but you will not sleep in your truck for the rest of your life Theo!"

Theo sighed but smiled at you, "Okay." He ran his hand through your hair before it froze on your cheek, he pulled you towards him a bit and kissed your forehead. "But you, you will go to sleep."

You chuckled, "Fine," you giggled, dragging out the i.

As you pulled away, you stared at him with your sparkling e/c eyes for sometime. "Theo, I like your new hair, you better keep it," you said all of a sudden. When you realized that you had said it out loud, you blushed while Theo laughed. "Well I'm glad to hear me not having enough money to get a haircut is up to your liking." He shut up when you kissed his cheeks and ran back towards your house.

He stood there until the door to your house closed behind Diablerie and you. Once again, a sigh left the blue-eyed boy.

He will try to get a job again tomorrow.

He will try to be up to your parents liking because he knew they absolutely despised him right now.

He will try but he can't promise anything.

~~~

It was 8 months later when Theo finally got a job. You had moved to New York to study Archaeology.

You had a job there to support yourself as a delivery driver for Domino's. The two of you kept a long distance relationship since neither of you had enough money to fly Theo over to the Big Apple.

A Spanish restaurant decided to give him a chance and you were both ecstatic when you got the news. "I'm so proud of you, baby," you cheered over Skype. "The people there seemed very nice, though I have to admit, I accidentally bumped into the Chef there already. A fiery Latina, so I better keep up my best behavior." The both of you laughed.

"How are the other doing?" You asked with a warm smile. "Well other than Stiles, I have no idea. You know almost everyone left to chase their dreams. Not that the supernaturals care, pretty sure Scott will return soon. Shit will go crazy soon." Your boyfriend's turned chalk white as he realized that he let it slip.

Worry clouded your face, "Theo... What's going on?"