#theo's eyes: amber

[angelsleepinggurl]

𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙖 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙙𝙧𝙪𝙣𝙠 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙣𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙮?

𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒. You find yourself at a party, unwillingingly but as the night goes on you end up in bed with the guy who pisses you off the most, tooru oikawa.

wc . around 3,962

tags . oikawatooru. oikawax reader. fratboyoikawa! x reader. oikawatooruxreader smut. fratboyxnerd. fratboyxnerd smut. all characters are above 18 years old. cunniligus. drunkeness, makingout, spanking,praise, pet names.

↶ೃ✧˚. ❃ ↷ ˊ-↶ೃ✧˚. ❃ ↷ ˊ-↶ೃ✧˚. ❃ ↷ ˊ-↶ೃ✧˚. ❃ ↷ ˊ-↶ೃ✧˚. ❃ ↷

There you are, in November-like weather. In shorts and a low-cut tank top, you repeatedly bang on your neighbour's door for them to open up. The crisp air is nipping at your cheeks and the sky is a deep, dark blue, almost black, with just a hint of the day’s last light lingering on the horizon.

To your surprise, the person wanted to speak to was right there. He leans against the door with arms reaching above him flexing his bicep. Shaking your head you look him in the eyes.

"Hey doll, you here for the party?" He asks, the amusement evident in his smirk and voice as he shows off his perfect pearly whites in a cocky smile. Tooru Oikawa, the school’s idol. Not only is he the king of the court, but he’s king of the school and apparently the world. He’s also the guy you grind your gears, his stupid smirk, stupid voice and his lack of sense really drive you up the wall. Seeing him literally ruins your day. The brunette doesn't even try to hide the fact that his eyes are roaming all over your body staying on some parts longer than other.

"Hey." You snap your fingers, narrowing his attention back to you. "I'm not here to join, I'm here to tell you to turn the fuckin music down." You’ve been trying to study for your finals. Keyword: trying.

"Oh, you like the music? Yo Trey!" He shouts turning back. His shirt relatively covers him, but his figure still shows through it. His broad-toned back, with muscles that are flexed with his veins hand on the door. "Trey turn up the music man!" He shouts back and once he's done he turns around to you.

"Did that  fix your problem darling?" He asks smugly, watching you bubble up with irritation.

"Fuck you jerk." You respond storming back home, you simply don’t have time for him. There isn’t any point in trying to change those who simply didn’t want it.

"Come back later the party's lit princess." He shouts at you, though you don't reply back instead you just ignore him. "Look at that ass." He says to himself before swinging himself back inside.

You turn the key in the lock, and as the door swings open, a wave of warmth envelops you, immediately soothing your chilled skin. The contrast between the frigid outdoors and the cosy interior is striking. You step inside and close the door behind you, shutting out the biting cold and the darkness of the November evening. The soft glow of lamps fills the room, casting a warm, inviting light that makes everything seem more welcoming. Kicking off your slides, you feel the softness of the rug underfoot.

You finally get back to your room, prepared to tackle another hour of “Chemistry.” Not your best subject, but those outstanding grades don’t make themselves. Yet, before you can put your earphones in, a ping from your phone flashes across your screen. Usually, you would’ve ignored it but the consecutive pinging told you that this was your best friend, Amber.

Please, please, please come to the party.

You know the one next door to you.

I saw Theo cheat on me.

A loud sigh escapes your lips.

Fuck.

Quite ironically, minutes later you're at his doorstep again, this time not in shorts and a top, seeing a very amused Oikawa standing at the door, a stupid smirk on his face.

"Came back so soon? Don't worry it wouldn't be a party without you.” he teases, watching you intently as you shove past him.

“I’m not here for you.” you scoff, slipping through the crowd of people. The bass from the music vibrates through your chest, mingling with the sound of countless conversations and bursts of laughter. The air is thick with the smell of sweat, spilt beer, and a hint of something smoky. The hallway is crowded, bodies pressing against you as people weave in and out of rooms.

“Amber?” you shout as you knock on the bathroom door, to no avail. You make your way to the kitchen where Oikawa and his buddies are chugging down drinks like there’s no tomorrow. The table is covered with droplets and puddles of vodka and beer. Bottles and red solo cups cover every surface, and someone is mixing drinks with exaggerated flair. You flee the room and rush upstairs trying to find your friend. With every door you can open, there are either people passed out, on their phones or creating conversation. The next door you open reveals your friend sitting on the floor, near the end of a bed crying her eyes out and your heart breaks.

“Amber.” you coo, rushing towards her and cradling her in your arms, feeling her body shudder as he breaks down. Your shirt is slowly starting to get wet from her tears, but you don’t mind, you’ll stay as long as you need for her. Stroking her hair, the two of you sit in silence her muffled sobs filling it up. Once her breathing has calmed down, she lifts her hair to look up at you with her sorrowful, sorrowful eyes. “Wanna tell me what happened?” you ask her, wiping away her mascara tears for her.

“He-He.” she hiccups and takes a minute to steady herself, “He was in another room talking to some other blonde girl.” This causes you to raise your eyebrow, the whole situation does, he doesn’t seem like the type of guy to cheat on Amber, he was whipped for her. Well, goes to show how rotten men’s hearts are. Never trust a man. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. You haven't done anything to deserve that and the fact that he had the nerve to talk to another girl at a public place, goes to show how dumb he is. There’s nothing in his head, and you are so much better than him, you’re better off without him.”

Amber nods slowly, looking you in the eyes as she processes all you’ve told her. Amber is too precious for her feelings to be toyed with like this. Your best friend speaks up amidst the silence, “ They were talking about some surprise too. Oh God.” and now she’s wailing and weeping in your arms again, she’s utterly devasted and it’s all his fault. You shush and coo Amber as the both of you rock on the floor for a couple of minutes, calming down.

Then in the heat of it all the bastard himself dares to show his face, acting all confused and concerned. “Amber there you are. “ he exclaims rushing to her side.

“Hold it,” you say sternly. “First of all, you have the balls to show yourself after you humiliated my best friend, Second of all, I hope you know you’re not the shit you make yourself out to be, Thirdly-” The boy rudely interrupts you claiming that it isn’t like that at all and you’ve got it all wrong. “I don’t wanna hear your excuses.” you spit at him. Amber moves from beside you and the both of you stop your heated argument to look at her. Her hair shields her face as she looks downwards.

“I wanna hear what he has to say.” she says quietly, slowly lifting her head.

“I don’t know what you heard but I am NOT cheating on you, baby I swear.” He pleads, falling to his knees. Dramatic much.

“Then what surprise were you gonna show that blond girl, huh?”

“What?”

“Don’t act dumb, you came here to fuck her.”

“No you’re not listening to me.” the boy sighs in defeat and continues in a lowered voice, “The surprise is for you. I was asking that girl to her cheerleading friends to set up banners for you at school on Monday?”

“But why would I need stupid banners?”

The boy takes a minute and takes a deep breath, “Because I wanna give you a promise ring.” This statement shocks the both of you and you suddenly feel like you shouldn't be here anymore. You look back at Amber who’s eyes are reignited with their usual sparkle. Int he silence, she bits her cheek before turning to you, “Could you give us a minute?” You give her an ‘Are you sure?’ look and she nods smiling at you. You leave the room and shut the door behind you, being welcomed by the obnoxious loudness of the partygoers.

Sighing you make your way downstairs, your feet leading the way to the kitchen. A drink or two wouldn't hurt. You say to yourself.

You said that 4 drinks ago. Feeling satisfied, you pour a final fifth cup and walk out to the back of the house, needing a minute away from the noise. It’s nice, the dark sky and stars above you, the cool wind occasionally sweeping past you. Leaning against the wall, you tilt your head back and close your eyes. You’ll head home in a couple of minutes again. Though your peace is disturbed when an annoying voice speaks up saying “Guess who?” and poking your side.

“Ugh it’s you.” you lean up off the wall and face away from the setter, not in the mood to deal with his antics.

“Bad girl,” he says teasingly, noticing the red cup in your hand. “I didn’t know you had this side of you.”

“I didn’t know you could be so annoying.” you snap back, giving him a glare.

“Ouch, princess.”, rolling your eyes again you tip your head back as you finish the last few drops of the alcoholic beverages, and Oikawa’s eyes are glued on you. Watching as some of it dribbles down your chin. He’s never even imagined this side of you. But then again, they always say the quiet ones are the crazy ones. It almost makes him wonder what else you-

“Are you gonna keep staring at me or what? Finding a hard time generating a demeaning comment to fire at me?” You ask staring straight ahead of you, and it catches him off guard.

“Can I not admire a pretty girl?” he says smoothly, it comes naturally to him. Your check immediately turns red but your face remains neutral.

“Can it, idiot. “

“No seriously, you’re hot. Such a shame that you keep your nose stuck in those damn books.”

“Those ‘damn books’ are gonna help me have a good future, unlike these bullshit parties you throw.” Once the comment leaves your mouth, instantly regret it, feeling the bite it must have on him. The boy throws his head down and starts walking in a mini circle. “Sorry,” you mutter shrinking into yourself in shame.

“Don’t worry bout it. Not the first time I’ve heard it.” He stops walking and looks up at the sky too, ashamed to look up you resort to looking off into the distance. “How many of those have you had?” he asks, taking the plastic cup from your hand and crushing it in his, swiftly changing the subject.

“Five.”

“FIVE! And you’re not drunk?” he asks surprised.

“Tipsy. Built-in heavyweight,” you tell him, explaining your high tolerance for it and he makes a face of understanding. He lifts his arm and throws the plastic cup into the distance. One thing you’ve never understood about Oikawa is how he was always so cool and collected. His confidence just seemed effortless and you wondered what he did to have the whole school down at his knees.

“Are you gonna keep staring at me or do you have no snarky comment to aim at me?” the brunette asks, smirking playfully. He’s got you there. The wind blows and your hair gets picked up in it, moving gently as you look down at the grass beneath you. “Is there anything I don’t know about you miss?” the brunette asks. It’s almost like something in you switches, and all of a sudden it’s becoming apparent to you how good-looking the guy is. Allegedly of course. Incredulously tall, athletic and handsome. Your can’t seem to keep your eyes off his arms, soaking it all up as if seeing a man for the first time. “What do you mean by that?”

“Well,” he starts off, walking back towards you, “you seem pretty comfortable with the alcohol is there anything else to this side of you I should know about.” his voice is completely seductive, simply words that he’s saying they just seem to be calling out to you.

“I’m not telling you more than you need to know.” with the way respond it's evident that this isn’t your first time. You're smirking back at him too, your nerves feel electric and it’s making you giddy. You're biting your lip and everything but you can’t control it. He’s just right here. The boy returns to his natural position, on the wall next to you. “I’m still not very fond of you, Oikawa.”

“I know, doll.” he replies.

Then what is it about his stupid face that you want to kiss so much? What is it about his stupid hair that you want to run your finger through? What is it about his stupid stupid body, that you can’t seem to get enough of, that you want your hands to roam all over? No, this isn’t why you’re here. You’ve got to go home and be responsible and accountable for your future. You don’t have time for this or him.

“Fuck it.” you mutter under your breath, and in one swift movement, your hand is on the side of his face, guiding it towards yours and you press your lips against his. You don't know what seems to be controlling you, but whatever it is, you’re not complaining anymore. The kiss is reciprocated instantly by him as he turns to keep you back on the wall standing in front of you. His hands are on the sides of your face, cupping them gently as he savours the way your lips feel between his, the way you’re leaning into him. Your hands land around his neck as the both of you make out under the night sky. It doesn't;t take long before the kiss escalates in intensity. Mouths open wider, the kiss gets sloppier and hands drop lower as the heat inside you rises. His hand rubs the small of your back slowly and he deepens the kiss and your hands are ever so slowly sliding down his stomach. The both of you play the battle of the tongue, wrestling to fight for dominance. The kiss is almost erotic, the two fo you may as well take each other right then and then. His other hand slips on your waist, gripping it comfortably and you groan as the kiss gets sloppier.

Due to lack of oxygen, the both of you separate, taking in deep breaths. If it wasn’t for stupid air, you wouldn't have to stop, you would still be sucking his stupid face off. His lips are left more reddish than usual and you can’t get enough of the look. He’s about to start all over again, but you stop him, “I’m gonna get a drink.” you say breathlessly, it almost sounds like something you didn’t even want to do. It was painful pulling away from him. The second you enter the house you run into the kitchen in desperate search of some alcohol. You’ve never chugged anything down so fast, still feeling electric from the kiss, your mind just can't stop replaying it. Once you manage to calm yourself down you head back out into the heat of the party. Hot bodies pressing against you and drunk shouts and screams fill your ears, but they don’t make their way to you. No. Your mind has blocked all of it out, now your brain is full of him. You’re frantically searching for him in the crowd, but to no avail, he’s nowhere to be seen. That is until you look up and see him standing next to a door, looking down right at you. From what you can read, he raises his eyebrows at you and tilts his head towards the door.

You’re slipping through the crowd with absolute ease as if you’re being pulled by a string to him. You don’t know what’s so addictive about him and his beauty today, even as he stands there, door open, he looks absolutely enticing. You enter the room and the door shuts behind you, before you can register what’s happening the tall brunette stands in front of you, trapping you between him and the door. A smirk tugs on your lips as you reach up to him, pull his shirt down and dive in for another kiss. The way the both of you it’s almost as if you’ll never see each other again. “God you’re sexy.” Oikawa groans between breaths. His hands slip down to your ass, groping it passionately, before signalling for you to jump. Your legs effortlessly wrap around his waist as he walks backwards to the bed, turning to lay you on your back. Your hands slip from around his neck down to his shirt as you impatiently tug at it. Without having to be told, he swiftly pulls it off with one arm, resuming to attack your neck now. You groan once his lips touch you again, feeling an ache when they leave. His large hand crawls up your top gently roaming your stomach before you guide his hands further up. He slithers his hands back out and slides your top off from above your arms.

His lips are now gently peppering kisses on your mounds of flesh, his hands gently squeezing and groping them. You attempt to wiggle your sweats off, leaving you in only your panties and bra. You help him by quickly slipping your bra off too, releasing your breasts and your hardened nipples. The boy gingerly takes one to the mouth, passionately sucking, his other hand lightly brushing over your clit through your panties. The boy makes it a mission to give each tit equal attention. Your moans are filling up his ear and driving him crazy, sounding different from the monotone speaking voice you always talk to him with. He can’t get enough. Occasionally he presses with his fingers tips and sucks generously, but now you’re starting to find it hard to lay still, the overload in pleasure is too much. “Tooru.” you whine out but the boy is too absorbed in his work. The boy decided it isn’t fair for you to cum this way, so he hooks his fingers around your panties and pulls them down, sliding them off your leg and into your pocket.

“Hey wait-” you start, getting ready to confront him about his thriving, but you’re interrupted as his mouth latches to your soaked cunt, eager to lap up your juices. The feeling of his tongue swirling around the hardened bud makes your back arch. “Mhm fuck Tooru.” the way you purr out his name, makes his tongue work faster, licking ardently. Your fingers land in his fluffy brown locks, tangling them together from pure ecstasy. The feeling driving you wild, you’re whimpering and mewling from his touch. You’re rolling your hips against his face once a finger gets added into the mix. “Don’t stop-fuck-Don’t stop.” you plead breathlessly, your eyes screwed shut from bliss. Your fingers grip his hair tighter though he doesn’t seem to mind, eager to have you release all over your face. “’M close, so close.” you cry out, toes curling once his nose nudges up against your lips, the extra sensation pushing you over the edge. The cum spills out of you in an instant, coating his handsome face in your fluids.

You release your grip from his hair as you come down from our high, your toes uncurling. Oikawa is fast to clear up your cum, and even faster to pull his pants and boxers off. In all honesty, you weren’t expecting Oikawa to be big like that. You were just expecting average to slightly average but that simply wasn’t the case. The brunette gives himself a couple of pumps before telling you to “turn a round. Face down ass up.”

You’re lying in anticipation and soon you feel him press against your entrance, teasingly sliding it along your folds. You whine in frustration, wiggling your hips. “Just put it in already.”

“Patience princess.” he coos, grabbing a hold of your hip before fully sinking in. Your walls seem to stretch to fit around him and once he bottoms out, his tip brushing against your cervix the both of you sigh. It doesn’t take long for him to start moving, slowly at first, rocking his hips at a pace that would make you comfortable, but that’s long forgotten once he gets used to the feeling of your gummy walls clamping down on his. “Fuuckk you’re tight.” he groans, using your hips as a guide. With every thrust, your ass jiggles and the guy can’t keep his eyes off how mesmerising it looks. The sound of skin slapping fills the room and fuels him even more, it’s addicting. You’re chanting his name like your life depends on it, gripping the sheets beneath you. “Atta girl.” he groans, thrusting in you harder. You’re head is reeling and soon you’re seeing stars, tears run down your face as you try to squirm away from the incessant bullying on your drenched cunt. “Try running away from me dollface?” he asks only pulling you closer. A harsh smack on your ass and you yelp. “Answer me.”

“Noo - mhm- hah.” your moans are high pitched and you squeal once the brunette places his spare hand on your clit, rubbing rapidly. The sensations are too much and you’re crying out his name, your toes are curly and you’re vision is going blurry. “Hah-Mghf - Gonna come Tooru.”

“You wanna come?”

“Fuck yes!” you scream out, feeling your high building up.

“You’re gonna come all over my dick and be nasty?” he asks, momentarily taking his hands off your now bruised hip to smack your ass again, addicted to the recoil. all you can do is moan in response as he ruts into you. The both of you are a mess, groaning and whimpering until you finally peak. Tooru’s continuous pounding makes you sensitive, it makes you cry out as your climax is prolonged. The boy chases his high and th both of you are panting, feeling delirious.

Eventually, he pulls out of you, his dick covered in your cum from tip to base, and you’re dripping with the mixture of both of you. You whine when he pulls out of you, feeling empty all of a sudden.

Tooru moves your hair out of your face and behind your ears with in one swift motion, his finger grazing your wet cheek and your legs quiver. The guy gets the both of you cleaned up the best he can before laying up in the bed, between the soft sheets. Soon after he joins you and the birth of you are resting, enjoying each other’s presence. Your head in his chest, his hands in your hair.

In an instant, the door flies open and standing there is a relieved Amber, walking further into the room. The both of you freeze, unsure of what to do, though the both of you realise that MAber hasn’t processed the sight in front of her. “There you are, I’ve been looking everywhere for you. Hi Oikawa. Why are you still sat down we need to go?” she asks raising her eyebrow. Oikawa begins grinning waiting for their realisation to dawn on her, and once it does her eyes go like saucers.

“WHAAAAAAAT?!”

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this took me soooooooo long to write and I'm super hungry. Does anyone know how to write any faster?

[azrielwingspan]

SOON (THEO NOTT X READER)

Summary : Theodore Nott was just another Slytherin asshole to most of Hogwarts. But to you, he was something much much more.

Themes : Mild kissing and swearing.

A/N : This is my first Theo fic AHHH. Just thought I would give it a shot. Let me know how it is!

P.S.- This is strictly a one shot. There will be no part 2.

"He is quite charming isn't he?" Ginny commented sneaking a glance at Theodore Nott. Seated at the Slytherin table between his usual rowdy gang of friends, he smirked at something Lorenzo had said.

"I think the word you're looking for is enigmatic, Gin. For all we know, he could be Voldemort in disguise." you stated flatly, stabbing a piece of potato on your plate. Earning a smack on the arm for using You-know-who's name so boldly, you ignored Ginny's attempts at convincing you to attend the party being thrown tonight.

"Help me understand why you're so bloody against the idea?! Is it because you have to bring a date?" she raised her eyebrows in question.

"That may be a part of the reason." you refused to meet her owl like stare, instead choosing to focus on the copy of the Daily Prophet in front of you.

"Why would that be an issue ? I can name five people off the top of my head who would say yes instantly." she prodded further, thankfully choosing to redirect her gaze towards the mail she'd received. Taking advantage of her momentary distraction, you snuck a glance at Theodore again. The sleeves of his uniform were rolled upto his elbow and you greedily took in the sight of his veiny forearms.

"What are you looking at?" Ginny broke you out of the reverie, your eyes immediately flitting towards the shawl Pansy was wearing.

"Pansy's new shawl. I can't recall which store I've seen it in but it looks very familiar." The lie rolled out smoothly, misleading Ginny. The pang of guilt ,that never lessened in impact, hit you yet again.

"Oh. Yeah, it does look quite familiar now that you mention it." She went off on a tangent about clothes and you let out a relieved sigh.

Ginny couldn't know. Not for now atleast.

The morning went on, your focus elsewhere during most of the classes. Ginny hadn't brought up the party again but you knew it was unavoidable. You were definitely acting quite strange. Not being the one to turn down an invite, your sudden refusal to attend this massive party did come as a surprise to your friends.

You had your reasons. Utterly selfish reasons.

However as the evening rolled by, Ginny had cornered you into agreeing. On bringing up the issue of the date, she'd simply shrugged and said "I took care of it."

That did not sound very reassuring.

It was worse than you had expected.

"CORMAC MC FUCKIN LAGGEN ?!?" you hissed at Ginny , your back to the boy in question.

Ginny looked away sheepishly and said "He told Hermione who told me that he had a thing for you. So I thought you guys could talk? I mean you don't have to really. Just drop him off in a corner."

"Drop him---" pinching the bridge of your nose in frustration, you whipped around to face Laggen and gave him a saccharine smile.

"Nice to meet you Laggen but I'm not interested."

He looked astounded, trying to wrap his head around the rejection. After a few seconds, he managed to sputter out "We haven't talked yet. How can you--"

"Yes. Yes I can. You have my permission to tell everyone I'm your date but please don't approach me again. Bye." you sauntered off into the party, Ginny keeping up behind you.

"Where's Harry anyways?" you asked, straining your neck to see past the crowd.

"Running late. Neville set his pants on fire so Ron and Harry are helping him out."

Shaking your head in amusement, you let your eyes run around the room searching for him.

There.

Theo sat on the couch near the fireplace, one arm thrown around the back , a glass of amber liquid in the other. The smoke from Mattheo's cigarette made his figure hazy.

"I'm gonna go grab a drink." Ginny said her voice floating by. You nodded distractedly , your attention held captive by Theo.

As if sending your presence behind him , he turned his head around and met your eyes. Slight confusion marred his face making his eyebrows furrow. He hadn’t expected you to be here.

Signalling to you with a quick nod of his head, he excused himself from his group of friends and made his way to his dorms. You stayed down for a couple more minutes , getting yourself a drink to throw off suspicion.

“Hey, I didn’t think you’d come tonight. Ginny change your mind?” Pansy popped out of the blue , startling you.

“Uh.. Pansy, hey. Yeah you know how Gin is.” Pansy was a bit of a talker. Aware that this conversation could go on forever , you tried to come up with an excuse. “Hey listen, I’ve got to use the bathroom real quick. I’ll find you again alright?”

Not waiting for a response , you made your way in the direction of the bathrooms and took a sharp turn in the opposite direction once you made sure Pansy had redirected her attention. Sneaking up the stairway to the boys dorm, you took a moment for yourself outside Theo’s dorm room, straightening out your clothes.

“Took you long enough.” His voice drawled as you entered his room, the familiar surroundings providing a sense of comfort.

“Pansy almost started a conversation.” You said laughing lightly at his wide eyed expression.

“Didn’t take you long then.” He corrected his previous statement , prowling towards you.

“No. I guess it didn’t.”

Wrapping an arm around your waist, he pulled you into a searing kiss that had you holding onto his shirt for balance. The words 'I missed you' played at the tip of your tongue struggling to be let out.

He nipped at your lower lip , a breathy sigh leaving you as you tangled your hands in his hair.

"Cormac Mc fuckin Laggen? Seriously?" Theo muttered , lowering his head to place soft kisses across your jaw. Leaning your head back to give him more access, you let out a soft laugh. "That's exactly what I said. Ginny is the real culprit."

A strangled moan left your lips as he sucked at your neck, immediately soothing it with a sloppy kiss. "T-Theo..you idiot. That's gonna leave a mark." He just hummed in response seemingly lost in the pleasure. Tugging his head back, you made him meet your gaze head on.

"If we stay up here for any longer, they'll suspect." A shiver passed through you as his hands trailed lower and cupped you arse, pulling your hips to his. "Let them." he said dropping his head to capture your lips once more.

"THEO, YOU IN THERE ??" Blaise Zabini's voice boomed through the door making you jump. A string of Italian curses left Theo's mouth as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Yeah give me a minute!"

Cupping your face in his hands, he leaned down to your face placing you at eye level. "It'll all be over soon alright? We won't have to hide anymore. We can be free." The promise in his eyes lit a spark of hope within you, a rush of adrenaline coursing through your veins.

"Soon." you whispered , your eyes fluttering shut as you placed a kiss on his Dark Mark.

[slytherinslut0]

MATTHEO RIDDLE- Beg For Me

Chapter Twelve-Info: You and Mattheo have been butting heads for months, since you were assigned as his tutor, and one day during a session full of tense bickering, he has enough.

(This will essentially be a toxic book where we are Theos fucktoy. No love here, very minimal fluff.)

Tags: 18+, Sub!Reader, Dom!Mattheo, Dirty Talk, Toxic Behaviour, Jealousy, Possessive Behaviours, Manipulation, Sexual Aggression, Angst, Emotional Manipulation, (slight) Knife!Play, Teasing, Alcoholism, DubCon, CNC, TomRiddle.

****FIND THE REST OF THE CHAPTERS HERE.

Under the veil of night, Saturday descended, and despite the persistent sickness that weighed you down, you refused to succumb to the confines of your bed for even a second longer. The piercing ache in your head and the relentless runny nose served as mere whispers against your willpower. Ignoring the protests of your body, you ventured out, guided by a flickering determination.

The castle, shrouded in darkness, seemed to echo with your footsteps as you moved. A hushed, mysterious atmosphere enveloped you as you made your way through the dimly lit corridors. Your steps were purposeful, leading you to the heart of intellectual refuge: the library.

As you entered, the soft glow of the lamplights revealed a haven of knowledge, where ancient tomes and modern texts stood shoulder to shoulder, waiting to divulge their wisdom. The familiar scent of aged parchment and ink filled the air, soothing your senses.

Amidst the quietude, you found a secluded alcove, a sanctuary within a sanctuary. The soft light bathed you as you settled into the embrace of an overstuffed armchair, its fabric worn by countless readers before you. The weight of the books in your hands felt both grounding and exhilarating, as if the knowledge contained within could lift you from the heaviness of your illness.

The hours slipped away, the silence broken only by the occasional shuffle of pages and the distant ticking of an ancient clock. Lost in the world of words, you found solace, momentarily escaping not only the physical discomfort but also the emotional turmoil that had plagued you since your clandestine encounters with Mattheo.

Gods, why the fuck were you always thinking about him? Regardless of what you did, that man was in your head--there was no escaping his ghost. Every thought of him wrapped around your mind like a suffocating vine, an inescapable plague that refused to release its hold. His touch, a lingering memory etched into your skin, haunted your senses--the way his hands roamed your body, the warmth of his breath against your neck.

His eyes, a deep, intoxicating brown, transformed in the sunlight, creating ripples of amber like liquid chocolate. The memory of his lips, plush and knowing, ignited a storm of conflicting emotions within you, a potent blend of desire and resentment. Your stomach churned with a strange concoction of yearning and frustration, especially when you recalled the sensation of his messy, curly hair brushing against the sensitive skin between your thighs.

Damn him, you thought--the intensity of your emotions amplifying with each passing moment. You loathed him with a passion that had become entangled with an inexplicable longing. The line between hatred and desire blurred, leaving you entwined in a web of conflicting emotions, unable to escape his ghostly presence in your thoughts. You knew you hated him, you just couldn't really remember the reason why anymore.

Deciding to finally call it a night, you pushed up from the chair, moving back into the shadows of the library as you meticulously returned the book back to its designated shelf, the profound words of the author echoing in your mind. Just as you were about to spin around, a sudden shift in the library's atmosphere sent a shiver down your spine, and an all-too-familiar presence seemed to materialize behind you.

The scent of whiskey filled the air, its subtle aroma enveloping your surroundings, and before you could react, a pair of unsteady arms wrapped around your waist, pulling you back into an unexpected embrace. The touch was rough, not a huge departure from the usual Mattheo, but enough to be entirely noticeable--and his warm breath brushed against your ear as he spoke, his words slightly slurred but not entirely incoherent.

"Raven," he purred, his voice sending a shiver down your spine. "What a delightful surprise to find you here at this hour...how utterly unexpected."

You inhaled sharply, his hands snaking around your waist, pulling you back against him with surprising force. Instinctively, your fingers gripped the edge of the bookshelf in front of you, the polished wood cool against your skin. It felt like the air had been sucked out of the room, leaving you breathless and lightheaded, the overwhelming scent of Mattheo's cologne mingled with a hint of alcohol surrounding you.

Your voice trembled as you tried to keep it steady. "Mattheo...what the hell are you doing here..."

"Why so shocked, princess?" He breathed, his warm breath sending goosebumps cascading down your neck. His teeth grazed your earlobe, sending an electric jolt through your body. "Can't a man of my caliber simply grace this library with his presence whenever he pleases, without arousing suspicion?"

His voice dripped with a mix of confidence and mischief, his hands tightening their hold on you, making it clear that he had no intention of letting go anytime soon. A familiar knot tightened in your stomach, signaling the imminent loss of control. If you didn't gather your composure swiftly, you knew he would once again reduce you to powerlessness, just as he always did.

"Oh, pardon my ignorance..." you responded, your voice thick with sarcasm. "I just never thought I'd witness such a rare event...it's not every day we see a man of your 'caliber' roaming the library, never mind past midnight on a Saturday..."

Mattheo's deep, rumbling groan resonated in the narrow space between you, his hands abandoning your sides to pin you against the shelf. His lips, warm and demanding, brushed your ear with a possessive hunger.

"There's that mouth," he growled, his voice laced with raw need. "Fuck, I've missed that mouth...”

"Matt-" a soft, involuntary whimper escaped your throat, but your protest was abruptly stifled by an unfamiliar sensation. "What-"

Something cold, unyielding, and metal pressed against your skin, sending a chill down your spine. Panic clawed at your senses, urging you to gasp for air, but his palm closed around your throat, silencing you with a ruthless grip. Desperation flickered in your eyes as you tried to make sense of the situation, your gaze fixated on the glint of the blade he was dragging up your arm.

"Mattheo-" you managed to croak, fear and disbelief mingling in your voice. "Is that...a fucking knife?"

Mattheo's silence hung heavy in the air, his warm breath ghosting over your ear as he loomed over you, pinning you forcefully against the shelf. Your hands clung desperately to the wooden edges, the pressure turning your knuckles a pale, ghostly white. With deliberate intent, Mattheo tugged you back against his chest, only slightly, as he directed the switchblade toward your bust and pressed the sharp edge against the fabric of your shirt--the metal biting into the soft material as he cut a precise horizontal line just above your breasts.

"Fuck," the word was almost a guttural moan as it left his inebriated lips. "I've definitely missed those more..."

"Mattheo-" you stammered, your voice catching in your throat. There were a thousand questions swirling in your mind, but the words refused to escape. "What on earth...what's gotten into you? This...this is sick, even for you."

Mattheo's movements were swift, almost serpentine, as he seized your shoulders and spun you around. Before you could react, he pressed you back against the shelf, your hands instinctively finding his chest for support until he captured both your wrists with one hand and pinned them firmly above your head. Speechless and utterly bewildered, you were paralyzed, unsure of how to process the situation.

He smirked, the expression predatory, leaning in closer. With deliberate slowness, he placed the flat edge of the knife beneath your chin, tilting your head back to meet his eyes. The cold steel against your skin sent a chill down your spine, and in that moment, you felt an overwhelming sense of vulnerability, trapped in his intense gaze and the menacing glint of the blade.

"I thought you were the sick one, Raven..."  he purred, his eyes darkening with a mix of amusement and intensity as he observed your reactions, his grip on your wrists tightening. "Isn't that why you bailed on me last night, hm?"

Any semblance of control you had tried to maintain had now entirely crumbled, dissipating like smoke in the wind. Pinned against the shelf, your hands held captive above your head, and a cold blade pressed against your jaw, you felt a surge of exhilarating helplessness wash over you. You knew, at this moment, your sanity was hanging by the thinnest thread, and you questioned your choices more profoundly than you ever had in your entire life.

If you allowed him do this to you, what else will you allow? Anything?

Anything...

Speechless, you nodded in compliance, unable to form any coherent words. Mattheo's huff of satisfaction sent a shiver down your spine, and his sadistic tone remained as sharp as ever.

"Yeah?" he purred, a cruel glint in his eyes. "Poor thing...let me take a look, hm? Stick out your tongue."

Before you could fully comprehend the situation, your lips parted involuntarily, and Mattheo deftly slid the cool blade between them, tugging down your jaw with a chilling precision. An electric surge coursed through your entire body, every nerve ending tingling under the intensity of his gaze. His eyes darkened, and his lips parted, both of you suspended in the charged atmosphere.

He pulled the knife away, and as if in a trance, you slowly extended your tongue, the tension between you crackling like static in the air.

Mattheo's jaw tightened, his eyes locked onto your face with a relentless focus, not a blink daring to interrupt his scrutiny. With a steady hand, he pressed the blade against your tongue, his gaze piercing, as if he were a meticulous doctor inspecting a patient, peering down your throat with unsettling precision.

"Seems fine to me, Raven..." he murmured, a flicker of something unsettling dancing in his eyes, sending a twist of unease to your stomach. "But perhaps you're right...perhaps I am sick..."

With deliberate slowness, he lifted the metal off your tongue, tracing it along your jaw before withdrawing it entirely. The blade disappeared into his back pocket, his unwavering gaze never leaving yours, leaving you with a lingering sense of dread and confusion.

"I'm sick and the only cure for my illness are those sweet fucking lips of yours..." he confessed, his free hand caressing the side of your face, the other maintaining a firm grip on your wrists. He drew closer, his eyes fixated on your mouth. "And I'm not talking about these ones..."

Your breath caught in your throat, your heart thundering so fiercely it echoed through your entire body. Your thighs ached with a desperate longing.

"Although..." Mattheo leaned in further, his thumb brushing gently over your bottom lip. "They could certainly help..."

With an excruciating slowness that felt like torture, Mattheo leaned in, his lips tantalizingly close to yours. The lingering aroma of whiskey swirled around you, intoxicating your senses and making your head spin. Despite your attempts to resist, an involuntary whimper escaped your throat, the sound echoing your helplessness in the face of Mattheo's relentless seduction.

Your heart pounded in your chest, the rhythm almost deafening in your ears, as Mattheo's lips finally met yours. His hand slithered under your jaw, his touch both possessive and electrifying. His lips moved over yours with a devouring hunger, as though he aimed to consume not just your mouth but every ounce of your being, leaving you breathless and utterly ensnared in his kiss.

When he drew back, just enough to lock eyes with you, his gaze glinted with an intensity that sent shivers down your spine. Your entire body thrummed with anticipation, yearning for his touch.

He blinked. "You still want to call this off, Raven?"

"We really fucking should," you whispered, your voice barely audible amidst the charged atmosphere. Your heart raced, the tumultuous conflict within you mirrored in your eyes. "But...I..."

Your words trailed off, swallowed by the intensity of his gaze, his eyes resembling swirling depths that threatened to drown your resolve. A smug smirk played on his lips, his arrogance palpable as he anticipated your next words, relishing the moment. He leaned in closer, releasing his grip on your wrists and bracing his hand against the wood next to your head. You hesitated, caught in the mesmerizing pull of his gaze, a fleeting battle of wills that seemed impossible to win.

"You...?" he prodded, his tone dripping with confidence and challenge, as though he knew he had already won.

"But...I can't," you admitted, your voice a fragile whisper, barely audible against the backdrop of your thudding heart.

The words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of your desires and the weight of what you knew was right.His smirk deepened, his eyes narrowing with amusement.

"Can't, or won't?" he challenged, his tone teasing and infuriatingly confident.

His hand on the wood beside your head tightened slightly, a subtle reminder of his strength, his dominance. The proximity between you crackled with tension, the air thick with the unspoken, the moment hanging in the balance like a fragile thread stretched to its limit.

"What we're doing is sick, Mattheo..." you murmured, glimpsing his lips. "I...I never thought we'd be this close...I still smell you on my clothes..."

His eyes flickered with a mix of amusement and desire, his lips curving into a devilish smile. "Sick, perhaps," he admitted, his voice a low, seductive purr. "But you know it's pointless to try and fight it..."

Your eyes involuntarily dropped to his chest, tracing the outline of his shirt straining against his powerful shoulders. A shuddering breath escaped you as you felt the undeniable pull, the magnetic force that seemed to bind you to him. With a huff, he gently lifted your chin, forcing your gaze back to meet his intense eyes. The proximity was suffocating, electric, and he leaned in slightly closer, his warm breath mingling with yours, until your lips brushed in a tantalizing whisper.

"Every time you meet my eyes...we both know that you're mine..." he murmured against your mouth, hand falling from your chin and trailing down the front of your chest, slipping through the cut in your shirt he'd made just a few minutes earlier. "I think it's about time you admitted it, princess..."

You gasped at the skin on skin contact, goosebumps raising on your skin, and Mattheo hummed, lips trailing toward your jawline and softly nipping at it.

"Am I all that you think about, Raven?" He whispered, and you could tell that his question wasn't really a question, more of a rhetorical statement. "Did it get too loud, and that's why you tried to shut me out?"

You winced in wake of his words. You wouldn’t be surprised if this man could read your mind at this point.

"You're a constant thought," you whispered, your words hanging in the charged air between you. "It’s fucking overwhelming, Mattheo...I can't keep allowing myself to be consumed by this..."

"Just let go, Raven..." he murmured, his voice a velvet caress. "I've got you..."

Your mind buzzed with irritation, his seductive tones grating against your patience. The audacity to believe he could ever truly possess you sparked a simmering anger within. He didn't have you, he couldn't, and his delusions only served to fray your nerves to the brink.

"No, you don't...you can't..." your voice trembled, a fragile protest as his breath caressed your ear, your fingers clinging to the fabric of his shirt. "Stop manipulating me with your pretty fucking words, Mattheo...you're only making everything more difficult for both of us."

Mattheo's demeanor shifted, tension hardening his features. His hand found your jaw, gripping it tightly as he pulled back, locking eyes with you.

"Do you want me to stop, Raven?" he said, his voice uncharacteristically serious. "Tell me to stop right fucking now, and I'll walk away, won't bother you until Wednesday's session." He drew you closer, his jaw clenched. "Just one fucking word, princess...that's all you need to say."

Your silence hung in the charged air, a battleground where your desires and your convictions clashed. Every fiber of your being screamed for his touch, the magnetic pull between you undeniable, yet your mind raged against the chaos, yearning for simplicity and an end to the torment.

Mattheo's eyes searched yours, a storm of emotions swirling in their depths. He held your gaze, his grip on your jaw tightening imperceptibly. The unspoken tension hung heavy, the weight of your unspoken words suffocating in the charged space between you. The choice, the power to end this dangerous dance, rested on the tip of your tongue, yet you found yourself unable to utter the one word that could bring it all crashing down.

"And that's what I fucking thought..." he husked, the words flowing from his lips with a dangerous poison, one that you wanted, more than anything, to get a taste of. "Don't pretend like you're some meek, innocent little girl when I see that vicious mind working behind your eyes, Raven...you've never been afraid to use that mouth before..."

"You're right," you whispered, your voice barely audible. "I'm not meek, and certainly no longer innocent...I left my fucking innocence on your stupid lips..."

"And my hands...my cock..." he purred, his voice low and husky, Mattheo's lips curled into a wicked grin, his eyes ablaze with desire and triumph. "...let's not forget my tongue..."

That tongue--infuriatingly adept and unforgettable. How could such a maddeningly skilled tongue ever escape your memory? Curse him, you thought, curse him to the depths of hell.

"All I have left is my virginity, Mattheo..." you said, fingers tightening their hold on his shirt, tremors rumbling through your limbs. "If I give you that, too...I'm scared of-"

"I don't want it, Raven..." he cut you off, leaning closer, his voice holding a rare gentleness, the smallest flicker of humanity under his suffocating power and arrogance. "Don't feel like you need to give it to me."

Your pulse leapt, throat constricting. "Then what do you want?" You struggled to keep your gaze on his eyes, resisting the pull of his delicious lips. "What do you fucking want from me?"

"I want you to need me like I need you." The answer was quick, almost involuntary, as though he needed absolutely no time to think about it.

Your brows pinched, your lungs hitching, oxygen fleeing you. "Like you need-"

"Wet, breathless, and moaning my name..." he murmured, his lips tracing a path along your jawline, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. His free hand mapped your curves, finding solace on your hip. "That's how I need you."

Your eyelids fluttered uncontrollably as his wet lips trailed down to your neck, assaulting the sensitive skin. His tousled curls brushed against your cheek, setting your flesh ablaze, an uncontrollable fire sparked by his touch. Gods, he was fucking infuriating, in the best way possible. This man possessed a way with words that felt unparalleled, a skill that left you defenseless against his magnetic pull.

His hand started to inch lower, tracing a path down your thigh, and a surge of panic shot through you.

"Not here, Matty..." you pleaded, your voice barely above a whisper, urgency coloring your words.

"Who's around, princess?" he murmured against your skin, his lips ghosting over your neck, finding the hem of your skirt. "Just be quiet for me, pretty girl..."

Your lungs sputtered, nails digging into his skin, his hand slowly trailing upwards on your inner thigh.

"Please, Mattheo...someone could-" you whispered urgently, your words catching in your throat as desire and fear collided within you.

"Walk me back to my dorm," he said sharply, a plan forming in his eyes. "I'll pretend I'm plastered, and you can sling me over your shoulder. If anyone sees, it'll just look like you're doing me a favour..."

Your jaw fell open in incredulity, but before you could utter a protest, Mattheo took charge. He let go of your waist, pulling you off the shelf with a swift motion. His arm encircled you, feigning a drunken stumble, as he leaned heavily against you, weaving a convincing facade of inebriation.

You took a second to button up your cardigan, hiding the cut in your blouse that Mattheo had made with his blade--and without waiting even a second more of time, he urged the two of you down the isle and into the heart of the library. Fear gripped you like a vice as you made your way through the silent library, Mattheo pretending to be completely intoxicated, his weight bearing down on you with every step.

Every creak of the floorboards felt deafening in the silence, and your heart raced with the dread of being caught in this reckless charade. With each step, you prayed that you would go unnoticed, your mind wrestling with the gravity of the situation and the potential consequences of your impulsive actions.

As you tiptoed out of the library and stepped into the silent corridor, the nighttime air flowed through the stone walls, cooling the fevered heat in your cheeks. The tension in your shoulders lessened, but the fire in your core raged on, fueled by Mattheo's intense proximity. His cologne, intertwined with the scent of alcohol and cigarettes on his tongue, seemed to possess a hypnotic allure, drawing you in with an inexplicable pull.

You shot your head around, ensuring no one was within earshot, before stealing a furtive glimpse at Mattheo. Your voice emerged as a mere breath, carried away by the night breeze as it left your lips.

"How did you know I'd be there?" You questioned. "In the library."

Persisting in his flawless portrayal of the world's most inebriated wizard, Mattheo barely cracked his eyes open at your question, his response delayed as though he were lost in his own haze. For a moment, it seemed like he might not answer at all, leaving you hanging on the edge of anticipation. Then, a sly smile tugged at his lips, and your stomach twisted with a mix of curiosity and unease.

"I asked your friend," he drawled, glimpsing you with the worlds most fleeting glance. "Emily."

Your heart stopped. "No you-"

You began, but your words were abruptly cut short as the sharp click of polished shoes echoed through the corridor. Your gaze shot to the source of the sound, and there, with an unsettling glint in his eyes, stood Tom Riddle himself, adorned in his pristine prefect attire. His darkened narrowed eyes bored into you, suspicion and sadistic amusement flickering in their depths.

"Evening my dear witch…Mattheo," he purred, his voice dripping with sinister charm as he advanced, each step deliberate, like a predator stalking its prey under the moonlit night. "What might be going on here, if you don't mind me asking..."

Your heart seemed to freeze, its rhythmic beats replaced by an echoing silence that engulfed you. Time slowed to a crawl, every second stretching into an eternity, giving you ample opportunity to feel the weight of the situation sinking in. The world blurred at the edges, leaving only Tom's penetrating gaze fixed upon you, like a raptor locking onto its target.

Under the burden of Mattheo's seemingly unconscious form against your shoulder, you let out an irritated grunt, trying to maintain an appearance of nonchalance. You met Tom's eyes with a forced composure, your every movement calculated to appear casual despite the storm of emotions swirling within you.

"I found him passed out on a bench outside the library as I was leaving..." each word hung in the air, carrying the weight of a carefully constructed lie, a fragile facade concealing the complexity of the truth beneath. "He's bloody wasted, I couldn't just leave him there..."

Tom's eyes flickered with disappointment, his sharp scrutiny never wavering as he glanced over Mattheo's apparently intoxicated state. There was a subtle sigh of resignation, as if he had expected nothing less from his wayward brother.

"Very well," he said, his tone holding a hint of exasperation. "Take him back to his dormitory, I trust you can manage that. And do remind him that his actions won't go unnoticed, even in the cover of darkness..."

His gaze drilled into you, a silent warning echoing in his eyes, before he turned on his heel and disappeared into the shadows of the corridor. With a lingering sense of foreboding, you guided Mattheo toward his dorm, the weight of the night's events pressing down upon you like an invisible burden.

——————-

Chapter thirteen->

[suugarbabe]

[Chapter 3]

Word count: ~3.3k

Warnings: mentions of blood and violence

You grasped at the object your arm was slung around, expecting the warmth and hardness of Mattheo’s chest. Instead you grasped onto the silk of a pillowcase. Your eyes slowly fluttered opened, your mind trying to organize your thoughts and figure out if last night really happened or not.

Laying your head on the pillow in your grasp, you were hit with the unmistakable scent of Mattheo. The mix of sandalwood and amber mixed with fire whiskey and smoke flooded your senses. You tried to remember the feeling of his arms wrapped around you as you drifted off into your first peaceful sleep in months, but all you could remember was the light ghosting of his fingertips on your skin.

You sat up in bed, taking in the room around you again. Beyond his scent on your pillow, there was no trace of Mattheo in your room whatsoever. Climbing down from the bed you walked over to your barren closet, choosing something simple for the day before you decided to explore the manor. Grabbing your tea from Gimball from the nightstand, you slid your feet into your slippers and headed towards the door. You’d have to ask Gimball for his tea recipe, it was perfect.

Stepping in to the hall you take notice of how much more elegant the hall looks with the sunlight peeking in. You stared at the double doors next to yours, wondering if Mattheo was inside, wondering what time he left you alone in your bed. Did he wait until you were just asleep? Did he stay there and hold you for hours before finally retreating to his own room, or did he leave in the morning just before you woke? Your hand hovered above the door knob, contemplating the risks and rewards of trying to enter Mattheo’s room.

“He’s not here,” Pansy’s voice cut through your internal thoughts, making you whip around and grab your mug with both hands. “Oh, erm, yeah, that’s fine. I was just, ehm, where is he, do you know?” Pansy narrowed her eyes, walking towards you with her arms crossed, “He and Enzo left pretty early this morning on…business.” You sipped your tea, responding with a short hum, “Mattheo said you would give me a tour of the manor today?”

Pansy nodded, turning towards the stairs, “Yes, and we’ve got a lot of ground to cover, so do try and keep up.” She started quickly down the stairs, you hustling behind her. Pansy led you down the stair case and through a set of double doors, “This is the kitchen, I don’t really know why you’d need to come down here as Gimball will bring you anything and everything you need with just a simple call and ask.” You nodded, setting your mug in the sink as you passed by.

Passing through the same doors Pansy turned down a new hall, similarly looking to the one upstairs with all of the bedrooms, “Down this hall is the security room, if you’re ever looking for Blaise or Theo they’ll likely be holed up in here doing work. This door is Draco’s office, don’t go in there unless you want a fight,” Pansy eyed you over her shoulder, “which you might want, but just be careful. Remember he’s on the team for a reason, not just because he and Mattheo are family.”

Pansy stopped at a set of double doors at the end of the hall, “These doors-” You cut her off, finishing her sentence, “lead to Mattheo’s office. The man really loves french doors, doesn’t he?” Pansy shrugged her shoulders, “What can I say, the man loves a grand entrance.” You laughed, easily agreeing with the statement.

You were led further to the outside of the house, presented with a larger in ground pool the size of a tennis court. Beyond the pool Pansy showed you the vineyard, thanks to Theo’s family, and the large and expansive garden. She led you to the front entrance of the garden, telling you of all the different flowers and plants that were growing inside, “We basically have the garden enchanted like a greenhouse, allowing us access to essentially any ingredients we would need for any potion we would need. Would you believe me if I told you the one we make the most are healing concoctions.”

A light laugh escaped your lips, “Surprisingly yes, I do believe that.” You walked side by side back towards the manor, you gnawing at your lip deciding if you should ask the question that was beating at your brain. You couldn’t see it but Pansy was smirking, “Ask your question, I can tell you’re dying to.” You let out a huff, “Am I that easy to read? Mattheo certainly won’t like that.”

Pansy’s eyes sparkled with something you couldn’t quite read, “I’m sure he likes you just fine.” You opened your mouth to protest when she cut you off, “Question, Birdie, what was it?” You frowned slightly, “Everyone just going to call me Birdie now instead of my real name? You know what, whatever. Right, so this morning you said Mattheo and Enzo left on business.” Pansy nodded, confirming she was on track with you so far, “I was just wondering…what exactly is the business. Unless they’re doing club business early in the morning.”

The smirk on Pansy’s face was telling, but you weren’t exactly sure what it was telling you. “You’re a smart witch, I’m sure you’ve gathered that there’s more than just the club when it comes to business with these boys.” You nodded, following Pansy back into the manner and towards the foyer. “Grab my arm, Birdie.” You did as told, then were instantly transported to what looked like a muggle artillery room.

“Wha-Where are we?” Pansy simply smirked, walking towards the glass door in front of you, “Believe it or not were right below the foyer. Only way to get here is through apparition and only the six of us- well I guess seven now - have the ability to do so. Theo looks daft but he’s actually fantastic at protection spells.”

Reaching her hand as far as it would go, then dragging her finger all the way down the glass. As she did so, you noticed a series of different light charges shift within the door frame before hearing a clicking sound, signifying an unlocking. “This,” Pansy opened the door, signaling for you to follow her, “is your first glimpse into the business.”

You marveled at the room around you, never seeing muggle weapons in person. They were shinier than you expected, in an array of grays, silvers and blacks. You were surprised at all the different shapes and sizes they seemed to come in, confused further why a band of wizards would see a purpose in them. “Muggle weapons are the business? That doesn’t make any sense, Pans.”

The black haired girl simply shook her head, “Weapons are the way in to the bigger picture, Birdie.” You walked up to a wall fingers dancing over what looked like a long black gun with an attached barrel to the end, “Which is what?” Pansy walked up behind you, “Power. Mattheo is building an empire, love. Not just in the wizarding world, but the muggle one as well. If there’s ever another war, he doesn’t want to make the same mistakes that his father did.”

The last sentence gave you the little bit of detail to connect the dots that you needed to better understand Mattheo and his ways, his demeanor. You felt stupid for not making the connection earlier, but you blamed Mattheo and his charm for distracting you from thinking clearly. “Mattheo is Voldemort’s son,” it left your lips in almost a whisper. Pansy nodded, “I wouldn’t bring it up, though. He’s got quite a distaste for his father. But you can’t blame him. Not after how he grew up, everything he had to deal with.”

You turned to Pansy, “How does no one know that Voldemort had a son?” Pansy held out her arm, you took it without hesitation. In a whirl you were back in the foyer, following Pansy to the sitting room watching as she collapsed on one of the couches by the fireplace. You gave her an incredulous look. She huffed, sitting up straighter and rolling her eyes, “If you sit, Birdie, I’ll tell you, but not everything. That’s for Mattheo to do. If he wants to.”

You sat on the couch across from her, not being able to help but sink into the plush cushions and relaxing slightly. Pansy let out a long sigh before starting, “Mattheo hides his past very well, better than you even and you seem like almost an expert at it. Mattheo didn’t attend school with the rest of us, his mother choosing to homeschool him, teaching him what she thought was important and what he would need to be a real leader. Guess she was right about that part.”

“How are he and Draco related? I know that the Malfoy’s were loyal death eaters but I didn’t think they were related to the Dark Lord himself.” Pansy shook her head, “You’re right there, they’re not related through him. Their mother’s are sisters, Draco’s actually almost a year older than Mattheo but you couldn’t tell by how timid and scared he acts around him.” You both laughed at this, even in the few days you had been around the group you recognize everyone cowering away from Mattheo if his voice was raised even slightly.

A popping sound signaled the arrival of someone near the foyer. “Must be the boys,” Pansy stood from the sofa, you following quickly behind her. You gasped at the sight before you. Mattheo’s white dress shirt was ripped like someone has pressed him against a shredder, cuts and new bruising evident behind the tears. He had blood splattered across his cheek, though it did not seem to be of his own. His knuckles were dripping, from what you were sure was a mix of his own blood and whoever he had seemed to beat.

Enzo was leaning most of his weight on his slightly shorter friend, eyes fluttering between awareness and close to losing consciousness. His arm that was not slung over Mattheo’s shoulders was pressed against his side where he was bleeding…badly. The gash in his side did not seem to be from anything muggle or an object, but from magic as you could see the black rim of the edges of his skin. “What the fuck happened?” You voice was the first to break the silence beyond Enzo’s moaning.

“Pansy grab the others, and some healing potions,” Matteo barked the order out like he’d said it a hundred times, which at his calmness of this situation made you think he had. You quickly conjured a table and helped Mattheo place Enzo on it. You looked over Enzo completely, seeing a few more cuts on his legs, the gash on his stomach, going up further he had a few defensive wounds on his forearms and a couple of cuts on his face.

When your face was level with Enzo’s eyesight, he smiled slightly, “Well, hey there, Angel.” You ran your thumb along his cheek bone, “Hey, Enzie. I’m gonna fix you up, but it’s gonna hurt. Try not to move, and try not to be mad at me after, okay?” Enzo did his best to nod before his eyes fluttered closed again. You grabbed your wand from your pocket, knowing where you’d have to start first when Mattheo seized your wrist, “What do you think you’re doing?”

“What does it look like? I’m trying to help now if you would just let…go of me,” Mattheo’s grip only tightened as you tried to pull away. “Do you even know what you’re doing, Princess? You don’t even know what happened or what he was hit with. Pansy’s getting the healing potions, I don’t need you fucking up my best defense.”

You scoffed at his skepticism, “Well by the discoloration around his wound I can tell you he was hit with dark magic. And those healing potions, I looked at them today when Pansy gave me my little grand tour, it’ll take your best defense a week to heal with those, while if you would just let me get to work he’ll be mostly healed by the morning. Now, if you excuse me,” you yanked your wrist again, harder this time. You know the only reason you were able to was because Mattheo let go, but you got straight to work anyway.

Placing your wand between your teeth briefly you used both hands to rip Enzo’s shirt open, fully exposing the depths of what you were dealing with. The open wound went diagonally from his right hip to almost the center of his abdomen. You waved your wand over the length of his body, mending all of the small cuts quickly. Mattheo watched as you worked, standing across from you in a worried stance, one hand over his mouth while his elbow rested on the arm over his chest.

Pansy and the others came barreling down the hall, several different healing potions in hand, “What does she think she’s doing?” Malfoy shouted, your previous impression still leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. “Leave her, cousin, we’re going to see how truly valuable she is to us.” Mattheo’s instruction left everyone standing, watching as you worked.

You mumbled an incantation under your breath, beginning to pull the darkness from around the edges of Enzo’s wound. But the pain was too much for him, his eyes shooting open and back immediately arching off the table, “BLOODY FUCKING HELL!” Your frown deepened, “I know, Enz, I’m so sorry, but you’ve got to stay still.” He shook his head, “C-can’t…can’t do it, hurts t-to much, Angel.”

You looked at Mattheo, eyes pleading. He understood what you were thinking immediately, turning towards the others, eyebrows raised. You turned back towards Enzo, leaning close to his face, “The boys are gonna help, okay? They’re gonna hold you down. I need to get it out of you before you can heal properly, okay, Enz? It’s gonna hurt, but you gotta try and stay still. Just try, the boys will help.”

You made eye contact with Mattheo, nodding. He glanced over at the rest of the boys, who each grabbed hold of a limb on Enzo. “I’m so sorry, Enz,” you whispered before hovering your hands over the gash. “Just do it Angel, m’bout to pass out, I can feel it.” You nodded, circling your wand and mumbling the same incantation from before. Your twirled the tip of your wand, pulling up slowly as what looked like shimmering black liquid began to lift from Enzo’s wound.

“What the fuck is that���” Theo gasped as he watched as the string got thicker and longer. When the tail end of the black liquid flicked out you grabbed hold of it with your free hand, holding your wand high above your head to keep as much distance between Enzo and the liquid as you could. “Pansy, a vial, please,” you looked over at her. Pansy stood frozen, eyes stuck on the struggling presence in your hand. “PANSY!” Mattheo’s booming voice snapped her out of whatever trance she was in.

Pansy rushed to your side, empty vial in hand as you guided the contents of your wand and palm inside. As she clogged the top Theo tried to get someone to pay attention to him again, “Is no one going to tell me what that fucking thing was that she just pulled out of Enzo? Was that his fucking soul?”

Blaise rolled his eyes, “You’re a fucking moron, Nott, you know that?” You elbowed Blaise in the side, causing a low groan to emit from the man, “It was dark magic. It gets attached to you when you’re hit with certain spells. It makes it harder for you to heal and is extremely difficult to remove. But once you do you can usually heal the person like normal.”

You held your wand hand over Enzo’s abdomen again, mumbling another healing spell and watching as ribbons of white began connecting the opposite edges of his wound. “Do you have any gauze?” You looked up at Mattheo. He flipped his hand around, summoning a first aid kid and digging around until he found what you had asked for. You wrapped the gauze around Enzo’s middle, the rest of the boys helping lift him in order to wrap it all the way around and secure it properly.

When you were finished, you let out an exasperated sigh, “He’s gonna be out of it for the rest of the night, but he should be basically back to his old self by morning, maybe a little sore but nothing like if he’d only taken the potion. You could probably give him that as well, help with the pain.” You looked over at Blaise and Theo, “You can take him to his room, just dont push on his side. Have Gimball give him something to drink in an hour, I’d watch him for the next three just to make sure he doesn’t get any worse.”

The two boys nodded, hauling Enzo up under his shoulders and walking up the stairs. You shoved your wand back in your pocket with intentions of heading back toward the sitting room when you felt a strong grip on your arm. You turned to see Mattheo, expression unreadable. Before you could protest he was dragging you down the hall, “Mattheo, what the fuck? Let go!” Mattheo said nothing in response and he dragged you further down the hall until you were standing in front of his office doors.

He mumbled reverse protection spells before opening the doors and throwing you inside. You luckily had the wherewithal to catch yourself on his large desk before turning around to face him. “What the hell is wrong with you?” You were practically screaming in his face yet he stood stoic. Except for his eyes. When you looked into his eyes they were darker than you’d ever seen them, like you were staring into an abyss and you were about to be sucked in. You wanted to challenge him, push him into showing you some emotion. You took a step closer, your chest nearly flush to his while you shoved a finger against one of his pecs, “Are you gonna answer me, boss?”

“Are you finished?” Mattheo peered down at you. You scowled at him, taking a step back and leaning against his desk, crossing your arms, “For now.” Mattheo rolled his eyes, “I knew you were going to be difficult but I didn’t expect you to be a brat.” You scoffed, rolling your eyes. He grabbed hold of your chin, fingers squeezing your face, “Just like that. You gonna tell me how you pulled that little stunt in the foyer just now? How you managed to pull that shite from Berkshire?”

You pushed his hand from your face, “My mother taught me. I never had to use it growing up. But after the war I got more practice.” Mattheo closed his eyes at the mention of his father’s previous doings. “He’s going to be fine, you know,” your voice was soft, assuming Mattheo was worried about Enzo. Mattheo shook his head, “I know,” a small smile appeared on his face, “I just can’t believe how much I underestimated how useful you would be to us.”

Your eyebrows furrowed in confusion, “What?” Mattheo opened his eyes, a low laugh emitting from his throat, “Oh, Princess.” He reached out, cupping your cheek, “I knew you were special that first time you walked into my office. I know Pansy told you what we do, what I’m working towards.” You nodded, still not understanding what he was getting at. He leaned in close, nose nearly touching yours, “Then you know it can get dangerous, hell today was a perfect example.”

“Mattheo I still don’t unders-” Mattheo pressed his thumb to your lips, “You’re mine now, Princess.” Your heart was thundering in your chest, it felt like he had a hold of it and was squeezing. You were sure he could feel your pulse beneath his fingertips as he leaned in closer, lips ghosting against your ear as he whispered, “And you’re never going to leave.”

[elliebyrrdwrites]

Dramione Drabble 7

Theo frowned.

The eyes looking up at him were like a painting. A black pistil surrounded by jagged petals of amber set amongst a cold, stormy sky.

They were the eyes of his best friend; fathomless and cool.

Except that they were set inside of the face of Hermione Granger. They were a stark contrast against her softer, more rounded and tan features.

He glanced up at Draco and folded his arms over his chest, before peering closer.

Hermione sighed and those pale eyes rolled into the back of her head. “This is ridiculous.”

“Is it?” Theo mumbled and reached out to grasp her chin. Gently, he urged her face to turn to the left, watching the way the light reflected against her irises, and the way the pupils contracted against the glare of light coming off his wand.

Hermione jerked her chin away and scowled up at him. “That’s annoying. And this is unnecessary.”

“So,” Theo straightened and tilted his head. “How have you been feeling, Granger?”

Draco’s arms were slung over the back of the chair, his long legs stretched out in front of him. He was staring into a crystal decanter full of Ogden's Finest that was sitting on a silver cart, adorned with short, crystal glasses.

Hermione snorted. “What is this, a therapy session? This is ridiculous. I shouldn’t even be here.” She crossed her arms over her body and stuck her nose into the air.

“Why are you here, then?” Theo pulled out a metal case from inside of his coat pocket and opened it, revealing a row of hand rolled cigarettes. Rolled by elves, sold by the finest tobacco shop in all of London. Theo pulled a cigarette out and stuck it between his lips.

“Because he ambushed me.” She jerked her chin in Draco’s direction.

Draco leaned forward and uncapped the decanter as Theo slid the case back into his pocket and lifted his wand to the tip of the cigarette.

“I softened her up by going down on her.”

Theo froze in the middle of lighting his cigarette and looked up at Draco with wide, perturbed eyes.

“Then I convinced her to agree to Potters request.” He poured the amber colored liquid to the top of the glass.

Hermione choked on a sharp inhale as her cheeks turned scarlet. Theo continued lighting his cigarette and took a deep drag.

His voice thick with smoke, he narrowed his eyes in on Draco and said, “I said,” He blew out the remaining bit of smoke that his lungs had not absorbed, through his nostrils. “Not to do anything rash.”

Draco shrugged, taking a sip. He smacked his lips together with a sigh. “I wouldn’t call that rash.”

“It was incredibly rash!” Hermione nearly leapt out of her chair. “And completely inappropriate!”

Theo watched them, through the haze of smoke that began to fill his study. He watched as Draco took a mother drink and sighed, thirst quenched. “I think you rather enjoyed being inappropriate.”

“Malfoy,” She seethed.

Draco batted his eyelashes at her. “Love.”

“Draco.” Theo cut in, frowning. Well, this was it, his best friend finally lost it. “Did she even consent to the cunninglingus you unleashed upon her.”

Draco giggled. He actually fucking giggled. Hermione scoffed. But there was something about it. Something in her eyes, the way she fought a smirk that resembled something Draco would have done.

Draco cleared his throat, sobering up. “I didn’t rape her with my tongue, Theo. I asked very nicely.” He leaned his head back and Theo watched it lull to the side, his eyes looking to Hermione. “Didn’t I?”

Hermione pressed her lips together and exhaled through her nose. “He did. But he’s completely unhinged, Theo. He is dead set on starting fights with Ron, and destroying my relationship.”

“I’m just giving him what he wants. He’s itching to fight me, and I welcome it.” Draco grinned reassuringly at her.

“Are you still engaged, then?” Theo lifted a brow. Hermione looked down at her lap where her fingers were twisting together, nervously. “For fucks sake, Draco. This is what I was talking about.”

Hermione looked devastated.

“Everything’s fine, Theo. We just need to keep an eye on Granger. Make sure she remains…her.” Draco drained the glass and settled it down onto the cart. “I’ll come up with something to tell Potter.”

“Why don’t we just tell him the truth, Malfoy?” Hermione asked, momentarily dragged out of her bout self loathing.

“Which is…?” Theo prompted her, before taking another drag.

“That I was hit with the killing curse.” Hermione looked up at Theo.

“But you didn’t die?”

She shook her head. “I did. Draco brought me back to life, apparently. But he won’t tell me how.” She turned to glare at him.

Draco poured an extra two fingers into his empty glass.

“We’re on the clock.”

Draco’s eyebrows raised and he promptly filled the glass, once more, to the top. “Don’t remind me.” He murmured before he raised the glass in a salute to Theo.

Theo frowned as he watched his friend attempt to drink the entire glass in one go. He managed to get three quarters of the way down.

“If anyone needs therapy,” Hermione lifted her brows at Theo and nodded toward Draco. “He hasn’t been the same since the incident.”

“That’s because life is short, Granger. I don’t intend to waste it, nor do I intend to let you waste yours.”

Theo decided to settle into one of the other chairs in the study. Not his favorite, as Granger was currently taking up residence there.

He squinted through the smoke that pooled from the corner of his mouth as he observed.

Hermione was watching Draco with concern. Draco was avoiding her gaze, swirling the contents of the glass around inside.

“Draco, is there anything you’d like to share with the class?”

“Yes. I’m officially drunk.”

“Malfoy, my gods.” Hermione sighed and pushed herself up. “Are we done here?”

“No.” Both Draco and Theo said in unison. But Theo gestured to Hermione to sit down and said, “Your eyes have changed.”

“State the obvious.” Hermione sniffed, refusing to sit.

“You’re eyes have changed and they now look like Draco’s.”

“Which is why everyone runs scared from me, now.”

At that, Draco grinned. “You’ll get used to it, love.”

Despite the narrowing of her eyes, Theo could see that hidden in there was adoration. Adoration for Draco and all of his flaws, all of his cruel jokes and cool demeanor.

“I cannot say why your eyes changed.” He really couldn’t say it. He had sworn himself to secrecy upon Draco’s urging. “But, what we can tell Potter is that it seems to be the only effect the curse has had on you. That it has not affected your vision or your nervous system, and therefore you are fine.” He flicked an ash into the palm of his hand.

“Except that my eyes feel more sensitive to bright light.”

Theo’s eyebrows lifted in interest.

“You’ll get used to that, too.” Draco checked his watch and stood. “We’re almost off the clock.”

“Good, I’m exhausted.”

“You’re welcome.” Draco quipped, earning him another glare.

Theo shook his head and leaned back in his seat. He was going to have to do something about Draco’s behavior. It was more rash than usual. Theo had to imagine that it was a side effect from the horcrux.

“Malfoy, we need to have boundaries. I’m engaged.”

“Ugh, stop reminding me.” He tossed the remnants of his glass into the back of his throat.

“You can’t just ambush me in my office and kiss me or, or pleasure me.” She sputtered with a shake of her head.

“I’d do it in my office, but you never come visit anymore.” Draco straightened the collar of his coat and straightened the lines of his trousers.

“Draco,” She sighed. “I’m serious.”

“You let me do it.” He sneered, with no real heart behind it.

“I shouldn’t have.” She said quietly. She looked to Theo. “Thank you for...whatever all this was.” She said with a flare of her hand before she moved toward the Floo.

“Where are you going?” Draco’s eyes flashed. Pain, anger, Theo didn’t know. Maybe both.

“I don’t know. But, I’ll see you tomorrow.” She waved goodbye and stepped into the Floo. It flared bright green and Draco watched as she disappeared into the flames.

“You’re sexually assaulting her at work?”

Draco scowled down at Theo. “I am not. I’m just making it very clear that she should be with me instead of that freckled baboon.”

“But Draco,” Theo stood and moved to his favorite chair and leaned over it to dump the ash from his hands into the marble ashtray. “You have a piece of your soul in her. You have to know that some of what you’re doing is because whatever is left of your soul is calling out to the bit that is in her.”

Draco scoffed, but Theo saw the concern on his face as he turned and threw himself back into his chair. “I know that must be true but,” He ran a hand over his face. “I don’t feel all that different than before.” He tilted his head. “You were right, I do love her, I have for over nearly two years.” He growled. “It’s been torture, Theo. And then she died!”

“Again, a terrible tragedy.”

“This all feels like a second chance, you know?”

“For you or for her?”

��Both! She doesn’t belong with Weasley.” He paused and eyed Theo. “She slipped into my mind today.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“At work, she slipped into my mind in the middle of me fantasizing about torturing her fiancé.”

“That’s lovely.”

“She thinks she had fantasized about it. She thinks there’s something wrong with her. Which makes what I did to her that much more...conflicting. Because she likes me, she loves how wicked I can be.”

“You aren’t that wicked.”

“I am.” Draco nodded emphatically. “In my mind, I crucio’d the bloke until he bled from every orifice of his body.” He paused. “The thing is, I have every intention of watching him suffer. He doesn’t deserve her and he is hurting her. He treats her like she is diseased and contagious. And it’s hurting her.”

“Could it have anything to do with the fact that you are heavily involved in her life?”

“Perhaps. But I don’t see why that should change what I do.”

“No, I suppose you wouldn’t.” Theo put his cigarette out into the marble dish. “Let’s just...take it easy mate. Okay?” He eyed Draco, not for the second time, urging him to act rationally.

“I am.”

“You went down on her at work, rather sporadically, from what I gather.”

“We’re just transitioning from friends to lovers.”

Theo shook his head, clearly unable to get his friend to see reason. “Let her make the next move, then.”

“You think she will?” Draco sat up in the chair, his eyes wide with wonder.

“She adores you, Draco. Play your cards right and she will most definitely make the next move.”

[lionheartstring]

Dramione microfic inspired by Hey Jude

Draco stood against the disconcertingly warm wall, terrible Muggle whiskey in hand. A dull ache emanated from the base of his skull, exacerbated by the vibrations in the too-loud pub.

He only ever agreed to these nights out to see Granger in her purest, most uninhibited form. He hated the music. He hated the mass of bodies. He hated the lights. He hated the smells.

He loved the smile that overtook her face. He loved the way she blushed when Pansy rocked into her. He loved the way she’d sing without any concern for such silly things as keys or beats. He loved it when she’d twirl and sway toward him and pull at his tie, trying to coax him onto the floor.

He truly could not stress enough how much he loved that.

He loved the pouty face she’d make when he’d gently disentangle her and send her back off to Pansy and Theo.

Draco even loved the fluttering, uneasy feeling he’d get in his belly when Pansy would whisper in Granger’s ear. The lurch of anticipation when her gaze would snap up to him, eyes wide and cheeks pink. The relief when she’d turn away, shaking her head and trying to regain her momentum.

He couldn’t say how much he’d loved her when she’d suggested they switch to Muggle pubs after witnessing how poorly he and his friends were received.

It had only taken one dirty look, and they’d never gone back.

Some grating song about champagne in the sky blessedly began to wind down, and he watched carefully as Granger tottered to the music machine. She bent herself nearly in half, pressing buttons and frowning for a few moments before her face lit up. She slammed her finger down on a button and practically skipped back to their friends.

He didn’t quite understand why she’d been so happy to find this. The song was slow, terribly melancholy.

“…remember to let her into your heart…”

He froze and swallowed hard. Granger’s head fell back, her curls cascading down her shoulders.

“…don’t be afraid. You were made to go out and get her.”

His throat tightened, his hands began to tremble. A sort of propelling force took root behind his sternum, and he fought it valiantly, hopelessly, with everything he had.

“The minute you let her under your skin, then you begin to make it better.”

He blinked, transfixed, Granger laughed and threw her arms around Pansy’s shoulders, her hips swaying in time with the song she’d so carefully chosen. Perhaps, just maybe…

She turned and glanced at him. She glanced at him.

“You have found her, now go and get her.”

He strode forward, entirely helpless to resist. He didn’t have a plan. He didn’t have a single thought in his mind. All he saw was her. She laughed; Pansy caught sight of him and twirled her around.

“Take a sad song, and make it better.”

He reached her. She smelled of the colours that she was composed of. She smelled of the amber in her eyes, the chocolate of her hair. The rosy, berry pink of her cheeks. She looked up at him, her face shifted from shock to open glee.

“Let her under your skin.”

He took her face into his hands, falling into her eyes, entirely consumed by her, drawn in, a drowning man.

“You’re not gonna break it.”

Draco bent and crashed his lips into hers. He didn’t hear. He didn’t see. All there was, was her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, his hold on her tightened, nothing stood between them.

He tasted her, finally. Sweet and warm, like honey, like cinnamon.

So loud, and all he heard was the soft gasp that escaped her. All he felt in this oppressively hot room was the warmth of her breath. Countless bodies moving around him, all he knew was her mouth as it pushed and parted against his own.

She melted against him, washed over him. He was encased. He was full with her.

It could have been seconds or years, he couldn’t be sure.

He pulled back, just enough to be grounded by the familiarity he knew he would find in her eyes.

She gazed at him, into him, for seconds or years, and dragged him back under, her fingers wrapped firmly, greedily, around his tie.

[websterss]

A/N: I hope you enjoy it! MASTERLIST

Everything was finally coming to an end, or so you thought. You, Theo, Liam, Nolan, and your mom managed to knock down the guys with guns in their hands. You all looked at each other letting out a breath you didn’t know you were holding.

You finally thought it was over until you felt something hit your back. You should’ve known that Gabe would still be lurking around the halls trying to get the job finished. You didn’t even hear the blast of the gun as you fell on your knees.

“Y/n!” Your mom cried out as she ran to move you out of the way of the shooting bullets Gabe released.

There was now a ringing in your ears.

“Y/n, sweetheart stay with me now!” Your mom placed her hands on the wound that bled in your lower abdomen.

Theo got hit in the shoulder.

Nolan knocked out the last guy and Gabe managed to get himself shot in the chest. Three times. Now it was over.

“Wolfbane.” Liam stayed as yellow liquid oozed out. “We need to get it out of her system.” “It hurts mom…” Your breath slightly wavered.

“I know sweetie, but you have to stay with me now, okay?”

You muster all your energy to give her a slight nod. Your eyes became droopy by the second. “May I?” Theo butted in. Melissa hesitated but started moving to your left side keeping her hands on your stomach.

You winced shutting your eyes for a brief moment before reopening them.

He crouched down to meet your level. You looked at him wondering what he was going to do.

“It…hurts.” You breathed out. Theo then placed his hands on your arm.

You watched as black veins started forming. Going up in his arms. He shut his eyes enduring what you had just been feeling a second ago.

“Does it hurt anymore?” He spoke softly rubbing this thumb arm across your forearm.

You shook your head feeling a little bit of your energy come back but not all of it.

“You took…my pain.” You were surprised at what he did. You’ve never once seen Theo take away someone’s pain. He only gave it, but never once took it, until now.

“I guess I do care.” He chuckled slightly, referring back to what Mason told him back in the tunnels.

“Thank you, Theo.” You muttered.

You grabbed and pressed a kiss on top of his hand, some blood smearing on it. He responded with a small smile.

“No worries Y/n.” He gazed into your y/e/c eyes.

“Y/n I need to remove the bullet before it damages anything else.” 

“Okay.” You huffed. Your chest rising and falling.

“Sweetheart this is going to hurt like a bitch.” Your mom informed you. You just gave a firm nod.

“Here goes nothing…” Your mom began digging her forefinger and thumb into the wound.

“Ahhh.” You growled out. Your eyes turned amber gold.

“Got it!” Your mom observed the bullet.

“Y/n can you let go of my arm now.” Theo squeaked. 

“Sorry.” When you released the hold you had on his arm you saw your claw marks slowly heal. “I didn’t realize I was gripping that hard.” You sheepishly avoided his eyes.

“It’s fine, I healed.” Theo shrugged.

“You still in pain?” He gave you a once-over.

“A little…” You whispered.

“Let me.” He gave you a smirk.

He placed his hands on your arm again enduring any and all pain you were feeling. You felt the pain lift off your shoulders, but you felt a little too much pain reduce from your wound. Your gaze fell upon Theo’s face and watched as his face scrunched up.

“Theo I think that’s enough.” Melissa placed a hand on his shoulder.

“No, no I’m okay I can take it.”

“Theo I’m okay now. You can stop.” You leaned forward slightly to cup his cheek. “Theo don’t hurt yourself.”

He opened his eyes slowly to meet your worried ones.

“Do you have any pain left?” He muttered.

“How can I. You practically drained me all of it.” You light-heartedly chuckled.

“I guess I’m not used to taking someone’s pain away.”

“Can you two take us out of our misery and kiss already.” Liam rolled his eyes crossing his arms.

That made you both blush. You looked up and started leaning into him, he followed your actions. The moment your lips touched it felt like everything you’ve ever imagined it to be. It was gentle and perfect. Theo was perfect.

You pulled back and rested your head against his.

“I love this new Theo.” You smiled.

“Me too.” He laughed. You leaned in for another kiss. You both then pulled back smiling lovingly at each other.

[e-pluribus-unum-e]

Haunted (1/?)

A/N#1: This is a Mattheo Riddle x OC fanfic, I did this just because I struggle with writing "Y/N" over and over again. I feel like an actual name for the reader helps you connect better, and I already struggle with being a personable writer. Please forgive me. The OC is named Veralynn Post, she goes by Vera. Idk her middle name yet so don't ask. She has long curly blonde hair, it reaches to her mid to lower back, it's also very poofy (think Hermione Granger). She has amber eyes, almost like whiskey and honey. She's 5'2 and a Hufflepuff. And she's from the US of A 🗽. It probably doesn't make sense why she's in a wizarding school in England but bare with me. Also I'll probably have smut in this at some point but that won't be until they're well into their 7th year.

Warnings: Angst, Fluff, Mattheo 🥵, my terrible writing, eventual smut but not until much later in the series

Pairing: Mattheo Riddle x Fem!OC

Summary: Vera's best friend finds herself in a whirlwind romance with none other than Theodore Nott. Vera reflects on her own love, how ever unrequited it is, and wonders when she'll finally confess to the man that holds her heart in his hands. 6.0k+ words

A/N#2: Dear Reader, Hello! This is the start of my very first attempt at a series LOL. I've written for my own enjoyment for years, but never on a blog or anything even similar to Tumblr. Last night at 2 AM I was hit with inspiration after hearing a series of songs play one after the other that reminded me so much of our baby boy Matty <3. So I have a timeline worked out and a list of songs I want to incorporate, one song per chapter, but that list is constantly changing because I'm trying to find the best ones possible to make this work. Also I'm starting them off in 6th year because yes, while they are minors, I need the time afforded to me by starting them off that young. No smut, NO SMUT, will happen before they're both well established 18 year olds in year 7. Please let me know how I can improve with my writing, it means a lot. It is my absolute pleasure to present you with the very first chapter in my Haunted series, When Emma Falls in Love. ---Sincerely, Me

When Emma Falls in Love

When Emma falls in love, she paces the floor Closes the blinds and locks the door When Emma falls in love, she calls up her mom Jokes about the ways that this one could go wrong She waits and takes her time 'Cause Little Miss Sunshine always thinks it's gonna rain When Emma falls in love, I know That boy will never be the same

Emma Hemlock is my best friend. I met her at Platform 9¾ on our first day at Hogwarts, and ever since then, we've been joined at the hip. With her dazzling blue eyes and her straight brown hair, her tan complexion, and her warm smile, she drew the boys' attention immediately. They would scramble to write her love letters, asking her on dates and whether or not she'd give them a chance. And she never said yes. Until, now.

Theodore Nott had been asking her out since 3rd year, always being met with a resounding "NO." He even asked me for advice!-- "C'mon Veralynn! What's her favorite flowers? Does she like butter beer? When does she-" "PISS OFF THEO"-- (spoiler alert: we didn't get along). But it seems he finally 'wore her down.'

That's such a terrible expression. At least, that's what Emma says. She explained that 'no, he didn't wear me down, I just finally had the courage to say yes.' Or something like that. In all honesty, her hesitation to say yes in the first place made sense. Theo had gained the reputation of a ladies' man, him and the rest of his crew. Draco Malfoy, Lorenzo Montague, Blaise Zabini, Pansy Parkinson, and Mattheo Riddle.

Mattheo.

A man who could simultaneously get my heart racing out of fear and attraction. Fear of him, fear of the attraction, attraction because of the fear, however, you want to put it I don't care. But we'll get back to him later. Right now, it's all about Emma and her love life.

Emma finally said yes to Theo's persistent nagging, making him quite literally the happiest man in all of Hogwarts. No seriously, he ran into the Great Hall shouting "SHE SAID YES! WE'RE GETTING MARRI- OW, DAMN IT VERA!" (I may have thrown a dinner plate at his head).

So here I am. Waiting, sitting on the couch in our dorm, my arms wrapped around a pillow as I sat on my legs, watching the door in anticipation. They started dating in the summer. Emma's family had decided to spend their two months break on vacation in Italy. They ran into the Nott's while they were there. I have a theory that Theo caught wind of where the Hemlock family would be that June, and he begged his parents to let him go spend the summer in their family villa.

All that being said, they had had a whirlwind romance that didn't end when the warmer months came to a close. It's only the second week of our 6th year and they've gone on a total of four dates. It's almost hilarious how utterly whipped Theo is for her. That boy will never be the same.

Creeeeak. The door was pushed open—interrupting my thoughts—and Emma slipped into the room. She locked the door behind herself, her face looking... oh that's weird. She paced across the floor, closing the blinds, effectively putting an end to the bright sun I was basking in. I had expected her to come in, huffing and annoyed with the latest story on Theo's escapades. But this time, no, this time was different. Her eyes held a different story. "Vera..." Her grip on the window loosened as she turned towards me. Her lip trembling, and her eyes squinting. Suddenly her face split into the widest grin she's ever given me. "Vera-" "I know." We smiled at each other, one sincere and one feigned.

"I need- I need to send an owl to my parents. I need to ask my mom- oh shit this has never happened to me before. Vera, what do I do? What is this?" She started rambling, all the while her smile remained and she ran over to her desk. She pulled out her stationary and began her letter to her mother. "Ughhh I shouldn't even be writing to her about this, it's going to end in disaster anyway!"

What made me chuckle was the way she said it. The words were foreboding, but her smile never slipped. She didn't really expect this to end in a 'disaster.' "Write your letter, Em. Tell your Momma you're falling in love." I encourage softly from where I remain seated, nuzzling my face further into the pillow between my arms. Emma nods at me, eyes crinkling yet again as she leans back over her letter.

Okay, sure, maybe I don't sound as excited as I should for my closest friend. That's not the case, I am excited for her! But now's the time when we finally get to talk about Mattheo.

Chocolate eyes, curls the color of rich dark dirt, dimples when he smiles, and the scent of cigarettes and rain that clings to him no matter where he's been. To be frank, the man is liquid fire. And everyone else in Hogwarts noticed that too. And he took advantage of that fact. He had a new girl on his arm almost every day, never coming up empty in the 'love department.' But it was never love. Everyone understood he was never and would never be interested in anything serious. The problem with this?

Well that requires a bit of explanation.

I met him the same day I met Emma. Before her, even. I had gotten lost in the muggle train station trying to find the right platform, getting bumped into by grown strangers who didn't seem to notice the lost little girl tripping under their feet. I was born and raised in America until being invited to Hogwarts, and unfortunately, my parents couldn't afford to come with me to this wild train station. So I was all alone, trying desperately to find my way to Platform 9¾.

~flashback to that day~

I huff, dragging my luggage behind me as I try my best to push through the crowd. I couldn't see many children, which gave me my first clue that I wasn't in the right place. It was mostly muggle adults going to and fro, not glancing down to notice the small poofy-haired kid all alone. My thoughts were interrupted as someone slammed into me, "OW" I cried as the luggage slipped from my fingers. It hit the pavement floor below my feet, buckles popping open as the contents spill out. I shake my head in disbelief, looking up to see who knocked into me. All I saw was the back of a grown man walking away from me, seemingly the culprit, and also seemingly ignoring the fact that he just ruined an 11-year-old's day. "Hey wanker, watch where you're going!" I jump, startled at the grumbling voice ringing in my ear.

That wasn't my voice. No, that was behind me. Turning around, I gaze upon—for the very first time—the boy who would turn my whole world upside down. He was wearing jeans, and an almost too-big-for-him flannel, his curls falling effortlessly over his forehead as he glared past me at the man who just Kool-Aided into my back.

His eyes flickered from over my shoulder to my belongings on the ground. Wordlessly, he crouched down and started folding up the clothes and slipping them back into my suitcase. "Oh- no no that's okay you don't have to- I mean- agh this is such a mess." I scramble, trying to stop him from helping any further. 'This is so embarrassing.'

I squat down next to him, working side by side to get everything packed away. His hands stopped moving at the sound of my own voice, his head turning toward me as he took in my appearance for the first time. "You're American?" "Uh-" I blush, distracted by his pretty frown. "-yeah." I finally answer, a bit dazedly. "Cool." He responded. We just sat there, chocolate eyes looking into amber, until the distant sound of a train's horn broke us out of our trance. "Riddle. Mattheo Riddle. Where are you headed?" The boy asked, sticking his hand out for me to shake.

"Oh! I'm Veralynn Post, um, you can call me Vera. Everyone does." His eyebrow raised at that. "E-Everyone back in my- HEY!" I gasp as he starts laughing. "I was just teasing you Anna, no need to fret. But seriously where are you headed?" He tried to quiet his chuckling as he lifts my bag from the ground, carrying it along with his (and refusing to let me take it off his hands).

I took out the letter in my pocket, looking at the information it contained. "Platform 9¾." He seemed to ponder that for a minute. "I don't think that exists..." My eyes widen. How could I be so stupid? He's a normal not-wizardy-boy and here I am, spilling all of Hogwarts beans to the first person who would listen. Maybe if I play it off like I'm a dumb tourist he'll just forget all about it. Wait- is he laughing? OH THIS BOY- "Man it's easy to trick you. Lighten up, Vera."

My blush deepens, but not out of embarrassment. No, I was mad. "That's not funny Mattheo, I'm genuinely lost and alone and you're laughing at me." He seemed to soften at that, his laughter quieting down. "I'm not laughing at you, I'm laughing with you." "I'm not laughing." "Hmm... touché." The way he said it made me want to punch him in the face.

Mattheo seemed to notice the anger in my eyes as he straightened up. "All jokes aside, I'm headed there too. We can walk together?" He offered, looking at me apologetically. "...fine, but no more teasing." "That's too high a price." "Fine," another huff from me, "you can tease if you want to but at least make it obvious you're not being serious."

His grin grew. "You're funny, Vera."

~end of flashback~

I met Emma when we got onto the train, and ever since then, I've had an unrequited crush and a best friend. Emma was everything I could have asked for; a dear friend, a confidant, and a sister. And I will always remember that day in fondness for when I met her, but alongside the sweet memories of a friendship comes the tainted recollection of a lost love.

Mattheo and I have remained friendly up to this very moment, as I watch Emma fall in love with his best friend, Theodore. But after I was sorted into Hufflepuff and he into Slytherin, we went our separate ways. Never being close but always painfully aware whenever he walked into the room. In his defense, it's not like he ignored me or anything. We were amicable with one another, just not in each other's core friend group.

The sad truth is, is that girls tripped over themselves because the kind boy I met seven years ago grew into Adonis reincarnate. They notice him because he's effortlessly good-looking and always seems to get great grades, even when he's constantly skipping class to smoke or make out with some girl in the broom closet.

His chiseled abs, strong jawline, and generally Greek-god-like physique (thank you Quidditch) made him a heart throb.

However, the female population of Hogwarts treat him like a piece of meat. Even though they're aware that he’ll cast them aside after just one night of being in his embrace, not only being aware but wanting it because no one really wanted to love him. Him. I've had to watch as everyone acted as if he really was just a carnal beautiful body and not a soul.

Sure, his core friend group (Pansy, Theodore, Blaise, Enzo, and Draco) didn't care about his looks. From what I've observed, they genuinely care about him. But after years of almost the entirety of Hogwarts not caring, I've noticed how it's worn on him.

And it's not just Hogwarts and their obsessive drooling over him, it's his home life. His father in Azkaban, his mother dead, his brother ignoring his existence. He had an abusive childhood and the roughest of up bringings. The very same women who will beg him for one night in his bed, turn around to gossip about how he's the next Voldemort.

So very few people cared about him.

And I've noticed how it's worn on him.

I've noticed lots of things.

I've noticed how when he walks through the food line, he never takes the last of anything, always leaving it for the person behind him. How he hangs behind after dinner to pick up the plates and trays our fellow students were too lazy to clean up themselves. I've noticed that whenever a girl in our year comes into class with bruises on her body, her boyfriend is in the infirmary the next day and there are cuts on Mattheo's knuckles. How he slips treats to the magical creatures when everyone's too busy listening to Hagrid's lecture to even notice the exchange. Everyone is too busy to notice, except for me.

I've spent my entire Hogwarts career falling in love with a boy, who grew into a man, all while I remained unnoticed.

I hang on to every word I hear him mutter to Theo, to every nod he sends my way as he walks past, and the rare time he asks me for my notes after he misses class.

So here we are, back in my dorm, watching my best friend's love life blossom before my eyes. Yes, I'm happy for her. But yes, I'm also, admittedly and ashamedly, jealous.

'Cause she's the kind of book that you can't put down Like if Cleopatra grew up in a small town And all the bad boys would be good boys If they only had a chance to love her And to tell you the truth, sometimes I wish I was her

I tried to listen as Cedric droned on, talking excitedly about this new book or muggle movie or something. To be honest, I've missed about 90% of what he's said. I slept roughly two hours last night, staying up to be Emma's sounding board. 'She really has fallen hard for this guy.' I think to myself as I glance across the Great Hall. Theo was sitting at his usual table, with the usual people. One of those people is Mattheo...

Mattheo laughed at something Enzo said, leaning across the table to grab food off of Pansy's plate (much to Pansy's protest). 'I hope he has a good day.' I sigh, looking back down into my cup. I had my hands wrapped firmly around the mug, sipping the warm black nectar. Emma still teased me after all these years, calling me a "Yank" for preferring just plain old coffee over tea.

A masculine rumble broke me out of my thoughts as my eyes flickered up again to see what was happening. Oh. Theo was here. And he was yapping, per usual. What, when did he get here?

The man in question was leaning his hand onto the table to my right, looking down at Emma who was in between us. "Hey, honey..." He muttered, their voices getting collectively quieter as they got wrapped up in each other's presence.

I rolled my eyes, sitting up slightly to grab Cedric. He leaned forward, but not willingly. My hands firmly grasped his collar to pull him halfway across the table. "AH- Vera let go-" "Not until you get me a new dorm and a new table. I can't handle it anymore, DO YOU HEAR ME? TOO MUCH THEO! TOO MUCH!" I shouted, sleep deprivation getting to me.

Theo stopped whatever poem or other crap he was reciting for my friend, looking up just to glare at me. "Oh stop being the anti-Cupid just because you're jealous." I turn my head, poor Cedric still being subject to my grasp, just to glare right back at Theo.

"Jealous? What the hell would I be jealous of? The fact that y'all effortlessly behave as if you got SLEEP LAST NIGHT?" "No, jealous that no one got you flowers." "Flowers? What flow- awwww Emma those are so pretty!" I push Cedric back down, turning fully in my seat to see the pretty roses in her hands.

She smiled up at me, nodding. "Someone told him they were my favorite." Her lovesick grin made me crack a genuine smirk. I sigh, feigning disappointment as I respond, "Too bad they lied."

"WHAT?" Theo exclaimed, eyes widening in horror. "Veralynn Post quit lying to my boyfriend!" Emma cried out as I just laughed harder. "Sorry, sorry, I had to."

I straightened up my posture, leaning back over my food, finishing the rest of my coffee as the lovebirds said their goodbyes. We both watched as Theo made his way back to his side of the Hall, sliding in to sit next to Mattheo.

Mattheo.

He was looking right at me. I smiled hesitantly at him, but he just looked back at his own friends, conversation continuing like it never stopped.

Oh.

My heart skipped a beat and not in a good way. This happened sometimes. I'd think he was encouraging me, I'd make an attempt to reach out, he'd go back to acting like I barely existed. My thoughts wandered to Emma. Emma. She seemed to be a natural at taming the 'bad boys.'

She had broken down the walls of her man, her man who was so misunderstood and underappreciated. Theo wanted to be good for her. It was like she was a drug he couldn't walk away from, a book he just couldn't put down.

My final thought echoed in my head like a constant ringing in between my ears as my eyes felt glued to the man who held my heart. And I knew—I knew that while I was happy to be myself—that sometimes on the coldest of nights and loneliest of days, when the absence of his love and affection rang the loudest... sometimes I wish I was her.

Well, she's so New York when she's in L.A.​​ She won't lose herself in love the way that I did 'Cause she'll call you out, she'll put you in your place When Emma falls in love, I'm learning

It was only the start of our 6th year, but every morning felt as if I was waking up on death row. Like my days were numbered, and with each passing minute, the executioner took another step closer. I've always been able to comfort myself by saying, 'It's okay that I can't hold him in my arms. At least I can be near him.'

Being in his presence alone has always been enough for me. His aura, his being, his soul being in the same room as mine has been enough for me to be content. But with graduation comes the end of it all. The end of us. The end of him. You might be going, 'Ah but graduation is just next year! You have time!'

Time? Time? It's taken me six years to get to this point and you think one more will be the difference between my anguish and my happiness? The time needed to cause a change? When him and I, two separate souls, intwine to become just us? No. There's never enough time and I'm too much of a coward to try it now, with another year in Hogwarts, where I would have to suffer not only 6th but 7th year in embarrassment and rejection. Because Mattheo Riddle doesn't want an us.

'Who am I even kidding? There is no us, there never will be. I sound like a fucking stalker.' I scoff, aggressively zipping up my bag. Potions had ended a while ago but apparently, I spaced out, only coming to when Professor Snape closed a desk draw rather loudly. It was only me and three other students in the room with him, taking our time to pack up and clean our workstations.

"-Vera. VERA." My eyes snapped up, noticing Emma waving her hand in my face. I grimaced, pushing her hand away. "How long...?" "A few seconds." She answered, frowning. I squirmed under her scrutinizing overlook. Her eyes swirled with a flurry of emotions; confusion, doubt, concern, etc. "What? Do I have something on my face?" She frowned deeper at that.

Chuckling nervously I hiked my bag over my shoulder, leading us into the hallway as we began our trek to the courtyard. Once a week we always pack lunch ahead of time, and then walk down to the Black Lake to have a picnic together. It was the highlight of my day and the pick-me-up I've really needed this past week. 'I just hope we can get there before we run into Theo.'

Theo's been really good for her, and he's been really good to her. Honestly, never thought I'd say it, but he's become like a brother to me. I usually look forward to our playful banter and then watching him whine and pout and tell Emma she hasn't spent enough time with him, but something's been off with him lately.

His behavior is as if he's walking on eggshells around me. His glances were full of concern. His questions, 'How are you?', 'Do you need to talk?', etc., etc. have been way more persistent. Nothing about me has changed, at least I don't think it has. I have no clue how he's somehow gotten the skill to look right through my mask.

I risk a glance over at Emma, eyes narrowing. She was chewing her lip, her fingers tap tap tapping. It was a trait she picked up from me. She used to complain about how fidgety I was, constantly having to at least drum my fingers or shake my knee to be able to focus. Something that became more incessant as I would get nervous or uncomfortable.

And then I noticed her doing the same thing whenever she got... nervous. 'You must have rubbed off on me,' she'd say. Well, it's a two-way road, Emma. Because your annoyingly empathetic self rubbed off on me too.

I left her with a habit she hated, and she left me with the ability to read her emotions like a book. It had it's benefits. We push through the bustling crowd, making our way to the ‘glass room,’ as we so eloquently coined it in our 1st year. It was a room with an entire wall made up of windows and an almost simple back-patio-like door that worked as one of the many exits that led to the courtyard. It was our favorite, just because of how homey it felt.

I twist the doorknob, pulling the door open for her before following her outside. There was a small friendly match of quidditch being played on one side of the courtyard, some kids were studying, and there was just a general bustle of life out there. Both from the students and from nature. As we walked down the steps and into the grass, further past everyone, weaving through all the hubbub and finally getting away from all the prying ears, I turned toward Emma. We continued down to the lake but now we finally had privacy. 

“Emma, what’s been up with you? You and Theo, now that I mention it. It’s felt as if you’ve both been… watching me. It’s kinda weird.” I nervously laugh, running a hand through my blonde curls to push them out of my face. Our black robes with yellow accents swished with our movement, though Emma’s posture noticeably stiffened when I spoke up.

She slowed to a stop, hand reaching out to grab my own and making me halt right alongside her. “Em?-” “I know.” “Know what?” “I know you’re in love with him.” Time seemed to slow. My heart quickened and my hands started tap tap tapping. I tilted my head slightly, looking at her closer. I never told anyone, I never spoke a word about my feelings.

Which means she noticed, she caught on, and she figured it out. She’s the only one who could’ve figured it out. Theo’s too dense to have- she told him. “Love who?” I spat out, anger simmering just below the surface. She caught on to that too. “Matt-” I yank my hand from hers, stomping away from her and towards the water. “Vera! I’m not judging you- stop just stop running away!” “Running?!” I whip back around. “You told Theo!” 

Her eyes looked wet, her lip trembling as she took in my ruffled appearance. “I didn’t.” I scoffed. “I didn’t.” She repeated with a firmer tone this time. “He knows you enough to know something is wrong, but he doesn’t know what is wrong.” “My- my love isn’t wrong. It’s not the end of the world for someone to be loved by me.” I shutter out running a hand down my face as I try not to spiral.

I know she didn’t mean it like that, I know she didn’t mean to have that heart wrenching look of pity in her eyes. But I could just hear what she was thinking, my insecurities clanging like a gong in between my ears, ‘Oh Vera, how could you ever think he’d love you back?’

We stood in a field. Surrounded by tall grass and beautiful wildflowers, a lake just a few feet to our right, a tree about two yards to the left of us, and the sounds of our school echoing down the hill and filling the uncomfortable silence that fell upon us.

“Vera…” My friend’s words cut through that very silence, voice sincere. “...you love with a love so loyal, that you are content with standing on the sidelines for years. You love, with a love so fierce, that you will defend and fight and protect even when the object of your desire doesn’t take notice. You think I haven't noticed your absolute adoration toward the boy? I picked up on it back in 2nd year. You can’t keep secrets from me, you know that.” We both laughed through tears at that one.

I looked at her in shock, not knowing what to say. 

But she quickly spoke up before I could even fully process what she said before, “You love with a love anyone would be blessed to receive. But the fact of the matter is, you absolutely suck when it comes to confessions.”

My eyes narrowed at that sudden change in tone, getting whiplash from how fast she went from serious to downright insulting. It would be funny if the situation wasn't so emotional.

“You watch him from afar, you love him at a distance, but graduation is closer than it's ever been and you’re letting him slip through your fingers. I’ve watched you lose yourself in this love for long enough. It’s time, Vera. Tell him or move on but I won’t let you throw away our last years at Hogwarts just because you were trying to hold on to something you’ve never had.” I flinched at that, looking back toward the ground.

“I-I don’t know what you’re saying…” Evidently, Emma crossed the distance separating us, and I felt her hands comfortingly squeezing my shoulders. “I’m saying… it’s time you come clean. It’s time you tell Mattheo you’re in love with him.”

Emma met a boy with eyes like a man Turns out her heart fits right in the palm of his hand Now he'll be her shelter when it rains Little does he know, his whole world's about to change

So I told him I love him. 

KIDDING. After Emma surprise attacked me in that field, I ran back to our dorm and hid until noon the next day. She gave me her notes and we caught up on all the classes I missed, and then we talked for hours about him. And I told her everything.

Everything I felt toward him, everything I loved about him, everything I knew about him. She just smiled at me and rubbed my back during it all, giving nods of encouragement as I stuttered over my words.

The days went by as I tried to figure out what to do. I’d sound absolutely bonkers if I just went up to him and professed my undying affection. I’d become every other girl! ‘Except this time, it’d be a girl who truly cares about him…’ I thought bitterly to myself.

Every time I started to brainstorm on how I could run into him or get his attention, I felt like a crazy person. Like someone could peer into my thoughts and watch as I spiraled further and further into the madness of conspiracy theories and red string. It felt wrong to be so… calculated with him. He deserves better than that.

So I stayed quiet, waiting for an opportunity but not pushing it. Waiting for the stars to align and him to drop in my lap. Waiting like I’ve been waiting for the past six years. My frown deepened at that thought, heart weary as I walked into Transfiguration. Three things immediately drew my attention to the far corner of the room.

The object of my affections was actually… attending class.

He was sitting in my seat.

He was staring right at me.

I gulp, hands flexing around the strap of my satchel, nervously and uncomfortably holding eye contact with his gorgeous chocolate pools, the windows to his soul. The only way to describe the emotions swarming in those very same windows, was… curiosity? Amusement? Warmth? It was hard to tell at this distance—the occasional student walking to their seat or passing by to meet up with their friends making it hard to gaze wholly into his eyes.

‘Oh how I wish I knew what you were thinking…’ I shake my head, breaking that train of thought as well as the spell Mattheo and I seemed to be under. A shoulder bumps into me, reminding me I was planted in the doorway. I crossed the threshold, walking towards Mattheo— my desk.

“I’d say I was happy to see you but I’d be happier if I had my own seat.” I prodded jokingly as I sat down rather heavily in the seat to his left. A laugh slipped out of his lips, the corners of his mouth curling into a smile, throwing his head to the side to look at me. “Your seat? I’ve never seen you sit here, baby.” Mattheo teased, eyes glinting with humor.

I felt my cheeks burn at that comment. He said it so casually, that term of endearment that I would give anything to hear him say with meaning.

Our interactions always went this way. He'd shamelessly flirt with me (making me feel as if I couldn't breathe), I tried my best to meet his challenge (occasionally I got him to blush too), and it always ended with him walking away without a backwards glance. ‘Stop, stop thinking that. He’s talking to you, talk back!’ My inner Jiminy Cricket chides.

“You’ve never seen me sit here? Well, darling, I’d have to say this is the first time I’ve seen you in this class. It’s no wonder you’ve never noticed me sitting here.” Mattheo’s eyes widened slightly at that but his smile never faded, pleasantly surprised respond with your own pet-name. 

“Wizards and witches, quiet down!” Professor McGonagall called out, dropping a heavy book onto her desk. The sound of the loud thud echoed as the surrounding voices hushed to a silence. She had everyone’s attention. Well, everyone except for the two kids in the far corner.

We continued gazing into each other’s eyes, brows furrowing into an almost challenge to see who’d turn away first. “Ah, Mr. Riddle. Glad to see you bothered to grace us with your presence.” The older woman clicked her tongue, effectively pulling us apart, our eyes breaking contact as our heads whipped toward her. “Talk to me after class.” McGonagall made sure to stare point blank at Mattheo, voice steady and tone devoid of humor. “Fuck, she looks mad.” I put my hand over my mouth, holding in a snicker at Mattheo’s whispered comment as our teacher begins her lesson. “Stop, you’re gonna get us in trouble.” I scold, opening my notebook and reaching into my bag looking for a quill. Oh crap.

My eyes widened in panic. No quill. I started unzipping the different pockets, rummaging around, hoping that with enough silent begging and prayer, one would just magically appear. ‘It’s fitting we’re in Transfiguration… maybe the lesson will be on “Making Your Own Quill.”’

I’m pulled out of my inner grumbling with a tap on my shoulder. I was bent over toward the side, in between Mattheo and I’s tables, searching as silently as possible for anything to write with. So the sudden feeling of two fingers tapping my arm made me jump slightly.

I glance up, seeing the prettiest and most annoyingly smug grin. “If I lend you a quill, will you lend me your seat?” He asked, tapping on the chair he was leaning back in. I frown, eyebrows furrowing yet again as I sit back up. “You not only brought one, but two quills? I didn’t know you owned a notebook.” I whisper back, happily shocked to find out he had planned to pay attention today.

“No, I brought one. And trust me, it was a spur of the moment decision. Deep down we both know I wasn’t gonna use it anyway. Just take it.” He finally pulled out the writing tool from his bag, sliding it onto the wood slab in front of me.

“Mattheo I can’t take your onl-” “You can, and you will.” He smirked, insisting. "Well..." I sigh, nodding as I picked up the feather. "...Mattheo Riddle. You are my hero." "Call me any day baby, I'm happy to rescue such a beautiful damsel." His eyes glinted with amusement at my burning cheeks.

He turned back to face the front of the class, his heart stopping stupid ass grin staying plastered on his gorgeous stupid ass face. ‘He called me bea-HE CALLED ME BEAUTIFUL. What the heck is happening.' I close my eyes, breathing in and out a few times to try to get control over my racing thoughts.

'Will I ever get used to the utter heart palpitations this man causes me to have? It’s like a rabbit is trapped in my chest.’ I shake my head, looking back down at my journal.

I didn’t even know where to begin, utterly lost in this day's lecture as the past however-many-minutes was spent paying attention to Mattheo and panicking over my lack of writing tools rather than the actual subject Professor McGonagall was droning on about.

My thoughts wander back to what I was thinking of before I saw the beautiful boy to the right of me. I’ve been waiting for six years. For six years I’ve been waiting for the perfect opportunity to drop in my lap, or for Riddle to come profess his love to me, or something, anything. I can’t even remember at this point.

I was tired of it all. Tired of waiting, tired of not knowing, tired of not living just because I yearned for something I didn’t have. I dip the quill in the ink, hesitating as the tip hovered over paper. The ink gathered at the point, almost falling off and splattering on the white page.

I glance to my right, gazing fondly at him. His profile, his curls, his general posture as he tried to pretend he was paying attention but he was simultaneously fighting sleep. His eyes kept fluttering shut and he was slumping further and further down into his chair.

I look back down at the paper. I’m tired of waiting. And so I began writing.

I met a boy with eyes like a man Turns out my heart fits right in the palm of his hand Now I’ll be his shelter when it rains Little does he know, his whole world's about to change

[skekdris]

Sketch of my OC/Species graciously brought to life by @aryeonos , The Arhulian. Needless to say, a huge, six-eyed, badger-centipede is both intimidating and hard to depict visually. Thanks to Ary again for assisting me with editing and proof reading. I don't think my story could have reached this level of polish if I did not have my love to bounce it off of. <3 Down below is a short story of them meeting the Amaranthine characters by @kwillow and @chocodile . They are in for a surprising house guest, that's for sure! Seems like a good way to get a feel for a character is to put them up against some "knowns" to see how the character would react in those circumstances. Acts as a good backdrop to flesh them out from there. As for right now, I'm still 'sculpting' out a lot of the Arhulian lore and worldbuilding. Initially the story was supposed to be with Hyden, Alex, and Theo, interacting with my Arhulian character 'Niadris' - but the way things were written out and flowed - it turned out to be Alex, Theo, and Ridge instead. I really wanted Hyden to meet them in this story, but then again, Hyden being deadass asleep while all the interesting stuff happens sounds like a pretty Hyden-y thing to do. Anyways, onto the story. It's somewhat of a long read, at ~7k Words. There's a lot of character interaction, so I hope stayed close to how the three would react in such a situation!

The Visitor

It was an afternoon in middle spring - which for this area of the continent meant that if the weather was good, temperatures would rise above freezing. The cool air with the humidity of melting snow seemed pleasantly mild compared to the long, bitter winters. In the study of a large manor on the outskirts of a town called Northcrest; an older, corpulent, Rabbit with a cracked gem embedded in his forehead was gripping the sides of his hair in frustration. "A person of my mind, MY intellect should have solved this weeks - no - months ago!" Hyden snarled to himself. 

"You sure you aren't just stalling for time to enjoy your little 'vacation' here?" A Bat leaning in the doorway chided. 

Hyden put on a despondent look. "I am trying, Ms. Solokov. Really, in earnest. The faster I can put an end to this disaster, the faster I can rebuild my oh-so woefully maligned reputation!" He said, crumpling up another paper of scribbled equations of arcane theory, tossing it into a waste basket. 

Alex wanted to retort, but it would just be another fight, another exchange of barbs like all the other times before. She rolled her eyes, then stood up to wander out of the office. "Hopefully Ridge gets back soon. I want someone I can actually talk to." She thought, returning to her room to take stock of her things.

Hours later, as the sun was setting - casting the hillsides in an amber glow, a brawny teal Shark bundled in a heavy coat returned. In both of his arms were large crates, as well as canvas bags hooked around his arms. The door was opened by a short, roundish fancy Rat. "Oh, do make sure you remove your filthy boots at the entryway, I don't want any melting slush being tracked all over my estate." They sneered in their shrill voice. 

"Yes, of course Theo. I wouldn't want to sully your pristine hardwood floors." Ridge responded dryly. Before the Rat could retort, the large Shark added. "Anyways, here's everything you had on your shopping list, these supplies should keep us stocked for a few weeks before another trip." Preemptively cutting off Theo again, Ridge blurted out: "Oh, and I trust 'ya have the perfect spot to put everything. I wouldn't want to scramble 'yer pantry, after all." 

Theo scowled at the bulky outsider, their constant pokes and attempts at wit got under his skin. He knows Ridge was trying to get out of putting away the groceries after a long walk - but he was also right. "Yes, of course. As the sole keeper of this venerable estate, it is my duty to tend to all it's functions, right down to it's inventory." Theo stated. There would have been more words to shoot back, but Theo's duty as a host kept him from slipping any further into banter with his guest.

After dropping off the groceries for Theo to tend to, Ridge went off to search for alex. The manor contained more rooms and floors than any “house” he had ever set foot in. It irritated Ridge to no end that the little rich Rat insisted that the doors remain closed at all times, so he had to peek into half a dozen rooms and three closets before finding the reading room his friend was residing in. The weary Shark entered, flopping down on a chair; glad to be able to finally sit down on something soft and cushy after his trek. Alex smiled, welcoming him. "Your shopping trip took a long time Ridge, I know he asked you to grab a lot. Is everything alright?" The Bat queried.

Ridge sighed. "Yea... well maybe. Just some things 'goin on." He added before continuing. "I know you don't get out much since you 'gotta keep an eye on them two, so I figured I'd go around town and pick up a little news for ya. See what's happening. There's been talk of some strange things going on. Livestock vanishing, hunting season has been looking a little sparse, and strange tracks out in the snow. People said they look like ski pole marks, I dunno what to make of it, I figured you uh - you have gotten out more than I have, so you'd have an idea."

Alex frowned. "Well, unless we are dealing with a roaming pack of wolves with skis, it's probably another one of those magic, twisted monsters that appeared ever since this whole catastrophe began." Alex sighed, rolling her eyes. "Yet another thing I ought to give that fat Rabbit a piece of my mind about." She said, her voice lowering, oozing with contempt. 

Ridge gave Alex a concerned look. "Yeah, well, if it was just that, that wouda have been one thing. But I saw those funny tracks near the path to the mansion... I don't have a good feeling about this."

Alex nodded. "I see. As much as I want to see that guiltless loaf ripped apart and eaten like cheap, stale bread by the very monsters he's created; we need him. I'll keep my eyes and ears out for anything strange." The following nights were uneasy for Alex. Each night, she'd take station and perch herself on one of the roofs accessible via a second story window, scanning the horizon for activity. Her large ears would catch whispers of something roaming in the distance, but she never could locate the source of the sound or what direction it was coming from. It always vanished just as she felt like she was homing in on her target.

She felt an uneasy tingle in her veins as her frustration mounted. If it was just wildlife, or even a monster, she surely should have spotted something by now. "Is anything really out there?" She thought to herself. After another uneventful evening watch, Alex swallowed her worries long enough to get some rest. She already has Hyden to keep watch over, she doesn't need whatever this is stealing her attention.

During the late evening; an hour past midnight, the manor was quiet, save for the crackle of the evening fireplace, as well as the stirring of but a single person; Theo. Between his duties as host, the sole caretaker for an entire servant-less manor, as well as his intense suspicion of everybody - save for his living historical idol Hyden - Theo was often the last person to go to bed, and the first to rise. This truncated sleep schedule, the bags under his eyes; they were merely the cost of business to keep everything in order. During the final rounds of his estate, a knock came from the door just as theo entered the foyer. The ears of the diminutive Rat twitched, his shoulders jerking at the sound of the knocking, which in the dead of night was as clear as his crystal wine glasses.

Tap tap tap. Another knock came. Theos' ears were not deceiving him. "Who in their right mind would visit at this godsforsaken hour?" Theo thought to themselves. This was abnormal. Tap tap tap. He rarely had visitors, ever. Let alone at a time like this. As he neared the door, he hesitated. The magical crystal embedded in his left hand felt strangely warm, and his hand was flush with blood flow. This was never a sensation he had experienced before - something was off. Tap tap tap. Before Theo could ponder any further, the fancy Rat scrunched his nose and bared a snarl as they heard more knocking pickaxing through his inner monologue. Whatever was going on, it was a terribly rude hour to be disturbing anybody, let alone him. Arming himself with some choice verbal barbs for his unwanted visitor, Theo opened the door.

As the door swung open, he was greeted by a silhouette of something massive - even taller than Hyden - though much of it's form was obscured by the evening darkness and their ebony fur, but what could be seen was not the body of a person. It was of some kind of beast. The fuzzy forelimbs of this creature ended in large, gently curved, off-white spikes, similar to that of a praying insect that Theo had only seen depicted in a historical encyclopedia. He looked up; his eyes met with the pairs it had on their badger-like head. The creature's triangular ears flicked, then it looked down at the Rat; the creature's three pairs of eyes were arranged above one right after the other - like the pips of the six side of a die. The eyes were pure black, save for the iris that shone like a purple ring in the light of the lantern. The words Theo had prepared found themselves lodged in his throat.

Aghast, the fancy Rat stumbled backwards, but his heel snagged on the edge of a floor rug, causing the Rat to land on his posterior, painfully pinching his tail. "Eek! M-monster... Gnnnk! Demon! Hng Aberration!" Theo exclaimed in a shrill voice as his rapid breathing caused him to fumble over his own words. He wanted to call out for help, to Hyden; even to the outsider, Alex. But he could not utter anything beyond sharp gasps as his breathing went to disarray.

The imposing creature looked at the panicked Rat and spoke to them. "Oh? Is that so? Would a monster choose knocking over divorcing your door from its frame?" The creature's voice was deep, coarse, and multitudinous as if three separate beings were speaking in unison. The creature remained in the doorway, peering at the quaking Rat, examining them and their actions closely. All six eyes were locked onto Theo, and the gaze made his fur stand on end. Theo already hated being stared at by just one pair of eyes. 

Theo sat on the floor, his whole body feeling flushed and trembling from his pounding heart. That thing had just spoken to him. In fluent dialect no less! Theo had heard of monsters before, but never an intelligent one - let alone one capable of speech. Something about this creature disturbed him to his core. His mind raced at kilometers a minute trying to process just what he was witnessing.

The creature's lips tensed as if it were about to speak; but then it stopped, before looking to its left. "It seems your sentry has been roused." The creature spoke aloud.

"Ess... Sentry?" Theo questioned. Then it clicked; it was referring to Alex. She always kept watch. How did they know about her? "Was this thing spying on us?" Theo exclaimed in his mind. The Rat felt dread bubbling up within him.

In one of the manor's guest rooms, Alex was sleeping. The tension of the last few nights had made deep sleep an impossibility. Thus, when the sound of Theo's raised voice came from downstairs, it was enough to wake her. She rubbed her eyes as she rose from the bed. "Was that Theo shout-" Her large ears flicked as they heard the sound of something unearthly and her fur stood on end. Without any further thought, her body reacted and she grabbed her hunting rifle, sprinting to the location of the sound. Fortunately, her eyes were fully adjusted for the night, and she made it to the foyer without a stumble despite her scramble. 

She sprang into the foyer, stopping herself with the guard rail of the grand staircase. Alex laid eyes on the huge beast in the doorway, it's six met with hers. Alex was prepared to shoot, but the violet irises of the beast were staring right at her the instant she rounded the corner into the foyer; as if it already knew she was going to be there. The sight made her freeze. "Theo! What in the hells is that!?" Alex exclaimed.

"A monster!" Theo shouted.

"A visitor." The creature stated, it's baritone, stentorian voice matching Theos' shouting in volume.

No longer half asleep with no obstructing walls to deaden the sound, Alex heard the creature's course, multitoned voice clearly. "Did that thing... just speak?" She said aloud.

Before either Theo or Alex could interject, the creature filling the doorway spoke to the two startled people in the foyer of the manor. "Yes. I did. Your language is relatively simple compared to my native tongue." The beast stated flatly. 

"Meh Ms. Solokov! It's egk dangerous! It's bee been spying on us!" Theo said, his chest still struggling to steady itself. 

Alex kept her rifle leveled at the beast in the doorway. She wasn't sure if Theo was speaking the truth, or was just in shock. "Okay, who and what the hell are you?" The Bat said, keeping her focus on the creature.

They replied. "I am Niadris. I am what your tongue would call... an Arhulian." 

Alex looked at Theo in bewilderment. Theo glanced back at the Bat. "Are-rule-lee-an?" Theo said aloud, sounding out the word by each syllable. "In all my eghk studies. I've never heard of such a species!" Theo said. The Rat's eyes glanced back to the creature in the door with fear and revulsion. "More like 'arhulian'." Theo muttered under his breath. One of the Arhulian's pairs of eyes shifted it's gaze back to the Rat.

"After knocking on your door and introducing myself, you suggest that I am a feral beast?" Niadris queried, in their deep, hellish voice causing the Rat's fur to stand on end as they swallowed nervously. The 'Arhulian' did not just speak their language, but had an advanced understanding of their grammatical structure. The implications of this rattled Theo as he shuffled back to get further away from this creature.

Alex took a deep breath as she maintained composure, interjecting before the situation escalated any further. "Alright, 'Niadris', why are you here? Theo said you were spying on us." She questioned, her rifle planted firmly in the direction of the unplanned visitor. The Arhulian was unfettered by her brandishing a gun right at them. Did it really not know what a gun was, or worse - did it not care?

"Spying? Given that your kind have responded to me with either fear or hostility on sight, I must carefully select when I reveal myself and to whom. It is no act of subterfuge. It is a necessity. Even now; you have your armament at-the-ready just from me knocking on your door and speaking to you. I wanted to speak to an individual, then have them inform the rest of my presence. Do you really imagine this going any better if I had been more bold in my approach? Depicting myself as non-threatening would be an order of magnitude harder with gunshot wounds." Niadris snorted, all three pairs flicking their gaze to Alex before one of them returned to Theo. The multiple pairs of eyes looking in different directions at the same time perturbed them both. 

"I eghk do agree that your appearance ehm elicits revuls-" A second pair of eyes locked onto him again. " -ghn a response." Theo said, catching himself. The Arhulian did not speak a word, yet the message was clear; it tore Theo up on the inside to even dare admit, but so far this 'visitor' has shown themselves to be quite capable of not letting verbal barbs go unnoticed.

Alex lowered her rifle, still keeping both hands on it. "I suppose that's... a pretty good point actually." She sighed. "But still, why are you here?"

Niadris spoke calmly. "We share a common enemy. Despite my imposing stature and prowess, physical might is all but meaningless against a foe that subsumes and absorbs all flesh that it touches." Alex's eyes widened as the creature continued explaining. "All my strength and ability are merely tools to avoid becoming a hearty meal in the wake of such a lurid foe." Both Theo and Alex became less defensive as Niadris continued. "...It is a terrible entity that digests without need or moderation. It is a blight upon this world."

Alex and Theo knowingly looked at each other. 

"Yeah. We call it the Shadow." Alex said. Her mind feeling a slight amount of guilt over her hostility, her rifle lowered completely. 

"Hrm Yes. In that regard we do have a commonality..." Theo relented, stopping before adding too much.

The fancy Rat composed himself enough to stand back up, and brush himself off. "So, that brings us to the matter at hand. How did you find out about our mission? I don't think anyone would have snrk told you about Rising Dawn."

The Arhulian stared with no reaction. "Rising Dawn? Is that a title?" They paused before adding: "No, I sensed that this place had an anomalous aura, so I studied you from afar before approaching." 

Theo raised an eyebrow. "What is this urgh 'aura' you speak of? What do you mean by sense?" He asked, his voice dripping in incredulity.

"My kind - Arhulians - have a 7th sense if you will. We can see the 'aura' of living things." Niadris explained. "This place caught my attention because I observed a strange aura much further than I would normally be able to; I was at the crooked sign above the red roofed well when the aura became detectable to me. My normal range is about three-fifths of that."

Theo and Alex raised both their eyebrows. "That's half a kilometer!" They both exclaimed in their minds.

"As I approached and could resolve things in detail, I noticed five distinct auras." Niadris raised their scythe-like forelimb and pointed in various directions. "Two crimson auras; one that luminesces brightly." Niadris pointed to Theo before continuing. "Crimson auras? Is it referring to our catalyst stones?" Theo thought to himself as the creature explained. The Rat was still skeptical, as him being a witch was public knowledge after all. As the Arhulian continued narrating, they mentioned: "The second crimson aura seems faint - as if it were hibernating or asleep." Theo's face twitched in shock as the creature pointed to the direction of the room Hyden was currently residing in - an interior room with no visibility from the outside, nevermind the fact Hyden's presence was supposed to be hidden. Niadris, still speaking: "Then there are two mundane auras - one of them with a notable a tendency to perch from a defensive vantage point." The Arhulian stated, pointing their bone-tipped forelimb to Alex.

"Is that how he snuck past me? He knew I was on watch and avoided me?" Alex pondered. 

"Then lastly, the fifth aura. A writhing, squirming mass of discordant signals, that seethe and roil like water itself harboring anger, yet cannot move freely. As if it were sealed away." Niadris pointed in the direction of where the shadow sample was.

Alex and Theo were at a loss for words. There was no way this thing could have such intricate knowledge of Theo's manor without ever having set "foot" inside. 

Before either could speak up, the Arhulian spoke again. "Another one of your kind has roused. It is the other mundane aura, and a voluminous one at that. They are to the northeast, and heading in this direction. Could you inform them of my presence before another outburst happens?" Niadris asked with a dry tone.

Alex was stunned in disbelief. They must be talking about Ridge!

Theo butted into the conversation: "I'm not sure what kind of feh fool you take me for, but I highly doubt you really have such a fantastical ability. Really, you can 'see' us through solid walls?" Theo's mind was a whirlpool of doubt and skepticism. The creature's claims seemed too extraordinary to be true. Theo was not sure how, but it has to be some sort of ruse! In the depths of the Rat's mind, the idea of this creature being able to observe him constantly, undetected was a soul-chilling prospect that fundamentally violated his privacy. It has to be a ruse.

"Yes." Niadris bluntly responded.

"Hmph Well, it was a cunning deception, but I'll have you know, our guest is residing in the southwest portion of my manor. And even if they were where you claimed to be, you aren't even looking in that direction..." Theo scoffed. As he was monologuing, the Bat's large ears flicked as she picked up the sounds of footsteps... coming from the northeast. 

Niadris did not care to let the Rat finish before speaking, their baritone, multitudinous voice overpowering the Rats' in the conversation. "You have previously admitted to having no information about my species, yet you are presuming knowledge of my capabilities?" 

Theo was incensed at being interrupted. "How dar-"

Ridge entered the foyer, scratching his back with a pillow in the other hand. "Hey, uh, is there a barbershop trio here, who are you talki-" The large Shark froze in place as his eyes met with the strange, badger-like creature filling the doorway. "Ah! uh! What in the goddamn...?!" Ridge dropped his pillow and adopted a boxing pose as best they could as their limbs still felt heavy from their evening nap. The Arhulian's eyes devoted a pair to focus on each individual in the foyer.

"Calm down, Ridge! This thing isn't... being dangerous. It wanted to talk to us." Alex blurted out with as much composure as she could muster. 

Theo's face was flush as he exclaimed. "What are you doing there? Your room is on the other side of the manor!" The Rat's entire body tingled as any shred of doubt he could summon was scalded away by the unfolding situation. 

The muscular teal Shark stammered, as so much was happening all at once for him. "Uh, well, I wandered around and dozed off in one of the book rooms. I got up because it was cold, then I heard this guy... thing?" Ridge said, glancing at Niadris, reluctantly dropping their boxing pose and grabbing their pillow.

"Well, at the very least, Niadris isn't lying to us." Alex said exasperated. Though she too, had her doubts about this 'visitor', she did not appreciate Theo antagonizing them openly. Theo glared at her. So far the Rat has shown hospitality to the outsider, but this jab from her really rubbed him the wrong way. In the uncomfortable silence of the foyer that was now getting cold due to the door still being open, Alex's mind sparked with an idea. "Wait a minute. Your special 'sense' is omnidirectional? And it works through stuff?" The Bat thought aloud, raising her voice as her ideas congealed before her. "You mentioned exactly where our sample of the Shadow was earlier too... Theo! They can detect the Shadow long before any of us can see it coming! Don't you realize how insanely useful that could be?"

The fancy Rat stammered as they choked on the shreds of their ego. "Hhhhnngh I'll... take that into consideration... Eugh if we are going to board this creature. I just hope it's civilized enough to behave as a guest." Theo sneered.

The Arhulian made a grin, showing off their sharp, carnivorous fangs to the Rat, as well as the deep plum hue of their interior flesh. "Considering your kind have reacted negatively to my being - often with violence - my exposure to 'civilization' has been quite limited. If my lack of knowledge bothers you so greatly, perhaps you could take some time to elucidate on the matter of guest-hood~" Niadris smirked. 

"Grrrr... Perhaps I will." Theo scoffed. “But I hope you know, we do not have the culinary erk inventory for something of your dietary needs.” Niadris nodded. “I am more than capable of procuring my own food, so you will not have to worry about my nutrition. In fact, I had eaten a deer a few days prior. I should be satiated for several days at least.” The fancy Rat raised an eyebrow. “You have, egh ‘eaten’ ’a’ deer? I think your grammar is a touch underdeveloped. Don’t you mean you caught a deer? hmph What did you do? Swallow it whole?” Theo sarcastically remarked. “I had to break off those meddlesome antlers, but yes, I devoured it whole.” The Arhulian responded nonchalantly. The foyer was stunned. “A-an entire deer?” Alex said incredulously. Theo’s face contorted with disgust. The thought of a creature this size ingesting prey whole - and possibly alive - summoned dreadful imagery in his mind. “So… that would uh... ‘splain the missing animals without a trace. Heh, we thought that was the Shadow ‘fer a moment there.” Ridge chuckled nervously. Theo did not relish being in the room with this lurid creature any longer than he had to. He turned up his scrunched nose before walking off. He was ready for this evening to end. “As I was stating; ehm your first lesson on etiquette will be on closing the door. You're letting all the warm air escape!" Theo spoke as he slinked to the other room, pulling out a cigarette and a lighter from his suit pocket, needing something to take the edge off. As he puffed on his cigarette, the tingling in his hand faded.

Niadris scuttled forward into the foyer, bowing their head to ensure they cleared the door. As the Arhulian entered, their full figure and size was apparent to Alex, Ridge, and a distant Theo peeking from a doorway. Though superficially resembling a badger from the neck up, from the neck down; the Arhulian had a long, Myriapodic form with six pairs of pointed, centipede-like legs. The limbs started off fleshy, covered in fur, then transitioned to softly curved limb spikes that were off-white in color, like bone or horn after the third joint. The Arhulian's body was long and arranged like that of a large, furry millipede or caterpillar, albeit with no segments. Despite their body arrangement, the Arhulian was mammalian - bone clad in flesh - yet clearly centipede-like in their silhouette and locomotion. Niadris closed the door with a light slap of their long, tapered, heavy tail.

"Holy shit. That's... not somethin' you see everyday." A tired Ridge said, not entirely sure if they were still dreaming or not. 

Alex looked at Niadris and saw that they had the strap of what appeared to be some kind of homemade rucksack across their chest as their only article of clothing. "Yeah, I was about to ask about the lack of clothes... but I guess there's nothing in your size." She remarked lightheartedly, trying to break the tension in the air.

"No. There is not. My metabolism can vary to maintain body heat relative to the environment, so clothes would be unnecessary. In addition, they would both limit my range of movement, and be unlikely to hold up to the kind of abuses my hide experiences." Niadris responded earnestly.

The teal Shark spoke up once there was a gap in the conversation. "So, uh... How do I say this? I don't see nothin' down there, and yet your voice is deeper than an Ironfrost coal mine. What are ya? A guy or girl?" The Shark asked. 

Alex's face went wide with shock before scrunching back down into a glare at the Shark. "Ridge! That's terribly rude to just go and ask someone a thing like that!"

Niadris interjected. "There is no need to chide him. It is a perfectly legitimate question. After all, that den keeper did state there appears to be no documentation whatsoever of my kind in their knowledge base - and given the encounters I have had - neither do the rest of your kind for that matter. To answer the first question, my reproductive organs are housed internally to protect them from the rigors of life. Likewise, the answer to the latter question is that your binary terms are insufficient to describe me. Arhulians possess both the ability to fertilize a mate, and sire children. We are hermaphroditic." Niadris explained. "Your language is... limited in expressing my form, so gender neutral terms will be adequate."

Ridge's face was flush with embarrassment as he realized how personal and blunt his question was. "So yeah, on that... if 'yer talkin' about mates; doesn't that mean there are more of 'you' out there?" The shark said sheepishly, trying to adjust the course of the conversation away from his prying faux pas. He clutched his borrowed pillow tightly. Talking to this thing still seemed like a surreal dream to him.

The Arhulian was silent for several seconds. Up until now, they had been immediate to respond to questions. Alex and Ridge glanced at each other. "My kind are not native to this land. In addition, I have traveled a substantial distance. It is highly unlikely you will encounter another Arhulian." Niadris stated, with a briskness to their voice. 

Alex looked down at Ridge from the second floor and gave Ridge a gesture to "Cut it out." Ridge gave a small nod. Alex sighed. "Well, it's safe to say your arrival has been quite a surprise. I think we all should get some rest and continue your introduction properly tomorrow." The Bat said, waving her arm for Ridge to come over to her.

Ridge added: "Oh, uh, I don't think we have any beds that'd fit you. 'Fer now you'll have to stay in the reading room I was in. Theo's got a big cushy rug in there. The fire is dyin' down, but I'm sure it's better than out there, heh.``

Niadris gave an acknowledging nod while their triangular ears perked up. They then pointed in the direction of the room Ridge came from with their uppermost arms, that had regular - albeit large, clawed - hands instead of a fang-shaped spike like the rest of their limbs. The shark raised an eyebrow. 

"Hey, uh, how do ya know what room I came from?" Ridge asked, confused. 

Alex sighed and rolled her eyes. "Yeah... I'll explain that in a minute, Ridge. I think Niadris here wants some space, they need a moment to relax after the 'welcome' we gave them." She said, physically pushing on the Shark to usher them out of the foyer.

It was true that they wanted to be left alone. Niadris had little experience dealing with people. They felt exhausted having to keep their composure on total lockdown to appear as non-threatening as possible. Niadris was eager to find this "reading room" Ridge had mentioned. Spatially, they knew exactly where it was based on the Shark's location in their mindsphere. On the other hand, their mindsphere did not consider walls, thus the Arhulian had to take a few moments to figure out how to navigate the interior of the manor to the reading room. 

Despite their size and bulk, the sound of the Arhulian's centipede-like legs scuttling across the floor were much quieter than one would anticipate. Niadris made it a point to take light steps, and maneuver on rugs and carpets to minimize sound. Not out of etiquette, but as a means to hone their stealth. Never before Niadris had such an opportunity to interact and maneuver around people in close proximity in a safe environment.

The Arhulian noted a single aura tailing him; it was the bright, crimson one of Theo. Not desiring further drama, Niadris elected to ignore the Rat's presence as they made their way to the "reading room" Ridge had spoken of. The comforts of fire and shelter were secondary to the Arhulian; what had piqued their interest was the very title of the room itself. Alex and Ridge were returning to their rooms, trying to process the evening's events. "They were... quite the visitor." Ridge said, his tone unsure. Alex looked down at the floor as she walked. "Yeah. Something about them makes my fur stand on end. It's like a creeping feeling going up my back." The tall Shark looked down at his troubled friend. "Are... are ya afraid? They give me the creeps somethin' fierce too." The Bat exhaled. " I... I don't know Ridge. I had my gun pointed right at their head, but they were unfazed. Niadris seemed to know what guns are, yet they treated me like an afterthought. They don't seem dumb either; they gave Theo a good run for their money in a debate. So either they got a damn good poker face, or... this 'Arhulian' might be even tougher than it looks." Alex trailed on, the confidence in her voice gone now that she was in private with the one person here she could truly consider her friend. "...I'm a soldier. A hunter. I've had scraps with big game, I've fought people bigger than me. Even gave ol' lard chops a bloody face." Alex said, referencing her brawl with Hyden. "But that creature, it isn't like anything my training could have prepared me for. I don't fancy getting into a fight with them." Ridge scratched his fin. "So, was letting 'em in really a good idea?" "Personally, I think their alibi passed the sniff test. They could have attacked any time and hit us when we couldn't see it coming. If they wanted to make a move, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be playing mind games like a certain someone I know. We have that going for us at least." Alex paused. "Even so, I feel like they aren't telling us everything." Ridge nodded. As they reached their bedrooms, the two parted ways, then closed the doors to their rooms.

In the other portion of the manor, the Arhulian arrived at the reading room; their three pairs of eyes widened in delight. Wall to wall shelves lined with books! Niadris had very limited experience with books from their fleeting encounters - or spoils - from outsiders. Most of those books contained relatively uninteresting data like logs or journals, or completely fictitious tales. Here however, had an assortment of books on a large variety of subjects and organized quite neatly. The Arhulian removed their handcrafted backpack and pulled something out. It was a thick leather-bound book. It was plainly covered, with the sole word "Dictionary" for the title. 

Niadris' chest seemed to squirm and writhe all on its own, followed by the faintest of popping and cracking of stiff joints. With a sound of flesh being pulled taught, numerous pairs of spindly arms came slinking out from in between the creature's ribs on the sides of their chest! These arms were very thin; near-skeletal in appearance. The hands on them were clawless, and consisted of three vaguely conical digits - two fingers, one thumb. These limbs were much slower and deliberate in their movements, and the leathery skin they had was a very deep plum color, almost black. In their travels, Niadris had quickly learned that the pages of books often were too delicate for their stronger, clawed, "normal" arms.

After tenderly putting away their dictionary, the creature's three pairs of eyes darted all across the room, scanning the spines of each book for topics of interest. The low-light conditions of the dying fire was more than enough for the Arhulian to discern the titles. Then, the Arhulian scuttled across the perimeter of the room, picking out a dozen books before returning to the center of the reading room by the smoldering fireplace. The huge, badger-centipede-like being then rested their long form on the floor, their body and abdomen landing on the carpet with a plompf. Niadris laid out three books with the covers open, while each pair of eyes scanned it's own book.

Theo had been quietly observing the beast from a hidden spot in another room through a peephole; and totally-not-a-hole that he had not gotten around to patching yet. The Rat monitored them carefully, shuddering at the sight of the numerous lanky arms protruding from the Arhulian's chest, and those arms touching his books. Yet, his attention was stolen when he witnessed this creature reading three books at a time! Was this creature really that capable of absorbing knowledge? Then, another thought crept into his mind. "Wait, who taught them to read in the first place?" As his mind contemplated, Theo's eyes widened when the creature looked up, and peered straight at him. Eye to eye contact, as if the wall parting them was not even there. Niadris gestured "come over here" with one of their their large, scythe-like forelimbs that were mounted below their exterior arms. Theo ducked down from the footstool he was standing on - nearly falling off in the process - then he covered his face in embarrassment. It seemed like there really was no hiding from this damned creature.

Letting out a sigh, Theo came to the reading room. The warm tingling sensation in his left hand returned. Was his catalyst stone reacting to this creature? The fancy Rat took slow, cautious steps forward. "It is remarkable. A wealth of knowledge at my fingertips." Niadris spoke aloud. They continued. "For so many years, I had to learn matters in direct fashion. I knew your kind stored information on physical documents, but I never could have imagined this place being lined to the ceiling with this treasure." When Theo was up close to Niadris, and composed enough to listen clearly, the Arhulians stentorian voice seemed to be composed of multiple octaves speaking in perfect unison. The scholarly Rat recalled the Arhulians' comment on their native language... “If the multiple octaves can be modulated separately, the grammar of this species could be phenomenally intricate!” However, Theo had more pressing things on his mind than appealing to his inner linguist, and set aside that tangent in his mind for later. The voice had strong projection, and the beast seemed to be making a concerted effort to whisper - which was speaking volume to Theo’s delicate ears.

Theo initially had some words for the Arhulian prepared, but the "treasure" comment gave him pause. The Rat stood there in silence for several minutes as the Arhulian continued reading what appeared to be volumes from an encyclopedia series, watching their thin ribcage arms turn the pages of each book. The hands were slow, deliberate, and delicate. Near by was a cloth that seemed to have been borrowed to wipe the oils from the creature's hands before interacting with his books. The rat let out a swift, small exhale. This monster treated his things better than some people he's hosted. Theo then spoke up. "At least someone else besides His Grace sees my library for what it is, and not eguh ornamentation. Though, I am surprised you would have any academic interest at all." Theo's words trailed on. Niadris shot a glance at him. "However, I presume it is not a completely irrational observation; a thing like you just can't sceh scuttle into a library. Which begs the question at hand, just who would teach you to read?"

The Arhulian paused, before giving Theo their full attention. "I... am not sure." They responded.

"What." Theo said, the word seemingly having spilled out of his mouth in disbelief. "What do you mean you don't know? How ek! How is that even a facsimile of an answer!? Didn't your moth-er well, parents teach you?" Theo said, his voice raised in frustration.  

Niadris explained. "I do not know how I came to this knowledge. My earliest memories were of me being carried in my brood lord's abdomen. In my cradle of flesh, I would see and hear the world as they would. They would make demonstrations for me to observe as I nursed inside them. Their past memories would come to me in my dreams." As the Arhulian narrated, Theo shuddered at the prospect of being entombed alive and conscious in writhing, moist, undulating flesh from all sides. The fancy Rat took a deep breath and persisted in wading through the graphic descriptions from the beast - he wanted answers for the trouble he had gone through this evening. 

Theo waited for an opening in the creature's explanation to jump in. "Your kind- urk Arhulians, have hereditary memory? If so, how is it you do not know where your knowledge came from? Perhaps a past ancestor?" Theo questioned, only half seriously.

The Arhulian shook its head in disappointment. "If only the answer was that simple. It is far more complex, and I am uncertain of the details. I will tell you what I know." Theo rubbed his brow, adjusted his glasses, and nodded. "When I dream, I see fragments of memories; but these memories are abnormal. I see... a settlement, a school, memories of a life not only not that of my ancestors, but not of my kind entirely... and our biology cannot interbreed. That I do know." 

Theo gestured for the creature to get on with it. It was unconscionably late.

"I do have one possible hypothesis. There is another way our kind can exchange memories and experience. A ritual called Arhel-vāl." The strange word was accentuated by the Arhulian's multitudinous voice. "In your tongue, the closest word to it and what it means is amalgamation. Two mature specimens of our kind, typically one larger than their partner, subsumes the other into their flesh..." Theo's stomach churned at the vexing, visceral, possibly even vulgar imagery the Arhulian had verbally illustrated to him. "...but unlike ordinary cannibalism, the subsumed being is absorbed alive, mind intact, and two, become one." Niadris described, sparing no detail, much to Theo's revulsion.

The fancy Rat's tail quaked as his analytical mind began to put together a picture his sensibilities did not want to see. "You're hnnngh suggesting you have Esss assimilated a person?" He said, his mind racing as fast as his heart. "Oh heavens! Is that why it is here? To consume our minds and seize our knowledge?!" Theo's mind screamed.

The Arhulian peered down at the Rat. "Your luminant aura is flaring and seething. Do you find this knowledge troubling?" Niadris asked. Theo looked at the beast glaring down at him, his eyes wide with terror. "I see. You imagine me as your would-be predator." The beast let out a hushed, hellish chuckle with their deep, multitudinous voice. "Worry not, Theo. The ritual of Arhel-vāl is strictly between my kind; the 'donor' in question must be of the utmost certainty in their union - lest their knowledge be torn apart in a maelstrom of panic and fear. Your kind were never even considered a possibility due to the mental fortitude required to uphold the ritual. The being that amalgamated with me - whomever they were - must have been exceptional in their conviction."

The trembling Theo swallowed. "Well, erf I suppose that is good to know. Hrf Well, if you'll excuse me, egk I need to be getting some rest.” He stammered. “It is dreadfully late. And do take care to return my books exactly as you have found them. hgn It was painstaking to order them all as I have." With an abnormal spring in their step, the fancy Rat wheeled around and left the reading room with haste. 

"By the gods, what is that thing? How does it exist? And why did it show up to MY manor, of all places?" Theo cogitated. Their attempt to seek out answers seemed to have only made the question mark hovering over this mysterious creature even fatter. Theo paced around the manor, and passed by the room Hyden was sleeping in; him blissfully unaware of all that had transpired this evening. Theo raised his gloved hand, as if to knock on the door, but he stopped himself. "I can't disturb His Grace during his rest... but I must inform him of this aberrant thing as soon as I can." 

Theo, anxious and jittering, sat down on a cushioned chair outside of Hyden's room, fumbling with a pack of cigarettes. Alone with his thoughts his mind began to wander; all trains of thought leading back to that enigmatic creature. A particular moment from the Arhulian’s behavior stood out to Theo. The way they retreated to the library, and found refuge in books where they were not judged for their appearance or the mannerisms that others found odd... Theo shivered as he felt what was quite possibly a degree of familiarity with this creature. He did not want to fancy such feelings. The Rat shook their head and calmed their mind enough for exhaustion to take its toll; his head bobbed down, and the unlit cigarette in his hand fell onto the floor beside him as he lapsed into sleep right in his chair. The heavyset Rabbit snoozing under their blanket on the other side of the door was the only person in the manor to have had quality sleep that evening.

[witchersmistress]

the down fall of Eros

Hello my darlings!! worked on this beauty while i was on the beach today.

Trigger Warning: Swearing, Violence, alcohol, soft Sy

Word count: 2.4K

Sys pov

Dragging my feet back inside, I couldn't face the thought of being in my office not where her scent lingered. So I went to the bar and ordered a whiskey neat from Theo.

He gave me a look as I downed the whiskey and he filled the glass up again. " Boy, if you have something to say, say it. I am not in the mood for games" I drawled. He swung the rag he was wiping the bar down over his shoulder and picked up his drink and tipped it in my direction. "May I be frank with you Mr. Stone" I grunted at him and he continued. " You are a goddamn idiot" the pateron to the left of me choked on his drink as I glared daggers at Theo.   He began to wipe down the bar as he watched me " what did you say to me boy?" I sharply asked, I heard him the first time but I wanted to see if he had the balls to repeat himself. 

"With all due respect sir, you are my boss, but you are a goddamned idiot. Even a blind man could see how much you care for Rory, why else spend 100 thousand dollars on her to keep her out of the hands of that Irish prick O'Malley? She was clearly on cloud 9 when she left but you just put her in your car without a second glance, that's cold even for you boss." Draining my whiskey again he pours me another " is she really worth losing over, something she can't handle, cause let me tell you, that girl is one tough cookie, nothing could stop her or slow her down” he tossed the dirty rag in with the dirty dishes and took off with them to the back.

Looking at the bottom of the glass as if the amber liquid would hold all my answers “He’s right you know, Syverson” a dark and sinful voice purred in my ear, i turned to find Liliana standing next to me, her long dark hair cascading down her back, her warm caramel colored skin, glowing under these lights and her dark eyes looked like obsidian from this angle. I downed what was left of my whiskey, turning in my seat to face her. She was in a long white dress, a stark contrast to her naturally dark vibe she gives and as per usual, she had Bambi wrapped around her arm, with her head resting on her chest just above the swell of her left breast. Why she insists on carrying that damn snake everywhere she goes, i'm not sure but it gives her an edge that most men wouldn't dare cross and has most women bowing at her feet.

She beckoned me to follow “Come Logan, take a walk with me” I threw a 50 down on the bar for Theo, he may be a smart ass kid but he is always a wise one for his age. Catching up to Lil with ease, we walked through the club, to the seething underbelly, located downstairs. Down here, people could be who they wanted to be, from voyeurism to reverse harems, to public sex, there  was something for everyone down here. With a lot of trust, safe words and limits, the world is yours for the taking down here. I followed Lil to her dark corner of the room, she walked with such pose and grace as she sat down in her throne, with a particular young man attached to the wall by a long chain and collar.

 It wa s Mikey, my nephew, i sat across from Lil while she got comfortable in her chair with a heavy sigh i pointed at Mikey ``I'm not going to ask but be gentle he is a kid” she clucked her tongue at me “Please Logan you worry to much, besides i'm holding on to him as a debt from you beloved brother, once he pays up he can have his son back” Mikey went to protest but she pulled on his chain “ Shh my pet, the adults are talking” he quickly shut up and looked back at the floor. “He is an odd one that is for sure” she just gave me a knowing smile while stroking his hair “So why did you kick that poor girl out like she we was yesterdays trash, the poor thing was in tears as they pulled out” wide eyed i studied her “How in the actual fuck did you know i did that?” she winked at me and gestured around the room with her hands, “I have eyes and ears everywhere doll and don't you forget it” she was our silent partner in the business so she could come and go as she pleased. She was not my cup of tea but she was a fascinating woman.

“ Liliana, I have to protect her, she is my best friend's daughter and the stuff that Walter, August and I are involved in could get her hurt or worse even killed.” she scoffed and rolled her eyes, “Bullshit excuse, you and i both know that you would move heaven and earth to protect that girl, hell look at what August has done to keep Addie safe” she had a valid point, “This is Rory we are talking about'' i countered “She isn't like Adeline or Amelia'' Liliana snorted at that remark. “That is true, Amelia’s father is a damned fool if he thinks he can hide her from Walter, that man will find her and there will be hell to pay when he does' ' Mikey snorted but didn't say anything else. Leaning forward and resting my elbows on my knees.

“What can I do? I might have pushed her away for good, how can I fix  that?” she tsk tsk me like a child. “Seriously Sy? You really are a goddamn idiot, you get on your knees and worship her the way you should have, honestly boy you should have grabbed her at 18 and never let go, so you may lose your best friend but if he truly wants his daughter to be happy, he’ll come round” whatever weight that was holding me down suddenly lifted and spark of clarity came in “Thank you Lil, i don't know how to thank you” she waved me off “Anytime sugar, now go get your girl, your bike is still in the garage if you need it” bolting up the stairs and to the elevator. My phone pinged.. It was fucking Walter 

Walter: Now hold on, where is Rory and where is the damn fire cousin??

Not responding to him, I don't want to play his games. 

August: “Now now brother i'm fairly certain, he scared her off”

Sy: 🖕🖕🖕

Rushing off the elevator, I changed from my monkey suit, into jeans and a t- shirt with my leather jacket and bolted down the stairs, racing over to my bike, I started it and bolted out of the parking garage. Speeding in and out of the LA traffic, desperate to reach Rory in time. I drove into the parking garage of the hotel and made my way inside, passing the front desk. The  lady behind the desk stopped me "Mr. Syverson sir?" I turned to look at her " Yes ma'am what can I do for you?" Striding towards the desk. A slight flush appeared on her cheeks. Clearing her throat, she continued " we are giving you a partial refund for your stay, since your second guest checked out a little while and went. Poor thing she was distraught, but she had a lovely young man with her" she continued to rattle off but I stopped listening. She was gone, she had left. With another man… I had officially lost her.

Thanking the woman, I made my way to the elevators and up to the 14th floor. Trudging back to my room, I opened the door and a folded piece of paper was under my door, picking it up, I'd recognize Rory's handwriting anywhere, she loved to leave me notes as a little girl.

Sy, I'm leaving. I'll be back Monday morning to fly home but not a moment beforehand. I'm safe and that's what matters. Don't bother trying to find me, I don't want to be found especially by you. We will fly home Monday but I never want to see you again Logan Syverson. Rory

Sitting on the bed I read that note over and over again. She's gone, and I've lost her forever. Standing up, I paced, my blood boiling at the thought of her off with another man, him touching what's mine. I pick up the lamp on the bedside table and throw it across the room with a roar, punching my fist into the wall. Reaching into the mini fridge and grabbing my bottle of Jack Daniel's I chugged sip, after sip, until all I saw was a black drunken rage.

Rorys’ POV

I climbed out of the car at the hotel and made my way inside. I can't believe that I was so stupid to think that Sy would actually have feelings for me the same way I did him. He is an excellent faker. He told me all the right things, did all the right things, he played me like a cheap piano.

Making my way to my room, i grabbed my suitcase and started throwing my stuff in there, i couldn't stay in the next room to that man, my cell phone chimed and i grabbed, it was Jesse

Jesse: Hey bonita, heard you were in LA, would you be interested in getting dinner?

Rory: Loved to, i'll text you the address for the hotel im staying at.

Jesse: see ya soon 😘

I smiled and finished packing up my things, i left Sy a note a slipped it under his door not that he even deserve that much, i told the lovely woman behind the counter that i was leaving as Jesse walked in, he was 6’2, shaved head, dark eyes, plump lips that are just damn near kissable. He was in a dark button down shirt with the first few buttons undone. Black dress pants that made his ass look phenomenal, black shoes that shined, I expected nothing else from a navy man. He gave me a warm genuine smile, kissing me on my cheek as he took my bag and placed it in the trunk of his Tesla. Opening my car door for me, my heart broke a little, he is always such a gentleman. Getting in the driver's seat, he pulled away as I looked out the window as he drove, he had one hand on the steering wheel, the other one gripping my left thigh in his large hand “Bonita, talk to me” his voice was soft and gentle. I told him about what happened at Lux. he pulled into his apartment complex, he gripped the steering wheel as I finished my story. He got out of the car, grabbed my bag and he opened my door for me. “Come let's order in and watch a movie” he placed an arm around my back and made our way upstairs. Opening his apartment, I followed him inside. “ I’ll put your bag on my bed, go get comfy while I order food, your usual?” he asked over his shoulder, i followed him into his guest room, which was plain, a bed, nightstand, a mirror, and a desk. He was very simple, he believed that bedrooms were for sleeping and sex.

Valid reasons, I always thought, walking into the ensuite bathroom, I turned on the shower as hot as I could handle and went back to my bag to get my bathroom stuff. Jesse had laid out on the bed for me one of his oversized t-shirts and my black booty shorts. “This isn't a booty call Mr.” i teased as i grabbed my shower stuff, leaning against the door frame “I know sweet girl, there is time for that later” winking at me as he left the room, walking back into the bathroom, stripping off my clothes and to the hot water to commune with my demons, tried like hell to wash Sy from my skin but it was no use i could feel him everywhere. I pounded my fist on the black tile wall till my knuckles ached. A full body sob racked my chest as I slid to the floor and cried. I felt so many things, but I couldn't process my thoughts.

I felt strong arms wrap around me and pull me closer into their chest, clinging to the  shirt clinging to their chest, whoever they were, they reeked of whiskey and bergamot, jasmine and cedar. I'd recognize that cologne anywhere, looking up, I saw into the blood shot eyes that belong to one Logan Syverson. At this moment I wanted to do so many things, hit him, punch him, rip him a new one but the look in his eyes told me more than the big burly man had ever spoken to me. My anger replaced my sorrow and I got out of the shower wrapping myself in a towel and went to go find Jesse to yell at.

I was barely out the door when a strong arm grabbed me around my waist, hauling my back and slamming the door. I struggled against his hold, he let me go and I just spun around and pounded on his chest, like a child throwing a temper tantrum. “ I hate you Logan Syverson, I cursed the day I realized you meant so much to me” I continued to beat him and he just stood there and let me, my punches became slower and slower till they finally stopped. He grabbed my arms wrapping them around his neck as he picked me up and carried me over to the bed, sitting me on the edge. He pulled a t- shirt over my head and the towel before he undid the towel and dropped it to the floor. He stripped off his wet clothes and put on a pair of black boxer briefs as he pulled back the covers, scooping me up he climbed under the covers and pulled them up. Tucking me into his chest, he rubbed my back as he kissed my head. He murmured the bedtime story that he used to tell me as a little girl, as my eyes grew heavier by the minute. That last thing I heard before the world faded around me was something I never thought I heard. “ I've loved you since I can't remember when, and I'm going to love you until I can't forget how.”

[she-karev]

Gender Reveal (Andrew DeLuca x Alex Karev’s Sister)

Age Rating: 12+

Chapters: One of One

Fandom: Grey’s Anatomy

Ship: Andrew DeLuca x Amber Karev (Alex Karev’s Sister)

Summary: Amber has her 22-week ultrasound with Andrew where they find out the sex of their baby.

Words: 1419

August 3rd, 2022

“Life at The Burrow was as different as possible from life in Privet Drive.” Andrew reads out loud Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets in bed leaning down face to pregnant stomach. Amber is sitting up reading a fetal development book while her husband tries to get their unborn child to sleep inside her womb for the night.

Ever since the baby started kicking two weeks ago Amber has grown restless due to the baby kicking at all hours of the night. She found out quickly that Andrew speaking to the baby helps put it to sleep. So, every night she gives him a book for him to read to the baby which he does without hesitation knowing his wife gets crankier when she doesn’t get her beauty rest.

“The Dursleys liked everything neat and ordered; the Weasleys’ house burst with the strange and unexpected. Harry got a shock the first time he looked in the mirror over the kitchen mantelpiece and it shouted, ‘Tuck your shirt in, scruffy!’”

“Did you know that at 22 weeks the baby’s hair starts to form?” Amber says intrigued from reading her book, “So there is someone else’s hair inside me right now. Along with lungs, ears, a head and a tiny body. It’s freaky. I wonder if this is how most mothers think or I’m just uniquely morbid.”

“Do you want me to answer that honestly?” Andrew asks causing Amber to raise an eyebrow down at him, “Has the baby finally gone to sleep?”

“For the moment.”

Andrew sighs in relief closing the book, “Thank god I was getting worried I was gonna have to read till birth.”

“You should be so lucky Chamber of Secrets has a twist you and the baby will never see coming.” Amber closes her book to get ready for sleep placing a pillow between her legs while lying on her side, “My ultrasound is tomorrow, are you gonna make it this time or am I gonna have to tweedle my thumbs impatiently again?”

“I will make it this time I swear.” Andrew moves to spoon Amber from the back looping his arm around her stomach and kissing the side of her head, “We get to find out the sex, do you want to?”

“Of course I do, gender neutral paints are ugly and they’ll probably make the baby vomit. Do you have a preference? Boy or girl?”

“Healthy will do.” Andrew says with conviction, “What about you? Are you hoping for a girl to play dolls with or a boy to do laser tag with?”

“Who says girls don’t like laser tag? Keep up with the times buddy.”

Andrew chuckles, “Still are you secretly hoping for one or the other?”

“Well I grew up with two brothers so that made me eager to have a girl to play with.” Amber scrunches her face as another thought comes to her, “But I’ve had practice handling boys too so it should be a breeze if we have a little Theo.”

Andrew furrows his eyebrows, “Theo?”

“Yeah, Theodore was like family to me and naming kids after beloved family members is the way to go.”

Andrew chuckles, “Yeah but Theodore’s not a family name, Theodore was the name of a stray cat you fed scraps to from time to time.”

“I didn’t have any grandparents.” Andrew grins caressing his wife’s pregnant belly, “What about you? Any good grandfather names?”

“Um Michelangelo and Leonardo?”

Amber raises an eyebrow at him behind her, “So we’ll name our kid after a teenage mutant ninja turtle?”

Andrew rolls his eyes, “5 years together and you still don’t know the names of famous Italian artists? How did you get me to marry you again?”

“It was either you or a random resident.” Amber snaps causing Andrew to mock groan.

“Wow those hormones make you more capable of kicking a man down. Maybe I should have invested in a bomb shelter after all.”

Amber chuckles before folding her hand into Andrew’s that is spread out across her stomach. They fall asleep in each others arms cocooned into the lull of the night anxious for the ultrasound tomorrow and how the baby is doing.

The Next Day

“Have you been taking it easy at work?” The OB, Linda, asks Amber DeLuca who is laying down on the table in her bright pink scrubs that are stretched out due to her pregnant belly. Since the residency program is shut down Amber has decided to take up Jo’s offer to transfer to the OB department for the time being.

She feels it’s not as challenging as surgery, but Amber acknowledges that it’s a relaxing position for her while she is pregnant. Also she can see up close how other parents prepare for their impending baby that proves to be helpful due to this being her first.

However, she finds it annoying that she has to wait for Andrew at every appointment due to being held up at surgery. She is both envious that he gets to cut and peeved that he can’t find the time to go to these appointments with her even though he insists she schedules them every time. As if he heard her thoughts he rushes inside with a remorseful look.

“Hey, I’m sorry I’m late, the nurse took too long to prep without a resident, but I am here and I swear this is the last time I will be late.”

Amber purses her lips, “Yeah, I heard that at the last ultrasound. I’m telling you right now if you show up late to the birth I’ll throw the amniotic sac at you.”

Linda clears her throat and they turn to her, “As I was saying to your wife, have you been taking easy like I suggested? Less hours? Less stress?”

“OB isn’t surgery, so it’s pretty laid back, all I do is show up hold my hands out and catch. I’m essentially a football player in horribly colored scrubs.” Amber says bitterly causing Andrew to grin down at her.

“Well, I think you look good in pink, better than either of our sisters. Don’t tell them I told you that though, next to you they scare me the most.”

Amber grins shaking her head, “I can already see which one of us is gonna be the disciplinarian. Can we get this show on the road? I’m dying to know if I’m carrying a little Andrew or Andrea.”

“Andrea is a very popular boys name in Italy for your information. But yes we want to know so we can get to work on baby names.” Andrew stands by watching as the OB squeezes gel on Amber’s exposed stomach before waving the wand around. They watch the screen to their right that Linda operates excitedly as a visual of their baby shows up on the screen.

The blurry black and white images would look nonsensical to a normal couple. But for doctors like Andrew and Amber they immediately recognize all of the parts of their baby that appear in front of them. Andrew looks at the image amazed as does Amber who smiles at it.

“Okay I see a head, there’s only one.” Amber confirms inspecting her child, “How’s the heart?”

“BP is normal, you can even see the little heart beating right there, do you see it?” Linda points it out.

Andrew sees the little heart, “Wow, look at that. Hey, I think I can see the liver, stomach and kidneys.”

“Yes, and they are functioning very nicely but that’s to be expected from having a general surgeon daddy.” Andrew grins holding Amber’s hand.

“Everything’s okay? Everything’s in the right places and working perfectly?” Amber asks Linda.

“Yep, your baby is perfectly fine, and she is perfectly happy given how much she’s kicking in there.”

Amber and Andrew widen their eyes at that with Andrew asking in a low voice, “She? We’re having a girl?”

Linda smiles at their expression, “Yep, that’s your daughter in there.”  

Amber gasps looking down at her gorging belly overcome with knowing she is carrying a girl. Andrew chuckles lightly spreading his palm across her belly happy to know he’s having a healthy daughter with the woman he loves.

Amber smiles at the news, “We’re having a girl, oh wow we’re having a girl.” The couple laugh in unbridled joy before he kisses her, and she responds holding his hand over her belly that is carrying their daughter who keeps kicking as if she is celebrating with them.

[hemlocksandfoxgloves]

Teaser Friday

tagged by @thiamsxbitch 😽

Theo looks down at its softness, bewildered. He lets the blanket drift through his fingers, delicately, glancing at the werewolf with a guarded expression. “Why do you keep giving me things?”

Liam raises an indignant eyebrow, “I’m not completely evil you know.”

Hautely, Theo replies, “Yeah, I know. This is the most tamest kidnapping I’ve ever had.”

Liam’s eyes take on an edge as he bites back, “Coming from the person who hasn’t seen daylight in a week.” His voice drops into a low growl, “Or do I need to break your nose again? Something else?” He leans closer, his breath warming Theo’s skin. With extended claws glinting in the light, he traces Theo’s cheekbone. “Maybe I just need to slice up that pretty face of yours.”

Theo grins at him with a deviant smile, “You think I’m pretty?”

The thread of Liam’s patience snaps and with a guttural growl, he swings his arm, claws slashing ugly across Theo’s cheek with a fury. Theo lets out a painful yelp, his voice gruff. Blood poured from the gash, crimson staining his skin before the wound neatly knits itself back together.

Theo slowly looks back up at Liam with a snarl, eyes a blazing fire. “That all you got?”

Liam snarls back, his eyes glowing a deep amber. So much for keeping his anger under control. With a quick twist of Theo’s neck, a loud and sickening crunch echoes throughout the room.

Theo’s body slumps to the side, his skull twisted into an awkward angle as he tries to look at Liam. Red-faced and through clenched teeth, Theo grits out, “You broke my fucking neck!”

@ksbbb @wolfboy88 @fruchtfliege @mmoosen @chasing-chimeras @honestlydarkprincess

[cirilla-fiona-riannon]

Francis Drake Main Story

Translations may not always capture the exact nuances or tone of the original text. Expect grammatical errors.

The woman behind the door was just an ordinary woman.

(Heh? She's got nice eyes.)

Drake: "I'm Francis. Francis Drake."

Drake: "I just stumbled into this place out of nowhere and have no idea what's going on, so there's no need to be scared, little fawn."

The woman who introduced herself as Mitsuki was trembling like a cornered animal in my arms.

Nevertheless, her gaze as she looked up with determination wasn't all that bad.

Drake: "Haha! Being caught and surrounded like this reminds me of when I was ambushed at sea."

I laughed at my miserable situation as they tied me up with a rope.

When I was still a low-ranking officer on a pirate ship, I was tied up and almost thrown overboard after an altercation with an enemy ship.

Compared to that, being allowed to sit in a quality chair like this was far better treatment.

Drake: "Mademoiselle, sorry for pointing a knife at you earlier. I was on guard, so it just happened. Are you okay?"

Mitsuki: "Y-Yes, I'm fine."

The woman who had been trembling in my arms earlier blinked in surprise as I talked to her casually.

But...

Drake: "I promise not to harm you guys."

(There's no way they'd trust me even if I said that.)

Unlike the woman, there was a tense atmosphere among the men surrounding me.

(The ropes are tied tightly. They also took my knife, so untying them would be impossible.)

(Before that, if I make any suspicious moves, they might attack me first.)

A man with dark hair and a man with an eye patch on either side of me stood guard, as if they were watching over a prisoner.

Aside from the sword at their waist, their demeanor suggests they were used to fighting.

(In fact, that Napoleon guy is quite skilled.)

I glanced around at everyone present and noticed that there weren't many others used to fighting. However, the ones with golden and amber eyes caught my attention.

(Those two shouldn't be underestimated.)

My intuition told me so.

Napoleon: "Now that we've all calmed down, let me ask again."

Napoleon: "Who are you?"

Drake: "Okay. I guess I should start by introducing myself."

Drake: "I'm Francis Drake. Well, you could say I'm just a simple sailor."

Sebastian: "Francis Drake!?"

The man standing at the edge of the room, who looked like a servant, raised his voice.

Sebastian: "That famous Captain Drake!?"

Drake: "I don't know which 'that' you're referring to, but the 'Captain' part is correct."

Mitsuki: "Is this guy also a historical figure?"

Sebastian: "Yes. He's an English pirate who rose to the rank of navy admiral."

I was surprised that he knew so much, as he politely told me about my title and achievements.

Vincent: "So, he also crossed over time?"

Theo: "Just because he calls himself Francis Drake doesn't mean he's the real deal."

The man with the same piercing as the man with fluffy blond hair replied with expected skepticism.

Drake: "I can't argue with that."

As I pondered what to do next一

Mitsuki: "I think he's telling the truth."

Mitsuki: "He doesn't seem like he's lying, and it's also strange for someone to pretend to be a historical figure."

(Ooops? A backup support from an unexpected person.)

Drake: "Heh? You believe me, mademoiselle? That makes me happy."

Drake: "But is it okay to trust someone that easily?"

Mitsuki: "---?"

I casually said something to test her, partly because I wanted to be a little mean about her defenselessness and kindness.

(If she doesn't know how to doubt people, she probably has never been betrayed by anyone before.)

She probably lived a life free of conflict, intrigue, and deception.

Shakespeare: "I guarantee he is the real Sir Francis Drake."

Afterwards, the playwright Shakespeare served as a witness and finally confirmed my identity as Francis Drake.

Drake: "So, is this the lodging for Shakespeare's theater company or something? Are you all members of the troupe?"

Shakespeare: "No, Sir Drake, that is not the case."

Comte: "Will, let me take it from here."

The man with golden eyes approached me.

Comte: "Drake. This is neither a theater company nor England. Furthermore, to put it more clearly, we are in a different era."

Comte: "This is France in the 19th century."

Drake: "Ha?"

I looked at him, speechless and wide-eyed at what he just told me.

After that, he asked me how I came here, and when I told them that I'd walked alone through the hallway full of antiques, Count Saint-Germain frowned even more, and the other men looked confused.

Mitsuki: "Could it be that Drake, like me, also ended up here from his original time?"

Leonardo: "That's a possibility, but rather than being like you, it might be more accurate to say he's like Napoleon."

Napoleon: "Huh?"

Comte: "I can feel both a human and a vampire presence from you, Drake."

Mitsuki: "Are you saying he's like Napoleon? A half-vampire!?"

(Half...)

My own existence seemed to be causing a lot of confusion after they mentioned the topic of half-vampires.

As thoughts and speculations started spiraling out of control, I raised my hand to put a stop to it and bring everyone's attention back to me.

Drake: "Hold on."

Drake: "I can accept that this is the 19th century, but all this talk about resurrections and vampires is getting crazy. Can you at least tell me more about what's happening?"

Napoleon: "I understand how you feel."

Mitsuki: "Me too…"

The lady understood and felt the confusion I showed.

Mitsuki: "Comte, I think we need to explain the situation."

Mitsuki: "And since he doesn't have a place to go, why don't we let him stay at the mansion for a while?"

Drake: "........."

(It'd be inconvenient if I got thrown out like this. I need to play my cards right.)

(That young lady over there seems kind, huh?)

Although there were voices of caution coming from the men, they still undid the ropes and allowed me to stay in the mansion.

It was a fortunate turn of events.

Drake: "Anyway, sorry for the terrible first impression. I'll be in your care from now on, so let's all get along."

Mitsuki: "If there's anything I can do to help, please let me know."

Drake: "You..."

She wasn't scared anymore and was now genuinely smiling.

Drake: "You're really kind."

(I hope that kindness doesn't lead to your downfall, little fawn.)

On a night when a full moon was floating in the sky, I became a member of the mansion where vampires and "one girl" lived一without me believing in their smiles and words.

Previous Part ╎ Masterlist ╎ Next Part

[eruden-writes]

Scent Match - Part 3

(Note: Started with an anon asking for the phrase prompt, “Oh. Oh.”)

Summary: When Amber Dyer decided to attend a Creator Con, she never expected to run into Of Wolf and Blood lycan hearthrob, Augustine Prime.

But, there he was, stooping over her table, asking to buy the unflattering drawing of his character. Valuing integrity over taking money from a celebrity and running (though she was sorely tempted,) Amber finishes the sketch and delivers it to Augustine.

However, he continues to doggedly pursue her and entwine their lives.

All because of her scent.

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First Part | Previous Part Masterlist

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The VIP lounge was simultaneously underwhelming and overwhelming. While the environment was remarkably drab - reminding Amber of a sad office party with business-grade navy carpet and neutral grey walls - being in the midst of celebrities brought her anxiety to a heart pounding ten. She was just thankful to have Addie by her side, helping to field questions

She just had to focus on calling the actors by their actual identities, rather than their character's names.

"So, did you think you'd get the Augustine Prime's attention with this drawing?" From across the coffee table, Tarias - Theo Delaney - leaned forward in his chair. A smile spread over his features, his eyes alight with amusement. On the table was the aforementioned drawing.

Amber glanced down at the piece, ignoring how Augustine - from his spot on the floor - watched her so... closely.

For the most part, Augustine simply basked in Amber's presence. He was thankful she agreed to venture into the VIP area. At the time of his request, he hadn't realized he'd be able to inconspicuously take in her scent for an extended time. Augustine had merely wanted her to stay near him.

Now, not only was he committing her scent to memory, but Amber's mannerisms. The way her gaze bounced from one companion to the next, trying valiantly to give them all her attention. She even turned slightly toward whoever spoke, making them aware she was listening. Augustine found his eyes often wondering. Taking in her straight back, but slumped shoulders and the way her hands shifted, her feet fidgeted.

He wanted to skim his hand down her back, release her tension. Or bring her hands to his lips, brush light kisses over her knuckles to still her nerves.

"I didn't know it was him talking to me at first. I was focused on my drawing." As Amber admitted that, Laira - Delilah Moonsbayne, Amber reminded herself - barked out a laugh from her armchair next to Theo. The actress made a flippant comment on Augustine's lack of presence, but Amber didn't acknowledge it.

With her heart still pounding, Amber simply smiled weakly at the woman and let her momentum continue to propel her words, "If l had known he was lurking about, I might not have chosen Montos for vent art."

At her words, Augustine's ears twitched with concern, but Theo beat him in asking, "What were you frustrated about?"

Theo Delaney's intense look of concern brought a soft, awkward laugh to Amber's lips and a lick of heat over her cheeks. It felt odd explaining her everyday gripes to a celebrity.

Thankfully, Addie took over talking duties as she threw an arm over Amber's shoulders. "Despite how talented Amber is, their work - particularly their webcomic - hasn't gotten the attention it deserves."

"I'm not the best at marketing, so it's really just my fault." Amber winced and gave another weak laugh, trying not to sound too self-deprecating.

At her knee, where Augustine had opted to sit on the floor, the actor suddenly snapped his fingers. He smiled up at her, craning his neck as he excitedly asked, "Weren't there books at your table? Hell's Bells or something?"

"Hell's Promise," Amber corrected with a nod. Honestly, she was surprised he'd seen anything other than her little drawing of Montos, given how focused on it he had been. She was lucky he even remembered the commission, let alone invited her into the private realm of celebrities.

He seemed to perk up more, wolfish ears turned toward her in full attention. Something in Amber shivered under his undivided interest. Augustine leaned closer to her, subtly taking in her scent as he prodded further, "Do you have a copy with you?"

Also on the floor, Dsidere - Camry Vainglow - leaned over Augustine. Interest sparked in their wide green eyes as they waved their hand, like a kid hoping to be called on in class. "Yeah! I wanna read it, too!"

Before Amber could break the news that no, she didn't have any of her comics on her, Addie tapped her shoulder repeatedly. "I have some!"

Surprise flicked over Amber's features, turning to her friend. The other woman was riffling around her messenger bag excitedly looking for something. "You do?"

"Yeah, I figured if Augustine actually had come around, I should grab some merch." Triumphantly, Addie withdrew a small stack of Hell's Promise. As she leaned over to hand them to the celebrities, she shot Amber a wink. " You never know! He might become a fan and post about it online, which would be a boon, right?"

"Very smart!" Camry nodded sagely as they and Augustine accepted a book each. Amber tried to hide her surprise and delight as Theo and Delilah also took copies. Along with the books, Addie handed out some stickers, pins, and additional copies of Amber's business card.

Trying to shove off her own excitement - it wasn't even guaranteed they'd even read her comic - Amber opted to give further information. "You can also find the comic online at the website on the back of the book. Online is obviously more up-to-date than hard copies."

Flipping through the pages, Delilah tilted her head to the images before asking, "So what's the story about?"

"Hell's Promise is about a world where witches get their familiars assigned to them and our protagonist gets a hellhound. Which is, like, completely unheard of in this universe." Once again, Addie took the verbal reins, leaning over Amber as she spoke to Delillah with pure excitement. "So the witch starts poking about and unravels a long forgotten prophecy which may or may not involve saving the world."

"Interesting," singsonged Camry as they flopped onto the floor, stomach to the carpet and Hell's Promise splayed open for reading.

"I like to think so," Amber said, just before her phone went off. She blinked, momentarily rerouting her thoughts before realizing it was her own device. Digging it out of her pocket, the phone continued chiming as more notifications rolled in. Confused, she stared at it, trying to understand what was going on.

"Wow, someone is popular." Addie leaned closer, peeking curiously at the device vibrating in Amber's hand. "What's going on?"

"I honestly don't know." Amber's eyebrows furrowed, realizing it wasn't just one app going off. It was all of her social media. If it had just been her texts, it could have been an emergency involving her friends or even the few family that still spoke to her. However, it was as if someone lit a fire in all of her apps.

Why was she suddenly getting so many notifications? Had something she posted riled up people to the point of hunting her down online presence down across multiple platforms? She couldn't even think what she had last posted that would be met with any level of vitriol, specific or general. That didn't mean much, though.

When she realized the reason for the attention, her heart jumped while her stomach plummeted.

She was tagged across multiple platforms by @TheAugPrime. The post, in question, was a selfie of Augustine - taken mere minutes ago - holding up her comic and flashing an attractive grin to his camera. The caption read "Check out this comic by @AmbDyArt! Just got a copy and can't put it down." Following his statement, he even linked to the places Hell's Promise was hosted on.

Startled, her eyes wheeled to Augustine. Embarrassment and dismay, among other indescribable feelings, spiked a fire up her spine. "That's not even true. You haven't even read it!"

"It's not a lie, either. I haven't put it down, since Miss Kline handed it to me." He winked with a grin, waggling the still-held comic in the air. Immense pride puffed out his chest over that little workaround.

Beside Amber, Addie gave a giggle-snort. "He has a point."

"B-but he hasn't read it yet." Amber briefly turned to her friend, shock and betrayal faintly coloring her voice before she turned back to Augustine. "What if you don't like it?"

He gave a lackadaisical shrug, but his smile never faltered. Even as an inkling of uncertainty colored the far parts of his thoughts, a part of Augustine couldn't help but enjoy her reaction. It was unbearably adorable. While he hadn't read the comic yet, he had flipped through it and could feel Amber's care put into the art. "I'm sure I will. You made it."

"You don't know that though!" She wanted to grab him and shake him. How could he just give her a free recommendation so easily? What if he read her comic and found it to be utter trash? Hell, what if his fans read it and deemed it garbage? Further "what ifs" spun around her head with every notification buzz her phone shuddered with.

Something in her expression must have finally struck Augustine. His ears drooped a little, confusion and hurt softening his features.

Oh, he had fucked up. Something in his chest sank, staring up at Amber's flustered horror. Before he could think of something to say or apologize, Delilah had reached over to Amber, patting her on the shoulder. "Sweetie, don't try to make sense of him. He does shit like this all the time."

"Would you like me to delete my post?" He held up his phone, thumbs poised over the screen as if it would just be a matter of thumb taps to erase the posts. Causing her strife had been the furthest thought from his mind. Augustine knew what his celebrity endorsement could do for a small brand, though. He had just wanted to help her.

"I... I don't know." Conflict swarmed Amber's thoughts. It just felt like a lie, but wasn't that marketing? He hadn't actually lied, hadn't given an actual review. Just posted a photo of himself with the book. That alone had her own social media suddenly aflame.

Even if he deleted his posts, there were bound to be screenshots already circulating. Some of those emails pouring into her inbox might be from news outlets, as well. She didn't even want to think about the rumor aspect in what he had just done.

Staring helplessly at her phone, she watched as notifications rolled in from ExaGram, Bumblr, Cheepter, and more. With a shake of her head, she sighed and set her phone to Do Not Disturb mode before tossing it back into her bag. She'd deal with the mountain of notifications later.

"You should've asked before posting that." From beside Augustine, Camry nudged his side. He glanced down to his co-star, still sprawled on the floor with the comic book open. "Some people don't like their timelines blowing up, all because of your mug."

Again, Augustine realized he should have known better. He often forgot. Even when he barely started his acting career, his family's notoriety and wealth - and predisposition to conventional attractiveness - meant he'd always had a following. With drooping ears, he sighed and cast an apologetic look to Amber. "Sorry, Miss Dyer."

"It's fine! You were just trying to be nice." Augustine's puppy dog eyes worked on someone, at least, as Addie wrapped an arm around Amber's shoulders. She gave a laugh, giving her friend a little shake as she pointedly said, "Right, Amber?"

"Yeah, it's fine. I'm just..." Amber sighed once more, pressing her hands to her warm cheeks. Her cool palms helped to ease the fires of anxiety still churning inside her. She suddenly felt foolish for her reaction. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she centered herself before allowing her hands to drop and looking at Augustine once more. "I'm not used to so much attention on my socials."

Augustine rose to his knees from his crosslegged position, edging closer to Amber again. She tensed, seeing his hands rise briefly to touch her knee. Some sense made him drop his hands, but earnestness still glittered in his eyes. "Let me make it up to you by treating you to dinner."

"Weren't you going to ask her out anyway?" Delilah grinned as Augustine shot her a dirty look. The fact she sat in an armchair and he knelt on the floor razed at his pride, but he ignored it. Just because he planned to eventually ask Amber out to eat didn't mean his colleague had to throw him under the bus like that!

Blessedly, Amber's friend ignored Delilah's interjection. She was all excitement as she bounced a little on the couch. "Food sounds great! We were just talking about what to get for dinner before you caught us!"

Watching Augustine's features shift from somber to excited made Amber feel a little bad for how she had reacted to his post. With that feeling, another wave of frustration swept through her. She'd been acting ingracious to him and the other OWaB cast. After all, just because they were celebrities didn't mean they weren't persons, with flaws and feelings and understanding. Other than talent and luck and connections, they were no different from her. Mostly.

With that thought in mind, Amber turned to the others and smiled, determined to extend the olive branch of friendliness. "Are the rest of you going to join us?"

No one caught the momentary fall of Augustine's expression when Amber posited her question. Nor did they see his further gloom as his castmates chimed affirmatives. It was only a blink of disappointment, before he schooled his expression back into a smile.

There'd be time to talk to Amber alone, he reminded himself. He was just happy for the continued time together.

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[prokyon]

Kass the werewolf

Sketched a portrait of them from before (left) and after (right) their persecution. Here we can see some of Kass's burns which are just starting to heal up and grey a little. They look remarkably alive for somebody who just got stabbed and burned and tossed into the woods, but they are really not feeling well at all right now. It might be about a week afterwards, as the bruising has faded.

Werewolf healing speed is helping them stay alive so far, but they are unable to be assisted in healing by magic as there's no telling how it will interact with their curse. Magic clashes in uncertain conditions, and a clash could be deadly for everyone involved.

The full extent of their scars can be seen on this ref, which wrap around Kass's shoulder and back quite a bit. It will take months of healing and rehabilitation to prevent massive issues with their mobility as the scar tissue tightens their skin, and they have chronic pain from their injuries.

Some more info about them!

Kassandra is a name that they chose to hide their identity and it stuck. Formerly known as Vera Kovách – not exactly a "deadname" but it doesn't work for them anymore. Their transformation journey into accepting themself as a werewolf included coming to terms with their gender identity and leaving their past self behind. They still look on those times fondly, before they became a victim of war.

Their amber eyes are not just a werewolf trait, they were born with this. It marks them as descended from a foreigner (they are a bastard with no care to find out who their father was) since it is not common in their region, and it also gets them in trouble for being possibly "witchy". The vibrancy depends on lighting, and they keep this eye colour when they transform. In both human and wolf forms, they do have eye shine now.

Normally they keep their hair braided and neat for work around the smithy or their mother's tavern, but their unkempt look is understandable given the week they've been having. I guess you could say it's been ruff (okay I'll stop). Their hair is black as pitch, and is different from their wolf form which is a dark brown with creamy undercoat.

They wear a simple silver chain made by their uncle and master smith Theo. They typically keep their jewellery on this chain while working, as they don't like having things that could be caught on their fingers. This goes double now that they can't wear anything restrictive when transforming. Safety first!

Everything about my queer fantasy werewolf novel WIP is in my tag the enby werewolf thing.