#this child needs food somebody feed him

[meowmeowmeowmeow4x]

I’m angry because tumblr didnt let me add more than 30 tags :(

How am i supposed to gush about this?! >.<

a deep sea danny for mermay~

i got inspired by @meowmeowmeowmeow4x's lovely fic, Dark Blue Moon and the Suffering Sun! I don't think my depiction of danny is completely accurate to the story, but i looooved the description of his transparent skin with visible bones and organs and wanted to give it a shot!

[ma1dita]

partners in crime

luke castellan x fem!dionysus!reader [the trouble!verse]

MAIN SERIES MASTERPOST

summary: few things are certain in this life as a demigod, but one thing is for sure— you can’t fight fate when it pulls you and luke castellan together, over and over again. two young people who hate the gods are more like them than they think, for better or worse. annoyances to best friends to lovers

things to know: dionysus!reader's nickname is trouble & most of these can be read as standalones!

here's a playlist (spotify & apple music links now available!)

child of dionysus headcanons!

trouble!verse moodboard 1 & moodboard 2 & college!trouble by the lovely @24kmar

deleted scenes from a different universe (AUs)

play the extended cuts (blurbs from in-between)

character study: luke castellan & trouble

any works, updates, thoughts, musings, etc about this series will be tagged under #trouble!verse !

key: fluff - ☼ angst - ☽ smut - ☆ jo's favorites - ᥫ᭡

[rewind to before] pre-established relationship

trouble always finds me (trouble!reader origin story) 1.7k ☼

The one where he could tell you were trouble from the day he met you. (You're an annoyance, but not an enemy)

entropy 3.6k☼

The one where you both blur the lines between annoyance and admiration. (the promise of becoming partners in crime)

buddy system 4.2k ☼

The one where he comes with you to rescue your younger twin brothers, Pollux & Castor. (this is as close to a real quest that Mr. D will give you--might as well take someone you trust!)

somebody's angel 4.4k ☽

The one where you convince him he’s pretty, even with a scar. (songfic - Die Alone - Finneas)

feed the fire 1.2k ☼

The one where his focus is not on spilled food, but on you. (Luke realizes this is more than playful banter)

bedtime stories 2.4k ☼

The one where night shift with him runs late, but you don’t mind at all. (the both of you have feelings you want to admit, but duty calls!)

crazy little thing 3.4k ☼

The one where he uses all his drachmas to make you smile on Valentine's Day. (the Apollo kids are better matchmakers than Aphrodite, sometimes)

anything you want 1.6k ☼

The one where you and him have your first kiss. (You've always loved teaching the story of Orpheus and Eurydice; except when your Orpheus runs away from you)

said he likes crazy 2.1k ☼ ☽

The one where only he can help you with a bad day, even if he's avoided you since your first kiss. (For being a son of Hermes, he has a way of calming your nerves)

[pause and remember us like this] established relationship

play pretend 5.1k ☼

The one where Mr. D catches you two in the act, but you and him aren’t exactly together yet. (Drunk words are sober thoughts. Your dad just wishes Luke told you instead of him)

a wish your heart makes 1.4k ☼ ☽

The one where you share dreams, burn cookies, and it still reminds him of home. (The dryads will probably ban you from the kitchen after this)

star crossing 4k (NEWEST ADD) ☼

The one where both your dreams come to life for a night (Crossing the stars for love is easier said than done)

to see the chaos through ☽

The one where he remembers he was never a good guy, just yours. (Luke makes the ultimate deal with the devil in order to save you)

not your goddess ☽

The one where you both know the best of days eventually have to come to an end. (songfic - Goddess - Laufey)

don't blame the kids ☼

The one where you both chaperone a trip to Mount Olympus. (the Olympians are bigger gossips than you thought they'd be)

trouble's coming for you 3.7k ☼

The one where Percy meets his two favorite counselors at Camp Half-Blood. (three times Percy is oblivious (and in the way) and the time he realizes you and Luke are in love)

now that we're older 3.5k ☼

The one where he asks if you can stay the night even if all of cabin 11 makes fun of him. (Luke is tired of the routine. He just needs his girl)

if you need to be mean (be mean to me) 1.5k☽

The one where he leaves before you wake up. (songfic - I Don't Smoke - Mitski )

[fast forward until we meet again] post-tlt

lovers, or partners in crime 2.1k ☽

The one where Annabeth and Percy think you’re guilty too. (the last day leading up to Luke's betrayal)

love like a blister: the five stages of loving losing luke 4.7k ☽

The one where you learn to mourn someone even if they’re still alive. (the five stages of grief after facing a loss)

to catch a thief 3.7k ☼ ☽

The one where duty calls at Camp Half-Blood. Again. (Your reunion with Luke isn't quite what you expected.)

solipsism 5.3k ☽

The one where you finally pray to Hestia to keep your home safe, even if he's also trying to destroy it. (the four times Luke uses Backbiter to visit you during college ft. the first time you trust a god to help you)

forever falling: luke castellan & his four great loves 4.3k ☼ ☽

The one where he falls from grace and still thinks of you. (the four great loves of Luke Castellan’s life and how it will end up killing him)

love me dry 4.5k ☼ ☽

The one where he meets you at his mother's house, though both of you didn't expect the other to be there. (a glimpse into May Castellan's idea of a perfect day)

when the curtains close 5.3k☽

The one where you lose two people in the Labyrinth that day. All strings are cut. (Annabeth and Pollux find out the biggest difference between you and Luke.)

asking for trouble ☽

The one where Luke's final wish is to see you. (He's himself again, and all he wants is to find out if the trouble was worth it all)

as above, so below ☽ ☼

The one where you plead your case with the gods of Olympus. (The one thing the fates didn't expect was how much you'd both be like your fathers; in a way, you and Luke didn't see it coming either)

ask to be added to luke/general taglist 🥹

[ecoterrorist-katara]

The tragedy of Katara’s parentification

Sokka and Katara were both parentified, and it’s a profoundly life-changing thing for both of them. One of the saddest things in ATLA, though, is how Sokka sort of got to outgrow parentification, but Katara never did.

Sokka’s told to be the man. The provider, the protector. He’s not so good at the former (his hunting failures are a consistent source of comic relief), and he takes failures of the latter very, very hard. He doesn’t manage to save Yue, and that wrecks him. After Yue, he becomes extremely protective of Suki in a way that’s borderline offensive to her. He’s willing to do anything to protect his friends and his family, including something as irresponsible as breaking into the Boiling Rock. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Sokka is the only one of the Gaang who unambiguously kills. The rest of them may technically have clean hands because of cartoon logic, but Combustion Man is very dead, and Sokka is the one who killed him. We don’t know how he feels about it, because the show never goes there, but I have a pet theory that Sokka is so uncharacteristically (remember he was team “leave Zuko to freeze to death”) against Katara confronting Yon Rha in The Southern Raiders because he’s the only who knows what killing feels like and wants to protect Katara from it.

But by the end of the show, Sokka’s in a place where he can start to let go of his need to protect. Objectively, all his friends are unbelievably powerful and can take care of themselves, including his sister and his girlfriend. Suki is the one who saves him in the final battle, representing not only a reversal of his initial cartoonish misogyny, but also demonstrating that he is worthy of protection. And of course, he and his friends saved the world, so there isn’t really an enemy that he has to protect them from anymore. Sokka’s loved ones create the conditions under which his parentified behaviour is no longer necessary. Sokka would still have to take the first step to stop seeing himself as the one who has to lay his life on the line, but at least it’s possible for him.

But not Katara.

Katara had to take on the mom role after their mother was murdered, which meant she was responsible for domestic labour and emotional support. Sokka says in The Runaway that her role was to keep the family together. Unlike protection, that’s always a full time job regardless of the war. We see Katara spending more screen time than anybody cooking, getting food, mending, and generally doing women’s work. We see Katara giving everyone emotional support, including strangers and her enemy. We see Katara putting aside her own discomfort and her own hurt in The Desert because if she falls apart, they all die. Nobody ever showed her that she doesn’t need to be the only one who cooks, or that somebody else can be responsible for the emotional wellbeing of her friends, or that — god forbid — someone else can actually be responsible for her emotional wellbeing.

That’s why I never cared for the Ka/taang argument of “he teaches her to be a kid again!” Putting aside the fact that Katara ends up taking care of Aang a lot more as the series goes on, the whole tragedy of parentification is that you can never again be a child. That part of your childhood, your god-given right, is robbed from you. It is extremely precious and important to still be able to be a kid, but breaking free of parentification is not about seeing yourself as a kid. It’s about breaking free of being responsible for everyone’s feelings and behaviours.

For Katara, that responsibility is not problem of perception, but of reality. Unlike Sokka, who was told and shown that his loved ones are capable of protecting themselves, Katara has zero reason to believe that her loved ones are able to feed and clothe themselves and not fall apart emotionally. Between Toph and Sokka who emphatically don’t want to do this work, it all falls on Katara. Telling a parentified child that they just need to loosen up is akin to telling an overworked mother that she needs to just relax (“happy Mother’s Day! You get a break from chores, which you will catch up on tomorrow because nobody else is doing them”). It doesn’t accomplish anything if nobody creates the circumstances under which it’s possible to let go of responsibilities. A lot of Zutara fans, spanning all the way back to the early days of the fandom, like the “Momtara and Dadko” trope where Zuko also does chores. Why? Because even without the concept and language of parentification, many fans recognized that Katara’s performance of domestic and emotional labour is inequitable and probably very taxing.

Growing out of parentification is about more than just letting go of old expectations: it’s also about finding a new way to value yourself beyond the role you grew up with. I’ve said this before, but it’s very important to acknowledge that just because a kid is parentified doesn’t mean they’re actually good at being a parent. In fact, it’s probably a given that they’re not, because they’re kids performing roles that are developmentally inappropriate! Sokka remains a shit hunter; he becomes a decent fighter but he’s still miles behind his friends. A big part of healing from his parentification is finding another area — strategy, engineering, project management (what else do you call that schedule) — where he actually excels, to which he can dedicate his time and from which he can derive satisfaction and a sense of identity. For Katara, fighting for the oppressed and combat waterbending give her that. Crucially, however, Katara does not stop being a girl when she becomes a warrior. She’s still responsible for domestic and emotional labour. Unlike Sokka, whose protector duties were more or less relieved as the series went on and he found new ways to contribute to the group, Katara continued to perform her old role in addition to her new one (which is depressingly realistic btw, look up feminist theory around the concept of the second shift). Still, it’s important that she found these new ways to value herself and her contributions…

…which disappear in her adult life. Where’s adult Katara fighting for the oppressed? Where’s adult Katara enjoying her status as a master waterbender? Where’s Mighty Katara? Where’s the Painted Lady? Where’s the person who vanquished a whole Fire Lord?

What do we know about adult Katara? She’s no longer a rabblerouser or an ecoterrorist. She did not translate her desire to help the downtrodden into a political role, like being Chief or on the United Republic Council. She’s not known as the best waterbender in the world, only the best healer, even though her combat abilities are what she took the most pride in. Even as a healer, she established no hospitals, trained no widespread acolytes (except Korra, I guess?), and made no known contributions to the field.

What Katara is known for…is being a wife and a mother. The same role she was forced to take on at age 8. One which she performed for the next 80+ years.

[colourstreakgryffin]

Hello!

I love your writing, so I wanted to request one where Alastor finds out that the reader is pregnant (it can be romantic I.e it’s his child, or it can be platonic, I.e the reader is his close friend.) I just thought it would be a cool idea!

For real… why do one when I can do both! Demisexual romantic Alastor in the buildinnggg~! Let’s see how Al handles this!

Alastor- Fresh Meat

Platonic

Well… this is very awkward. Alastor finding out that you’re pregnant

Alastor will buy you cute presents for your baby: clothing, toys, a pram. Anything he can, he may be uncomfortable by the fact you’re carrying a baby but he’d be a moron to just not help you

Alastor wonders what name you and your partner will give the baby and he gives you ideas whenever you two hang out

Alastor refuses to let you move too much. First week or the last month, he’ll get something like a trolley or a carriage to push you in so you can relax and not stress your body out

Alastor will fold into your food cravings. If you want Jambalaya, he’ll cook it whilst you’re over. Anything he can do to make you more comfortable, he actually cares about it and your baby’s comfort— he totally doesn’t just care for you to shut about wanting potato salad

Alastor lets you stay with him when you have an irrational moment with your partner and need somebody to vent to. He is right there and he’ll be your rock, he is your bestie after all

Alastor congratulations you and your partner for the baby and he gives you three presents regularly. Just like before you gave birth, he is doing it again and it’s his rewards for the baby coming out. He is happy for you!

Yes, Alastor attended the Gender Reveal party you and your partner threw and was basically the first person there and the last person to leave, and he was the one keeping everybody under control. Thankfully, Angel Dust didn’t shoot the fireworks that could have blown up the house or set the house on fire. He is protective over you, your partner and your upcoming baby

Alastor wants to meet the baby. Please, let him visit you first and don’t invite anybody else. Let him come over and meet the baby, he needs to. He wants to hold them and see what you have pushed out

Romantic

Alastor banged you one time… and now, you’re carrying his baby?! As much as he is so shocked and amazed by it, he is actually quite afraid of it and isn’t exactly ready to be a father

Alastor can’t stop himself from also folding into the fact he has a baby in your oven and he’ll just lay his head on your growing baby bump and kiss it, feeling the kicks of the embryo and just holding your swollen stomach with his heart swelling with pride

Alastor is guarding you so damn fiercely. You’re not going anywhere alone, no matter what stage of your pregnancy you’re in, you require proper protection and he will make sure you don’t even go down the street without him right next to you

Alastor loves cooking for you and he refuses to let anybody else feed you. He knows what you like and basically all of his food can actually go down with you. It’s wonderful

Alastor is already envisioning the baby boy or baby girl you’ll push out eventually. Will they have his deer features? Will they use voodoo when they grow up? He is so curious and when he sees the ultrasound pictures, he dies a second time

Alastor basically acts like your eager little servant. He’ll rub your shoulders if your back is sore, he’ll carry you around if you’re tired, he’ll bend over backwards to make sure you’re happy. The second you want to cry, he’ll kiss and cuddle you to calm you down

Alastor is quite good at handling your irrational and emotional states. He’ll just rock his baby mama and his baby until they fall asleep after either are having or about to have or had a temper tantrum, and like that. His loves are knocked out like a light

Alastor is freaked out when he sees you using Voodoo magic… it must be the baby! He is so amazed and he just watches it everytime you summon a black tentacle to pick up a water bottle left on the counter

Alastor is a man of control and controls himself very well… but the moment he is allowed into your hospital room and is given your and his baby by the Nurse, freshly after you have given birth to him/her. He cries. The Radio Demon openly cries and he cries with so much pride and joy at how cute the baby boy/baby girl is!

Alastor cannot put the baby down when he has him/her in his arms. He loves him/her so much and he loves you so much. He may have been afraid to be a dad and he is still afraid to be a dad but he can’t reject the life he and you produced and he is so in love with him/her already…

[actualbird]

confession: i refrained from talking about It here (though i livetweeted the ordeal on my priv lsbdfsdlf) but now that things have calmed down, i wanted to share what's happened

from february 4 to february 12 of 2024, i experienced the most heartbreaking and heart wrenching week of my life. my mother tried to commit suicide several times, and the days were first spent taking care of her while in an overdosed state while she said over and over that she wanted to die before i finally broke and begged her to go to the hospital. up until that point, i was looking after her on my own. i was feeding her, getting her to sit up to drink water, walking her to the bathroom, checking if she was still breathing, and enduring it when she got mad at me and told me she was “fine.” i was hanging on by a thin thread. i’ve always been the house’s caretaker—always known as the pragmatic and responsible one—but this was more than I could ever handle.

“i don’t know how to help anymore,” i told my older sister when i myself had my own breakdown on the night of my mother’s hospitalization. as i hyperventilated and sobbed, the feeling of helplessness shook my body and my words. “i can’t help anymore.”

and then something really wonderful happened: people came and helped

when news got out of my mother's attempts, suddenly my phone was blowing up with texts and messages from people i didnt know. they were her friends: old friends from college, friends from the university she teaches at, her family from the province. they were all asking me and my siblings if they could help with anything: driving, food, money, emotional support. her family in the province drove hours from the province to meet us in the city just to lend a hand in keeping us calm. her friends from the university were the ones who drove her to the hospital and helped us out with a loan and financial aid for the ER bills.

my brother who lives in japan flew in back to the philippines despite having an academic conference just to help. his girlfriend drove him from the airport to the hospital despite having to study for an exam. my older sister's boyfriend came over just to buy us all donuts and food to make sure we were all eating while looking after everything. my girlfriend bought my sisters and i trinkets from a convention just to make us smile during these hard times, and she kept reminding me to sleep and eat and drink and take my meds. my online friends who knew were messaging me asking if i was okay, if i wanted to see some bird posts for serotonin or if i needed somebody to vent to or even to help with money too. hell, even my coworkers asked me if i was okay. they asked about my mom, and i told them, but then my supervisor asked "but how are YOU?" and i burst into tears

all this reminds me of that weird "discourse" i see around about how youre not supposed to ask friends for help because we're all adults and. i am 24. and in these weeks, i felt more like a helpless child than ive ever felt in my life

and yet

people came and helped

when youre needed, youre needed

and we didnt even ask. they just....showed up.

everybody we knew—friends, acquaintances, colleagues, family—they all showed up when we needed them

idk. i guess in this world it's really easy to feel really alone. i sure did. but youre really really not. i had no idea how many people were looking out for us, but they're here. they were here for us. ive lost count of how many people came to help, and isnt that a beautiful thing. i lost count of how many people helped

[beanghostprincess]

I love the sanji and Usopp childhood best friends AU but let me one up this a bit. Robin being usopp's not so legal guardian.

She's in her early 20s she's still on the run and hiding from the government. She runs into the red hair pirates. They hide her on their ship for a while running away from the Marines as well. They really don't know what to do with her at this age she's really not up to being a pirate. Especially on a boat full of men she just met a week ago, they don't know what to do. They're planning on dropping her off at any random village but yasopp had a better idea.

Her name is not Robin. Her name is Ruth, She cut her hair. Maybe dyed it a different color She looks like a completely different person. (They also fake her death. They blew up a navy vessel. They could have executed the plan a little bit better) He takes her to his home and gives her the key.

This is a kind act. A little too kind.......What's the catch? Of course the catch is she has to look after his son. Yasopp has recently been bereaved losing his wife while he was at sea leaving his 7-year-old basically alone for the time being.

(Since yasopp knows that his wife has passed, I'm pretty sure he got Merry or someone in the village to check up on him while he tries to come up with something in the meantime.)

Yasopp: He needs someone to look after him.

Robin: and why isn't it you?

Yasopp: with my bounty? No, not a chance...... Folks recognize me you know my face and once they know It's off to jail for me but you... Ms "Ruth" they don't know you... Which means you can roam around without any worry.

Robin:........

Yasopp: I know this isn't your ideal situation but this is the best we could do. Okay? Look you got a nice house. You can have the master bedroom.... Some of my wife's clothes are still there food, water, Shelter You're set....... All you have to do is just keep Usopp safe..... Say hi buddy don't be scared she's here to watch you..... Come on let go of Daddy's leg..... Say hi to her usopp....

Usopp: no!... I don't wanna.

Robin:...........

Yasopp: *sigh* come here upsy daisy.....God either you're getting heavy or I'm getting old.....*sigh*.....he's a good kid really. Honestly he's very low maintenance just feed him and bathe him and put him to bed at 8.

Robin:........... (Staring)

Usopp:........ (Staring back)

Robin:... Alright...... I'll do it.... I'm truly grateful for this really.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN LOW MAINTENANCE THAT IS A CHILD YASOPP PLEASE SUKFKSDKKJSGNKBFKJD 😭😭😭😭

No, but I absolutely love this. Robin and Usopp bond after a while of Usopp being a bit shy and scared of her. She's like a big sister of some sort, too. He tells her all his stories and speaks about his mom! And Robin also tells him her mom was an incredible person too but also died :( She takes care of him in such a gentle, and loving way. And Usopp is protective of her. Like. A lot. He keeps saying that if anybody dares to come around her he'll just stop them with his powerful slingshot because Captain Usopp will be there to save his dear archeologist! (dude, is this Au just Usopp stealing crew members from Luffy because he found them first? Maybe yes). She tells him her real name and the real reason she's there once he grows up a little bit, and Usopp promises to keep the secret if she stays with him because he really can't lose somebody else. Robin tells him they'll be together for as long as he lets her. She's the most,,, Precious thing. She loves Kaya, too! They spend sooo much time together with Usopp.

And then the whole drama comes because Sanji appears. It's not like Robin is going to fight somebody now that she's safe, but the way the kid speaks when he starts staying over with them (while the crew fixes the ship yadda yadda what I say in the original post) is a bit worrisome,, Sanji grows so fond of her too. He loves her! She reminds him a lot of his mom and finds so much comfort in her. Now, there's this layer of angst because, despite loving each other and having so so much fun together, the three of them can't stay like this forever because Sanji has to go. And Usopp, of course, says no because he's both scared and not ready to do this. But,, But also, he doesn't want to do this to Robin. She's been taking care of him for a long time! And she can't come with them! It'll be dangerous! And Usopp can't leave without her because she promised his dad she'll protect him, and he doesn't want her to get into any trouble. Usopp doesn't tell Sanji, though, he doesn't want to blame Robin for this and make her feel guilty. So he keeps that to himself and watches Sanji go, hoping to reunite someday.

I am guessing that once they meet Luffy, Robin joins them at the same time. If Usopp is going, she's going too. It doesn't matter how dangerous it is, if Usopp wants to fulfill his dream, she doesn't mind a bit of danger. They'll be alright. Then they meet Sanji and everything is pretty much the same except that Robin is there from the start? Her low appreciation for her life is still there, don't worry, Water 7 happens anyway. It's just angstier because Usopp wants to leave and Sanji doesn't want to lose him again, and Enies Lobby is even more dramatic because it's Usopp the one to burn down the flag for his dear Robin! Not to mention that it adds more significance to the Robin/Sanji Wano scene!!

And also, just think about Robin knowing these two teenagers have the biggest crush on each other. It's just so cute.

[cliickermiller]

Could I request a Joelxreader where the reader moves to Jackson and is super sweet and loves to bake things for everyone in town as a thank you for allowing her in and at first Joel rejects their offerings because they’re suspicious of them which makes the reader continue to try and bake things for him, finally he accepts and starts opening up to them and offering to help reader with any labor they need done which leads to them sharing a kiss and maybe starting a relationship

mean spirits and bread cakes - Joel Miller x Reader

A/n: Woohoo first request, I was a little hesitant at first because I want to make sure my requests are written like my stories, with feeling and detail and I hope I accomplished that by the end of this story so just let me know how i did :)

Whenever you were brought into Jackson you were met with guns in your face, mainly by two men but one of them was a lot more lenient with you staying there, You believed that his name was Tommy, he welcomed you after the initial questions and tests and set you up with you own little room, it wasn't big or much but he said it was temporary until another unit opened up. For now you made due, using your time mainly in the kitchen helping the others prep meals for the town and other things, once Tommy helped move you into your new home, which just needed repaired, you quickly made to work making a little farming area outside.

It had been a couple weeks since you finally got your own home, you hadn't really baked since you moved in, trying to help the others out as much as you could, while still maintaining your food source in your backyard. Over the weeks you had met somebody named Joel, who you learned was the other man holding the gun in your face. He was closed off, at least to you, you always say him talking with Tommy and laughing with a teenage girl who you assumed was his daughter. You learned later that her name was Ellie, she was sweet and always came over first thing in the morning to help you bake for the other residents of Jackson, props she didn't really help baking but she watched you and learned how to do it while keeping you company and being a taste tester for you different treats.

"Y/nnnn! What're we bakin today?" Ellie cheered walking into your kitchen smiling brightly "We are making a strawberry bread cake with freshly grown ingredients and I finally made the perfect flour substitute so now maybe your grump of a father will accept them" You proudly stated smiling at the girl, watching as she giggled loudly "Joel is-.." She stopped, what was Joel to her? A father? A father figure? or just some guy who takes care of her? "Yea..yea Joel is a tough cookie to crack" She smiled using your phrasing from the other day "Alright, now, let's get started on mixing dry ingredients, I wanna make sure all these cakes are done by the time the patrols get back" You smiled watching as she took her usual seat on the counter next to your sink to watch you bake. You house was nice, you could tell whoever built it and the other houses knew what they were doing, you never thought you'd live with water or electric again but whenever you found Jackson that was the first thing you noticed.

After almost six hours of baking you were done, you liked doing it though, it gave you time to talk with Ellie, the first child you spoke with since the fall, and considering you were a middle school teacher it pained you seeing all the kids that turned infected; plus it helped feed the community, you weren't taking out of their found resources either, you grew it all and happily contributed it throughout the town, it was the only real way you knew how to pay them back for letting you stay, there weren't many kids, you weren't physically capable of going and fighting clickers like the others, so you stuck with helping them build/setup new cabins and cook little treats for everybody. Ellie filled the time with telling you the story of how she met Joel and how she wishes he was actually her father, how she always longed to have an adult go out their way to protect her, so she didn't have to learn at such a young age. You felt bad for her, Ellie was a sweet but stubborn girl, she reminded you of your younger sister. "Well....I'm happy you've made to here, Ellie, And I'm glad through your journey you found somebody like Joel..He sounds like an amazing man" You smiled placing the small cakes into separate containers, Deep down you know Joel had to of had someone before Ellie that he cared about that much, considering this was the first group of men you found that weren't ravaging assholes and that fact he went across the country and only kept Ellie's best interest in mind really showed his true colors.

Ellie shrugged a bit shoving some containers into her bookbag ready to help you pass them out, "I guess I kinda owe it to him? He helped me get this far I probably would've died by now" She mumbled, you offered her a kind smile wrapping an arm around hers to lead her outside to start your rounds. It probably took another hour to hand them out and you and Ellie still have 4 more containers together to pass out, splitting down the main road you stopped at the house you knew would be a problem, you didn't know why you still tried giving things to Joel, he always declined and acted like you were carrying the next world ruining virus and were ready to kill all. Looking up on the porch you saw him sitting in a rocking chair with his guitar propped on his lap "Hi.." You mumbled slowly stepping up on the porch "What're you doing here, y/n?" He grumbled, you frowned "I uh..-um.." You were stuttering, after hearing Ellie's stories about him you felt nervous under his watch, flustered. "Spit it out. I gotta start lookin for Ellie soon" He huffed sitting up straighter "Oh! E-Ellie she helped out today again..I wanted to drop off a strawberry- uh- bread cake" You stuttered watching him furrow his eyebrows "Don't you know flower started this entire damn mess?" He snapped standing up "N-No! I uh, I've been finding other things, not containing wheat t-to make a substitute for the flour.." You rambled, a little worried by the tone and body language, He looked around, catching eye of Ellie talking to Tommy stealing a piece from his food container and walking towards the cabin. "I don't want it" He huffed before going back inside, leaving you on the porch alone, you huffed, not letting his mean spirit get you down to happily pranced to Ellie "I'll see you later alright, hun? You need anything you know where to find me"

You woke up the next morning to Ellie pounding on your bedroom door, what the fuck? Getting up in a rush you swung the door open looking at her "You weren't awake whenever I knocked on the door and I got worried you left in the night a-and when the door was locked I-I thought you got infected or died" She rambled before hugging you tightly, you hugged her back tired and confused, the moment that really woke you up was Joel standing in your hallway peeking through the doorway "S-Sorry..Whenever you didn't answer I got Joel..." she whispered "N-no hun that's okay, no reason to be sorry, you were worried" You said rubbing her back before pulling away wrapping the blanket you had around your body before leading them both back out to your living room. "Ellie...you gotta help Maria today..better get on that" Joel said lowly, motioning her out of the cabin before closing your door sighing. "She cares about you" He said finally, turning around to look at you, you still had horriendous bed head and you looked like you just climbed out from under a rock (In your defense it was the best sleep you've ever had)

"I care about her..She's a sweet girl..one of the only people left her age that actually care about what's left in humanity" You whispered calmly going to the kitchen to get a bottle of water "She's cared about a lot of people..most em have died..so..whenever she cares about...un-infected she cares alot" Joel said, you nodded understanding what he was saying "I've noticed..I've seen kids deal with loss and grief...most grow resentment towards others..-" Joel cut you off "-But she's different" You agreed with him picking at your covers "Tried that..damn..strawberry? what the fuck did you call it?" He asked running a hand over his facial scruff "Strawberry bread cake" You whispered trying not to crack a smile, he sat down on the edge of your coffee table sighing "it was good..real good..Was kickin myself most of the night for not trying it sooner" He chuckled embarrassed rubbing the back of his neck "Ellie made you try it didn't she?" You chuckled watching him huff "Damnit she's right you can read people like a damn book" He grumbled before readjusting his sitting position "If..If you keep bringin them little cakes and other things over..I'll be happy to take em..." He smiled softly, You smiled back at him, maybe all Joel needed was an okay from Ellie to be friendly "Mmm..I dunno..I might need compensation now" You teased playfully, Joel laughed shaking his head a bit "How bout this..whenever I'm not on patrols..any hard labor you need done..I'm there" He offered, you smiled nodding "Sounds like a pretty good deal to me" you smiled softly, he smiled looking at you "Ellie..told me about how you guys met..and how you saved her..gotta admit Joel..You are one hell of a man" You smiled softly, he coughed a bit looking down now flustered, you giggled a bit resting a hand on his knee "I'm serious..alot of other men...sadly probably wouldn't of ever left your old QZ with her..you a good man" You whispered, nudging his knee a bit with your hand.

That night would start a landfill of good nights with Joel and Ellie, leading you to one night imparticular. You were standing on Joel's porch, waiting for him to answer the door "Hellooo?" You called sighing softly, almost then the door opened and there stood Joel in a towel with wet hair, panting like he rushed to the door "S-Sorry I can come back another time" You whispered nervously, he ran a hand through his hair "N-No just got a bit worried thinking something bad happened" He said smiling at you in relief "N-No I was gonna see if you were still coming over?...That broken window is bringing in a cold chill" You whispered nervously "oh! oh yea of course, let me...get dressed, come in" He said pulling you inside of his cabin gently before disappearing into his bedroom. You wandered, peeking into his kitchen "Mr. Miller! are you getting a second helping from me after Ellie gives you one?" You called seeing the extra containers in his sink "Totally not! I'm a good man remember?" He asked as he walked out, now dressed with his hair now maintained and under control. "Mmm You can be a good man and still be taking extras" You giggled as he walked closer to you standing by the sink, You didn't realize till now how close the two of you actually were until then, you could feel his breath on your face, not that you were complaining, somehow the man still had minty smelling breath in the end of mankind. "You gonna charge me extra for it?" He asked raising an eyebrow, you looked at him tightening your lips into a pursed line before resting a hand on his shoulder "Maybe...or maybe we could work out a deal?" You teased, trying to keep an upset face, Joel gasped playfully before chuckling "Gonna charge me extra? My little girl is the one who helps pass em out" He laughed leaning closer to you "Oh! So you're taking Ellie's serving" You teased giggling louder, he placed his hands on your waist, causing both of your giggles and chuckles subdue leaving you looking at each other. Joel couldn't help it, After losing Sara's mom, he was convinced he'd never meet anybody as amazing as her, as sweet or kind and yet here you were, and you were breathtaking.

"Joel.." Your voice pulled him out of his thoughts, he cleared his throat placing a hand on your cheek before kissing you, if it were anybody else you would've pulled away, knocked the dude the hell out for kissing you, but instead you kissed him back, running your hands through his damp hair, he moved his hands back down to your waist picking you up and putting you up on the counter. "How bout..you..start usin my kitchen..give me a chance to see ya everyday" He panted looking at you "Then we don't gotta do the walkin to each others houses and knockin" He continued as you pecked his lips gently "Are you asking me to move in with you sir?" you teased smiling resting your hands on his shoulder "Maybe I am.." He whispered, both of you jumped as the door slammed and Ellie cheered loudly "FUCKING FINALLY!" She yelled jumping up and down in excitement towards her bedroom.

---

soooo how'd i do?

[klausysworld]

Hi, the yandere alphabet format I am talking about is this one https://www.tumblr.com/dear-yandere/188860909008/yandere-alphabet

Thanks a lot

Klaus Yandere Alphabet

Affection: How do they show their love and affection? How intense would it get?

Klaus wants to have you in his arms 100% of the time. Kisses to your forehead or the top of your head are constant and he always verbalises how much he adores you. He loves you and is not afraid to tell you constantly. Sometimes his affection gets too much, he just never wants to let you go and he gets upset/annoyed when you try to pull away.

Blood: How messy are they willing to get?

Klaus will slaughter any being on the planet for his love. Heads missing and hearts torn. He will take someone disrespecting you and definitely not harming you. Siblings will be daggered if they dare to lay a hand on you. Nobody gets too close or hands are missing.

Cruelty: How would he treat you once abducted?

Klaus just wants you to love him back. If you struggle too much he’s going to get angry. He will be locking you up, possibly leaving you without food and other necessities. He doesn’t take your disrespect lightly and his mood swings don’t help. He can say nasty things and threaten your family/friends.

Darling: Aside from abduction, would they do anything against their darling’s will?

He may force you into a hug, often after hysterically screaming and crying at him he will just lock you in his hold no matter how much you kick and punch until eventually you collapse threw exhaustion and have to seek comfort in him.

He will also force feed you if you refuse to eat.

He will not ever force any kind of sexual activity on you. Over his many years of life he has never needed to force somebody into sex and he will not stoop that low. He respects that you don’t feel comfortable enough with him yet and will wait but still persuade.

Exposed: How much of his heart does he bare? How vulnerable is he?

Well if you’re abducted and held in his house without access to the outside world he may aswell be open with you. Besides you’re there because he loves you and you should both be reliant on eachother yes? He is happy to share his feelings and offer you his heart.

Fight: How would he feel if you fought back?

He gets pissed off, he doesn’t understand why you can’t see that he is trying to protect you. Why don’t you get it? He is doing everything for you, he feeds you, clothes you, cares for you, what could you possibly not want?

Game: Is this a game to him? How much would they enjoy watching you try to escape?

Sometimes depending on his mood he’ll allow you to try and escape. Let you make it all the way to the front door before he grabs you, a reminder that no matter how hard you try, he will always hold the power.

Hell: What would be your worst experience with him?

You had managed to get out of the room, you had begged a hybrid to help you and he did, he took your hand and began leading you out. Klaus caught you, tore the hybrid apart in front of you and screamed at you for daring to touch another man. He made you clean up the mans blood before dragging you back to the room and shoving you into the shower. Your clothes were still on but covered in the hybrids blood, your hands shaking and tears streaming while Klaus began stripping you down. He scrubbed at your skin, your arms red raw from how harsh he washed at them because he had saw another make being link his arm with yours.

Ideals: What kind of future does he have in mind for/with you?

He wants to keep you locked away forever, to be his little secret. He likes the idea of being a family with you, the thought of you being pregnant with his child was unexplainable, he just loved it.

He wants you to love him back and to be happy and accepting of your position.

Jealousy: Does he get jealous? Does he lash out or find a way to cope?

Uhm… yeah he definitely lashes out. Objects are thrown and smashed, threats are aimed. Blood is spilled. And then at the end of the day he has you covered in his marks and wrapped in his arms, his nose in your neck to breath in your scent.

Kisses: How often does he kiss you? What are they like?

One minute he’s soft and gentle, small kisses pressed all over your face, hands, arms, shoulders, anywhere.

Others it’s more passionate as he slowly explores your mouth, his hands in your hair and a small moan leaving his lips

And the theres the possessive side which is always hungry for more and aggressively holds you in place while his tongue is down your throat.

Love letters: How would he go about courting or approaching you?

Flowers, jewellery, love notes, paintings, poems, anything to get your attention. Money is thrown at you and affection is poured down you. He tries to be his sweetest and get you believe he’s kind and loving.

Mask: Are his true colors drastically different from the way he acts around everyone else?

Sometimes yeah. He can be sensitive and soft, gentle touches and declarations of love. Kisses and cuddles, sentimental gifts and dates arranged.

And then he’s jealous and on a rampage. You’ve hurt his feeling so you’re cowering in the corner while he expresses how much he hates you (even though it’s painfully obvious he’s lying)

Naughty: How would he punish you?

As much as you want him to leave you alone, once he actually does you find yourself feeling as though you’re crazy. Having nobody to talk to for days while locked in a room with mo windows and nothing to do as he’s taken away your books and your pens. Having little to no food and the bathroom door locked leaves you begging for him to come back. He need’s you to understand that you need him to survive.

Oppression: How many rights would he take away from you?

Can’t see friends or family ever. Don’t leave w room. Limitations on food and water if you’ve tried to escape. Having to ask to use the bathroom because last time you were in there you tried to use the razor to to stab him.

At least he always has the heating system or air-con system in place. He doesn’t want you ill or in pain and he doesn’t want to find you freezing to death or passed out from the heat. And he would never make you sleep on the floor, he always makes sure your bedding is clean and mattress is comfortable enough.

Patience: How patient is he with you?

Varies each day. Gotta depend on what he’s been doing that day, who’s already pissed him off.

Sometimes he’s trying his best to be understanding and to listen to what you have to say, he tries to answer any questions you have and try to make some compromises to make you happier

But sometimes he will just storm out in frustration

Quit: If you were to die, leave, or successfully escape, would he ever be able to move on?

He’d have witches left right and centre, trying to bring you back to life of find you from where you are. He kills anyone who cant find a way and falls into a spiral of depression

Regret: Would he ever feel guilty about abducting you? Would he ever let you go?

He does feel guilty, especially when he sees you trying really hard to be accepting and willing to his advances and the situation you are in. When he looks down to see you curled into his chest asleep with a smudge of paint from where he gave you a art lesson earlier, makes him wish he never kidnapped you and just developed a normal relationship with you.

But he could never let you go, perhaps you’d get more freedom or accessibility but he can never fully let you go.

Stigma: What brought about this side of him (childhood, curiosity, etc)?

I mean his childhood was kinda shit no? His ‘father’ literally hunted him for a millennia. The paranoia, abandonment issues and trust issues just don’t do well for him. This is the only way he can feel sure and safe in a relationship fully.

Tears: How does he feel about seeing you scream, cry, and/or isolate themselves?

He would begin to feel guilty, his heart would hurt and he would want to comfort you. If you accept his comfort then he is kind and will hold you gently in his arms trying to make you feel better, he’ll give you anything he can and bring you snacks and gifts

If you push him away and continue to yell at him he’ll feel the need to hell back and become defensive.

Unique: Would he do anything different from the classic yandere?

Sometimes-like on special occasions-he’ll put a blind fold on you and take you somewhere outside, normally to a meadow out and away from everywhere else but still, outside. And he’ll walk you around to see the things you missed. But you must always be blindfolded so that you don’t see the way to the front door.

Vice: What weakness can exploit in order to escape?

Acting as though you are grateful and in love with him, tricking him with his own feelings so that you can make a run for it.

Wit’s end: Would he ever hurt their you?

Not intentionally. He may accidentally throw something a little too close to you, the shards bouncing off of the walls and cutting into your skin but he stops immediately after, apologising and feeding you his blood, making sure you aren’t bleeding or in pain. Once he grabbed you far too tight to keep you still, he nearly threw up seeing the dark bruises he had caused on your arms while tears slipped down your face.

Xoanon: How much would he revere or worship you? To what length would he go to win you over?

He will push to the ends of the earth to have you love him, to have you willingly give yourself to him and not push him away. He would give his heart and soul.

Yearn: How long does he pine after you before he snaps?

Klaus isn’t particularly patient. He tried his very best, he really did. He managed to keep up his courting for months but he just couldn’t handle it anymore when he saw another mans hand on you and he knew the only way to have you, keep you safe and protected was to have you under his roof, under his watch and at arms length all the time.

Zenith: Would he ever break you?

There is a possibility that eventually you won’t be able to take it anymore, tears never stopping as you attempt to stop the pain. He has to coax you to put away the weapon, not to harm yourself or him. He’s gentle and tries his hardest to bring you back to a better place, his guilt eating at him seeing the life draining from your eyes

“I just wanted you to love me, I didn’t want this for you, for us. Please understand, i want you safe, unharmed. We can still be together, I’ll take you somewhere else okay? New house in a new place? Please sweetheart, just calm down okay?”

[yellowcry]

The cost of a world

The mom has leave them and the adults are sad. And Mirabel's so small, somebody has to take care of her

Mama Luisa is here!

Luisa doesn't really understand what happens.

She just knows that her mama can't see them right now. And that grown-ups are really sad because of it. Mama decided to take a trip after  Mirabel's birth and Luisa can't wait for her to return.

Mirabel is so small and Luisa extremely adores her baby sister. She's so small, but she already lives in a nursery with Luisa, in contrast to Camilo, still staying with his mother. But it's not surprising with how clingy he is. Instead of running and playing around Luisa learns how to take care of Mirabel, feeding and pampering her. She's pretty much copying Tía's behavior with Camilo, as she doesn't know many parents. Her little cousin is almost always in his mother's arms, so Luisa also hugs her hermanita as often as possible. She likes to call herself her Mama, after all, she's doing a lot of job instead of their real one.

Papa is sad, he is really sad, missing Mama. He looks so broken and often just stays in their bed for the whole day. Luisa usually brings him water and some food before returning to Mirabel. It's a bad thing to leave a baby without supervision. Tía Pepa makes rain, a lot of rain. And it just gets worse each time she's near the youngest girl. Besides she and Felix have an infant of their own right now to take care of. Tío Bruno is also really sad, not as much as Papa, but he doesn't come out of his room, just stays here, crying and panicking.

Luisa knows that they all are sad and missing Mama. She misses her too, but she hopes that she has a good time with Abuelo. People don't return from where Abuelo is... Why has Mama abandoned them? Instead, Luisa does her best to help. She wants Mira to feel loved. She loves her so much. Days keep stacking together, Luisa learns to be a parent because grownups are too sad. Isabela keeps clinging to Abuela, looking for a motherly figure and Abuela doesn't like Mirabel, so Isa doesn't spend time with her too. It's just Luisa and her baby 

She doesn't think it's strange, no. After all, that's what good siblings are supposed to do, right? She steps in instead of their mom because she's busy and can't see them. Still, sometimes Luisa wishes for their mom to still be around. Part of her wants to run around and play with other kids or the older girls, even if those two were too quiet for her likence. But Mirabel needs someone to be around her. Luisa can't leave her child.

Luisa is the one to be here for Mirabel's milestones. She sees her learning to roll over, creep or crawl, hears her silly babbling. In a sense, she's getting used to acting as Mirabel's real mom. At the same time, she wishes to help her papa more, he's feeling bad, but luisa is too busy with Mirabel at the moment. Becides, Dad doesn't seem feeling better when Luisa's around, just more sad, staring at her as if he broke a glass jar or something like that.

Even when Luisa moves into her brand new room, she takes Mirabel with her. She's too small to be left alone. And Luisa wants to make sure she's safe. And now, with her new strength, it's getting extremely easy to just carry her daughter baby sister around. And Mirabel clings to her, as to the person she knows the most. Mirabel grows, sharing the room with Luisa. Always here, a little and sweet child.

She calls Luisa 'Mama' and it shatters her heart. It feels nice, complimenting, but also reminds about their mom who left them. But it also strikes her with complete realization that Mirabel isn't actually her sister, she's Luisa's daughter, her baby girl. Luisa does everything that Mom is supposed to do, and she doesn't remember Isabela acting like this with her.

And, maybe, a tiny part of Luisa feels that it's unfair. She wants to be a child too, not being elevated to the parent rank at such a young age. Isabela doesn't act like this with them both, Dolores doesn't act like this with Camilo and they both are older. And Luisa has to be a grown-up since she's been four, throwing away her childhood for this. And she feels bad because of this. Mirabel needs someone close to her, she's a nice girl and Luisa adores her. But, she still wishes to be a child. She wishes their actual mom to be here and fulfill her role herself

Luisa pushes those feelings aside, she has to be responsible for both herself and her hija. 

After all, who is she if she doesn't have what it takes?

[mylevisdontfitanymore]

I just came back from watching Wonka with my mum and IMMEDIATELY ran to Tumblr to tell somebody, so sorry if these are spoilers, but there's a song in the movie called "Sweet Tooth" and they sing about bribing somebody with chocolate by compelling their sweet tooth, and there's a line that says "don't look at your waistline, it's fine, come on, who needs to see their toes?" and "if your wife's complaining, body shaming, it's amazing what a tailor can conceal" and I full lost my mind, and I've been thinking about Steve and Bucky, or Andy and Ransom, or Nat and Bucky and Steve, or any other combination of people accidentally fattening their significant other with chocolates and them developing a sweet tooth and they steadily crave all sweet things but chocolate at the top of that list.........

I still haven't seen Wonka, and don't I have plans to 😅😂, but... that is really fucking compelling 🥵 that just might be the thing that gets me to see it, lol.

I can't blame you for thinking about that, I mean, the song is literally begging for it 👀 And I know we talk a lot about Andy and Ransom here, but for me, with the specifics of "your wife," I'm thinking about Andy and Laurie...

(Here's the scene on YouTube 🫣)

Like - in a world where they don’t have a child and the events of Defending Jacob don’t happen, rather Andy is just another assistant district attorney - it makes sense that this would happen with Laurie and Andy.

Andy has an extremely high stress job and so he’s not thinking about his looks. Besides, he’s married, he has the woman of his dreams, he loves her to death, and he’s not thinking about impressing anyone. Really, he’s thinking mostly about how to relax when he finally gets home. Plus, he’s thinking about what he can do for Laurie that isn’t paying for shit with his job and being the typical “breadwinner.” He loves her. He would do anything for her and she deserves to know that with his every action. And… he’s thinking about the way she smiles so bright when he compliments what she’s made them for dinner. He’s thinking about how warm and content he feels, sinking into the sofa next to her, after he’s had juuuust enough of that delicious dinner to feel a little beyond sated. He’s thinking about the way she winks at him when they’re cuddling on the couch and she breaks a piece of chocolate off of the bar she’s munching on and he opens his mouth so she can feed it to him.

He’s not thinking that it doesn’t matter if he’s craving more of the sweet things that usually are more of Laurie’s pallet than his own (so what, he’s stressed, he’s allowed to have some sugar to make himself feel better) because he doesn’t even know.

Laurie is so beautiful and smart and distracting. She smoothly weaves in more compliments for him, she sneakily slides a few more items into his lunch box before he heads to work, a bag of gummies here, a bag of chips there, she slowly but steadily increases his portion sizes at dinner, and she keeps feeding him more junk food on the couch after dinner, bite-sized pieces that feel more like foreplay than eating.

Andy doesn’t know he’s got a starter belly going...

Andy doesn’t realize that it spirals to the point that when he buys Laurie a big, big box of expensive, rich chocolates for Valentine’s Day and they all end in his belly rather than Laurie’s. It’s hidden under her blinding grin and heady caresses. The way she touches him doesn’t change. So, how is Andy supposed to know he suddenly has a beer gut? Also, she keeps switching out his clothes - roomier slacks, longer belts, looser undershirts, and bigger dress shirts - as they steadily tighten around his growing frame. Further burying the evidence.

It started by wanting to show Laurie how much he loves and appreciates her, and it’s still for that, half of the things he ends up eating, he wouldn’t eat if it weren’t for Laurie feeding them to him or encouraging to have seconds thirds “if he wants to,” but it’s so much more than that now, too. Andy’s appetite just increases and increases. He’s hungry all the damn time. He’s stressed all the damn time at work, too! He’s stressed unless he’s across the dining room table or on the couch next to Laurie with something in his mouth.

That’s when he’s calm.

When he’s with her and he’s chewing, and she’s looking at him with fire in her eyes. That’s what he needs. He needs her touch, her eyes on him, and anything she wants to feed him. He needs. He’s so hungry for her. And it’s making him pile on the pounds. Completely unaware of it. So what if he can’t see his toes? Who can actually see their toes? So what if he hasn’t seen his dick in months? His wife can, she can more than see it. So what if he’s looking a little more filled out? He’s getting older. It’s not like his clothes are tight or his wife is complaining. He can’t be getting fat! It’s not possible.

🥴🥴🥴

[darklydeliciousdesires]

Lost & Found - Chapter Twenty Two.

Well, guys, here it is. Sorry it's a few days late, but as you all know I have so much going in my life at the moment, but I made an effort to get this to you timely, the final chapter of our story. Thank you all for your continued readership, you honestly mean the world to me :)

Previous chapters - One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve Thirteen Fourteen Fifteen Sixteen Seventeen Eighteen Nineteen Twenty Twenty One

Words - 3,533

Warnings - 18+ content throughout, Minors DNI. Recounts of kidnap, child trafficking, physical/verbal/sexual abuse.

“My stomach is hungry, but I’m not.” Turning to look at him, she pulled a half-scrunched face. “Is that weird?” 

“Can’t relate. Whenever my belly is demanding I feed it, I gotta do it. You know how hangry I get.”  

He made quite the valid point. Guero was like a bear emerging from hibernation when in need of food; very much motivated towards eating, and somewhat aggressive if couldn’t get his hands on what he required. “Mother fucking Mary, I do!”  

Her giggle brought a little light to her face that had been all but extinguished in the time they’d lain on the bed, Emma battling with her emotions surrounding the fact that Rocco was no more. Just then, her phone beeped, Guero passing it to her as she sat up, pressing the message icon, her heart skipping a beat.  

‘Will call you soon, darling. So relieved you’re alright. It’s all over now. Love you all the world. Mom xxx’ 

Her bottom lip wobbled, her throat pinching tight. “Oh my god.” She got that Marie was perhaps a little too distracted at present, having to play the part of the frantic wife whose husband was missing, explaining it to the kids and her family, so calling might have been difficult. A text was enough, though. It also showed Vincent’s intentions clearly. He was living up to his promises.  

“As far as mafia bosses go, he seems pretty fair,” Guero remarked, after she’d shared those thoughts with him. “I know he’s only been at the helm for like, a couple hours, but yeah. At least we don’t have to be doing nothing for him we don’t wanna be.” He paused to let her speak, but her words were halted when his stomach let out a very audible growl.  

“Somebody needs feeding,” she commented, arching an eyebrow as they both shared soft laughter. 

“Yeah, I guess I do.” 

Shifting herself up, she kissed his chest, reaching to stroke his face. “I’ll go put that pizza in the oven. Just because I don’t feel like eating, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. I can always nibble at a slice, if you don’t inhale the entire thing in three minutes.” 

Getting up, he followed her through to the kitchen. “How well my woman knows me.” 

While Emma went about jazzing up the frozen pizza with a little extra in the way of meat, cheese and olives, Guero stood and observed, handing her a tequila shot she sank in one. 

“Keep ‘em coming, baby.”  

He grinned. “As I will with you as soon as I’ve filled my stomach. If you want me to, that is?” He was mindful that perhaps sexual gymnastics might not be too high on her list of priorities.  

Leaning to kiss him, she gave his cheek a playful nibble. “it’ll be the perfect thing to take my mind off of it all.”  

It proved to be perfect for just that, Emma falling asleep soon after she’d been thoroughly ploughed into the mattress. In the coming days, though, it all whirled around her head like a small tornado, trying to find her balance and return to normal, yet one thing hung over her like a fog. She hadn’t heard back from Marie.  

Two days passed, Emma feeling confused and hurt, throwing herself into her work to deal with what she assumed to be some kind of rejection, venting all to Lee.  

“I wouldn’t worry, sunshine,” her friend began, handing her a can of lubricant to assist in loosening a rusted exhaust clamp. “She’s probably got a lot on, liaising with the police, reporting Rocco as a missing person, all the while dealing with the fact that he actually fuckin’ ain’t missing at all. I bet she’s had a lotta emotions to process, just like you have.”  

Lee’s words made a lot of sense, Emma realising that perhaps it was a little selfish given the circumstances, for her to expect Marie’s immediate attention when she too had so much to process in the aftermath. “I think you’re right, yeah. I’ll give her time on it.”  

Time. It was only natural that Marie needed some, she assumed, kicking herself a little for thinking selfishly. Of course, she had much to deal with and just because she wasn’t at the epicentre of it didn’t mean she cared any less. “You’re thirty, a grown woman. You can deal with your mom not calling you right away.” she thought to herself while returning to her work. 

Come the following afternoon, though, Emma discovered that time moved a lot quicker than she’d envisioned it would, seeing a large, white vehicle driving slowly through the yard, coming to a stop in the space between the clubhouse and the workshop. When the door opened, she could barely believe her eyes. There, looking way too glamorous for her surroundings, stood the one person her heart had ached for since her escape. 

She should have known the woman who folded her loving wings around her for nineteen years would never abandon her, now she could safely find a way back to her again. 

“Mom?” She could scarcely believe it, but there she was. There was the woman who had loved her and tried so valiantly to keep her safe all those years. Pulling off her gloves, she shot out from the workshop, running with tears pooling her eyes towards the loving, open arms that awaited her. “Mom!” Reaching out, she flung her arms around her, Marie clasping her tight, breathing in her scent, sobbing hard into her hair with relief.  

Even the most hardened of men who had exited the clubhouse to witness the scene felt their throats pinch, watching the women reconnect, the bond they had incredible. It was borne of love and loyalty, victims of similar circumstance and because of such, perhaps even stronger than that of DNA and blood.  

“Emsy, oh my god. Oh, I missed you so, so much!” Marie cried, stroking her hair, holding her in a tight embrace. 

“What are you doing here? I thought you were gonna call! Are the kids with you?” she gasped, Marie rocking her in her arms, pulling back a little to look at her.  

“No, I couldn’t take them out of school, so they’re with friends. And I was gonna call, but it didn’t seem enough. Besides, had to show my face in the interests of looking concerned about my husband going missing out here. Nobody needs to know it was my daughter who I really came to see.”  

Emma’s bottom lip quivered, Marie smoothing her hair and clutching her close again, soothing her as she began to sob. “Love you all the world, my darling. It’s over now, baby girl. All over. Shhh, it’s alright.”  

“I feel... I... so much guilt, and I don’t feel like I should be relieved... and I,” she gasped, her chest heaving with the force of her sobs, Marie soothing her. “Mom, I can’t... I don’t... I...” 

“Shhhh, my darling. You’re losing it a little, deep breaths, come on.” She began to breathe in deeply, holding Emma’s eye contact, watching as she mirrored her and began to calm. It was an exercise she’d done with her since she was ten, to calm her panic attacks as a result of what Rocco routinely inflicted on her. “You wanna go someplace to talk, just you and me?”  

“Um, yeah. I gotta check with Lee first. And, well, there’s somebody I want you to meet.” Turning to the clubhouse, she smiled, beckoning with her hand. Guero walked over, returning the wide smile Marie greeted him with. God, Rocco had really been punching. She was in her early fifties, but still an absolute knockout. “Mom, this is my boyfriend, Guero.” 

“Oh, what a nice name,” Marie began, opening her arms. “I’m a hugger, you gotta bring it in, mister!”  

He laughed softly, obliging. “Good to meet you at last, Marie. She’s missed the hell outta you, you know.” 

“Very mutual! But mother Mary, I was so relieved she was safe. So, you been looking after her, huh?” 

“Yeah,” he nodded, wrapping an arm around Emma. “Always will, too.”  

Her smile was fond, reaching an elegantly manicured hand to stroke his cheek. “Mind if I steal her a while? I think we need to reconnect.” 

He shrugged, shaking his head. “No problem.” Emma kissed him, going over to Lee to both clear it with her, and introduce her mother and best friend, Lee a little stiff at being hugged, but polite all the same.  

They headed off in the rented white SUV, Marie turning the air con back up to full, bemoaning the heat.  

“Mom, this is nothing. You should try a summer here, holy Christ, it’s like hellfire!”  

Marie smiled, turning the car around to drive back out. “Remember that summer when you were thirteen, and Rocco had gone away to Atlantic City for a long weekend? You turned into a prune from the amount you were in the pool.”  

The memory warmed her, much like the sun had upon that beautiful July day, Emma remembering the taste of freedom as she gave Marie directions. “Left here. And yeah, yeah I remember it. You always tried so hard to give me little pieces of normalcy, in a situation that was anything but.” 

“Wish I could have done more, darling.” The sad smile widened when Emma reached to squeeze her arm, Marie’s hand covering it in a soft clasp, continuing through the streets until they reached the coffee shop. Parking the rental car up, they walked down to the location, Marie going in while Emma took a table outside.  

When she returned, she sat in silence for a few moments, tears filling her eyes as she reached to stroke her face in her hands. “Jesus and all the saints, look at you, my girl,” she gasped softly, marvelling at how well her daughter looked. “All tanned and happy, and these tattoos! My god! Are you going to have your entire arms covered, or just to the elbows?” 

She shrugged softly, turning her arm so Marie could examine the underside. “I’m not sure yet. I was considering getting something across my upper back, because I’ve been bitten by the tattoo bug well and truly. I know you always hated them, so I expect to get an earful of protesting.”  

Her eyes were kind, shaking her head softly. “Nope, Emsy. It’s your body, you do to it as you please. Just because it isn’t my thing, it doesn’t mean it can’t be yours, baby. Besides, they really suit you. Tell me about them, what’s this tree lady looking one here all about?” 

“She’s a dryad.” Emma began, before explaining to her all about the mythology behind it, Marie listening with interest. All the way through, she marvelled to herself at just how alight Emma looked, how she was seeing so much of her character sparked into life, the person she only ever revealed when it was the two of them alone.  

As for Emma, she was revealing the details of her job when suddenly, her voice quivered and she paused. “I’m sorry, I just... I can’t believe we’re back together. I thought I’d never see you again, and you’re right here. I love you, mom.” 

Marie fanned her face, taking a deep breath as her eyes swam with tears. “Love you too, Emsy. I can’t believe it either, darling girl. Look at us. We’re free.”  

“What’s your plan, going forward?” she asked, composing herself, taking a big sip of her coffee.  

Marie widened her eyes a little, pushing the crumbs from the brownie she’d eaten into a small pile upon the plate before her. “Play the part of the heartbroken widow after they find his remains, head back to New York, and put that damned prison he kept us in straight on the market. Too many memories, none of which I want to keep. It’s time to start afresh for us all, isn’t it?” 

Indeed, it was. In the months that followed, the plan devised by Vincent and the club ran its course with perfection, nobody any the wiser that Rocco Lombardi hadn’t been mauled by a bear after the scant pieces of his remains were recovered within the forest. With him gone, Emma was able to exist as a person, Marie was able to move on with her life, a life that included leaving New York behind for a fresh start.  

There was also one little part, or rather now not so little, that Emma could finally reconnect with, too.  

Driving up the tree lined street, Emma’s memory of the place bloomed into full colour, the memories from her childhood all coming back to her. She recognised the houses, some different, some exactly the same, her face breaking into full joy at seeing the huge guy who looked like a quarterback standing outside of the one that definitely hadn’t changed much.  

He looked just like their dad had at twenty-seven. 

Guero had literally only just braked when she flung the door open, jumping from the car and running up the bank of grass outside her grandparents' home, Dylan covering the ground just as quickly, his arms wide. It was an embrace twenty years in the coming, the siblings overjoyed to see one another again after so long, the emotions flooding out as they held one another, laughing and crying.  

“Oh my god, oh my god, look at you!” she cried, holding his face in her hands, stroking his tears with her thumbs. “You look just like dad.” 

He nodded, pulling her close again. “And you look just like mom.” Their hug was near unbreakable, Guero standing back and letting them reunite, leaning against the rental car with a smile. “Gran’s just getting her shoes on.” he then added, turning to see his tiny grandmother ambling as fast as she could, Emma sobbing as Bea held her arms wide.  

“Oh, sweetie pie!” she gasped, Emma falling into her soft hug with a sob. “I never thought I’d live to see the day! Welcome home, welcome home. Heavens, we missed you so much!”  

Dylan moved to assist their grandpa, Wilf waving his hand as he struck his walking cane into the ground. “Ahh, with your fussing, boy! I’m fine!” Reaching Emma, he suddenly stood straighter than his sore back had allowed him to in years, holding his arm out. “Give me some cuddles, babe. God, I missed ya!”  

Snuggling against her grandpa’s shoulder, she wept all over again, his lips pressing a kiss on her forehead. “We got her back, at last we got our gal home. I just wish your mom and pop could be here to see it, too.”  

All four of them stood in a loving huddle for what felt like a very long time, Emma finally calling Guero over to introduce him, where he was embraced just as warmly. They went inside, her grandpa immediately picking up his phone.  

“Family photo time! Now, where in the heck did I put my selfie stick?” He began to rummage, her grandmother rolling her eyes. “Bea! Where’d ya put it?” 

“He’s found Instagram and decided it’s his thing,” she explained, moving to reach behind the couch cushions and retrieve the errant selfie stick. “And he even does those tic-tac videos!” 

“That’s Tik Tok, gran,” Dylan softly corrected, giving Emma a nudge with his elbow. 

“Bah! I don’t know all this new aged, newfangled internet stuff! Disney Plus is about as up to date as I like to get. Now, everybody get in, come on, Guero, you too!”  

Five smiling faces were captured, a moment in time none of them would forget, a family reunited and joined by the person who had found the little lost bird, eventually returning her to the flock from where she’d came so many years before.  

The flock that now surrounded Emma was made up of three different groups, all of them her family, one born into, one taken into, and one found. Merging them was something she looked forward to, but with a little apprehension when introducing her family to the woman she called mom.  

Marie’s move from east to west coast had not been an easy decision to make, but with her only sister already out there and her parents sadly both passed, she had very little to remain on Staten Island for. She was also long done with the stigma of being a now deceased mafia bosses’ wife following her around. It was time for a change. 

It meant her children leaving the only place they’d called home and their friends behind, but her eldest was quick to remind her just how fast children adjust. Getting to run into the arms of the girl they’d thought to be their nanny, who Marie now said they should think of as their big sister definitely helped their relocation, though, when Emma met them at the airport upon their arrival.  

It would be a further three months before Emma’s flock all came together, Marie wanting to throw a housewarming dinner, inviting everyone she was close to from the club, as well as her grandparents and Dylan, plus his new girlfriend. Having explained everything that had happened to her, her family were not in the dark over the bond she and Marie had formed, yet nerves still riddled her as she paced the lounge area of the spacious Orange County abode, Guero right behind her, rubbing tension from her shoulders. 

“Why you bugging?”  

She halted, turning to rub her hands over his smooth arms. “I don’t know, I really don’t! I mean, gran and grandpa were fine about it all, Dylan too when I explained it all to them. I guess I’m just nervous about calling her mom in front of them, don’t wanna upset them or make them think I’ve forgotten Cassie mom when I never will.”  

It had been an emotional moment, back when Dylan had driven them out to the cemetery in Spokane so Emma could visit their parent’s final resting place, the siblings cuddling one another tightly as the elder had cried for all she’d lost.  

Guero was just about to reassure her that he didn’t think that would be the case at all when a call came from the front door, Emma seeing Marie moving to greet her guests in the form of her grandparents themselves. Walking over to do the same, she was presented with a truly heartwarming sight.  

“Beatrice, Wilfred, welcome to my home. I’m so delighted to have you both here,” Marie spoke cordially, offering her hand. Immediately, Bea shook her head. A nervous lump rose in Emma’s throat, for all of two seconds. 

“No, sweetie pie. We’re family, and family hug.” She watched Marie sink happily into the offered embrace looking like she was breathing a sigh of relief, her gran continuing. “Thank you for looking after our precious gal, doing what you could for her, being a mother to her. I’m so sorry for everything you went through because of that man, but I am so grateful to you for trying to make it better for Emma while she was there.”  

“Of course, of course,” Marie tremored, a million memories flashing through her mind’s eye. Secret cuddles, secret gifts, secret cake, secret love. She no longer had to hide any of it.  

Wilf beamed, opening his arms to her next. “You’re a good gal, Marie. I echo everything the wife just said, and this place you got here, holy moly! Is than one of those infinity pools you got out back there?” 

“It is,” she confirmed, kissing his cheek and moving to welcome Dylan and Evie, his girlfriend.  

“Well dang it, I should have brought my trunks, shown off this body of mine to all you ladies!” His joke had everyone in soft fits, Wilf flexing his non-existent biceps with a grin. “What are you laughing at, boy? I look better than you!” he then directed at Guero, who was as usual totally taken by the hilarity of his girlfriend’s grandfather. 

“That’s why I’m glad you didn’t bring the trunks, man. I can deal with that kind of competition.” His statement only provoked further laughter, Marie ushering them into the house to offer further introductions. Emma stood back with Guero to watch it all, this band of people all so different, from so many walks all life, all brought together because of her. Family. Her family. There they were.  

“What you thinking about?” Guero asked, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind, resting his cheek against hers as she leaned back into him.  

“Just how I’ve gotten everything I ever wanted at last. It doesn’t look like I thought it would, but that’s one hell of an amazing family I have right there in all those people.”  

He kissed her cheek with a smile. “You got a really amazing immediate one right here, too. You, me, and this little one.” As he stroked the small, rounded swell of her pregnant belly, she couldn’t agree more. Six months later, their first child joined them, a daughter.

They named her Cassie Marie.  

The End.  

[shining-m00nlight]

41

41. “I love you and all, but you’re really stretching your luck right now.”

Catelyn Starks finds her husband in a pile of puppies. He now has to explain to her. (A very classic the Starks are getting diewolfs fic.)

Catelyn raised her eyebrow while looking at her husband, who was sitting on the living room floor with six puppies in his lap.

She wanted to say so many things at that moment but finally settled on telling her husband: "I love you and all, but you're really stretching your luck right now."

"Oh, come on. Cat. Look at them. They are so fluffy." Ned told her, taking one of the puppys and holding it next to his face and looking at her with eyes so big they rivalled the dog’s.

"No, no, no! I don't wanna look at them! I looked at them long enough to count them. There are six of them! Six!"

It's not like she hates dogs but she really couldn't handle the thought of having six dogs to take care of.

"Don't think of it like six dogs, love. I think you should first take our children into consideration. We have six of them as well. So it’s six dogs and six children. One dog for each child. That would mean, zero dogs for you."

Ned spoke as if he just figured out the solution to world hunger. She looked at her husband with suspicion.

"Did the kids coach you to say this? Did they actually convince you that they are responsible enough to take care of six dogs?"

"Well they did make some really compelling arguments. Having a dog teaches responsibility. And with each of them having their own dog, there will be no fighting about who is responsible for what because they will all have clearly defined responsibilities."

"Ned, I know you love telling our sons they are almost grown men while they are still wearing diapers to bed. But do you really believe our three year old, who regularly sleeps in bed with us because his “teddy” had a nightmare, who we dress, who we still cut food for, who we basically still do everything for, as we should, since you how he is three, can actually take care of another living thing by himself?

Hell do you even believe our fourteen year olds can take care of another living creature completely by themselves? Because I don't. Which means somebody has to pick up all the things they can't or won't do. And that will be me and I will end up taking care of six dogs."

After that Ned was quiet. Not having a good argument against his wife. But one of the puppies escaped his lap and stumbled towards Catelyn now.

Cat looked at the little dog with caution, he was completely black and was making small japs at her. But she was determined not to let herself get swayed just because a small pup looked at her.

"No! Do not come closer. I don't want you in my space?" she told the little black puppy.

Of course the small creature that by now had reached her feet didn't listen. The black dog was trying to jump up her leg. She tried very hard to ignore the little paws at her legs and the admittedly adorable whines coming from the floor.

In the end, despite her inner fighting, she was unsuccessful.

Catelyn made the mistake of looking down and into the puppy's eyes, those big, beautiful, innocent eyes. She couldn't help herself. She reached down to give the creature a quick pet on the head.

But the little monster immediately used her moment of weakness to cuddle himself into her hand. Ned was right he was really fluffy but she was still determined not to fold just because of a bit of soft fur.

“Ned, we really really can’t keep them,” she told her husband, trying to make him see reason.

“But Cat, look at him, look at how much he loves you already. And if we keep them, imagine getting six times of puppy love every day.”

“But also, six times walking, six times collecting poop, six times feeding and six times more cleaning because their fur will be all over everything! Ned, you need to see reason.”

“Ok, how about this, we make a deal with the kids. If they don’t take care of their dogs, as much as is reasonable for their age, they have to give the dogs back. And I promise you that all the responsibilities the kids are too young for will fall on me and you have to do nothing”

At Cat’s raised eyebrow Ned quickly added, “Basically nothing, maybe a few little things when I am not here. But I will give you a reward each time.

Catelyn had to smile a bit. "Are you gonna pay me 10$ an hour for walking the dogs like one would do for the neighbor kids?"

Ned also smiled at his wife. While they talked he had carefully placed the five remaining puppies from his lap into a bundled up blanket pile and then started walking toward his wife. When he reached her, he hugged her from behind with one hand around her hip, while the other reached for the black puppy himself.

"I know this will be a big adjustment and I promise I will be the person most responsible for all of it. But when Benjen brought them the kids were so happy. They even each picked one without fighting. This little one is Rickons by the way.

Benjen found them behond the wall, their mother died and now they don't have anyone. If Benjen can't find anyone to take them he will have to euthanize them or put them back behond the wall where they would die.

And there's basically no one but us to take them in. It is against the law to have them outside the North, you also need a special license to keep them as well as proof of massive available space for them. It is not something most people can provide. But we could since we have moved to Winterfell after dad died."

She knew he didn't mention his fathers recent death to get her to soften up, he wasn't manipulative after all but it still did. The passing of his father had hurt her husband a lot and now that she thought back on it she hadn't seen him as happy as he has been sitting in the pile of puppies in a while.

"You have a dog holding license like that? I didn't know that."

"Oh yes, it is still from my childhood. My dad had them from before we were born and we grew up with them. They died when I was a teenagers but me and my siblings still decided to get the license when we were adults."

Something about this revile made her brain itch but she couldn't put a finger on why. For now she decided to ignore it. Because while he didn't say it, Cat could hear in her husband's voice that the dogs obviously meant a lot to him and those little ones probably reminded him of the dogs he grew up with. Still snuggled into her husband and holding the little furball, her resolve broke.

"I guess if the kids and you really promise to care for the dogs and I will never be responsible for bathing any of them, we can try to keep them. Try! The emphasis is on try!

If in two weeks I'm sitting here with six dogs while you all are busy with something else I will personally call Benjen to pick them up and bring them back to where they came from!"

Her husband hugged her a bit tighter from behind and whispered

"You are the best mother and wife. I promise we will all be on our best behavior. Me, the kids and the dogs."

"You better keep that promise."

"I will and the kids will promise too."

Suddenly there was a storm of little people all yelling different versions of ,we will,"we'll take good care of them" and "we promise". Now she had her daughters at each of her sides hugging her, kissing her face, saying "thank you, thank you" all over again, her two younger sons trying to squeeze into her lap at the same time almost squishing the puppy, that still resided there and her two oldest trying to put their arms around the whole bundled up family.

"You are the best mom ever" exclaimed her smaller daughter right into her ear.

Cat turned to her and marvelled at the beautiful smile Anya gifted her. There was nothing more beautiful than her children's smiles but Arya's was always special to her.

Arya didn't often share true full smiles with her as they often clashed when Arya wouldn't like or listen to what her mother told her. But when she truly smiled, Cat was reminded so much of Ned that her heart would melt in an instant.

"Well, please remember that if this doesn't work out and the dogs have to go again" she said to remind them all that this was not a yes without conditions.

She still smiled at all of her children. She really did hope they would show enough responsibility to take care of the dogs. They seemed so happy and she wanted them to stay that way.

"Yes, if this doesn't work out and the puppies need to go, you have only yourself to blame. You can not be mad at your mother." Ned added sternly.

Cat was really grateful for her husband's words. She didn't really want to end up being the only bad guy if this went down south.

"But the puppies won't have to. We will be the best puppy caretakers ever and we train them to be the best behaved puppies ever." Robb chimed in. Jon was nodding his head in agreement.

Cat spent the next hours still on the living room floor together with her family being introduced to six little puppys. Cat was amused by how the puppies seemed to perfectly fit her children's personalities. The little black one that she now knew was Shaggydog, was running around and yapping at everyone if nobody gave him attention.

Arya's dog Nymeria was not far behind. Sansa's dog Lady could almost be described as polite, while Beans dog, who didn't have a name yet, was constantly trying to climb the furniture. The white wolf, Ghost, that belonged to Jon was quiet and listened very well for such a little puppy.

Robb's Greywind seemed as if he was trying to keep an eye on all of his siblings, barking at Shaggy when he tried to jump on the other puppies and at the unnamed dog when he tried to climb on a particularly high piece of furniture.

Catelyn had seldomly enjoyed herself so much in her life. She had all of her children around her, she was in her husband's arms and everybody was basically vibrating with happiness.

When she laid in her husband's arms in bed that night, she thought that she could handle six dogs if they would gift her family this much delight. She could exept having to clean up behind the little furmonsters if it gave her children the possibility of being woken up by their sweet little puppies licking their face, so they might appear less grumpy at the breakfast table.

And Ned was right. Winterfell was a perfect home for dogs with its wide spaces and the Godswoods attached to it. That thought sparked a memory at something Ned had said to her today that she hadn't truly understood but had put off for the moment.

"Ned?" she whispered.

"Yes, my Love?" he answered her in the same calm whisper.

"Why do these dogs require so many laws about where they are allowed to live? Which breed of dogs are forbidden outside the North?"

Ned didn't answer her. He kept quiet and stared up at the ceiling. Cat got a bit suspicious.

"Ned? Will you answer my question?"

Ned coughed: "Yes, well you see... Technically, they might not actually be dogs"

"What?"

"They are kind of direwolves." Ned confessed.

"NED! WHAT THE F---"

[offorestsongs]

OC INTRODUCTION ➻ ELIOTT EMBERS

BASIC INFORMATION

name🪞Eliott Embers age🪞17 years old birthday🪞15th March height🪞168 cm homeland🪞Queendom of Roses class🪞sophmore dominant hand🪞left A sweet-faced student from the Royal Sword Academy. While he's usually very friendly, he often seems to be more focused on his dream world than on what's actually happening around him. Daydreams and made-up stories were always his way of escaping the world. His childhood was far from happy - his mother died in childbirth, his father remarried not long after. Eliott's father was loving in the moments when he wasn't absent, but his new stepmother seemed to care mostly about herself, her own son from her previous marriage, and throwing her husband's wealth around. When his father died too, Eliott was left alone, an unwanted child in the house of somebody who was still like a stranger to him. Despite his bad situation, he never let it get to him. He would often turn to daydreams, imagining that he was actually a lost prince or a gallant knight. Other times, he made up stories about the people he saw in his neighborhood, casting them in the roles of fairy tale characters. Eliott is an endlessly optimistic boy who seems to be able to see the bright side of every situation. He's hardworking by nature and doesn't complain, no matter what life throws at him. At home, he knows how to make himself small, unnoticeable, so he can avoid getting in trouble. He does the chores thrown at him with a placid smile and quietly tolerates any berating. But when he's at school, he acts completely different, letting his true self shine. He's actually pretty popular there, which is no wonder. He acts confident (even when he doesn't actually feel it), he's friendly and charming, and always seem to know exactly what to say to somebody. He also has the reputation of never saying no when somebody asks him for help, though that may not be the best thing - he just usually doesn't know how to. His signature spell is called A Dream, A Wish. It allows him to make the things he writes about come to reality within certain limitations.

OTHER FACTS/TRIVIA

🪞twisted from Cinderella (nobody could've guessed lmao) 🪞really loves writing, his dream job is to write books for kids 🪞tho right now most of what he's writing is fanfiction 🪞his favorite food is pumpkin pie 🪞doesn't actually enjoy doing most of the household chores, but he is very good at them 🪞he never had enough money to buy the clothes he wanted to he learned how to sew his own 🪞animals seem naturally drawn to him, which he's always very delighted by, as he's a big animal lover; he feeds the mice he finds in the house and gives names to the sparrows in the garden 🪞his biggest life goal is to move out of his house

RELATIONSHIPS

Riddle Rosehearts - not only were they neighbors, their bedroom windows were facing each other. Eliott would often watch Riddle, making up stories about his life. Since he didn't know Riddle's name, he would just call him "rose boy" in his head. Since Eliott was already friends with Trey and Che'nya, they finally introduced him to Riddle one day and the two of them became fast friends. It was only natural, in a way. They were both kids from bad homes, desperately needing an escape from their normal lives. Riddle liked how creative Eliott was and in turn Eliott was impressed by how smart Riddle was. They would often talk by sending letters between their windows using magic; Eliott would write stories about the two of them as characters in fairy tales. And then Riddle just completely stopped talking to Eliott. Eliott spent a good few years convinced he must have done something that made Riddle hate him. It was only after Riddle's overblot that he had learned that it was actually Riddle's mother who had found their letters and made Riddle cut off contact. They're friends again now, meeting up as often as they can while going to different schools. Eliott cares for Riddle deeply, and often tends to care about his problems more than about his own. In his dream reality, the two of them would run away and live together. Trey Clover - they knew each other since childhood and would often run around the neighborhood, causing trouble. They're still very close now, keeping in contact even when they don't see eachother for longer periods of time. Trey is probably the person Eliott trusts the most and he's the person Eliott always goes to first with his problems. Every school break, Eliott sneaks out from home to spend some peaceful time at Trey's place - he's always welcomed there, as Trey's parents absolutely adore him. Che'nya - as with Trey, they're also childhood friends. At school, they usually hang out together. If Eliott feels too anxious to do something, Che'nya will most probably drag him into it anyways. Eliott has no idea what his friend is on most of the time, but honestly? It's fun, so he's willing to indulge. The unabashed eccentricity is something he actually really admires about Che'nya.

FICS

orange peel theory

[pukanavis]

Plum Blossoms and Snowflakes | Prologue 1

Mayoi: Aah, I’m sorry, I’m so so sorry.

I’m sorry for being alive, Chief—

Gyah!?

Urgh, I slipped on the snow and fell to the ground.

(Sigh…I don’t have the will in me to move right now.)

(I’m sorry, Chief. I didn’t consider how you’d feel and wound up making the wrong choice.)

(You should detest the person I am now. I’m nothing but a worm that isn’t worth keeping alive…!)

(Aah, it’s so cold. If I fall unconscious, engulfed by this snow, would my disgusting self be purified in the slightest?)

(Aaahhhh…)

???: —Uhm, are you alright?

Mayoi: Huh? The sound of a sweet voice? I must be hallucinating.

Fufufu…maybe an angel has come to take me away.

???: An angel? No, I’m—

Time: FlashbackーAfter school, a few days earlier Location: Yumenosaki Academy's garden terrace

Hajime: ♪～♪～♪

Ritsu: Looks like someone’s in a good mood.

Hajime: Ehehe, we’re doing a tea club activity for the first time in a while, so I can't help myself. I even ended up baking cookies in my excitement ♪

Ritsu: You really made this ordinary day feel luxurious. Can I have a cookie?

Hajime: Of course, have as many as you like~♪

An ordinary day, you say? That reminds me of the time last year that we role-played Alice in Wonderland here.

Ritsu: Oh, yeah. Ecchan asked us to play along and do some improv acting with him.

I played the Cheshire Cat but really, I’m more suited to be the Dormouse.

Oh, to do nothing but eat and sleep. Zzz, zzz…♪

Hajime: Fufu. I think I’m more like the March Hare.

We may not have a Hatter, but let’s enjoy this Mad Tea Party of ours.

Arashi: …Oh my? If it isn’t Ritsu-chan and Hajime-chan. Are you two doing club activities?

Ritsu: Nacchan, Mayomayo. What’re you doing here?

Arashi: We’re just out on a walk. We’ve been wandering around, making idle chatter and enjoying the day.

We won’t be able to do things like this once we graduate so we’ll have to make lots of memories to avoid leaving with any regrets. Right, Mayoi-chan ♪ 

Mayoi: Y-Yes. Though, I’m not very competent at communicating, so I end up as the listener much of the time…

However, Narukami-san keeps it at a pace I can follow so I’m able to enjoy myself too.

Ristu: Hmm, so you’re making memories, huh…?

Why don’t you join us then?

Mayoi: Join…you? In your tea party?

Ristu: Yeah. We’ve been enjoying an ordinary day of our own too. You’re fine with it, aren’t you, Haa~kun?

Hajime: You’re more than welcome to join us. Ehehe, this is feeling a lot more like Alice in Wonderland now.

Please have a seat. Alice, White Rabbit, I’ll have a cup ready for you in just a moment ♪

Arashi: Oh, it’s wonderful to be compared to Alice ♪

You don’t mind if I be Alice, do you, Mayoi-chan?

She’s simply adorable, and her name gives off a similar feeling to 'Arashi' ♪  I’ve always wanted to try being her at least once.

Mayoi: Of course, go ahead. Although…

It would be terribly arrogant for somebody the likes of me to be the White Rabbit. I’m more deserving of the role of the Caterpillar.

I’ll go and feed on the grass over there like a bug should.

Hajime: Grass? Ayase-senpai, you eat grass too?

Mayoi: “Too”...? Shino-san, you’ve eaten grass before?

Hajime: Yes, I come from a poor family, so it was a common source of food when I was a child.

Mayoi: O-Oh, I see. I apologise, it seems I made you touch on a difficult subject…

Hajime: Oh, there’s no need to apologise~. I’m the one that brought it up.

Besides, they’re memories that I look back fondly on.

It was exciting gathering wild plants with my family—like we were going on a treasure hunt. I also found interest in learning which plants were and weren’t edible.

But rather than grass, I have cookies for us to enjoy today.

I baked a large batch, so please help yourself ♪

Mayoi: Thank you. You’re very kind, Shino-san.

Ritsu: Look at you seducing your seniors again. Haa~kun, you really are a naughty boy, aren’t you? 

Hajime: I’m not trying to seduce anyone? Gosh…

Narukami-senpai, thank you for your patience. Here’s a cup of ‘Nacchan Tea’ for you.

Arashi: Thank you, Hajime-chan.

Mayoi: What is ‘Nacchan Tea’ ?

Hajime: It’s a herbal tea blended to Narukami-senpai’s tastes. Its floral flavour and the refreshing hit of mint are its stand-out qualities.

Would you like to try it, Ayase-senpai? Or would you rather a regular cup of tea?

Mayoi: No, I’d like to try ‘Nacchan Tea’...

Arashi: Nice going, Mayoi-chan.

Let’s take advantage of the beautification properties in ‘Nacchan Tea’ and become gorgeous together ♪

Next

[a-christmas-carol-from-hr]

Where the Stone Flowers Grow

TW: discussion of miscarriage and child loss, mentions of disordered eating

-

March 10th, 2013

Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park was hardly somewhere anyone expected to see Ellen Scrooge, chromium queen. It was too green. Too alive. Ellen was well known as somebody who preferred the indoors to the outdoors. But that was only because much of the outdoors in London weren’t her kind of outdoors. She disliked most parks and gardens, it was true. But that was because they weren’t her kind of gardens.

Her kind of gardens were like the countryside she’d grown up in. Wild and green and untamed and green. Swarming with insects, swarming with plants. Swarming with the things her mother and sister had so loved. Swarming with life.

Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park was her kind of outdoors.

She had been coming here more and more since Marley’s stroke. On evenings when she needed to take in some air, she found herself without fail in the green embrace of Tower Hamlets. She’d visited her mother and sister’s graves more in the past three months than she had in her entire life. Today brought her to them again.

“I have to do some chores today.” Ellen had told Marley while dressing. “I need to go to the Cemetery. To bring my mother and Farah flowers.”

Marley had looked up when she said that. “Do you…want me to go with you?”

The thought made her uncomfortable. But rejecting him felt even worse. “Sure.” She had said, trying to hide her unease. “It’ll be good exercise.”

When they’d entered the cemetery, Marley’s eyes had gone wide with surprise. The man was about as inclined as Ellen was to nature walks, and he had evidently not believed such a place could exist in their drab East End. He looked at the encroaching moss and the sticky mud and the tombstones sinking into the ground.

“I can see why you like it here.” He said with all sincerity.

She left him to his wanderings (they were trying to give him more independence) while she headed towards the section of the cemetery where her mother was located. Yaling Scrooge was not buried here, of course. Her ashes, and that of her son with no name, were somewhere in her father’s clutches. But she and Farah had paid for a tombstone with Ellen’s first paycheck.

Yaling’s headstone carried her name in Chinese first, a subtle jab at Jasper Scrooge that he’d never seen. The English below listed her name and the years she had been born and died in. They hadn’t inscribed such things as ‘loving mother’ or ‘devoted wife’. They’d thought the Chinese letters more important. Mum had tried so hard to keep her culture close, even as Jasper had demanded it stripped away like a scab. Ellen would be cold in her grave before she let anyone forget her mother’s culture.

She placed the bouquet of flowers at her grave. It was entirely biodegradable. In a few weeks it would feed the bugs that thrived in the graveyard. Mum would have loved that.

“Happy Mother’s day, Mother.”

Farah’s grave was nearby. Newer than Yaling’s, a bowl of Yangzhou fried rice and a jar of green tea sat on the grave, pristine despite the wildness around it. Ellen couldn’t help but smile at the sight. She must have just missed Fred. He brought his mother an offering of her favorite food each year. And- yes. There. Tucked behind the jar was a tiny bowl of beer. Cheap beer. Farah’s favorite.

“You have a good son, Farah.” Ellen said, placing a second bouquet alongside Fred’s offerings. “Happy Mother’s day, Huangfeng.”

The little statues aren’t so far from the other graves, so she usually visits them last. Today, she would especially prefer to visit them last.

She moved further into the gloom of the cemetery, enjoying the quiet of the grave as she moved along. She saw the red of the fabric tied around the statues first, and as she drew closer she saw the tiny stone faces come into view. As she approached her fingernail buried in her hand.

Ellen stood in front of them, as still as stone herself. For a moment, all she could do was stare. And then she moved.

“Stupid thing.” She said quietly, brushing her hand over one of the heads protectively. Its little red cap had become torn by the English winter. “You’ve torn it already. What are you to do now?”

She glanced over at the other statue. “He hasn’t torn his.” She chided as she removed the red knit fabric from the second statue. Without it, it seemed frightfully bare.

Ellen tucked the torn woolen cap into her pocket, and without hesitate unfurled her own red scarf from her neck.

“You are lucky I wore this today,” She said, as if she hadn’t put it on for this reason. “There. Now you are neat again. As neat as a pin.”

Bundled up in the oversized scarf, the statue looked like a swaddled babe.

“Now you’re all better.” Ellen murmured, breath hitching.

It was only then that she was aware of a presence behind her.

Marley was standing nearby, leaning on his cane as he watched her. How long he’d been there, she didn’t know. His expression was unfathomable as she straightened up.

“What are you doing?” He asked.

“Chores.” She said, clearing her throat.

“You were talking to them. I saw you.” He said, glancing at the statues. “Those aren’t the graves. What are they?”

“Statues.”

“I can see that, woman.” He said.

“Well, then you don’t need to pry.” She snapped back, feeling vulnerable.

His expression turned to concern. “You’re- right. I’m sorry. I…was just…you’re right. I’m sorry. I can wait. Take all the time you need.”

“No, it’s- fine.” She said, looking at her hand as she brushed it down her coat. “I was finished.”

The gloom, that had once been so comforting, now seemed so very oppressive. It felt like she and Marley were the only ones in the world, isolated by the foliage. The only ones in the world. They, and a subject they’d never discussed.

She looked back at the statues. The wind had tugged at the scarf. Without thinking, she moved to fix it.

“Jizō.”” She said after a moment. Her voice was flat.

“What?” Marley asked, confused.

“Jizō. That’s what they are. They’re statues of Jizō. It’s part of a ritual. Mizuko kuyō.” She said as she adjusted the scarf.

“I’m not familiar.”

She tugged at the scarf. Why wouldn’t it lie straight? “It’s a ritual in Buddhism. Usually in Japan, but it’s spread to China as well. It’s a memorial statue.” If she goes farther, she cannot take it back. If she goes farther, things will not be the same. If she goes farther, it all could end.

But she can’t lie to him. Not in front of them.

“They’re memorials for lost children.”

She expected him to awkwardly nod. She expected him to say something and then make an excuse to go. She expected him to acknowledge this with as much emotion as he had before.

She didn’t expect his eyes to widen.

She didn’t expect the brief look of something to flicker over his face before he hid it.

She didn’t expect him to immediately look over at the second of the two statues.

“…Ah.” He said.

The only noise Ellen could hear was the whisper of the wind in the trees. She and Marley stood across from each other, close and far. The ghost of 2008 lingered between them.

She blinked first. She glanced at her phone before stiffly moving past him. “Fred wishes for me to double check something at Farah’s grave. I’ll be a moment.”

Marley nodded. He leaned heavily on his cane.

As she returned to Farah’s grave like the coward she was, she knew her sister was glaring at her from the other world. She put her hand on the top of the tombstone. The granite was grounding. Farah had been dead for two years when she was buried. Her partner had kept her ashes in the home for that long. But eventually he’d had them interred here, in the earth. Now Farah was in the trees and grass and plants around her. She’d have loved it.

Why is it so hard for you to talk about this? You’ve seen the man’s brain scans. You’ve held him down for a spinal tap. Why can’t you be open for once?

I can’t, she thought back as she looked at the grave. Not with this. Not again.

The wind seemed to snap at her skin. He’s not Bellamy, girl. But the cold breeze shifted again, becoming gentle as it played with her hair. It’s okay, Tu-Ying.

Farah had been dead two years before her partner had felt okay with letting her go. These things took time.

Maybe it was time for her, too, to try and let go.

She brushed her fingers over the tombstone with a sister’s care. “Why do you always have to be right?”

The leaves seemed to laugh at her.

The walk back seemed longer than the walk there. Maybe she was going slower, trying to avoid what seemed to grow ever closer. Maybe she was simply imagining it. But as she grew closer to the statues, she heard something. Something she did think she was imagining.

“...I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I didn’t know this was here.”

A voice was speaking quietly, gently, oh so painfully gentle.

It was his voice.

Marley was standing by the second statue, hand on its stone head. His cane leaned up against the platform. His only support was the statue.

“I know you’re here now. I know now. I’ll come and visit. I’ll bring something next time too. Something red. Roses, maybe. Yes. I’ll bring roses. I’ll bring you roses. I’ll bring you roses, even in the winter. It’ll be a fuss, but I’ll do it anyway. I’ll bring you flowers, even in the winter.”

A twig crunched under her foot as she stepped forward. It was the only sound she could make. She was too stunned to speak.

He turned around, as surprised as she was to see somebody else.

They stared at each other. A cavern seemed between them. An ocean. A secret. The Thing they had never spoken of again. He put on the mask of cool composure in an instant. But his eyes were rimmed as red as the statue’s fabric.

He’s grieving. Dear god. He was grieving.

“I wanted it.” She admitted. The words seem to rip out her lungs with them.

He looked at her for a moment. A long moment. An eternity. Stars seemed to be conceived and die in that moment.

And then the mask fell. And he looked so very tired.

“I wanted it too.”

Ellen let go of a breath she’d been holding for the past five years.

Marley looked back at the statue. His hand still rested on its head. His thumb brushed over the tiny stone face, like he was wiping dirt from a child. “You can t-t-think I’m pa-pathetic if you want. I do.”

“You’re not pathetic.” Ellen said faintly. “Do you think I’m pathetic?” She framed it as if it was a rhetorical question, but it rang entirely sincere.

“No.” Marley replied immediately. “But t-that’s different.”

“Why?”

“You would have been an excellent mother.”

Marley could have stabbed her right then and here and it wouldn’t have hurt as much as that did. Her hand rested on her ribs, the force of his words enough to elicit a physical reaction. But he didn’t seem to notice. He kept looking at the statue.

“It probably is a bit pathetic. I’m n-not the fathering type. I’d probably have made things worse. But…still.”

“No.” She said, finding her footing again. “No.”

“No, what? That I’m not the fathering type? I know that.”

“No,” She repeated. “No, you…would have been an excellent father.”

He looked back at Ellen, disbelief evident in his eyes. When he smiled, it was perfectly straight. “Thank you.”

“I mean it.” She moved closer, hand rubbing at her rib. “I…” She began. “...I don’t know what to say.”

“I don’t know what to say e-either.” He admitted.

They stood in front of the stones, unable to do much else. As she stepped to his side, somehow their hands found each other.

It had begun to rain.

They stood there for God knows how long, wrapped in silence. When it was broken, it was broken by her.

“I’m sorry,” She began.

“For what?”

“Not knowing you were hurting. Fuck, not realizing you were hurting.”

“It wasn’t like I made it all that clear.”

“I should have noticed anyway. And I’m sorry.”

“...I’m sorry too,” He started. “I…should have tried more to reach you. I didn’t know what to say. What to do. I didn’t want to bother you, and you were so…as you were. I didn’t know how you felt, and I didn’t want to say anything wrong. I thought…” He trailed off.

“What?”

“No. Forget it.”

“What were you going to say?”

Marley hesitated. “...You seemed…closed off when you…told me. I didn’t know…how you felt. If you were…I didn’t want to bother you.”

If you were relieved.

Rain traced a line down her face. She ignored it. “...I was sad. I didn’t want it to end that way.” She said simply.

“I didn’t either.” He replied. They lapsed back into silence until he broke it.

“I waited for you.” It came out of Marley’s mouth in a tumble, a half-desperate confession.

“What?” She looked over at him, confused. His face had grown pale, his hand shaking. He had a distant look in his eyes.

“I waited. In the waiting room. For hours. Hours upon hours. They’d not let me back.” His accent slipped from English to Scottish seamlessly. “I sat there and then I’d try to argue with them and then I’d go back to sitting and then I made myself be sick, and for the first time it didn’t make me feel better.” He spoke quickly, as if he couldn’t hold it in another moment.

“I waited. For hours. And I had no idea what was going on. And then it was all over.”

Ellen breathed in. It felt like her lungs were coated in barbed wire, like each tube and line was made of venom. Her body felt like a warzone. Barren and void of life.

“Jacob,” She breathed. “I’m so sorry.”

“It wasn’t your fault. It wasn’t.”

“I know,” She replied. “But I’m sorry anyway.”

He tried to smile. There was rain dripping down his face. It was caught in the still growing buzz of his hair, running down the scar on his scalp.

“It’s funny. I can’t re-remember much of anything anymore. But I can remember every second of that day. Isn’t it funny?”

She moved closer, her other hand tilting his chin towards hers. “It’s funny.” She agreed.

She had a perfect memory. She never forgot anything.

Their foreheads met. Behind their skulls lurked a tangled mess of broken wires and twisted memories. But they were theirs.

“I love you.” He said quietly.

“I love you.” She repeated.

“I’m sorry.” He said.

“Me too.” She replied.

They stood like that for a few moments before breaking. It was strange, Ellen mused, how they had stopped being in physical contact so easily, but she had never felt closer to Marley than she did right now.

“We should get you out of the rain,” She said, something of her no-nonsense tone returning. As they leave, arm in arm, she speaks in a voice that is not quite casual.

“The apartment isn’t far from here. You should walk here when you feel up to it. It might be good for you.”

What she’s doing is transparent, even by Ellen Scrooge standards. If you miss them, you can visit. It’s okay. But Marley seems thankful for the invitation anyway. He smiles at her. It’s sad, but it’s crooked. And maybe that’s the best they can hope for.

-

Postscript

The next day she goes into work. Around lunch, a delivery was dropped off for her. She returns to her office to find a vase of flowers in wait.

“Somebody sent these for you, Ms. Scrooge.” The temporary assistant explains.

The bouquet is made up of lavender, and Arum lilies, and Forget-me-not, and rosemary, and red sage. A small card sits amid the blooms.

Happy Mother’s Day. -J

[running-on-narrativium]

Little Shop of Horrors Lyric Starters

(Feel free to change to fit your muse.)

“On the twenty-third day of the month of September, in an early year of a decade not too long before our own, the human race suddenly encountered a deadly threat to its very existence.”

“this terrifying enemy surfaced, as such enemies often do, in the seemingly most innocent and unlikely of places.”

“What a creepy thing to be happening!”

“Stop right where you are. Don't you move a thing.”

“Best believe it something's come to get 'cha.”

“Alarm goes off at seven.”

“Then you go downtown.”

“Uptown you cater to a million jerks.”

“The bosses take your money and they break your hearts.”

“Your morning's tribulation, afternoon's a curse and five o'clock is even worse.”

“Poor! All my life I've always been poor.”

“I keep asking God what I'm for, and he tells me "Gee, I'm not sure.”

“Oh, I started life as an orphan, a child of the street.”

“Someone show me a way to get outta here.”

“Please, won't somebody say I'll get outta here.”

“Someone gimme my shot or I'll rot here.”

“I was walkin' in the wholesale flower district that day I passed by this place where this old man-he sometimes sells me weird and exotic cuttings.”

“He knows, you see, that strange plants are my hobby.”

“Suddenly, and without warning, there was this total eclipse of the sun.”

“And when the light came back this weird plant was just sitting there.”

“You've given me nothing but heartache and hurt.”

“I'm beggin' you sweetly. I'm down on my knees.”

“What do you want from me- Blood?”

“Looks like you're not happy, 'less I open a vein.”

“I know (Name’s) the greatest.”

“I'm dating a semi-sadist.”

“So I've got a black eye and my arm's in a cast.”

“Well, if not, he's got inner beauty.”

“I dream of a place where we could be together at last…”

“I cook like Betty Crocker and I look like Donna Reed.”

“There's plastic on the furniture to keep it neat and clean.”

“A picture out of Better Homes and Gardens magazine.”

“I dream we'll go somewhere that's green.”

“When I was younger, just a bad little kid my mama noticed funny things I did.”

“My boy, I think someday you'll find a way to make your natural tendencies pay.”

“You have a talent for causing things pain!”

“Your temperament's wrong for the priesthood and teaching would suit you still less.

“Son, be a dentist, you'll be a success!”

“Who wants their teeth done by the Marquis de Sade?”

“And though it may cause my patients distress, somewhere in heaven above me, I know that my mama's proud of me.”

“Feed me!”

“Would you like a Cadillac car?”

“Would you like to be a big wheel, dinin' out for every meal?”

“I'm the one that can make it all real!

“You gonna git it!”

“I'm your genie, I'm your friend! I'm your willin' slave...”

“I don't know…I have so... so many strong... reservations…”

“Should I go... and perform... mutilations?”

“If you wanna be profound...If you really gotta justify...take a breath and look around... A lot of folks deserve to die...”

“The guy sure looks like plant food to me!”

“He's so nasty treatin' her rough!”

“You need blood and he's got more than enough!”

“He's got your number now.”

“You've got no place to hide, you've got nowhere to run…”

“I think it's suppertime.”

“Come on, come on, think about all those offers.”

“Ain't no time to turn squeamish.”

“Lift up your head. Wash off your mascara,here, take my Kleenex, wipe that lipstick away.”

“I know things were bad, but now they're okay.”

“Nobody ever treated me kindly.”

“Daddy left early…Mama was poor.”

“I'd meet a man and I'd follow him blindly. He'd snap his fingers, me, I'd say "sure."”

“Tell me this feelin'll last till forever…”

“Please understand that it's still strange and frightening.”

“Suddenly (Name) is standin' beside me.”

“(Name), so finally we meet you!”

“You're gonna host it, you lucky kid, sign.”

“Yes darling, we're sending photographers Thursday, so get the plant ready and wear a clean shirt.”

“They say the meek shall inherit.”

“It's not a question of merit.”

“You’re a meek little guy.”

“You know the meek are gonna get what's comin' to 'em by and by.”

“My future's starting, I've got to let it.”

“I take these offers, that means more killing! Who knew success would come with messy, nasty strings?”

“I sign these contracts, that means I'm willing to keep on doing bloody, awful, evil things.”

“No! No! There's only so far you can bend!”

“No! No! This nightmare must come to an end!”

“It's the only solution. It can't be avoided. The vegetable must be destroyed.”

“But then there's (Name), lovely (Name)…”

“Without my plant, she might not love me anymore.”

“Better wait a minute! Ya better hold the phone!”

“Better mind your manners! Better change your tone!”

“Don't you threaten me, son!”

“We gonna do things my way or we won't do things at all!”

“Ya don't know what you're messin' with. You got no idea.”

“Ya don't know what you're up against, no, no way, no how!”

“I'm just a mean green mother from outer space and I'm bad.”

“You've got me fightin' mad!”

“You think he's the worst, well, you're thinkin' wrong.”

“He got a temper, ha! He ain't got mine.”

“I'm from past the stars and beyond the moon.”

“You can keep The Thing, keep The It,keep The Creature, they don't mean shit.”

“I got the stuff and I think that proves, you better move it out.”

“I'm gonna bust your balls.”

“It's all over, ace.”

“Subsequent to the events you have just witnessed, similar events in cities across America, events which bore a striking resemblance, to the ones you have just seen began occurring.”

“Unsuspecting jerks from Maine to California made the acquaintance of a new breed of flytrap and got sweet-talked into feeding it blood.”

“Thus the plants worked their terrible will...”

“And the plants proceeded to grow and grow, and begin what they came here to do. Which was essentially to eat Cleveland and Des Moines and Peoria and New York… and this theater!”

“They may offer you fortune and fame, love and money and instant acclaim. But whatever they offer you, don't feed the plants!”

“Look out! Here comes (Name)!”

“Here I come for you!”

“Hold your hat and hang on to your soul!”

“Something's coming to eat the world whole!”

“If we fight it we've still got a chance!”