#throwing people out of castle windows? heck yeah
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06. Epitome
âYou are the king, Endon,â she said quietly. âYour duty to Deltora is far greater than your duty to obey the Rule. Let us go together to the tower.â
She IS the epitome of perfect. Thatâs it.
#throwing people out of castle windows? heck yeah#love her#roddaverse#deltora quest#emily rodda#Roddacember 2022#also I actually drew lips this time#sylvarâs roddacember prompts#sylvarâs art#my art
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Horntober 2024-Halloween
Adventure Time-Bubbline
Bonnie digs up Halloween for Marceline
requested by anon
Anon had three options: Bubbline, either Marceline shows PB one hell of night, PB tries to recreate an old holliday, or the two just make out on the couch while watching the 1978 film. I wanted to use all three of them but I was too burned out to use Marceline shows PB one hell of a night, which was supposed to be act 2 before they both say screw and watch the movie.
It was always around fall that Marceline became wistful, Bubblegum noticed. âHey Marceline, is everythingâŠokay?â
âOh, oh yeah. It's just⊠I miss Halloween.â
Bubblegum nodded. âAh yes. Of course. Halloween.â
âYou don't know what Halloween is, do you?â
âNot a clue.â
âIt's this holiday whereâŠâ The vampire trailed off. âKnow what? Nevermind, it's dumb.â And the vampire floated off.
âMarcy.â
âLater Bonnie.â
Bubblegum wanted to be a better girlfriend, heck just to be better at people in general. So the next morning she called Simon Petrikov.
âYes, this is Simon Petrikov speaking.â
âHey Simon.â
She heard him stand up. âBonnibel! This is a surprise.â
âAh yeah.â Things were always a little awkward between Simon and Bubblegum considering he spent Glob knows how many years trying to kidnap her. But that was the crown. Ice King was gone. He was Simon now. And blaming him would be wrong. Plus he was important to Marcy, so he was important to her.
âSo what can I help you with?â
âHave you ever heard of a holiday called Halloween?â
âHalloween?! I haven't thought about that in years! It would be in a couple of days, won't it?â
âYes but what is it?â
âRight, it was a secular version of the Christian holiday All Hallows Eve. Which itself was christianized from the Gaelic holiday Samhain.â
She knew what some of those words meant. Rubbing her forehead she asked, âLook how do you celebrate it?â
âWell children would wear an assortment of spooky costumes based on monsters from legends and travel from house to house asking for candy by saying, âtrick or treat.ââ
âTrick?â
âOh, an empty threat made in jest⊠most of the time.â
Bonnie could see why Marceline liked this holiday. âOkay, is there anything else?â
It was October 31st. Marceline used to love Halloween. Back when her Mom was still alive. Back before the Mushroom War. She missed it, but she missed a lot of things. She didn't really think anything of Bonnie's invite. But when she arrived at the castle she was greeted with signs that said âbeware of ghostsâ and âbooâ. She entered her girlfriend's house and was greeted by Bonnie, wearing tight leather pants and a corset, along with an oversized witch's hat. âBonnie, what the hell are you wearing?â
âA Halloween costume! I'm a sexy witch.â
âAnd I'm a sexy werewolf.â Finn said, popping up from behind her. He had on fuzzy underwear with a fake tail. He held a bowl of red candy.
âAnd I'm a sexy business man,â Jake said. He just had an unbuttoned collar shirt on.
âGuys, what the hell is this?â
âHalloween!â Jake said.
âYeah PB said you were missing it so here we are bring it to you.â
âAw, thanks guys. This is actually really sweet.â
Finn held out the bowl and cleared his throat. âAren't you supposed to ask me something?â
âOh right. Trick or treat?â
âTrick!â Finn shouted before throwing the bowl of candy out the window.
Marceline laughed. âGreat job Finn.â
She turned to Bubblegum. âIs this okay? Are we doing this right?â The princess asked.
âCostumes are a bit much.â
Bonnie blushed. Marceline loved seeing red on her pink face. âThe materials Simon gave me said that adults in costumes were the slutty versions!â
âI'm joking. Jeez Bonnie. This is wonderful. Although I'm guessing your little research party didn't pick up the most important Halloween activity.â
âAnd what is that?â
The two were alone in Princess Bubblegum's living room. On the TV played the original 1978 Halloween directed by John Carpenter. As Michael Myers ran around stabbing teens, the two were making out on the couch.
âThis is a weird thing to watch while making out.â
âHey it works.â
âYeah it does.â
Bubblegum went back to making out with Marcy. They shifted positions. Bonnie sat up while Marceline knelt in front of her, trying to get her pants off. Bubblegum's right tit had popped out of her top.
âFuck Bonnie, where the fuck did you get pants so tight?â
âI-ugh-really wanted my butt to look good.â
âThere are ways that doesn't involve putting them in Fort Knox.â
âIs that another Halloween thing?â
âSure. Fuck!!â Marceline successfully pulled the pants to her ankles. âHaha! Happy Halloween bitch!â
Marceline was rewarded with the sweetest candy if all, bubblegum pussy. Bonnie could feel Marceline's long tongue probe her candy womanhood.
âOh, oh Marcy.â
âFuck Bonnie you taste so good.â Her magic vampire tongue was driving the candy princess crazy.
âMarcy, Marcy! Yes! Yes!â Bubblegum came, squirting her sweat juice all over Marceline's face. As she watched Marceline wipe her face, she asked, âWhy don't I give you a trick or treat?â
Marceline nodded. As Michael Myers chased Laurie Strode around the house, she claimed up the couch and pointed her ass at her girlfriend. Her jeans were a lot easier to take off. Once Marcy's sex was exposed, Bubblegum knelt down and began eating her out. Unlike the princess, she did not keep herself bald down there. Bonnie really dug into her pussy with her tongue. Soon she replaced her tongue with two of her fingers. But she kept her mouth busy by licking her girlfriend's asshole.
âFuckin- Bonnie I love you. I love you!â Marceline came, her juices squirting down Bubblegum fingers. As the theme song played the two came down from their climax. Marceline leaned on Bonnie's shoulder.
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Chapter 3: Good Mornings
I woke up to the sound one can only identify as Sebastian singing in the shower. It was horrible.
He had to have a shower when I first got here because my blood got everywhere. And, he made me clean it up. He said if I didn't, he was gonna chop off my other leg.
Ow.
'Dad, if you don't shut up, I swear I'm gonna eat your food!' I hear Ariel yell from the other room. 'Fine! Just don't touch my food, I'll be out in a minute!' I hear him yell back before quietly going back to his shower. Ariel is now God.
'Ugh.' I groaned, opening my eyes and getting blinded from the light coming in from the window. I don't know if you can tell, but I don't want to get up. But I do when I realise Ariel said there was food. Yummy. I throw on some of Sebastian's clothes (damn, we really need to get me my own clothes) and make sure I look good. Who am I kidding, I always do.
I make my way downstairs, bumping into a few walls and tripping a few times because of my leg. 'Sup, Ariel!' I say awesomely.
Turns out that they had a spare room, and Sebastian said I could stay in there and to get comfortable since we have no idea when I'm gonna get back.
I still don't know what that weird object was or how it made that portal thing, or if I just imagined that, but I don't think I'm getting home anytime soon. The longer I stay, the weirder things get; I mean, powers? Magic? It all makes no sense.
Ariel turned to me as I entered the kitchen area. 'Hey, Eric,' She said, waving me over to the table that was now clean of all my blood, 'Hey! What ya got there?' I ask, gesturing to the food, 'breakfast, now eat it.' She says with a smile on her face, handing me my bowl.
Man, I love eating at things that I have recently lost a limb on.
I made Seb make some food for Ruby last night, and he was super startled when he found out she was now half dragon, but this morning she looked to have been given some dog food that I (with Ariel's money)Â bought on our way back from the forests. Her paws were all bandaged up and luckily, no dog limbs were lost.
After eating, and once Sebastian had come downstairs, Ariel had said that she needed to go and see a friend. She asked if I wanted to come along, and I was desperate to get out of the house.
'We better do something about your clothes,' she said, gesturing towards Sebastian's pirate clothes that were like a billion sizes too big for me. 'Yeah, not exactly practical for... well, anything.' I agree.
Ariel took me to the nearest busy areas of Emaia where we got food, ate food, and bought me some new clothes.
I got changed into my new outfit, in which I looked fabulous, with my old blue jumper that I fell in with, a pair of jeans, some black coverse because they're amazing, and a cool plain black choker necklace becuase they make me somehow even hotter. My jumper was one of the only things reminding me of my home. I was starting to miss my friends and parents.
My mum must be so worried, I mean, I've been gone for ages. And my sister! They're all going to have no idea what's going on. They might think I've been kidnapped or something!
Before I could dive anymore into my spiralling, Ariel announced that we had arrived.
'Here we are!' She said, bouncing on her heels. What the heck. No way is this where her friend lives. She had brought us to the very middle of the kingdom, and on a piece of land slightly higher than the rest, was one of the hugest freaking castles that I've ever seen (also the only one but this castle was pretty much out of a fairy tale).
The castle wasn't too far from the house, but it was huge. How did I not notice it?
The actual castle was built like the one you see at the start of Disney movies, but there was a path around the side with people who looked really busy.
'Let's go around back,' Ariel said, walking away before I had time to respond. 'Okay.' I say before slowly jogging towards her. She didn't even wait for me!
When we got to the back of the castle, I saw a bunch of people shooting targets with arrows, fighting with each other, or just chatting and watching a girl with yellow-blonde hair failing at hitting the target with her arrows, by a lot.
'So, who's your friend?' I say, not taking my eyes off the girl with the bow. 'He's probably inside right now, I'll go look for him. Stay here. 'Okay- and she's gone again. Wow.' I say before going over to the girl who still hadn't managed to hit the target.
With the way the people were watching her and laughing to their friends, it seemed like this had happened a lot. 'Hey,' I say, startling her from trying to set the arrow into the bow properly. 'You're doing that wrong.' 'I know, dummy.' She says in the most sarcastic voice I had ever heard, and I've been living with Sebastian! That says a lot. I was starting to like her already.
She went back to trying to shoot the arrow and missed so bad it almost hit one of the guys watching from the side, missing his head by an inch. 'Sorry Gabe!' She shouted as both of their faces started to go red. 'It's okay!' He shouted back to her. Ooh, someone has a crush. 'So, what's your name? I asked because I had no idea. I totally ship her and Gabe, though; that was adorable.
She looked back to me, her eyes rolling. Meanie. 'I'm Eleanor. Who are you?' Eleanor said, cocking her head to the side and sassily putting her hand on her hip. 'I'm Eric!' I tell her with a big smile on my face, stretching out my hand for a handshake (and getting completely ignored). Okay... rude.
'So, do you know Ariel?' I ask her, just now realising that this girl with pigtails is taller than me. Jeez. 'Ariel? Do you mean the girl the prince always hangs around?' She says as I tried not to laugh, I mean, Ariel? Friends with a prince? What? 'No, I don't think she could be friends with a prince.' I go as my laughs slip a little bit. 'Yeah, she's the baker's daughter, right? Blonde hair and everything. She's really nice, actually.' Ariel is friends with a prince. Ariel wants to introduce me, yes I, to a prince. Half of my life is literally just illegal stuff.
There is no way she wants me to be introduced to the prince when my dog is pretty much illegal.
1188 words
Published 7 March 2024
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Chap 3: Good Mornings.
I woke up to the sound one can only identify as Sebastian singing in the shower. It was horrible.
He had to have a shower when I first got here because my blood got everywhere. And, he made me clean it up. He said if I didn't, he was gonna chop off my other leg.
Ow.
'Dad, if you don't shut up, I swear I'm gonna eat your food!' I hear Ariel yell from the other room. 'Fine! Just don't touch my food, I'll be out in a minute!' I hear him yell back before quietly going back to his shower. Ariel is now God.
'Ugh.' I groaned, opening my eyes and getting blinded from the light coming in from the window. I don't know if you can tell, but I don't want to get up. But I do when I realise Ariel said there was food. Yummy. I throw on some of Sebastian's clothes (damn, we really need to get me my own clothes) and make sure I look good. Who am I kidding, I always do.
I make my way downstairs, bumping into a few walls and tripping a few times because of my leg. 'Sup, Ariel!' I say awesomely.
Turns out that they had a spare room, and Sebastian said I could stay in there and to get comfortable since we have no idea when I'm gonna get back.
I still don't know what that weird object was or how it made that portal thing, or if I just imagined that, but I don't think I'm getting home anytime soon. The longer I stay, the weirder things get; I mean, powers? Magic? It all makes no sense.
Ariel turned to me as I entered the kitchen area. 'Hey, Eric,' She said, waving me over to the table that was now clean of all my blood, 'Hey! What ya got there?' I ask, gesturing to the food, 'breakfast, now eat it.' She says with a smile on her face, handing me my bowl.
Man, I love eating at things that I have recently lost a limb on.
I made Seb make some food for Ruby last night, and he was super startled when he found out she was now half dragon, but this morning she looked to have been given some dog food that I (with Ariel's money) bought on our way back from the forests. Her paws were all bandaged up and luckily, no dog limbs were lost.
After eating, and once Sebastian had come downstairs, Ariel had said that she needed to go and see a friend. She asked if I wanted to come along, and I was desperate to get out of the house.
'We better do something about your clothes,' she said, gesturing towards Sebastian's pirate clothes that were like a billion sizes too big for me. 'Yeah, not exactly practical for... well, anything.' I agree.
Ariel took me to the nearest busy areas of Emaia where we got food, ate food, and bought me some new clothes.
I got changed into my new outfit, in which I looked fabulous, with my old blue jumper that I fell in with, a pair of jeans, some black coverse because they're amazing, and a cool plain black choker necklace becuase they make me somehow even hotter. My jumper was one of the only things reminding me of my home. I was starting to miss my friends and parents.
My mum must be so worried, I mean, I've been gone for ages. And my sister! They're all going to have no idea what's going on. They might think I've been kidnapped or something!
Before I could dive anymore into my spiralling, Ariel announced that we had arrived.
'Here we are!' She said, bouncing on her heels. What the heck. No way is this where her friend lives. She had brought us to the very middle of the kingdom, and on a piece of land slightly higher than the rest, was one of the hugest freaking castles that I've ever seen (also the only one but this castle was pretty much out of a fairy tale).
The castle wasn't too far from the house, but it was huge. How did I not notice it?
The actual castle was built like the one you see at the start of Disney movies, but there was a path around the side with people who looked really busy.
'Let's go around back,' Ariel said, walking away before I had time to respond. 'Okay.' I say before slowly jogging towards her. She didn't even wait for me!
When we got to the back of the castle, I saw a bunch of people shooting targets with arrows, fighting with each other, or just chatting and watching a girl with yellow-blonde hair failing at hitting the target with her arrows, by a lot.
'So, who's your friend?' I say, not taking my eyes off the girl with the bow. 'He's probably inside right now, I'll go look for him. Stay here. 'Okay- and she's gone again. Wow.' I say before going over to the girl who still hadn't managed to hit the target.
With the way the people were watching her and laughing to their friends, it seemed like this had happened a lot. 'Hey,' I say, startling her from trying to set the arrow into the bow properly. 'You're doing that wrong.' 'I know, dummy.' She says in the most sarcastic voice I had ever heard, and I've been living with Sebastian! That says a lot. I was starting to like her already.
She went back to trying to shoot the arrow and missed so bad it almost hit one of the guys watching from the side, missing his head by an inch. 'Sorry Gabe!' She shouted as both of their faces started to go red. 'It's okay!' He shouted back to her. Ooh, someone has a crush. 'So, what's your name? I asked because I had no idea. I totally ship her and Gabe, though; that was adorable.
She looked back to me, her eyes rolling. Meanie. 'I'm Eleanor. Who are you?' Eleanor said, cocking her head to the side and sassily putting her hand on her hip. 'I'm Eric!' I tell her with a big smile on my face, stretching out my hand for a handshake (and getting completely ignored). Okay... rude.
'So, do you know Ariel?' I ask her, just now realising that this girl with pigtails is taller than me. Jeez. 'Ariel? Do you mean the girl the prince always hangs around?' She says as I tried not to laugh, I mean, Ariel? Friends with a prince? What? 'No, I don't think she could be friends with a prince.' I go as my laughs slip a little bit. 'Yeah, she's the baker's daughter, right? Blonde hair and everything. She's really nice, actually.' Ariel is friends with a prince. Ariel wants to introduce me, yes I, to a prince. Half of my life is literally just illegal stuff.
There is no way she wants me to be introduced to the prince when my dog is pretty much illegal.
1187 words
Published March 4th
Updated last March 10th
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being zukoâs s/o would include hcs?
BEING ZUKOâS S/O [GENDER NEUTRAL!READER]
BEING KORRAâS S/OÂ | BEING SOKKAâS S/O
SUMMARY: being zukoâs s/o from the confession to the weddinâ [say this but make it rhyme the way those singers do ya know]
WORD COUNT: 2.5k
WARNINGS: kissing, very mildly implied nsfw, soft zuko, a dragon
A/N: these are gonna be extensive bc there is no scenario but if you want whole fics there are like 6342 zuko fics coming since everyone is a zuko simp. also wow this is really long um i hope its what you wanted!
GETTING INTO THE RELATIONSHIP
you guys have probably known each other a long time, because homebody does not fall for just anyone, so if you become the object of his affections, you better feel HONORED. hehe honoredÂ
i feel like it takes him a lot of time to actually accept his feelings for you are beyond platonic. the main reason he falls for you is probably your consistency in his life since thats something he tends to lack. like his mom? gone. his dad? kicked him out of the only place he ever knew. his life is filled with major changes so if you guys have known each other since childhood then consistency is key
once he realizes he likes you he kinda panics because what if you donât accept him? what if you leave? even worse, what if you leave because he likes you? so now heâs panicking, and naturally, as one does, Zuko avoids his problems. You, being the problem. And his emotions, but he is in denial so
definitely talks to his uncle about the two of you A LOT, especially when he is first figuring out his feelings and trying to figure out what to do about them
his uncle is an elite wingman, constantly tries to get the two of you to be alone in the same space or get information out of you in regards to you
when it comes to confessing i can see a few situations
situation one is that zuko confesses completely by accident, freaks out, disappears, avoids you even more, like homie is a mess. after you get fatally injured, or maybe when he thinks you are asleep, or he just kinda blurts it out in conversation when you guys are doing something domestic. regardless, it is entirely by accident, and now zuko is freaking the heck out.Â
âi really like this tea.â
âi really like you.â
âexcuse me-â
âi goTTA GO FEED MY DRAGOn Y/N!â
âyou donât have a dragon!â
so thatâs how zuko gets his dragon from LOK, storytime over
you kinda have to find him and get a word in before he runs off because he is really scared of rejection, he doesnât want you to leave and assumes that if the situation is never addressed then you canât leave woohoo problem solved.Â
his uncle yells at him lol
when you corner him you gotta confess super fast and handle his anxieties because he is super worried about you hating him now even though it is the opposite.Â
âplease donât leave me.â
âiâm not gonna leave my boyfriend.â
âyour- your what?â
âwe are dating now. i like you, you like me, so we are dating.â
situation two is equally chaotic, but far less dancing around the feelings since you confess! congrats! you have more balls than me! im so proud! good job bb!
when you confess, its probably late at night, a comfortable silence between the two of you, or maybe heâs ranting about something, like how dumb the concept of tea is idk. regardless this is DOMESTIC, so itâs soft and cute and you are just like you know what screw it this nerd is so easily flustered by me maybe he likes me back! look at us cuddling like a couple! might as well make it official!
zuko.exe error, not working
you broke him good job.Â
he externally panics and internally congratulates himself while panicking. he is very shocked you feel that way for him because he is an oblivious boy.Â
âhonestly, i donât understand why my uncle likes those flavored water leaves so much-â
âi donât understand why iâm in love with you.â
âWHAT.â
if yâall were cuddling on a bed or smth he THROWS YOU OFF BY ACCIDENT SKJDHJFHKHWJKF oopsie, he just gets up so quickly that you kinda go tumbling.
homie literally asks you why so naturally you gotta start listing all of these reasons why because hes like perfect and beautiful and yeah we all love him a lot :D marry me zuko <3
you gotta give him a hot minute to process all the information you just gave him, he is in shock for a short while, kinda just sitting there confused. once it gets through his thick skull that you like him heâs gonna thank you đ
then heâll ask you how you wanna handle this and boom you have a boyfriend now good job!Â
DURING THE RELATIONSHIP
dating during a war is hard so when yâall first start dating, probably towards the end of the war when he finally joins the Gaang, its gonna be really chaotic and you guys are still gonna be sorting through everything, like what kinda couple do you wanna be? neither of you know
kisses are rare during this time, especially since zuko is a generally private person who doesnât really do PDA much, especially since he wants to avoid teasing and judgement from others. heâs a real people pleaser at the end of the day, he literally spent three years of his life looking for someone the world thought just disappeared permanently because he wanted his dadâs validation.
when you two do kiss, it tends to be a night in your shared tent, even then Zuko is weary of Tophâs seismic senses.
his kisses tend to be soft and sensual, he really just wants to take his time and enjoy it. however, bb does have a temper so you can expect some spice on occasion when he gets frustrated.
this comes later on in the relationship, once the war is resolved, but that just brings about new problems! like having to deal with the new fire lord who is always busy as your boyfriend!
especially at the beginning, when heâs newly crowned and everything is busy and new and heâs struggling with being organized, he rarely has time for you. however, you are likely his right hand, main advisor, general, whatever your area of expertise is he will find you a position in the castle, unless you tell him you want to stay out of politics. though, deep down, he wants to give you a position so he can spend time with you
once things calm down and heâs got being fire lord in the bag, he starts blocking in time during his day to actually take you out on dates and stuff
at one point just disappears for the whole day with you and everyone thinks heâs been kidnapped until they realize you arenât around either
thatâs not very responsible of you guys smh you have a nation to runÂ
is soft with you, though zukoâs temper definitely lessened when he became Fire Lord, but it no doubt shows itself sometimes, but never with you
well need your assurance sometimes because he gets insecure
like why is the beautiful amazing intelligent woman dating me i do not understand what the heck why have you not left me yet
knock some sense into him
also gets worried that he is a horrible ruler and wants you to tell him that he in fact does his job very well
did you forget you helped end a war zuko?
kiss. his. scar. give him love, its one of few physical parts of himself that he is insecure about and if you kiss him there he might start crying because wow intimacy didnât know what that was
speaking of intimacy, he is a touch starved boy so when you start giving him love do not stop, never deprive him of cuddles he gets grumpy
lol play volleyball with him
very domestic??? like his parents highkey did not like eachother so now he just wants to hold your hand, lay with you in the morning, wake up to your pretty face, and just cuddle with you while you read aloudÂ
overall you two are a power couple and zuko simps for you 25/8 you rule as a team and he values you and your opinion VERY much, tries to take you out as often as he can despite his VERY demanding job, and expresses his love to the best of his ability
MARRIAGE N STUFF
zuko took the throne YOUNG he was like 16, so he is not proposing until yâall are at least adults, but i imagine that he is probably gonna wanna date you for like at least three years before proposing
he wants to make sure you are there to stay even if youâve been around since childhood
there are two ways he is gonna propose here
situation one is where he kinda just does it,,, randomly? like out of nowhere he realizes that w o w he wants to marry you, he wants to spend the rest of his life with you and dedicate everything to you because you are HIS forever person
so heâs kinda just laying with you in the morning, nice soft kisses here and there, will not let you leave the bed and you are definitely complaining, especially if you have a position in the palace and need to get to work
regardless its a soft moment, thereâs light filtering in through the window in your shared room, and its shining on your face, and yeah you are lowkey a mess because its the morning but you are just,, so,, beautiful??
and you start telling him about your plans for the, playing with his hair and stuff, and heâs listening to his heartbeat when he breaks from your hold and looks up at you and is just like
âmarry me.â
âwe also need to feed your dragon- wait whatâ
you are kinda just in shock for a moment, so you sit up and look at him, mouth gaping open like
âare you serious?â
he suddenly realizes he doesnât have a ring and it is 7AM in the morning and it is not the best time for this
â...yesâ
now you are laughing, falling back onto the pillows, and maybe thereâs a tear in your eye as you nod rapidly, âokay, yes.â
now you are thinking of the fake story you are gonna tell people when they asked how he proposed because you are NOT saying it was in bed at 7AM while you were looking like a whole mess
âyes? yes as in yes you will marry me? are you serious?âÂ
such an idiot, but heâs cute its okay
you kiss him and its passionate and adorable, and he kisses back but he quickly breaks apart and is like âyouâre sure? because i donât have a ring-â
âhow have you successfully run a country.â
âgood thing you are gonna join me on the throne i suppose.â
âoh my god youâre right-â
âyou arenât reconsidering are you?â
âNO.â
have fun being the fire god woo
now yâall go back to making out and traumatize whatever advisor comes to check on you because theyâre like where are the people who rule this country???Â
situation two is where he has been carrying around the ring for MONTHS but is looking for the perfect time to propose because you are perfect so this must be perfect
he couldnât sleep and in the middle of the night he was like WELP I WANNA GET ENGAGED and kinda just decided he was gonna marry you
since you were asleep he couldnât ask you right then and these
confides in the gaang and everyone is super excited
now heâs been walking around with this ring for months and what is he supposed to do now oh god
the gaang is like stop procrastinating bro, just ASK HER, and hes like NO IT NEEDS TO BE PERFECT
they help him set up the palace courtyard and make it all nice, there are lanterns, and candles, and a path of rose petals, and this time around he does have a ring so yes its great
heâs like hey letâs go for a walk! and youâre like okay??? lol
so you two are walking around the palace, holding hands, when he leads you to the courtyard and you are just like DAMN this is romantic AND pretty
âi think we are interrupting Zuko letâs leaveâ
âwhat do you mean interrupting-â
âwell someone clearly put in a lot of effort!â
âthat someone is me!â
:O
its not that he isnât romantic its just that heâs never done something like this so now youâre confused
âdid i forget our anniversary?â
âno.â
NOW you understand, looking around, you turn back to him to find that heâs on one knee, you two are in front of the pond with the turtleducks and wow it must be raining why is there water on your face? haha...
he tells you he loves you and that he wants to spend the rest of his life with you, and how he hopes he never loses you because you are just so vital to his life and his being and everything heâs done to make this world a better place has been for you and damn zuko you wonder if he got possessed
obviously you agree
and obviously something goes wrong
when he stands you tackle him with a hug and you two fall into the pond
oopsÂ
the wedding[disclaimer: i have never been to a wedding so i do not know what happens in weddings, feel free to educate me pls]Â is either REALLY intimate and private, or really big and stuff, since you gotta go through that whole coronation process now and like public weddings n stuff
no matter what his uncle is the one who walks you down the aisle.
change my mind.
you cant.Â
the intimate one is almost similar to eloping, probably happens in the court yard where he proposed, and you are wearing a AMAZING outfit, whether its a tux, an amazing dress, a jumpsuit, you gonna look FIRE
hehe fire
anyways itâll probably be the people who fought with him in the war, the gaang, the white lotus, kyoshi warriors, maybe a few others,Â
its a really nice ceremony, and the courtyard is decorated so beautifully, though Zuko considered putting a fence around the pond considering what happened when he proposed lol
if its a more public wedding, then its going to feel like the entire Fire Nation came to watch yâall get married, much more flashy, thereâs a band performance, a banquet, yâall gotta use the ballroom so that everyone can danceÂ
kinda nerve wracking ngl
regardless, after you two get married nothing really changes because you always acted like an old married couple, and even as the other ruler of the fire nation, you always had an important job in the palace so its kinda just the same but more official
its a vibe
moral of the story is zuko is a simp for you and your marriage is mutual simping, that is all
A/N: i kinda went off ngl, also im about to hit 200 followers and i feel as though i should do something special so i am taking suggestions pls
taglists[lmk if you wanna be added or removed :D]
zuko: @shawni-h @lil-lex1 @boxofteenageideas @izzieserra @eridanuswave @bigbuckyenergy @outerxorbit
permanent: @chewymoustachio
#zuko x reader#prince zuko x reader#zuko headcannon#zuko headcannons#zuko x reader headcannons#zuko x you#zuko x y/n#prince zuko x you#prince zuko x y/n#zuko atla#atla#avatar the last airbender#lok#legend of korra#atla zuko x reader
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3rd life, Tango and Impulse are the last two standing?
this was the first 3rd Life request i received and oh boy have i wanted to work on it for so long. apologies for the older ones i havent touched yet; iâm getting to them! iâm just in more of a 3rd Life mood atm :)
...
  Etho drowned
  Impulse stares at the death message on his communicator with wide eyes. âOh my gosh,â he whispers hoarsely. âHe did it⊠Tango got himâŠâ
  He checks the tab list. Etho is gone. Only two red names stare back at him: his own and Tangoâs. The endgame heâs been avoiding for weeks is finally here.Â
  Impulse continues trading with his villagers, though there doesnât seem to be much point anymore. Tango is undoubtedly on his way here right now, and heâll probably want to end things right here and now. Thereâs only two people left, both on red. One more death will end the game, no matter who dies.Â
  He finds himself hoping that Tango will fall into a ravine or get exploded by a creeper before he even makes it here. But he knows it wonât happen. Thereâs only two ways this could end, and neither of them are very appealing to him.Â
  All too soon, he hears the familiar voice of his best friend call his name. Wincing briefly, he turns and finds Tango standing in the entrance to his villager trading hall. âHi, Tango.â
  âYou saw in chat, right?â Tangoâs red eyes are glowing bright, as is the red heart on his neck. âI got him. My trap worked!âÂ
  Impulse nods. âI saw. Heck of a way to kill your close friend.â
  âYeah, well, he wouldâve killed me with no hesitation, so I did what I had to do to survive.â
  âYouâve done a lot of things like that,â Impulse remarks carefully. âRemind me again who youâve killed?â
  âGrian, Bdubs, Scott, Jimmy, Ren, and now Etho,â says Tango gleefully. âEthoâs my first red lifer, though. Gotta say, thereâs a hell of a rush in taking someoneâs last life and knowing they wonât be able to come back and confront you.â
  Impulse slowly shakes his head. âThatâs a really⊠cold thing to say. Remember, we donât know exactly what happens when we lose our last life. Itâs likely we just appear back on our normal servers, but Grian said he didnât even know that for certain.â
  âYeah, yeah.â Tango rolls his eyes. âWhatcha up to?â
  âGetting some books to enchant my stuff so youâll have a harder time killing me,â Impulse wants to say. Instead, he opts for the safe answer and says, âJust some trading. You⊠want some emeralds?â
  âNah, I donât need to trade right now.â
  The two fall silent for a moment.
  âSo I guess we should address the elephant in the room,â says Impulse slowly. âWeâre the only ones left. The last two standing.â
  âUh huh.â Tangoâs eyes are still worryingly sparkling red. âWe are. And donât think Iâm stupid, Impy. I know about the traps you put around your base. Plus the ones in Renchanting and the desert.â
  âI didnât put those there.â
  âWhatever. Point is: I know where all the traps are. So donât think youâre gonna get the drop on me. And when it comes to PvP, Iâm stronger.â
  âAre you trying to tell me to just lay down and accept my death?â Impulse demands.
  âHell no. Donât do that! Thatâd be the worst way to end this whole thing.â Tango pauses a moment. âWhoâve you killed, again?â
  âI⊠I killed Joel and Cleo.â
  âAnd?â prompts Tango pointedly.Â
  Impulse winces. âAnd⊠you. I took your second life.â
  âYes, yes you did. And Iâm not gonna let you take another.â
  âI donât want to do that, Tango. I may be a red lifer but I donât want to hurt you again.â
  âToo bad,â Tango says coldly. âThis is the moment Iâve been waiting months and months for. Two people left. Iâve done too much and fought too hard to delay my victory any longer. Come to the village with your best armour and your best sword, and if youâre not there in five minutes, Iâll hunt you down and kill you without mercy. Got it?â
  Impulse can hardly hold back a shiver at the viciousness in his best friendâs voice. âG-Got it.â
  âGood.â
  Impulse watches Tango leave, before letting out a deep breath. He canât deny heâs terrified; this is the final confrontation. Either he or Tango wonât make it out alive. And he has a suspicion as to which one will lose their last life first. As blunt as Tango had been, heâs right. Tango knows where all the traps are, heâs better at PvP than Impulse, and he has the fortune to have known Impulse long enough to be able to reliably anticipate any tricks he could come up with.Â
  Impulse hardly stands a chance.
  After assembling his best armour under the circumstances, Impulse takes his enchanted diamond sword and heads out into the village. He can already see Tango sitting atop one of the houses, legs dangling over the side. Tangoâs armour is iron but enchanted, whereas Impulseâs is diamond and unenchanted. He doesnât know which will be better in this scenario but heâs leaning towards the enchanted armour.Â
  Tango spots him approaching and jumps down from the house, swinging his own enchanted diamond sword. âSorry it has to be this way, Impulse. I hope you know that however this finishes, youâll always be my best friend.â
  Somehow, I donât think youâll be very happy with me if Iâm the one who somehow wins after all this, Impulse thinks.Â
  Aloud, he says, âIâm sorry too.â
  A brief pause follows his words.
  Then Tango charges forward and the fight begins.
  Impulse blocks Tangoâs first two blows, but the third glances off his armour. This completely throws him off and Tango lands a few more hits on his armour.Â
  Losing his nerve, Impulse scrambles backwards and takes off running, hoping to give himself time to think of something.
  âHey!â Tango yells. âWhat are you doing?! Get back here!â
  Impulse sprints as fast as he can towards Bdubs and Cleoâs abandoned castle. Without slowing, he jumps on the ruined planks of the drawbridge and makes it across to the other side. When he dares to look back, he notices Tango skidding to a halt on the other side of the moat.Â
  Impulse involuntarily nods to himself. Tango hates parkour, even simple ones.Â
  After taking a moment to compose himself, Impulse turns and spots Tango halfway across the bridge, jumping steadily from one plank to another. Panicking, Impulse jumps on the pressure plate in the centre of the room, before bolting for the stairs.
  Tango has just reached the entrance when he hears the telltale hissing noise and he curses. He doesnât have enough time to follow Impulse to the stairs and he knows it, so all he can do is dive back across the drawbridge.Â
  The TNT goes off a second later, sending Tango flying onto the bank. Itâs been placed in such a strategic way that it only destroys the lower floor; the second floor, which Impulse has managed to reach, is entirely untouched.Â
  He grabs a spare bow and some arrows, and fires a few out the slit window at Tango, who is struck in the leg by one and has to retreat to avoid getting hit by the others.
  Impulse takes a deep breath. This is a good position; he has the high ground, as it were. He has the advantage right now.Â
  Unfortunately, that advantage becomes a lot less palpable when he realises his meagre arrow stock has run out.Â
  Through the split window, he spots Tango running back across over the drawbridge, clearly realising that Impulse is out of ammunition. His leg is bleeding from where heâs pulled the arrow out but he doesnât seem to care right now.Â
  Impulse rushes for the second set of stairs and bursts out onto the top of the castle. Over the ramparts, he can see the long abandoned village he used to call home and heâs briefly gripped with a deep sense of sadness and nostalgia.Â
  A few seconds later, he hears footsteps behind him and whirls round to find Tango charging towards him. With only a split second warning, Impulse ducks under his outstretched arm and rushes for the stairs again, but Tango sweeps his legs out from under him. Impulse lets out a cry of pain as he lands heavily on his wrist.
  âNO!â Tango yells, standing over him with his sword, forcing him to roll over and look him in the eye. âYouâre not running away again! Iâve waited TOO long for this; now fight me!â
  Impulse responds by kicking Tango hard in his already injured leg, before rolling to his feet and taking advantage of Tangoâs distracted state to shove him away.Â
  Tango stumbles back, his mind fuzzy from the pain. His diamond sword dangles in his grasp. His chest heaves as he gasps for breath.
  âTangoâŠâ Impulse straightens up, a sympathetic look on his face. âPlease. We donât have to resolve it this way. Letâs just live together in this world until one of us dies naturally. Thereâs no reason for us to murder each other just to win this stupid game.â
  âNo,â growls Tango softly. âYouâve no idea what Iâve sacrificed to get here. If somehow we do go back to Hermitcraft after we die in this goddamn world, do you think anyoneâs still gonna wanna be friends with me?â
  âThen why burn all your bridges like that?â Impulse demands. â3rd Life is temporary but weâll be on Hermitcraft for decades to come. Why throw it all away?â
  âY-You donât understand. I have to win this. Th-Thereâs no other way to end this.â
  Impulse carefully steps towards his best friend. âTango. Plea-.âÂ
  âI SAID NO!â
  Tango charges at Impulse, who intercepts him and throws him away from him.
  What he hasnât noticed is how close he is to the edge of the parapet.Â
  Tango manages to catch Impulseâs wrist, pulling him to the ground, but the shock of the landing releases Tangoâs grip on him.Â
  Impulse gasps as he realises that his friend has disappeared over the side of the parapet. He hardly dares look, but his communicator going off only confirms what he already knows to be true.Â
Tango fell from a high place.
  Tango is gone.Â
  Impulse has won.Â
  He struggles to a sitting position, wincing at the pain in his arm. Itâs over. Itâs really over.
  After all this time, all these deaths, heâs the last one standing. The âwinnerâ, if you could even call him that. Heâs done so much to survive: things heâs ashamed of, things that will stay with him for the rest of his life. The things heâs witnessed will also haunt him; the deaths of everyone around him, including his best friends, as heâs unable to do anything about it.
  After what feels like hours, he discards his armour and steps up onto the parapet, the breeze ruffling his t-shirt and shorts. At the bottom, he can almost picture Tangoâs body, broken on the hard ground below him. He doesnât know if his death will take him back to Hermitcraft, back to Tango, but anything is better than staying here alone in this world, void of happiness and life.Â
  âIâm coming home, Tango,â he murmurs.Â
  With that, he lets himself fall.
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and miles to go before I sleep
Title: and miles to go before I sleep
Word Count: 6,650
Chapter 1
Summary: Virgil came here to stop a curse and save his kingdom. But another Prince has the same goal in mind... and only one kingdom is supposed to come out on top. Slowburn Romantic Prinxiety. A Two Princes Podcast AU.Â
Chapter Warnings: stealing; lying; Patton is kind of working in a gray area but he means well and is only trying his best; Janus does some light treason I guess?; violence; giant hornet; plant monster; killing monsters/violence; blood mention/description; threats; if you are a die-hard fan of the podcast please be warned that I do take a few creative liberties with stuff from the podcast at times.Â
A/N: this idea has been knocking around my head for a while, and I finally started to write it. I thought Iâd write it all before posting, but Iâve found that Iâm starting to lose steam. So hereâs the first part! If you like The Two Princes, I hope youâll enjoy this Prinxiety twist to it! If youâve never listened to it, I hope youâll consider giving this a shot and then maybe going to check it out! <3 Editing done by yours truly. All mistakes are mine.Â
...
âStop! Thief!âÂ
Virgil takes a hard left turn down the Western Corridor of the castle, nearly tripping over his own feet in his rush. He sprints down the stone hallway, racing past the familiar stained-glass windows. The book in his hand is heavy and leather-bound, and Virgil tucks it tighter under his arm as he runs. The hood of his dark cloak nearly slips off his head in the process, and he uses his free hand to keep it from falling.Â
âHalt!â
Ahead of him, three members of the Royal Guard appear from around the corner. Virgil skids to a stop, whirling around only to find two more guards running up behind him. Heâs surrounded and cornered. Nowhere to go. Virgil huffs a breath, holding his hands up and kneeling on the floor in surrender. He lets the book thud to the ground. Heâs grateful that the hood of his cloak swallows his head, and he keeps his head downcast to let it shadow his face from view even though he knows his anonymity is really only a matter of seconds.
Thereâs the scuff of boots against the stone floor approaching him, the clanking of armor as the guards move aside, and Virgil grimaces to himself. He has the sinking feeling itâs his older brother.Â
âYour Majesty,â one of the guards from behind him greets the newcomer, confirming Virgilâs suspicions. âWe caught this person attempting to steal the Forbidden Book.âÂ
Virgil keeps his face hidden in the hood of his cloak, but he sees his brotherâs boots step into his vision. âWhatâs your name?â his brother asks with that familiar soft friendliness.Â
Virgil knows that he canât hide much longer--someone is going to pull the hood off his head at any moment--but he really doesnât want to deal with the look of disappointment in his older brotherâs eyes that he knows awaits him. Heâll push it off as long as he can manage. So Virgil stays resolutely silent.Â
He feels a slight tug on the hood of his cloak and the silky material causes it to fall to his shoulder blades effortlessly.Â
âVirgil?âÂ
Virgil looks up sheepishly. âHey, Patton.â
His brother was twelve years older than him but only a couple of inches taller. His hair wasnât much lighter than Virgilâs, and their eyes were the same shade of brown that their motherâs had been. But Patton had seemed every bit older than him. Virgil couldnât explain why--if maybe it was the weight in his eyes that would show only when he thought nobody was looking or if maybe it was the way heâd mastered the âIâm not angry Iâm just disappointedâ stare years ago--but there were times when Patton seemed even older than twenty-nine.Â
âWhat the heck were you doing?â Patton swoops down and snatches the book from where Virgil had placed it on the floor in front of him. Virgil tries not to grimace. His brother hands it off to one of the guards who immediately rushes to take it back to the vault.Â
Virgil sighs and accepts the hand that Patton extends to him to pull him up to his feet. Patton waves a hand and the guards only hesitate for a moment before they turn abruptly to head back to their post. Virgil waits until theyâre alone in the corridor before he answers.
âPatton, come on. You know exactly what I was doing.âÂ
Patton frowns, his brow pinching together. âVirgil,â he starts, and Virgil has to stop himself from rolling his eyes because he knows that tone, âI already told you that book is no good for anybody.âÂ
âNo, I know you keep saying that. But our kingdom is under siege, and--â
âSiege?â Patton repeats. âI think thatâs a bit of an overstatement there, kiddo. I should start calling you just âAnxietyâ with as much as you worry.â
âHow else would you describe the forest that is overrunning our kingdom and has been for years? Itâs nearly at our palace walls.â Virgil gestures out the stained glass window. âYou canât go anywhere in town without having to step over and around roots and vines. Itâs been choking our food supply, itâs overrun our farming villages⊠Thatâs not normal. And nobody in this godforsaken castle will talk to me about it.â
Virgil sees that flicker of something he canât identify pass through Pattonâs eyes. It was the same look he got any time Virgil tried to mention the Forest or the Curse. But it was always too fast for Virgil to be able to identify it.Â
âHave you ever thought thatâs because thereâs nothing to talk about?â Patton tries.Â
âWhen was the last time you looked outside, Patton? That Forest is going to destroy our kingdom,â Virgil snaps. âI know itâs the Curse and I know that book has answers. I just donât know why you donât want me to know them!âÂ
Patton presses a hand to his temple. âVirgil, will you just drop it? Please?â
âAll Iâve done is drop it. From what Iâve been able to piece together from books that you will let me read, two kings from rival kingdoms held a grudge against each other a thousand years ago, and that grudge started some kind of curse. But I need more if Iâm going to do anything to fix this.â
âNobody is asking you to fix it--â
âSomebody has to!âÂ
âVirgilâŠâ Patton looks at him then. He looks tired, Virgil thinks. And⊠afraid. âPlease. I⊠youâre my baby brother. Iâm just trying to look out for you, okay?â
Virgil wants to argue. Heâs seventeen. He doesnât need his older brother protecting him like he did when they were little kids. He sometimes wonders if Patton still sees him as that six-year-old kid that would run to his room when he had a bad dream. He wasnât. But he doesnât know how to get Patton to understand that. Besides, a part of him falters at the tinge of desperation that colors Pattonâs words.Â
âOkay,â Virgil agrees with a sigh, holding his hands up in surrender. âOkay. Fine.â
Thereâs a grateful twitch to the corner of Pattonâs mouth. Then, his expression brightens with a sudden idea and Virgil has the feeling heâs not going to like it.
âHey,â Patton says. âYour birthday is almost here. What do you say we throw an early birthday party for tomorrow?â
Virgil arcs an eyebrow. âMy birthday isnât for another four days.â
âI know, but I think we all could use a little something to boost the kingdom spirit, yâknow?âÂ
Virgil hesitates. âPatton, you canât just use parties to distract yourself from problems.â Itâs a conversation theyâd had before, so he knows what Patton is going to say even before the words leave his brotherâs mouth.Â
âIâm not, Virgil,â Patton replies, right on cue. âBut I think focusing on something good and happy is better than wallowing in the negative. Right?â
âRight,â Virgil says hollowly.Â
âŠ
Virgil hates parties. Theyâre crowded and loud and the repetition of forced, awkward small talk reminds Virgil of everything he doesnât like about being a prince. Nobles and dignitaries mill around the ballroom, talking to one another without talking about anything that Virgil thinks ought to be discussed. He nods his appreciation and mutters a quick âthank youâ as people wish him a happy birthday, and he tries to ignore the increasing desire to crawl into a hole and never come out.
Virgil snags a piece of bread off the snack table and clings to the edge of the growing crowd in the ballroom.Â
âYou look like youâre having a positively terrific time, Your Highness,â a familiar voice says to Virgilâs left. When he looks, Virgil feels a twinge of relief at the familiar face of Lord Janus: his brotherâs closest political adviser.Â
Virgil snorts. âYeah, well. This was hardly my idea. You know how my brother is.âÂ
âHm,â Janus hums, a hint of amusement in his eyes. âIndeed.â Virgil stifles a yawn. Janus arcs an eyebrow at him. âTired, Your Highness?â
âSorry,â Virgil replies. âJust⊠didnât sleep well.â
He thinks about the dream heâd had last night. Heâd been cold, in the dark, surrounded by looming shadows that looked almost like trees. Thereâd been a deep, echoing, vaguely familiar voice calling his name. Virgil. Then a tugging sensation around his waist so strong it yanked his feet out from under him, and the falling sensation had jolted him from his sleep. Heâd woken up in his room, trying to catch his breath, the echo of his name still reverberating in his head.Â
âI see,â Janus replies, his gaze narrowing slightly.
Virgil avoids his eyes, instead letting his gaze flit over the crowd of people. Some of them he recognizes from various meetings and prior parties that Patton had thrown over the years. He watches as a tall man he recognizes as Sloane--a long time family friend--lean over to whisper something into the ear of Corbin, one of the royal scribes. Corbin suppresses a smile.Â
âAre they⊠together?â Virgil wonders aloud. He couldnât describe it, but there was something about the way they seemed to gravitate near each other, even while Sloane turns to talk to someone else, that makes him wonder.
Janus follows his gaze. âYes,â he confirms. âTo my knowledge, thereâs an expected engagement to occur soon.â
Thereâs a part of Virgil thatâs surprised. He wouldnât describe himself as particularly close with either one of them, but they seemed like near opposites. His gaze lingers a bit longer on the two of them, catching the way Corbin deftly slips his hand into Sloaneâs and squeezes. Virgil tears his gaze away, feeling oddly like heâs intruding on something intimate even though theyâre in the middle of the ballroom.Â
He finds Remy weaving through the crowd, seemingly at ease in the sea of people. Remy is another of his brotherâs advisers, though he doesnât work as closely with Patton as Janus does. Virgil knows that Remyâs area of expertise is primarily in trade and commerce. Most of that had stopped around a year ago, as the growing Forest cut off most trade routes into and out of the kingdom.
âHow does he still have a job?â Virgil wonders aloud, watching as Remy laughs politely at a joke a dignitary that Virgil doesnât recognize makes.Â
Janus hums. âYour brother ensured that Remyâs original conception as an economic adviser would not be limited to inter-kingdom trade. Exchanges occurring within the kingdom and city walls fall under his domain of expertise as well.âÂ
âWonât be long before heâs out of a job anyway,â Virgil mutters.
âThere are few things that the king cares about more than the well-being of his kingdom.â
âAnd Iâm one of those things.â Virgil looks at Janus, challenging him to disagree. Janus merely returns Virgilâs stare with a steady, silent one of his own. Virgil has known the adviser long enough to recognize it as silent agreement.Â
Virgil releases a frustrated breath. âIâm not a child anymore, Janus. He doesnât need to protect me.â
âI assure you that Your Majesty doesnât view it that way.â
âI donât even know what heâs trying to protect me from,â Virgil continues. Realization dawns suddenly, and Virgil narrows a glare on Janus. âBut you do, donât you?â
It makes sense to Virgil. There is little that Janus doesnât know--heâs often said itâs his business to know things as the chief political adviser--and though Virgil may not understand how Janus gathers his information, he has no doubt that Janus knows exactly whatever it is that Patton has been hiding from him. The suspicion is only confirmed when he sees Janusâs lips press into a thin line.Â
Virgil shakes his head. âUnbelievable. I donât understand.â
Janus arcs an eyebrow. âI think Your Highness does.â
âNo, no I donât,â Virgil hisses back in a low, frustrated voice. âWhat is my brother hiding from me?â
Janus grimaces, his gaze flitting over to Patton across the ballroom. Patton doesnât seem to notice, too engaged with a conversation with the Lady Valerie to pay them much mind. Janus sighs, then turns back to the prince.
âYour Highness--â
Janus cuts off as the floor beneath them rumbles. The dining ware on the table clatters loudly from the tremor, and the ballroom falls silent with uncertainty. Virgil braces a hand against the nearby wall to keep balance.Â
âUh, what is that?â he asks, too late.
With the sound of shattering stone, sections of the marble floor splinter open. Virgil watches, horrified, as green vines rise from the fissures almost like tendrils of an awakening monster. Cracking wood snaps sharply in the hall as what Virgil can only describe as tree roots thicker than his own body push their way up through the cracks in the floor.Â
Screams and shouts of alarm fill the ballroom, ricocheting off the stone pillars. Virgil watches as a vine curls around the ankle of a dignitary, yanking her off her feet. One of the guards, sword already drawn, rushes forward. They slash at it, slicing through the vine and helping the young woman back to her feet.
âThe Forest is invading!â the guard shouts. âEveryone take cover! Guards, attack!âÂ
The clamor of battle swells, and Virgil presses flatter against the wall. His gaze sweeps over the crowd, trying to locate his brother. Virgil sees a tree root snake around Corbinâs torso with a speed that isnât natural for a plant. Sloane shouts for him, but a vine snaps around his wrist and he yanks a knife out of his boot to cut himself free.Â
Virgil goes to move to help--he may not be athletic exactly, but he canât just stand around and do nothing when people are in danger--but something yanks him back to the wall like heâs attached to it. He glances over his shoulder and sees the vine twisting in the jacket of his suit. Virgil desperately wrestles out of the garment, but another has already begun wrapping around his chest.Â
âHey!â Virgil yelps, trying to wrestle it off him. He sees a sudden flash of metal in the corner of his eye and the vine around his chest goes suddenly slack. Virgil shoves it off, looking over and realizing it was Janus, wielding the sword that had been at his hip, who cut him free. Â
âJanus,â Virgil says. âThank you.â
âOf course. Here, take this.â Janus pulls out a piece of paper from his breast pocket and shoves it into Virgilâs chest.Â
Virgil stumbles back a step from the force, his brow furrowing in confusion. âWhatâs this?â
âA map,â Janus answers, quick and urgent. âIt will take you straight to the Hollow. You have to leave immediately.â
âWhat? What Hollow?â
âHere.â Janus shoves the hilt of his sword into Virgilâs hand. âTake my sword.â
âWh--No! I canât leave you all in the middle of a battle!â
âYou have to!â Janus snaps, and Virgil falters under the intensity in the adviserâs eyes. âThe real battle--the one that will decide the fate of everyone in this kingdom--can only be fought in the Hollow, and only by you.âÂ
âWhat are you talking about?â
Janus grabs both of Virgilâs shoulders. âThereâs a prophecy your brother has been hiding from you. You have to go to the Hollow. Once you get there--â
âLook out!â a voice barks.
Janusâs head snaps to the side before he gives Virgil a hard shove, sending the prince staggering back. A tree root slams into the wall, precisely where Virgil had just been standing.
âJanus!â
âGo!â Janus shouts sharply over the clamor of the raging battle around them. âGet to the Hollow!â
Virgil runs, not noticing the vegetation shrinking back into the cracks in the floor as he races towards the Forest.Â
âŠ
Hours later, Virgil is beginning to think that the Forest must hate him personally. If itâs true, the feeling is very much mutual. The Forest is dense with trees that leave long, lurking shadows on the damp floor. Virgil climbs over a particularly large tree root, hissing in pain as a thorn catches his shoulder.
âGreat,â he snaps sarcastically. âYou know, you go through all this trouble of getting me to come to you what with the weird dreams and then attacking during my birthday party--which, between you and me, I didnât really mind the interruption, though I could have done without the violence--so youâd think maybe you could extend a little hospitality.â Virgil waits as if the Forest might actually respond to him. The chirp of insects and distant song of birds is the only answer the Forest offers.Â
âOf course not,â Virgil mutters. âI donât know what I expected. Youâre a monster-infested forest.â
Or in the very least, thatâs what the rumors had always said. Virgil wonders if that might have been an old wivesâ tale, passed on through the thousand or so years since the Curse first started to convince children to steer clear. Just because Virgil had heard his whole life that monsters lurked in the Forestâs shadows didnât mean it was actually true, right?
Right.
Virgil sighs and yanks the map Janus had shoved at him out of his pocket. If the skull on the map was referencing the tree ahead of him whose branches vaguely resembled a skull, then--
A twig snaps behind him.Â
Virgil freezes, his head snapping up. âHello?â he calls, shoving the map back into his pocket and yanking his sword out of the scabbard.Â
Nothing answers him. Wind rustles the leaves in the canopy above him. Virgil studies the trees and shadows around him. He canât shake the vague feeling that he is being watchedâŠ
A distant buzzing interrupts his thoughts, and Virgil sees a dark blur rush towards him. He yelps, ducking his head and slashing blindly with the sword. When he looks, Virgil chokes. In front of him, buzzing loudly as it hovers a couple of feet in the air, is a giant hornet--nearly Virgilâs size.Â
âLook,â Virgil says to it. âMy brother always says to avoid violence, but the last few hours has been the culminating impact of years of frustrations, so my patience really isnât up for--â
The hornet dives for him, and Virgil slashes at it, clipping its side. He narrowly dodges its stinger, slashing again. Virgilâs arms are suddenly coated in a dark, viscous spray of black blood. The giant hornet falls to the ground at Virgilâs feet.
He releases a breath, grimacing against the acrid smell of monster blood that stings his nostrils. His heartbeat is still thudding in his ears, adrenaline pulsing through his veins. He just slayed his first monster. A relieved smile tugs at the corner of Virgilâs mouth. He wonders briefly if Patton would be proud of him or horrified. He tries not to think too long about it.
âNot too bad for a--whoa!â Virgil steps back and immediately finds himself falling through the forest floor.Â
He lands hard and takes a moment to blink stars from his spinning vision. With a grunt of effort, Virgil pushes himself up into a sitting position. The air around him smells⊠sweet and oddly familiar. On the ground beneath him is loose dirt and a carpet of white and pink mushrooms. A few bright green vines helped to cushion Virgilâs fall. A quick glance around also tells Virgil that he didnât just fall into a hole--he fell into some sort of underground tunnel that continued on to his left.
He takes in another breath and feels the tension bleed out of his shoulders. It smells like⊠like Pattonâs fresh-baked cookies on a rainy day and⊠was that his motherâs perfume? Virgil had never really been able to remember his motherâs face, but he remembers the scent the instant he inhales. He suddenly has the near overwhelming desire to curl up and sleep as the syrupy feeling of warm comfort spreads through his chest.
Maybe Virgil could just live here instead of⊠of⊠how did he get here again?
âOh darling!â calls a soft, honey voice and for the briefest moment, Virgil wonders if itâs his mother. He dismisses the idea almost immediately. That isnât possible.
âWh--â Virgilâs tongue feels slow, his thoughts shifting through a molasses-sweet haze. âWho said that?â
âI did,â the voice echoes back, melodic and sweet. âAre you my darling?â
âI mean, maybe,â Virgil slurs, blinking owlishly at his surroundings. âI could be someoneâs darling.â
âWhere are you, darling?â
Virgil squints up at the hole heâd fallen through. âIâm at the bottom of a pit. Where are you?â
âIâm here too, just a bit further in. Come find me, darling.â
Virgil glances over to his left and sees a prick of light down the dark tunnel. Something in his chest tugs, urging, towards it. Virgil pushes himself to his feet, sliding his sword into the scabbard at his hip (why did he have it out to begin with?) and rushes down the tunnel, tripping over stray roots and the increasingly thick network of green vines. As he grows closer to the light, the smell of cookies and his motherâs perfume grows thicker and heavier. He can feel the way it clings to his thoughts in his mind, sticky like melted candy.
The tunnel opens up into a small cavern overrun with moss and flowers. Vines wrap up dirt walls, sprouting flowers of different sizes and colors so bright Virgil squints against the sudden onslaught on his vision. At the center of the clearing is a feminine figure--green skin and green hair that look almost like vines themselves. She turns towards Virgil as he steps into the clearing, her face brightening so much that Virgil almost doesnât notice that her eyes are bright red like the flowers that dot her arms.Â
âThere you are, my darling. Iâve been waiting so long for you.â
Virgil frowns, his brow creasing. âIâm sorry.â
She giggles, light and delighted. âOh, thatâs all right. Whatâs important is that you are here now. Whatâs your name?â
He⊠canât remember. It starts with a V, doesnât it? âV-V...Virgil. Yeah, thatâs it. My name is Virgil. Whatâs your name?â
The woman floats closer. âMy name is Flora. Iâm the goddess of love.â
Her voice sounds like a music box, soft and lilting. Virgil wants to curl up and use her voice as a blanket. âWhere⊠where am I?â
âThis? Why this is the Garden of Delight. You neednât worry about anything ever again.â
A soft, warm feeling squeezes around Virgilâs chest and it reminds him, distantly, of Pattonâs hugs. âThat⊠that sounds niceâŠâÂ
The woman hums, stepping closer. The dress she wears seems to shimmer, like it had been spun from spider silk and dripped with dew. It did feel rather humid in here, now that Virgil thinks about it. Virgil feels an unusual draw to her, but as he goes to take another step, he finds his feet donât move. Confused, he glances down. Green vines have snaked around his ankles, locking him in place.
âWhat--â
âMy darling,â the woman purrs, moving closer. âVirgil is a beautiful name. Youâll stay here with me, wonât you? Forever?â
Something about that sounds extremely tempting, and Virgil had the vague sense that it had something to do with the lingering sweetness in the air that reminded Virgil of when he was a child. When things felt easier. Simpler. But he⊠couldnât stay, right? He⊠he was supposed to be going somewhereâŠ
âI⊠I canât,â Virgil says, beginning to wonder why itâs so hard to just think right now⊠âIâm supposed to⊠um⊠thereâs something Iâm⊠I gotta get to the, uh⊠I canât remember. Why canât I remember?â He can feel the vines snaking up his legs, wrapping around his waist and anchoring his wrists to his hips.
He feels like his brain is fighting through gelatin.Â
âIf you could uh, let me go?â he asks.
The woman smiles again, but Virgil swears itâs a row of sharp, pointed fangs that he hadnât seemed to notice a moment ago. âBut you only just got here.â
Virgil tries to wrestle his arms out of the net of vines but they only constrict tighter. He wheezes a cough as the vice-like grip forces some air from his lungs. âYeah, I know, but--â
âNobody leaves the Garden of Delight, darling.â
âI just really--â
âThey stay here forever.â
âI really gotta--â
âYouâre not going anywhere,â the woman growls, with something that definitely isnât human edged sharply within the words.Â
Virgil jerks away. âYouâre not a goddess.â
âNo,â she agrees, grinning wickedly. âAnd itâs been ages since Iâve had a meal as large and scrumptious as you.â
Virgil thrashes, but heâs held fast by the vines that are only getting tighter. âLet me go!â This is how heâs going to die, isnât it? Heâs such an idiot. âDonât!â he shouts, though he knows itâs fruitless. Thereâs nobody around to hear him. Not for miles. How could he have been so stupid--
âThatâs enough, fiend!â A new voice, a rich baritone, shouts from the cavern entrance. Virgil tries to crane his neck to look behind him but he only gets a flash of red, white, and gold before the monster in front of him hisses with a flash of pointed teeth.
Through his haze of muddied thoughts, itâs hard for Virgil to follow exactly what happens next. But thereâs a glint of silver out of the corner of his eye and the creature before him shrieks in pain and anger. The constricting grip around him slackens suddenly and Virgil shrugs out of the plant cocoon that had been ensnaring him.Â
He whirls around and sees a boy in a dirtied white prince suit jacket and a red sash across his chest. His dark brown hair falls across his forehead, and his dark eyes are intense with urgency.Â
âWho are you?â Virgil asks.
âGo back the way you came,â he says instead of answering the question. âYouâll find a rope that you can climb to the surface. Iâm going to take care of this overgrown fly-trap.âÂ
âWait--â
The monster shrieks, her enraged scream echoing in the room. âIâm going to destroy you, you filthy, egotistical human!â
âFunny,â the boy shoots back, âbecause I was about to say the same thing about you.â
The monster lunges, and Virgil instinctively throws up an arm in front of his face to protect himself. The other boy snarls and slashes with the sword in his hands with expert precision. Virgil canât help but be impressed. Heâs certain that he never has looked that comfortable with a sword in his hands in his entire life.Â
The scream from the monster cuts out abruptly as the other boy lodges the blade inside of her. She falls, disintegrating into a pile of dirt and vines. The boy wipes the back of his hand across his brow and arcs an eyebrow at Virgil.Â
He motions to the cavern entrance. âAfter you.â
âŠ.
Virgil sighs as he pulls himself up over the ledge and back onto the forest floor. He never thought heâd be happy to see the Forest again, but he canât deny the odd rush of relief. Anything was better than sharp fangs flashing in front of his face.Â
âThat⊠was intense,â he says as he hears the boy behind him pull himself up and start untying the rope from around the nearby tree heâd used as an anchor. âWhat was that thing?â
The boy pauses thoughtfully. Sunlight filters in through the leaves of the canopy above them and they make the boyâs dark eyes sparkle a bit. âI donât know what theyâre called, but the Forest is full of them.â
âHuh. Well, itâs a good thing you came along, I guess.â Virgil rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. âThank you for rescuing me, and for being so beautiful.â Virgil freezes.
So does the other boy, his gaze flashing over and his brow furrowing. âWhat?â
âBrave!â Virgil blurts and has to stop himself from cringing at his own lack of a filter. He wasnât usually this clumsy. âThank you for being so brave. Not beautiful. Wow.â He laughs awkwardly. âI donât know why I said that. I think some of the toxins must still be messing with my head, yâknow? Making me say crazy things. Itâs not like I think youâre beautiful.â
The boyâs frown deepens and Virgil holds up his hands. âNot that I think youâre ugly! I mean, obviously youâre not ugly. Like, if you put a sword to my head and said are you attractive or ugly, obviously Iâd have to go with attractive because objectively thatâs just a fact--â Oh my God, Virgil, stop talking--âbut itâs not like youâre so attractive I canât stop looking at you or anything. Am I talking a lot? I feel like Iâm talking a lot.â
âYou are,â the boy replies absently, his gaze narrowing at something off in the distance. Virgil is oddly relieved to get the sense that he stopped listening a while ago.Â
âRight. So uh, Iâm trying to say thank you.â Virgil takes a deep breath, trying to slow his still-racing thoughts and pounding heart. âThank you for saving my life.â
âThen itâs a good thing Iâve been following you.â Itâs only then that Virgil realizes the boy hadnât been untying the rope from the tree--heâd been securing it more firmly.Â
âWhat? Youâve been following me?â He watches as the other boy loops the rope over the tree branch, then makes a lasso with the loose end in his hands. âUm, whatâs the lasso for?â
âI have some questions,â he answers, his gaze narrowing. âAnd since I donât know you nor do I trust you, I thought you might be more inclined to answer them if youâre dangling from a tree.âÂ
âOh,â Virgil says before it sinks in. âWait, what--Hey!â Before he can stop it, the boy lassoâs Virgilâs waist and pulls, and Virgil sees the world spin violently before heâs staring dizzily at the boy upside down. âLet me down!â
The boy crosses his arms over his chest. âNow then. Who are you and what are you doing in this Forest?â
Virgilâs fingers twitch for his sword, but he figures heâd be about as likely to poke his own eye out than cut himself down. And even then, what would happen? Heâd seen the boy face off with the forest monster and heâd sliced her like it was nothing with barely a flick of his wrist. Virgil couldnât very well fight this boy. And besides, he doesnât really want to.Â
âMe? Just--Iâm nobody. Iâm just walking through.â
The boy scoffs and shakes his head. He waves a hand at him. âYour clothes are filthy but clearly Western from the design and fabric choices. And your sword carries the insignia of the royal family.â His gaze darkens then, and he takes a step closer. Virgil watches the way his grip on the sword flexes in preparation. âDo you work for them?â
âNo!â he says immediately. âNo, I--I donât. No royal family for me.âÂ
âYouâre alone then? You arenât traveling with any member of the royal family?â
âNo, definitely not.â
The boy studies him for a moment before he seems satisfied with the answer. âMy apologies. You can never be too careful. Especially in this Forest.â
Virgil finds himself nodding despite the wave of confusion the comment brings. He just wants to get out of this in one piece. âNo, of course.âÂ
The boy slides his sword into the scabbard at his hip. âMy name is Roman. Prince of the East. Iâm sure youâve heard of me.â
âUh, not really?â
âThe younger brother of King Thomas? Heir to the Polished Throne. Defender of the Perished Realm.â
Virgil sucks in a breath through his teeth. âSorry.â
âVanquisher of the Dragon Witch. Protector of the Sacred Flame. Champion of the Heroâs Forge.â
This is ridiculous, Virgil thinks. He arcs an eyebrow. âWhat was that last one?â
Something sparks in Romanâs eyes, and he places his hands on his hips as if posing for a portrait. âChampion of the Heroâs Forge?â
Virgil does take a second to wrack his memory, wondering if maybe he had read something about any of the ridiculous titles Roman had just rattled off, but nothing rings a bell. âChampion of the--no, sorry.â
Roman seems to deflate, his hands falling from his hips. âReally?â
He knows he shouldnât--the boy is dangling him from a tree for crying out loud--but Virgil does feel a little bad for him. His ridiculous batch of titles notwithstanding. âWe just donât hear much about you guys in the West. Honestly, we werenât even sure there was anyone left in the East. Weâd sort of assumed the Forest had finished you all off.â
Which, now that Virgil thought about it, he honestly wasnât sure if that was simply a misguided belief or another intentional deception to further obscure the truth about this Forest and the Curse from Virgil. Then again, Virgil thinks, Patton may have made a lot of mistakes, but he didnât think willful deception like that was really Pattonâs preferred method. He tended to just avoid things.
The most Virgil had heard about the East Kingdom had been in history books, scribbled in the margins of notebooks. From what Virgilâs been able to gather, the two kingdoms had gone to war ages ago. Virgil couldnât figure out why, exactly, or even a direct timeline. He assumed it must have been thousands of years ago; so long that the true reason for the feud had been lost to history.
âHm,â Roman says, his brows pinching together.
âBut,â Virgil adds, âitâs nice to meet you, I guess. Iâve never met anyone from the East before. Honestly, I donât even really know why we were at war with you. So like, maybe you could cut me down now?â
Romanâs careful, scrutinizing gaze sweeps over Virgil. His hand rests on the hilt of his sword. âYou still havenât told me who you are or what youâre doing in this Forest.â
Virgilâs thoughts trip over each other. He canât very well give his real name--not when the boy had looked almost murderous when he asked about the royal family. He wracks his head for some kind of alternative. âMy name is, um, Anxiety.âÂ
Roman blinks at him. âAnxiety?â
Virgil could kick himself. Of course that was a stupid answer. âUh, yeah. Thatâs--thatâs what everyone calls me, anyway. Not that I know a lot of people. I, um, live here. In the Forest. Alone.â
âYou live in the Forbidden Forest?â Roman arcs a skeptical eyebrow.Â
Virgil silently curses to himself. Heâs really not that well-practiced in lying. He didnât like it, generally. In his experience, it tended to just make things worse. But he could almost hear Janusâs voice in his head, telling him that lying to preserve his safety was preferred to getting hurt.Â
âYeah. Iâm uh, on the run. From the royal family in the West.â That was⊠at least somewhat true?
âWhy?â
The memories from yesterday morning flash through his mind. âIâm a thief.â Also kind of true.
âA thief.â
âYes,â Virgil confirms. âHow else do you think I got this sword with the royal insignia on it?â Virgil hopes silently and fervently that Romanâs unexplained contempt for the royal family would work in his favor here.
Roman scoffs. âGreat,â he mutters, mostly to himself though loud enough for Virgil to hear, âJust what I need. A vagabond with no sense of honor. Fine. The Forest can deal with you.â He turns his back and starts walking away.
âWait!â Virgil calls out. âWhere are you going? You canât just leave me here.â
Roman turns back to him, crossing back the short distance. âWhat I canât do is have a confessed criminal traipsing around the Forest.â He waves a hand to gesture around them.Â
So apparently his contempt did not outweigh his morals. Virgil has the vague thought that Patton would approve of that, if nothing else. âYou misunderstood,â Virgil stammers hurriedly. âWhen I said thief, I meant like a⊠aâŠâ What was that story Patton used to read to him when they were kids? âRobin Hood kind of deal. You know, steal from the rich, feed the poor. Thatâs why the royal family hates me. Iâm like a, um, hero.â
Romanâs brows shoot up in surprise. âA hero?â
âIn a looser sense of the word--â
âHow long have you been hiding in this forest?â
âWh--oh. Years. Like⊠forever.â Virgil is starting to get a headache from the blood still rushing to his head.Â
Roman looks unimpressed. âYet you nearly got killed by a talking plant moments ago because you stumbled blindly into her lair.â
âYes,â Virgil says, unable to disagree with that point when they both had been there and Roman had been following him, apparently. âBut thatâs the first time thatâs ever happened.â True. âWhich, if you think about it, is sort of a point in my favor, right?â
âHm.â Roman purses his lips before yanking the sword out of his scabbard. Virgil flinches as it flashes in the sunlight, but thereâs the sound of snapping rope and Virgil lands clumsily on the forest floor. The sudden headrush makes spots dance across his vision and Virgil blinks to clear them away.
âWarn a dude, next time?â Virgil grumbles.
âIâll make you a deal, Robin Brood,â Roman announces, ignoring the comment.Â
âYou can call me Anxiety.â
âMy first night in the Forest,â Roman presses on, âmy horse got spooked and ran off with my map. Since then, Iâve been--â
âCompletely lost?â
âIn need of direction.â He points his sword towards Virgil with ease, like itâs an extension of his arm. âIf you can take me where I need to go, I promise to spare your life and let you go at the end of our journey.â
That⊠seems fair to Virgil. Heâd take this prince guy on a little side quest, and then heâd be able to rush to the Hollow shortly thereafter. A little detour should be fine, right? âUh, sure. Yeah. I guess. Where do you need to go?â
âThe Hollow of the Kings,â Roman answers as Virgil pushes himself to his feet.Â
Virgil freezes, his brow furrowing. âUh, sure. Yeah. But why do you need to go there?â
âThat is none of your business. Do we have a deal or should I get my rope?â
Virgil holds his hands up in surrender. âNo, sure. Yeah. Iâll take you to the Hollow.â
Roman crosses over to a heavy-looking bag and picks it up. âNow that you work for me, youâll carry my things.â He shoves the bag into Virgilâs arms. Virgil staggers under the sudden weight, cursing under his breath.
âYeah, no problem, buddy,â he quips sarcastically, adjusting his hold on the bag to more easily manage the weight.Â
âDonât call me buddy.â
âYou got it, boss.â Virgil tries to hide a smirk. He couldnât explain why, but there was something a little fun about teasing the other prince.Â
âYour Royal Highness is fine,â Roman replies without a shred of irony.
Virgil snorts. âAll right, Princey.â
Roman scowls. âAlso, please only speak when spoken to. You talk a lot, and itâs beginning to give me a headache.â
Virgil arcs an eyebrow. His ears are still ringing from the headrush. âIâm giving you a headache?â
âYes. Also--â
âOh my God, how many rules do you have?â
Roman whirls around and Virgil finds the tip of his sword poised just below his chin. Romanâs expression darkens. âIf I find out youâve been lying to me about anything, I will feed you to the nearest plant. Got it?â
Virgil swallows. âGot it.â
âGreat!â he says brightly, sheathing his sword once more. âThen onward we travel. Lead me to the Hollow, Robin Mood.â
âSame joke.â
âIt was a variation.â
...
Tags: @creativenostalgiastuff, @helloisthisusernametaken, @ren-allen, @quoth-the-sparrow, @princelogical, @random-pianist, @ravenclawicecream, @erlenmeyertrash, @milomeepit, @at-least-seven-pretty-potatoes, @rileyfirstname, @sassy-in-glasses, @vigilantvirgil, @generalfandomfabulousness, @lacrimosathedark, @thepoolofthedead, @monikastec, @heir-of-the-founders, @yourworstnightmare999, @artistictaurean, @kanejandkruge, @cdragontogacotar, @unikornavenger, @bopthesnoz, @spiralofsilencetheory, @finger-gunsss, @crownswriter123, @narniasfinestavengingsociopath, @swlotakulady34, @gaylotusthatexists, @analogical-mess, @dolphidragon, @flix-net, @friedlieb-ferdinand-runge, @procrastinations-my-middle-name, @theburntesttoast, @monroig, @secretlyawyvern, @puddinglec4t, @give-me-a-minute-to-think, @whispers-stuff-in-your-ear
#sanders sides#prinxiety#romantic prinxiety#prinxiety fanfiction#sanders sides fanfiction#virgil sanders#roman sanders#patton sanders#janus sanders#stealing#lying#violence#blood#heed warnings#the two princes#ttpp#the two princes podcast#fanfic
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Fire Keeper: Chapter 18
Douxie x fem reader
Masterlist in Bio!
Series Summary: You are Jimâs older sister who is taking a break from college and has moved back home to Arcadia. You end up joining Jim and his friends on their adventures.
Chapter 18 summary: You take the trip to the past!
A/n: So itâs a really long chapter 6,336 words, I donât know whether to say sorry or your welcome. Also I have no clue how shops were in twelfth century Englad so...yeah. Anyways, enjoy!
âSorry, this is a lot to process! Pets can talk? The world is ending? Again?â Toby asked as you and Douxie met up with him at the book shop.
âNot the best timing, I know, but we need your help all the same,â Douxie said.
Toby looked at Douxie confusedly. âDouxie? Y/n?â
âToby!â You hugged him tightly.
âWai- hold up! I thought you worked at the cafe, or were, like, a model or something,â Steve questioned Douxie. Â
Douxie chuckled. âThere's a lot about me you don't know.â
âWhoa!â Toby gasped as Douxie used his cuff to show off some magic. âYouâre like Y/n.â
âWhat?â Steve asked incredulously.
âCome on, then. The answers to all your questions are within.â Douxie gestured for them to go inside.
Steve scoffed. âYeah, right. In a bookstore?â
You all walked in to see Merlin levitating some of his books. âAh! There's flying books!â Toby exclaimed.
âWhoa!â Steve gasped.
âOh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh! So cool! So cool! So cool! Ooh, what's that?â Toby fanboyed, admiring the cool displays of Magic.
Merlin scowled at Toby when he picked up something. âPut that down! Thank the ether you're here! We haven't a moment to waste.â
âWhoa! Crusty, creepy dude!â Steve exclaimed.
Merlin ignored Steve. âThough, I had hoped for more, Hisirdoux.â
âI tried. I couldn't find the changelings or the aliens. I'm pretty sure most left the planet,â Douxie explained.
Toby waved at Merlin. âMerlin, it's me-- Toby Domzalski! You know, War Hammer, Guardian of Arcadia, Geology Club president.â
Merlin sighed. âNo one could forget you, chatty.â
âAnd Steve Palchuk, Creepslayer!â Steve announced.
âI have no idea who you are,â Merlin dismissed. âBut we're desperate. Thankfully, we have the brute.â
âYum!â Aaarrrgghh grunted, admiring Archie.
Archie swatted at Aaarrrgghh. âI'm not anybody's lunch. Got it?â
âWait, where's Jimbo and Claire? I thought they were with you,â Toby asked.
You opened your mouth to answer, but Merlin beat you to it. âAnswers forthcoming. Make preparations. We've a journey ahead. And don't-â
â-but, Master-â
â-'but, Master' me,â Merlin finished.
Douxie sighed. âBut... are you sure you want to count on these children? They're clearly not ready for this.â
Steve scoffed. âExcuse me, college dude, these children fought off a 50-foot extraterrestrial!â Steve hit the helmet off of one of the knights. You were surprised to see that the knight reacted.
âDude, let go of its head!â Toby ordered, trying to help Steve.
âIt's got my head, too, man!â Steve cried.
âJust put it back!â Toby yelled and Douxie sighed, exasperated.
âMaster, I'm ready for this,â Douxie promised.
âDoubtful,â Merlin said.
âI've spent years preparing, centuries-â Douxie started.
Merlin cut him off. âSilence!â
Douxie frowned and you gently patted his back with your good hand.
Merlin sighed. âI mean, silence, all of you. Can you not hear that? Something wicked this way comes.â
You went to the window with Douxie to investigate when you heard a shadow mephit growl. It pounced on the window, only to be thrown back by a shield.
âShadow mephits? Hisirdoux, did you lead them here?â Merlin asked.
âNo, no! I mean, I don't think so?â Douxie chuckled nervously.
âYes, we did,â Archie answered.
âHe found us. The barrier won't hold for long. We must make egress! Tobias, take my things!â Merlin ordered, levitating Toby and up to the roof. âAll of you, to the roof!â
You quickly ran up to the roof, fully aware that you would need to protect Toby and Steve if any climbed the building.
You used your good hand to blast a few of the mephits off the roof before Douxie, Merlin, and Archie arrived.
âStand back!â Merlin ordered, throwing the ship out onto the roof. Glass shattered and the green mist exploded out and then condensed.
âWhoa! Ship just got real!â Steve marveled.
âEveryone on!â Aaarrrgghh called, throwing Steve and Toby on. You levitated on, blasting mephits as you flew.
Eventually you were all on the ship and Aaarrrgghh was trying to get on while the shadow mephits attacked. You and Douxie blasted a few, finally helping Aaarrrgghh up. Steve fell onto Merlin and the ship stopped moving.
You looked over the edge to see the Green Knight standing in the street. âBoy...â he rasped. Suddenly he sent the shards at all of you and you shoved Douxie to the ground.
âLook out!â Merlin grunted, finally getting the ship to move away.
You slipped a bit at the sudden speed, almost falling. Thankfully Douxie caught you, but he grabbed you by your hurt arm. You hissed in pain.
âOh! Y/n, Iâm so sorry,â he apologized.
You brushed it off despite the tears in your eyes, âItâs alright.â
âNo, here, let me heal it.â He looked so eager to help so you slowly extended your arm to him. He held it gently as he began to perform a healing spell. Your arm was surrounded in a blue glow as Douxie healed it. You immediately felt the pain fade away. It felt like aloe had just been put on a bad sunburn.
Unfortunately Douxie pulled away. âAlright, good as new.â
You gave a small smile. âThanks.â
He nodded and opened his mouth to say something else when Merlin slowed the ship down. Â
âAwesome sauce!â Toby exclaimed as he and Steve whooped. You grinned at them, it was nice to see them happy.
âThis is so cool!â Toby called as you watched Arcadia grow smaller.
âWhat the heck is that?â Steve asked as Camelot came into view.
âWelcome, young squires, to Camelot,â Merlin said.
âCamelot? As in anceint-old-people-times Camelot?â Toby asked.
âExcuse me, I have a question. How is this castle flying right now?â Steve asked.
âThe Heart of Avalon. Its magic keeps Camelot aloft, powered by time itself,â Merlin explained.
âYou get used to it,â you called to Steve.
Merlin flew the ship past one of the towers and he waved at an old knight standing there. âSir Galahad, how look the skies?â
âAll quiet, my old friend!â Galahad replied.
âKeep your eyes on the horizon,â Merlin called, turning the ship to enter the castle.
You screamed a little as Merlin sped up. âI say, coming in a little hot, don't you think?â Archie asked.
âRubbish!â Merlin yelled. The ship entered the castle skipping on the floor and you were glad you held on.
Douxie helped you off and you honestly didnât want him to let go. You were just so tired, you needed the extra support. Thankfully, Douxie didnât let go of your hand and you were grateful he was there with you.
âWhoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!â Steve yelled.
Toby gasped, admiring the grand castle. âWhoa!â
âIt's been 900 years since I was last here. Hasn't changed a bit. Except for the flying part,â Douxie said.
Steve laughed. â'Nine hundred years'? Yeah, right. You're like, what? Like, 19?â
âGive or take a few centuries,â Archie said, jumping off Douxieâs shoulder and turning into a dragon.
âSo, how many things can your cat turn into?â Steve asked.
Douxie smiled. âThat depends. How many things are there?â
âUh, cool, floating castle ship, but what's the grave danger you keep talking about?â Toby asked, trying to get to the point.
Right after he said that Claire, Blinky and Mao walked in. âAh, there you are,â Merlin said.
âClaire!â Toby exclaimed.
Claire rushed to hug him. âToby!â
âArghumont!â Blinky called, running to hug his own friend.
âBlinky!â Aaarrrgghh called back. Aaarrrgghh pulled all of them into a group hug.
Claire gasped in pain. âNot so tight.â
âOh, sorry,â Aaarrrgghh apologized, letting go.
âWhoa, hey, Steve's here, too! How 'bout, how 'bout some love for Steve?â
âOh. Hi, Steve,â Claire said, unimpressed.
âWhat happened to you guys? Wait, where's Jim?â Toby asked, finallly noticing that your brother was missing. You felt a tear slip.
âThis way,â Claire said, gesturing back the way they came.
âJim... What happened to him?â Toby asked, observing the gem Jim was encased in.
âWe were ambushed. Some ancient, dark warrior. An unstoppable knight clad in green who struck down Master Jim,â Blinky explained.
Douxie turned to Merlin. âMaster, is that the same knight we saw at the bookstore?â
Merlin nodded. âOne and the same. That onyx shard is working its way towards his heart. I placed the boy in stasis, stalling its progress... for now.â
âIf I had my Shadow Staff, I could've saved him,â CLaire said.
You let go of Douxieâs hand to hug her. âDonât blame yourself, I should have done something, but I didnât.â
Toby glared. âWho is this Green Knight? How do I get my hands on him?â
âI do not know. The Green Knight said but one name, which chilled me to the bone, Morgana.â Merlin explained.
âOh, I hate that lady. Wait, I thought we kicked her bewitched butt to the Shadow Realm?â Toby asked and you could see the poor kid shaking with anger.
âWhich he appeared not to know, but he bore the emblem of Camelot. Come with me, quickly. I fear the answer lies in the past. A dark menace is coming, one even I cannot face alone.â Merlin gestured for all of you to follow him and you took hold of Douxieâs hand again.
Once you were all. Inside the new room Merlin spoke again. âYou are all now soldiers in a war started centuries ago for the world of magic. Once, the realms of Magic and Man clashed in endless bloodshed. King Arthur sought to wipe out magic that ravaged the lands in his war against Gunmar. I brought what few spellcasters I could under my protection to spare them from the sword.â
âIncluding myself. Oh, and Morgana le Fay,â Douxie added.
âShe was the finest student I ever taught... until she tried to kill me.â Merlin looked down. âThankfully, in my all-seeing wisdom, I created a secret weapon-- the Trollhunter Amulet. The war came to a standstill and I imprisoned Morgana at the Battle of Killahead Bridge. This Green Knight that assailed us was clearly born of dark magicks but I have no memory of him, nor what connection he could have to Morgana. We know not what he is nor why he pursues us. Though, his presence is a dire omen of things to come.â
Right as Merlin finished his speech a bell began ringin frantically. You all looked away from what Merlin was showing you and gasped. Suddenly the castle was struck by something and you fell to the ground.
âWhat's happening?â Claire asked.
âHave you never been under attack before? To the battlements!â Merlin ordered and you immediately complied. Â
You got outside and saw another giant floating castle. It was all dark and creepy.
Archie gasped. âOh, no! I think we have something of a problem.â
âOh, fuzz buckets,â Douxie cursed.
âNo... the Arcane Order... they found us!â Merlin said and for the first time ever, you heard pure fear in his voice. âEveryone, get to safety, now!â
You moved to put Mao inside and you heard Merlin shout a spell. âFulgur praeca!â
The castle shook again and you fell. It suddenly got a lot colder so you sped up. The castle shook and you ran into Nari.
âI need to go help. Can you take Mao?â You asked.
âOf course.â You placed your familiar in her hands and took off running back to Merlin and Douxie.
You arrived outside to see a bridge of ice spanning the gap between the two castles.
âThey're boarding us! We must break free! Steer us clear at my command!â Merlin ordered and you summoned your fire spell.
âI'm on it!â Douxie called back.
âAll of a sudden, flying castles aren't so cool!â Steve screamed.
âThese foes' powers are beyond us!â Merlin grunted as a blast of fire came at the two of you. You sent your own fireball back at the black castle.
âMerlin!â You heard Nari yell.
âNo! Nari!â Merlin protested, running towards her as you continued to blast fire at your enemies.
âArchie, find the staff or we are all dead meat!â You heard Douxie yell.
âWhat do you people think I'm doing?â Archie retorted.
âArchie, I'm running out of time, here!â Merlin yelled, trying to cut the ice bridge with his sword while you did your best to melt it.
Finally Archie called, âGot it!â
You and Merlin jumped onto a tower that rose past you.
âSurrender, Merlin,â some creepy thing ordered.crof
âNever!â Merlin growled.
âMerlin! Merlin! Get everyone to safety!â Galahad called.
âNo, Galahad! What are you doing?!â Merlin protested.
Merlin and you watched sadly as Galahad used his tower and his life to cut through the ice bridges. You and Merlin ran back to the castle as the bridge you were on was destroyed.
âFarewell, my old friend,â Merlin whispered. âHisirdoux, now!â
You watched as a green portal opened up to show a completely different forest beneath you. You didnât have much time to admire it though, you had to keep fighting.
Ice rained around you as you tried to send more blasts of magical fire at the black castle. Suddenly one of those ice shards hit you, sending you over the edge of the castle.
From there you pretty much just straight up tumbled into the portal. You screamed as you fell through the portal. You did your best to slow down your fall, but the landing still hurt.
You slowly got up from the ground and looked up at the portal in the sky. That was when the panic set in, the portal back to your time was slowly closing.
You were about to do something about it when you heard voices. They didnât sound familiar so you hid behind a tree. Fear coursed through your veins as you waited for whatever was making the noise to come into view.
Men and women dressed in shiny metal armor eventually appeared and you crouched down. You didn't know where you were, or when for that matter. You were lost and alone.
Suddenly you heard screams from above you and you looked up. You watched as Douxieâs magic lit up the bright sky, slowing his descent. Unfortunately he crashed to the ground ahead of the group of knights.
This was bad, you needed to warn them about the knights. You did your best to run through the trees, but by the time you arrived to see Steve, Claire, Douxie and Jim, the knights were already there.
âAdvance!â A knight called and suddenly a ton of knights were surrounding your friends. You got ready to attack, but you held back for a second. You would wait for Douxie to make the first move.
âGot them,â a knight replied as Steve screamed.
Douxie sighed. âIt means... we are lost in time.â
One knight got off of his horse. âWhat manner of sorcery is this?â He asked. Weirdly enough, he looked like an older version of Steve.
âSir Lancelot, um-â Douxie started and you relaxed a little, Douxie recognized this guy.
âHe's so handsome,â you heard Steve whisper.
âI- We-â Douxie stuttered.
Lancelot seemed to realize something. âWait! Aren't you Merlin's errand boy?â
âApprentice,â Douxie corrected.
âHe's like an angel-man. Whoa!â Steve whispered. Suddenly you heard a large crack and the green gem that was holding your brother broke.
Lancelot gasped. âThe devil-?â
Jim groaned. âWhat? How did I-â
Claire rushed to hug him. âJim! Are you okay?â
âTroll! Troll! To arms!â Lancelot called and you got ready to defend your brother and friends.
âWait! Chill out, lads!â Douxie called in an attempt to calm everyone down.
Lancelot didnât seem to understand. âChill? Out?â
Douxie sighed. âTake a breath, all right? He's one of the good ones.â
âThere are no good ones,â Lancelot growled. âMonsters are forbidden in Arthur's lands. You'll hang before the king for your insolence.â
You were unable to hear anymore as your friends were arrested. You watched as Jim was unfairly imprisoned in a wooden cage and the rest of your friends were herded away.
You carefully followed them from a distance, but when they got to Camelot you realized that you wouldnât be able to just waltz in through the front gates with them.
You sighed in frustration. You didnât understand why everything had to be so difficult. You just wanted to relax for a little while.
But, you had work to do, so you snuck into Camelot. You made your way to an area without many guards and used your magic to get over the wall.
By the time you got in, your friends were nowhere to be seen. You did your best to inconspicuously search the city, but as time passed you didnât have any luck. With every second you grew more and more frustrated. You were in an unfamiliar place, your brother was injured and possibly dying, and you couldnât find your friends.
You werenât going to cry though, you had to stay strong. Sinking to the ground just to cry wouldnât solve your problems.
You took a deep breath and began to think. You needed a plan, a plan would help you calm down.
First, you needed to blend in more. You had been getting many odd looks from those you passed. You didnât blame the people. You were covered in dirt from your fall and you had dried blood all over your face from your fight with the shadow mephits back in your time.
Eventually you found a well and you took a clean looking rag from a woman. Using it you did your best to tidy up. Once that was done, you went to go get something better to wear.
You felt bad shoplifting, but you needed to fit in and if you thought about it, you hadnât a doubt in your mind that your brother and friends had been taken to the castle.
You were obviously in the wealthier part of Camelot, so it wasnât hard finding a dress shop. If you were gonna be stuck in ancient Camelot, you might as well have fun and dress fancy. You could always find something simpler later.
You stood up straight and did your best to make it look as if you had a purpose. Thankfully no one paid you any attention as you walked in, but you didnât expect that to last long. While you were cleaner, you werenât dressed for the time.
You would need a distraction and thankfully magic would give you one. You mice in your head did the hand movements. In seconds you heard squeals come from the back of the shop. You hoped that would keep whoever was here busy for a while so you went and looked for a dress.
Eventually you found a dress that you liked. It was an orangish peach color made of silk with silver embroidered swirls on the bodice. You also grabbed a sweater made of tulle, the same color as the dress. You finished off the look with a silver belt.
It was remarkably easy to take with a little help from your magic and you were able to get away without ringing any alarms or whatever they had in Camelot.
You used your magic to put the dress on and began to make your way towards the castle.
The second step you had come up with was finding a way into the castle. You felt you would be able to get in with the way you looked. Your hair was an absolute mess, but with a little magic it would be easy to hide.
You were able to find a side entrance and you were able to get in. It gave you confidence that your plan was working so well. Now that you were in the castle, it was time for step three.
Step three was the part where you would look for your friends auras, but that quickly became complicated. There were a lot of auras buzzing about the castle and you couldnât identify exactly where your friends were.
So you would have to modify your plan. Youâd wander the castle until you were able to find them. Youâd be able to identify their auras if you were closer. Â
You started by making your way through the first floor. Youâd make your way through the castle one level at a time.
While this was supposed to help eliminate any possible frustration, by the time you made it to the third floor tears were pooling in your eyes. You couldnât find their auras and it was difficult to be sensing so many at once.
You were crossing a bridge, wishing you had stolen a handkerchief for your tears when you came across Douxieâs aura.
You were immediately relieved. Though you were still worried about your other friends and Jim, you had at least found Douxie.
Oddly, you heard Merlin scolding him. âHisirdoux, do you have feet for hands? All the Slorr juice? You know how long it takes to milk one of those?â
âSorry, sir. I was just trying to save time,â Douxie said and you got confused. Why was Douxie talking to Merlin like that? Maybe he was trying to cover up that he wasnât from this time period?
âYour cutting corners has only cost me time,â Merlin said, continuing to scold Douxie. âIt's hard enough creating Arthur's new weapon without your mucking about. I need you in the workshop, and you're milking the Slorr.â
As Merlin walked away you ran over to Douxie and hugged him. âDouxie! Iâm so glad youâre okay!â
âUm?â Douxie mumbled and you realized that he wasnât hugging you back.
âWhatâs wrong?â You asked, pulling away from him.
âI donât mean any offense, but who are you?â With that you moved away from him, finally noticing that this wasnât your Douxie.
You chuckled nervously. âIâm so sorry! Um, would you believe that I, uh, that I have a friend named Douxie that looks exactly like you. I mean what a coincidence. You know Iâm, um, looking for him right now and Iâm gonna go continue to look for him, seeing as you arenât my Douxie. Haha, Bye.â
You were about to turn and leave when you sensed another aura. This other aura just so happened to also be like Douxieâs.
You turned back, just in time to see a Douxie who looked like the one you knew grab the other Douxie.
âHey! Aah!â Archie protested and Douxie held his hands up in defense.
âUm, hey, me,â your Douxie said, chuckling nervously.
Past Douxie yelped. âDoppelgĂ€nger! You-you're me. I'm me!â
âNo need to panic,â your Douxie soothed.
You stepped over to them. âNow, this is the Douxie I was looking for,â you explained.
âWell, how-- how... Wait, this can only mean one thing-â Past Douxie started.
âTime travel paradox!â Both Douxies yelled and you chuckled.
Archie sighed. âDouble Douxies? This is a disaster!â
Both Douxies glared at him. âGive me a break, Arch!â They said in unison. âOh, wow. This is wild!â
âLet's focus on the here and now. Where having two of us will be-â Douxie started.
â-will be a logistical nightmare,â Archie cut in.
âI agree, uh, so the easiest solution...â Past Douxie trailed off.
âIs for one of us to go away till I return to my time,â Douxie informed.
Past Douxie nodded. âGreat idea! But which one of us-?â
Your Douxie cut him off. âInterminus nocti sluumberso!â
Past Douxie suddenly fell asleep and your Douxie put him in a closet.
âI know this looks bad,â Douxie told you and Archie, âbut I swear I've got this under control.â
âIf that were true, things in the future have really changed,â Archie said.
Douxie laughed sarcastically. âJust don't go blabbing to Merlin, okay? I need to stay incognito. Aah!â
The cabinet burst open and past Douxie fell on Douxie.
âIâve got it,â you promised, already levitating him back into the closet.
Archie chuckled. âThis should be fun to watch.â
Suddenly you heard Merlin yell, âHisirdoux, what is taking so long?â
âJust cleaning up another mess,â Douxie called back.
Douxie sighed and put his hair up into a bun. âSwore I'd never do this again,â he muttered, and you laughed.
âYou look fine,â you soothed, taking his arm.
âSo, I see youâve got yourself a dress,â Douxie said. âI was looking for you, but I couldnât find you. I was worried something bad had happened.
âIâm fine,â you promised when you felt Douxieâs aura spark with guilt.
âGood, Iâm glad.â
âHowâs Jim and everyone?â You asked.
âOh, uh, Jimâs been arrested, but right now everyone else is fine. Steve is being trained by Lancelot and Claire is now Morganaâs handmaiden.â
âMorgana!â You hissed, worry for Claire suddenly overwhelming you.
âDonât worry,â Douxie soothed. âShe hasnât gone bad yet.â
You hesitated. âWhatâs the plan then?â
âIâm gonna take you to where I used to live and then we can all meet up later to figure everything out. Iâm gonna try and steal the time map to get us out of here.â
âAlright, but if you need any help donât hesitate to ask.â
âI wonât,â Douxie said, leading you into a room. âHere you are, home sweet home.â
You looked around the room, it was off a decent size, but it was awfully drafty. âNice place,â you said, taking a seat on a window bench.
âThanks.â Douxie smiled. âBe careful if you go outside. You look like royalty, but people will question where youâre from.â
âAw, thanks. You be careful out there too,â you called. âWill do.â He gave a little wave as he closed the door.
You gazed around the room, trying to think of something to do when you yawned. Suddenly you were very aware of how tired you were. If you thought about it you hadnât slept in over twenty four hours.
You lied down on the bench and closed your eyes, easily drifting off into much needed sleep.
~~~~
You immediately sat up when you heard the door open. You looked around, confused at the sudden noise. Douxie was standing there frozen in the middle of the room.
âSorry, Y/n. I didnât mean to wake you,â he apologized.
You yawned. âItâs fine.â You looked over and saw Steve sitting in a chair. âHow long have you been here?â
âNot long, I didnât want to wake you.â
You nodded, grateful, but soon your kind smile turned into one of disgust. âWhat is that smell?â You asked.
âI, uh- I forgot how much I hate milking the Slorr,â Douxie muttered gagging at the smell he had trailed in. You mimicked him, plugging your nose.
Archie recoiled away from Douxie. âUgh! Please!â
You looked over to Steve. âHow was your guyâs days?â
Steve groaned. âI think Lancelot broke my everything.â
âAnd I still don't have the Time Map. One wrong move, and we will screw up history without even knowing it,â Douxie grumbled.
You were about to try and sooth the both of them when Claire burst in through the door. âWe have to change history! Arthur's had enough. The trolls are gonna die at sunrise!â
âOh, blimey Balroths! How are we supposed to stop this and stay inconspicuous?â Douxie asked and you could see the panic in his eyes. You felt bad about all the stress that was on him.
Claire sighed. âIt wouldn't be a problem if I just had my Shadow Staff. I know you said to lay low, but we can't let Jim die.â
âNo we canât,â you asserted. âDouxie, Iâm sorry, but we will have to change history.â
âYes. Let's see what this future Douxie is capable of!â Archie cheered.
Douxie nodded. âYou're right, sod the rules. It's time for a dungeon break.â
~~~~
The four of you snuck down to the dungeon and you watched from behind a post as Lancelot and Galahad laughed.
âNo way!â Galahad grinned. The two of them were focused on their conversation so you decided to make a run for it.
âAh! Oy! Young gentleman of Palchukia, join us in our nocturnal libations,â Lancelot called.
âWe are looking for the Holy Grail!â Galahad took a drink. âOh, well, it's not in that one either!â
Steve chuckled and began to saunter over to the knights. âSteve, no!â You whisper-shouted at him.
âWhere do you think you're going, buddy boy?â Archie asked.
âDude, I'm keeping the guards busy,â he whispered, âwhile having a righteous time! Ha! Yeah-eah! Drinking with knights! I'm so stoked for my first brew...uh, today.â
âI donât condone this.â You glared at Steve before going after Douxie and Claire.
Archie sighed. âThis is going to end badly. Ohh, I canât wait.â
âThis is going to end badly,â you muttered. The four of you continued to run, eventually coming across the section of the dungeon Jim was in.
âJim! We're breaking you out,â Claire announced.
âYour stay in Terror Tower is over, mate,â Douxie said, conjuring magic knives for himself and Claire. Douxie cut open Jimâs cell.
âAnd presto, one liberated troll,â Archie announced.
âHahaha! Take that, death! I elude you once again-â a troll shouted as Jim freed her.
You hugged Jim tightly. âAre you okay?â
âYeah, no need to worry.â
âA big sister always worries,â you said before going to free more trolls.
As you freed the last one you heard Steve shouting/rapping. âMy lord Arthur's in the building. Watch out, y'all, he's here to do some creep-killing. Get out of here.â
âNow, now, everyone just stay calm,â Douxie said in an attempt to sooth the trolls. Unfortunately his attempt completely failed.
All of the newly liberated trolls panicked and began to stampede out of the dungeon.
You were pushed up against the wall as the trolls left. You looked over to Douxie. âWhat now?â
âWe do our best to help them.â You all ran out of the dungeon and into Camelot. When you got outside you say that the sky was fading from a light purple to a blue. You heard the metal armor of guards clanking after you.
âIs this part of your plan?â Archie asked.
âI'm improvising!â Douxie yelled, fiddling with his cuff.
âQuick, through the alleys! They can't catch all of us!â Jimâs friend called. You followed Douxie as Claire helped Jim.
You turned down a path, but stopped when you heard more clanking.
You looked to Jim one last time. âStay safe!â You called.
âI will!â He promised.
âDid you see where they went?â A man you assumed was King Arthur asked.
âQuick! In here! This way, sir! Don't worry, sire, I'll freeze them on the spot,â Douxie offered, he messed with his cuff.
âThen do it! This way, men! Charge!â Arthur ordered. Douxie spun his cuff as Arthur and his men went to run after Jim, but at the last moment he cast a spell, opening two blue portals. Arthur and his men charged into them, only to appear out the other one. âWhat trickery is this now?â
Douxie sighed. Oh, fuzz buckets! I must have cast an Infinite Hallway by accident. You know how frustrating magic is. Uh, let me-let me just find the right spell.â
âWizard, remove this enchantment or I'll remove your head!â Arthur threatened. âYou! Girl! What are you doing?â
âUh, me?â You asked.
âYes, you!â
âWell, Iâm-Iâm terrified,â you cried. âThis kind young man has been helping me.â You put the back of your hand to your forehead and pretended to look feint.
You leaned on Douxie and whispered. âTheir auras are gone, you can let the king go now.â
Douxie did as you asked and Arthur and his men ran off. âCome on, we canât let them get to the gate,â Douxie said, grabbing your hand and pulling you to a nearby house.
âUp we go,â you mumbled, using your magic to help you climb the house. You, Douxie, and Archie made it to the top of the house just as Arthur was about to reach the gates. Thankfully Douxie slammed them down just in time.
âMen, after them! Get this open at once!â Arthur commanded. You watched as Jim and his friend tried to run away, but they stopped when the sun hit the bridge.
The sun slowly spread, forcing the trolls to retreat closer to the gate Douxie was struggling to keep closed. You added your magic to his, and the gate glowed both blue and orange.
Unable to get the gate open, the knights put their swords and spears through the opening, trying to stab the poor trolls. You and Douxie gasped for breath as it became a struggle to keep the gate shut. Â Soon it became too much and you had to let go.
Suddenly, the day began to get darker and shadows spread across the bridge, paving a path for the trolls to get to the forest. You turned around, looking for the aura that was casting the incredible display of dark magic only to find Claire. You pulled Douxie towards her.
The two of you jumped from roof to roof till you managed to get to the bridge she was on. You could see the strain she was under and you raced over to her. Douxie caught her just as she collapsed.
âBy the seven rings, how did you manage that?â He asked and Claire groaned. âWhoa, whoa, whoa! Easy!â
âItâs gonna be okay, Claire. Jim and the trolls are safe.â You soothed.
âAre you sure?â She asked.
âIâll check.â You closed your eyes and focused on Jimâs aura. You felt a shift and opened your eyes. Your projection was standing behind a tree.
You looked around, trying to get the gist of what was happening when you saw Gunmar and Bular standing in front of Jim. âLittle king, these Wild Woods are my domain. I command the souls of all under its shade, and I decide who lives or dies!â
You saw shuffling and looked over to see one of the gumm-gumms kill a knight. You gasped at the horrific sight and Jim looked over to you. His friend helped him over to you.
âY/n!â He whispered.
âStay safe Jim. Iâll send more messages later okay?â
âOkay, I love you.â
âI love you too.â You gave a little wave to Jim as he left and you continued to watch the rest of the encounter play out.
âYou can only push us so far, human,â Gunmar growled.
âThis isn't over!â Arthur yelled, retreating.
âWar is coming!â Gunmar retorted and you stopped projecting before he could see you.
You felt the shift and you were once again standing with Claire, Douxie and Archie. âHeâs gonna be okay. All we need to do is figure out a way to get home.â
Douxie nodded. âLetâs go. Arthur is going to be furious when he gets back.
Claire took a step away from the two of you. âI want to go thank Morgana. Iâll meet up with you.â She went off and Douxie offered you his arm.
~~~~
âI was right, Arthur is furious. He's locked down the castle,â Douxie said, pacing.
âLuckily, he thinks you're so incompetent, you can't be a suspect,â Archie pointed out.
âAt least we got Jim and the prisoners away safe,â Claire added optimistically.
âYeah,â you agreed. âItâs not all a loss.â
Douxie turned to walk out the door. âWhere are you going?â Archie and you asked in unison.
âTo get that TIme Map. Hopefully with Arthur on the hunt, I've got a chance to finally snatch that thing,â Douxie answered and you grabbed his arm.
âIâm coming too.â Douxie nodded and you and Archie followed him to Merlinâs tower. You unlocked the door and the three of you snuck over to the vault. Douxie opened in only to find an old gnome skeleton in it. Douxie closed it again and tried to open it, only to find an old horn. He continued trying to no avail.
The both of you sighed when he opened it to a birdâs nest full of eggs.
âLooking for this?â The three of you jumped and turned to see Merlin holding the time map. âOr perhaps this?â
Merlin took the sleeping Past Douxie out of a cabinet and you noticed he had given him a pillow.
âOh, fuzz buckets!â Douxie cursed.
âHave you any idea what you've done?â Merlin asked. âI knew my apprentice was an ignoramus, but traveling through time? Time!â
âHey now!â You yelled, defending Douxie. Merlin ignored you.
âI think we handled ourselves just fine, all things considered. And, technically, it was your idea,â Douxie explained.
Merlin pointed his finger in Douxieâs face. âWell, then, you must have botched it up! My planning is flawless.â
Past Douxie spoke up, âFor the record, Master, I had nothing to do with this. He did, which is he, and... ugh! Time travel, so confusing!â
Merlin went over to the time map and winced as it flashed red. âAah! The timelines are in complete disarray!â
âLook, I can fix this, I swear!â Douxie promised.
Merlin shook his head. âAh-ah, your meddling has already wreaked enough havoc on history.â
âThen surely we can use the Time Map to change things back, and then it'll all be as it was,â Archie suggested and you nodded along to his plan.
âIt doesn't work that way. The map only offers glimpses of possible futures. There are no detailed instructions,â Merlin countered.
âOh, come on, it's not that bad,â Douxie said optimistically. He tried to grab the time map, but Merlin swatted at his hand.
The timeline flashed to show Arthur's death and all of you gasped. âAah! By my beard! Not that bad, eh?â Merlin asked.
âOh, fuzz buckets,â Past Douxie cursed.
âFuzz buckets,â your Douxie agreed.
Merlin walked over to the door. âYour little dungeon break must have changed fate. Now, unless I stop it, the king will die!â
****
So, tada, thanks for reading all of that. Honestly thereâs a very high possibility that the next chapter will be even longer. He-he. The next chapter is gonna be really great and Iâm so excited to write it. Anyways, I hope that yâall have a fantastically wonderful weekend.
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Also the scene where Douxie heals Y/nâs arm was inspired by @furblrwurblrrequest:
i! I'm curious to see one where doux kinda cares for her wounds? like a quick little fluffy one while they're on the ship after they get away from arthur? idk aaaa
~~~~
P.S. if you want to be on the taglist feel free to ask. I hope it works and please message me if it doesnât.
#douxie x reader#douxie imagine#hisirdoux casperan x reader#hisirdoux x reader#wizards imagine#trollhunters#trollhunters imagine#tales of arcadia imagine#toa imagine#douxie#toa douxie#wizards douxie#trollhunters douxie#toa#tales of arcadia#tales of arcadia douxie#hisirdoux casperan#fire keeper
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About Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio playing video game, I have to know what they said during the subspace emissary gameplay. May we hear about what happened? Please and thank you, you fabulous person
This took so long and Iâm so sorry but finals week happened and I had to study for apush! There are spoilers, but the game came out in 2008 so Iâm not too concerned. I still put it under the cut just in case someone didnât want it spoiled. I really hope tumblr doesnât cut this, thereâs a lot here.
Subspace Emissary is a two player story mode in Smash Bros Brawl, and since there are three of them, Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio take turns. Indiana and Ohio play the first level.
Indiana: You know what? I kind of relate to Kirby.Kentucky: Please explain what the hell that means.Indiana: He inhales food and killed god.Ohio: Oh please, you havenât killed god yet.Kentucky: Yet? YET??
After the whole fight with Mario and Kirby, thereâs a part where the Halberd flies over the stadium and drops a bunch of shadow bugs.
Ohio: Those things look like the mold that was growing in my basement last year.Indiana: Glowing and purple?Kentucky: Delicious.Ohio: What the actual fuck Kentucky?Kentucky: No, you donât understand, nature is delicious.Indiana: Oh really? Iâll be right back.She comes back in five minutes later with an armful of plants from Ohioâs backyard.Kentucky: *picks up a leaf* Thereâs a spider on this one.Indiana: Eat it.Ohio: DONâT EAT IT!Kentucky: Aw, it fell.Ohio: *jumps from his chair to the table* Fucking kill it already!Indiana promptly throws it at him and he screams like a girl. The video cuts there. It comes back to Indiana and Ohio arguing over who to save in the first boss battle.
Indiana: Zeldaâs twenty times better than Peach you dumbass!Ohio: Peach is the original Nintendo princess! You respect the originals or Iâll put you in the goddamn dirt!Kentucky: You just got a game over.Indiana: No one asked for your input Bill Monroe!Kentucky: How the hell do you know who that is?The video devolves into screaming. It cuts to Kentucky and Ohio playing while Indiana eats a pot of Kraft macaroni and cheese. Theyâve saved Peach and moved on.
Kentucky: Hey, itâs Pit from Kid Icarus on the NES!Indiana: Fucking nerd!Ohio: Nice redesign.Kentucky: Yeah, well, if we arenât going to get Geno, itâs nice that an obscure Nintendo game is getting some love.Ohio: *looks directly into the camera* Localize Mother 3 you cowards.Kentucky: PLAYER TWO CAN TELEPORT HELL YES YOUâRE CARRYING THE TEAM OHIO!
Indiana: DOnkEy KoNG!Kentucky: Did Diddy Kong always have guns or is that a new thing?Ohio, drinking tea in the background: Neither of you have ever played Donkey Kong Country and it shows.Kentucky: Oh god, Danky Kang just sacrificed himself for his son!Indiana: Wish that was the relationship I had with Quebec but he just calls me his bastard daughter and I call him my asshole father.Kentucky: Oof.
Ohio: Oh shit, Indi, get your xylophone, weâve got a pokemon!Indiana: *starts playing the original pokemon battle theme on the xylophone while Kentucky fights Rayquaza but dies because heâs laughing too hard.*
Indiana: That feeling when youâre kidnapped by a small primate in a baseball cap.Ohio: No, that can happen. Have you ever been to the zoo?Kentucky: Are you okay?Ohio: *voice crack* no.
*Lucas and Porky appear*Ohio, ripping the controller out of Kentuckyâs hands: YOU LEAVE MY BABY ALONE YOU CAPITALIST FUCK!Indiana: Oh shit, heâs crying!Kentucky: And Iâm the nerd?Indiana: Shut up nerd, Mother 3 was hard on him.
*Ness appears*Indiana: SNES is just a word scramble of Ness.Kentucky: Mother 3 confirmed?Ohio: NOOO NESS JUST GOT FUCKING KILLED BY WARIO!Indiana: Weak.
*Pokemon Trainer appears*Kentucky: ASH KETCHUM???Indiana: Youâre so stupid. Itâs Red, obviously.Ohio: Red and Ash Ketchumâs secret love child.Indiana: *Gets up* I quit.
*Battlefield Fortress*Ohio: You know what this looks like?Kentucky: Oh god please no.Indiana: *pulls out Kentuckyâs xylophone* Ready when you are.Kentucky: Indiana, if you value our friendship, please donât do this.Indiana: Weâre not friends though.*Marth is introduced. Indiana starts playing Together We Ride on the xylophone. Ohio joins in on a green plastic kazoo. Kentucky slams his face into the table and gets a nosebleed.*
Indiana: Hey itâs Spanish Batman from Kirby Right Back At Ya!Ohio: Never say those words in front of me again.
*Ike appears*Kentucky: Please donât-Indiana and Ohio: *Playing the recruitment theme With Us on their instruments.*Kentucky: *looks into the camera like Jim on The Office*
Kentucky: Luigi is my spirit animal because heâs a coward with a heart of gold, like me.Indiana: Youâre a coward, but I know you had your heart surgically removed in 1847 so donât even try that bullshit with me.Ohio: He had a heart before 1847? Damn. See, I relate more to King Dedede because heâs a king and his relationship with Kirby reminds me of Michigan and I.Indiana: Yeah, that sounds about right.Ohio: I donât like the implications there.
*Link appears*Indiana, shoving Ohio and Kentucky out of the way and wearing a Legend of Zelda hoodie: Move bitches, itâs my time to shine.Ohio: Oh thank god Yoshiâs here because Iâm not playing as Link. Kentucky, doing a scarily accurate impression of Yoshi: YOSHI!Indiana: What the FUCK Kentucky???Kentucky, coughing: If I do that for too long I lose my voice.Indiana: Then donât do it!
*There are some enemies that I distinctly remember in this part that scared the hell out of me, and theyâre called Puppits.*Ohio: Oh god, oh fuck, what are these things?Indiana: Kill it!Ohio: *dies* SHIT!Kentucky, eating gummy bears out of a paper bag: Why are yâall so bad at this? Itâs just an enemy.Indiana: *throws her controller at Kentucky and hits him in the forehead.*
*The cutscene with the box*Indiana: Snake? SNAKE?? SNAAAAAAAAAAKE!!!!Kentucky: SPOILERS!
*Zero-Suit Samus*Indiana: I wish that were me.Ohio: Why? Sheâs not that much prettier than you.Indiana: Space guns.Kentucky: Of course.Indiana: Also I think a lot of girls would be into me if I had that ass.Ohio: There it is.
*Pikachu*Ohio: Did you guys know that this is how we powered the first rocket to the moon?Kentucky: Electricity rat.Indiana: Thomas Edison used Pikachu to power America, your history books have been lying to you.Ohio: Weâre going to get killed by the government, arenât we?Kentucky: Yeah, but not for this.
*The battle against Subspace Peach*Indiana: Marioâs going to be so pissed.Kentucky: Yeah, but Yoshiâs Marioâs lifelong friend, so surely everything will be a-okay!*Mario battle ensues*Ohio: Love blinds all.Indiana: Stop trying to sound wise, I literally watched you burn your tongue on your coffee and throw it into a wall.Ohio: You know what Indiana? Fuck you.
Indiana: Kirby Kirby Kirby thatâs the name you should know!Kentucky: Kirby Kirby Kirby heâs the star of the show!*Both look at Ohio*Ohio, obviously disappointed in life: Heâs more than you think, heâs got maximum pink.Indiana and Kentucky: Kirby Kirby Kirbyâs the one!
Indiana: Ew itâs Ganondorf.Kentucky: Wait, I thought he was a pig?Ohio: Well Kentucky, people can be pigs without looking like them, like New York.Kentucky: No, wasnât he literally a pig?Indiana: That was Ganon.Kentucky: Theyâre⊠theyâre the same thing?
*Wario battle*Ohio: IS LUCAS DOING THE ARTHUR MEME?Indiana: HOLY SHIT HE IS!Kentucky: MOTHER 3 CONFIRMED!*they all start screaming incoherently. The video cuts to them actually fighting Wario. Ohio is Lucas, Kentucky is the Pokemon Trainer.*Ohio: My boy Lucas has seen some shit.Kentucky: Your boy Kentucky has also seen some shit, how about a little love over here?Ohio: No.Kentucky: Thanks.
*Bowserâs army attacks the castle Dedede is in.*Indiana: Oh my goodness heâs Dedede-dead!Ohio: Iâm going to sew your lips together while you sleep.
*Bowser gets away with Peachâs trophy*Kentucky: This is so sad, Indiana play Ave Maria.Indiana: *plays Ave Maria on the kazoo*
Kentucky: I love how Ike, the youngest and most impulsive, jumps right off a cliff while both Marth and Meta Knight reach out to stop him.Ohio: Me with my bastard siblings.Indiana: Let me guess, Wisconsinâs Ike, Michiganâs Meta Knight, and youâre Marth?Ohio: No, because I donât join them in their bullshit.Indiana: Oh? Then what do you call the time the three of you tied Illinois to a tree and left him there for a week?Ohio: Itâs called knocking the wealthy down a few pegs.Kentucky: Guys, this was an appreciation of Fire Emblem characters and nothing more.
*Diddy Kong trophy*Indiana: PeRSonALLy I PrEFer ThE AiR!Kentucky: OH! GRAB THE FAN! *they proceed to get the giant Subspace Diddy Kong to 500% and launch him off the screen.*Ohio: The monkeyâs kidnapping a bird.Indiana: I saw that happen in Florida once.
*Ridley battle*Kentucky: HEâS TOO BIG FOR SMASH BROS!*Kentucky then plays the Ridley theme on the xylophone while Ohio attempts to crawl out a window and Indiana screams*
*Olimar and Captain Falcon*Kentucky in the background playing Pikmin music on the xylophone: Isnât this nice? Pikmin was one of the best games I ever played.*West Virginia kicks down the door and plays the F-Zero theme on an electric guitar*Kentucky: Get the hell out!West Virginia: While yâall were sitting in here playing video games I got arrested for tax fraud and broke out on my own.Indiana: Amateur. Whatâs your point kid?West Virginia: Get on my level. Get hobbies for godâs sake. Youâre going to be killed one day, you gotta live in the moment.Ohio: I die when I decide, you little rat faced bastard. Thereâs a cupcake in the fridge, take it and get out.West Virginia: Alright, Iâm going to elope with Mothman, see yâall later.
Indiana: DOnkEy KoNG!!!!Kentucky: Aw heck, I died.
*Ice Climbers*Ohio: That jumping noise definitely isnât going to get annoying in the next few minutes.Kentucky: *slowly mutes the tv*Indiana: You guys are really dumb sometimes. You know that, right?
*the two groups meet up*Indiana: The gangâs all here!Ohio: If you play as Link again Iâm going to suffocate you on camera.Indiana: With what?Kentucky: His Ohio State mascot body pillow.Indiana: What the fuck.Ohio: Youâre next, Kentucky.
*Snake*Kentucky: Sometimes I just want to hide in a box while my problems run around without me.Indiana: Shame problems are like Lucario and can see right through your hiding place.Ohio: Guys, I dropped a hot pocket into the hole in the wall and I canât get it out.
*Sheik and Peach*Indiana: Iâm getting some strong Peach loves her strong girlfriend vibes from this.Kentucky: Iâd love my strong girlfriend too if I had one.Ohio: No living organism would put up with you for more than a week.Indiana: YO PEACH IS SUCH A BADASS!Ohio: SEE???Indiana: Zeldaâs still better though.Kentucky: Fox McCloudâs going down.Indiana: Do a barrel roll!Ohio: Shit, I want tea.Kentucky: Then make some!Ohio: Okay! Jeez, donât yell at me.
Indiana: Where did Mr. Game and Watch even come from?Ohio: Hell.Kentucky: Actually, thereâs a series of handheld games-Indiana: Shut up nerd!
*Subspace bomb factory*Indiana: American weapons storage.*the entire factory blows up*Kentucky:⊠American weapons storage.Ohio: Itâs us when we try to get together for holidays.
Ohio: Kirby rides in on a fucking dragon to save the day!Indiana: Sakurai showing clear favoritism for his children.Kentucky: Virginia made West a pepperoni roll once and when I asked for one she told me that I could starve.Ohio: GUYS IT WASNâT MASTER HAND ITâS THIS ASSHOLE OLD MAN LOOKING GUY AND BOWSERâS DEAD STOP HAVING FEELINGS AND GET YOUR HEADS IN THE GAME!
*Everyone dies*Indiana: I want butterfly wings that kill people.Kentucky: Evolve and grow them.Indiana: Good idea.Ohio: LUCAS NOOOOOOO!
*Dedede, Ness, and Luigi**Ohio walks in dressed as King Dedede, Indianaâs dressed as Ness, and Kentucky is dressed as Luigi*Kentucky: I still think I should have done sexy Luigi, but whatever.Indiana: Ohio, say it.Ohio: Iâm not going to say it, fuck off.Indiana: Say it.Ohio: No!Indiana: SAY IT.Ohio: Iâm gonna clobber that there Kirby.Kentucky: Thatâs mama Luigi to you!Indiana: Fuck, Ness doesnât have any funny lines. Ohio: Can we please play the game now?Indiana, clearly excited: OKEY
*Great Maze*Indiana: Youâre going the wrong way!Ohio: Youâre hogging the remote! Let Kentucky play!Kentucky: Thatâs the wrong door!*they start screeching at each other. Minnesota walks into the room about to say something, shakes his head, and leaves.*
*Tabuu fight*Kentucky: Iâm vibing with this music.Ohio: Donât try and sound young, we all know youâre old as fuck.Indiana: Ohio if you donât stop dying Iâm going to throw you out a window.Kentucky: SONIC SPEED! *proceeds to die* GOSH DARN IT!Indiana: WHY ARE YOU USING SONIC?Kentucky: HE WAS RIGHT THERE I HAD TO!*they die about twelve more times, but only one makes the final cut. At some point they beat the game*
Indiana: This was cute. I really liked the relationships in it.Ohio: Yeah, shame weâll never get a wholesome and fulfilling story mode again, right guys?Kentucky: *plays the Smash Ultimate theme on the xylophone.*Indiana: Iâll go get my Switch.Ohio: You better.Indiana: Iâll hit you.Ohio: Youâre in my house, thatâs assault.*Indiana kicks Ohio out of his chair. The video cuts for the last time*
#i've still got another ask and i'll get to that one soon don't worry#statetalia#aph states#aph indiana#aph ohio#aph kentucky#hws states#hws indiana#hws kentucky#hws ohio#aph west virginia#hws west virginia#aph minnesota#hws minnesota#the states play video games
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Daybreak Academy: Chapter 17
Venâs Artful Eye
Summary: In which Ventus reluctantly helps Ephemer. Word Count: 1,445 First | Previous | Next â ⏠â ⏠â ⏠â ⏠â ⏠â ⏠â ⏠â ⏠â
Ventus had decided a long, long time ago that he should not be trusted with fragile things. Delicate china, priceless ceramic bowls, even stained glass windows- Ventus avoided them in fear of breaking anything. So why he ended up on the list to help organize the student art gallery was beyond him. Maybe Vanitas had done it as some form of a joke. Maybe it was just mandatory for First Years to help this week.
Either way, Ven was not happy.
So far, he was doing a pretty decent job of not being seen. He occupied himself with the art hooks, sorting through them based on height, so when someone needed a hook he'd just hand one off without any thought to it. It was easy, simple, and most people didn't even register that he was there to begin with. Was it rather lonely sitting in the supply closet? Yeah, but at least he knew he wouldn't mess anything up this way.
His peace was easily interrupted by an older boy shouting, âHey! You wanna lend us a hand?â
Begrudgingly, knowing that the older boy couldn't have been talking to anyone else, Ven looked up. The boy calling to him was definitely older, but gave a youthful appearance with his still boyish face and short curly hair. With him was a small cart filled with student created paintings, and standing next to him was a girl with long black hair, light brown eyes that stared sharply at Ven, and star shaped earrings who looked incredibly impatient.
In some part of self defense, Ven held up his arms and tried to say, âO-oh no. I was just...â
âDoing nothing.â the girl immediately retorted. Just the tone of her voice made Ven flinch. Her friend noted this too and gave her a cold glare.
âSkuld, don't be rude.â he then said- a faint hint of mocking coming from his tone.
âI'm not being rude- I want to be finished so I can work on my math test.â
âBut you've memorized all those formulas...â
âBut am I practicing them? No, no I'm not. Knowing the formulas, and actually putting them to use, are two separate beasts.â
The boy gave his friend an uncertain look before turning his attention back to Ventus.
âCome help me out,â he once more offered. âSo my lovely friend here can go back to studying.â
âI...â Ven tried to argue, but in finding he didn't have a good rebuttal, he gave a small sigh instead. âAlright.â
Slowly picking himself up, Ven walked over to the kid and his friend to dutifully follow them.
âWe're going to hang these paintings up in the West Wing of the main building.â the older boy told the younger. âThe snow last week inspired a whole lotta people, so we have permission to hang stuff up wherever!â
Ventus just gave a small nod to show he understood. His silence was the cause of interest in the older boy. A wide smile appeared on his face in some kind of hidden amusement.
âYou're a first year kid, aren't cha?â
Without realizing it, Ven jumped.
âY-yeah,â he agreed, âI am. How⊠how did you know?â
âI've got an eye for those kinda things.â he insisted, tapping his nose a few times for emphasis. âBesides, you still have some sense of hope in you, unlike my friend here...â
A half-hearted 'humph' from his friend illustrated that she was only partially listening to him. The boy playfully stuck his tongue out at her, perhaps because he knew she wasn't paying attention to him.
âOh, by the way,â he then said to Ven, âThe name's Ephemer. My cheerful friend over there is Skuld.â
âVentus.â Ven replied, pointing to himself. âBut most people call me Ven.â
Ephemer gave Ven a bright smile.
âNice to meet you Ven!â he greeted, sounding just as pleased. Ephemer then looked up to see where they were. âThis looks like a good spot to hang some artwork up.â he decided. âHand me one of the hangers, Ven.â
For a moment, Ven jumped as if he hadn't expected Ephemer to actually talk to him. With a small nod, Ventus got out one of the art hooks and handed it to Ephemer. Ephemer did not take the hook right away; instead he was holding up a painting to determine where to place it.
âDo you think they meant to have this thing going sideways or upright?â he mused to no one in particular. Skuld absently looked up, looked at the painting, and tilted her head in thought.
âUpright.â she decided.
âI think it's meant to be a landscape painting.â Ventus objected before he could stop himself. This earned him an equal look from the other two.
âHow so?â Ephemer entertained. Instead of answering right away, Ven could feel his body tense.
âW-well...â he tried to stutter, âIf you look at the top, you can see that the artist tried to do a gradient skyline. And⊠and there, it looks like spires from a castle or something. Then there's that thing that kinda looks like a chain coming down from one of the spires to something off the painting, like it's being anchored in. It all leads down to that grass area. I-I guess.â
Ephemer raised an eyebrow at Ven before looking back at the painting. âYou know,â he mused, âI think I see it.â
Despite himself, Ventus gave a small sigh. Good answer, Ven. Good answer.
The three of them continued to work until Skuld decided to leave. She had mumbled a word of good bye to Ephemer and nothing to the youngest boy, so Ven didn't even realize she had left at first. After Ephemer let Ven take a break for lunch, the boy decided to give a half-hearted attempt at making small talk.
âYou two seem to know each other pretty well. It must be nice- I've never been that close to anyone before.â
âWho...â Ephemer started to ask, caught off guard by Ven's sudden statement. When he realized what the younger boy was talking about, a wide smile appeared on his face. âOh, you mean Skuld? I've known her since she started coming to school. We've been practically inseparable since then!â
âSo,â Ven then ventured to guess, âYou're in the same year?â
Ephemer adamantly shook his head. âNah; Skuld's actually a year older than I am, so she's in Seventh Year classes while I'm in Sixth Year classes.â
âOh...â
âIt's not all bad,â Ephemer then mused as he readjusted a painting, âI usually manage to snag her notes so I can use them later. Her notes are so well made, and she makes them look super nice too. I can only dream of taking notes as good as hers!â
The youngest boy gave a small nod of agreement. Not sure of what else to say, Ventus got back to helping Ephemer set up the artwork.
âThere!â the older boy decided once the last painting was put up. He then turned to Ven as held out his hand, âThanks for all the help, Ven. You've got a real eye for this stuff, you know?â
âDon't leave yourself out,â Ventus sheepishly replied, âYou did most of the leg work.â
âAh, you're too kind, Ven.â Ephemer grinned. âLet's meet up again soon. I'd like to see your do actual curating at the next art show- maybe even spearhead the whole thing so more folks come!â
âO-oh, I don't think I could. Vanitas wouldn't like it if I...â
âVanitas?â
Ven froze dead in his tracks. Did he just mention Vanitas? Oh no, oh no, oh noâŠ!
âHe⊠he's my brother!â the young boy quickly said to the other. âY-yeah, my twin brother! He's kinda cranky and doesn't like it when we're separated for too long. You know? I-isn't it funny? I'm the oldest and he acts like he's in charge of everything!â
âCan't relate.â Ephemer mused, folding his arms together in contemplation. âI'm an only child.â
âO-oh...â
âMaybe sometime we can all meet up again.â
âHuh?â
Ephemer smiled once again, a wide, genuine smile that almost made Ventus feel guilty for some reason.
âLet's meet up some day.â Ephemer repeated. âYou, me, your brother, Skuld- heck, maybe we can even throw in Anora for good luck!â
Ven was taken aback for a moment. Anora? Who was Anora? Before he could ask, Ephemer stepped up to him and offered his hand out. Ven looked at his hand before looking up at Ephemer himself.
âI⊠Okay.â he agreed, taking the older boy's hand to shake it. Seeing Ephemer's grin grow only continued to make Ventus even more guilty. Vanitas was not going to like this.
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home is where you are
[Allurance, word count: 3,470, post-S7, canon-compliant]
Summary: Allura feels out of place at the Garrison (and Earth in general) and Lance provides some hecking support, Pidge and Keith make an appearance, Allura gets flirty and we get a first kiss
[Read it on AO3]
Allura woke up with a start to the sound of silence, her senses buzzing. It was early morning, telling by the white light streaming through her window. She began to hear birds chirping, signaling the start of a new day. So strange, this planetâŠTheir sporadic lilts were a sharp contrast to Keithâs morning drill calls. She felt poised to jump into action but remembered that they were on Earth now, in a state of temporary peace.
She rubbed her eyes and took in her surroundingsâthe Garrison quarters didnât feel like her room back in the Castle of Lions, or even her cramped space in the Blue Lion. The walls were painted cream. Old photos of the Garrison campus hung on the wall. Her new Garrison uniform was folded neatly on a wooden chair. Allura sat up and stretched, yawning loudly. She instinctively reached for her tiara at her bedside table and found nothing. Thatâs right. She lost it when she used its crystal for Shiroâs arm. She was utterly relieved that it stabilized himâsomething as inconsequential as giving up her crown was nothing in comparison to saving her dear friend. Still, she felt off not having it.
She slipped on her orange uniform jacket, its sleeves stiff and wide. Her pants were not as fitted as her paladin underarmor, with sharp creases running along each leg. Allura frowned as she looked down at her outfit. It was a far cry from her Altean uniform, which was safely tucked away in Blue. She tightened the belt at her waist to make it look more feminine. Not a vast improvement but one she could work with. She put up her hair hastily, using several pins to hold her heavy curls in place. The hologram of her parents on her bedside table caught her eye, and she felt a heaviness seep into her chest. The alarm clock next to it rang quietly and broke her stare. It was time for breakfast.
Allura walked to the end of the hall where Lance stood leaning against the wall waiting for her. Â
âMorning, Princess!â he chirped. He was always eager to start the day with her.
âMorning,â she smiled. She took in his clean-pressed Garrison look. His hair was still as mussed as ever, but he looked really sharp and handsome in his new suit, the jacket framing his torso perfectly. Allura felt something stir in her chest. Odd.
âSo todayâs breakfast isâŠyou guessed it! The superfood combo again! Tomorrow theyâll probably shake things up and switch the skim milk to 1% milk,â Lance joked.
âI could really use a milkshake instead,â Allura sighed. The Garrison was not normally as rigid with their meal options, but the lack of supplies demanded a diet designed for nutritional sustenance over pleasure.
âRight there with ya.â
âWill we be sitting at our usual spot?â
âSure, unless you wanted to sit somewhere else? I think Hunk is away doing systems checks right now but Keith and Pidge will be there.â
âNo, itâs not that. I justâI feel like peopleâŠstare at me.â
Lance stopped walking and tried reading her expression. âStare at you how?â he asked, his brows knitting in concern.
âTheyâre not bad stares, justâŠâ She gestured to her face. âAn Altean in a cafeteria is like a choferiak in a yelmoreâs den.â
Lance smiled. âYou know half of the people are trying to wrap their brains around the fact that an Altean princess is one of humanityâs last hopes for survival. The other half just wants to be you because youâre awesome,â he grinned.
Allura blushed, the warmth on her face a welcome surprise since they landed on Earth. So this is the effect Loverboy Lance has.
âYouâre giving me too much credit. You know theyâre staring at you too,â Allura said shyly. Lanceâs eyes widened and he gave a lopsided smile.
âYou, and the rest of the paladins,â she quickly added. Quiznack, why was it so hard for her to be honest with him?
Lanceâs face relaxed a little. âI do feel pretty badass right now, after our fight withâŠwhatever that thing was.â He scratched his head nervously.
âWeâll find out more about it, in time,â she reassured him. âWeâre here. Letâs eat.â
---
Allura and Lance picked up their trays of food and walked over to where Keith and Pidge were sitting. Pidge was explaining something sciency, gesturing wildly with her hands, while shoveling food into her mouth. Keith seemed lost in thought, swirling his spoon in his bowl of oatmeal, but kept nodding to show he was paying attention.
âHi guys!â Lance plopped down next to Keith and Allura next to Pidge.
âHey,â Pidge and Keith greeted them.
âWhat are you guys talking about?â Lance asked.
âI was trying to explain Atlasâs construction to Keith, starting from my dadâs early designs. When he was imprisoned, the Galra found out he was an engineer and used his knowledge to design their weapons, which also drew power from quintessence.â Pidge chattered then paused. âHe took a lot of what he learnedâwas forced to learnâand brought it here to Earth.â Â
Allura recognized the pain in Pidgeâs eyes. âYour father is a strong man. His work has been instrumental to ensuring Earth and the entire universeâs survival. Iâve learned a lot from him since coming here, and Iâm constantly in awe of his knowledge and perseverance. He must be so proud of the work youâve done as a paladin. Youâre a lot like him,â Allura said with a soft smile. She meant every word. Â
âThanks, Allura. That means a lot.â Pidge said shyly, shifting in her seat. âAnd the feelingâs mutual,â she smiled. âMy dadâs also impressed by you. He said you two are investigating the mecha that attacked us. Just thinking about that thing gives me nightmares.â
âI donât know how you do it, Allura, jumping right back into work after our fight,â Lance chimed in.
âDo you know whatâs powering that thing?â Keith asked. He looked worried, as if the thought had been nagging him all day. Their theories led to Haggar the witch whose Komar utilized quintessence in a similar way.
âWeâre not sure yet,â Allura said, frustrated with their slow progress. âJust that itâs related to Haggar.â
One of the cadets walking past slowed down a little, his eyes darting to their table and back, and then quickened his pace. Allura stiffened and looked down at her untouched muffin. She curtly patted her mouth with her napkin and pushed the tray in front of her.
Lanceâs eyebrows furrowed and he looked back at the cadet to give him the stink eye. âAllura, is that what you were talking about?â
Allura nodded. âYes. Iâve been noticing it more and more each day. Even though I work with Sam and his team every day, a part of me still feels out of place,â she said sadly, propping her head on her hand. A strand of hair fell to obscure her face. She wanted to hide, shut herself in her room, something she hadnât felt in a while when they were in space.
âHeyâŠâ Lance said gently, reaching forward to push the strand behind her ear. The brush of his fingers made Allura shiver as she looked up at him. Pidge and Keith exchanged a quick look and Keith suddenly seemed intensely focused on his oatmeal.
âIâm sorry that theyâre making you feel uncomfortable,â Lance said. âI donât know whatâs going through their heads, but Iâm sure its nothing bad. You, Coran, RomelleâŠyouâre the reason why weâre here. Alive. People here respect you, but they might not have a good way of showing it since they still donât understand things that arenâtâŠhuman.â
âYeah, I was talking with my dad and your tech is all anyone in the base can talk about,â Pidge added. âItâs some of the most advanced science that Earth has ever seen.â
Keith looked up from his plate and locked eyes with Allura. âAllura, I understand what it means to feel like an outsider here. Even growing up here, it felt so different from home,â he said.
Allura nodded, remembering her past conversations with Keith about growing up near the base with his father. Keith continued. âMy mom, KolivanâŠtheyâve been getting weird stares too. Like Lance said, I donât think theyâre afraid, maybe just intimidated.â
Allura considered all of this. She commanded the room when they had their military briefings with little push back. That, and her meetings with Sam to investigate what was powering Haggarâs ship. People did respect herâŠso why did they stare so much? What else was going through their minds?
âThank you all,â Allura said. A part of her still felt insecure, but their words did help soothe her anxiety. When they finished eating, Pidge and Keith excused themselves to go to their next assignments. Pidge gave her a quick hug and Keith squeezed her shoulder gently before leaving. Allura loved the feeling that only physical comfort could provide.
Like clockwork, Lance rose and scooted next to Allura, his thigh touching hers.
âThanks for trying to cheer me up, Lance. I feel more at ease,â Allura said, hyperaware that their arms were touching too.
âOf course. Iâm glad you do,â he soothed. He broke off a piece of her muffin and tossed it in his mouth, smiling at Allura.
âLance, youâre like a vacuum,â Allura teased. She became well acquainted with the human appliance after Kosmo became her roommate in space despite her loud protests.
âI just really love blueberries. Do you want a bite?â he asked, breaking off another piece.
She felt her walls go down just a bit. Just because she was in the Garrison didnât mean she couldnât have a little fun. She smiled coyly. âSure.â
Lance paused. âUm, do you want toâor do you want me toââ he stammered. Allura opened her mouth slightly, knowing this would be the death of him. She relished his expression as he fed her the muffin. Mmmm. Delicious.
âChrist, Allura.â Lance said, raking his hand through his hair as his face reddened. Allura chewed slowly, her expression smug.
âI could use anotherââ she jokingly crooned.
âNope!â he said, throwing his hands up in defeat. They both laughed. Loverboy Lance bested again by the princess of Altea.
People were staring again but for an entirely different reason. It didnât matter now to Alluraânot when she and Lance were together.
âWell, this has been fun, as always, but I have work to do in the Altean database room,â Allura sighed. She wanted to take him with her. âThey want me to keep combing the records for the Galraâs methods of extracting quintessence. Itâs actually quite disturbing subject matter. And so tedious. Pidge and I have been working for what feels like phoebs.â She rolled her neck thinking about all the unexplored files that remained.
âDo you need a hand?â he asked earnestly. âYou can teach me how to navigate the records. Or I could just give you a neck massage and back rub. Your pick,â he winked.
Allura smiled. âSure, that would be great.â She was thinking about the back rub.
---
When they arrived at the database room, Allura led him to her workstation, data pads and archaic texts sprawled all over the desk. She gave Lance a simple coding script used to unpack the files so that she could transcribe them. During her explanation, Lance nodded occasionally, his eyes glazed over with the more technical parts, but eventually he got the hang of it.
âEasy peasy!â Lance said, cracking his fingers before getting to work. Allura rolled her eyesâthis boyâand sat at her computer monitor to extract data from the unpacked files. Navigating through the records felt like flying the Castleshipâher mind sharp and fingers swiftly typing in several commands. She and Pidge made good progress recently by finding one of the earliest robeastâs structural designs, similar to the one they fought on Balmera. They knew that Haggarâs dark alchemy was what powered the one on Balmera, so the ancient robeast must have thrived on similar magic. The thought of it set Allura on edge, raising the hair on her arms. She thought of Oriande, the birthplace of alchemy. She could only remember its ethereal pink-white glow in her dreams. The kiss of knowledge placed by the ancestors of alchemists before that radiated through every fibre of her being. How could such power be used to corrupt? Her memories harshly transitioned to her most recent reminder of home. Sendakâs disturbing holographic message that shook her to her core: If a planet refuses to give up, then we annihilate it. But only one planet has ever refused: Altea.
Allura stopped typing and seemed lost in a trance, thoughts of Altea, of home, flooding her mind. Lance rolled his chair toward hers, peering at her.
âAllura, are you okay?â he asked.
âIâI was thinking about Altea. I hadnât thought of it in a while. Especially after traveling through space for decaphoebs. I guess losing the Castle of Lions made me remember what it felt like, growing up there and the work my father did.â She felt a lump in her throat and briefly glanced around the room. Everything was as it was yesterday but looking closer things felt soâŠalien. Lance nodded slowly, waiting for her to continue.
âEarth feels so different. I was so happy to see you and the others reunite with your families. Coran is my family, and Iâm so grateful to have him. ButâŠI still feel out of sorts. Being the daughter of King Alfor, my role as a diplomat was my birthright, so to speak. I always thought that I would carry out his work in space where I grew up, among all the planets weâve fought to free. Itâs hard for me to distance myself from this responsibilityâbeing a recognizable representative of the Coalition across galaxies. I know our efforts as paladins and diplomats have not been fruitlessâthe people of outer space are being welcomed on Earth now, as allies and refugees. Itâs what my father wanted, what Voltron has always fought to secure. I guess the distance from space makes me feel less needed as the Princess of Altea, if that makes sense,â she said, her voice tapering off at the end. The heavy feeling in her chest returned.
âAllura, Iâm sorry you feel like all that responsibility is on you. And that youâre not needed as a princess,â Lance said softly.
âWhatâs more,â she continued, âwhen I arrived here on Earth I thought Iâd feel like same responsibility, that same weight. But I donât as much. Everyone here is doing the work at a much faster pace than I could have ever hoped to achieve. It sounds so selfishâI know itâs selfishâbecause thatâs the entire purpose of the Coalition, butâŠWho on Earth is going to remember King Alfor the alchemist one hundred, one thousand decaphoebs down the line? I feel like a stranger in the room at present.â
Her voice began to shake and she reflexively reached to adjust her tiaraâlike she did whenever she was stressedâbut again found nothing. This place survived on Altean technology but still felt far removed from home.
Lance moved closer and draped his arm around her shoulders. Comforted by the warmth of his body, she slowly exhaled, tears running down her face, and let her head lean against his chest. He rested his head on top of hers and his other hand reached for hers to hold it. She looped her fingers through his. Allura felt her muscles relax as Lance rubbed the back of her shoulder in a slow, soothing motion.
âWas it new to you too?â Allura whispered. âThis place, new hallways to explore, people to meet?â
âIt was,â he reminisced, his voice soft and wistful. âI grew up in Cuba, as you know, and life there is very different. In my hometown during the summer as a kid, I used to wander around the streets talking to shopkeepers and running errands for them. I guess itâs âcause I was a really fast runner. They would treat me with a Coke at the end of the day. School was fine, kind of boring, but space exploration? Thatâs something I could only dream of doing. When Veronica got accepted into the program, she was really nervous about leaving home. She cried the entire first week she was here.â The hum of his voice made Allura desperate to hear more.
âVeronica cried for a whole week?â she asked incredulously, wiping her runny nose with her hand. Veronica seemed like a paragon of strength among her colleagues at the Garrison, which Allura deeply admired. Lance chuckled and wiped some of the wetness from her face.
âHard to imagine, huh?â
âNot really, considering sheâs related to you,â Allura teased. Lance tousled her hair a little, making Allura squeal in protest. God, sheâs so cute, he thought.
âBut you know,â he continued, smoothing her hair, âI found another family here too. I thought going to a space academy would be an entirely different worldâno pun intendedâand it was. I was scared to be in a completely new terrain. I mean, itâs freaking Arizona, where thereâs, like, no water. But there was still that sense of togetherness that I loved back home. Even though weekend training hours sucked, thatâs how I got to know Hunk and we became best friends. Pidge came later in the picture, and she spent hours tutoring me before my physics tests. I was barely scraping by before I met her. Keith was a year ahead of us, so I only saw him when we did flight drills. Watching him was actually really helpful for nailing down flight patterns. Keith being Keith, I tried talking to him and got brushed off, but I know he remembers me,â Lance said smugly, and Allura giggled.Â
âAll of us took the same classes, flew in the same simulators, pulled pranks on Iverson and got stuck in detention. I saw Keith there a lot too, actuallyâŠâ he smirked.
Allura chuckled again, and the feeling of it on his chest made Lance want to melt.
âAndâŠthen I met you,â he said so affectionately it sent a pang through her chest. She looked up to meet his gaze. âI felt like all the pieces were being put together, like I was becoming the person I always wanted to be. I guess home is wherever Iâm happy with my friends and family.â
Allura squeezed his hand. He looked so sure of himself, so unlike the time he first shared his insecurities with her. Something was definitely different about him. She saw it in the way he carried himself. In the way he sacrificed himself countless times for his teammates. They were here on Earth, in a dim room lit by pulsing monitors, and yet, when she looked at him she saw stars.
âI can imagine how much of a change it is for you,â he said. âBut youâre still Altean, no matter where you are. And the people here respect you so much and your culture. Hell, your crystals saved Shiro. Again! And they made Atlas fly, and that thing is huge. I think the Garrison will start to feel more familiar over time. You have us. Whenever youâre feeling alone, I will always be here for you. Please know that.â His expression was serious this time. The weight of his promise began to sink in. It had always been there.
âIt is a big change,â Allura agreed. She could continue talking for hours, but something inside her demanded exploring another option. âI guess I just need to give it some time to feel more adjusted. But hearing you talk about it makes me feel better. A lot better.â Their hands were still interlocked. She looked up at him, her eyes drinking in his vulnerable expression. He raised his eyebrows and swallowed hard. She fought the instinct to bottle her feelings. Her heart was racing. âHaving you here already makes it easier.â She shifted his hand from his lap to hers and reached up to kiss him, trying not to laugh as his face spanned several emotions.
âAllura, whatâre youââ
âJust stop talking, Lance.â
Her lips met his and she was instantly swept away. Lance buried his fingers in her hair and deepened the kiss, his movements swift, almost instinctual. She saddled herself on his lap, knocking down some papers in the process, and wrapped her arms around his head, her lips tight over his. They pulled away from each other, breathing hard.
âAllura?â
âYes, Lance?â
âWe should do this more often.â
Yes. She could definitely get used to this.
#writing#allurance#legitallurance#voltron#vld#voltron season 7#lance#allura#pidge#keith#long fic#gimme an al kiss plz#blah blah
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12 Days of Whump- Search Party
Technically not late! At least one was posted before midnight. I hope to heck tomorrowâs actually comes in on time. I didnât proofread as well as I usually do, Iâll look over it in the morning just to see if I can make it any better.
Day 11 of the 12 days of Whump- Search Party, featuring Zappa, Faust, and the Paranormal Investigation Team!
âMaan, itâs been a wild year, huh?â
Zappa perked up at that, turning to look at Randy. âI suppose so. What makes you say that now?â
âAre you serious, where have you been?â The man wore a cheshire smile as he leaned back in his chair. âDidâja forget the fact that the last time we were in here, we wound up solving a mystery with demons and most up us wound up missing for two weeks?â
âAh. Right.â Zappa paled a little. âI was hoping Iâd finally be able to repress that memory.â
âYou were the only one who didnât fly out of a building like a goddamn firework! Besides, there was also the whole âend of the world because the pope turned out to be a genocidal robotâ thing.â
âAside from that, though, has it really been that interesting? Up until the last couple of months, nothing was really happening.â
Randyâs smile fell. âWhyâre you being such a downer today?â
Zappa shrugged. âJust donât feel like teasing fate, is all. Thereâs only a few hours left until the new year, so I want to try and make it without any other accidents.â
âMy foodâs ready!â Alexis burst through the door, hoisting a dish of some kind of pasta. âDid you guys finish already?â
âI brought some drinks from home!â Randy gestured to a trio of colorful bottles on the table. âNothing alcoholic, though, they wouldnât let me ship that across country borders.â
The woman laughed at that, putting her steaming container down. âBummer. How âbout you, Zappa? Anything good from Australia?â
âMy mother sent some of the jams we make with the crops we grow.â He reached out and picked up a jar. âItâs really good on toast! The onion jelly is my favorite.â
âWho the heck makes jelly out of onions?â Shaking his head, Randy made a little gagging noise. âFriggin AustraliansâŠâ
âGreetings, paranormal team! I come bearing food!â
All three turned to the door, bearing various shades of confusion as a too-tall figure ducked inside the room.
âDr. Faust?â Zappa asked. âWhat are you doing here?â
âSpreading some festivity!â The bag-headed manâs voice was at its usual whimsical tone. âMr Kiske mentioned there was some New Yearâs celebration. Iâd planned to head out in the morn, so a bit of last-minute festivities seemed apt before my departure! If it helps, I did bring my own dish to contribute.â
Randy glanced at his companions. âListen, doc, I dunno why-â
â-You feel like youâd be unwelcome!â Alexis cut him off. âBy all means, find a seat! Weâd love to try whatever it is youâve made!â
Faust lit up at that, though it was hard to tell with his face obscured. âWell, donât mind if I do!â
It didnât take long after that for the rest of the paranormal investigation team to show up, with everyone bringing a different dish to add to the swiftly-growing pile on the table. A few people eyes Faustâs unexpected appearance with wariness, but most of them were too caught up in the festive mood to react with more than a quick glance.
âHereâs to a new year, guys!â
âHold it, Randy!â Someone interjected. âItâs New Years! We canât toast without champagne!â
âHuh? Why not?â
âI dunno...just feels wrong, I guess.â
Someone else sent Faust an aside glance. âShould we really be discussing champagne around a doctor?â
âA bit of alcohol can be good for the cardiovascular system!â Faust chimed in. âBesides, Iâm not immune to indulgences, myself. No need to hesitate around me!â
âUhh, doc?â Randy said. âWhat exactly is it that you brought?â
âHmm? Ah, I suppose I forgot to say that, didnât I?â He made a little gesture towards his dish, a mix of something white in a red sauce. âMapo tofu! Very popular where I grew up. A bit spicy, but very tasty.â
Someone raised their spoon. âOh, oh, pass it! I wanna try!â
The team fell into loud, cheerful chatter, swapping stories and memories from the past year and their hopes for the next. Everyone seemed to lose track of time as the pitch-black sky opened up and began dumping down snow, creating a beautiful view through the unobscured windows.
Before long, the numerous dishes had been almost picked clean. âOhhh, whoever brought the ziti, it was delicious, and also I think Iâm gonna throw up.â
Alexis shook her head in disappointment. âWhy did you eat so much, Randy?â
âSuch good sauce....right, Zappa?â
When he got no response, he sat up and looked around. âZappa? Whereâd he go?â
âHe mentioned he was leaving to go and get something.â Replied Faust. âThough, now that you mention it, it has been a rather long amount of time since Iâve seen him.â
âRandy, do you have his com?â Alexis asked.
âYeah, good point. Iâll just send him a ping and see where heâs gone to. Iâm sure itâs nothingâŠâ
The chatter in the room quickly settled down as the magic com rang once, twice. It kept ringing over and over again, as the atmosphere grew more and more tense.
âHi, um, this is Zappa, please leave a message-â
âThe heck?â Randy looked at his own fading com in disbelief. âI canât think of the last time he hasnât picked up. Maybe the weatherâs messing with it?â
Faust was already out of his chair. âThis is concerning. Would everyone be willing to partake in a search before dessert?â
Unsure murmurs were passed between the group. Ultimately, nobody seemed to have any major objections, though the current ambiguity was making people worry.
âHere, this is the frequency for his magic-com, keep trying to call it until we can get him to pick up.â Randy gave a quick demonstration. âHe canât have gone too far. I guess we can split up into groups and look around whatever shops are still open and see if theyâve seen him at all.â
Despite the initial aversion, the team easily divided themselves into smaller groups and started heading out via the nearest castle exit. The weather was just as unpleasant as it looked, and everyone was immediately buffeted by snow.
âSheesh, what the hell possessed him to go out in this weather?â Wrapping arms across his chest, Randy looked back and forth before picking a direction and starting to walk, followed closely behind by Faust and Alexis.
âIâm not sure. Though considering the temperature, it does concern me quite a bit. I do hope heâs managed to find shelter.â Faust said.
The town outside of the castleâs walls was bright with lights, but very few buildings were open so late with it being so late on New Yearâs. Randy kept trying to make calls, only to be met with the answering machine over and over again.
âThe grocer said he hasnât seen him?â
Alexis shook her head. âNothing.â
âDammit. Iâll try calling again.â
Faust perked up. âMr Randy, is your com malfunctioning?â
âHuh? No, why do you ask?â
âIâm getting an odd sort of feedback. Miss Alexis, is your com running?â
âNo?â
âThen whyâŠâ
The doctor took off running down the snow-covered path, leaving his two companions behind. Randy and Alexis exchanged looks before sprinting off after him.
âThe heck is he doing?â She asked.
âFinally lost it? I donât know much about the guy. Just try not to lose him!â
As it turned out, Faust hadnât been running off for no reason. As the two of them turned around the next corner, they spotted the man hunched over next to a lump half-buried in the snow.
âIs thatâŠ?â
âThere we are, there we go.â Faust was muttering quietly, barely audible over the wind. He brushed his long fingers over the snow, feeling something underneath it. âJust keep ticking. I know itâs cold out. Youâre going to be fine.â
In one smooth motion, he pulled the shape out of the snow and held it tightly. When he turned back around, Alexis and Randy realized that it was in fact Zappa, curled up in a ball and seemingly unconscious.
âHe was out here the whole time?â Alexis sounded horrified. âIs he dead?â
âNo, no.â Faustâs voice was unexpectedly calm. âJust cold. Weâre going home now.â
It was Randyâs turn to be confused. âHome? What are you going on about? What about us?â
The doctor made a little motion with one hand. A green door suddenly appeared in the middle of the street. When it swung open, they werenât greeted with the sight of the other end of the street. Instead, it opened up to reveal a dark, unfamiliar landscape, filled with odd somethings that neither of them could identify from a glance.
âOf course youâre coming with us. Step inside my door.â
The two looked at each other again, and reluctantly followed Faust inside.
++++++
What seemed like only a second later, the small group was dumped back out into the dining room, with everything exactly as theyâd left it.
Aliexis looked back at the door as it swung shut and began to fade. âW-what the hell was that?!â
Randy looked around. âHuh?â
âIn the door? Didnât you see that?â
âNah, I blinked.â
âYou blinked?!â
While the two squabbled, Faust made his way over to one of the roomâs couches, settling Zappa down on it. He reached into hammerspace and pulled out his oddly-patterned green tarp, lifting it up to be used as a blanket. Before he could toss it over the motionless figure, though, he noticed that he seemed to be wrapped around something.
âOh? What have you got there?â
With a bit of maneuvering, he pulled out out a yellowish bottle, adorned with a pretty blue ribbon. Curiosity piqued, he took a glance at the card that hung off of it.
âCongratulations on a great year, guys, hereâs to one more!
~Zappaâ
âAwwâŠâ With his free hand, Faust tossed the tarp-blanket over him, offering a little pat on the head.
Randy turned his head at the sound. âFaust, you say something?â
âWell, ah,â he hoisted up the bottle, âanyone up for a glass of champagne?â
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Wait For It - Hogwart!AU
Part 1/Part 2/Part 3
Summary: Max tries to help, David is really confused, Nikki and Neil are really good friends and Daniel seriously should choose a different time to knock on the door.
Additional comments:Â Kissing, Angst, Fluff, Slow Burn
Word count: 16 851
Beta-read by my amazing friend @maxvid-fan
You can also read it on AO3. Enjoy!
ïŸ ïœĄ  * . â â II  â â . *  ïœĄ ïŸ
â(âŠ) And we keep loving anyway
We laugh and we cry
And we break
And we make our mistakes (âŠ)â
â Lin-Manuel Miranda
Christmas at Nikkiâs house was nothing like Christmas at Maxâs. His house was dull, empty, hollow and emotionless. It was cold and dreadful. It was ripped of all those warm tones it was supposed to have, even though the lights and colorful ribbons were scattered all over the place, decorating perfectly every possible corner in the house.
Maxâs Christmas consisted of a silent dinner and too expensive gifts that never were useful and never brought even a simple spark of joy.
Nikkiâs house was a mess â a very positive, lively, vivid, cheerful, warm, sizzling and beautiful mess that made Max want nothing more than to stay here forever.
Nikkiâs fatherâs house wasnât hollow â it was a disaster with dozens and dozens of toys (mostly belonging to Nikkiâs younger brothers), clothes, half-finished furniture, half-eaten packets of biscuits and random utensils lying here and there. An iron in the middle of the kitchen? No problem. A pile of dirty clothes waiting to be washed in the corridor? Sure. An unfinished homework lying on the floor in the living room? Yeah, everyone had to jump over it.
It was a disaster, a mess without any control and Max loved it.
(Neil didnât like it so much, especially as he stepped into a puddle of water after he had taken off his shoes.)
Nikkiâs father welcomed Max with a heavy pat on the back. Nikkiâs stepmother gave him cookies and pinched his cheek. Nikkiâs little brothers almost tripped him when they ran through the corridor to the kitchen.
It was amazing.
Max decided to stay there for two days â he didnât want to make things difficult for David, but he was still kinda selfish, so two days it was. He was going to sleep on Nikkiâs floor in a borrowed sleeping bag. Neil too, but he brought his own one.
Max wasnât sure how he should behave or what he should actually be doing during Christmas, but Nikkiâs stepmother quickly found him and Neil a job. Nikki was left to get rid of the raccoons sleeping under the roof.
The house was loud â kids screamed, people laughed, things got broken, a dog loudly barked at the shimmering lights â and God, that was amazing.
The Christmas dinner wasnât silent, but filled with voices, shouts, yelps, asks, answers, groans â with conversations ruling over the table to the soft accompaniment of clashing and squeaking utensils.
It was the best Christmas in Maxâs life.
After the dinner they spent the evening and night in Nikkiâs room, where they played something on a big, flat screen using weird thingies â controllers apparently or at least Nikki called them that. Max sucked at it first, but quickly found a way to defeat both his friends and be at the very top of the ranking. Nikki threw a giant pack of crisps at him which exploded, showering them with salty treats.
Max laughed when Neil started screeching that the salt got into his eyes.
They talked till the Sun welcomed them on the horizon.
***
âAnd this is a present from us!â Nikki happily said, pushing a package into Maxâs chest.
âIs it gonna explode?â He asked, staring at the pink paper.
He could never be sure with Nikki nor Neil.
âUnfortunately no.â The girl sighed. âNeil killed the fun part.â
The teen huffed and stared at the girl from behind a book (his present from Max, thank you very much) with a raised eyebrow.
âYeah, Iâm so bad for not trying to kill my friend.â
âTotally.â
Max snorted and then put the package on his lap. He quickly tore through the childish, pink paper to unwrap a plain, brown box, which he then opened. Inside there were Filibuster Fireworks, tons of sweets and a scarf with a logo of his favourite Quidditch team.
Max grinned under his nose when he found a small note at the very bottom which only said âuse fireworks only to mess with crazy Danielâ.
âThanks guys.â Max said, feeling the happiness bubbling inside his chest, but he held it down strongly to not let it show on his face.
But it was probably a futile job, because Nikki was grinning at him like crazy. Even Neil had a soft smile tugging at the corners of his lips behind the book.
The rest of the day was spent eating the leftovers from yesterdayâs dinner, watching TV, laughing at the lame jokes said there and occasionally fighting with Nikkiâs brothers.
And too soon the evening came and Max had to return to the school.
Nikkiâs stepmother packed him a whole bag of food (Neil too). Max had no heart to tell her that he didnât have any place to hide it, so he just took it and thanked the woman. Nikkiâs father shook his hand and smiled warmly. He told Max that he would always be welcome here.
In overall it wasnât much, but damn, it was a lot in Maxâs opinion.
***
To be honest Max was kinda tired when he returned to the dorm. Plus a soft hue coming from a candle wasnât giving him much light, so it was logical that he didnât see a few packages lying near his bed.
But he did notice them in the morning, when he almost crashed down because his leg got caught under one.
âWhat theâŠâ
Oh yeah, his parents had also sent him a present â wrapped in a neat, gold paper. For a brief moment Max thought about leaving it here, maybe even throwing it out of the window, but then decided it was better to get this over with.
Some fancy clothes, a tie and a book â where the shirts looked uncomfortable, the tie had a disgusting pattern and the book was about economy.
Yeah, this present totally deserved being thrown out of the window. Or maybe he could burn it. It would probably burn nicely.
Max scoffed under his nose. Yeah, his parents will probably expect him to wear those things, so maybe getting rid of them wasnât that best idea. Especially as he didnât want nor had the energy to search for excuses.
So in the end he grabbed the pile and pushed it in the furthest part of his trunk. He had to give it a good few kicks to push it between some books, but soon the present was buried deep down and was hopefully taken off Maxâs mind for at least few months from now on.
So what should Max do? He still had a few days of freedom and no detention. Of course he had a shit ton of homework he could do, but yeah⊠that could wait till the very last few days, so he could then curse himself that he didnât start earlier.
So yeah, a day of doing nothing it was.
Beautiful.
***
Okay, maybe it wasnât as beautiful as Max initially had thought, because damn it was fucking boring. The castle was so empty that he had barely seen anyone walking around!
Even the teachersâ table was almost empty. Yet he definitely saw crazy Daniel talking with a Numerology teacher.
(David was absent, but it was normal. He usually was late for breakfasts, so Maxâs brain didnât let him dwell too long on it, even though he kinda wanted to see the teacher.)
So he spent most of the day sitting in the common room and reading random books. For a brief moment he even wanted to start doing homework, but his brain quickly shot that idea down.
He wondered what David was doing. From what Max knew and heard from other people, David never really returned home. Not counting the fact that beside him there was no one here who could take care of the plants, it didnât look like he had anyone to whom he could return.
Maybe that was why he was so gloomy during Christmas? It was a possibility, but Max had a feeling that this wasnât exactly true. There were of course tons of rumors spreading through the school like a disease, but Max hardly believed them. They were only there to make people enjoy evenings in the common rooms.
Max hadnât seen David for the whole day.
So Max spent this whole day doing nothing.
When he washed himself, he moved slowly to his empty bedroom (the rest of his roommates had gone home for Christmas), whistling some catchy song he had heard in Nikkiâs house under his nose. A few people wished him a good night and he only nodded at them in reply.
Inside his bedroom he lit up a candle and slowly shuffled around, hiding his dirty clothes and books he had read today in his trunk. After that he stretched his hands above his head and then moved to his bed â
Only to stomp on something kinda crunchy during this process.
Max glanced down. It was hard to see anything in the dim light of the candle (he could definitely use Lumos, but well then it would be too bright), but there was an outline of something lying under his foot. He leaned down and grabbed it.
Max sat on the bed, moved the candle closer on the nightstand and looked at the thing he had stomped on.
It was a package, wrapped in a plain brown, kinda tough paper with a yellowish string holding it all together.
What the heck? Was it another Christmasâ present? But from whom? Some far away relatives? But then again why would they send it now, after so many years?
Only one way to find out.
Max grabbed the thread and pulled, untying it and letting it fall softly onto the bed. Then he slowly moved the paper away, which rustled and swished under the touch.
Max blinked.
Gloves. Typical gardening gloves. Kinda thick, navy blue gloves.
Max grabbed them, feeling kinda harsh touch of the leather under his fingertips. He rolled them over and oh! a small piece of parchment fell from between the fingers.
Merry Christmas!
I thought they may come in handy :)
David
Max stared at the gloves. There was a short silence inside his chest, but it was quickly broken when a sudden waterfall of emotions surged through his lungs â with happiness foaming at the very top and overpowering his chest and ability to breathe. It was a small present â a simple pair of gloves. Max wasnât even interested in gardening or taking care of plants â but it still felt like he received the best present in the whole world.
It was stupid, maybe it was even childish or unreasonable â but feelings, crushes, always were. And Max was glad that currently he was alone in the bedroom, because damn, he knew he was smiling under his nose, he could sense his muscles stretching into a grin as joy stormed through his mind.
David had not only helped him have the best Christmas of Maxâs life, but he had also given him a present. And he didnât have to do either of those things!
Maxâs mouth was dry as he slowly put on the gloves. They were kinda hard, as the material wasnât bending to his will, just as the old one always did, but soon after he had the pair on his palms. He moved his fingers, wiggling them a little bit, feeling the leather bend and twist under the movement.
His heart rose inside his chest like it wanted to fly, float, run far away.
(Or maybe not far away at all, but just to the greenhouse a few floors away.)
It was stupid. It was only a pair of gloves â gardening ones â but Max still felt like he just received one of the best gifts ever.
And he felt a sudden urge to jump out of the bed and run, to the greenhouse, to the man and thank him somehow, but he quickly drowned those needs. First, even David at this hour probably wouldnât be in the greenhouse and second⊠Well, there was no second reason â other than the fact that it was probably stupid.
But tomorrow he will definitely find David and thank him.
***
Easier said than done â as most things in life actually.
David wasnât at breakfast, which wasnât surprising. Plus Max wasnât really sure whether he wanted to thank the man in front of the other students â not many students, but still students.
Surprisingly Daniel wasnât present either.
Max furrowed his eyebrows, but decided not to dwell on it too much.
So this left only one thing to do and it was visiting David in the greenhouse. He was almost constantly there. Sometimes it even looked like he was sleeping there, but that wasnât the truth. Though Max wouldnât be surprised if the man indeed spent a few nights there, just because he fell asleep on his desk.
With every step bringing him closer to the greenhouse, Max felt more and more nervous, with the stress pulling on his nerves, like some kind of a musical instrument. The heart beat and drummed so loud in his ears that he barely heard any other sounds â including the snow crunching beneath his shoes.
And in just a few minutes he was in front of the greenhouse. A few breaths to calm his shivering chest and then he grabbed the doorknob.
Only to find out that the door was locked.
What the hell? David wasnât here? But then where could he be?
Max tried the door once again, but it didnât budge, only rattled loudly. After that he circled the greenhouse in search for some additional entrances. He found two, but one was barricaded with wooden planks and the other one was also closed.
Shit.
Max circled the building one more time, but when he found out there was no way of getting in, he stopped in front of it and kicked a lone pile of snow. The stress fully melted inside his body and was replaced with the mushy, muddy, uncomfortable mess of anger, disappointment and worry.
David didnât appear at dinner nor supper and he wasnât in his greenhouse till the end of the day.
***
When he didnât appear for breakfast the very next day Max was kinda (really) worried.
Yeah, that something squeezing his insides, making them clench painfully, was definitely worry.
However today Daniel appeared near the teachersâ table. He didnât smile at anyone, only gave them short, courteous nods as a greeting and then sat down to eat something.
Max observed the table from the corner of his eyes, eating bacon from his plate. It tasted perfect, but it still left a bitter aftertaste in his mouth.
Somewhere near the end of breakfast, Daniel leaned to Gwen, sitting on his left, and whispered something into her ear. The woman glanced at him, nodded and said something back quickly. Soon after Daniel took one last sip from his cup and then stood up. He was just about to move away when he turned to the table and snatched a raspberry muffin from one plate.
What the hell? Daniel hated sweets. No one even saw him sugaring his drinks, so why was he now stealing muffins?
***
The dinner was delicious, yet it felt like ash inside his mouth.
Okay, at this point Max couldnât lie to himself anymore. David still wasnât at the dinner. But that wasnât the worst fact. It was Gwen, anxiously glancing a few times at a chair where the man was usually sitting.
So something had to be wrong.
Max had never stayed for the Christmas break, so he didnât know if this was normal. And asking other students seemed like a bad idea. So this probably left two options possible â ignoring it and asking some teacher about it.
And damn, Max wanted to ignore it. But he couldnât â even the simple idea of doing it was making him twitch internally, with his stomach churning painfully. So yeah, that was out of the question. Which left the more stressful option â asking someone about it.
(And this option had a high risk of accidentally revealing himself and Max didnât want that.)
His best shot was Gwen. Of course he could always ask Daniel (as he was also friends with David â how was still beyond Maxâs mind comprehension), but the teacher hated him, so maybe this wasnât the best route here.
It took Max a few hours to find the courage to walk through the castle to Gwenâs office.
However he never reached it, because one voice stopped him:
âMax, can you come with me for a second? I need to talk with you about something.â
Shit, it was crazy Daniel, staring at him with that cold, deadly look.
Max didnât have any good excuse that would help him escape the man, so he only nodded and followed Daniel into the Dungeons from which he had come out just a few minutes ago.
Their steps echoed loudly in the empty, stone corridors, accompanied by drops of water dripping somewhere in the darkest corners of this place. Not even once did the blond teacher glance back to check if Max was following him, but Max didnât mind.
And way too soon they were stepping into Danielâs dark office, illuminated only by a lone candle standing almost too close to the edge of the desk.
âPlease sit down.â
Max was too familiar with this place. He had spent too many hours here â hours filled with Daniel giving him detentions, talking about his bad behavior or giving him long, boring lectures about acting his age. So he sat down on the used chair, feeling the familiar seat beneath himself.
Daniel circled the desk, flicked through a few pages of the open book he had there and then sat down. He intertwined his fingers and hid his mouth behind them.
Max put one leg on another and threw one hand on the backrest.
âSo what did I do this time?â He asked.
Because this had to be it. Max didnât know what he could have done wrong, what kind of thing pissed Daniel off now, but he must have done something to land here once again. He didnât know what, but Daniel probably had no problem finding a small, unimportant reason.
However Daniel blinked, looking kinda taken aback.
âIâm not here because I have done something?â Max asked, raising his eyebrow.
âNo, not this time.â The Potions teacher said, shaking his head a little. âI brought you here to ask for a⊠favor of sort.â
Favor? Daniel asking him for a favor?
Did Max die and was in hell? Because it had to be it. But where could he die? Maybe he had fallen from the tower and everything after that had been some weird, messed-up seconds of beautiful dreams before fully slipping away from this world? It was a possibility. A high possibility, because Daniel would never ask Max for help.
Plus he didnât really want to do it.
âFavor?â Max parroted.
âOr more like David is asking for a favor from you.â
Maxâs heart skipped a long, painful beat, knocking on the chest heavily. He was fucking sure Daniel could hear it! Because there was no way the man hadnât heard that!
So something indeed was wrong. This lone thought made Max flinch, made him shiver and tremble internally. He didnât want that. He didnât want for anything to be wrong.
âWhat happened?â Max found himself asking, letting his hand drop and leaning forward, closer to the desk and to the man.
Now it was Danielâs turn to raise his eyebrow. He sighed and then flattened his hands on the desk.
âDavid is feeling⊠under the weather nowadays.â Daniel stated, stopping in the middle and looking around, like he searched for a perfect word to use in this situation. âSo he is asking if you could take care of his plants in the greenhouses?â
Max was⊠lost. His brain stopped working for a second and only came back again after he blinked a few times. But no, Daniel was still sitting there, behind the desk, and staring intently at him.
And Max wasnât sure how to respond. On one hand he was kinda happy about it, kinda even proud that David asked Max to help him around the greenhouse. But on the other hand he was terrified. Because it had to be really bad, if David wasnât able to take care of his precious plants. And Max was scared of failing.
Because, to be honest, he didnât have a green thumb. Back at home he hadnât even remembered to water the only one plant he had had in his room and suddenly now he was supposed to be taking care of the whole greenhouse?
That was a great responsibility and Max really didnât want to let David down.
âWhy me?â He asked instead.
âI donât know either.â Daniel stated the truth, and damn Max really felt his hand twitch, only to curl into a fist under the desk. âHe asked me to ask you.â
âWhy wonât you do it?â
Danielâs eye twitched. He tapped one finger on the counter rhythmically.
âThe plants in the greenhouse⊠donât like me that much.â
Oh, to be honest that was really gratifying. Max wasnât sure whether plants in Davidâs greenhouses liked him either, but knowing that they didnât like the blond haired teacher was a very pleasant thought.
(Okay, it was a very amazing feeling, spreading through his chest like some kind of a virus.)
Max tried really hard to not show any emotions on his face, but he couldnât stop the small twitch of his mouth. Daniel probably noticed it, because he furrowed his eyebrows and opened his mouth. Mas was expecting some kind of a snarky, unkind remark, but then the man sighed loudly and pinched the bridge of his nose.
âListen, Max. I just need an answer. Will you do it?â
Will Max do it? He wanted to do it, to somehow repay the kindness David had given and showed him, but he was terrified.
âI donât know anything about his plants. I donât know how to take care of them.â Max finally answered truthfully, slumping and sliding down the chair a little bit.
Daniel moved the hand back and put it into his pocket to take out a folded piece of parchment. He passed it to Max, who hesitantly grabbed it and opened.
It was an instruction â a pretty long one â which described what someone should do at specific hours, which plant should be watered, where to move them, which flower needed this or that potion and which had to be placed in shadowed spaces. It also had a small annotation where the utensils and gardening tools were hidden.
Max blinked. Everything was well thoroughly written there, step after step, in an easy, kinda sloppy, way.
Max swallowed hard. He could sense the stress pulling on his nerves, but it was also mixed with something else. Some kind of assurance and a spark of need of responsibility bursting behind his eyes.
âSo?â Daniel asked, leaning back and crossing his hands.
Max could see he was displeased with the whole situation â probably the most humiliating thing he had done in his entire life was asking Max, of all people, for help.
Max took a deep breath and then folded the paper back.
âI need some keys, right?â
***
The door opened with a low croak and a whine when he pushed it and stepped into the humid greenhouse.
In the dim light of the afternoon Max could see a shift in the background, a slow movement of leaves, vines and petals fluttering around. Several flies buzzed in the air, circling Maxâs head as he swatted them away. He lifted his hand and casted Lumos â a simple, blue ball floated above him, lightening up the place.
The Flutterby bush on Maxâs left quivered and shook as he passed it to get further into the greenhouse.
The place without David happily singing around felt devastated, kinda scary, but mostly lonely. It seemed ten times darker, with the shadows dancing around as Max stepped above the vine and then jumped over a root sticking from the ground.
He could sense a few plants turning their pods and leaves at him, but he decided to ignore them. If they attacked him, he could always defend himself. However he really didnât want to harm any of Davidâs precious plants â especially as he wasnât feeling well nowadays.
They never had been hostile towards him, but also David always had been with him here. Now he was all alone, trying to do something at which he wasnât good.
But he wanted to do it. He wanted to thank David somehow, to make him feel a little bit better and allow him to take his time to rest and then return back in the future, being the bright sunshine he always was.
Max took out the parchment and read through it one more time, even though he had already done it like fifty times.
He found every tool he needed and started working, moving around the thick atmosphere of the greenhouse and doing every task he should do during the afternoon and evening.
A few plants swished around him, almost peeking (if plants could peek) at him curiously, trying to decipher what he was doing and why it felt so different and unfamiliar.
Max only smiled sadly at them and then shook his head, moving the watering can to another pot.
It took a few hours to finish all the task he had to do. The sky turned black and the birds already left the place, leaving him accompanied only by the sounds of swishing around vines and leaves. When he was done, he hid everything in its rightful place, ran through the list one more time and then walked around the greenhouse to see if anything needed his assistance. Oh, there was one tilted bush which he put back in its straight position. There was also one flower which was bent, so Max took a stick and tied a thin thread around it and stalk, making it stand proudly once again. In the light coming from the orb above him he didnât see any more anomalies, so he slowly moved to the exit and stepped outside, closing the door softly after himself.
***
Okay, waking up so early definitely wasnât comfortable. If David had to do it every day, then no wonder he had bags under his eyes.
The early morning wind nipped painfully on Maxâs nose and his fingers, so he fastened his pace and in just a few minutes he was in front of the door and taking out the keys. Opening the door now took way more strength, but it was probably due to the coldness of the night which had frozen the hinges.
Max stepped into the humid greenhouse, smiling at the emanating warmness which transferred to his skin.
A few leaves waggled, almost in a waving motion, shivering and bending around. Max clasped his hands, brushed them together to get some feeling back and then slipped on the gloves David had given him.
The morning routine was kinda shorter â or maybe Max felt like that, because now it didnât take him twice as much time to find the needed things, tools, plants and rows. A few flowers even wiggled happily when the crystal clear water was poured on them (the note said that he should pour water on them and not only on soil) and it weirdly made Max vibrate inside.
The birds returned and flew above the glass ceiling, chirping and fluttering their wings.
Max moved to the small pot standing in the corner and watered it, bending down in the process. The plantâs leaves were kinda brown and it didnât look like it was in the best condition.
It would probably break Davidâs heart to see it like this.
âSorry, bud. Hope youâll feel better.â Max said, not really sure why he was speaking in the first place. He wasnât sure whether the plants could hear him, but he had seen David doing it so many times that the words slipped almost naturally from his mouth.
Maybe it was his imagination, but he could almost see the plant twitch after the words had left his mouth.
(It had to be Maxâs brain playing tricks on him.)
He shook his head and stood up.
Though a few more times his mouth slipped and he found himself talking to the plants. Those werenât big conversations, but simple words and sentences. Sometimes it felt like he had a response and sometimes not. Though once he had to scold one tree, because Max was sure it lifted its root just to make him trip.
He finished his tasks, took off his gloves â now dirty with soil, water and other different things â and then moved to the exit.
âSee ya later.â
***
At some point Max fully stopped caring that he was talking with the plants. To be honest he was kinda lonely â without Nikki and Neil here, he didnât have that many other friends with whom he could speak and most of them were at home anyway.
And if he had to be honest with himself, the greenhouse was calming him. Waking up in the morning was still a pain in the ass. However Max felt some kind of euphoria and fulfillment when one day a small pod leaned in his hand when he had scratched it.
Max was glad no one saw him smiling under his nose.
A few other plants also moved closer to his touch and Max felt accomplished â to this point one day he came here for a few more additional hours to do his homework.
But there was one plant with which Max had problems. It was the Venomous Tentacula. He had always felt some kind of hostility the plant emanated towards him. But to be honest, it didnât like anyone, beside David, in the end. The Tentacula hadnât tried to do him any harm on the first day, but kinda had scared Max with a sudden movement of its vines. After that he had been extra careful around it, keeping his distance in case it would try to do something. But it didnât.
It looked down, really. The leaves were hanging sadly on the branches, swirling around whenever a small gust of wind passed them as Max opened the door, but other than that the Tentacula didnât move much.
It was kinda sad to look at that.
Max wasnât sure why he started to speak to it one afternoon. But to be honest the stress was eating at his nerves and he had no one with whom he could talk so openly. And somehow his heart poured so naturally from his mouth.
âI miss him too.â He mumbled, bending the water can and pouring water on soil around the Venomous Tentacula. âI know you would prefer David instead of me, but at least crazy Daniel isnât the one doing it.â This brought a small smile to his face. âThough I kinda want to see him doing it.â
There was a flutter behind him, something similar to a laughter.
Max snickered under his nose and then moved the water can away. He grabbed a few vials and looked at them. He popped both open and then started to pour the insides on the ground, drop after drop, alternately.
âI also would prefer if he was here, you know? Without his giddy mood itâs kinda empty and lonely here.â Then like an afterthought, he added. âBut donât tell him that.â
The Tentacula didnât move.
âI miss him walking around here. I miss seeing his dopey smile. I miss the happiness Iâm feeling whenever I am around him. I miss him excitedly talking about random things. I miss seeing him almost cry when some student gets a bad grade. I miss his kindness. I miss so many simple things.â Max snorted. âShit, itâs so stupid of me, pouring my heart out to you.â He added in a whisper, closing his eyes for a brief moment. âSorry you had to listen to it. Iâll try not to do it in the future.â
The Tentacula still didnât move and Max didnât expect it to.
***
In the afternoon of the last day of the year David still wasnât back. Max spent the last few hours in the greenhouse, doing his tasks and reading a book. At some point he sensed a movement to his right and saw a few plants bending in his direction.
âSeriously?â Max stared at them with one lifted eyebrow.
They twirled their leaves, pods, and roots, and Max could only sigh in return. He moved his chair closer to them and moved the orb of light closer to himself.
âIf you tell anyone that I did this, I will personally cut all of you.â
And he started reading to them.
In the end he spent way too many hours in the greenhouse, to this point he could actually hear the fireworks being sent to the sky. Max had heard about them, but never had seen them. He closed the book and stood up, moving through the greenhouse in search for a perfect place to look at the fireworks from the inside.
He found a neat place from which the sparkly bursts were pretty visible and he stood there, staring at them in kinda childish awe. They shimmered and glimmered nicely in the dark sky, appearing, only to disappear during the next few seconds, leaving only a cloud of smoke and nice memories after themselves.
Oh, David would like them.
Max felt something sliding up his hand â and he had a giant urge to twitch and shake it off, but he knew better not to do that. He only glanced down to see, in the dim light, the Venomous Tentaculaâs vine wrapping itself around his wrist and sliding further up his arm.
It didnât look like it tried to hurt him and more like it sought comfort than anything else.
Max let it slide a few inches higher and then moved his other hand to pat it softly on the vine.
âHeâll be back soon.â He said softly.
Max wasnât wrong.
***
Max walked through the grounds, stepping onto the old footprints and holding his hands under his armpits. His breath was coming out in thick, dense puffs, floating around his head.
Tomorrow the school was starting, so both Nikki and Neil should be back today. Well, now it was probably too early for them to be back yet.
But there was a more prominent problem. Or more like a worry. The classes were starting and David wasnât anywhere in sight.
(And Max had something special for him, a teeny-tiny present he had ordered one evening.)
What if something really terrible had happened to him? Maybe he wonât be back for a few weeks or months? But if that was the case, then crazy Daniel would tell him, right? Max definitely hoped so as he tried to bury the dark thoughts swarming in his mind. He had to stay a little bit positive, but it was so hard. How could David do it almost all the time?
Max took out the keys, picked the right one, put it into the lock, only to find out it wasnât moving.
What the hell? Had someone broken in? But why? Why would anyone want to steal something from the greenhouse? Besides Davidâs plant, there werenât that many important things.
Wait.
With a loudly beating heart Max grabbed the handle, pushed it and opened the door with too much force than probably necessary. But damn, how could he not, when there was a slim chance, a small spark of hope that he would be â
David was inside, holding a giant bucket in both of his hands. When Max so haphazardly entered, the teacher lifted his head and looked at him. And even though Max could see the dark bags under his eyes (so terribly, terrifyingly big), David grinned at him and oh! â everything seemed so much better.
âHey, Max! Beautiful morning, donât you think so?â
Max stepped inside, still staring with wide eyes at the man.
âYouâre hereâŠâ He mumbled.
âI sure am!â David said and then put the bucket away. He raised his hand and brushed his cheek, smearing the dirt there during this process. âOh no, you had to wake up early today to come here! Iâm sorry, I should have informed you somehow.â
Max shook his head, letting out a soft chuckle. He hasnât even been here for two minutes and David still managed to start worrying about him, even though nothing that bad really had happened.
âYouâre impossible.â Max said, raising his hand and combing it through his curls.
âMe?â David asked, tilting his head. âIâm sorry, but I donât think I get⊠what you mean.â
Max shook his head one more time and then moved forward.
âDid you already water the north greenhouse?â
***
âMax, I missed you!â It was Nikki, almost choking him to death as she had thrown herself at him when he had been in the middle of the dinner.
Max coughed, feeling as the grip on his throat was tightening with every passing second as Nikki brought him closer for a tight hug. He patted her shoulder, hoping that maybe she would free him.
âNik, he canât breathe.â Neil said, stopping next to him.
âOh sorry.â The girl said and then finally moved away.
Max took a deep, sweet, delicious breath, feeling his lungs swelling up. He put his hand on his chest and only then finally turned to them.
âHey.â
Neil waved with a soft smile tugging on his lips and then flopped down on his right. Nikki swirled and sat on the other side of Maxâs.
âHow was your sweet break without your parents?â The green haired girl asked, tilting her head. Her hair was tied with the small, red hair ties with tiny, cute reindeers.
For a brief moment Max thought about telling them the truth, but decided against it. At least for now, because he didnât want to tell his story out loud in the Great Hall, where everyone could hear him. So yeah, this story had to wait for another time.
âGreat, and yours?â He said instead.
Nikki jumped into wild stories about her break, filled with snow, sledding, eating cookies, pissing off the neighborâs dog, and spending hours in front of the TV. Then Neil told him what he had done â and the story definitely wasnât as exciting as Nikkiâs, but it still sounded pleasant â however most of it was filled with homework.
âOh yeah, I forgot about doing it.â Nikki said at the end.
Neil facepalmed and groaned loudly. Max snickered under his nose.
He liked spending time alone, but spending it with his friends was good too.
***
Max took a deep breath, fingers tapping rhythmically on the teeny-tiny pot in his hands.
To be honest he kinda felt like vomiting â with his stomach clenching unnaturally and painfully inside his body. He knew it was stupid and he shouldnât even feel like that, but he couldnât stop.
Because what if David doesnât like it? What if Max makes a fool out of himself? What if he â
No, he had to do it. He wanted to do it, even though he was terrified.
Max stepped inside the greenhouse, exhaling slowly and feeling the hot, thick air warming up his skin. Or maybe it was only an explanation he wanted to believe. Because there could be ten thousand other reasons why his cheeks were suddenly so warm.
âHey, Max, youâre early!â David said, peeking from his office and smiling like the brightest star in the galaxy.
Max felt like he could faint. His tongue seemed like it was made from heavy, dense lead and for a brief moment he couldnât speak.
But David quickly disappeared back into his office and Max could breathe normally again. Or at least almost normally. His one hand fidgeted and he could feel that it was sweating quite a lot.
Damn, he was nervous.
However David had done so much for him, so it was almost natural to pay the favor back.
So gathering the last few sparks of bravery still roaming around his body, he closed his eyes, inhaled slowly and then moved to Davidâs office.
The teacher was in the middle of gathering the gardening supplies, when Max cleared his throat.
David straightened his back and glanced at him.
âEverything okay, Max?â He stepped forward, putting the tools away and brushing his gloved hands to get rid of the dirt residing there. âYou look kinda stressed.â
For a moment Max lost all coherent thoughts his brain had possessed just a few seconds ago when David looked back at him, with that worried and hesitant smile tugging on his lips. But then Maxâs fingers twitched, sensing the smooth structure under them and somehow he found some shadows of words inside his mind.
âYeah, Iâm okay.â Max said, patting himself on the back in his mind that he didnât stutter. âI just⊠I mean⊠what you did really means a lot to me ââ
David tilted his head and the worried tone in his grin was replaced with kind amusement.
âYes?â
âAnd I⊠I meanâŠâ Fuck, Max was lost, with his eyes jumping around and hands fidgeting in place. He was a disaster. A mess. But he was a mess with a job and he would be damned if he didnât do it. âShit, justâ Itâs for you!â And with that Max pushed a small, potted succulent in Davidâs direction.
He closed his eyes, but found the curiosity being bigger than any other emotion storming through his chest, so he slowly peeked open his one eye.
David stared with wide eyes at the small pot that was almost touching his chest. He lifted his hands and took the plant from Maxâs palms â their hands brushed for a moment and Maxâs heart jumped high in his throat â to bring it closer to his face.
âItâs for⊠me?â David slowly asked, licking his lips first.
Max nodded and only then answered:
âYeah. Thanks⊠for everything.â
David opened his mouth and it looked like he wanted to say something, but it all died down when a single tear rolled down his cheek.
What?
Max snapped his head up, only to see the tears gathering in his teacherâs eyes. His heart dropped painfully down, hammering against his chest in some sick, terrific symphony.
âOh, fuck, sorry Daâ Mister David, I didnât mean to⊠I mean if you donât like it, you can throw it away or I donât know just give it toââ
âI love it.â
âOf course I wonât be maâ Wait, what?â
âI love it, Max.â David whispered, lifted his one hand and softly patting the leaf with the mouth stretching into the happiest smile Max had seen in probably a month. Small, teeny-tiny dimples appeared in the corners, catching a few tears that sometimes streamed down the cheeks.
Max felt his throat constricting and lungs clenching with his stomach making a weird backflip inside his body.
âReally?â Max asked, literally dumbfounded.
David nodded and brought the small plant closer to his face, only to snuggle it to his tearâstained cheek.
âYeah, itâs the most adorable present Iâve ever got.â Then the teacher blinked and sniffed. âYou didnât have to do it.â
âI know, butâŠâ Max lifted his hand and scratched the back of his head, looking away for a moment. He could sense the heat raising to his cheek and he tried to muster all his body cells to calm down. â⊠I just wanted to do it.â
David looked up at him, and even though a few drops still rolled down his red cheeks, he looked like the happiest person in the whole word.
âThanks, Max. Iâll treasure it.â
And somehow Max wasnât surprised that he fell for David more.
***
âYou did what?â Neil asked, raising his voice.
Max put a finger to his lips and tried to shush the Ravenclaw student a little. They were still in the castle and even though it didnât look like there were that many people around, they could never be sure who was lurking around.
And the castle was full of too curious and noisy people.
âA little quieter, will you?â Max said, glaring at his friend.
Nikki looked surprised too and to be honest Max was kinda astonished she hadnât been the one to shriek right now, but Neil. Usually she was the one to excitedly (or not excitedly) react to some news.
And yeah, Max had just told them that he had taken care of Davidâs greenhouse. Of course he hadnât told them every detail, but the most important facts from the story.
âWait, David gave you gloves?â Nikki finally asked, shaking her head first from whatever dreamland she had stepped into.
âUhm yeah?â
âDude, my teachers never gave me any presents. Maybe I should get a detention at Davidâs.â Nikki mumbled, looking up at the ceiling and scratching her chin.
She swayed back on the chair and for a brief moment Max almost saw her flipping back and falling down, but gladly it didnât happen.
âBut just how?â Neil asked, staring at him with bewilderment swirling around his eyes.
Max shrugged.
âI did everything the list said.â
And it was the honest truth. He mostly had done what the sentences written there had pointed him to do. The fact that he had done some additional things didnât need to be said.
âBut like⊠by yourself? No one forced you to do it?â
Maxâs brow twitched.
âIs it so hard to believe?â
âI mean, kinda ââ
âNeil, itâs because it was David.â Nikki butted into the conversation, grinning from ear to ear like a madman and glancing a few times at Max with that malicious glint.
Okay, you know what? On the other hand, he loved the peace without his friends in the castle. Especially right now.
Neil blinked and then glanced at the green haired girl. There was a sudden snap in his façade and the surprise immediately disappeared, replaced by full understatement.
âOh yeah, now it makes sense.â
Yeah, now Max really was astonished how he could had missed them in the first place.
***
It was a calm afternoon filled with soft brushes of leaves moving in the greenhouse, delicate light coming from the candles and spells floating above their heads and warm hums coming from Davidâs lips.
It was one of those afternoons, when a lone thought invaded Maxâs mind. Lately more often and often he had to brush it away, sweep it under a carpet, and hide it behind the door.
Although that said he started to like doing it. He started to like spending time in the greenhouse. He started to enjoy the company of the colorful plants, which lately started to turn to him and touch his skin. He started to find peace in the atmosphere and mostly in the presence near him.
He liked spending time with David.
And it was dangerous.
Of course, in the past he had had detention with David, but they had been shorter and he had still been a kid â kinda confused with his feelings that had swarmed his mind and heart back then.
And now he was older, turning into an adult in just a few days.
Oh, right, his birthday. It wasnât that far away. It was even too close in Maxâs opinion.
Max didnât really like his birthday. Or to be more precise he often forgot about it. He didnât understand why people made such a big deal out of it. Or at least he had thought so until he had met Nikki and Neil â for whom not celebrating the birthdays was a grave sin.
But even Max had to admit that this year was different. Because this year he will become an adult. Or well, at least this was what the wizarding worldâs laws said.
(There was some small spark of enthusiasm inside his chest, but Max tried really hard to forget about it.)
And on such a normal, calm, peaceful and beautiful afternoon David dropped the bomb.
âMax?â
The teen hummed and then sprayed another leave with a mixture of some potions. Gladly David understood that he was listening and continued:
âYou know⊠you helped me a lot nowadays and I thought that maybe we should shorten your detention?â
Max literally slipped, while standing, and almost crashed face first into the Valerians he was spraying. The flowers fluttered under his force. Gladly he somehow caught himself in time.
âW-what?â Max stuttered, looking back, only to find David staring back at him.
âI mean⊠you worked so hard through the whole detention and then you helped me during the Christmas break, so I thought it would be fair to let you off the hook earlier.â
But stopping the detention earlier meant stopping meeting David so often and, damn, that thought, that lone, terrible thought made Maxâs insides squeeze painfully, twisting and curling like they were put under the Incarcerous Spell.
Max stared intently at the teacher to the point David blinked and then looked away, hesitantly with hands brought closer to his chest, fiddling with the small shovel resting in his palms. The eyes which had leaped to the floor, returned to stare back at Max unsurely.
âYou donât want that?â
No. Max didnât want that. But the Max David knew would never say that. The Max David probably was familiar with would grab the first chance with both hands to run away from this place. The Max would grin at that idea and then bid farewell, while exiting the door, not even letting David finish.
But he⊠he didnât want that.
What to do, what to do, how to plan his next movement to not accidentally shorten his detention? Oh God, even Max couldnât believe he was thinking about it. Why was he acting so weird around David? Why could this man make Max do things he wouldnât normally do! Like trying hard to make someone happy!? Or care for some plants? Or be happy after simply seeing someone!?
Why!?
But, God, he didnât want to stop it. Max didnât want to stop seeing that smile which made him all warm inside. He didnât want to stop hearing this delicate, kind voice around him. He didnât want to stop the heavy beating of his heart â that felt so alive and full and vivid and amazing.
âNo.â Max finally said. âI almost destroyed the corridor I⊠I deserve it.â Though that wasnât the full truth, but it was the closest to it, the closest to the truth that could make David change his mind. âPlus I donât think Mister Daniel will agree.â He had a horrific habit of making Maxâs life miserable for his own amusement and fun.
âIâm sure, if I talk with him ââ
âNo, itâs okay I donâtâŠâ Max licked his lips. âI donât mind.â
David blinked and then the gentle smiled surged onto his mouth, wavering a little, but holding strongly in the end nevertheless.
âO-okay, if thatâs what you want.â
Max shrugged, trying not to show that this was exactly what he wanted, and returned to his work.
***
âWhere is Neil?â Max asked, breathing at his hands to try to warm them up a little bit.
âUhm⊠he went to some shop to buy uhm⊠a cauldron?â Nikki, next to him, mumbled, casting her gaze away with a hesitant smile tugging at her lips.
Suspicious.
The two of them walked through the snowy streets of Hogsmeade, maneuvering around students and other people who also visited this place. The happy chatters floated above the crowd, mingling with shouts and chirps of birds perched on the nearest branches. A man and woman on the right were arguing loudly about the prices of eelâs eyes that were staring at the people passing them by. On the left two lone boys were standing with their noses and cheeks glued to the window of Honeydukes, surrounded by the heavenly smell.
Max sighed and looked up at the gray sky. Damn, not enough sun today. He wondered if David moved the Flitterblooms so they would get enough sunlight. But knowing this guy, this was probably the first thing he had done today morning. Oh, wait, the drying petals probably should be moved â
Max felt a heavy tug and stepped away, missing being stomped by a horse.
âWatch out!â Nikki shouted, way too late.
If she didnât drag him away, Max would actually be lying under the horseâs hooves, probably also in pain.
âOh, sorry, got lost in my thoughts.â Max mumbled.
âYeah, I can see. I fucking hope that they were filled with David at least.â
âLouder, Nikki.â
âI hope they were fiââ
In this very moment Max slapped his hand over Nikkiâs mouth, silencing her.
âThat wasnât a challenge.â
The girl grinned and then licked his hand, leaving a wet, disgusting trail of saliva on his skin.
âYuck! Nikki!â
Max brushed his hand on her coat and then both of them entered the Three Broomsticks.
Neil appeared almost forty minutes later, trying and failing miserably to hide a package that was clearly sticking out from his backpack. Max eyed it suspiciously and only hummed in reply to Neilâs greeting, taking a few big sips of a butterbeer standing in front of him.
Nikki already had finished two mugs.
âWhat were you doing?â Max asked instead, from behind his mug.
âBuying new quills, ink and parchment.â
Max hummed in reply, glancing at the girl. He didnât point out the obvious fact that their stories were different. Of course he could, but why should he? They had to have their reasons to not tell the full truth to him, and Max, even though he didnât like it, respected it. To some point that was.
Plus something told him that it had to do with the package in Neilâs bag, standing secure between his legs, so no one would focus on it too hard or try to take a peek.
Damn, at first Max wasnât interested in it, but when Neil tried to hide it so hard he kinda was curious what was inside.
But till the end of their Hogsmeade trip Max hadnât once been able to even get a look from where the package had come from.
It was so irritating!
***
âI donât think it was your fault.â David suddenly said, without any sign that he was going to suddenly start speaking.
Max glanced at him and then moved the cup away from his mouth.
âWhat wasnât my fault?â Max asked, having no idea what his teacher was babbling about.
To be honest Max had no idea about most of the things David was talking about. Most of which were related to the Muggle world. There were times when David would suddenly jump into long talks about this or that â like, what the heck even was an Apple phone? Max had no idea, but David could talk for almost half an hour about the differences between it and An⊠Anâsomething.
(Max liked listening to David, seeing him so openly talking about random things, especially after the break.)
But this was on a whole other level.
âThe fight.â David said, glancing down at the cup of tea he had in his hands. âI mean the one that gave you this detention. Not all the other ones.â
Max snorted and put his own cup away, next to the gloves David had given him.
âI did destroy the corridor.â He stated, lifting his one leg and resting the ankle on the knee. âOr almost destroyed.â
âI know, butâŠâ David swirled the cup in his hand. âI donât think you would do it without a reason.â
Max smirked under his nose, rested his elbow on the table next to him, only to put his chin on his palm and glance at the teacher sitting next to him.
âLike what?â He asked.
He kinda expected to play a little game with David â with the teacher trying to guess the correct answer and Max denying every one, simply because he didnât expect David to even guess right.
Yet the man did, on the very first try.
âLike you wanted to protect someone.â
Maxâs heart hammered loudly and his chin almost slipped from the palm, but he gladly and miraculously somehow remained in his place, not doing much beside twitching, which definitely had to give him away.
David looked at him.
âWhat happened?â He asked, staring right into Maxâs eyes and damn â
David could break every wall Max had put around himself. He could in mere seconds destroy every barrier put in front of Maxâs mind. He could smash to pieces every resolution Max had in himself.
Max swallowed hard, feeling as his stomach churned under this gaze, with his heart playing a symphony inside his skull.
âYou know, the usual. Wizards from magical families bullying people from not fully magical ones.â He stated.
David blinked.
âBut you areââ
Max quickly closed his eyes and shook his head slowly.
âNot me. ButâŠâ
Should he say the truth? But wizards teasing other people due to their blood relations wasnât anything new. It was happening around the whole castle every day. Max never had offended anyone because of their ancestry, simply because he didnât give a flying fuck about such stupid shit.
But some people did.
And during that day it had been one of the worse encounters.
â⊠Nikki.â Max finally said, glancing away for a second. âI guess it was just a bad day for everyone. Pikeman and his stupid friends stopped us and started insulting her. Usually those things donât get to her, but that day⊠they kinda did. So I gave them a piece of my mind, which they didnât like and wellâŠâ
He remembered the anger surging through his veins as he had listened to their venomous and spiteful words. Oh how much he had wanted to strangle them, to grip their necks and choke hard. How much he had wanted to make them scream in fear. How much he had wanted to make them pay for what they had said and done.
Maybe Max sometimes acted bad, maybe he sometimes forgot about anniversaries, maybe there were times when he said something mean to his friends without meaning to do so. He had made so many mistakes, errors. He had tripped so many times on the road of trying to be a friend. He had done so many things that he would change right now.
But he wouldnât change his friends.
And he didnât regret what he had done that night.
âWere youâŠâ David licked his lip nervously. â⊠the first one to attack?â
âNo.â Max quickly said. âNiksslip did. He casted Confringo.â There was an audible gasp coming from his right. âBut missed.â
âMax, they should be gravely punished for what they did!â David almost shrieked with hand moving to his mouth. âSuch kinds of spells shouldnât be cast at each other in the castle!â
Max shrugged.
âThen you donât know about half of the things which are happening around the castle when the teachers arenât looking.â
David stood up suddenly.
âI need to talk about it with Daniel.â And with that he marched to the exit.
Or well he would do it, if Maxâs hand didnât shoot forward and catch his wrist, preventing him from moving further.
âDavâ Mister David, no.â Max said, raising his head and staring at the red haired teacher.
âMax, they need to be punished for what they did. Iâ I canât allow students to get hurt! I canât allow them to feel like they donât belong here when they do!â David whimpered, trying to break his hand free and get to the door.
âNow there is nothing you can do. You can only make things worse.â Max said with his mouth pinched in a tight line, frowning at David who was struggling to escape the grip.
âBut I have to do something!â David tugged harshly, but Max did too.
âYou canât.â Max said, raising his voice maybe too high, definitely having a tone that was inappropriate while talking with teachers, but he didnât care. âIt all happened a few months ago. We all healed and moved on. There is no use in going back and opening old wounds.â
David stopped struggling and lifted his face a little to stare at Max.
Something in Davidâs disheartened façade broke Maxâs heart, made his breath stop in the middle of his throat, made him choke on this little bit of oxygen still residing in his lungs.
(He hated that look.)
Max loosened his grip on Davidâs wrist and with some fear noticed that the skin there turned pink. He kinda expected the man to retrieve his hand quickly, maybe even dart to the exit, but nothing like this happened. David was still staring at him with this devastated and miserable look on his face.
It didnât fit him.
âBesides I think I punished them enough. They will definitely remember my Fiendfyre for some time.â Max slowly said, putting a mischievous smile on his lips, hoping and praying that this way he could â
Oh, David chuckled. He laughed softly under his nose, closing his eyes and barely moving his shoulder.
It was a sweet sound, which tickled Maxâs chest and made him breathe once again, filling his lungs with delicious air.
They stayed like that for a few seconds, with Max holding Davidâs wrist and the teacher not moving away, when the male opened his mouth once again.
âYou did it again.â He said softly, voice barely above a whisper.
âDid what?â Max asked, raising his one eyebrow, not sure what the other one meant.
âAlmost called me by my first name.â
Oh shit.
âIâm sorryââ Max quickly jumped to excusing himself, apologizing for the slip, but he was even faster interrupted by Davidâs giggles.
âNo, donât worry. I donât mind.â He said, opening his eyes and staring at him. âI kinda like it.â
Maxâs heart beat loudly as he snapped his head up and looked back at David who was smiling softly back at him. He could hear it resonating in his ears. He could hear it hammering almost painfully in his chest. He could almost hear it echoing on the glassy walls of the greenhouse.
He was almost sure David and every plant here could hear it.
David slowly retracted his hand.
âWe should get back to work. We need to cut Aconitesâ roots to dry them!â
It took Max a few seconds or maybe minutes to collect himself.
***
It was a day like any other.
Or at least Max thought it would be a day like any other. Because it started normally. He woke up, went to wash himself, put on more or less clean clothes, grabbed a few essentials for the morning classes and then slowly walked through the Slytherin common room to the Great Hall to eat much needed breakfast.
It was a day like any other.
Not counting the colorful streamers which were suddenly blown into his face, coming from both sides as he literally just sat down. The green, red, blue and yellow papers swirled for a few seconds around his head, blocking any way of seeing who actually had shot him â but he didnât need to see to know who it was.
Nikki and Neil. It had to be them. They were the only crazy ones who could have done that.
But why? Did they want to murder him by making him choke on the small bits and pieces of paper fluttering around and now even getting into his mouth?
âWhat the fuck?â Max mumbled, trying to get the glittery scraps from his eyes. Shit, noisy little fuckers, getting stuck in places they shouldnât even be touching.
And then he felt something being put on his head, messing up his black curls. And only when he managed to get the last few bits of  the rainbow colored paper off his face, he could fully see what was happening around him.
Nikki was grinning from ear to ear at him with Neil standing next to her, who also looked well⊠happy, but kinda hesitantly happy. Almost like he expected Max to suddenly draw his wand and cast Expelliarmus. But they werenât the only people here. There were also those two nerds from Ravenclaw with whom Max occasionally talked â Nerris and Harrison. There was also the other Neil â a tiny Hufflepuff, smiling at him, holding a ripped piece of paper. And of course, the most annoying of them all, Preston. Why was Nikki hanging with him anyway? Ah yeah, the same house and all that shit.
Max stared at them, eyeing everyone individually, until they opened their mouths and shouted:
âHappy Birthday!â
Oh.
Max stared at them, kinda pissed, kinda surprised and kinda â also â pleased.
Because they remembered.
And Max totally forgot. Yet again.
Max had to stare at them for a good minute, because they all started to look at each other nervously, whispering some questions and shrugging in replies.
âDid we get the wrong date?â The other Neil asked, standing on his tiptoes to whisper into Nerrisâ ear.
âNo, I think itâs the right one.â The girl answered, though she hesitantly glanced at Nikki and Neil.
âWe got it right. Donât worry, Max always acts like that.â Neil said, looking at them and pushing his glasses higher with a paper tube he had in his hands.
Max reached, grabbed a small piece of a tomato and flung it at his friend, who surprisingly dodged in time and the fruit hit a head of a random student behind Neil.
Max would say that he felt bad, but he didnât.
âAnd heâs back.â Neil murmured, apologizing then to the person assaulted by Maxâs tomato.
âFuck you.â
Neil smiled at him, shaking his head softly.
âYou may be an adult, but youâll never change.â
Max grinned.
***
This day was the same as any other, yet it was different for a whole other reason.
Everyone sat at the table with him and ate breakfast, talking irrepressibly about everything and nothing in particular. Nerris gave him the enchanted dices â that were rolling the number he would think about or close, so he could cheat. Harrison gave him a colorful cube that will definitely waste Maxâs endless hours while he will try to solve it. The other Neil gave him a book which described every constellation â poor guy probably thought Max was interested in them, but to be honest Max only had needed help with his homework. So thatâs why he had asked the other Neil about the stars. Preston probably beat everyone by giving him the dark glasses that, while being on a nose, would cast an illusion that he had a beard.
So even though the presents were lame, Max really loved each and every one of them.
Near the end of the breakfast, his family owl dropped a small package in front of him, together with a letter. But Max liked his good mood, so he only threw the present into his room before going to classes and deciding to check what his parents had sent him later.
Much later.
Through the day a few of his friends also wished him a happy birthday. Even a few teachers gave him best wishes while passing him in the corridor. Some even let him slack off a little bit.
The dinner and afternoon classes were spent in the same cheerful atmosphere.
Max simply felt happy, with the joy bubbling inside his chest and spreading to his limbs, overpowering his mind, to this point it was sometimes hard to maintain his usual emotionless façade.
(He felt like maybe his life wasnât that bad. He had good people around him, who loved and cherished him, so⊠yeah, it wasnât that bad.)
Max felt like nothing could destroy this day.
Life had a funny way of doing exactly that.
***
âAnd this is a present⊠from us!â
Max eyed the package suspiciously, but after a few seconds he grabbed it and brought it closer to himself. He got rid of the sparkling paper surrounding it and was met with a simple brown box underneath it.
Nikki gleamed at him, but Neil looked kinda nervous. Or very nervous. His hand fidgeted as he corrected his glasses, pushing them higher on his nose.
Max opened the package to stare at⊠a blue sweater. It had to be handâknitted, because the material was uneven in some places and crooked in others. But it was a sweater, made from the warmest wool he had ever felt â and the best written message at the very front.
(He had actually said it a few times in his life. Me? Sarcastic? Never!)
Max grabbed the sweater and took it out, only to see that beneath it there were at least seven more balls of yarn, two pairs of new needles and a frame. A plain white frame. But this single pearly white frame held a picture of the three of them, smiling at the camera. Or Neil and Nikki were smiling, Max was simply pleased.
They had made it during the vacation after their third year, when Max had run away from his home to crash at Neilâs house for a week.
That time had been a blast.
And yeah, maybe the present wasnât much. Maybe it was childish, kinda stupid for some people or just too cheesy, but Max could feel a soft, prickling sensation in the corners of his eyes.
âUh, the mistakes are mostly my fault. Knitting is not my thing.â Neil said, scratching his shoulder and staring everywhere, but at Max.
âThis is the worst present I ever got.â Max mumbled, then took off his robe, put on the most disgusting (amazing) sweater and threw his dark robe back on his shoulders.
âI think he likes it.â
Max decided not to answer, instead he palmed the material in his fingers, smiling stupidly at the soft sensation under his skin.
They sat on the wooden stairs directing them to the Clock Tower and talked about small things, unimportant things, important and difficult topics, putting in a few jokes from time to time and even sharing some deep secrets.
It was an amazing day.
But everything good had to come to an end.
âWell, well, well, what do we have here?â
Oh, Max immediately felt blood boiling inside his veins, storming through them with brute force.
âFuck off, Pikeman.â Max snarled, looking up the stairs at the very center of his hatred.
The said teen indeed stood there, staring down at them with his chin darted up.
âWell youâre standing in my way. And I want to walk down the stairs.â The male said, glancing at them and furrowing his eyebrows.
But of course he wasnât alone. His two dumb friends had to be with him. Niksslip and Petrol.
âThere is a lot of space next to us for your fat asses to walk down.â
Maybe Max shouldnât be so hostile right now, but the memories of the last fight were still vivid in his brain, were still swirling in his mind, were still reappearing in his nightmares, because what if he had been just a second too late, one small movement too short, one thought too slow â
Nikki glared at the trio, hand moving to her waist to rest protectively on her wand. Neil looked disinterested, but his hand was also close to his weapon. Even though the Ravenclaw was a major nerd, in dire times he didnât hesitate. And Nikki⊠Nikki was simply reckless.
Pikeman snorted in reply, but obediently started to walk down the stairs with his two friends following his every step.
They eyed each other suspiciously.
Max could feel the thick atmosphere on his lips, the electricity and anger swirling in the air between them. It looked like it only needed a small spark and then everything would start to burn.
His heart beat so loud, so spastically inside his ribcage, banging vehemently on his ribs. Max unclenched his fist (which he didnât know he had tightened) to relax it for a second, so he was ready to attack at any moment.
Pikeman, Niksslip and Petrol passed them and Max found pleasure in a sight of a scar on Pikemanâs face, which he was sure he had given him during the last fight.
Served him well.
âHow is your detention going?â Pikeman suddenly asked, stopping next to Max and staring at him with hands behind his back.
Max couldnât see the wand and wondered if it was already being held.
âGood. How is your pride?â
The red haired â so so different color from Davidâs warm one â maleâs eyebrow twitched as he glared down at Max, who still sat on the stairs.
âDefinitely better than your style.â
Billy snorted, but Petrol looked unfazed.
Max furrowed his eyebrows and his hand moved to the hip, but he held strongly.
âI donât think you should be talking about style with a face like yours.â
This time it was Nikkiâs turn to giggle. Neil simultaneously moved his palm to grab the handle of his wand.
There was a twitch in Pikemanâs body and Max was sure that he would attack, would draw his wand to cast something, anything, but everything remained in the thick air between them.
Pikeman didnât move forward though, he remained in his position, almost beside Max but still one or two steps higher.
âHilarious, Maxwell.â
Max smirked, like he just received a compliment.
But the boy didnât stop talking, he didnât stop to think that maybe it was all wrong to say or even mention. Or maybe he did that only to rile Max, to make him angry, to make him furious, to make him want to jump to his feet and kill the person right in front of him.
âBut please do tell me if Mister David is any good in bed. I may know a few people that would want to check those suspicions.â
Max felt like he was burning. Like he was sizzling with fire under his skin that wanted to explode and hurt the person standing right in front of him. He wanted to scream and throw himself at the male and strangle him and see the color drain from his face. He wanted to see Pikemanâs face twisting in agony with the fear rippling through his eyes.
Max wanted to see it all with his own eyes. But David would probably move past all of those bad things thrown at him, he would welcome them with a smile stretched over his lips and warm words.
So Max remained in his place, glaring at Pikeman with the hatred he felt emanating from every part of his body.
The boy had to know that he had hit a sensitive spot, because he continued.
âOh, why such an angry face?â The prolonged words hung in the air, slicing through it with perfect precision. âAre you jealous? Oh poor little Maxey! What? Even the good David didnât want you? But itâs not surprising ââ There was a dry chuckle leaving his lips. ââ who would want a fuck up like you, right?â
It hurt. It hurt like hell. But Max decided he wouldnât budge. Or at least not in the physical way.
âWell, your mother found someone.â Max said, quickly searching for the perfect words to use here. âSo I think I have a high chance actually in comparison ââ
âYou ââ
Pikeman moved, together with his two friends behind. Hands were pushing away the folds of the robes to grab the wands â
Surprisingly they werenât the first to attack.
Well maybe attack was too big word to describe this moment.
Surprisingly it was Neil who did it. But he didnât take out his wand. No, no. He did something else. He reached into his pocket, took out something glittery and then threw it at the trio that was already shouting some words under their breaths.
They were enveloped in a cloud of pink, glittery streamers.
âRun!â Neil shouted.
No one had to be told twice. Max grabbed his package and they all ran down the stairs as fast as their legs could take them.
Max could hear loud curses coming from behind them and when he glanced back, he saw the puff of pink dust dissipating. Pikemanâs face was red, blaring red, as he lifted his hand and cast a spell. Max wasnât sure what spell, but the only thing he knew was that it was too dangerous.
And yeah, fluttery, white light exploded near his head, leaving black, scorching soot on the stone wall.
Shit, it was bad.
âRun, run, run!â Max yelled, ushering his friend out the door while he grabbed the wand from his belt.
Only when Nikki and Neil were outside, Max glanced back. The trio were running down the stairs, glaring at them, all with wands in their hands. Max didnât have enough time to think thoroughly about the consequences of his actions as he casted an Impediment Jinx.
This time he didnât destroy anything, only slowed the trio down. But not for long.
Max jumped out of the building. They had maybe a few seconds or so. Not enough to get to the main part of the castle, but enough to hide.
They all searched for a perfect place, gasping and huffing loudly. Max felt the passing time on his skin as his eyes desperately searched for some safe hideout. And after five or so blissful seconds, Nikki pointed at a small, partially destroyed niche. Most of the walls were destroyed, with pieces of concrete lying on the ground. But at least half of it was still standing.
Plus it was in the direction of their escape.
The tree of them ran to the niche and hid behind a halfâbroken wall, crouching down, so not even an inch of their body would be visible.
Max could hear his heart inside his ears, beating loudly and almost stopping when he picked up the sound of the door to the Clock Tower bursting open.
âWhere are you!?â
Well Max definitely wasnât going to answer this question. And it looked like Neil and Nikki didnât really want to raise their hands either.
They could hear the steps outside, shuffling around the grounds in front of the tower, muttering curses to each other. There was a brief silence and then someone cast a spell, causing a small explosion of rocks nearby. Too close for comfort.
And Max suddenly thought that maybe their hideaway was the worst option here. Because if they found them, Max and his friends would have no place to run. They would have to duel â something Max didnât really want to do right now.
Because, to be honest, Pikeman and the rest were all a year higher than them and knew some highly offensive and dangerous spells. And Max didnât want to see his friends getting or being hurt.
Why oh why had he opened his mouth!? Maybe Pikeman was right. Maybe Max was a fuck up. Maybe he was a mess. His friends were in danger and it was Maxâs fault. They shouldnât suffer because of his stupid mistakes and even stupider choices.
Max took a deep breath when he heard the ground rumbling too close for comfort.
As much as Max could he turned around to Neil and Nikki and whispered.
âWait a little bit and then run.â
Neil was the first one to shake himself from the shock.
âMax, what are you ââ
But Max didnât hear the rest of the reply, as he jumped to his feet and leaped from their hiding place, leaving his present and friends behind. Miraculously, Pikeman and his band didnât look in his direction so he had a few additional seconds to run through the ground and get away from the hideout.
âHey dumbfuck!â Max shouted, holding a wand tightly in his palm.
The three of them immediately turned to him. Hands were put into motion, raised up to the sky and there was a soft glint of light â
Max wanted to say more, to rile Pikeman a little bit more, but it looked like he didnât need to.
Now he needed to get the hell out of here and hope, pray, that his friends will be okay.
So Max ran. He ran through the school grounds, feeling the cold winter air moving through his veins and the wind swishing past him, messing with his clothes and hair. It was so chilly, so freezing outside, but he barely felt it, with the adrenaline rushing through him and a few explosions appearing too close to him for comfort. The white snow crunched under him with every step he took â faster, faster, faster, far away, as far as he could â it was a sick cacophony inside his ears.
Max felt like he could faint, but he pushed his body to the limits, he forced his legs to move even though they were heavy and he was so so tired. But he miraculously still managed to jump over a stone fence and then tumble for a second on the ground.
(Faster, faster, faster, further away from the danger!)
âIâll kill you!â
Max had no doubt that it could happen.
He had no time to glance back to see how many of them was following him, but judging by the heavy sound of footsteps definitely more than one. The sparkling, bursting spells quite confirmed his suspicions.
Oh, if he and his friends get out unscathed from this chase, Max will start listening during Potions. He will even answer Danielâs questions, without being forced to! He wonât even wait till the last day to finish his essay.
He will do all of it!
Max felt like his lungs could collapse, like his heart could jump out of his hurt chest. But step after step he was getting away from the people behind him with their footsteps becoming some kind of background noises.
But he still needed a place to hide! A place to lay low for a few more minutes.
Max lifted his head, looking around for the first time in like forever and unfortunately he noticed that, even though he was dumb as fuck, his mind was miraculously even dumber.
(Or maybe it was too smart.)
Because he, of course, ran to the greenhouse.
Max had no other options, so he jumped to the front door and prayed hard with all his heart that it will be open.
It was.
Max wanted to scream in joy, but the only thing he did was fling the door open. After glancing back, he literally stormed inside. It took him two or maybe three steps, still looking back at the door he had shut down with too much force, to crash into someone.
They tumbled down to the floor, yelping. Max heard a small shout in front of him. There were movements, small kicks and pushes, there was sudden darkness and Maxâs clothes fluttered around him, a small whimper of pain, a blurry vision jumping in and out of focus, before Maxâs mind could fully process what had happened. Or tried to fully process what had happened.
âIâll kill you, Maxwell!â Came a shout from the outside, too close for comfort.
Maxâs brain acted on an impulse. His wand moved, making the lock in the main door move, blocking the pathway in and making all the candles inside the greenhouse die immediately, engulfing them in darkness. When the footsteps, running ones, came too close to the greenhouse, Max grabbed the body in front of him, or whatever part he could actually grab, and rolled them both weirdly and painfully under the table, pushing away the pots and smearing dirt around.
It wasnât the perfect cover, but it was the best thing they could have now.
Maxâs breathed hard. He felt his chest moving heavily up and down. He could sense his heart running wildly in his chest, trying to work properly to get the needed oxygen to his veins and organs. He could feel a weird pulsation in the back of his skull.
âMax, what is wrong?â David asked, his hot, but quiet breath tickled the skin near Maxâs cheek.
Because yes, Max had the worst luck in the entire universe. Yes, he had crashed into David face first after entering the greenhouse. Yes, he had made both of them fall down on the dirty and rough ground. And yes, he had rolled them under the table to hide from the chase.
And now David was lying on the crummy ground under him, while Max prepped himself on his elbows above the teacher.
The situation couldnât get any worse.
But of course it could.
âMax?â David repeated himself, wiggling a little beneath him and trying to move the hand which rested between him and Max, quite uncomfortably probably. âWhat is happening?â
âShhâŠâ Max shushed him and then glanced at the door.
There was a short span of time where nothing happened, a blissful two seconds or so, where Max hoped that maybe Pikeman gave up.
But the doorknob wiggled and then a loud thud resonated in the air, when someone probably punched the door.
âWe know youâre there!â
Max wanted to curse. He wanted to scream and shout. He wanted to punch and kick and kill someone. He wanted to do all of those things, but he couldnât do even a single one.
Davidâs breath hitched in his throat â it was weird, but Max could feel the movement reverberating inside his body. He could even sense Davidâs chest moving up, only to stop for a second.
âDonât hide there!â The handle moved again, but this time too the lock kept them at bay.
Max swallowed hard, tightening his grip on the wand and glancing at the door. Even though the table was giving them half cover, they probably would still be pretty visible from the sides, especially from the window. It will probably take Pikeman and the rest a second to notice them. Or at least to notice Max who was above.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
There was a short span of calmness and then the footsteps moved to the side. The glassy side!
(No, no, no, no, no!)
Max felt his heart leaping painfully in his throat when he glanced to the side. Maybe if he ran through the back door, David would be safe and Max would only spend a few weeks in the Hospital Wing.
Max could feel air on his cheeks, a soft murmur leaving Davidâs lips, a shuddering resonance in his chest almost glued to his teacherâs one. There was a beat when nothing happened. Then Max could hear a flutter of something moving, a swishing sound of sneaking around, a tiny whisper of leaves quivering.
Then slowly, step after step, the image of the glassy side was blocked by the giant leaves, vines and tentacles moving around, intertwining, hanging or interlocking.
Max could only stare in awe as the plants moved, swirled, maneuvered, twirled and intertwined together to form something resembling a curtain â a green, beautiful, vivid curtain which would hide them from the outside world.
âThanks.â David whispered.
And not even a second later they could hear loud footsteps behind the glass wall. Max could even see shadows moving behind the windows, but most of them were blocked by the plants, leaves and vines.
âDamn it! I canât see a thing inside!â Pikeman yelled â Max could recognize this voice anywhere.
It seemed like the teen glued his face to the window, if the sounds were any indication.
âAll I can see are those stupid plants.â Another voice added. It was Billy, definitely.
So Petrol was left with Nikki and Neil. They could take on one guy. Max believed in them.
Davidâs chest stopped moving as he stared at the glassy side. Max couldnât see much in front of him, but he had a feeling that David furrowed his eyebrows.
âFuck, we should burn them some day.â
Yeah, it was definitely a frown, followed by a clench of the fist still squeezed between their bodies.
âDo you think heâs here?â
Max stopped breathing.
âIâm not fucking sure. I think I saw him going in here, but itâs so fucking dark outside!â
The only source of light was the moon hanging low on the sky.
Max moved a little, trying to find a comfortable position between them, and he only managed to brush his body on David.
Not a good idea!
âDamn him. Iâll kill him the next time I see him.â Pikeman shouted and then it looked and sounded like he kicked the wall, because the glass shuddered heavily.
The leaves fluttered unhappily, but other than that they didnât move.
âLetâs go. Some teacher could see us. Maybe Petrol had more luck.â
There was a short pause when nothing happened and then Max could hear a soft crunching of snow beneath the moving away feet.
âI swear, if I seeâŠâ But the words mingled and mixed together, forming a gibberish something which disappeared in the dark night around them, followed only by a faraway sound of laughter.
Max waited for a few more seconds, before he let out a loud breath through his mouth and nose.
Miraculously he was safe. Somehow.
There were another few heartbeats of silence when he listened intently to any other sounds that could indicate that they were back, but nothing like this happened. The leaves only fluttered above them and the vines twitched, retracting slowly to their previous place.
âMax⊠what the heck was that?â David whispered.
And only then Max finally managed to look back at the person in front of him? Below him? Being squished between him and a probably very cold floor?
And even though the adrenaline had been moving furiously through his body, now it felt like it stopped and then spurted once again.
âEhâŠâ Max licked his lips slowly and then glanced to the side. How should he answer? Should he tell the truth or lie? But he got David pretty deep into it, so⊠âPikeman?â
âThat didnât answer my question.â David furrowed his eyebrows, wriggling his fingers that were between his and Maxâs chest.
âYou know⊠the usual happenedâŠâ
âThe usual?â David said, huffed even. âDid you get into another fight?â
âTo be more precise, I was running away from a fight.â Max quickly added, barely pushing the words through his throat.
âMax, what happened?â David asked, looking up, tilting his head just oh so slightly that Max could almost see his own reflection in the green, lush eyes.
âPikeman and his gang decided to bug us. A few not quite nice sentences were thrown at each other and suddenly we found ourselves running away from them.â
David gasped, opening his mouth a little. The gust of hot air brushed past Maxâs face.
âMax, we need to tell the principal!â
âSo they could bug us even more?â Max quickly shot back, raising his eyebrow and lifting one corner of his mouth.
âBut if they are bugging other students ââ David shifted beneath him, but Max actually didnât move, didnât budge, didnât twitch even an inch.
âTelling the principal will make the matter worse for some students. Did you think that there was no bullying around the school? Well then I have some bad news for you.â Max snorted back. âIt is happening. Telling the principal wonât do shit and you can only harm someone by doing it.â
David was already opening his mouth â and oh how Max wanted to close it, to finish this pointless argument that was taking them nowhere. He wanted to end it. He wanted to shut David up. He wantedâ
Maxâs heart shuddered in his chest as he sensed another soft movement beneath him, as he felt another scent hitting his nose, as he heard another whisper of rustling clothes.
Maxâs throat was dry.
He should move away, but he couldnât. He felt like he was petrified.
The air around them was thick, heavy, but filled with something that was almost buzzing in his ears.
And then Davidâs mouth moved, turned into a small, hesitant smile and a low, kinda dry chuckle left his lips.
âYouâre actually pretty caring, Max.â
âWhat?â Max snapped.
âYou could simply let me tell the principal and you would be free. But you donât want to do that so you wonât harm other people.â David said with sparkling eyes. âThat is very noble.â
Max stared for a few long seconds, before he snorted loudly, right into Davidâs face at this point.
âIâm far away from being noble, David.â
Oh, he did it again. The name so naturally slipped past his lips. Max knew why this was happening. He often used teachersâ first names while talking with his friends, but he controlled himself around the real teachers. But with David there were times â short, small spaces and spans of intimacy â when Maxâs brain couldnât function properly, when it felt like reality was altered.
This was one of those moments, when even though Max had feared for his life a few minutes ago, now he felt at peace, calm and simply, kinda, happy.
David didnât comment on the slip. Or at least not verbally. The corner of his lip twitched a little though and he tilted his head, making one lock curl on his forehead, and miraculously, somehow, moving closer to Max.
âI still think youâre kind, Max.â
Max wasnât kind. But, God, he wanted to be. Nikki was kind. Neil was kind. His other friends were kind. Gwen was kind. David was kind beyond understanding. And Max kinda hated it, because spending time with David made him want to be a better person. And he was terrible at this. He couldnât so naturally do something nice. He was a mess at this. It was all too hard and Max was so, so tired.
Max wasnât a nice person.
âIâm not.â He said, feeling his heart thrumming loudly inside his chest as he sensed David breathing with him in synchronization.
âYou are.â David said, grinning at him, like it was some weird, childish game. And damn, he looked so sincere, he spoke without even a particle of hesitation, like he fully believed his own words.
Max really wanted to believe them too. But they werenât true and he knew that.
âNo, Iâm not. Just stop.â
Stop making him almost believe it.
âYou canât make me stop.â David said, a hint of childish bravado hanging on the last tone.
But Max could. He could make David stop believing it.
Because Max wasnât a good person, no matter how hard he wanted to be or believe it.
And maybe it was the exhaustion hanging tightly on his bones, maybe it was the adrenaline still rushing through his veins, maybe it was the memory of almost being caught and killed.
Or maybe it wasnât that.
Maybe it was the whole atmosphere of the greenhouse. Maybe it was the soft whisper of the leaves above him. Maybe it was the sensation of feeling Davidâs breath near his chest and on his skin. Maybe it was the beautiful feeling of comfort while being so near. Maybe it was his heartâs fault.
Maybe it was all of the above. Maybe they all were the reasons.
But he simply acted on an impulse â or maybe a need that was hiding inside his mind for a long period of time and now it grabbed the chance, holding onto it dearly.
Because Max seized the moment, grabbed the opportunity and kissed David.
There was a sudden spark inside his head, a sudden burst of emotions, a sudden vibrating sensation inside his chest as he felt his lips touching Davidâs in front of him.
It was amazing, it was astonishing, it was everything and even more than he had imagined through this whole time.
Max knew his brain â the rational part of it â was sending him loud alarms through his head, but he shut them down, smashed to pieces as he tilted his head a little bit, to feel more, needing to feel more and more of the lips under him.
Davidâs hand, resting between them, twitched. Max relaxed his fingers and moved them to intertwine with Davidâs hair scattered on the cold stone.
Maybe it was happening for a few seconds, maybe even a full minute, he wasnât sure. However Max moved away, feeling the sudden need for air.
Max opened his eyes to stare at David beneath him. To say that the teacher was surprised would be an understatement. Davidâs eyes were wide, looking right at Max in response. His mouth opened a little bit to take a few big gulps of air with his chest heaving between them. His cheeks were flushed with bright, red colors, scattered all over the freckles, almost making them invisible.
But Max was sure his face was even worse, he could sense his cheeks blazing beneath the skin.
There was a short span of time, a sudden stillness, a small period of hesitation or incomprehension that floated between them.
And Maxâs heart hammered loudly inside his chest. He threw every caution to the wind and dove down for more.
Davidâs lips werenât particularly dry, they werenât plump and soft either, they werenât perfect in any definition of this word, yet they were the most amazing thing Max had ever tasted. Max could feel shivers running down his spine as his tongue moved, licked the bottom lip, hoping and praying, needing more and more and more.
Davidâs hair was soft under Maxâs fingers.
There was a short heartbeat, a sudden gasp leaving Davidâs lips and Max used this occasion.
(Because he wasnât a kind person.)
Max slipped his tongue inside, tilting his head so he could taste and feel more.
And it was amazing, astonishing, exciting and beautiful. It was too much and too little at the same time. It was a waterfall of energy surging through his body. It was a heartbeat soaring in the sky as he kissed David deeply, moving his tongue around, tasting every place he could.
Davidâs other hand moved and clenched Maxâs robe tightly, grasping it as their bodies moved and brushed together, trying to find a perfect position.
Max tilted his head and, damn, it had to be his imagination, but he could swear he sensed David doing the same.
David tasted amazing, kinda sweet, but with a bitter aftertaste, that made Max move deeper and deeper, pushing his body further, trying to get more of the heat emanating from Davidâs body, trying to feel more of David as Maxâs tongue roamed around.
It was intoxicating, it was addicting and it was stunning, incredible and wonderful. Max could feel his heart trying to jump out from his chest. He could sense every place where Davidâs body touched his own.
Max took more and more, swirling his tongue around, trying to get more and more and more. Then after a few seconds he found Davidâs tongue, unmoving, just like it was from the very beginning.
(Please, please, please! Max needed it!)
Max swirled his tongue around, hoping for some kind of a response, needing some kind of an reply, pleading for some answer, because, God, he wanted more.
Maxâs heart jumped high, loud, painfully inside his chest when he felt a small movement, a sudden twitch, a short response from David. He felt like he could burst and explode with the sudden happiness surging through his limbs and chest, because a second later or so Davidâs tongue moved, making small, tiny, hesitant circles on Maxâs one.
Max moved closer, got himself comfortable between Davidâs legs and brought himself as close as possible â enjoying the soft shudder that ran through Davidâs body, the short moan leaving his lips as their lips crashed, mingled and mixed together, the sudden tug of Davidâs hand on his robe as they brushed together, mouths moving passionately toâ
Stop immediately when they heard a knock coming from the back door.
âDavid? Are you still there?â Danielâs voice seeped under the door, not even a second later after he had knocked.
The connection was lost as they separated their lips. They turned their heads in the direction of the back door.
It felt like Maxâs heart stopped beating when he saw the door handle moving.
TBC
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The Art of Being Nonchalant (Or Not) / Chapter Nine
Another week passed by and there was still no word from grandad, but luckily, there were also no new articles about my family. I wondered what the hell was going on that he couldnât be bothered to answer a letter, especially when he knew Iâd get increasingly angrier with him the longer he put it off.
Osborne didnât make another move yet, which made me think he was planning something big, though I couldnât imagine what his sick mind would come up with. He avoided me, mostly because James took it upon himself to follow me everywhere since Osborne made his threat, which was both endearing and annoying. I could take care of myself and James knew it, and yet, it seemed he couldnât help himself. Ash and Dom were royally pissed at him because he wouldnât leave us alone, which meant he had to hear about their periods almost daily, not to mention the endless comparisons Dom made between Sean and Teddy. Their tactic wasnât successful because James often butted in their conversation in a weirdly interested way. I zoned out more often than not when Dom talked about the two of them, but not James. No, he had his own opinions on how to successfully steal Teddy away from Victoire and it seemed to me that he and Dom were on the verge of concocting a cunning plan worthy of Al and his Slytherin ways.
The Friday afternoon before the first Hogsmeade trip was reserved for our longest Quidditch practice yet. James wanted to try out some of the moves grandad suggested to him over the summer so he thought the usual two hours of practice wouldnât be enough.
âIs he mental?â Dom asked while I was once again looking for my Beaterâs gloves around the dorm. I had a sneaking suspicion Ziggy kept stealing and hiding them just for the heck of it. Or maybe he was just pure evil. Who knows.
I sat down on the floor and looked under my bed, but all I could see was a couple of socks I thought were lost forever and a hat I ditched there sometime last week in a bout of frustration over Potions homework. Looking up at Dom, I caught sight of Ziggy observing my efforts with a self-satisfied expression.
âMental?â
Dom was sitting on her bed, writing a letter and sucking on the end of her quill. She frowned at me, âA four-hour practice? That doesnât sound mental to you?â
I looked up at her and raised an eyebrow, âHave you met my grandad?â
She let out a small laugh and shook her head, âYouâre right, your grandad is mental.â Dom dipped her quill into the ink bottle on her bedside table and continued to write her letter.
As I paused in the search for my gloves, I tried to sneak a glance at Domâs letter. It was very long and it was getting even longer, but Dom was doing her best to conceal the whole thing from me. Which was stupid on her part because I wouldnât have been interested in it had she not tried to be secretive about it. I threw one of the socks I found at her face.
âWho are you writing this ridiculously long letter? Is it Teddy? Or do you have another secret boyfriend that I donât know about?â I asked as she looked at the sock that was now covering her letter in disgust. She started playing with her dragon pendant, which was a sure sign that Iâve asked her something uncomfortable.
Dom sighed, âYeah, itâs for Teddy.â
âWhy the hell are you writing him a thousand-page letter if youâre going to see him tomorrow in Hogsmeade?â
Still fiddling with her pendant, Dom avoided looking me in the eye so she settled on staring out the window. âItâs complicated. We are meeting tomorrow, but itâs just for a shag. Iâll send the letter after he leaves.â
Thoroughly surprised by her answer, I wiggled my eyebrows suggestively, âSo tomorrow is just a booty call? I thought you were in love with him.â
Dom twirled a strand of her silvery hair around her finger, not saying anything for a while. She wasnât usually this moody and, against my better judgement and my tendency to not meddle with peopleâs love lives because I was terrible at it as much as I was usually disinterested in it, I decided to actually listen to her for once.
âYou know I donât judge people based on who theyâre having sex with,â I started and she finally looked at me, seemingly surprised that I would continue discussing her problems, âbut you can pretty much fuck any bloke you wanted and you choose to have Teddy as your, what, fuck buddy? While heâs in a relationship with your sister? It couldâve made sense if you were in love with him but I donât get it.â I got up from the floor and sat on Domâs bed, next to her.
âIâm notâŠHeâs miserable with Victoire and weâve been hooking up since last year, while they were still at Hogwarts. Itâs justâŠThereâs thisâŠI canât even explain it but we canât keep our hands off each other when weâre alone. And I always liked him. So maybe it is love. I donât even feel guilty about trying to steal my sisterâs boyfriend.â
âWell, tell Teddy to make up his damn mind. What kind of a person stays with someone they feel miserable with? And then shag that personâs sister for over a year?!â I practically yelled that last bit so Dom started shushing me in case there was anyone passing our dorm.
âThatâs what I wrote in the letter,â she said and gave me a small smile, âonly, in a lot more words. He doesnât want to hurt Victoire, you know how she gets. Sheâll most likely murder us both if she finds out.â
âWhen she finds out. If he breaks up with her and the two of you get together, are you just going to hide? And how does Sean play into this whole thing? Why are you stringing him along?â I said, but I realised I probably shouldnât have. It would be better if I didnât know anything about this, but the damage was already done.
âSean isâŠuseful. So I use him and he doesnât know and he better not find out,â Dom said, piercing me with her gaze. Fuck. Now that she told me all this, I would be better off if I never talked to Sean again because I will fuck up her secret. Maybe I should let her Obliviate me.
âIâm not going to intentionally tell him,â I told her and she narrowed her eyes, âOkay, fine! Iâll tell James to kick me if I start saying stupid things around Sean. He already thinks Iâm not all there due to James telling him I got kicked in the head with a Bludger so people randomly kicking me when I start talking to him shouldnât come as too much of a surprise.â She sympathetically patted me on the back and returned to her monster of a letter.
I was still looking for my Beaterâs gloves around the dorm when Ash walked in with an annoyed expression on her face. Her eyes fell on me and she rolled her eyes, âAccio Quinnâs gloves!â
The gloves flew up from their hiding place in Ziggyâs den and Ash caught them before throwing them over to me.
âThanks,â I said but she only sprawled over her bed and sighed loudly.
Dom looked up from her letter, âWhatâs got your wand in a knot, Ash?â
Ash closed her eyes and pinched her nose, âQuinnâs shadow is waiting downstairs. I swear to Godric, Iâm going mad with him following us everywhere,â she opened her eyes and sent me an annoyed look.
I shrugged, âI have no control over what James does.â As I opened the door of our dorm Ash called out after me, âOh please, we all know thatâs not true!â I decided to ignore her and left her with Dom.
James was indeed waiting for me at the foot of the stairs leading up to the girlsâ dormitory with an excited grin on his face. I punched him in the arm instead of returning his grin and practically ran to the portrait hole. He yelped in surprise but he soon caught up with me, halfway down the corridor leading to the passageway we usually take to the Entrance Hall.
âWhat was that for?â James asked, still rubbing his arm, faking that it was still hurting him.
I rolled my eyes, âWill you stop following me around? Dom and Ash are going crazy. Osborne hasnât tried anything for a week, I doubt heâll do something now. And even if he does, I can hex him or punch him or both perfectly well.â
He ran his hand through his hair and smiled at me, âOkay, fine. But if he tries anything, can we please murder him?â
I grinned at him, âIf you figure out a way to do it without the murder getting traced back to us, sure.â
We lapsed into a comfortable silence as we walked through the castle, occasionally passing other students until we reached the outside. The sun was shining brightly, with a couple of clouds visible in the distance.
âItâs good weather for Quidditch practice,â I said and James nodded, the excited grin long gone. I stopped walking and turned to look at him.
âWhatâs wrong?â I asked, poking him in the shoulder.
He frowned, âAre you really not going to Hogsmeade tomorrow with Wood? Or did you just say that to get me off your back?â
I turned away from him and started walking towards the Pitch, clutching my Beaterâs bat and feeling like I could use it on Jamesâ face. He ran up to me.
âWill you stop harping on about Wood? There is literally nothing going on between us except some snogging, and even if there were, itâs none of your business! And I never lied to you in all the years of our friendship so Iâm not going to start over a supposed date with Jax!â I yelled at him, throwing my broom to the ground, but still clutching my bat, feeling incredibly angry at James for even thinking that I would lie to him, especially about something so stupid. We didnât keep secrets from each other.
The expression on Jamesâ face was one of bewilderment as if he couldnât grasp why I was getting so worked up which in turn made me even angrier. We just stood there, halfway between Hagridâs hut and the castle, staring at each other.
âI just donât want you to get hurt,â he said in a low voice that I strained to hear, âJax is ââ he continued but I interrupted.
âHeâs no worse than you or me! Youâre starting to be worse than Ethan, for fuckâs sake! First, it was Logan, then following me around because of Osborne and now this? When the fuck did I stop being Quinn Jones and became a fucking damsel in fucking distress?!â I shouted at him, words spilling from my mouth, words which I might not have meant seriously, but the stress of not knowing what the bloody hell was happening at home, of being ignored, and then of James not trusting me was too much. Once I started I couldnât stop myself. I saw that I hurt him and I didnât care. I knew he didnât mean it like what I took his words for but I needed to let out my anger and James was there. Grabbing my broom from the ground, I started to stomp towards the Quidditch Pitch, with James following me silently.
When we came to the Pitch, the rest of the team was already there, including the addition of Wendyâs girlfriend in the stands. I narrowed my eyes at Wendy. She stopped talking with Fred and stared at me as I made my way over. âIn case you didnât notice, Nott,â I spat out, still irate from my fight with James, âthis is a Gryffindor practice. So go up there and tell your girlfriend to go away before I have to curse her.â My voice was pure acid and I momentarily felt disgusted at myself when I saw Wendy looking frightened as she walked towards the stands. Fred was looking at me as if I murdered somebody right in front of him.
âWhat?â I asked but he just shook his head and stayed silent. He knew there was no point in arguing with me when I was being angry and irrational. James, on the other hand, had a different way of dealing with me.
âTwenty laps around the Pitch!â he yelled at me, with the rest of the team following the staring contest that ensued with interest. James didnât back down, though, and I couldnât stand the look on his face, a mix of hurt and worry, so I turned away from him and started running.
âFine!â I threw back over my shoulder, not bothering to cover up the anger in my voice. James didnât say anything, which was even worse than him yelling something back at me.
I was still fuming by the time I finished the laps and I couldnât wait until I was in the air, hitting Bludgers. I could have aimed them all at James but I wouldnât let my emotions ruin my practice. So for the next four hours, I taught Lysander some of the moves I perfected over my years of playing Quidditch. He was a surprisingly quick learner, though my foul mood probably made him think of what I could do to him if he failed. So we tortured the rest of our teammates with well-placed Bludgers for the rest of the practice. Seth was particularly skilled at dodging them, which was a nice surprise, but Lily was awful. For someone so slight, she should have been much harder to hit. James ordered her to work with Lysander and me in order for her to get better. It didnât end well.
We were almost at the end of our practice when Lysander hit the Bludger straight for Lilyâs outstretched arm while she was trying to catch the Snitch. She was supposed to dodge, and she did but did it badly. The Bludger hit her in the face and there was a crunch, followed by blood. James and Fred both rushed over, managing to get Lily on the ground between the two of them while Lysander looked on with a horrified expression on his face.
I flew over to him and patted him on the shoulder awkwardly, âDonât worry, James took an emergency Healing course.â He didnât seem like that made him feel better and I rolled my eyes. âFor Merlinâs sake, if it were a member of the opposing team youâd be elated. Think of it as good target practice.â
Lysander shook his head and there was an embarrassed smile on his face, âItâs not that. I just donât think Iâll be able to walk around the castle freely for some time because sheâs going to kill me.â I burst out laughing at his retort and mussed up his hair. I knew what he told me wasnât the whole truth, but it was still hilarious.
We flew down to where everyone else was gathered around Lily. It got dark a while ago and the magical lights that shone down on us werenât quite enough for me to see the damage to Lilyâs face properly. James was waving his wand and muttering spells, but he didnât look worried, which was a relief. As much as Lily sometimes annoyed me to no end, I didnât want her to get hurt.
âIâm fine!â Lily said as she waved her brother away and James grinned at her in response.
âYou could at least thank me,â he told her, making her laugh.
âThanks, but I have a bone to pick,â she said and started walking towards Lysander who tried to hide behind Seth.
âNo, you donât,â I said, stopping her from marching up to Lysander, âYouâre a fucking Quidditch player and Quidditch players get injured. Deal with it, little Potter.â Lily scoffed at me but didnât say anything. I usually wouldnât have stopped her but I didnât think it would be a good idea for more people on the team to be fighting or anything close to it. It was enough that James and I didnât look each other in the eye during the whole practice. I wasnât about to lose the upcoming game against Slytherin because of hot-headed teammates.
I turned on the spot and left them all standing in the middle of the Pitch, staring at my back. I could feel the two sets of eyes boring into the back of my head as I disappeared in the locker rooms and I knew that either James or Fred would try and talk to me. So, instead of showering in the locker rooms, I trudged up to the castle in my filthy Quidditch gear, grabbed some food in the Great Hall, much to Ash and Domâs astonishment, and made my way back to my dorm where I could shower and eat in peace, without anyone asking me uncomfortable questions. Because, besides the obvious resentment Iâve been harbouring towards my family thatâs been building up ever since that article came out, I couldnât, for the life of me, figure out why exactly I was so angry at James just because he made some comment that I full well knew he didnât actually mean in the way I wanted to interpret it.
As I sat on my bed and munched on my stolen dinner, I realised it really bothered me that I have been so angry all the time lately. My anger wasnât that unusual, I was pretty explosive at times, but I was never cruel towards James. I remembered the last time we had a sort-of fight and his blurted out âI love youâ. There was a sinking feeling in my stomach as I thought of how he was the only person in the world that could make me freak out and then laugh about it in the span of a couple of minutes with just a few words. I shook my head and rolled my eyes. There was no way in hell I would allow myself to feel guilty.
Despite my determination from the night before that I wouldnât feel guilty, I woke up feeling dreadful. For once in my life, I was up earlier than Dom and Ash, and even Ziggy was still sleeping at the foot of my bed. I kicked off the covers and lay there, staring at the top of my four-poster, trying my best not to think about anything. It was proving increasingly difficult so I got up, got dressed and decided to leave for Hogsmeade early. That way, I could at least avoid everyone.
I made a quick stop at the Owlery before I left the castle. In the midst of all the things that have happened in the short span that Iâve been back at school, I forgot to send some fan mail to George R. R. Martin. Some would call it hate mail because I could get passionate about my begging for him to publish The Winds of Winter already. He never replied, obviously, but I felt like I could keep sending the letters and try my best at guilt-tripping him. It felt weird to take Antigone, so instead of her, I coaxed one of the school owls to take the letter with a couple of owl treats.
Luckily, there was no Osborne blocking my path this time, so I quickly made my way to the Entrance Hall and on the path towards Hogsmeade. It was a fairly cold day, so I hugged my jacket closer to my body as I walked, the wind blowing hard and making my hair a tangled mess. Since it was still fairly early, there werenât many Hogwarts students walking around the village. However, I did see a group of hags huddled together in front of Hogâs Head and another group walking towards the Shrieking Shack. I was surprised at first, but then I vaguely remembered Fred talking about the HagCon that was supposed to take place in Hogsmeade during the next week. Obviously, he wanted to crash it to hang out with hags.
I walked down High Street until I arrived at the Hogsmeade branch of the Magical Menagerie. The shop was empty when I entered except for the shop owner, an older witch in pale blue robes. She was grooming a large Kneazle while I browsed the shop. I only had to buy food for Ziggy but I didnât have anything better to do so I looked in on the various creatures in the shop. There was a lonely looking baby snowy owl. I came closer and it perked up, hooting merrily when I scratched its head.
The shop owner approached me with a smile on her face. âHe likes you! Do you want to buy him?â she asked, her eyebrows raised in expectation.
âNo, I think my cat would probably eat him,â I said, thinking of Ziggy and his tendency to devour small birds, leaving nothing but a coughed up feather as evidence of his crime.
The witch laughed. âHow can I help you then?â
âI need two big packs of your premium cat food,â I told her, still petting the baby owl. She nodded her head and went behind the counter, rummaging around the cabinets until she found the food and put it on the counter. âWill that be all?â she asked and I nodded my head, scratching the baby owl one last time before I walked up to the counter and paid for the food. I waved my wand to make the two packs smaller and stuffed them in my backpack, leaving the shop and walking into somebody while I was closing the zipper.
âSor ââ I started to say but then I looked up and found myself face to face with Al. Despite Jamesâ insistence that I apologise to Al, I havenât talked to him since the party. He still looked hot and I mentally cursed myself for thinking that. There was a smirk on his face and I had a bad feeling this would turn out into another sexually tense encounter in the middle of fucking Hogsmeade. We stared at each other for a couple of increasingly awkward minutes.
âExcuse me?â a middle-aged wizard said in our general direction with a very annoyed look on his face. He was carrying a large empty cage. âYouâre blocking the entrance,â he muttered and shot us dirty looks. I moved to the side and Al followed me, casually putting his arm around my shoulders as if he was guiding me away.
âStop it,â I said, glaring at him and shrugging off his arm. The problem wasnât that I didnât like it. The problem was that I did. And he was fucking in love with me. Or so he thought.
âListen, Al,â I started before we could enter another staring contest, âIâm sorry for leading you on, okay? Iâm a fucked up person so Iâm sorry. I broke up with you and I kept stringing you along, at The Howler and then at the partyâŠâ I trailed off, not knowing what else to say.
There was a sad smile on his face and I couldnât remember the last time I saw him look vulnerable. âI know you donât want the same things that I do. So Iâll, uh, stopâŠWhatever this is between us,â he said and there was a mischievous glint in his eyes. âYou obviously canât keep it in your pants around me,â he said in a teasing tone and I started to laugh. It felt good to be able to laugh with him again.
âAre you implying I have no self-control?â I asked, still smiling at him.
âIâm not implying anything, Iâm simply stating the obvious ââ
âQuinn?â A familiar voice called out and the smile disappeared from my face. I looked over Alâs shoulder and saw my brother standing there. But he didnât look like Ethan. He looked like someone who hadnât seen the light of day in a very long time.
âEthan?â I said in a weak voice, running towards him, forgetting about Al. He would understand. When I neared my brother, I saw that he looked awful. There were bags under his bloodshot eyes and his usually neat hair was messy. He reeked of alcohol. I hugged him and he just stood there, stock-still, until he started shaking and I realised he was crying. I was getting worried now, a thousand thoughts running through my head, wondering if grandad and our parents were okay.
Finally, Ethan stopped shaking and I let go of him. âRagnar is dead,â he whispered.
I was ashamed as relief flooded me. It wasnât grandad or our parents who died, but Ragnar. And after the initial relief, I felt tears prickling my eyes, though I wouldnât let them fall. Ragnar, my brotherâs best friend and a fellow Hit Wizard, always acted like I was his little sister. As far as I knew he had no family. Ethan was his family, and so was I. There was a certain numbness spreading through me, interspersed with grief. Grief for Ragnar but also grief for my brother who looked completely broken.
I dragged Ethan towards the Three Broomsticks and sat him down at a table while I ordered some food and drinks. No alcohol.
He was holding his head in his hands when I put the fish and chips in front of him, along with two fizzy drinks.
âWhat happened?â I asked though I doubted he would give me an honest answer.
âWe were on a missionâŠIt didnât go well,â he looked up at me and I had the urge to hug him again but I let him talk instead, âIâŠI couldnât save him.â
âDo you want to talk about it?â
Ethan snorted at that and rubbed his eyes. âNot really. And even if I wanted to, I couldnât. Magical contract and all thatâŠâ He drifted off, staring through the window. âI just wanted to see you, little demon, and tell you in person. I know you know Iâm not fine but thereâs nothing you can do to help.â His tone was resigned and his face was morphing into an emotionless mask. Nothing like the brother I held together not too long ago. I was used to him not talking about his job but I wished I could do something. Instead, I could just sit there with him while he transformed into the persona he showed to everybody else.
We ate in silence and Ethan started laughing when he took a sip of the drink I bought him. It wasnât the reaction I was expecting.
âWhat?â
He shook his head and waved to the waitress who quickly appeared at our table. âFirewhisky,â he said and she went back to the bar, waving her wand and sending a glass of Firewhisky towards Ethan. He took it before it landed on our table and drained it in one go.
âDonât you know that all Hit Wizards are alcoholics?â he said, still laughing at me. I stared at him, unsure of what to say. I thought it was his way of dealing with grief and pain so I stayed silent. Until I remembered the bloody article.
âEthan, what the bloody fuck is happening at home? I sent grandad a letter and he didnât respond.â
He looked at me, brows furrowed in confusion until he realised what I was talking about.
âWellâŠMum flirted with Orlov. So heâd stop bugging her. She figured she could charm himâŠYou know how she is.â
I couldnât quite believe what he was saying. âWhat the actual fuck?â
Ethan smirked, âThatâs what dad said.â
I felt like somehow I walked into an alternate universe when I woke up today.
âAnd the match?â I asked.
He shrugged, âI wasnât there but from what grandad told me, Orlov took her seriously and then everything kind of blew up.â Ethan took the fizzy drink and drained that, too. He got up and threw a couple of Sickles on the table to pay for the Firewhisky.
âI have to go, little demon,â he said and again he was my brother, not the empty mask, as he leaned down and kissed the top of my head, âGrandad is too busy with politics right now to reply to letters. I love you.â I didnât get a chance to say anything before he turned on the spot and Disapparated.
I didnât know for how long I sat in the Three Broomsticks after Ethan left. Seeing Ethan, the news of Ragnarâs death, my mother flirting with Orlov had me reeling from too much information. I also didnât know what to think anymore. I only knew I was once again angry, mostly at my mother who apparently decided to fuck things up. I couldnât keep sitting there so I got up, left the pub and started running towards the castle.
I didnât go to the Gryffindor Tower. Instead, I ran up to the seventh floor and the Room of Requirement. I walked in front of it, thinking I needed my boxing gear, my place to de-stress. After a couple of moments, the door appeared and I opened it up only to be met by the perfect recreation of my parentsâ basement, with my leggings and sports bra neatly folded in the corner, the boxing gloves sitting on top of them.
The sound of me hitting the punching bag in the corner of the room was the only sound that could be heard for a while. It felt exhilarating, being able to hit away my emotions, to let out all my anger at the punching bag. After some time I had to stop to catch my breath. I was doubled over and breathing heavily when the door opened.
I looked up to see James closing the door behind him.
âWhat,â I started and took a deep breath, âWhat are you doing here? How did you get in?â I clutched my side as I looked at him, waiting for the answer.
âAl told me about Ethan when he got back from Hogsmeade. He said he looked badâŠâ James drifted off and his hazel eyes looked into my own for the first time since before our fight yesterday. âI couldnât find you on the Map so I figured you must be in the Room of Requirement. It didnât take much thinking to get to boxing.â He knew me too well.
âItâs nothing,â I muttered, not quite sure how I felt about James at this particular moment in time. I looked away from him, closing my eyes for a moment. When I opened them it was to see James taking off his shirt, pulling on his own boxing gloves and putting in a mouth guard.
We started to dance around each other, but I didnât wait too long before I threw my first punch. I hit him in the side, hard, but he didnât let out a sound. James did a couple of jabs and I managed to dodge some, but not all. I felt the contact but not the pain. I tried a hook to his lower body and felt satisfied when it connected. We continued in this way, punching each other, getting more vicious with each punch, but somehow, I felt my previous anger at him disappearing each time I made contact with his body. When I felt drained of all energy and ready to collapse in the middle of the ring, James encircled me in his arms and held me for a long time, not saying a word.
I moved away from him and looked him over. We were both sweaty and there was some blood trickling around his eye but he seemed fine overall. Nothing a couple of his Healing spells wouldnât fix.
âJamesâŠIâm ââ
He stopped me before I could finish apologising, âI know.â
I finally collapsed to the floor and James sat down next to me. I leaned against him, pulled off my gloves and took out my mouth guard. He ran his arm up and down my shoulder, muttering soothing words in my ear as I felt some tears finally making their way down my face. I wasnât crying. The tears came and went and I was silent during the whole ordeal. When they stopped I turned to face James. He leaned his forehead against my own and I told him everything. He listened without interruptions and when I was finished he hugged me. The feel of his body so close to mine was not unfamiliar but it felt different. He felt different.
âEverything is going to be okay,â he said, face buried in my messy hair.
And I believed him.
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(babey Noah and April time) Noah stared at the girl one row over and two seats up. She had long brown hair and was listening intently to whatever was being said. He saw Claire glance back at him before whispering something in her ear. The girl looked at her before turning and gazing over her shoulder, making eye contact with Noah. She waved shyly under her desk. Noah blinked before waving back. The girl turned back to the front, ignoring the persistent whispers Claire was throwing her way. (1)
okayyyy just realized i never combined these so here it is im gonna CRY theyre the best besties and i love them smđ„șđ„șđ„șđ„ș also heck claire all my homies hate claire
Noah stared at the girl one row over and two seats up. She had long brown hair and was listening intently to whatever was being said. He saw Claire glance back at him before whispering something in her ear. The girl looked at her before turning and gazing over her shoulder, making eye contact with Noah. She waved shyly under her desk. Noah blinked before waving back. The girl turned back to the front, ignoring the persistent whispers Claire was throwing her way.
There was a flurry of sounds and noise and suddenly the classroom was empty. Noah blinked, finding himself alone. He grabbed his stuff and left, walking down the stairs and squinting in the afternoon sun. Claire bounced up behind him, her hair swaying in the slight breeze.
âI saw you looking at her," she giggled, poking Noah's cheek. "Do you like her?" she sang, running ahead. Noah didn't respond. "You do! Oh, that's so cute, Deedee!â
He sighed, annoyed. "I don't like her, Claire."
"Don't lie to yourself, Noah! This is true love." She flung herself dramatically around. "The two of you are gonna be so in love-"
âNo, Claire. I don't like her." He turned down his street, leaving Claire to sing annoying songs about him all by herself. A teenager stooped down, coming to meet his young height.
âHow was school?"
âGood." Noah threaded his hand through the other's as they started to walk. "Where's Mom?"
âShe's busy, so I offered to come.â
âOh. Okay.â
The pair reached a door, and the taller one turned the handle. "We're back," he shouted.
âThank you, Jason," a voice echoed from the kitchen as a woman stuck her head around the wall. "Make sure you boys finish your homework before you do anything else, okay?"
âYep." Noah collapsed onto the couch, his feet swinging lazily. "I saw a girl in class today," he muttered. "She was cool."
{is there a part here idk aldkals}
[timeskip]
Noah drummed his fingers on his desk absently, watching the wind toss the leaves along the ground. There was a flurry of movement and sound and he glanced up to see the girl from a year ago smirking.
âCome on, pretty boy, I want to show you something."
He laughed and grabbed his bag. âAlright, fine-" Before he could finish, she grabbed his arm and tugged him out of the classroom. The two ran around the streets of the kingdom before she finally led the way up a hill with two trees at the very top. She collapsed to the ground, laughing before spiralling into a coughing fit. An smile of fond exasperation crossed Noah's face.
âCome on, April, you're better than that." He set down his bag gently against one of the trees. "Don't hurt yourself."
She busied herself with picking the flowers scattered around the hill, weaving them into each other. "When's your birthday?" she asked, focused on the flowers.
âJune 7th."
âHey, that's three days before mine."
âYeah, I guess it is." She finished and hid her creation behind her back. "Close your eyes."
He glanced up. "Why?"
âJust do it." He did so and a small weight pressed itself into his hair. "Your majesty." He opened his eyes seeing her standing up and bowing to him.
He laughed, removing it from his head. "A flower crown?"
âMom taught me how to make them last week."
He replaced it. "That's awesome."
âYeah." She sat down again. "This is our kingdom now."
He looked over at her. "Ours?"
âYeah. Here's all our people." She cupped a group of small flowers in her hand. "And there's our castle." She pointed towards the two trees, their branches swaying gently in the breeze. "And here's our awesome leader." She grinned brightly up towards Noah.
He laughed, taking off the crown and observing it carefully. "I'm not a leader, April."
âYes, you are," she countered lazily. "You're epic. At everything." The pair sat in peaceful, comfortable silence for a few minutes as Noah studied April's work.
"Hey, April," he whispered. "Can you teach me?"
âTeach you what?" He looked towards the flower crown. "How to make one."
A bright smile grew onto April's face. "Yeah!â
[timeskip]
Noah watched the window, the leaves waltzing through the air by the silent wind. There was a flurry of noise and Noah couldn't see.
âSurprise," a voice smiled from behind him.
âIs the surprise me not getting to see where I'm going?" he muttered.
âNope. Just go where I lead, and keep your eyes shut."
{uhh something part here i think}
He glanced around again, now noticing the small, leaf-shaped papers delicately and carefully tied along each of the branches. He stood up, reaching for the closest one and realizing there was writing on it.
He squinted, trying to read it. âThe best friends are the ones that aren't trying too hard." He smirked. "Didn't Jayce say that when-"
âWhen you were trying to figure out how to make a flower crown last year?" she finished for him.
âIs that what this is? A bunch of people telling me to chill...â
{i think theres a part here}
[timeskip]
Noah watched the blur of red, yellow, orange, and purple flutter to the ground as someone yanked him up, out of his seat and dragged him along the hallways. "Come on, Deedee," Claire murmured, dragging him along the halls. "You're finally going to get a girlfriend."
âExcuse me?" he stuttered, almost tripping over his feet. "I don't-"
âShh, Claire-bear and the girls have got it all worked out," she interrupted. "Today's the day!"
âThe day for what?"
âThe day you and April finally stop dancing around each other and you ask her out!" she squealed, pushing him forward and almost causing him to trip over April, who also had a few people shoving her towards Noah.
She blinked, avoiding eye contact. "Listen, Noah, I don't- I mean, I'm not-â
Noah sighed, beyond pissed off. He spun towards Claire. "Can you, like, back off? For two seconds?"
Her cheery smile was replaced with a confused one.
"Neither of us like each other. Not in that way." His eyes darkened. "So please, for the love of Nja, stop it. Just stop."
He glanced over his shoulder at the people behind April, already knowing he'd regret yelling at them but having no control.
âWhat's the point? Can't you tell how stressed she is? Or are you so blind to reality," he took a few angry steps, making them scatter, "that you're willing to put aside human emotions for your own purposes and lies.â
He paused, trying to slow down his breath. The only sounds were the quiet sniffles of the group. "Now go back to class. Please."
He let their footsteps echo down the halls as he turned towards April, blowing his hair out of his eyes.
âI'm sorry, they just-" Before he finished, he was cut off by April wrapping her arms around him, hugging him tightly.
âThank you," she whispered. "Thank you for having the courage to say what I couldn't." Noah blinked, stunned, before hugging her back.
[timeskip]
The wind blew April's hair gently around, calm and slow. The two had been sitting on the hill for an hour or two, the sun beginning to set, just appreciating the other's company. A worried look crept onto April's face. Noah recognized it and sat up.
âWhat are you thinking about?"
She glanced over, surprised, before looking back to the sky. "It's nothing."
{missing but i think i can guess what she said aldjald}
Nah blinked. "No. You aren't broken, okay?" He reached out and gently rested his hand on her shoulder. "There's nothing wrong with you. Maybe you will like other people later. Maybe you won't; and either of those are great. But you aren't broken."
"Then what am I?" Her voice was low. "If I'm not broken then what am I?"
âI don't know," he answered quietly. "But whatever happens, I'll stay by your side."
He saw a small smile cross her face. âNo matter what?"
âNo matter what."
[timeskip]
Noah felt the breeze stab into his side, ripping his already torn heart into thousands of tiny pieces. The hill seemed steeper than before. He wanted to collapse, wanted to just give up, but he had to know. He had to make sure. A figure stood at the top of the hill, holding a single, small, delicate flower. He stopped by the tree behind them, shivering in the night air.
âDid you hear?" they muttered, monotone and emotionless.
âI'm sorry, April," he whispered, voice catching. He heard her take a few breaths before sitting down. He walked forward a few paces, kneeling beside her. âI'm so sorry."
He could feel her shaking, silent waves of grief passing over her in the darkness. âNot your fault," she stuttered out. "They- they said it was a gas leak, an accident." Silence worked its way in between the two. "Mom's gone." She shut her eyes, finally succumbing fully to the sadness and anger and fear. "She's gone."
Noah looked out across the kingdom, still seeing a faint trail of smoke.
âI'm the Sacred Knight now."
âI know."
âI don't know what's going to happen."
âI'll try to help."
âThey're saying that I need a Guardian, Noah," she whispered quietly, determined. "I want that to be you." He took in her words, blinking slowly. "You're my best friend. And I'd trust you with my l-life." She pushed away the tears crawling down her cheeks. "I want it to be you."
âAlright."
âThank you." She buried her face into Noah's chest, hugging him tightly. "Thank you."
He wrapped his arms around her, unsure whether this was happy or not. Eventually to two were looking towards the sky, night already taking over. April pointed upwards.
âSee, there's Unileve the Dragon," she whispered out into the peaceful silence. "Legends say you can always feel xer smile, even from far away, and when xe laugh, it fills you with happiness and joy and light."
#its so good omgggg#đ„șđ„ș them#also u domt have to fill in the missing parts if u dont want to i get the gist aldjalfla#shadowstruck#shadowstruck writing#donnieanswersthings#boop!!
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Castle on the Hill
English Literature PhD student Emma Swan just needs money to pay for her last semester of grad school tuition. Killian Jones has always dreamed of opening a bookshop but has never been able to afford it. So when the small principality of Misthaven is looking for their lost princess, the pair decide that this might just be the perfect money making scheme.
A Multi-chapter Modern Day + Lost Princess (think Rapunzel/Anastasia-esque) + Book Lovers in a Coffee Shop AU
Rating: T
Word Count: 40791/ ?
Prologue (Part 1 + 2) // Ch 1 // Ch 2 // Ch 3 // Ch 4 // Ch 5Â // Ch 6
Read on: Ao3
Emmaâs rejected kiss stings Killian all weekend. He tries to throw himself into work. To make up for taking Friday night off, he works the day and night shift on Saturday. It is just as well, the intense schedule keeps him busy and that is all he can ask for.
âWhat are you so down in the mouth about?â Ruby asks, when they swap shifts on Sunday.
âTis nothing,â Killian mutters.
âYeah, uh huh,â Ruby teases, folding her arms on the counter and propping up her chin on her hand, âSeriously, Killian, Iâve never seen you so forlorn. Tell Madame Ruby and sheâll sort out all your troubles.â
âRubs, I said it was nothing,â Killian replies. It comes out more aggressive than intended.
âWoah,â Ruby says, âWhat the heck?â
She pauses and surveys him, âItâs a girl, isnât it?â Sheâs smirking, before adding, âOr a boy? Weâve never talked about that specifically, and you canât really assume these days.â
Killian rolls his eyes. While heâs seen Ruby sneak both lads and lasses up to her apartment, avoiding her Grannyâs watchful eyes- Killian hasnât brought anyone back to his apartment. Heâs had occasional dates, one dreadful bathroom hook up that may have done permanent damage to a sink, and a two-week fling that he ended before anyone could get hurt. But he hasnât really dated anyone, not since he arrived in Misthaven. Not since he left his painful romantic past behind him.
But there was something different about Emma. He could tell she got it. He could see her being the exception to rule, mostly because she would understand the rule in the first place. She knew about survival.
And maybe that was why she drew away from his kiss. If it was, he could deal with that. He could pick at her walls till she was ready for love.
But there are a million other reasons she might not be interested in him.
Reasons like the fact that she nearly has a PhD, while heâs never gone to a day of college. Reasons like she teaches classes on literature, while he works drawing pints and breaking up bar fights. Or that she lives in a nice apartment in a hip neighborhood, while he lives in a cramped apartment above a noisy bar. Or that he has a criminal record. Or that heâs spent most of his life without a family and that the one time he tried, it fantastically fell apart.
There are more than enough reasons for Emma Swan to not be interested.
âShoot,â Ruby murmurs, âIt is a girl. Or boy.â
âGirl,â Killian huffs.
âRight, girl,â Ruby says, nodding, âSo who is she?â
âIt doesnât matter,â Killian shrugs.
âWhy doesnât it matter?â Ruby asks, leaning forward and raising an eyebrow.
âBecause I tried to kiss her and she pulled away,â Killian admits, letting the bottled-up words out.
Ruby pulls a sympathetic face. âTell me more. Whatâs she like?â
âSheâs bloody fantastic. Sheâs American, blonde. Sheâs brilliant, a graduate student in literature. She likes all the same weird books I do.â
âHmm, she sounds like your dream girl,â Ruby muses, âAnd I canât think she isnât interested in you- I mean, look at you. Youâre attractive. Youâve got a quirky, but sexy accent. Youâre charming as hell.â
âAh Rubs, you flatter me so,â Killian jests.
âSo whatâs holding her back?â She asks.
He lifts a shoulder.
âIt could be that sheâs guarded,â Killian says, âI can tell sheâs been through a lot, but Iâm not sure what really and Iâm not sure how itâs affected her. Thatâs the thing about Emma. She gets the âtough pastâ thing. You can see it in her eyes and little things she says. She gets it. She likes books for the same reason I do, which I never known anyone like that before.â
âSo, you think itâs the guarded thing?â Ruby says, âBecause you know you can work on that. Sheâll come around with more time.â
Killian shifts uncomfortably.
âOr it could be me. Maybe she wants someone,â He pauses, âMore?â
âMore what?â Ruby asks. âYou canât play that game. At least not yet. Give her more time. Sheâll either come around and fall into your arms fairy tale style, or youâll know sheâs not interested but gain a friend. Just have patience, young grasshopper.â
âOh like you are the yoda of dating wisdom?â Killian teases.
Ruby shrugs and gives a hum before leaving for her time off.
Killian takes Rubyâs advice and decides not to give up on Emma quite yet. Besides, they are in a business deal together. Wounded as his ego may be from her rejection, they still have to work together to pull off their scheme. And well, he still really fancies her.
He heads to Mamieâs on Tuesday afternoon. Heâs given her the weekend to have time for herself, but he hopes heâll see her today. After all, tomorrow sheâll be meeting with the queen and he reckons itâs a good idea to be on the same page before that happens.
He breathes a sigh of relief when he sees her. She sitting by the window as usual, her laptop and bowl of cappuccino in front of her. She dressed casually, skinny jeans and black t-shirt. Her red leather jacket is draped over the back of her chair. She also The Red Stilettos sitting on her table as well.
Killian flinches at the book. Itâs a Blanche Neige, but by the far the darkest. While Killianâs reread most of her novels several times, heâs only read this one once. It was too haunting, too grim to touch again. The Red Stilettos tells the tale of a young girl forced into a career of exotic dancing for The Dictator after a cruel pimp in Dark Times Misthaven forces her into a pair of stilettoâs that force her to keep dancing. Her only solution is to cut off her own feet.
âWell thatâs some jolly reading for the afternoon,â Killian remarks.
âHello Killian,â Emma says, rolling her eyes.
Good old Emma. Always rolling her eyes.
âI canât stand that one,â Killian tells her.
Emma gives him a puzzled look and then glances down at The Red Stilettos.
âItâs pretty dark,â Emma admits, âBut I think itâs one of the most important of Blanche Neigeâs work.â
Killian side into the chair across from her, resting a hand under his chin, âHow so?â
âWell, her other novels are about people saving Misthaven, delivering it from oppressive dictators. But this one isnât. The only person that that the protagonist manages to save is herself. And she has to cut away part of herself to do it, but she does. She saves herself. Itâs not about daring resistance schemes, but personal resistance. Itâs about the little things that we can do every day to rebel, to fight for hope.â
Killian looks at her with a sense of awe. Sheâs brilliant. Here he had just thought of it as a bleak, gritty novel, but Emma had found a way to see it as something both academic and inspirational.
âI think that it might be how Blanche Neige felt herself. Like she couldnât bring down a whole regime. She couldnât be the hero of her books, but she could do something. She could write these stories and use them as her own act of resistance,â Emma adds.
âDo you think they made a difference?â Killian asks.
âThey made a difference to us,â Emma says, stirring a spoon in her cappuccino.
âThey changed our whole lives,â Killian murmurs.
Emma licks some foam off her spoon and adds, softly, âSo I think that counts.â
âListen, Emma, Iâm sorry if I made you uncomfortable on Friday,â Killian says.
âNo, itâs okay, I was just being,â She hesitates and shrugs. He wonders what sheâll say- stubborn, guarded. âMe.â
âWell, I donât ever want to come in the way of that,â He tells her, âBut please, Emma, if you donât want me around, if you donât want to work with me- just say the words and Iâll disappear.â
âItâs not that,â Emma nibbles on the edge of the spoon, âI really like having you around. Itâs just⊠I need to focus on my thesis. With this money-making plot as well, I really donât have time for other⊠distractions.â
Killian isnât sure if this was the whole story. Emma has so many walls and layers, he isnât sure heâll ever know her fully. But he knows that this is part of the truth. He knows how important her dissertation is to her. He wouldnât ever want to stand in her way of following her ultimate goal.
âJust know that, um, if you change your mind, Iâll be here,â He says softly. âIâm not going anywhere.â
She looks up and meets his eyes.
Then just a blush begins to creep up on her, she lifts up her cappuccino bowl to cover her face. When she puts it down, the blush is gone and Emma is back to business. The emotionally intimate moment is pushed aside, or bottled up, or whatever it is Emma does to compartmentalize.
âSo, I thought you were going to show me more of Misthaven,â Emma says, âItâs been what- a week- since you promised that and all Iâve seen so far is more of the Misthaven University library.â
Killian doesnât mind the change in subject when it allows him another opportunity to take Emma on a date. Or maybe a not-date. Whatever, heâs happy for the excuse to spend more time with Emma.
âYour wish is my command, milady,â Killian says, âWhat would you like to see?â
Emma shrugs and runs her hand through her hair, âSomething to get me out of my head.â
âHmm, I thought you were avoiding distractions,â He teases.
Emma looks startled for a moment, before sticking out her tongue, âI can spare two hours off.â
Killian tries to think of something to do. Itâs a gorgeous day, so maybe a hike in the mountains. Or a picnic in one of Misthavenâs many parks. Or a visit to the memorial gardens.
But sheâs still so new to Misthaven, he thinks she needs another chance to get acquainted with the city.
âHow do you feel about heights?â He asks.
Emma closes her laptop and smiles, âI donât mind them.â
âGrand,â Killian says, âGrab your things. Letâs go.â
Emma follows Killian into the warm afternoon air. She stuffs her jacket into her purse, realizing that it isnât necessary in the early autumn heat. They weave through Old Town. Itâs buzzing, as usual, but slightly muted as the lunch crowd has headed back to work.
Killian stops in front the main church in town. Emmaâs seen the dreamy steeple of the Cathedral de Sainte Ann many times, but she hasnât ventured into the church before.
She isnât really a church kind of person. Well, except for one time when sheâd been fostered by a particularly religious family. Theyâd taken her and the three other foster kids to church every Sunday. She hadnât minded it. There were always good stories. Men trapped in lion dens, others who walked on water- they were fascinating to listen to- nearly as good as fairy tales. But when one of her foster siblings had planted a handful of stolen money under her pillow, she was sent away and that was the end of churches.
Sheâs a little unsure of what they are doing outside of the building when Killian opens the door and gives her a little nod. Inside, glittering stain glass is scattering light everywhere. There is beautiful grey stone everywhere, like a portal to the past. The ceiling is decorated in little stars, with angels swirled in between.
âChagall did the windows,â Killian whispers, âTake your time to take it all in.â
Killian goes to sit in one of the pews while she explores. Emma weaves around the church taking in each display of sparkling glass. She canât tell what any of them are really. They are most dizzying displays of color and images. She loves the details of the place, the bits of gold decorating the alter piece, the ambo.
âItâs really nice,â Emma says, wishing she had better words to describe the fascinating building.
âItâs one of the oldest things in Misthaven,â Killian explains, âThat and the castle, really.â
Emma hums, imagining all the history that took place here.
âBut come on,â He says, âItâs time to see the true gem of this place.â
They walk together to entrance of the church. There is a small door there, the kind that might go unnoticed to a different eye. It could be leading to a closet, or maybe a space for a choir.
Killian puts a code into the lock on it and swings it open.
âYou werenât lying about the heights, right?â He asks.
Emmaâs never been one to mind heights. After everything sheâs gone through in life, a nice view has never turned her off. She shakes her head.
âUp we go, Swan. You never forget your first church tower.â
Emma follows him up into a small passage. The climb to the top of the tower is made up of several wooden ladders that lead up from platform to platform.
âLady first,â Killian says, gesturing to her to begin the climb. âOr should I say Princess first.â
The name brings thoughts racing back to her head, thoughts that sheâs been putting off all weekend because she canât. She isnât ready to think about them. She shoves them off for a moment more.
Emma begins the assent. The ladder isnât rickety, but she is relieved that she doesnât have any fears of heights or claustrophobia because that would make this a lot more difficult. When she reaches the first platform, she hears Killian begin on the ladder below her.
âHow do you know about this?â She asks.
She doesnât peg Killian for a church go-er. Heâs a little too rogue for that kind of thing.
âWould you believe me if I told you that I used to be something of a Quasimodo? Living up in this very bell towers, ringing the bells, naming them all,â He rambles.
Emma rolls her eyes at him, even though he canât see her.
âNo,â She says flatly, reaching the second platform.
âAw, come on. I named the biggest one after you. I call her the Swan,â He says.
âStill no,â She replies. âAnd are you calling me fat?â
âOf course not, love. Biggest for biggest heart, of course. And actually, sheâs called The Vicious Swan,â His voice adds.
âOh my god, Killian, Iâm going to climb down and shove you off the ladder.â
âOnly jesting, darling,â he says. âWould you believe me if I told you I worked odd jobs when I first arrived in Misthaven. During the Dark Times, the churches were destroyed and ransacked. This one in particular. Iâm surprised the Chagall windows survived to be honest. The whole thing was in disarray. I spent a few weeks helping out here, just trying to be helpful. My biggest task was rebuilding these stairs and platforms.â
âSo if they ever break- Iâm blaming you?â She asks, stepping up to a higher one.
The image of Killian, hot, sweaty (and probably shirtless- What? A girl can dream!) building things, fills her head. She smiles to herself at the fantasy.
And then promptly cuts off her fantasy. Honestly, this âno Killianâ plan is probably doomed.
âPrecisely,â He says, âBut they wonât. Iâm excellent.â
âAre you really?â She asks.
Gesh, there are a lot of stairs to the top.
âYes, Swan,â He says, mock annoyed.
âBut yeah, Iâd believe that,â Emma says.
She does, a lot more than his Killian of Notre Dame story.
âWell thatâs the truth,â He says.
Emmaâs nearly to the top, she thinks. Or at least she hopes. She may be fine with heights, but she isnât in shape for a stepmaster workout.
âI slept on pews at night for my first week here because I didnât have anywhere to stay yet. Just me fixing up the church and sleeping in it,â He tells her. âEventually I paid for a room at the pub and then Ruby offered me the job and the rest was history.â
âYeah, sounds like a literary classic right there,â Emma jokes, trying not to start puffing, âKillian Jones, Foundling.â
Emma can see a light peeking out of the top and finally climbs the last bit to reach the top of the last ladder.
Emma gets to the top of tower before Killian does. The final stairway gives way to small chamber lookout. There are four windows, each allowing a view of a different part of the town. She can hear him moving below her, but for now itâs just her and the city.
The whole city looks miniature below her. She can see the main sights- the river, the mountains, various spires of other, smaller churches. She can see the main building of the university. The rows of Old Town sprawl below her, winding along the curving roads, the buildings jutting out adorably.
If Killian is still talking, she canât hear him. There arenât any distractions here.
And her thoughts, the ones sheâs been shoving down all weekend, the worries that rattle in her chest, twist in her stomach- they come full force forward.
How is she going to do this?
How is she going to have tea with the Queen of Misthaven?
Emma has never really been a daughter. Ingrid was the closest she came, but the way things ended there has left Emma even more uncomfortable with idea of family than she was before. She had just thought that it was something sure and loving, when the rug had been pulled out from under her.
How is Emma supposed to be someoneâs daughter now?
Is she just going to sashay into the Queen Mary Margaretâs tea room and have a chat like old friends? All the while as she stars at her, looking to see her daughter in her eyes, her smile. All the while as Emma straight up tries to live a lie.
She feels her hands shaking before the enormity it comes crashing down on her.
âSwan?â Killian asks, as he reaches the top step.
A lump has settled in her throat and she canât find the words. She rests her elbows on the ledge of the open window, leaning forward to busy herself looking over the city.
And to hide her face from Killian lest she does something embarrassing. Like cry.
âEmma, love? Are you alright?â He asks. She can hear him striding across the small room.
She doesnât move. She doesnât say anything. She canât. Anything will make her guard drop at this point.
âIs it the heights?â He says, his voice right behind her. âIf it is, we can go back down. I wonât even tease you about it.â
She turns to shake her head, words still sticking in her throat.
Killian extends his hands tentatively. She doesnât shy away when he places his hands gently on her shoulders, or when he pulls her close for a hug.
She should, she definitely should be pulling away. A hug is one step away from an emotional make out session. But she doesnât have the energy to resist. She steps awkwardly into his embrace.
Emma has never been good at physical contact. Hot and heavy? Sure. But this, this vulnerability, this gentleness- this is foreign. She never grew up with moms and dads who gave hugs or tender squeezes of a hand. Even Ingrid had been scarce with hugs, afraid of frightening Emma with contact after her previous home. This is so stupid. She doesnât know even know how to hug someone.
Honestly- how is she going to do this?
But then Killianâs arms tighten around her and she melts.
She lets herself relax so that she fits inside the tiny curves that his encircling arms make. She lets her forehead fall to the crook of his neck. She knows that sheâs going to make a mess of tears on his t-shirt, but something tells her already that he wonât mind.
He brushes a hand into her hair. It makes her feel like melting again, a soft, relaxing feeling starting at her head and passing calm through her body.
âWhat is it, love?â He asks, his voice soft.
Itâs many moments later when she gathers her breath, finding the words to begin an answer.
âIâm not sure I can do this,â She whispers.
âDo what?â He asks, another gentle hand through her hair.
It soothes her enough to begin to answer.
âIâm not sure I can be someoneâs daughter,â Emma says.
He gently, ever so gently, puts his hands on her face to guide her to look up at him.
âYouâre an orphan?â He asks.
She swallows, wondering how he put it together so quickly.
He runs a thumb under her eyes, smearing the tears.
âI know that look,â He tells her before she can ask. âYouâve got a look in your eye of someone who has been left alone for too long.â
âHow do you know?â She asks.
âI was too,â He tells her.
All of a sudden the intimacy of the moment hits her. Here they are, alone in this church tower, above Misthaven, faces just inches from each other, sharing the deepest of secrets. Itâs way more than Emma is comfortable with, especially after running away from Killian the other night.
But she canât run away, not now, not in his arms, not at the top of a freaking bell tower. Not after he just revealed a deep secret to her.
So, she lets him continue.
âMy gran died when I was twelve. I ran away to England. I ended up lost in foster care with no one at all to care for me,â He explains. âI made a lot of mistakes. I spent a lot of time alone. I tried to have family and the bloody thing came crashing down on me.
âWhat Iâm trying to say, Emma, is that I get it.â
And he does. She knew that they were kindred souls, but not to this extent. She didnât know how similar they really were till this minute.
âIt was the same for me,â She reveals, âGoing from foster family to foster family. Some were good, others were really, really bad- but they never really felt like home.â
âItâs okay, Emma,â He says softly. âLove has been all too rare in your life, hasnât it?â
She sniffles and nods. Then she looks up at Killian. Heâs smiling a gentle, reassuring smile. It lets her keep going, letting her full worries pour out.
âI donât know how to be Princess Emma. I donât know how to be a girl who grew up with hot chocolate with cinnamon and ponies and parents who loved her.â
Killian makes a sushing sound and sways gently, a rocking motion. His hand is still coaxing her through soft brushes through her hair.
âI donât even have a middle name. I had to make up my own last name. Iâve never known my birthdate or my parents name. I was just found; left in an airport. And it sucks. At least you had a brother one time. I donât even know if I had siblings. I donât know anything about my origins, just that whoever I belonged to didnât want me.
This is why Iâm so freaking terrified to have tea with the queen. Sheâs going to see right through me because I canât possibly be like her. I canât ever be someone so loved, so cared for.â
Killian is silent a moment. And Emma wonders if she is getting snot on his shirt and if he can tell.
âOh Emma. First of all, you donât have to be her. If you go in there demanding a hot chocolate with cinnamon and talking about ponies, it will be obvious that I told you all I know. It will look staged and silly. You donât have to be a modern characterture of a three-year-old Princess,â Killian is rambling now. There is still something calming to it. She can tell heâs really trying to reassure her.
She sniffles again as he keeps going.
âLetâs be honest, Princess Emma is very likely dead. If she isnât, she could be anyone. She could be someone in Misthaven or someone halfway across the world. She could be someone who was lonely, who grew up in foster care. For all we know, she could be a man now. There is no way to tell what happened to Princess Emma or what sheâd be like now. You just have to be you. Just you Emma.â
He strokes his thumb along her jaw, rubbing over her chin. His smile is so sincere, bordering on tender that it melts her heart.
He continues, âAnd if the queen happens to believe you are her long lost daughter, then thatâs amazing. Youâll become a pseudo-princess and youâll have money to finish your studies and maybe help me with my shop. But if it doesnât work- you havenât failed either. Youâll get to sip tea in a bloody fancy house. Youâll get to talk to the queen about books, maybe make a new friend. Who knows, maybe sheâll even pay your school fees anyway, sheâll like you so much. The thing is, I really want this to work. I know we both do. But it doesnât have to. And you donât have to stress yourself out trying to be someone you arenât. Be yourself and the rest will fall into place.â
She gives him a little nod that she understands. Her tears have lessened now. Her breath is still unsteady, a few stray hiccups sneaking in.
He pulls her back into a hug. Itâs gentle and sweet and she just wants to stay in it forever. Silly Emma, not being used to physical attention and getting sappy about hugs. She wants to chastise herself, but she also just wants to be in this moment and take it in. Killian Jones, her kindred soul, her fellow foster child, comforting her in the simplest of ways.
âCome on Swan,â He finally says, his voice soft, âYouâll miss out on the greatest view in Misthaven.â
He runs his hands down her arms till he reaches her wrists. He tugs on them slightly, pulling her over to the window.
Itâs just as lovely as it was moments before, the whole city laid out in front of her.
âLook,â Killian says softly, pointing, one hand still in hers, âYou can see your apartment way over there. And over there, in Old Town, is my pub.â
âHey, I still havenât been there,â Emma points out, âI want my free drink.â
âAll in good time, Swan,â He teases. âIf you look over there, you can see the harbor. The opera house is just below us. You see the dome, right?â
Killian continues pointing out little details to her- the library, a few good museums, parks he promises theyâll visit on a nice day.
âAnd do you see that castle looking thing over there?â He asks, nodding at the mountain opposite.
She follows his gaze, taking in the small chateau tucked into green of the mountaintop. Even from far away, she can see itâs opulence.
âThatâs where youâll be having tea tomorrow. The queen doesnât live in the main castle. You probably know that. Sheâs taken up residence in that little one. It used to be their summer home.â
Right, their summer home is just a slightly smaller castle. Thatâs totally normal. And so completely out of Emmaâs league.
As quickly as Emma feels her fears return, they vanish as she lets the memory of Killianâs earlier words wash over her. She just has to be herself.
âYouâre going to brilliant,â He says, his voice soft, âJust watch, you and the queen will get on perfect.â
Emma feels herself blush and smile demurely.
âNow love,â He says, âEnough adventure for today. I think you have a free drink to claim.â
âReally?â She asks, turning back to face him, cheerfully.
âYes, now come along Swan, before I change my mind,â He says, wrapping an arm around her to guide her back down.
@sambethe @lenfaz @pocket-anon @the-corsair-and-her-quill @kmomof4 @kiwistreetswan @princesseslikepirates @timeless-love-story @shady-swan-jones @katie-dub @1handedpiratewithadrinkingprob @midnightswans
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