#to be fair I was hoping the same thing the Donna would remember what happened and Understand and know Just the Right Thing to Say

[pink-psychic]

The Doctor not actually being able to talk and confide in the real Donna literally had me sobbing and screaming

[elareine]

If you could, can you please write JayTim or RoyTim (whichever one you want) trying to be romantic and woo Tim (maybe with some puns, I love puns), but Tim is a bit oblivious towards it, because the other is so cool, therefore they must be trying to make friends and be nice with him and nothing more. So when he does finally realize its an italicized "Oh" moment.

Hi lovely!! Thank you for waiting so patiently for this fill. I... ended up making it JayRoyTim, I hope that's okay? It just fit so well, but I can totally write something else with JayTim or RoyTim for you if you want :)

Also, it turned out to be about pick-up lines more than wooing, sorry. I might’ve gone overboard with googling the puns. It's long enough that I put it on ao3, too. What's your username on there? Then I'll gift it to you.

if you were a transformer (you’d be optimus fine)

“Well, here I am.”

Tim looks up, utterly confused. “I didn’t call for you, but… that’s… great?”

Roy waggles his eyebrows. It looks faintly disturbing. Redheads should maybe not do that. Or, actually, Tim revises mentally, thinking of literally every other redhead Dick ever dated—that’s just Roy. “What are your other two wishes?”

“Coffee and some silence to finish working this case?”

Roy looks weirdly deflated at that, but he does get him some coffee. Tim soon forgets about it.

—

(“How’d it go?”

“Does obliviousness run in the family?”

“Yes. Yes it does. Have you met Bruce?”

“…okay, fair. Your turn next.”)

—

“Jason? What’re you doing here?”

Sure, Jason and Roy have been spending a lot more time in Gotham lately. Something to do with a case, Tim assumes. Maybe even with the one that they worked on together in Star City five months ago?

Anyway. They’ve been around, is what Tim is saying. Not at the manor, but at Tim’s apartment and his workspace, cause apparently it’s not worth rebuilding their safe house after it went up in flames, and Bruce and Damian are too often at Dick’s place. He’s not exactly surprised to see either of them anymore. (Pleased, yes. But not surprised.) However, Tim has no fucking clue why Jason is currently grinning at him from the other side of the library desk.

At least Tim has the good sense to check his name tag before he gasps: “Jason?”

“Oh, hey, Tim.” Jason’s grinning. “Guess you figured out my new job, huh?”

“Yeah.” Tim shakes his head. “Color me surprised.” So this is what Jason’s spending his days doing. He’s gotta be shadowing someone, right? Tim’ll ask him tonight.

“I’ve always liked this place.” Jason’s gaze is far away for a moment. Tim badly wants to know what he’s remembering. Then the older man seems to come back to himself and gives Tim a weird—maybe angry?—look. “It’s a good thing I’m a librarian, too, cause I’m totally checking you out.”

“Alright, I can take a hint.” Tim grabs his book and demonstratively walks over to the self-service scanners. Really. How rude.

—

(“Are you telling me he managed to resist you in your cardigan?”

“Apparently.”

“Aww. C’mere, babe.”)

—

So Roy blows things up all the time. No, really, Tim now totally understands why Dick was so happy when he heard the duo is camping out at Tim’s place for a change. His older brother even gave Tim a thumbs-up, for God’s sake. He must’ve known.

Cause yeah, there’s at least one explosion every two days. Or Roy dropping something cause he’s too focused on what he’s thinking to remember what his hands are doing. Or something dropping on him. Jason seems used to it; he just catches whatever it is or laughs at Roy. Tim… is starting to learn to do the same, actually. Whatever Roy comes up with at that moment is usually worth it, and besides, he’s kinda adorable.

Aaaaaaanyway. (He’s using that word a lot in his own thoughts right now. Almost as if he’s avoiding thinking about something. Hmm.) Tim’s not surprised when Roy walks into a room, stumbles, and slaps a hand over his eyes with a dramatic exclamation.

Tim, in shorts and not much else cause he got drenched in pollen earlier, just raises an eyebrow. “Alright, Roy?”

“Nope.” Roy’s hand is still covering his face, but Tim can still see his grin underneath. “I’m gonna need your name and phone number for insurance purposes.”

“Roy. You have both of these things,” Tim explains slowly, wondering if Roy sustained a brain injury or accidentally dosed himself on something. “And why insurance?”

“I was blinded by your beauty.”

God. Sometimes Tim wonders about the original Titans and their socialization for the two dudes if this is how they think making friends works. Then again, Kori, Donna, and Dick probably appreciated constant compliments about their beauty. It all makes sense. Roy must be so used to it that he even uses those same methods when someone unexceptional like Tim is around.

He smiles gamely. “I’m looking forward to hearing that phone call. Must be almost as great as the time Bruce tried to convince his insurance company that Clark dropping on his car wasn’t an act of God because God is demonstrably not a Kryptonian. Neither was the giant ape punching Clark out.”

Roy drops his hand at that. “…Batman did what?”

—

(“You were doing so well, too.”

“I knoooow. How much more obvious can we get?”

“I dunno, but I intend to try.”)

—

“Do you like Star Wars? Because Yoda only one for me!”

“Haha. No. Star Trek or die.” Tim’s answer is automatic. He’s had these discussions soooo many times with Kon before. Of course Jason also goes for the space cowboy soap opera.

Besides, Jason’s boyfriend is standing right next to him. He doesn’t mean to sound flirtatious with Tim. Or maybe he does, and it’s just good fun? Or maybe teasing him? Tim can’t figure it out, but he knows he doesn’t like the weird hollow feeling he gets in his stomach when he thinks about it, so he changes the topic.

And makes both of them sit down to watch some classic Captain Kirk, of course.

—

(“Should I be insulted by that pick up line?”

“Nah. There aren’t that many lines that imply a polycule, though.”

A kiss. “Alright.”)

—

One of the things Jason and Tim have in common is their predilection for motorbikes and fiddling around with them. Not that makes them unique in the batclan; Tim has never spent days quietly working side-by-side with Dick, though, the way he does with Jason. They started out with separate projects. Then Jason saw this vintage Ducati at an abandoned warehouse he was about to blow up and, well… Would be a shame, right? Tim just happens to have had one of these before—regrettably lost to one of Harley’s exploding baseball bats—so he offers his expertise.

It’s not because it means bending over the engine with Jason, closer than they ever are, their hands brushing when they hand each other instruments. It’s not.

Roy doesn’t join them. He’s too polite to say so, but he finds normal cars and bikes boring af. Doesn’t stop him from popping his head into the garage and whistling when he sees that they are shirtless and covered in grease. It’s a damn good look on Jason, so Tim can’t fault him for that.

Roy follows it up with a: “Are you a parking ticket? Cause you got fine written all over you.”

Tim can’t help it; he blushes at the suggestive tone. Those two never stop flirting with each other, do they? So far, he has managed to avoid stumbling over them while they’re making out (not that they’re making that easy—the kitchen? Really?), and he’d like to keep avoiding that, thank you very much. He’s already feeling guilty enough for his fantasies as it is.

“Uh. I should clean up,” he mumbles and flees.

—

(“Dammit.”

“…do you think that was a rejection?”

“Nah. He was definitely checking me out before you came and fucked it up.”

“That’s saying something if you noticed it.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”)

—

So Tim has magically acquired cat ears and a very fluffy tail. Don’t ask. They’re gonna go away in eight hours, and until then, he’s gonna stay in the cave and work himself to distraction. Jason seems intent on keeping him company, though.

(It’s nice. Tim loves hanging out with Jason—that’s not the problem. The issue is that Tim is looking ridiculous, and Jason is being nice about it, and none of this is helping his stupid crush go away.)

They’re absently chatting about nothing until Jason says: “Kinda a pity you’re a cat, though.”

Tim looks up. Huh? Admittedly, he never pegged Jason as the type to go for catboys (though maybe… he did hang out with Kyle… perhaps it’s just that he definitely doesn’t go for Tims), but that’s still a weird pronouncement.

Jason is grinning. “If you were a chicken, you’d be impeccable.” He pauses. “Wait. Like even more than you already are. Uh.”

Tim sighs. Great. And now Jason is making fun of him again. “Whatever.”

—

(“A chicken?”

“Shut up. I panicked.” A sigh. “He was so cute with these ears.”

“…yeah, he was.”)

—

“You must be tired. You’ve been running through my mind all night.”

“I’m not tired,” Tim says automatically. Why does everyone keep asking him that tonight? Surely the shadows under his eyes can’t be that bad? He used concealer!

Something in Roy’s expression softens. “Aww. C’mere.” He pats the space on the couch next to him, and when Tim sits down, Roy pulls him half of on top of him and into a hug. “Relax for a bit, little bird.”

Tim sinks into the embrace, boneless all of a sudden. Roy just has that effect on him. Tim vaguely remembers thinking of him as his oldest brother’s cool friend and then Jason’s cool boyfriend, kind of a fuckboy but clearly good for Jay.

Now? Now, Roy just makes him feel safe.

—

(“So you spent the night on the couch just so he could sleep in your arms?”

“Yeah. Totally worth it.”

“Duh.”

“I just wish we could do that with him every night. Bet he fits perfectly between us.”

“Yeah.”

A pause.

“We might have to up the ante or switch tactics.”)

—

They’re talking about their favorite books—Tim doesn’t read as much as Jason does, but they discovered a shared love of sci-fi weeks ago—when Tim says: “Actually, that book kinda reminds me of you.”

“Oh?”

“Overly dramatic but good.”

Jason makes an offended noise, and Tim grins.

“I’m not sure which part I should argue about first.” Jason pretends to think.

Tim is always down to tell Jason that fuck his self-perception—Jason is a good man, one of the best Tim knows; that also feels too revealing right now. Instead, he gets up from their comfortable position on the couch and grabs the first stack on the table, carrying them over to the shelves to replace the gaps. “What kind of book would I be?”

“Babe, if you were words on a page, you’d be fine print.”

“Annoying and no one reads it?” Tim asks without turning around, trying to ignore the babe. That’s. That’s gotta be a slip of the tongue, right? Force of habit from spending so much time with Roy?

“No, fine,” and the emphasis is clear this time. Jason continues before Tim can reply: “Though if we’re talking books…”

Tim whirls around. “Save it. You don’t have to make fun of me just because I—“He swallows down the words.

Jason looks alarmed. “Tim—“

As if he can smell trouble, Roy chooses that moment to enter the room. Tim has barely heard him approach, Jesus. He doesn’t want to have this argument in front of Roy, though, so he just stands there in the middle of the room. Jason, too, has stopped speaking.

Roy, of course, takes one look at the awkwardness and decides to make it worse. Or more confusing.

“Did you just come out of the oven?” he asks.

“As this isn’t Hansel and Gretel, no, I didn’t.” Tim checks his shirt, just in case this is an actual conversation opener and not just a weird attempt at a distraction. “Do I have soot on me?”

“Nope.” Roy shakes his head, and he’s smiling that smile again, the one Tim is startled to recognize, the one he thought is reserved only for Jason— “Because you’re hot.”

And finally, Tim gets it. “Me?”

“Yes, Tim.” Roy’s moving in closer. “You.”

There’s a soft touch to Tim’s shoulder, and Tim whirls around, expecting Jason to be mad, cause his boyfriend is—is hitting on Tim, right, that’s what’s happening, Jason can’t be happy—

Jason is smiling down at him. His hand is still resting on Tim’s shoulder, but it slides down to his collar bone, a gentle presence as he murmurs: “You’re so beautiful that you made forget my pick up line.”

Oh. Oh.

Tim says the first thing he can think of: “Are you a raisin?”

Jason starts grinning. “I’m not even gonna qualify that with an answer.”

Tim smiles back. “Cause you’re raising my hopes for a kiss right about now.”

And he gets one. And then another, and then Roy joins in, kissing Tim’s neck and then his mouth and—Yeah.

They’re too busy for any more pick up lines right now.

[misslilli]

Hope you guys are not too busy with Fictober 😄 thank you, as always, for your amazing feedback!

Felix Felicis

MSR. AU. PG-13. | tagging @today-in-fic | read on AO3

Chapter 26 - A Pivotal Peppermint Mocha

[ DS ]

He respects my wishes, of course he does, and I don’t see him before or after Thanksgiving break, except for a few glimpses from afar, across the school yard or at the farmer’s market. As time passes, each time I see him, it gets less and less painful and my funk begins to lift. My kids at school breathe a sigh of relief and my friends stop tiptoeing around me. The nights get easier, too, and I manage at least a few hours of shut-eye.

I just got home from school, a little earlier than usual and I can hear the girls chatting and laughing in the kitchen.

“…and then Squirrel rolled her eyes and said: ‘But Felix, that’s impossible, no-one can stuff 100 marshmallows into their mouth, not even your dad!’ I get such a kick out of this kid, he insisted over and over again that Moose could do it and he’ll prove it to her. You should’ve seen the exasperated look on Squirrel’s face!”

What the hell? That conversation is eerily familiar because I’ve just had it this morning at recess. Why the fuck are they referring to us as Moose and Squirrel?

They jump about a mile as I step into the kitchen, guilty looks plastered all over their faces. Sarah, who just told the story, starts to speak first. “Uuuh.. hey D, you’re home early…” My hands on my hips, I give them each a long, hard stare.

“Who. The Fuck. Are Moose and Squirrel?” They share a look I can’t decipher and Holly pulls out a chair.

“You better sit down for this, D.” I do as I’m told and glance around the table, waiting for someone to start explaining what’s going on.

Sarah and Holly both make it clear by silently staring at Alex, the calm one of our group, the one they trust can explain in a way I won’t kick their asses afterwards.

Alex folds her hands in front of her and takes a deep breath. “Okay. I’d like to preface this with stating that everything we did was done with love and because we care about you and your happiness.” ‘Oh goody, I can’t wait to see where this is going…’

“We’ve been talking about Moo- Mulder a lot at our Friday night dinners and we could tell that you liked him. When nothing happened and no-one made the first move, we thought we’d give fate little pushes in the right direction.” I stare at her, starting to panic.

“Oh God, what did you do? Is anyone else in on this thing? Is he in on this whole thing?”

“No, no, no-one knows except for us. And Miss Hannigan, but only because we needed her help with the costumes and we swore her to secrecy.” I snort, you can’t swear the town gossip to secrecy.

“So the Halloween costume was your doing? That we went to the town fair in a couple’s costume?” Alex nods. “What else?”

“Just little things, I swear. Remember when we were at the Farmer’s Market and we all had various errands to run? We saw Felix and Mulder were heading over, so we scattered to give you some alone time.” Which led to our first quasi-semi-let’s not call it a date-date, yes I remember.

“So what’s the Moose and Squirrel business then?”

“Well, since it was all a secret operation, we needed codenames. Sarah came up with a play on the first letters of your last names and we thought it was cute, especially since there’s such a big height difference between these characters too. This was how Operation: Bullwinkle was born. Of course, after the basketball fiasco, we called it off… are you mad, D?” I sit in silence for a while, taking in the things my friends came up with to set Mulder and I up.

They eye me anxiously, trying to gauge my reaction and if they should run for cover right about now.

“No, I’m not mad. It was actually a really clever secret operation and I’m kind of sad it didn’t work out the way we all wanted.” Holly lifts her shoulders, relieved that I understood that they didn’t mean to cause any harm.

“Never say never, D.”

—————

[ FM ]

My mom has taken Felix with her while she’s out grocery shopping, which gives me a good part of the afternoon to leave the house and roam the streets. A good way to clear my head. It’s the first week of December, but New England hasn’t been graced with snow yet, just a misty cold that seeps into your coat and straight through to your bones.

My hands are freezing because I forgot to take my gloves, so when the green logo of the local Starbucks catches my eye, I go in to warm up and get a cup of coffee.

Usually, I avoid this place like the plague, I don’t possess the fast decision making skills required to choose from the 999 combinations, just to have a cup of freakishly overpriced coffee.

I can barely get through the door, the place is jam packed and soon, I can smell why. Peppermint Mocha season starts today. The prospect of standing in line for hours almost makes me turn back, but something stops me from leaving.

Most of the people are holding a cup in their hands gleefully already, so I push my way through the crowd to where the line starts. When I reach it, I find myself dumbly staring at the back of a fiery head of hair, a shade I’d recognize anywhere in the world and in the most crowded places.

Shi-hit, does this break the ‘giving space’ rule? No, I’m just getting a cup of coffee on a cold winter day, no big deal. I don’t even have to talk to her. Yeah right, who am I kidding?

—————

[ DS ]

I’m way too excited about the start of Peppermint Mocha season, so here I am, in a place packed with people, patiently waiting in line to finally get my hands on that glorious to-go cup of Christmas Spirit.

I’m next in line when the person in front of me turns a little too quickly, making me take a step backwards to let them pass, bumping into the person standing behind. I mumble a “I’m sorry!” over my shoulder and freeze when I hear a familiar voice respond with an “Don’t worry about it.”

Counting to ten in my head before I turn my head, I come to face with a grinning Fox Mulder, who adds “Fancy bumping into you here!” His silly pun elicits the first genuine smile I’ve given in weeks.

“Technically, you didn’t bump into me, I bumped into you.”

He grins even wider and nudges my shoulder with his index finger. “There. So, I’m new in town, what’s good here?”

I order my Peppermint Mocha with sweet cream foam and an extra espresso shot while he pretends to gag, he orders his black coffee to my snort and the barista’s comment on what kind of first name ‘Mulder’ is. We move to stand at the end of the counter to wait for our coffees.

“Sometimes, I just want to tell them my name is Bob, just so I don’t have to explain Mulder or Fox to another barista.”

“Don’t ask me how many time’s I’ve been Donna, Danny or Dinara and one time, Daniel. I think they do it on purpose. At least yours is easy to spell, Eff - Oh - Ex.”

“Oh I bet you were a regular hit at the spelling bee, with those mad skills of yours!”

“I’m a woman of many talents, Bob.”

The barista calls out our names, ‘Peppermint Mocha for Daisy, black coffee for Mouldy’ and we reach out to accept our respective cups. Pushing out way to the crowd, we continue our conversation.

“Daisy? That's not even remotely close to my real name… but Mouldy is freaking priceless!” Her giggle at their slip up almost makes it worth it to have a shitty first name.

“Yeah, yeah, make fun of the guy with the funny name. I kind of like Daisy, though, it’s a pretty name!”

I’m so happy to see that we turn to head in the same direction, strolling along the crowded sidewalk, sipping our coffee. I have to walk pretty fast to keep up with his long strides.

“It is, yeah! So tell me, Eff- Oh- Ex, how much flak did you have to take way back in the day, when “What does the Fox say?” came out?” I shudder at the memory.

“They didn’t tease me with it. Much. Just a lot of ring-ding-dingalinging. It became a thing in my friend group, whenever they asked me something, they’d add ‘So what does the Fox say?’. It went on a long time and they still do it sometimes, when we get together, just to drive me nuts!”

“I hope for your sake that Felix never discovers that song, he’d have a field day!” Oh God, she’s right. Must keep him away from it at all costs. At my panic face, she laughs an evil laugh. “We do listen to a lot of music at recess…”

“Oh no, you wouldn’t!” I point an icy finger at her. “Promise me you wouldn’t!”

“Well, it does have a lot of educational material in it, with all the animal sounds…”

“I’ll have you know that you hold my sanity in your hands, handle with care!”

“I hear they have a lot of fun pills at the asylum, maybe I’ll come visit so you can sneak me some!”

We come to stand at the junction where we have to part ways and she raises her cup.

“Have a good day, Mouldy!”

“You too, Daisy!”

—————

[ DS ]

I think about the strange but fun encounter all the way home, the world didn’t end like I thought it would when we met again and it was a rather pleasant conversation. Like a conversation between long-time friends, even though friendship is not exactly what I’m looking for here. But it’ll have to do, for now. It’s just nice to talk to him again.

[nick-thecreator]

Aftermath Revival: Human AU Part 2

Part 1 is right Here

Part 3 is right Here

“Yeah, it’s me, Doctor Moreau. Do you remember me?” He asked. She stood in silence for a second before stepping a bit closer. “What the FUCK are you two doing?” Angie asked, making the two turn to her, Donna taking her hand off of his face, his hand going back down to his side. She folded her arms, clearly irritated. “That’s what I was wondering,” Karl added, confused as all hell. Alcina didn’t say anything, rather deciding to walk out. “Where’re you going?” “Let’s give them some privacy.” Karl started to laugh as Donna and Salvatore fell silent. She rolled her eyes, walking out back to The Duke’s shop. Angie went over to Donna as Karl looked back to them, walking to the other side of the table. “So…” He stood in silence for a second, letting a layer of awkwardness settle over the room. “You two have history?” He asked, still trying to compute what was going on. “Yeah, we do, but I think Donna might be having some memory issues,” Salvatore replied. His voice was much clearer than before, maybe because of the lack of fishness. Donna looked back up at Salvatore, tilting her head a bit. “You don’t think so?” Karl asked Donna. “I… I think so, I just don’t remember much…” She whispered, her hand had moved from his face to his shoulder. He took her hand off of his shoulder, holding her hand in his. “I’m assuming we need to clear some things up, huh?” He smiled. “I mean, I don’t remember much as… you know…, and it seems that there are some issues with memory, huh?” Donna nodded, Angie clinging to her dress. “So, are you going to spill, or no?” Angie asked.

“Karl? Donna? Angie? Are you all alright in there?” The Duke asked from outside, having pulled over to the side of the clinic so he could be closer to them. “Yeah, we’re fine Duke,” Karl replied, yelling out to the direction of the door before turning back to them. “We should probably go.” “Why?” Salvatore asked. “The “too long, didn’t listen’, Rosa, a baby, Ethan Winters, her father, everyone got smacked up, Ethan didn’t team up with me, a fucking army showed up, Mother Miranda is dead-” “Really?!” Salvatore interrupted him, his eyes going wide, a small smile forming on his face. “Yeah…” Karl answered, confused by Salvatore’s reaction. “Anyway, there was a bomb after she died, so, yeah.” “Huh, seems like the details would be interesting to hear,” He replied. “Anyway, I should probably grab some stuff before going.” Karl just nodded, before walking towards the door. “I’ll be outside, waiting, alright?” Salvatore and Donna just nodded as Karl walked out. Salvatore looked around the room, picking up a bag before walking over to one of the cluttered tables, going through the papers and boxes underneath the table. He did find a shirt in one of the boxes, so he threw it on, surprised that it fitted him. Donna just stood back a bit as Angie looked over his shoulder, trying to see what he was doing. “So, Donna, anything new in your department?” he asked, trying to make conversation. “Besides Angie, of course.” “Well-” “A WHOLE lot,” Angie interrupted. Donna went silent again. “Angie?” “Huh?” “Did I ask you?” “Um… no?” “Then let her speak, alright?” “BUT SHE NEEDS ME!” Angie shouted. Salvatore got everything he needed from his desk, standing up from the floor. “I understand, but-” He gestured to Donna, looking at Angie. “It’s healthy for her to do so.” He looked over to Donna, smiling. “Donna? You’ve spoken to me before, remember?” He asked, stepping a bit closer, lifting his hand up a bit, wanting to place it on her shoulder, but he didn’t want to startle her either. She stepped a bit closer. “You know it's safe to talk to me, right? You’re safe with me, alright?” His tone had shifted, his eyes seeming to shine. She noticed, somewhat recognizing his tone. The memory was faint, but still there. It was of him a long while ago. He sat next to her in his office, his hand on her face, speaking in the same tone after she had had a panic attack from an interaction with Mother Miranda. Her posture relaxed, putting her hand over his as she nodded. He smiled, clearing up her memory more, being able to remember the slight smile that he would give her when he would assure her that she was safe. She smiled under her face covering, unconsciously moving his hand from her shoulder to her face, over the fabric, of course. “Are you doing well under there?” He chuckled. “Mh hm.” She replied. Angie’s mouth fell open. She had never seen Donna so… comfortable with someone, nevermind someone like Salvatore Moreau, of all people. “I’m okay.” “That’s good. Anything new?” “A book-full.” “I’d love to hear it.” “Guys?” Karl asked, peaking through the doorway. They looked over to him as Angie ran over to Donna, pulling on her dress to get Donna to pick her up. She did so, taking her hand off of Salvatore’s hand as he pulled his hand back to his side, adjusting his bag. “Y’all ready?” “I believe so,” Salvatore replied, Donna nodding while facing Karl. “Come out with the rest of us then. Y’all are holding us up.” “Sorry…” He walked towards the door, Donna right behind him. “You aren’t bringing your coat?” Karl gestured to his large coat on the floor. “Hell no.” He walked out of the clinic with Donna and Angie, The Duke looking over to them. “My my, Lord Moreau, you certainly look better than expected,” The Duke commented, chuckling. “Thank you sir,” Salvatore replied. “So, where are we going?” “Somewhere safe, that’s all I know. I’m not sure exactly where though…” The Duke thought for a bit, looking around. “We could… we could…” He drew a blank as The Lords waited for his answer. “No idea, huh?” Karl asked. “Yes, unfortunately.” “Maybe the factory is still intact?” “I’m not bringing my girls to your shithole!” Alcina replied, holding onto Cassandra closely. “Fine, well…” “What about the church?” Donna suggested. “No, it was blown up,” The Duke replied. They stayed there for a few minutes, hoping that at least one of them would have a good idea. “How about we just go around the village? We could find some place that isn’t going to collapse into itself.” The Lords looked amongst themselves, nodding in agreement, for once. “Sounds good,” Salvatore replied, before stepping back in pain, his hand going to his forehead. He leaned over, clenching his teeth. “STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP IT!” He stomped on the ground, hoping that the pain from stomping his bare foot on the rocks and dirt would be rid of his nuisance. Everyone jumped back, startled. The Duke raised a hand to his face. “Oh my, my lord, are you al-” Salvatore let out a scream before going silent, his head hanging as he lightly, yet tiredly breathed. “My lord?” Salvatore looked up at him slowly. “I’m sorry sir, just some personal issues.” “Seems like more than that. You sure?” “Yeah, sorry.” He went silent again, holding onto his arms, embarrassed. The others slowly relaxed after his outburst. “Anyway, let’s go with your plan Duke,” Karl said, trying to break the newly formed ice. “Anyone want to sit on the side?” Donna nodded, going over to the shop, sitting on the side of the shop. Alcina also took the offer, sitting on the other side. “My lord, you should sit too. You seem quite tired.” “That would be nice, thank you,” Salvatore replied, sitting next to Donna. Angie had taken up Donna’s lap, holding onto Donna’s sleeve. Karl didn’t want to sit this time, preferring to walk beside the shop. They started to go around the village, its large size making for quite a trip. Alcina was too busy with her daughters to give a damn about the others. Salvatore and Donna were making small talk, with Angie butting every now and then. Karl, on the other hand, was testing his powers to see how much they had weakened. His powers had weakened substantially, the heaviest thing he could lift up was a large, metal caldron pot, only being able to lift it a few feet off of the ground, straining himself after a while of holding it up. He sighed, wishing he still had his old powers, but, since he did have some of his powers left, he wasn’t that mad. After a long while, Karl looked over to Donna and Salvatore, seeing how they talked to each other. She wasn’t even using Angie to talk, surprising Karl. He walked a bit closer to them, trying to hear over their conversation to see if he could fit in a question. All they were talking about was what had happened after Ethan had showed up to the village, and, to be fair, that was the most interesting thing that had happened recently. Eventually, Donna told Salvatore what The Duke had told her, Alcina, and Karl about how Ethan had taken down Mother Miranda, and Salvatore’s reaction was like how it was before, with a wide grin. “Hey Sal?” Karl asked. Salvatore, Angie, and Donna turned their heads to face him. “Yeah?” Salvatore replied. “What’s the deal man?” “Huh?” “You're smiling, over MOTHER MIRANDA’S DEATH,” He pointed out, emphasizing the main part. “And the issue is?” Salvatore didn’t fully understand Karl’s issue, having been told about Karl’s seething hatred towards her. He thought he’d be happy to know another lord agreed with him. “It isn’t much of an issue, but, ya know, you kinda were her… um…” He tried to find a good word that would describe how Moreau acted with Mother Miranda. “‘Lap Dog’?” “Kinda? More like ‘Floor Dog’, but in a similar tone as a Lap Dog.” “Makes sense…” Salvatore went silent for a second. “So?” “So… what?” “What’s with the change?” “What change- Oh!” His eyes went wide, realizing what he fully meant. He laughed for a second, leaving Karl confused for that time. “What’s so funny?” “I didn’t change… Consciously, per say,” He clarified. “How!?” Karl asked, even more confused than before. Donna and Angie were also confused, but just assumed that Karl had their questions covered. “That makes no fucking-” “You remember Eva, right?” “...Yeah?” “Remember how Miranda wanted to bring her back?” “Yeah, she wanted a host to put her consciousness into.” “And where was her consciousness stored?” “The Megamycete.” “And what was Miranda getting from the Megamycete?” “Cadous?” “Yes, and what was put into us?” “Cadou…” Karl paused for a second. “So… you were like Eva?” “Kind of, not fully. Miranda did have some manipulation over it-” “Wait wait wait, slow down. What the fuck are you talking about?” “Yeah!” Angie butted in, standing up, getting into Salvatore’s face. “What’s you’re fucking deal! You just appear, then you have all the fucking answers!” “Angie, stop,” Donna tried to quiet her down. “No! What’s your deal!? With Mother!? With Donna!? With all this shit!?” Donna put her hand over Angie’s mouth, which made Angie grumbled loudly, sitting back down on her lap. “I… guess people want answers…” Salvatore muttered out, trying to calm down the situation without getting yelled at more. “That would be nice to hear, if you may,” The Duke replied, having heard the whole conversation. “This’ll be good,” Karl added. Salvatore looked over to Donna. She nodded in agreement, wanting to clear up the gaps in her memory. “What about you Alcina?” “I…” She ran her fingers over the sculpture of Bela. “I’m good.” “Alright, take it away my lord,” The Duke said, smiling. “Alrightly then, I’ll start with the earliest stuff I have...”

[anythingforakutagawa]

Hollow words (Dazai x reader ⛈Angst⛈)

Dazai x reader ⛈angst⛈ 🚨spoilers for season 2 "Dark Era"🚨 ⚠mention of violence⚠

Life at the Port Mafia wasn't easy. In fact it was hell constant death, suffering, becoming everything you sworn you'd never be. Watching people lose them self and give in into the darkness.

All this at the mere age of 18. You've seen and caused countless, and pointless bloodshed. Taken with out reasoning innocent life's. And each day it was as if you where falling deeper and deeper into this life. An endless cycle of greed and power overrun with violence. You didn't defy the port mafia orders, because at this point you've grown custom to this thing you called life but, it did make you feel this almost unbearable feeling of cold you couldn't shake off. You didn't exactly desire death, but you also didn't see any value in living a life the way you do.

That was until you met him. A boy with the same pains as you. You could tell instantly through his bright yet lifeless brown eyes. But he radiated that warmth you have been seeking for as long as can remember. He shined a bright light over what your thought was never ending darkness with his cheerful and carefree nature.

You once heard one of your superiors say "When the lights too bright, you'll get burned."

But you knew it was all an act, you knew all too well all the bright smiles, carless touches, and words were an act to cover the monster waiting to break free at any given moment. Everyone in the Port Mafia was the same.

No matter what

.

.

.

Soft smile creped on your face when you enter Bar Lupins. You took your usual seat, right next to Dazai.

"Hey there Y/n!" Dazai said with his usual go happy tone while playing with the sphere shaped ice floating about his drink.

"Hey Dazai" you replied softly in-between ordering your usual drink you grown accustom from coming to the bar on regular bases to hang out with Oda, Ango, and Dazai.

Dazai whined while wrapping his arms around you, the warmth and affection you longed for but wasn't genuine, after all Dazai's blood was Port Mafia black, he wasn't a executive at the age of 18 for no reason.

You knew this.

You've seen it with your own eyes.

His heart can't feel love or produce it. At least that's what you believed, you even applied it to yourself. You and Dazai were just attempting to fill the emptiness you felt. Nothing else.

But you couldn't tear your self away from his embrace, it's was like a drug that couldn't temporary ease all the

So soft, so warm

"Awee, Bella donna. Dazai? What happen to Osamu?" Your ran your finger's delicately through his brown locks.

"Ah, sorry Osamu. Where are Ango and Oda today anyway?"

You corrected yourself before taking a small sip of your drink and settling it down where it once was. Dazai propped his elbow on the table and rested his cheek on the palm of his hand while giving you that signature shut eyes smiled.

"There not gonna come, I wanted time to myself with my lady love. You know tomorrow isn't guaranteed for us. so I want to makes the most of every chance I can get my hands on"

He was right, you were aware of either can die or get killed at any time. You just didn't like taking noticing because it felt so much better to cover up and ignore what you didn't like.

"Hey, Osamu, can you promise me something?"

He can hear the hint of uneasiness in your voice. He knew better to point it out and make a deal out of it.

"Of course! What ever it is i swear with on my life to keep that promise."

"Do you promise to never leave? You'll stay right?"

He laughs to hid any trace of pain in his voice "You know I can't do that, after all death is what I desire most in this world! How about, instead we compromise. As long as I'm alive, I'll stay"

You stood up and walked towards the door. He knew his words hurt, but he couldn't bring himself to give you false hope. Right before you reached the door knob you turn around and smiled at him , a soft, grateful, yet sad smile

"That's good enough for me. Good night Osamu"

.

.

.

.

You knew a person was truly honest with themselves when panic was brought among them. Of course you knew this based of other experiences, never yourself.

Until now.

You felt your stomach drop when you heard the news.

Sakunosuke Oda was dead.

Killed by Gide leader of the Mimic. The current case Oda and Dazai where on. You didn't know much but you knew where it all took down.

A million thoughts run through your head while getting to the Mimic head quarters.

Where was he now? Is he okay? Was he with Oda? Where is Oda now? Where they even still there?

You stopped your tracks when you saw the familiar figure walking in the rain you didn't notice until now.

"Osamu!" You called out while starting to run towards him as he turned around.

His bandages where gone. Both eyes uncovered. The sight was so, usual it caused you to stop all movement.

"Osamu?"

You managed above a whisper, he turned around and kept walking away. Then it hit you,

he was leaving

That's when you felt it.

That over whelming panic you seen so often that made you realizes

you loved him.

Your whole body began to shake uncontrollably, the only impulse you had was to chase after him. Your breath began to hitch, your legs didn't work like before, the rain caused you to trip countless times until you finally reached him. and threw your self at his presoaked shirt and gripping on to it with all the might you had left.

"Please, dont go, stay..."

"..."

"You promised Osamu! You said you'd stay as long as you were alive, remember?" You choked out through the sobs, in hopes, just maybe, he'll stay with you, even if its just a little longer.

Your heart beat increased when you felt familiar hands come in contact with yours.

To pull yours away.

"Sorry that all I gave you was false hope, hallow words, and leaving more empty than before. Good bye Y/n."

"W-why? Where are you going?" You tried to keep yourself composed but it was impossible, it was all too much.

"To the good side." he said with the gentlest voice he could manage. He once again started walking away from you. Dammit you should just stop, but

You took hold of his wrist and pled one last time

"Wait, you don't have to stay, I can go, I'll go with you to the good side. I, I, love you Osamu"

He harshly pulled away his wrist away and glared at you, a glare you never seen direct towards any one but people he repent.

"Can't you see? I could always tell what you thought. You never beloved that I actually loved you. You don't think am capable of loving. We just tried to fill that emptiness we both felt. And you were right."

Lies

He was lying. He loved you, more than anything. This is why he's doing this. You were the one good thing he had. You gave him a reason to live. No matter how dark and lost he was you always were the light that guide him. You filled that empty feeling that would always follow him since you first met.

It wont take long for the Mafia to find out about his betrayal. They'll surely come after his head soon after. If you came along, the same fate would await for you. It hurts, it hurts so bad to leave you. But he loved you too risk you in any way. This is something he had to do. There was no way around.

There was so much he yet wanted to say to you. He wanted to thank you, for everything. For loving him, for caring about him, for easing all the pain he held on to for so long. For being so kind to him. But now it was time to go. He won't hurt you anymore, isn't would be fair to hurt you more, after you were so good to him.

Your body finally give in, you fell on your knees. You wouldn't of thought after all your time in the Mafia, you consider a heart break the most painful thing that's happen to you. Such an agonizing feeling it made you body tremble, cold sweat run down your face along with an endless flow of tears from your eyes brimmed bright red. You felt your throat closing until it was from the hoarse yells you let out. This feeling of heartbreak was agonizing to the point you'd wish you could end it along with yourself. You didn't think think you'll ever be okay after this, you felt so shattered, beyond any repair

Maybe, if you hadn't realize too late, things could of been different, just maybe.

.

.

.

.

"The light was to bright wasn't it?"

You stared at Kouyou, your superior

"So bright, it burned till nothing was left. But then it went out just like everything it burned, reduced to nothing."

"You heard Kyouka, if you seek the light, you'll end up like her"

You stared at Kyouka, the same eyes as you, Osamu, and same as his subordinate, Akutagawa. All you could hope is they're never shown the light or filled with hope by empty promises and hollow words.

[phoenixrisesoncemore]

Oxonmoot 2021: Update 3

Some interesting talks and meetings today so far, and it’s only 9am! (Forgive me as in many cases I did not catch nor do I remember everyone’s name who participated in open comments).

The first talk was Mina Lukic’s “Dark Places of Middle-earth.” One commenter during the Q and A mentioned how descriptions of these dark (literally and/or figuratively) places seem to emphasize permanence (the stone of Orthanc, the ancient trees of Mirkwood or Fanghorn, things that are large and/or heavy, etc.) whereas the description of light places seems to exemplify impermanence and transience (by this I envisioned the leaves in Lothlorien, wooden structures, etc.). Of course, we might expect the conservational powers of the Elven Rings keep what would be transient materials viable for far longer in such circumstances, but the comparison of aesthetics is an interesting one!

The second talk was Sara Brown’s “A Modest Witness in Middle-earth” comparing Tolkien’s use of internal and metatext story-telling and witnessing story/history to Donna Haraway’s theory of the modest witness. As part of this talk the author references a number of characters within the text who seem aware of their own place in a wider story. It made me wonder where this understanding comes from for the characters. Is it a shared cultural assumption that began somewhere far back in time such that an awareness of it spread among all these different peoples of M-e? Did Tolkien perceived all his characters as having some innate understanding of the “Storyness” of Ea, in the same way they seem to have some underlying sense of spirituality without the source of that spirituality being immediately apparent? Did all their different cultures come to the same conclusion because of the ubiquity of storytelling as a practice of “rational creatures” (as Tolkien would call them)? Tolkien seems to view the Primary world as the physical manifestation of a story not unlike how Ea is the physical manifestation of the story of the Music; is this belief merely being transferred and presented as “a given” among his characters?

The third event was a meeting discussing the Second Age, particularly in regards to the upcoming Amazon series. Naturally, Sauron was a large part of the discussion. One participant, discussing the question of who during the Last Alliance was actually responsible for killing Sauron, brought to mind a continuing question I have about the metaphysics of evil Ainur incarnation when it comes to physical injury. By what mechanism is it that Sauron is unable to “regrow” his missing finger in the Third Age. Or why it is that when he shapeshifts in “Beren and Luthien” he maintains the throat injury from Huan between forms. My personal thought is it has to do with physical manifestations of obsession and shame that can’t be overcome due to the loss of imagination and possibility that comes with moral corruption in Tolkien’s world. It’s a reality about Sauron that is noticeably distinct from Morgoth’s inability to change or heal his form once he is sufficiently corrupted. In “Beren and Luthien” Sauron is still capable of changing form and even of choosing a pleasing form, yet he either does not or cannot heal the bite wound in his neck as he flees in the form of a vampire. Sauron later completely rebuilds his physical form twice after his “death” in the drowning of Numenor, though the form can no longer be fair: first prior to the Last Alliance, and later in the Third Age after several thousand years have passed. Yet in this last rebuilding he does not or cannot rebuild his missing finger, even though he can completely rebuild the rest of himself. Why the distinction? What is happening physically/metaphysically to allow this? I talked about this a bit previously HERE.

Additionally, the nature of Sauron’s characterization as a villain vs Morgoth’s characterization as a villain came up, particularly in relation to the question of which more often acted in the role of tempter, and whether this role transferred from Morgoth to Sauron once Morgoth could no longer assume a pleasing form (this is in keeping with my own headcanon on the topic and—I believe, but it has been a while—conforms to a quote I have seen somewhere in HoMe). This brought to mind for me the earliest draft of The Lost Road, where Morgoth is prophesied as “returning” to Middle-earth as a spirit only (though he dwells “in the Void”), and the description of Sauron’s Temple in Numenor as a temple to Thu-Morgoth, which is written as a single term, suggesting perhaps some kind of compound entity. This suggests to me the possibility of Sauron being (or pretending to be) possessed by or a conduit for the spirit of Morgoth, which allows Morgoth to speak via the Temple in Numenor.

The next talk was Gee Rennison’s “Tolkien, Eucatastrophe and fighting the Long Defeat in the face of tragedy.” Towards the end of the talk Gee made a statement that resonated with me: “to let beauty arise” [emphasis mine]. This is in reference to the functioning of eucatastrophe as a mode of producing “things more beautiful” out of discord and tragedy. What strikes me is the implicit passivity involved in the statement. Beauty is coming, you just have to hold out hope for it, estel in particular, since the possibility of this beauty often seems remote.

The first talk started at 4:15am for me and I don’t get a break until 2:00pm, so I’ll be fighting to keep my brain running for the remainder of the talks today. Fingers crossed!

[danny-chase]

Breaking a Promise - Read on AO3

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Titans (Comics), Nightwing (Comics), The New Titans (Comics) Rating: Mature Warnings: Major Character Death Relationships: Dick Grayson/Koriand'r, Dick Grayson/Joseph Wilson Characters: Dick Grayson, Koriand'r (DCU), Joseph Wilson Additional Tags: tw for self harm, Dick Grayson Needs a Hug, Angst, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Canon Divergence, emotional breakdown, Broken Bones, description of injury, star crossed lovers, Flowers, Canonical Character Death, it's Joey guys, I'm Sorry, Swearing, lot of f bombs, POV Dick Grayson, Dick grayson centric, Dick Grayson is bi, Dick Grayson is Bad at Feelings, Dick Grayson is Discowing, Dick Grayson Needs Therapy, Dick Grayson Whump, Angst with a Hopeful Ending, a little bit of fluff near the top, Gardening, when your gf is poly and ships you with someone else, Heartbreak, Heartache, no beta we die like -sobs- Joey, Hurt/Comfort, and then hurt/no comfort to follow it up Series: Part 5 of Bad Things Happen Bingo Summary:

The one where Dick Grayson has his heartbroken twice.

Full story under cut

Two years ago:

“Dick, what about this one?” Kor’i smiled sweetly, positively glowing in the sun. She gestured to a little potted plant sitting in the shade of the bottom rack. Her hair fluttered in the wind, seeming to sweep up his heart as well. Crouching, he gently bumped her shoulder, and she nudged him back. Perfect.

 “Why don’t we look over there?” Dick asked, pointing over to another shelf.

 “But I like this one.” She pouted, puffing out her bottom lip slightly. He glanced at the little sprout she picked out, his mind happily buzzing as he identified it without looking at the tag – botany lessons with Alfred had paid off.

 “Lamprocapnos spectabilis.” He began. Kor’i nuzzled her head on his shoulder, reaching out a hand to stroke the leaves. He grabbed the little tag sticking out of the pot. “This one is of the Valentine variety.”

 “Mmm.” She rested her hand back on Dick’s thigh, warmth spreading from the spot. “Tell me more.” He swallowed and complied.

 “They’re a perennial – they come back annually. They like full or partial shade, and are native to Siberia, Japan, northern China, and Korea.”

 “How big will it get?” She asked, rising to her feet, carrying the plant with her.

 “About yay high.” He spread his hands two feet. “But Kor’i, uh, I can’t just give that to Joey it’s-”

 “Commonly known as the bleeding heart?” She smiled mischievously. “I don’t see why not, your heart bleeds all the time.” She innocently widened her eyes, batting her eyelashes. “Or is it because it symbolizes love? Do you not love him?” Doubt was as clear in her voice as it was in her face.

 “I-” He stammered; he would never cheat. “I love you.” Heat rose to his face. “Only you.”

 Kor’i was perfect, she was so loving, always building him up, never tearing him down. Always healing, nurturing, growing seeds of her own – not just in him, she seemed to bring out the best in everyone she met. People basked in her beauty, and he simply basked in the knowledge of her presence. In being loved so fully, so openly and honest. Dick didn’t know if he could ever love anyone more.

 “Oh.” Kor’i looked thoughtfully at the clear cerulean sky. “I wouldn’t mind if you… loved someone else too.” He frowned.

 “I’m sorry if I made you feel like I did, but Kor’i, you’re the only one for me.” He stood, lightly pecking her on the cheek. She grinned, grabbing his hand, dragging him towards the checkout line.

 “I like this one, forget silly earth symbolisms, Joey would love it.”

 Dick sighed, following along anyways – she was right, of course, she always was – Joey would love the flowers, they were pals after all, he wouldn’t read too much into it.

   One year ago:

A cool breeze snaked its way over the hillside, finding its way around the rock at his back and through his hair – leaving him disheveled in its wake. A chill rain up his spine, goosebumps swiftly decorating his arms. He could feel his hair slowly rise up, standing in a desperate bid to retain heat.

 Dick wasn’t sure how long he’d sat there, knees tucked to his chest, head resting on his crossed arms. Too long likely. He should be back to the tower soon – he didn’t want anyone to worry, but after the mess on Tamaran, it was best for him to be alone right now.

 He was just… so tired. He’d already destroyed half his punching bags trying to fight the emotion out – which had worked to some extent, leaving his hands throbbing and arms burning. He sprinted as far as he could go before his legs gave out. It had dulled the anger and pain, leaving him worn out and exhausted. The dull ache in his chest returned just as soon as it had left.

He couldn’t bring himself to look at the night sky – he’d come out here for comfort – to watch the waves lap against the rocks from far above and gaze up at the stars. But the stars could never shine brighter than Kor’i, only serving to remind him of what he’d lost when he’d ventured too close to the sun.

 It wasn’t fair – Kor’i hadn’t loved Karras though they were together – legally bound, and he was here, light years spanning the distance between those bound by their souls.

 He never believed in love in first sight. Not until he’d met her.

 He’d always believed in love, though, from the time he was a child – his parents were living proof. It was foolish – his parents had died hadn’t they? Believing in their love until the bitter end, loving their lives, each other, him. It was love that kept them on the trapeze all those years, and that love had killed them.

 He sighed, maybe Bruce was right – love wasn’t something compatible with their lifestyle. He never shared himself so fully with others or lost himself so fully either. Always playing cat and mouse with his lovers, never committing, communing with another soul the way he had with Kor’i.

 He licked his chapped lips, tasting salt in the air. Light footsteps padded towards him. He curled further in on himself, not in the mood to talk. A rough woolen blanket dropped over his shoulders.

 It smelled like crisp green apples, mixed with a hint of cinnamon.

 Adeline Wilson had great tastes in laundry detergent – something she’d handed down to her son.

 Joey crouched next to him, wrapping an arm around him, offering warmth and comfort. Dick hesitated, mind screaming to recoil, run away – be alone and repress, but heart yearning for the warmth and comfort he always seemed to find in Joey. That same warmth reminded him of Kor’i.

 The desire for comfort won out, loosening up, he leaned against Joey’s shoulder. Joey’s chin nestled into the base of his neck; soft puffs of warm, wet air sent tingles down his spine. He raised his head a little dislodging Joey, feeling weirdly uncomfortable – but not displeased – just – he’d think about that later, now wasn’t the time.

 Joey quickly backed off, removing his arm. Dick gave him a side glance and for a moment, lost himself in kind emerald eyes. <em>He isn’t Kor’i</em>. Why was that so hard to remember?

 It took him a minute to process Joey signs. ‘Your hands.’ He followed his gaze down to his numb fingers. Upon seeing them he was hit by the realization they hurt like hell. He probably should have remembered to wear gloves, or at least wrap them, before taking his frustration out on punching bags.

 His right hand had swollen, both had bruises blossoming, his skin rubbed raw, blood freely dripping from busted knuckles.

 “Fuck.” He’d be out of the game for at least a month, if he was right about his right pinky – that was a boxer’s fracture. Tendrils of pain crawled out from the spot, his hands throbbing in time to his pulse. Dumb. Dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb. He couldn’t afford to make mistakes like that – the Titan’s needed him!

 Joey squeezed his upper arm, ‘let’s go’, he suggested, rising to his feet. Dick bit his lip, internally cursing himself for being such a dumbass. He shakily rose to his feet, immediately hit by a wave of exhaustion. Which in hindsight – he probably shouldn’t have sprinted until he dropped either.

 Joey wrapped an arm around his waist, bending slightly to stand under his shoulder and steadying him as the blanket slipped over his shoulders. They left it were it lay – more pressing matters to attend to, but Dick shivered in the cool night without it. He took a few wobbling steps forward – and dumb – his knees gave out.

 He never came close to the ground, instead, finding himself lifted into a princess carry. Joey smiled apologetically, with a little shrug. Dick sighed; this was embarrassing. He was eighteen – he should know better – Bruce had taught him better!

 “It’s fine, thanks.” He ignored how rough his voice sounded, instead concentrating on the throbbing from his hands, using the pain to block out the ache in his chest. He focused his gaze forward, not thinking about how close he was to Joey, how Kor’i used to carry him this way, how Joey smelled like honeysuckle and lilac, how this was everything he missed – and he just prayed he wasn’t falling in love again – he couldn’t be, no – he just... he was projecting. He just missed Kor’i.

 He ignored Donna’s concerned eyebrow raise as they passed her on the way back to the tower. Gar’s whistle as they crossed the living room. The way Joey was so delicate when placing him in the passenger seat of the helicopter, so careful to avoid eye contact, so mindful of his pride.

 In the brighter lighting he noticed stark red against Joey’s golden curls. A flower from a bleeding heart had made its way into Joey’s hair. There were gardening gloves in his back pocket

 His heart sped up as they took off, he felt weirdly lighter than before – though perhaps he was just dizzy from pain. Joey stared at him, his eyes darker than before, brow set determinedly, but looking pained and a bit melancholic.

 “What’s wrong?” Dick asked, feeling guilty for ruining whatever gardening project Joey had evidently come from. A lot was wrong, he was wrong, was asking a stupid question.

 The tips of Joey’s lips curled into a frown. ‘Do not do that again’ he pointed at Dick’s broken hands.

 Dick shrugged, it was a dumb move, he couldn’t guarantee he’d never break his hand again. He shifted his gaze back through the window. Joey tapped him on the shoulder. ‘Promise.’ Well, if it would keep Joey happy, he wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

 “I promise.” He wouldn’t break his hand as long as he never broke his heart.

   Now.

He was a lot of things, but he wasn’t stupid, and he didn’t lack self-awareness. He knew how to bottle his feelings into a jar, create a vacuum seal, and tuck them away on a shelf. The thing was, he also knew eventually he had to deal with the things he compartmentalized.

 It had been a month since Joey died. He’d been putting it off. But today…

 The bleeding heart had wilted.

 The jar fell to the floor and shattered, his heart disintegrating into a million shards with it.

 A watering can joined the broken glass on the floor, before he knew what was happening, he was running from Joey’s garden, not knowing where he was going, not sure of his surroundings. His vision narrowed, relying on muscle memory and reflex to avoid crashing.

 Crashing was a good way to describe this.

 He was right there. Looked Joey in the eyes. Watched him become twisted and never even noticed that his beloved friend was going through things no one should ever go through, slowly destroyed from within, suffocating from a painfully sluggish death before Slade made the final move.

 “FUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCK!” Birds flapped away as he screamed at the sky, at the world for letting this happen. Joey never knew – he never told him – was too scared that this would – that he would –

 WHY DID THINGS HURT SO MUCH HE SWORE NOT TO LOVE ANYONE LIKE HER AGAIN-

 *CRACK*

 He broke a tree, feeling bone snap against splintered bark.

 He froze, staring at his right pinky, and laughed.

 So much for promises.

 Laughs turned to sobs, knees buckling as he fell to the forest floor – sitting on his heels before flopping to his back. Staring up at the baby blue sky, cumulus clouds drifted by without a care in the world, laughing at him, mocking him from the high heavens.

 Tears flowed freely, nature as the only witness.

 His heart wasn’t supposed to break like this, he’d locked it away long ago, he wasn’t supposed to care about people like this anymore, that wasn’t in the fucking plan. He’d restrained himself, time and time again, turned down offers, avoided hanging out – he did everything he was supposed to do to not fall in love again.

 And absolutely none of it mattered.

 Love had mattered – fuck love for being like this – fuck Bruce for making him believe he could live like him – fuck the world – fuck Joey – fuck Kor’i – fuck everything. Fuck whoever he was supposed to be, his training, his painstaking control of his emotions.

 He pounded the ground with his good hand, promises could be broken, but he wouldn’t break – not today – he didn’t have time. He could be dead today, next week, fuck – half the Titans were dead, Jason was dead, he couldn’t waste time like this - his life was going to be short.

 His life was going to fucking short and he needed to pull himself together – he had family to get back to. He had people he loved – if his heart was going to break anyways – he was so FUCKING stupid.

 Drowning in regret, he slammed the ground again, hard enough for the shockwaves to jar his broken hand. Feeling pain was better than feeling this – because fuck – fuck – he loved Joey. He loved Joey and Kor’i and they were both gone and nothing was okay anymore. Joey never even knew. Never even knew – and it was all his fault – and he never knew how much he mattered – never knew how when he smiled it everything around him dulled in comparison or how when they talked it was like he had known him his all life.

 He never knew.

 And would never know.

 He focused on taking painful breaths sobbing himself silly, laughing till he couldn’t breathe, and crying until he couldn’t feel. Time passed in a vacuum, hysteria waxing and waning until he ran out of tears to cry.

 He rolled over, pressing himself up, wiping his face on his shirt, ignoring the familiar pain creeping up his arm.

 He made a new promise because well, fuck the last one didn’t work out so he might as well start over. Giant pines towered over him standing tall as silent witnesses. He swore on the living along with the dead, any that would listen really – he didn’t care - he couldn’t keep living like this.

 “Whoever I love will know.” He whispered the words as a sacred oath, finding an odd sense of solace. He paused, letting the words hang in the air as if imbuing them with some sort of power.

 Stumbling forward, he made his way back home.

[mirkwoodshewolf]

I just wanted to make you smile again; 10th Doctor x child reader

*Author’s note*

Okay to the anon who requested this fic THANK YOU FOR BEING SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO PATIENT WITH ME!!!! To those anons and users who have sent me requests literally since last year I thank you all for your patience, I AM GETTING THEM DONE SLOWLY BUT SURELY. I’m already in process of doing another DW fic w/13th doctor (one of the first requests I got when I opened them last year) so I hope you all enjoy this fic.

This takes place after the episode Journey’s end so to those that haven’t seen the episode yet SPOILERS AHEAD!!! Angst and fluff is what this fic is. Enjoy my lovelies and until next time ;)

Taglist:

@plethora-of-things​

@waddles03​

@psychosupernatural​

@ixchel-9275​

@jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels​

@platawnic​

_________________________________________________________

Things have been—tough. The Daleks, one of my daddy’s biggest enemies nearly had us and almost succeeded in destroying all of life and matter as we know it.  But thanks to some fast thinking and with the help of a clone of my dad, we managed to stop Davros as well as the rest of the Daleks.

But honestly that was the easy part.  The hardest was saying goodbye to all of our friends.  Rose and her mum went back to the parallel world with the meta-human clone of my daddy, Captain Jack took Martha and Mickey off on another adventure, Sarah Jane (an old friend of my dad’s long before I was born) went back home, and Donna—oh poor, poor Donna.

Daddy said that in order to help stop the Daleks, Donna, who had touched the severed hand of my dad when he first became this new version of himself, gained so much knowledge of the Timelords and of our home that it could overwhelm her brain and eventually kill her.  So my dad had to absorb all memory of Timelord knowledge, including all the times she spent with us.

After taking her back home, daddy told her father that it was too dangerous for her to remember anything.  If there was a glimpse of her recovering her memories, she would die.  So my dad and I left her and her family and he never went back.

Since that day, almost seven months later, he still carries that guilt.  And what’s worse is that he hasn’t been the same. He doesn’t smile as much as he used to before.  I think out of everything that I love about my daddy, it’s his smile that always made me feel happy and safe.

I stepped out of my room to see him where he usually was, standing at the controls with that dazed but intense look on his face.  I looked down at paper butterfly and cautiously walked towards my dad. It’s always a touch and go of how he’ll react whenever he’s in that deep haze.  One time he actually shouted at me and I was scared to even go near him for an entire week till he apologized to me with some Turkish delights.

“Daddy.” I said softly. “Umm…uhh daddy?” he snapped out of his daze and looked down at me.

“Oh (Y/n). Sorry I was just—I was just trying to find….nothing. What is it that you wanted to tell me?”

“Well I—finished my paper butterfly and I-wanted to give it to you.” I held it out to him and he looked down at me.  He knelt down and took the butterfly from my hands and I saw his eyes grow soft.

“It’s beautiful love. Thank you.” he gently ruffled my hair and placed my butterfly right along the controls.  It didn’t work.

I had hoped that my paper butterfly would get him to smile.  He always smiled whenever I made him little trinkets of my own design, or beautiful art projects that I’ve seen on Earth.  I thought that by doing an art project, he’d smile again but it didn’t work.

I was currently in my room reading some books written back in the 20th century.  I’ve always found that time period to be rather splendid.  It was a simpler time (if you don’t count the 2 World wars, the Great depression, and every war after that. You know why must humans always start wars?)

Anyways, the start of the 20th century is always my favorite place.  It’s quiet, tranquil, and peaceful.  A nice place, especially out in the countryside. People can have picnics, host carnivals, and yeah the grown men partake in Foxhunt but I think it’s a barbaric sport and yet they call it tradition.

Maybe if—maybe if we stayed there for a while, daddy could get better and smile once again.  I think the more time we stay in the TARDIS and just keep going through space and time, the more unhappy daddy’s gonna get, like I said he always gets lost in his head and the more bad things that happen around him, the more he keeps it bottled up inside and the more sadder he gets.

The only question now was this—how was I gonna get there? I don’t know how to drive the TARDIS cause daddy always told me to keep my grabby little paws off of it. Oh wait that’s it! I raced over to my drawer and pulled out the middle one and dug through it till I found what I was looking for.

A special teleportation watch gifted to me by Uncle Jack when my dad was in his previous form (just shortly after we first met him).  I placed the watch on my wrist and I set the time and date that I wanted to go to.  Once the coordinates were typed in, I pressed the center of the watch and I disappeared from my room and went to go set up my surprise for daddy.

*10th Doctor’s POV*

I was fiddling around with the controls when I turned and looked up at my daughter’s butterfly.  For months now she’s been making these little trinkets and art projects for me, and I really haven’t been fair to her.  A lot has happened to us, especially with what happened to Donna, and I hate to admit this to myself but I’ve been neglecting my little butterfly.

Maybe she would like it if I took her to see her favorite constellation, or maybe Barcelona (she always did like Barcelona).  Oh! No wait! The Music of the Spheres! Yes brilliant! She and I could use some music in our life, the sound of the universe singing to us.

“Hey (Y/n)! Can you come out here for a second?” I called out to her.  No response.  Okay I know it usually takes her a bit of time to come down from her room but usually she’d be right here by now. “(Y/n)? (Y/n) I said can you come here please?” bah she must be listening to that loud music again, that lass I tell you what.

I left the console room and headed on over to her room and saw that her door was shut which was surprising cause she usually keeps her door open.  I knocked on it and said.

“Poppet, are you okay? You’re not—upset or anything are you?” I still didn’t hear anything from her.  “Look I—I know we’ve been through a lot the past several months, and I have no excuse for not speaking to you. I’m sorry. So—can you please open the door so we can talk?” still nothing.

Alright I know she has a right to be upset but she can’t give me the silent treatment forever.  I opened up the door and snapped.

“Alright little madam you listen here I—” it was then I saw that she wasn’t in her room. “(Y/n)?” I looked around her room to see if she was hiding in her closet again (she always takes every advantage to jump out and scare me) but when I saw that she wasn’t there, that’s when I began to get worried.

As I left her room and began to look all around the TARDIS from the backroom pool, to the library I still couldn’t find her.

“C’mon poppet don’t do this to me.” I searched high and low, near and far and every crack in between but she still wasn’t around. “No, no, no, no, no love don’t do this to me! (Y/n)!”

I raced back towards the console and went over to the computer monitor and I quickly typed in her lifeform energy.  Since she was the only Timelord in existence (well next to me), I knew that she could be pinpoint at any time in any era she might be in.  I only hope that I can get to her before—no! NO DON’T THINK LIKE THAT!! You WON’T lose her like you lost Donna!

“C’mon you blasted thing LOAD!!!” I screamed at the computer before finally I got a hit.  London, England 1908.  Of course, she always said the start of the 20th century was her favorite time period.  I punched in the coordinates and flipped the switch and soon the TARDIS started back up and I was sailing back in time over 100 years into the past.

Once I arrived, I peeked out of the TARDIS and found myself adjacent to a large park. It was pretty peaceful, families were out and about doing their normal human interactions.  I shut the doors to the TARDIS and I quickly raced over to the park and searched for (Y/n).

This was where her last known readings were at.  At this exact spot so where could that little troublemaker be at?  I walked up to a couple and said.

“Hi sorry to bother you but I was wondering if you have found a little girl around 5 years old with (h/l) (h/c) hair and (e/c) eyes? She’s my daughter and she’s wondered off again.”

“No sorry. We haven’t seen any little girls fitting that description.” Said the man as he and his wife continued on their walk.  I then found another couple who seemed a more upper-class couple due to the diamond necklace around the woman’s neck.

“Excuse me could you both please help me I’m looking for my daughter have either of you……”

“We don’t have time to look for lost children, that’s what the servants are for.” Said the man.

“And who loses their child anyway? Such irresponsibility.” The woman snide.  I looked at them offendedly and said.

“At least I don’t dump my child on anyone else! I’m surprised that people like you could even have children.” They looked at me appalled before huffing and walking away from me.  

I grunted and adjusted my jacket trying to compose myself when a small Cockney accent said.

“You said you were looking for (Y/n)?” I turned around and there was a young ginger haired boy with freckles speckled all over his face.  His bright blue eyes staring up at me and he wore a paper boy’s uniform.

“Yeah that’s my daughter’s name. Do you know where she is?”

“Course I do Gov. Just got done talking with her before I started my work sir. She’s right by the lake.”

“The Lake! Oh thank you lad. Thank you so much.”

“No problem, good luck governor.” I raced off towards the lake and when I got there, I soon saw my daughter sitting right by the lake surrounded by flowers and in her lap it looked like she was in the process of making a flower crown.

The important thing was that she was safe, but that little missy is sooo going to get it now.

I trudged my way towards her and exclaimed.

“(Y/n)!” she stopped her work and turned around.  Her big (e/c) eyes staring up at me and a smile spread across her face. She stood up and ran towards me and hugged around my legs.

“Daddy you came!”

“Yes I did.” I knelt down and began to check to see if she was hurt or worst case scenario been replaced by a Graske. “Are you hurt?”

“No I’m perfectly fine.”

“Answer me this then. Who was the first companion that we had together?”

“Rose Tyler.” Okay this was my baby girl.  I immediately hugged her and whispered to her as I rest my head on top of hers.

“I thought I had lost you.” I then separated from her before scolding her vert sternly, “Do you have any idea how worried I was!? You leave your room with no note! How on earth did you leave the TARDIS without my knowledge?!”

“Uncle Jack’s time jump watch.” She said nervously as she held out her wrist.  I looked down and right there was the time teleport watch that Jack had given her shortly after we met him for the first time in my previous state.

“That figures. Remind me to never let him give you anymore teleportation gifts without my permission.” I muttered to myself. “Bottom line is that you left the TARDIS without my permission and had me scared to death! What if something happened to you hmm? Did it ever cross your mind about how that would make me feel!?”

Yes I know my voice was steadily getting angrier and angrier but she should’ve realized that my one rule for her is to never, ever, ever leave the TARDIS without my permission or knowledge and she broke that rule.

“I—I’m sorry daddy. I just……thought that if I brought you here, you would be happy.” My anger quickly vanished and confusion now took its place.

“What?” I asked her.

“Ever since—” she deeply sighed. “After what happened with Donna you never smile anymore. No matter what I’ve done, I could never get you to smile. Your real smile, the smile that always made me feel loved and protected. I thought that maybe we could—stay here for a while till you were happy again.” She looked down with regret.

I rubbed my hand over my face and through my hair before looking back down at her. I cupped my hands over her face and I said to her.

“What would I ever do without you my little butterfly?” she smiled softly.

“So we can stay?” she asked.

“For now.” I answered her.  She squealed happily and immediately hugged me around my neck repeatedly telling me thank you.  I smiled and embraced my baby girl back and kissed the top of her head as I rocked her back and forth.

This little madam truly does have me wrapped around her little finger, and she seems to know it as well.  But she was right.  Staying in one area made you stop and admire what’s around you, and not stay trapped inside your head letting your demons torment you.

We stayed in 1908 for about five months just enjoying each other’s company.  Going to the park every day, having picnics and tea parties out in the garden of our rented little cottage, and stargazing every night teaching her more about the galaxy and the stars.  

For the first time ever, I felt—peaceful, no regrets, no painful reminders of what I had to do to Donna, it was just me and my daughter.

[irrlicht-writes]

the path we choose to walk on pt.4

So this is it. Part 4, everyone. The last part! We made it to the end! Wooo! (now I have to focus on my bang again) Thank you for being with me. I hope you enjoyed the ride. Tell me what you thought! Tell me what you liked! Tell me what you hated! (be nice though) @misha-moose-dean-burger-lover @cass-said-i-love-you @professorerudite @insertdeeplyrics anyone else want on the tag list?

PART ONE | PART TWO | PART THREE

Ao3

Part 4: let the good times roll

Sam and Eileen gift a painting set to Castiel one day. Dean isn’t sure why but they say it’s because he saved their baby. Later Cas admits to Dean that he barely remembers what happened.

As it turns out, Castiel sees the world vastly different than Dean. Dean’s no art critic, nor could he detect a masterpiece in the making but to him, Cas’ pieces feel alive. There is a certain aspect to them.

Castiel paints mostly with his fingers and the faces of the people are wonky at best but still, they stare right into Dean’s heart.

“They are dead,” Cas says, “but with this, they’re alive. There was a world people cannot understand today. You have changed so much in so little time and yet it remains – you will always look at the world with wonder in your eyes.”

 Charlie helps them sell Cas’ art online. They sell somewhat well and Dean thinks that Cas is happy that he gets to help. Cas had said that he would’ve like to take a real job, but Dean shut him down very quickly.

Nobody would want to hire Cas – first, Cas didn’t even properly exist. And second; there would be too many days where Cas would have to stay at home. Any employer would only allow so many sick days and Dean is afraid of sending Cas to a therapist.

Even though he knows that they all probably need one, how would you even start explaining?

“Yeah, roughly 15 years ago I set off with my brother to find our dad and now our son turned into God. Oh and also we picked up this literal angel as our best friend and all of us – our son concluded who by the way was fathered by Lucifer – have died several times and then we just kind of went going.”

Yeah. No.

Not to mention all the additional bullshit Castiel would have to unpack. Dean’s been in a mental constitution once; he doesn’t really have to go there again. And he certainly doesn’t want Cas to go there – also, again.

The bees are still on Dean’s mind. He doesn’t need a repeat of that.

And anyway, the paintings are selling. And in time, they might even be able to ask for more money. Dean doesn’t really hold out hope but who knows?

 Two years after Maria is born, Sam and Eileen get married. Dean knows that they’ve been discussing marriage for a long time and have never been able to decide whether it was for them or not. But then Eileen proposed and here they are.

“She asked me to accompany her with the ring shopping. I think she just wanted to use me for my fingers,” Cas says to Dean and Dean smirks.

“Do you think Jack’ll show up?”

“I don’t know. I’ve told him; and I’m sure he knows but whether or not he’ll actually show up... it would be good to see him again. But even if he can’t make it here, he’ll be watching over these two.”

They are about to begin the ceremony and Dean’s excited to be the Best Man. He’s never thought he’d get to be that for real so it feels like a dream. Maria’s supposed to be the Flower Girl but she hasn’t shown up yet.

“Cas,” Charlie rushes over to them. Cas blinks up at her, tilting his head.

“Maria doesn’t want to walk, she’s embarrassed. Do you think you can help her out?”

Maria has gotten overly attached to Cas in these past two years and Dean believes it’s just infatuation. After all, who could look into these big blue eyes and not fall for them? Dean, however, is a little bit upset over the fact that she likes Cas better than him. But he’ll just wait until Maria will appreciate cars. And that’s when Dean will win.

“Of course,” Cas replies, “come on, Miracle.”

Miracle has essentially become Castiel’s therapy dog. She follows him everywhere and makes sure he eats and drinks enough. She loves Cas to pieces and anyone who even looks at the angel wrong gets growled at.

Dean watches them walk away and gets his phone out. He knows that there is a photographer here that films things but he wants that piece for himself. And he has to go up there anyway, so he might just go now anyway.

It takes five more minutes before Cas was apparently able to convince Maria to come out – and even then, she’s getting carried. She’s holding the flower basket close to her chest and Cas encourages her to throw the petals down. Dean’s heart melts at the sight of them.

Cas stops next to the pew where Claire and Kaia are sitting and basically tells Maria to throw flowers on them. Claire laughs and playfully shoves Cas away from them. Jody and Donna are also getting petals thrown in their face. Everybody is smiling and Dean’s happy that he’s filming this.

Maria is giggling and throwing petals all over the place. “She was so stiff before,” Charlie whispers in his direction.

“She wasn’t even looking at me and now look at that. How is Cas’ gayness softer than mine?”

“You’re just intimidating.”

“Cas is an angel!”

 Eileen is beautiful when she walks down the aisle. Sam next to him exhales and has the biggest smile on his stupid face.

“Mama so pretty!” Maria proclaims loudly while clapping her hands.

“Yes, she is,” Cas replies a little quieter. He has her sitting on his lap and he has a flower in his hair. Apparently Maria was supposed to give that to her mom but she had decided that it was for Cas, so now he was wearing the flower. It does fit him, Dean thinks.

The ceremony itself goes over without a hitch even though Sam almost breaks down crying twice. Dean was expecting more, if he’s honest. Maybe Sammy practised with Cas – apparently Cas is the solution to every problem.

Later, at the party, Dean holds an embarrassing speech about Sam and after, Sam dunks his head into a pie. This is fair, because Dean definitely deserves that. It’s all good, though. Cas laughs and wipes Dean’s face clean and Maria – still in Cas’ lap – giggles like it’s Christmas.

Dean dances with Eileen and Sam dances with Cas and Maria. Charlie’s taking pictures and Dean loves it. Cas can’t dance for very long and he leans heavily onto Sam but he tries his best for Sam and Maria both.

Dean loves him.

And someday, he’ll man up enough to actually say these words. He just needs a little bit longer. And Cas is here to stay. Dean’ll work up the courage he needs and then it’ll be alright.

 Charlie is dancing with Maria and Eileen is sitting next to Cas. She’s taken her shoes off and is likely complaining to the angel that her feet hurt. Cas is holding the wedding bouquet now and Dean knows that Eileen will insist he keep it.

“I wish she would’ve thrown it,” Claire says and Dean wiggles his eyebrows.

“You were hoping to catch it, weren’t you?”

“Shut up.”

 At the end, Jack didn’t show. The party had ended a while ago, but Dean and Castiel are still sitting on a bench outside. It’s a nice night, and Dean doesn’t want to drive home yet. There are no clouds in the sky and the stars are shining bright. Dean reckons that that’s Jack’s doing. He still wishes he would’ve shown his face.

“Don’t be mad at him,” Castiel says while leaning on Dean’s shoulder. “You know he doesn’t do that well with a lot of people.”

Yes. That is true but still – he hadn’t even come to congratulate Sam? He also still hadn’t come to meet Maria yet. Dean wonders what work a God has to do. Didn’t Jack say he wanted to be hands off?

“Don’t you miss him?” Dean asks.

“Every day,” Castiel replies.

Castiel raises a hand towards the sky and Dean sees a shooting star. But the star stops after it passes Cas’ hand.

Castiel retracts his hand and there’s a golden orb floating above his palm.

“What’s that?”

It glows brightly and it’s almost too much for Dean to look at. It compels him in the same way it tells him to stay away from it. Where did it come from? Why is it here? What’s it going to do?

“Divinity,” Castiel quietly replies and closes his hand, making the orb disappear.

 *

 “Dean, really?”

Dean sighs. He knew it was a mistake to talk to Sam about this. But he knows that Charlie would’ve squealed in his ear and honestly, Claire is still a bit too young for this to talk about it. And yeah sure, Eileen would’ve been an option but even after all this time, Dean still hasn’t improved on his signing skills.

“I know it’s stupid.”

“I didn’t say that. But have you even choked up an I love you?”

Dean is quiet.

“Oh my god, I knew it. Dean, you can’t just propose like that!”

“...shut up.”

He pockets the box inside his jacket. He doesn’t want to propose right now anyway. It’s more like a promise to himself, that one day he might be worthy of this. If – when he’ll find the words one day, he’ll be good enough for Cas. He can be.

He will be.

For Cas, the best thing that ever happened to him.

For Cas, who still thinks he’s barely tolerated.

For Cas, who sees the world as more than it is.

For Cas, who loves so much and has never been loved in return.

 Their first kiss doesn’t quite happen as Dean would’ve imagined it – not that he had ever been imagining it in the first place.

Cas is watching Dancing With The Stars and he’s really fascinated. Apparently, he’s never danced before. Dean’s never told him about Garth and Bess dancing in front of the window. He wonders how they’re doing now. Maybe they’re dancing right at this moment, while Sam and Castiel are finally asleep?

“Dean, please?” Castiel’s blue eyes are pleading and Dean has a hard time saying no. Cas always asks for so little and Dean’s always liked dancing when he got a chance to do it – which sadly is not often. So he sighs and stands up from the couch, offering his hand up to Cas.

“Might I have this dance, milady?”

Cas blinks at him in question, and then looks at the outstretched hand. At last, there’s a smile stealing itself across Castiel’s face and he gently takes Dean’s hand and hauls himself up.

“Of course, my lord.”

Dean chuckles and pulls Cas flush against him. It’s been a while since they were this close together without one of them on literal death’s door. Cas is alive and warm under his hands and Dean starts swaying. He’s never danced a real dance, much less so with another man. But it’s not like Cas could dance at all, so it’s okay. And besides – it’s not about the skill, it’s about the experience. And Cas –

Cas is laughing. It’s a happy laugh and he enjoys himself. It’s truly a sight to see. It’s rare to see Cas so relaxed and Dean feels more than privileged to witness this much less be the cause of it. Dean swirls Cas on the spot and as the swirl ends, Cas stumbles forward against Dean’s chest. Dean holds him tight and it’s a good feeling.

Cas’ hair is brushing against Dean’s chin and he feels calm. He gently puts one hand on Castiel’s cheek and Cas nuzzles into it. Castiel’s hand is loosely laying on Dean’s chest and the volume of the TV playing in the background is already fading away.

Dean’s in love.

He’s in love with Castiel.

He gently directs Castiel’s face upwards and looks at the big, blue, blinking eyes.

He doesn’t understand how he got to be so lucky.

Dean bends down, just a little, and ever so gently presses his lips against Castiel’s mouth.

It’s a quiet kiss, one that doesn’t require anything.

“Dean,” is all that Cas says afterwards but Dean quietly hushes him.

“Shh,” he replies and kisses him again.

It’s easier than anything else he’s ever done.

He doesn’t remember why he was ever afraid of this.

This, right here, is where he’s meant to be.

With the TV running in the background, in his shitty apartment, in worn-out clothes, with a dog sleeping in her bed, kissing Castiel.

Sometimes things are just easy.

Dean holds Castiel tight and thankfully, Castiel doesn’t speak.

It’s the most comforting silence and Dean cherishes it.

He’s in love.

 *

 It’s a soft thing, after. Nothing changes and yet, so much is different.

He kisses Cas in the morning before he goes to work; in the afternoon when he returns; when they make dinner; when they watch TV.

It’s the easiest thing in the world.

And yet, Dean knows that Cas wonders.

I know you don’t love me.

But Dean does. He just can’t say it. If he did, then – then what would John say? Dad would judge him for this. Dad would call him a girl; and a fairy; and tell Dean that Dad hadn’t raised a gay son.

 He’s still thinking about this in bed. Next to him, Cas is fast asleep, holding onto Dean’s arm. Miracle is snoring in her own doggy bed.

“I love Cas,” Dean says toneless into the dark room and is instantly overcome by anxiety. Somehow, even after all these years, he expects John to bust through the door and expose him and nail him to the cross or something.

He turns to his side and looks at Cas. The angel looks so relaxed in his sleep and Dean gently pats his hair. Cas mumbles a bit and burrows closer to Dean as if to seek warmth. Dean puts his free arm around him and pulls him as close as possible, tucking the angel under his chin.

He doesn’t know what to do. Cas deserves to be told. But whenever Dean thinks it might be the right time for it – then there’s John standing in the distance, observing and judging him. Dean knows he just has to do it, that he just has to push through. Dad is dead and nothing can happen anymore. But this fear is far too ingrained inside his brain. Maybe writing a letter would help? But somehow it doesn’t feel like enough.

Dean needs to say it.

He has to say it.

But he can’t.

He can’t.

For all his bravery, for all his courage – he can’t.

 “A bird learns to fly when it falls.”

Cas is not in bed when Dean wakes up.

“Water will whittle away the mountain.”

Cas is nowhere to be found inside the apartment. Miracle is quiet.

“A flower will break through the concrete.”

Dean panics. In his panic, he runs outside.

“Long after its death, a star will remain in the sky.”

 Outside it’s foggy.

But there is Cas.

Cas is standing outside, barefooted, and Dean is rooted to the spot.

There are golden orbs floating around Castiel.

Divinity, Cas had called them.

“Cas,” Dean breathes and the angel turns around.

“Hello, Dean.”

 “What are those?”

“I’ve told you. Divinity.”

“Yes, I know, but what are they?”

“A burden shared is a burden lifted. Ever since I woke all the way back before time existed, a great many stars have died. And still, some remain in the sky. Did you never wonder where they go?

Their physical form shall burn from velocity, but what about the stars? What about them? Who catches them? Where do they go? Shall they forever be lost in space?

I was lost too, you know. I was lost ever since the start. Sometimes I think I remember. Sometimes I think I remember an all consuming light in the dark. Sometimes I think I remember the beginning before it ever began. Sometimes I think I remember the void, the naught.

And then, just as quickly, I lose it again.

Why did Father abandon us?

Why did He create so many of us, if none of us mattered?

Come with us, the stars whispered to me, we have no answers but mayhap we shall find them.

Why did the stars exist, if only to die? I didn’t want them to be lost and so I collected them. I found them in the void and I took them with me for I thought I might find a purpose within them. And in time, they started finding me. I became their haven, their destination.

But still, I was lost. Each time a star would find me, I think I can see the light in the void again, the end after the end. But soon these memories are gone, too, and I can only hold on to scraps. And I wonder.

What if I don’t remember at all? What if what I see are just fragments from the stars, showing me what they saw in their last moments?

Dean, you must know: time is not linear. What happens before will happen after. The end happens before the start and sometimes the beginning happens in the middle. This time, this life is just one stream amongst them all.

Some stars tell me of the end; and others tell me of the start. Maybe some tell me of the middle. And maybe some tell me of all, and all I get is the light in the void at the start.

I’ve wondered.

Why am I broken?

Why am I, of all the angels, the only one that’s cracked?

What went wrong?

Why was it only ever me? Why wasn’t perfect like the others? Why weren’t others cracked as I was?

Why was I the only one that’s ever looked to the stars and collected them?

What if Father never made me?

What if – what if I was created by something else?

And if so, what was it? And why? And why did Father allow me to continue existing? Did He perhaps just not notice? Did He perhaps just not care? Did He perhaps just think me merely another insignificant angel that He needn’t pay attention to?

What broke the connection?

Why am I the only angel to love you?

Was I whole before, perhaps, but if that was so – what shattered me? What put me back together? Where did the missing pieces go?

The light I remember in the naught – what is it? Where does it come from? Why does it matter at all, why do I care if it lights up the void or not?

Why do I cling to a light that does not matter?

I –

I’m lost, Dean.

Amidst the stars, I am lost.

From here on out, where do I go?”

 Dean reaches out.

Castiel is standing there all alone, surrounded by what remains of the stars – surrounded by divinity.

He takes Castiel’s hand.

“Go with me,” he says.

“I love you,” he says.

Amidst the stars, Castiel smiles.

Dean thinks he can see the light that Castiel spoke about.

It’s a soft, shining light and it’s free.

 *

 “I don’t know if I can.”

“Why not?”

“It’s a big thing, Cas, you know? What if I fail?”

“Then we’ll fail together.”

 Dean buys a corner lot. It’s very expensive. But he has a dream. He doesn’t want to work construction forever. He deserves to be happy. And Cas is here. Cas is here, and Sam is here, and Eileen is here – and everyone is here.

He’s not alone and he can rely on all these people. They want to help him; they want him to be happy. He can do this. For the first time in his life, he can do something solely for himself.

For the first time in his life, he doesn’t have to depend only on himself.

 *

 Sam hoists Maria out of the car seat. He wants to go and help Eileen out of the car but if he did, she’d kick him in the shin.

“Are there no balloons?” Maria wants to know. Sam looks up. True, there are no balloons outside.

“I’m sure Uncle Dean’s got some inside, sweetheart.”

Maria grins from ear to ear and hugs her monkey toy harder. Cas had given it to her just a few years ago. It hadn’t even been her birthday; he had just wanted to give something to his niece. Sam is glad that they get along so well. But sometimes he debates: should they tell her that Cas is an angel? It’s not a problem right now, but he and Dean and Eileen will start aging one day while Cas will not.

But, ah well, it might be best to cross that bridge when they’d get there.

“Hunter’s Rest is a nice name,” Eileen says when she finally steps next to Sam. Sam just nods. It’s true. Sam had kept suggesting Roadhouse, in Ellen’s and Ash’s and Jo’s legacy but Dean had always refused. Dean hadn’t wanted to be a copy-cat of what they’ve been.

Dean wants something that’s his own.

And Sam couldn’t be happier for him.

It was a long road, getting here, and even now he could scarcely believe it.

But the Hunter’s Rest is officially opening today.

He smiles at Eileen, takes both his girl’s hands and enters Dean’s bar.

 “Uncle Dean!”

Maria yells as soon as she spots her uncle and throws herself at his middle from across the room. Dean laughs and catches her. He lifts her up and holds her on his hip.

“How’s my favourite tornado?”

She giggles and hugs him tight.

“Where’s Uncle Cas?”

“He’s still in the back, sweetheart. Be nice to him today, okay? It’s not a good day. But I know he’ll be happy to see you, so why don’t you go say hello?”

Maria nods with a solemn expression on her face. She knows about Uncle Cas’ bad days. She shouldn’t be too loud on these and she has to understand that he might not want to play as much with her. She loves Uncle Cas. She wouldn’t tell this to anyone because she knows Uncle Dean would be upset, but Uncle Cas is her favourite. There’s a glow about him that she can’t explain to anyone, but it draws her to him.

Uncle Dean puts her on the ground and she goes to find Uncle Cas. When she finds him, he smiles at her. He looks tired and sick, but he glows so brightly today.

“Hello, Maria,” he greets her.

She steps closer and climbs into his lap.

“I love you,” she says and Uncle Cas hugs her tight.

 “Looks good, Dean,” Sam says to Dean in the meantime. Dean grins and pulls his brother close. He nods at Eileen who waves back.

“How are we coming along?” he asks her and she rubs her stomach.

“Good,” she replies, “the doctor says it’s two.”

“Two, huh? Man, Sammy, you dog!”

Sam laughs and Dean slaps him on the shoulder.

“Maria was really hoping for some balloons,” Sam says and Dean shrugs.

“I have some in the back, but I don’t know if I should hang them up. It’s gonna be a few hours still until official opening, you know?”

“Are Charlie and Stevie coming?”

“Yeah, Charlie’s gonna help me set up the music. The others are coming too, but Donna can’t make it. Some important thing came up but she’s gonna drop by in the coming days.”

Sam nods.

“There should be balloons,” Eileen pipes up and Dean sighs deeply.

“Fine,” he says then, “but y’all are helping me with that. I ain’t the only one blowing these things up.”

“I overheard,” Cas says as he’s rolling out of the back in his wheelchair. On his lap, there are Maria and a big load of balloons.

Dean sighs. “Why am I being set up?”

Castiel smiles at Dean. “Because balloons make everything better. We should’ve gotten glitter, too, you know? We’ll help, Dean.”

 “Bad day, huh?” Sam asks him while they are placing the balloons. Dean nods.

“Last couple days actually. Yesterday was the worst; he wouldn’t even get out of bed. The day before that, he spent almost all day puking into the toilet. But he’s getting better now, I think. It’s just – I know that he’s sick. I know that these days happen and that they’ll happen again, it just – it just fucking scares me, y’know? Knowing that there’s nothing I can do, no spell to find to cure him or anything – it just makes me feel so helpless.”

Sam puts his hand on Dean’s shoulder.

“Dean, you’re doing great. What you’re going through – what you both are going through – is extremely stressful. I can’t even imagine. I can’t imagine all the hurdles you had to go through to get here. How scary it has to be to wake at night and see Cas being sick again. I’m proud of you, Dean. I really am. You’re holding it together so well and if – if you ever have to break, I’m here for you. We’re all here for you. You’re not alone. You’re never alone, Dean.”

Dean huffs out a laugh and turns to hug his brother.

It’s true.

Their lone journey is over.

They started with just the two of them.

But they’re never going to be alone again.

 *

 “I love you,” Dean whispers into dark hair.

“I don’t know when I fell in love. I don’t know when I realised. But I love you. I love all of you.

We’ve endured a great many things, you and I. We fell and rose together, we burned and crashed together. And in all this time, you weren’t even supposed to be there. But you were. You fought and clawed your way back to me every single time, and I’ve never even said thank you. I never once appreciated all the pain and misery you had to endure just to get back to me.

No matter what, you were there. You were there for me and Sam when nobody else was. You stayed by your side since the very beginning and you overturned everything you believed in because you started to believe in me. You had faith in me, the man without faith. And through you – you became my faith. I believed in nothing, I had faith in nothing – except you. I had faith in you. When you were gone, so was my faith gone. And when you returned, you brought it back with you.

When we met, you told me that good things do happen.

For so long, I didn’t believe you. But you were right. And know what? That good thing that would happen to me was right in front of me. And we didn’t know. Neither of us knew. Who could’ve imagined?

A man afraid of flying and an angel afraid of falling.

We really did meet in the middle, huh?

I’m sorry, Cas. I never did right by you. All your life you thought you were wrong because you weren’t like the others. You always believed that you needed to atone for your sins someway. And I – I didn’t help you. I made you think that you were expendable, that you weren’t worth anything. And I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, because I was wrong.

You’re worth everything. You matter so much, Cas – to me, to Sam, to the world. I’m sorry that all of us have fallen short. I’ll make it up to you. I’ll make it up to you for all eternity, because I love you. If you’ll have me for whatever reason, then I’m yours. And I’m never going to let go. If I lose you, I will stop at nothing to find you again.

It’s you and me. Now and forever.”

“Look for the light,” Castiel whispers into the darkness.

“Look for the light and you’ll always find me there.”

 *

 At the end of a long, long life, Dean opens his eyes.

Above him, there’s nothing but endless stretches of blue sky.

Dean sits up and looks around.

He’s in an onion field and he stands up.

He turns to the side and sees him there.

 There’s a trench-coat angel standing in the onion field, surrounded by the golden orbs of stars.

The wings behind him are magnificent and have the colour of a rainbow.

 Dean starts approaching him.

Behind the angel, there is a massive tree.

 “Hey, Cas.”

“Hello, Dean.”

[natsukitakama]

Headcanon : Dick Grayson being a dad

Author note : I can’t explain why but I am sucker for Domestic Headcanon, hope you will enjoy it. Like my other headcanon is based on the event of Titans show and could be considered as a sequel to this headcanon. 

Warning : slight spoiler / nothing but fluff I am sucker for domestic headcanon LMAO. 

I do not the gif credit(s) to the owner 

First of all : Dick Grayson never saw himself as a dad 

Sure he has a thing for child in distress and he already prove how good he was with children 

Plus we know thanks to Rachel’s dad : He used to dream about having a family 

But with everything happen : Deathstroke, Donna, Jerrircho… He started to questionnate his personality and ability as human being. Basically he started to be afraid he won’t be a good leader, a good father, a good partner. 

He felt self-concisous about himself : he nearly lose Jerricho and Garp they were under his responsibility and yet he failed 

Or he was about to 

Fortunately he got his shit together 

So your relationship didn’t get hurt as much as it could : Dick tried to push you away from him but you know better, it was just his way to protect you from him and everything. 

So after a huge fight between you two : He finally confessed about how much you mean to him and ho much he cared for you, you did the same you told him you loved him and there is no one you would share your life but him

After this you became closer to each other 

And what should happen, happened : you get married to the only man you wanted to share your life. 

Everyone was so excited and happy : it was like your wedding help everyone to forget their issues 

5 months after your wedding you got pregnant 

9 months after you gave birth to a gorgeous daughter 

Dick named her after his mum’s names 

You two decided Kory will do an awesome godmother (She will) 

During the whole pregnancy, Dick felt different stages : First he was S U P E R afraid I mean we’re talking about a baby HIS baby, his very first baby. Yeah, he was good with children but he never experienced baby : how’s that work anyway ? Could he manage it ? Was he going to lose you ? Could Alfred help him with that ? Then after a long conversation with him a got super confident, I mean he is around children all the time you were there, Kory was there everyone were there with him there no way he’ll fail as a parent right ? Those two stages switch like week by week. It was getting difficult for you : not because of the pregnancy but because you had to deal with an overwhelming husband. But he got fine eventually. 

What I am going to say is obvious but I had to say this : Dick is an overprotective daddy 

Especially because he got an adorable little princess : HIS little princess

She got him around a finger : there literally nothing he won’t do for her

You teased him so much about « Annw look at this who‘s got wrap around her little finger ? » 

He is overprotective dad but not too much I mean : He’ll learn her to deal with pain, like not crying when she fell on the floor not because it’s being weak but because it’s alright there nothing to be afraid of. He’ll teach her to be obedient but don’t be afraid to ask when something doesn’t feel right to her. She’ll be fair with people and basically a very open-minded girl. He did everything on his power so his daughter will become an awesome adult. 

That didn’t mean he won’t kiss ass if someone dare to put a finger on his daughter : she is his treasure no one could touch her 

At first he was a bit awkward when it came to play with her : especially when she was a little girl, she used to ask him have tea with him. It wasn’t like he didn’t want to play with her but he could be socially awkward, nonetheless he did his best to be the best dad of the world. 

You on the other hand felt so lucky to have such an amazing husband : He is the one who dealt with midnight baby’s bottle, singing lullaby when she had a nightmare or checked if a monster was under her bed. He is a truly helpful husband

Got skill at changing baby’s nappies too 

The first time he went to a park with his daughter : he got surround by single mums I mean the man is really handsome but picture him with a 1 yo little girl around his arm ? See it’s absolutely lovely. 

Oh man he felt so awkward like « yeah s’cuse me I am here for my daughter … »

Sitting, he couldn’t stop watching the whole park just to be sure his daughter was 100% Safe : People called him « ParkPD »

He did the same while shopping : he never left the shop without buying something for his daughter

She might be spoiled but she isn’t materialist

Always bought some cute pajamas like teddy pajamas

He is sucker for baby’s laugh : it became his favorite sound

Seriously he can do anything to her giggle

The first time he had to let her go to school : broke him. He was getting used to have her all around and now she will be far from him for a days.

Basically he did anything to deplay her first day at school.

« If you don’t feel ready (your daughter ’s name) just let me know » « Dick seriously she is 3 years old she is ready ! » « we can’t be 100% sure I-I won’t be there to check... »

Liar. Since her first day at school he always took time to check on her during her playtime. And if couldn’t be here because he is busy doing his Titans thing or police work, someone will definetly check on her probably Kory or Rachel / Gar’

Sometimes you got jealous about how close he is with his daughter : they got a lot of moments together

Of course you were close to her too

He took him time but he decided to introduce his daughter to Bruce : he wasn’t sure if Batman should be a part of his life of your life. But then you remember him about everything Bruce did for him and how well his relationship was with him now, dick didn’t want to lose that.

Both of you were surprised to see Bruce with a baby, turns out he was good with them almost like a grandpa.

Bruce got her some t-shirt with his logo on it, he thought it was a great gift

Your daughter got a tiny bat as a teddy it became her favorite

Because of his past, he is always afraid he might lose his daughter so time to time when he felt down : you were here by his side telling him to relax and enjoy the present she’ll grown up super fast and become a women eventually.

He did as you told : he couldn’t be more thankful. He was married to you, he felt so lucky to have you with him. You got him a beautiful daughter such an awesome princess. He couldn’t be more happy.

[iwachans-beefyarms]

i know this is kinda really detailed and specific idea for a scenario so i hope that this is okay! it turns out tsuki is only really good at english because he kept his english penpal from primary school and they talk everyday and ft and she surprises him by turning up before the shiratorizawa match!! just some fluffy platonic feels please maybe she goes out with the team for dinner afterwards too? 💕💕💖

Omg, I really love this scenario! I’ve had my fair share of penpals so I was really excited to write this (: I remember having an Italian penpal 2 years ago and interacting with her inspired me to learn Italian on my own because she would often give me amazing Italian book recommendations hehe (I might have gone a bit overboard when writing about Tsukki training for the match lmao)

BTW for those interested, the quote from the beginning is from Donna Tartt’s ‘The Secret History’! It’s one of my favourite books of all time and it’s what made me start learning Latin, highly recommend it to all of you! Also, I love writing about platonic friendships soooo much so if any of you would like to request similar things in the future, please do!

Note*** Reader will be speaking to the team in Japanese, which will be indicated by bolded words

Okay, I’ll stop talking now, enjoy!

“I had said goodbye to her once before, but it took everything I had to say goodbye to her then, again, for the last time, like poor Orpheus turning for a last backwards glance at the ghost of his only love and in the same heartbeat losing her forever: hinc iliac lacrimae, hence those tears.”

Tsukishima sighed and put the book down. Pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose, he leaned back and closed his eyes. It was a bittersweet feeling he often experienced when nearing the end of a compelling novel. This particular one, especially, had had him completely enamored. He almost felt wistful when he realised he was almost done with it.

He opened the book back up and carefully highlighted the phrase “Orpheus turning for a last backward glance”, making a mental note to look up the reference. It sounded like a literary allusion to a Greek myth of some sort, but he had to check to be sure. He glanced at his phone and opened his e-mail to type a quick message to you.

“I am almost done with this book… Honestly, what a ride! I can’t even bring myself to finish it because of how attached I am. I learnt so many new phrases and literary allusions too! I’m seriously considering reading all the pieces of work the author had referenced throughout the novel haha. But, it’s gonna have to wait until after my volleyball season ends because we have finals coming up soon… Anyway, talk to you later! BTW, how did you enjoy the poetry collection I sent you?”

He signed off as he usually did, packed his things up and left for after-school volleyball practice. He couldn’t help but feel that today was a particularly lovely day. When Yamaguchi approached him and draped his arm around his shoulder, he welcomed his friend’s affectionate gesture with a genuine smile of his own.

“Wow, that’s a big smile! Did something good happen?” Yamaguchi questioned curiously. He glanced down at Tsukkishima’s hands and noticed the book he was holding.

“Ah! Y/n’s book huh? Is it any good?” He asked, excitedly grabbing it from his friend and flipping through the pages. His eager expression morphed into one of complete confusion as he squinted his eyes at the flurry of words before him. “How do you even read this? It’s so hard…” He blurted out.

“Tsk, you just don’t have enough practice, dumbass,” Tsukkishima retorted jokingly. It was true, though, what he said. His regular emails to and from you since his primary school days had greatly improved his English linguistic skills. Even more so, it had made him more knowledgeable in the art of writing and analysis. Everytime he got a comment on his essays about his exceptional way with words, he would silently thank your influence in his head. It was quite ironic that Tsukishima, someone who found it immensely difficult to forge meaningful relationships with those around him, would have shared such a close friendship with a girl living on the other side of the world, but such was life.

As the highly anticipated match against Shiratorizawa loomed closer, Tsukishima’s mind drifted from you and the book he had yet to finish. His heart, soul and entire being was devoted to his team. While he greatly appreciated the daily messages of encouragement you graced him with every morning, he simply did not have the time to respond properly. For now, all that mattered was volleyball.

He trained everyday, much like his teammates. Where once he would have scoffed at the level of fervor he demonstrated in his journey towards becoming the best player he could be, he now relished in the passion that flooded him everytime he held the ball between his hands, or when he jumped in tandem with his teammates to form a block. He would be prepared for Shiratorizawa, for Ushijima Wakatoshi, and for whatever force that dared to reckon with him.

That was what he told himself before the match, repeating it in his heart like a mantra, with the hopes that the belief would materialise in the court. And, that was exactly what his teammates and he did. They won. They actually won. Tsukishima never viewed himself as a sadistic person, but dear God, the look of defeat in the faces of his opponents sent him to a high he had never experienced before. It wasn’t that he was glad they lost; they were decently nice people. It was that they had won; a game that, by all expectations, should have been lost. He was euphoric. In that moment, amidst the chaos surrounding him and the cheers resounding through the stadium, he felt an immense wave of love rush over him. Love for his sport, his opponents, and most importantly, his team; his family outside of his family.

After the match, as the team made their way out of the locker rooms, he let himself bask in the triumph of their victory as his friends cheered boisterously. Suddenly, he caught the eyes of a very familiar face approaching him with a slight jog. His eyes widened. Impossible.

“Tsukki!” You wrapped your arms around his neck. He didn’t hesitate to engulf you in a hug of equal intensity. It was either the excitement of winning, or the shock from seeing you in front of him that made him so easily reciprocate your affection, but at that moment he didn’t care.

“What are you doing here?” He asked, incredulously, ignoring the gawking stares of his team. “My parents wanted to go to Japan for the holidays, and of course I had to come see you at your big match! You were amazing! I mean, Amazing, with a capital A!” you rambled off excitedly. Tsukishima almost let you continue your enthusiastic rant but he was interrupted by Daichi’s hesitant tap to his back. He cleared his throat and announced, “Everyone, this is Y/n, my good friend from Y/c.”

“Hello everyone! It is so wonderful to meet all of you! Tsukki has said so much about you that I feel like I know all of you already,” you addressed them, bowing slightly. Your nervous blush made Tsukki smile softly to himself. Immediately, you were attacked with questions.

“How does Tsukishima know such a pretty girl?”

“Where are you from? Are you here on holiday? How do you know Japanese?”

“Do you play volleyball?”

You did your absolute best to answer all their questions, and in the process, gave the team a brief summary of your friendship with Tsukishima. Yamaguchi, in particular, was wonderfully excited to make your acquaintance. Eventually, the boys and their managers invited you to have dinner with them. You graciously took their offer and left the stadium with them.

The evening was filled with laughter and jubilation. Everybody was still riding the high from their win, and spent dinner reminiscing moments during the match, and of course, talking about Tsukishima and his pretty friend. Stories about his childhood self, his emo-phase and, for a brief tw months, k-pop phase, were shared by Yamaguchi and yourself. Usually, Tsukishima would have been incredibly annoyed at being the object of a joke, but tonight, he settled for a half-hearted shove to Yamaguchi’s shoulder and a teasing comment. “At least I pulled it off… Not like your cosplay phase, remember?” Cue another round of hearty laughter.

As he watched you and his team bond, he sat back and gently rubbed his chest. His heart felt so full at the moment, and although he knew it wouldn’t last, he cherished the feeling and took a mental picture of the scene in front of him. He leaned towards your ear and whispered, “Thank you so much for coming, it meant a lot.” You squeeze his arm gently and replied, “That’s what friends are for, Tsukki!”

[raywritesthings]

(If I read your prompt meme comment correctly and if randos are allowed to ask) I'd vote 1) when A grabs B’s face and says “please - please” before devouring B’s mouth without waiting for a response or 2) person A realizing that they were just kind of joking when they kissed B but then holy shit do they ever get sucked into it and when A finally pulls back they are absolutely stunned by B for Doctor/Donna if you're so inclined

Hello! Yes, you did read correctly! I have completed the second of the two prompts you gave me and will post the first whenever the inspiration strikes for what to base it around. I took a bit of a liberty with the “joking” bit of the prompt, so I hope you still enjoy it! If you have an AO3 account, let me know so I can edit and gift it to you!

Who’s Laughing?

(can also be read on AO3 and FFN, links are in bio)

No matter where they went, it always happened. There was always someone, somewhere, no matter what far corner of the universe they’d landed on, who said it. There were different variations, but usually it started a little something like this:

“If you and your wife—”

Donna was about fed up with it. “Nope.”

The Captain of the starliner they had accidentally boarded via TARDIS travel blinked. “Sorry?”

“Oh, you’re not understanding?” She asked with mock politeness. Usually she made the simple correction and was done with it, but Donna had been hurried out of bed into the console room without coffee this morning, and this still wasn’t the bloody beach, so this lady was getting it today.

“Donna,” said the Doctor, which she ignored.

“See, I was just hoping not to get into the whole thing for once. Never realized how many times I was gonna have to repeat myself through time and space.”

“Really? Never?” He interjected again.

“Oi, I’m clearing up a misunderstanding,” she said, turning to him and then back again. “One that happens with frankly astounding regularity. But just to be clear, I’m not his wife, he’s not my husband, and we are not and have never been married.” Silence rang through the control room at her pronouncement. Out past the glass at the front of the room, they were passing a rather beautiful nebula, and if she were less cross she could have appreciated it better. As for now, though, she simply glowered at it, too.

The Captain looked down for a moment, her lips pursed. “An assumption on my part, then. My apologies. I only thought naturally—”

“Oh, sure. Cos there’s anything ‘natural’ about this,” Donna said, gesturing emphatically between herself and the Doctor.

“Oh, that smarts,” he muttered.

“You seemed quite suited from where I was standing,” the starliner’s first mate offered.

The Doctor brightened up considerably. “Thank you!” He sobered a little as he caught Donna’s glare. “Friends can be suited, can’t they?”

“Seriously, is this a joke to you? Or the joke of the universe?” That sounded about right. Donna found out about the whole wider universe on her failed wedding day, so now everywhere she went people assumed she was hitched to the bloke standing next to her. “You’d think we’d all be tired of laughing by now.”

“Donna.”

But she was on a roll now, throwing her arms up in a plea to whatever deity she had spurned in a past life. “I mean, what’s it take? Are we just waiting on the punchline, cause I can sort that out right now.”

In a fit of pique, or perhaps madness, Donna turned about again, seized the Doctor by his pinstriped lapels and crashed her lips to his, only—

Only it wasn’t a horrific collision. It actually was quite nice. He was quite nice, quite good, really, at this whole kissing thing. Not that she’d ever wondered…

When Donna pulled back, she’d forgotten why she’d kissed the Doctor in the first place, and he didn’t seem to recall either judging by the awestruck expression on his face she was sure only reflected her own.

Someone coughed, and Donna remembered there was a captain and a first mate and a whole bunch of other people standing around staring at them. “Right, so that settles it, doesn’t it?” She asked, without any real clue what it was anymore. Why had she thought kissing her best friend was a joke again? It had turned out rather brilliant by mistake, and now she wasn’t entirely certain what the whole thing was about.

“If you say so, ma’am,” the Captain stated briskly. “However, given that you are still trespassing, we will need to confine you to the brig. If you and your companion would be so kind as to follow my first officer.”

“Oh, that’s right,” the Doctor said, having clearly forgotten that bit the same as Donna had. They did tend to get sidetracked, didn’t they?

“Suppose that’s fair,” she agreed, falling into step behind the first mate. Donna could feel the eyes of a Spaceman on her back, probably trying to remote into her brain to figure out what the hell she’d been thinking. She hoped he’d tell her when he’d figured it out!

As far as their stays in prison cells went, this was going to be an awkward one.

[saiilorstars]

Stars Dance

Ch. 6: Vampires of Venice

Fandom: Doctor Who

Pairing: 11th Doctor x Original Female Character

– Previous chapters here –

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Chapter summary: Avalon is furious with the Doctor and Amy. And at the end of the day, when all is said and done, the Doctor has to ask himself...does Avalon actually hate him?

Rory Williams was at his stag night, trying to leave a very lovely message for his fiancee while blocking out the heavy noise of the room. "Hey...! It's me! Hello! How are you? The reason for this call is because I haven't told you for seven hours that I love you, which is a scandal, and even if we weren't getting married tomorrow, I'd ask you to marry me anyway. Yes, I would, because you are smashing."

Behind him, a large cake was being wheeled while a rather interesting song played, named 'The Stripper', in the background. One of his friends tapped him on the back, making him turn to see the cake.

"Oh... Oh. Oh, blimey. I've... I've... I-I-I... I'll see you tomorrow," Rory quickly hung up and turned to the cake.

"Out! Out! Out!" everyone began shouting and even clapping.

And out popped a head from the cake alright...with some very ginger hair...

Rory's mouth half-opened when he saw Avalon inside the cake. The woman was trying not to look as pleased as she was. "Okay, that was really cool," she admitted, allowing herself to laugh for a moment. "Can cross this off my bucket list."

"What are you..." Rory pointed, completely flabbergasted with the woman's appearance. Sometimes, she was just too much. "...how did you...I thought...you were on a date!"

"Big things have happened Rory," Avalon declared in an irritated expression when she remembered the reason she'd gotten into this mess in the first place. "Someone help me out!" she shouted and quickly two of Rory's friends came up and pulled her out of the cake. "Thank you," she waved them off and met Rory in a quick rush.

Rory's gaze was still switching between Avalon and the cake but no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't come up with a logical answer. "What are you doing here? How did you even get inside the cake?"

"Took all the money in my bag," Avalon nodded. "I mean, it was fair since Lucy did deserve to get paid either way."

"But why-"

"We have a problem Rory," Avalon covered his mouth with her hand, "And no, I didn't do anything wrong this time. I know you blew your money on me from the last time..." she looked to the side in guilt. "I'll pay you back eventually."

"You and Mels promised me you'd stay out of trouble," Rory pushed her hand away, "Where is she?" he half expected the woman in question to turn up drunk or something. That's usually how things got started.

"I haven't done anything this time!" Avalon exclaimed at the same time she heard the doors opening, "Oh, you made it? You didn't stay behind kissing Lucy too?" she glared at the Doctor who slowly walked to them.

"What are you doing here?" the Doctor whisper-demanded from Avalon. He should've known she'd beat him to Rory. She was completely furious with him after all.

"Talking to my brother, thank you very much," she snapped.

"What's he doing here?" Rory pointed at him, already beginning to feel a headache coming along. The last time the Doctor popped in things had gone crazy.

"Well, Doctor?" Avalon crossed her arms, "Care to take that one?"

"I cannot believe you took the cake job," the alien said instead, "That was mine."

"Did I upset you?" she asked innocently.

"Yes!"

"Good," she spat.

To say she was angry was an understatement. She was fuming! She and Lena had been told, by the Doctor himself, of what had happened with Amy and while Lena was shocked...Avalon had just slapped the Doctor straight across the face...twice.

The Doctor could understand that the news was highly upsetting but he did want to point out that he had not initiated anything with Amy. He had never given Amy an indication that he was interested in her beyond friendship. He would like a chance to explain himself even if he didn't really have a fault...but Avalon wouldn't hear it. Lena had and she seemed like she wanted to help him. Thank goodness for his baby sister because...he might have been thrown out of his own TARDIS. The box once again proved that she truly liked Avalon a lot since she practically backed Avalon up after she made the threat to throw him into space.

He felt utterly betrayed by that box. It still kind of hurt, actually.

Avalon, for her part, thought she wasn't reacting angry enough. Rory was like her brother and she loved him very much (platonically of course). She knew that Rory would never hurt someone even if he was furious; it just wasn't him. But she could and she would, and she did. She was furious at Amy for what the woman had done to her fiancee, a man who earnestly loved her to bits and pieces. She couldn't even look at Amy and yet Amy seemed upset with her. Amy had the audacity to be angry with her and that only served to agitate Avalon even more. Avalon was in the middle of debating how she'd make it another hour without killing Amy or the Doctor.

"Uh, hello?" Rory waved a hand, reminding Avalon and the Doctor of his presence. They seemed like they were in a huge argument which begged the question of how long they'd even been together since the last time the Doctor was around. The man was a time traveler so...it could be far more time than Rory was thinking. "Explanation, please?"

"Right, Rory, we need to talk about your fiancee," the Doctor began, ignoring the scoff Avalon gave beside him. "She tried to kiss me." He winced when everyone in the room gasped. "Tell you what, though. You're a lucky man - she's a great kisser." Someone dropped their glass, again making the Doctor wince. Wow, he was really bad at this. He side-glanced Avalon with an expression bearing resignation. "I have another one coming, don't I?"

Avalon nodded. "Oh yeah."

Rory opened his mouth to ask once again what was going on, "Um, excuse me, what exactly-"

But Avalon slapped the Doctor again and it sounded hard. Rory, as well as his friends, all collectively winced at the loud smack.

The Doctor rubbed his newest red spot on his face and moved his jaw to wear out the pain. "You are freakishly strong, do you know that?" he looked at Avalon and swore he'd be feeling the echoes of that slap for days.

Avalon's face was straight when she nodded her head. "Yup. Usually, I reserve those slaps for lying boyfriends but I'm making a special exception just for you."

"I feel so special," the Doctor muttered to himself. She completely outranked all the angry Moms that'd slapped him before, including one special Donna Noble slap. "So, um...TARDIS?" he motioned the door to her and Rory.

"Oh we will," Avalon took Rory's hand and marched off with him, ignoring Rory's mumbles of questions.

~ 0 ~

There was an unbearable awkwardness inside the TARDIS that no matter how infinite she was, there weren't enough rooms to make the awkwardness go away. It was for that reason that the Doctor had gone under the console to 'fix' some parts of the box. He felt that maybe if his face wasn't in the same room as Amy and Rory, they would have an easier time reconnecting. But just in case they needed a bit of help, he started to ramble on and hoped that it would inspire them to actually talk to each other.

Amy was pacing about nervously, biting a few of her nails while Rory stood beside the console with his eyes scanning every last part of the box. They hadn't really said much to each other.

"Oh! The life out there, it dazzles. I mean, it blinds you to the things that are important. I've seen it devour relationships and plans..." the Doctor was saying, giving occasional glances above through the glass floor. Rory flinched at the sound of a small explosion underneath and looked below to the Doctor, "Ohhh! It's meant to do that! Because for one person to have seen all that, to taste the glory and then go back, it will tear you apart. So...I'm sending you somewhere. Together."

"Whoa! What, like a date?" Amy had stopped pacing and looked below.

"Lena chose a wonderful place for you two, actually," the Doctor shot out of the seat and rushed up to the console. She had sounded excited which meant the talking with Rory would start soon. "It's very nice, amazing, and romantic," he grinned, "My baby sister's a genius."

"Woah, hold on, did he just say Lena?" Rory looked between the two. His eyes couldn't get wider!

"Oh that's right, he doesn't know..." Amy made a face. She herself forgot that to Leadworth, Lena Reynolds had been missing for 2 years.

"Know what? What else is there now?" Rory raised an eyebrow. Not only did he just discover his fiancee and best friend were time travelers, his fiancee had kissed another man, an alien, but now they were speaking about Lena as if she was...she was...

"I'm ready!" Lena dashed out of the corridors in a 16th century pink dress. She gave a big, dramatic spin so that her dress would twirl like in the movies. "How do I look?"

"Wonderful!" the Doctor praised and she rushed to give him a hug. Lena Reynolds was the only one he could trust in right now.

"I love, love, love, love your wardrobe! It's endless!" Lena beamed as she stepped back, "Endless options to wear!"

"Lena? Lena?" Rory's mouth fell open.

Lena gasped as she saw Rory, "Oh! Hi Rory!" she quickly gave him a hug, "Oh it's been so long, I missed you!"

"But...b-b-but, you're...you're not..." Rory sputtered as he hugged back the woman, "...how are you...the police..."

"Time travel," Lena chuckled as she stepped back, "Little mix up. See, after the Doctor saved us from that whole Prisoner Zero thing, he took me into the TARDIS for a quick jump start...only our two hours was two years for you guys. For me, it's really only been a couple months since I've last seen you and the planet Earth."

"So all this time, you've been here?"

She nodded, "Aha."

"Your family has been going crazy over your disappearance! Avalon quit her job to search for you..."

Lena nodded silently, her eyes looking down as she recalled all the doings her twin had done to search for her, "I know. And I'm so sorry for that. I never meant to make anyone worry, much less lose their jobs."

"It's okay, cos you're here and you're alive," Rory half-smiled and went ahead and hugged her again, "Avalon must have been so happy to see you again."

"Mhm, she wouldn't let go of me."

"Speaking of, where's the feisty Ava?" he pulled away and searched for the missing ginger.

"I chose a dress for her," Lena giggled at her doings. She thought she found the perfect dress that her sister could wear. The TARDIS seemed to agree with all the hums she gave them after Lena pulled out the dress.

"Oh that's a sight I have to see," Rory laughed. If the wardrobe was as big as Lena mentioned, then Avalon was sure to be in paradise.

"Avalon!" Lena called.

"Come on out, Ava!"

Amy looked to the side in irritation. They had been talking about a date and now suddenly here goes her date talking about Avalon...

"I'm not doing it," Avalon emerged from the corridors with her arms crossed. Much to Lena's and Rory's disappointment, she was wearing her modern-day clothes. She wore a light brown dress that reached above her knees with brown boots to match. She wore a dark blue, long-sleeved, jean jacket with a thick hot pink scarf around her neck, both parts dangling down her chest. Her ginger locks fell freely down.

"Aww..." Lena pouted, "It was a nice dress!"

"Sorry, Lena. I'm not in the mood for it," Avalon looked at Amy and the Doctor with glare.

"Did I mention we're going to Venice?" the Doctor tried, trying not to fidget under the woman's glare. He really disliked the cold look in her eyes that he knew were meant for him...

"Oh that's lovely," she put on a sarcastic smile, "You planning on kissing anyone there?"

"It's a date for Rory and Amy," Lena clarified, moving beside the Doctor, "And you're being rude again."

"Excuse me for being upset my best friend was cheated on," Avalon moved beside Rory to show her solidarity, not that she hadn't already.

"It's okay, Ava," Rory assured her, even though it kind of wasn't. Knowing her, she had to have had a go at the Doctor and Amy. On a level, it was nice always having her support.

"No, it's not. And I know you won't say anything so I will. I'm your voice."

"Thank you, but it's okay..." he looked over at Amy and half-smiled, "So...a date?" Maybe a date, something normal, was what they all needed to go back to normal. Besides, Amy looked like she liked the idea so that had to mean something, right?

"I'm kind of done with running down corridors," she nodded and moved closer to him, pulling him away from Avalon ever-so-discreetly.

"Venice, here we come!" Lena cheered.

~ 0 ~

The TARDIS materialized in the middle of a busy market place, no one taking notice of people piling out of a small box.

The Doctor came out first with his arms open to the city, " Venice! Venezia! La Serenissima! Impossible city. Preposterous city! Founded by refugees running from Attila the Hun. It was just a collection of little wooden huts in the marsh, but became one of the most powerful cities in the world. Constantly being invaded, constantly flooding... constantly... Just beautiful! Oh, you gotta love Venice. And so many people did. Byron, Napoleon, Casanova. Oooh, that reminds me," he checked his watch in concern, "1580. That's all right. Casanova doesn't get born for 145 years. Don't want to run into him. I owe him a chicken."

"You owe Casanova a chicken?" Rory raised an eyebrow.

"Long story. We had a bet."

"This is Venice?" Lena gasped as she looked around, "Oh m god, it's beautiful!"

"Glad you like it, baby sister," the Doctor tapped her head. He looked back and saw Avalon barely coming out of the box, cautiously closing the doors and moving slowly around, "And you, Avalon? Impressed?"

She looked at him for a minute then turned to the side, "Hm."

"Bad temper," Lena whispered the reminder to him.

"I've noticed," he patted on his cheeks which were still sore.

Suddenly, an official dressed in black stepped in front of Avalon, making the ginger stumble back in surprise, "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Papers, if you please. Proof of residency, current bill of medical inspection."

Avalon blinked rapidly, still a bit surprised by his sudden approach. "Oh...um..."

"Watch me go and save your bad-tempered sis," the Doctor smirked and headed off, Lena giggling to herself and shaking her head, "There you go fella," he held up his psychic paper for the official. The man took the paper and read it, "All to your satisfaction, I think you'll find."

Avalon, in amusement, smiled as the official deeply bowed, "I am so sorry, Your Holiness. I didn't realize."

"Holiness?" Avalon repeated, swaying her head as she considered the idea. "Yeah, alright."

The Doctor took back the paper, "No worries. You were just doing your job. Sorry, what exactly is your job?"

"Checking for aliens, visitors from foreign lands what might bring the plague with them."

"Oh, that's nice," Amy shook her head, "Lena, you brought us to the plague?"

Lena raised her hands in surrender, "Oi, I gave the location, the Doctor chose the time."

"Don't worry, Viscountess," the official said to Amy. The ginger nearly nodded, taking the role, while Rory stood beside her, looking between the man and her in shock and confusion, "No, we're under quarantine here, no-one comes in, no-one goes out, and all because of the grace and wisdom of our patron, Signora Rosanna Calvierri," the official pointed to a crest on a box he carried.

"Hold on, the plagued died out years ago," the Doctor remarked.

"Not out there. No, Signora Calvierri has seen it with her own eyes. Streets are piled high with bodies, she said."

"Did she, now? Ever picked up a history book?"

Rory reached for the psychic paper from the Doctor while the official moved on to someone else.

"By the way, I didn't need your help," Avalon informed the Doctor before heading off.

"A simple thank you would've been nice," the Doctor mumbled as he followed after her, consequently making the rest follow.

"Or a slap!" she called and he immediately froze, letting her go on a bit farther. His cheeks could not take another slap.

Lena laughed and took his hand, "It's okay, she probably won't do it anymore."

"Probably?" he shot her a concerned look, his free hand going up to his face.

"Wouldn't count on it," Rory moved ahead, walking backwards with Amy beside him, "She once beat up a boy for an entire week because he put play-dough in her hair."

"Oh, yeah," Amy sucked in breath through her teeth at the reminder, "Poor Mark. I liked Mark."

~ 0 ~

Two lines of young women dressed in white gowns of different designs stepped onto the cobblestone ground outside the Calvierri school. An older woman, Rosanna, walked to the head of the procession, "Veils down, girls," she ordered.

The girls lowered their veils and started walking, everyone else stopping to watch them. The group stopped across the canal and also watched.

A man, Guido, ran up to the line and started lifting each girl's veil.

"What do you want?" Rosanna demanded.

"Where's my Isabella?"

"What are you doing? Get away from there," Rosanna tried shooing him off.

"Isabella! Isabella!" he finally lifted the veil off the correct girl, his daughter, but

she backed away at the sunlight, "It's me!"

One of the other girls came forwards with a hiss and showed off her mouth of two rows of fangs. Guido fell to the ground in shock as the girls re-took their positions.

"Girls, come along!" Rosanna ordered again, everything continuing like nothing.

A younger man, Francesco, pressed his boot on Guido's chest, keeping him down as the girls left, "She's gone," he informed Guido and left with a swirl of his cloak.

"Isabella! It's me!" the man cried out as two guards lifted him from the ground and dragged him away.

"What was that about?" Amy frowned as the spectacle finish.

"He's gone, Amy," Lena informed with a small sigh.

"I hate it when he does that!" Amy shook her head.

~ 0 ~

As Guido walked along a passageway, the Doctor crossed behind, leaping onto the bottom step of a stairway before calling to the man, "Who were those girls?"

Guido stopped and looked back at the Doctor, slightly confused of the man's wardrobe choice and lack of knowledge of the practically highlight of Venice, "I thought everyone knew about the Calvierri school."

"My first day here," the Doctor stepped down, "Parents do all sorts of things to get their children into good schools. They move house, they change religion. So, why are you trying to get her out?"

"Something happens in there. Something magical, something evil. My own daughter didn't recognize me. And the girl who pushed me away, her face... like an animal."

The Doctor put an arm around Guido's shoulder and thought for a minute, "I think it's time I met this Signora Calvierri."

~ 0 ~

Amy and Rory were walking through a narrow passageway, Rory still a bit confused from all the sudden news. He couldn't believe that the girls had been away for months and nobody bothered to tell him anything! "Are the twins okay, here? Lena's got her inhaler, right? Avalon knows the city rules?"

Amy, with arms crossed, rolled her eyes and heaved a small sigh, "Yes, they're alright. Would you quit worrying about them? This is our date!"

"What have you been doing, lately? Hm?" Rory shot her a small look.

"Well... running. And fighting. I've been scared. More scared than I thought was..."

"Did you miss me?"

"I... I knew I'd be coming back," Amy rubbed the side of her neck as she looked away for a minute.

"He was right. It blots out everything else," Rory started heading off. He never really got angry per say but this time he was beginning to really feel it. Amy hadn't even bothered to think about him?

"Rory... this is our date!" Amy managed to catch him by the arm. "Let's not do this, not now! Please?"

Rory took a look around as he heard the fluttering of wings overhead and half-smiled. Damn Amy got him to do whatever it was she wanted. "I guess...we are in Venice and it is 1580."

"I know!" Amy laughed.

Together, they walked off arm-in-arm and passed a stairway where Francesco was lounging above. He noticed a young flower-seller stopping by two other women to offer them poseys. One of them, a brunette, took them while the ginger walked ahead of her. Once the flower seller walked away as well, he started coming down.

~ 0 ~

Amy posed in front of a doorway while Rory knelt to take her picture with his phone, and then hey heard a piercing scream.

~ 0 ~

"Lena!" Avalon screamed and bolted back from where she had come from, bumping into Amy and Rory. She then saw a man over her sister, lifting his head to show blood on Lena's neck. Quickly, the man bared his fangs and ran off as Avalon dashed to her sister, "Lena!? Lena!? Please wake up! Lena, oh God!" Rory ran over to help and check for vitals while Amy dashed after Francesco.

"She'll be okay," Rory said Avalon who quickly cradled her twin in her arms, "Amy, where are..." he saw the second ginger gone, "Where'd she go!?"

~ 0 ~

Guido approached the guards of the school of Calvierri where two guards stood by the doors, "You have my daughter. Isabella!"

"You're not coming in, stop there! We've told you..." one of the guards began to say.

Meanwhile, the Doctor snuck on the side of the building unbeknownst to the guards.

"You have my daughter. Isabella! I demand you let me see my daughter," Guido continued.

The Doctor hopped onto small steps in front of the canal gate and used his screwdriver to open it up. He quickly made his way down stone steps and into a chamber. He noticed a mirror on a wall and sauntered up to it, "Hello, handsome," he straightened his tie out and checked his teeth.

"Who are you?" he heard several women's voices.

He turned to face a group of young girls dressed in white standing around him. He looked back and forth to see them invisible in the mirror, "How are you doing that? I... am... loving it. You're like Houdini, only five scary girls, only he was shorter - will be shorter. I'm rambling."

"I'll ask you again, signor. Who are you?" the girls questioned.

"Why don't you check this out?" he flashed his psychic paper...or his library card with a picture of his first incarnation, "Library card," he put it away as he remembered, "Of course, it's with... He's..." he mimicked once again a large nose, "I need the spare," he faced the girls again and studied them, "Pale, creepy girls who don't like sunlight and can't be seen in...," he glanced at the mirror which remained clear of their reflections, "Am I thinking what I think I'm thinking? But the city. Why shut down the city? Unless..."

"Leave now, signor, or we shall call for the steward... if you are lucky."

"Ooh!" he had a hint of a smile but it immediately vanished when the girls showed bare fangs and advanced on him. He ran to the doorway but turned back for one request, "Tell me the whole plan," he demanded but the girls ignored, "One day that'll work! Listen, I would love to stay here. This whole thing... I'm thrilled. Oh, this is Christmas!" he cheered like a boy and ran up the stairs with the hissing girls behind him.

~ 0 ~

Later that day, in the night, the Doctor and Amy met up across the canal from the school, both utterly excited for some reason.

"Doctor!" the ginger exclaimed.

"I just met some vampires!" he informed.

"We just saw a vampire!"

"And creepy girls and everything."

"Vampires!"

Together, they jumped in their excitement. Though the Doctor stopped when he saw Avalon and Rory walking slowly towards them with a groggy Lena between them, "Woah, hey, that's not good..." he ran over to them, "...baby sister?"

"There are freaking vampires here!" Avalon spat, "One of them bit her!" she motioned to the dry trail of blood on the side of Lena's neck.

"I feel okay, though," Lena informed them quietly, "Just probably sit down for a good moment would be good for me."

"Right, so we should all come to my new friend's house," the Doctor offered, "Cos we still have to figure out how to get back in there somehow," he nodded to the school then checked over Lena's 'bite' with his screwdriver.

"What?!" Rory gaped, "Back in where!?"

"How do we do that?" Avalon demanded, glaring at the school. Oh, they'd have something coming to them after what they did to her twin.

"Ava!" Rory frowned.

"No, she's right," Amy joined them.

"NO!"

"Yes," the two gingers reiterated, both crossing their arms with looks of doom.

~ 0 ~

Guido brought out a map of Venice to the table of his house where the Doctor, Avalon and Amy looked over it. Rory sat back among some barrels while Lena took rest on a small bed against the wall.

"As you saw, there's no clear way in. The House of Calvierri is like a fortress," Guido was saying, "But there's a tunnel underneath it, with a ladder and shaft that leads up into the house. I tried to get in once myself, but I hit a trapdoor."

"You need someone on the inside," Amy nodded.

"No," the Doctor immediately said as he looked over the map.

"You don't even know what I was going to say!"

"We pretend you're an applicant for the school to get you inside and tonight you come down and open the trapdoor to let us in."

"Oh," Amy looked to the side and mumbled, "So you know what I was going to say."

"Are you insane?" Rory raised an eyebrow.

"We don't have another option."

"He said no, Amy. Listen to him," and before Avalon opened her mouth he wagged a finger, "And no to your volunteering as well."

"They took my sister!" she reminded.

"Don't care," he pointed again before she opened her mouth, making her quiet down.

"There is another option," Guido spoke up and pointed in Rory's direction, "I work at the Arsenale. We build the warships for the navy."

The Doctor moved over to the barrels and sniffed them, "Gunpowder," he set a hand on Rory's shoulder, "Most people just nick stationery from where they work." Slowly, Rory slid away from the barrels and backed away into a dead rabbit hanging by the fireplace. "Look, I have a thing about guns and huge quantities of explosive," the Doctor said.

"What do you suggest, then? We wait until they turn her into an animal?"

"I want to go," Avalon declared but Amy shook her head.

"It was my idea," she reminded.

"I don't care, they hurt my sister and no one hurts my sister."

"I would like to point out that I am just fine," Lena raised her hand from her spot, "I'm not sparkling or anything and I don't want blood."

"Always the peacemaker, eh?" the Doctor sat down beside her with a small smile as she nodded.

"I don't like arguments."

"Look, in three or four hours tops I'd have the door opened," Avalon insisted.

"No, no, no, no, no, no. It can't keep happening like this. This is how they go."

"I can go," Amy reminded, shooting a small glare at Avalon. It was her idea and she was not going to let anyone take it from her! She wanted to do this!

"Avalon, I don't want you to go," Lena said quietly, "Please don't."

The Doctor took a breath and sat back on the wall, "I have to know. We go together. Say you're my daughter," he looked at Amy, respecting his baby sister's wishes.

"What?! Don't listen to him!" Rory nearly shouted.

"Your daughter? You look about nine," Amy scoffed.

"Brother, then," the Doctor shrugged.

"Too weird. Fiancé."

"I'm not having him run around telling people he's your fiancé," Rory pointed at Amy.

"No. No, you're right."

"Thank you."

"I mean, they've already seen the Doctor. You should do it."

"Me?" Rory blinked.

Avalon shook her head behind Amy, was she really going to do this?

"Yeah! You can be my brother," Amy rubbed Rory's head in a playful manner.

The Doctor smiled while Lena giggled, the only ones not amused being Rory and Avalon.

"Why is him being your brother weird, but with me, it's OK?" he demanded from Amy.

"Actually, I thought you were her fiancé," Guido spoke up as he pointed at the Doctor.

"Yeah, that's not helping," the Doctor mumbled.

"SHUT UP!" Avalon suddenly shouted, "All of you just shut up! Now-" she stepped between the group, dead serious, "-here's the thing, I'm not asking if I can go to that school, I am informing you I'm going to the school. Now, if any one would like to help me then by all means, go right ahead. I will not send a friend of mine to that school when she doesn't know how to even fight," she covered Amy's mouth before the second ginger had remarked on it, "Amy, it's been two years and you and I both know who's more qualified to be running about and smacking people. Now please," she looked between them all, "I'm really trying hard not to kill you or the Doctor and so right now your best, and possibly safest, option, is to send me into the school so I can kill the man who bit my twin. Got it?"

"You are mad, Ava," Rory sighed, shaking his head.

Avalon took her hand off Amy and turned to the Doctor, "You owe me, remember? The gun from the Angels? I'll exchange it for this."

"Don't do it," Lena said to him, "Please?"

"We don't even know if they're vampires," he quietly told Avalon as a warning.

"So?"

"It's dangerous."

"What else you got?"

"Your twin is asking you not to go."

"And I love her, but I'm in a foul mood and I'd really like to blow off some steam. Besides, I trust you'd keep her safe?"

"Of course."

"You're not actually going to let her, are you?" Amy questioned, feeling a bit hurt that her plan had just been stolen from her.

"I think I am," the Doctor nodded, "Content, Miss Reynolds?" he looked at Avalon.

"Oh I will be after I get done with them," she crossed her arms.

~ 0 ~

Avalon and Rory stood as petitioners in front of Rosanna, both wearing clothes from the period.

"So, basically, both of our parents are dead from getting the plague. I'm a gondola... driver... so... money's a bit tight... so having my sister go to your school for special people would be brilliant," Rory slowly said as he looked around, "Cheers."

Francesco showed an interest in Avalon, vaguely trying to recall her appearance as he moved in front of her, "Have we met?" he asked her.

"I have one of those faces," she spat, her eyes narrowing as she recalled this being the man over her sister with blood, "Yours is so pretty though, a shame if anything happened to it..."

"Such a tongue for such a lady," he remarked and stepped back.

"Impressed?"

"Not in the least," Rosanna informed from her chair, "Carlo, explain yourself," she looked at a servant, "Why have you brought me this imbecile?"

Rory had to grip onto Avalon's arm before she stalked over to the woman in fury.

"Signora, they have references from the King of Sweden," the servant explained.

"What?" Rosanna blinked, "Let me see," she held her hand out and Rory walked over to hand her the psychic paper. Rosanna took one look at the paper and half-smiled, "Well, now I can see what got my steward so excited," she handed the paper back to Rory, "What say you, Francesco? Do you like her?"

Francesco was circling Avalon who was trying her best to not snap right there and then and strangle him, "Oh, I do, mother. She has attitude that I like."

Avalon winced at the tone, even Rory wanting to take a good punch at the man for his implication.

"Then we would be delighted to accept her," Rosanna looked at Rory, "Say goodbye to your sister."

Rory gave Avalon a hug, "Be careful of him," he whispered as he was pulled away.

"Tell my lovely aunt Amy and uncle Doctor I'll see them very soon," Avalon called, no fear in her tone, "And our sister, please. I'll be just fine."

Rory glanced back from the doorway and saw the fangs Francesco bared behind his best friend, "A-Ava!"

~ 0 ~

Carlo led Avalon up the stairs of the school and into a large room she shared with other girls, "There are clothes on the bed. Get changed and wait here."

Avalon nodded and looked up at the opulent, domed room, "Sure."

All the other girls left the room with Carlo except for one who remained sat on her bed. Cautiously, she moved over to the girl and spoke quietly, "Hello, I'm Avalon. What's your name?"

"Isabella," the girl remained looking ahead.

"Right, so, um, listen, we're going to get you out of here, but I need you to tell me what's going on. What is this place? What are they doing?"

"They, um... they come at night. They gather around my bed and they take me to a room... with this green light and a chair with... with straps, as if for a surgeon."

"And what happens in there?"

Isabella's eyes half-widen as she realized, "I wake up here. And the sunlight burns my skin like candle wax."

"Right, best stay away from green light, then," Avalon stood back up and looked around, hearing a bell tolling above.

~ 0 ~

The Doctor, Rory Guido (who was dressed in Rory's clothes) were inside a gondola that went along a canal driven by Guido. Much to Amy's irritation, she'd been tasked with looking after Lena back at Guido's house, the brunette still a tad weak from earlier. The Doctor had even suggested Rory stay back with them but the man was adamant he'd go and help get his best friend back. It was clear Rory despised the plan of Avalon being inside that school as much as he would've been if Amy had gone in instead.

He knew Avalon was more than capable of taking care of herself, apparently, since she was some future human as explained by Lena before leaving them. But, Avalon was always like a little sister to him or an equal aged sister that he loved dearly, platonic of course. He had always shared a special relationship with Avalon, ever since they were kids. They'd met as kids when he thought Avalon was being bullied by some boys and he was about to go help when all of a sudden the small ginger haired girl started shouting at the boys, driving them off with threats only a child could make. Afterwards, Avalon simply brushed the boys off like nothing happened and noticed Rory staring at her. Rory was intrigued by the girl, she had just driven away a group of boys with the foulest of moods but now she was practically a ray of sunshine. The ginger girl was just so excited to have "made a new friend on her own" that they actually spent that whole day together, playing any game Rory wanted. So, from there, he'd actually met Amy, Lena and Mels. He had his friends and his love because of Avalon, and he would never finish thanking her for that.

"She'll be fine, you know," the Doctor spoke quietly and brought Rory out of his thoughts.

"You can promise me that, can you?" Rory shot him a small look, "Avalon can do all the talking she wants but I know when she's afraid and right now she is afraid."

"Well, I wouldn't know how she feels because most of them time she's yelling at me," the Doctor informed, trying not to sound as hurt as he actually was about that fact. It seemed like no matter what he did or said, it was always the wrong thing.

"What? She doesn't hate you," Rory made a loud scoff, "If you only knew."

"Know what?"

"We're here," Guido declared as he stopped the gondola stopped in beside a small gate with a narrow passage of stairs up to another door.

The Doctor and Rory got out of the gondola and stepped onto the ground. The Doctor carried a lit torch and warned Guido to wait for them on the gondola.

They stopped at the stairs where the Doctor took a breath, "Right. OK, I'll go first. If anything happens to me, go back..."

"What happened? Between you and Amy?" Rory blurted, "You said she kissed you."

"NOW?! You want to do this NOW?!" the Doctor went up the steps towards the door

"I have a right to know," Rory went after him, "I'm getting married in 430 years."

~ 0 ~

Avalon, carrying a lamp and dressed in a white school dress, had entered a courtyard and hurried up to the well in the center. She set her lamp down and released the bars locking the grate. Once done, she picked up the lamp and turned to see Carlo.

"Oh no you don't!" she used her lamp and whacked it over the man's head before making a break for it.

However, she only made it a few feet into a corridor when she bumped into Francesco and two more guards.

"I knew I recognized you from somewhere," Francesco smiled wickedly.

"Oh I hate you!" the ginger declared and slapped him across the face with all her might, "That was for my sister!"

The man put a hand on his face and glared. Without a word he bared his fangs and lunged on the ginger girl who immediately screamed.

~ 0 ~

The Doctor and Rory walked through the narrow passage with only the torch lighting up their way.

"She was frightened, I was frightened, but we survived," the Doctor was carefuly explaining to Rory, "And the relief of it... and so she kissed me."

"The twins were there," Rory reminded, "Didn't hear anything of Lena or Avalon kissing you."

"Well, um, well, Lena's my baby sister...so ew?" the Doctor crinkled his face. He didn't want that image in his head, like ever. "And Avalon shouts, remember? Poor Amy was left."

"And you kissed her back?"

"No. I kissed her mouth."

"Funny," Rory rolled his eyes.

"Rory..." the Doctor stopped and liked back, "Rory, she kissed me because I was there. It would have been you," he tapped Rory on the chest," It should have been you."

"Yeah..."

"Exactly. That's why I brought you here," the Doctor had just faced ahead in time to feel a gust of wind blow against them and end their only source of life from the torch, "Can we go and see the vampires now, please?" he fearfully whispered in the dark.

~ 0 ~

Half fighting and half awake, Avalon struggled against the two guards forcing her down the stairs into a chamber bathed in green light. "Get your hands off me!" she shouted.

"Psychic paper. Did you really think that would work on me?" Rosanna questioned in amusement, until she saw the trail of blood oozing down on the ginger's neck, "Francesco?"

"She slapped me!" the man cried.

"You bit my sister!" Avalon snapped, "Did you really think I was gonna let that slide?"

"Enough, sit her down," Rosanna ordered.

~ 0 ~

The Doctor pushed open the grate Avalon had opened earlier and climbed out, using poor Rory as a ladder, "Push..." he got out then reached down to pull Rory up, "There we are," he turned to the room, "Avalon?" he whispered, "Where's Avalon? I can't see a thing."

"Just as well I brought this, then," Rory pulled out a small pencil torch from his pocket.

The Doctor pulled out a longer torch from under his jacket, "Ultraviolet. Portable sunlight."

Rory frowned, "Yours is bigger than mine."

"Let's not go there," the Doctor countered and walked about.

~ 0 ~

Rosanna circled around Avalon who was now sat down in the wooden chairs with tough wrist straps locking her down, "Where are you from?" she demanded from the ginger, "Did you fall through the chasm?"

"Mother this is pointless. Let's just start the process," Francesco sighed.

"Hold your tongue, Francesco! I need to know what this girl is doing in a world of savages with psychic paper," Rosanna looked down at Avalon, "Who are you with? I scarcely believe your idiot brother sent you," Francesco set a hook into an eye socket above the chair, "What are you doing in my school?" one of the girls attached an IV bag to the hook.

"Mm, how about you fix this," Avalon tilted her head to show them her blood on her neck, "And then we'll talk."

Rosanna laughed at the girl, "You're funny. I don't like funny."

"And I don't like you so we're good" Avalon snapped. Francesco held her head from behind, "Get your hands off me!"

"Oh, make sport of me, will you? Tease me as if I were your dog? Well, this dog has a bite, girl," Rosanna showed her fangs.

"You think you scare me? Ha," Avalon breathed rapidly in and out, "I'm Avalon Reynolds and I don't get scared of some silly vampire."

"You think we're vampires? Oh, now that is amusing," Rosanna chuckled.

"You let me go right now!" Avalon tried twisting her head but remained locked in the position as Rosanna made her way over, "No!" she screamed as the woman bit her neck.

~ 0 ~

The Doctor opened up a chest on the ground to reveal skeletal remains, making Rory stare in horror, "What happened to them?"

"They've had all the moisture taken out of them," the Doctor took a feel of a...fingertip?

~ 0 ~

Rosanna pulled away from Avalon and stood straight, licking her lips with satisfaction. Meanwhile, the rest of the girls left the chamber. Avalon blinked slowly as she tried to push through the icky, weakness spreading across her body.

Francesco leaned down beside Avalon and ran a finger along her neck where the puncture wounds were located. Avalon flinched at the contact and made the attempt to lean away from him, her face scrunching with disgust.

"Mother... where you drink from her, may we share? I'm so thirsty."

"Of course, darling," Rosanna motioned for him to go ahead.

"N-n-no-" Avalon gasped when she felt the same disgusting teeth plunge her skin.

~ 0 ~

"That's what vampires do, right? They drink your blood and replace it with their own," Rory was saying, really trying not to freak out as much as he really was at the moment.

"Yeah, except they haven't just had their blood taken, but all the water in their bodies,"the Doctor clarified.

"Why did they die? Why aren't they like the girls in the school?"

"Maybe not everyone survives the process."

Rory walked away in frustration then stopped and pointed at the Doctor, "You out of all people should not put Avalon in danger! You make her even more dangerous to herself!"

"Let me remind you that she volunteered to go here," the Doctor stood up, frowning, "She doesn't listen to me, I don't have control over her!"

"You have far more influence on her than you think!" Rory snapped, "And if testing her temper isn't enough, you bring Lena into danger she has no business being in. The girl is ill for god's sake! And let's not forget Amy, you make her want to impress you. and risk her own life just so she doesn't let you down. You have no idea how dangerous you make people to themselves when you're around."

But before the Doctor had time to comeback the girls of the school had gathered again under each archway and spoke in unison, "Who are you?"

The Doctor held the ultraviolet light up to them as they got closer," We should run. Run!"

The two ran from the courtyard with the girls right behind them.

~ 0 ~

Rosanna stood in front of Avalon in the chair, "This is how it works. First, we drink you until you're dry. Then... we fill you with our blood. It rages through you like a fire, changing you, until one morning you awake and your humanity is a dream... now faded."

Francesco chuckled, "Or you die," he moved a lock of her away from her neck, "That can happen."

"And if I survive?" Avalon weakly asked as she looked between the two.

"Then there are 10,000 husbands waiting for you in the water," Rosanna opened her arms.

"Yeah, sorry, I don't do marriage with vampires," Avalon kicked Rosanna on her side, making Francesco restrain her back.

Rosanna stumbled back and gasped as she felt the electric hum of her technology strapped onto her. She flipped back part of her dress to the device clipped to her dress. Avalon watched with wide eyes as Rosanna's human image flipped to one of an insectoid creature and then back to human. Suddenly, they all heard the running and voices from above and Rosanna and Francesco quickly ran off to go see about it, leaving Avalon alone. She groaned and tried to make her escape from the stupid chair.

~ 0 ~

The Doctor and Rory ran along a corridor and stopped when they encountered Rosanna, Francesco and even Carlo (the servant). The Doctor looked around nervously, "Cab for Avalon Reynolds?"

~ 0 ~

Avalon screamed again of terror when another hand reached onto her straps.

"It's okay! It's okay! It's just me!" Isabella exclaimed.

"Sh-she-she - they bit me!" Avalon cried as she looked around, swallowing hard.

The girls of the school appeared from the other end of the corridor, blocking the Doctor and Rory's escape. Rosanna, with a smirk, and looked back at her son and servant, "This rescue plan, not exactly watertight, is it?"

The Doctor brandished the ultraviolet light to hold off the girls, "Ha-ha!"

Avalon and Isabella ran in from an intersecting hall, "Rory!" Avalon rushed straight to him, clinging onto him in terror.

"Oh, Ava," Rory stumbled back with her.

"Quickly, through here!" Isabella ran back from the way they'd come in and the rest followed her.

"Seal the house," Rosanna ordered.

~ 0 ~

"They're not vampires!" Avalon exclaimed as they made their way down the underground stairs.

"What?" the Doctor used the sonic on the door for their freedom.

"I saw the, that woman. She's not a vampire, they're not vampires they're aliens!"

"Classic," the Doctor chuckled.

"That's good news?!" Rory cried and looked at Avalon, "She has blood dripping down her neck and this is good news!?"

"I'll be fine," Avalon swallowed.

"Oh don't lie to me, Ava," Rory shook his head. He could see the fear she was desperately trying to push away.

The Doctor quickly pushed them forwards into a new passageway, "Come on, move!" Francesco led the way with a torch and the Doctor used his own as a weapon and made them lash back, "Keep moving! Come on, guys!"

Once at the door of the canal, Isabella opened it up and ushered them out, "Quickly. Get out. Quick!" once she tried stepping out she hissed at the sunlight and shielded her eyes.

"Oh..." the Doctor hurried back to help her out, "Come on, run!"

"I can't!" Isabella cried as she was dragged back inside by the rest of the girls.

The door was shut and when the Doctor pounded on it he was electrified. He fell to the ground, stumbling down the steps and flat on his back on thee ground. Rory and Avalon ranj back to him where Rory checked him.

"Is he alright?" Avalon gasped.

"He's breathing," Rory said.

Avalon looked back at Guido who stood near the lower gate, sorrowful for the man as his daughter would probably not be coming back...

~ 0 ~

Rosanna walked into her throne room to find the Doctor sitting on her throne.

The Doctor tapped his fingers on the chair's armrest, giving a small wolf whistle, "Long way from Saturnyne, aren't you... Sister of the Water?"

Rosanna studied the man of confidence and lightly gasped, "No, let me guess. The owner of the psychic paper. Then I take it you're a refugee, like me?"

"I'll make you a deal. An answer for an answer. You're using a perception filter. It doesn't change your features, but manipulates the brainwaves of the person looking at you. But seeing one of you for the first time in, say, a mirror, the brain doesn't know what to fill the gap with, so leaves it blank... hence no reflection."

"Your question?"

"Why can we see your big teeth?"

Rosanna laughed, "Self-preservation over-rides the mirage. The subconscious perceives the threat and tries to alert the conscious brain."

"Where's Isabella?"

"My turn," she reminded, "Where are you from?"

"Gallifrey."

"You should be in a museum," she sarcastically gasped, "Or in a mausoleum," she smirked.

The Doctor shot her a small glare, "Why are you here?"

"We ran from the Silence. Why are you here?"

"Wedding present..." he thought for a minute, "...and impression," he added, "The Silence?"

"There were cracks. Some were tiny... some were as big as the sky. Through some we saw worlds and people and through others we saw silence... and the end of all things. We fled to an ocean like ours and the crack snapped shut behind us... and Saturnyne was lost."

"So Earth is to become Saturnyne Mark II?"

"And you can help me. We can build a new society here, as others have," Rosanna took a step forwards, "What do you say?"

"Hmm," the Doctor stood up and walked up to her, whispering, "Where's Isabella?"

"Isabella?" the woman blinked, completely clueless.

"The girl who saved my er-friend," he really did not know what to call Avalon at this point. When she wasn't angry with him, she was in danger and vice versa. For now, and for Rosanna, Avalon was a friend...yeah.

"Oh, deserters must be executed. Any general will tell you that," Rosanna casually informed, seeing irrelevant of the matter, "I need an answer, Doctor. A partnership. Any which way you choose," she stepped closer to him.

"I don't think that's such a good idea, do you? I'm a Time Lord. You're a big fish," the Doctor whispered, crinkling his nose, "Think of the children."

Rosanna frowned, "Carlo! she called and the servant came forwards, "You're right. We're nothing alike. I will bend the heavens to save my race, while you philosophize."

"This ends today. I'll tear down the House of Calvierri, stone by stone," the Doctor warned when Carlo placed a hand on his chest to get him moving, "Take your hands off me, Carlo," he snapped and walked for the door, stopping only to look back, "And you know why? You didn't know Isabella's name. You didn't know Isabella's name!"

~ 0 ~

Avalon, now changed back to her modern day clothes, sat on a chair inside Guido's house with the Doctor beside her, examining her bites with his screwdriver. She tried her best to not to flinch whenever the Doctor's fingers accidentally touched her skin. It just felt too similar to the...no, she didn't want to think about it.

"Can I kill them?" she muttered to him.

"Um, no."

"But they bit me...several times," she swallowed at the reminder, growing silent as she remembered the awful moments.

"You okay?" Lena knelt down beside her, taking her sister's hand.

Avalon quickly blinked and smiled, "Yup, just fine," she looked up at the Doctor, "How are those readings?"

He nodded, "Fine," although he could tell it was the complete opposite of what she was feeling, "Here, open wide," he slipped a candy into her mouth, managing to get a small smile out of her.

"So...what now, exactly?" Lena stood up though remained by her twin's side.

The Doctor, frustrated, paced, "I need to think. Come on brain, think, think. Think!" he plopped down at the table, "Think!"

"Well, if they're fish people it would explain why they hate the sun," Amy offered as she took a seat beside him.

He covered her mouth with his hand, "Stop talking, brain thinking. Hush."

"It's the school thing I don't understand," Rory said.

The Doctor placed his hand over Rory's mouth as well, "Stop talking, brain thinking. Hush."

"I say we take the fight to them," Guido shrugged.

"I'm with him," Avalon frowned.

"Ah!" the Doctor shot them both a look.

"I got it," Lena said before covering her twin's and Guido's mouths.

"Thank you baby sister," the Doctor nodded at her, "So, Rosanna's planet dies, so they flee through a crack in space and time, and end up here, then she closes off the city and, one by one, changes people into creatures like her to start a new gene pool. Got it. Then what? They come from the sea, they can't survive forever on land, so what's she going to do? Unless she's going to do something to the environment to make the city habitable... She said, "I shall bend the heavens to save my race," he moved Rory's and Amy's heads in a nod as he spoke, "Bend the heavens... Bend... the heavens... She's going to sink Venice."

Guido removed Lena's hand from his mouth and blinked, "She's...she's going to sink Venice?"

"And repopulate it with the girls she's transformed."

"You can't repopulate somewhere with just women," Rory reminded, "You need... blokes."

Avalon took Lena's hand from her mouth and sighed, "Which she's got...and lots of them."

"Where?" the Doctor asked her.

"In the canal. She said to me, "There are 10,000 husbands waiting in the water."

"Only the male offspring survived the journey here. She's got 10,000 children swimming in the canals, waiting for Mum to make them some compatible girlfriends," he crinkled his noise at the thought, "Ew. I mean, I've been around a bit, but, really, that's... that's... Ew."

Suddenly, there was a loud clattering from the floor above which made everyone look up at the ceiling.

"The people upstairs are very noisy..." the Doctor remarked slowly.

"There aren't any people upstairs," Guido informed.

"I knew you were going to say that. Did anyone else know he was going to say that?"

The wood creaked if someone walked across the floor.

"Is it the vampires?" Lena questioned.

"Like I said, they're not vampires. Fish from space," the Doctor said.

"Yup, makes that a whole lot better," Avalon shook her head.

A loud thump and glass breaking made everyone jump to their feet as the converted girls entered the room, more of them outside the windows. The Doctor brandished the ultraviolet light on them as Guido crossed himself.

"Aren't we on the second floor?" Rory asked, vaguely remembering that.

The girls at the window broke the glass and the Doctor continued using the light to keep them back. He used his screwdriver next to show their true form.

"Oh my god, what's happened to them?" Amy blinked with wide eyes.

"Get them out!" Avalon shuddered a breath, already backing away.

"Ava..." Rory looked back, never seeing her best friend actually showing some fear.

"There's nothing left of them," the Doctor answered Amy's question, "They've been fully converted. Blimey, fish from space have never been so... buxom. OK..." he switched off his screwdriver, "Move. Come on."

They quickly ran down the stairs where Guido lingered behind, "Give me the lamp," he took the ultraviolet from the Doctor and used it on the girls.

The group burst from the entrance doors and rushed out, the Doctor being the last one, "Go, go, go, guys! Keep moving, go, go, go!"

Guido stopped at the door before closing it and locking the others out, "Stay away from the door, Doctor."

The Doctor turned back and rushed to the door, pounding on it, "No! Guido! What are you doing?! I'm not leaving you! What are you doing?!" he took out his screwdriver and used it on the lock but to no avail.

~ 0 ~

Guido lured the girls into his rooms where more barrels were, "Come on. That's it... Come on."

~ 0 ~

"Guido!" the Doctor yelled but received no answer.

~ 0 ~

Guido pocked up a candle with his free hand and grew closer to the barrels, "Come on. Come on. Come on!"

~ 0 ~

The Doctor, now realizing what Guido's plan was, backed away and started running from the house.

~ 0 ~

"We are Venetians!" Guido raised the flame and set it on one of the barrels.

~ 0 ~

The Doctor was thrown to the ground as the house exploded. Upon hearing the explosion, the rest of the group ran back to see the destroyed house.

"Oh my stars..." Lena breathed.

Lightening struck across the sky as the sun was suddenly blocked off and a storm was began.

"Rosanna's initiating the final phase," the Doctor said as they heard the commotion from the other Venetians

"We need to stop her. Come on!" Amy exclaimed.

"No, no. Get back to the TARDIS. All of you," he eyed every last girl and Rory.

"You can't stop her on your own," Avalon reminded, "And I don't follow orders from anyone."

"We don't discuss this! I tell you to do something, and you do it," the Doctor shouted, both gingers flinching, "I've had enough of that! Now go!"

Avalon angrily stormed off.

"Good going," Amy muttered and followed after her friend, much in the same angry manner.

The Doctor sighed and looked at the remaining girl, "Baby sister..."

She raised her hands in surrender, "I know, I know, go back to the TARDIS," she gave a small smile and walked away.

"Thank you, really," Rory nodded and followed after Lena.

"Yeah... You're welcome," the Doctor mumbled. He heard the screams of people and quickly ran off.

~ 0 ~

The human group stopped across the canal from the Calvierri school, Amy looking up at the sky, "Oh, my God! What is going on?"

Francesco, standing across the canal in front of the school, recognized Avalon Rory.

"The sky, it's like it's boiling," Lena remarked, "We should get out of here."

Francesco removed his bat and cape as he watched the group move on before diving into the canal.

~ 0 ~

The Doctor had walked directly up to Rosanna's throne chair to examine it. He pulled opened the back of it and saw the circuitry and took out the screwdriver.

Unbeknownst, Rosanna had walked in quietly, "You're too late. Such determination... just to save one city. Hard to believe it's the same man that let an entire race turn to cinders and ash. Now you can watch as my people take their new kingdom."

"The girls have gone, Rosanna," the Doctor informed her calmly.

"You're lying," her smile faltered.

"Shouldn't I be dead? Hmm?" he gestured to his very alive self. He sighed when the woman walked away from him, "Rosanna, please, help me. There are 200,000 people in this city."

"So save them," Rosanna waved him off, dearly hoping every last one of them died.

~ 0 ~

Amy, Rory the twins were walking through the streets when suddenly they found their way blocked by a soaking wet Francesco. Avalon gasped and jumped back, the mental images of the biting and the blood and...

She shook her head and pulled back, for once she was actually, truly afraid.

Rory picked up some candlesticks and held them up in the form of a cross, "Run!" he ordered the girls as Francesco swiped the candlesticks away and moved towards the girls, specifically Avalon.

"Stay back!" Amy ordered, moving in front of the twins as the man grew closer to them.

"This way, you freak!" Rory also called from his spot, "Don't! This...this... this way, you big, stupid, great... SpongeBob! The only thing I've seen uglier than you is... your mum!" and then Francesco stopped and turned back, "No..."

"Did you just say something about Mummy?" Francesco raised an eyebrow.

Rory picked up a broom and brandished it like a sword...and then Francesco pulled out an actual sword making poor Rory question his choice of weapon. Francesco used the moment to attack but Rory blocked him with the broom's handle.

"Careful, Rory!" Lena gasped and looked back at Avalon who actually stood behind her, "Avalon?"

But the ginger watched in terror as her best friend fought the big fish from space.

"Rory, this way, bring him this way!" Amy pulled the twins to a small passage and gestured to Rory to follow.

Francesco sliced Rory's broom's handle and thrusts his sword through a hanging drape. Rory used the opportunity to wrap the man in the drape and backed away.

"Ew! You stink of fish," Rory crinkled his noise and backed away into the next courtyard where the girls had run to.

Francesco rolled his eyes as he followed, "Well, I'm hardly going to smell of cheese and biscuits."

Rory tripped and fell backwards on the ground, even hitting his head. Francesco leaped and changed to his original form, landing on top of Rory.

"Hey! Mummy's boy," Amy called from the stairs. She held a compact mirror in her hand and used it to reflect light onto the alien, making him explode.

"Ha!" Lena cheered as she and Avalon poked their head from under a passageway under the stairs, "Good going, Amy!"

Rory groaned as he wiped the dust of the alien off him, "Oh...oh that's gross."

"That was lucky," Avalon remarked, clearing her throat as she gathered herself up.

"Why did you make the sign of the cross, you numpty?" Amy questioned Rory as he made his way up the stairs to meet he.

Rory rolled his eyes, "Oh, oh, right! I'm being reviewed now, am I?"

Amy shook her head and pulled him to her for a passionate kiss, the twins looking away.

"Ahem, now we go help my big brother?" Lena coughed awkwardly, keeping her eyes away.

Rory, hazed after the kiss had stopped, looked around, "Rightio."

~ 0 ~

As the Doctor entered the throne room from the bell tower, the human group ran inside, "No, get out! I need to stabilize the storm," the Doctor waved them off as he ran up to the throne.

"We're not leaving you," Rory shook his head.

"Right," the Doctor walked back to them, 'So one minute it's, 'You make people a danger to themselves,' the next it's, 'We're not leaving you!' But if one of you gets squashed or blown up or eaten, who gets..."

But the ground shook violently and cut him off as it sent everyone to the floor, bits of the ceiling falling down around them.

"What the hell was that?" Avalon coughed as she lifted her head up.

"Nothing. Bit of an earthquake," the Doctor jumped to his feet.

"And earthquake?" Lena stood up and helped her twin.

"Manipulate the elements, it can trigger earthquakes. But don't worry about them."

"And why not?" Amy looked around, really seeing lots of things to worry about.

"Because you should worry about the tidal waves caused by the earthquake," the Doctor faced the throne again.

"Big brother you always know exactly what to say," Lena sighed.

"Anyways, Rosanna's throne is the control hub but she's locked the program, so tear out every single wire and circuit in the throne. Go crazy. Hit it with a stick, anything," he headed up to the throne and checked the wires, "We need it to shut down and re-route control to the secondary hub, which I'm guessing will also be the generator."

~ 0 ~

The Doctor worked on wires in the bell tower, the wires connecting the control of the throne's device which created the storm. He ran closer to the tolling bells and held his hands over his ears with such a loud noise.

~ 0 ~

Meanwhile, the human group were pulling all the wires from the throne, causing sparks to fly here and there.

~ 0 ~

The Doctor held the clapper on one of the bells, "Shut up! Shut up!" when it became still he jumped down and sighed in relief, "That's better."

He then went on to tug one of the cables only to see it didn't budge. He climbed onto the rail, gripping the column and nearly slipping from it due to the rain pouring down. He regained his balance and began his climb up.

~ 0 ~

The human group ran back out and looked up, "There he is!" Lena pointed, horrified to see the Doctor climbing up the bell tower, "He's mad!"

~ 0 ~

The Doctor climbed to the top reached a giant sphere at the pinnacle, currently whirring about. He stopped the sphere and saw the actual device causing the storm. He began checking it over and over for some type of clue of how to turn it off...and then he saw a simple toggle switch.

Upon flipping it the rain stopped and the clouds cleared, giving Venice the bright sun and the chirps of birds.

He closed the sphere and looked down at the joyful crowd in the street, giving a little happy wave.

~ 0 ~

Rosanna walked the quay to the large pool-like room, trying to turn off her perception filter but instead the device just died. She pulled off her gloves and stripped down to her chemise. As she grew nearer to the water, it bubbled with all the male Saturnyne creatures sensing the 'human'. She started walking along the plank just as the Doctor came to find her.

"Rosanna!"

Rosanna looked back with teary eyes, "One city to save an entire species. Was that so much to ask?"

The Doctor slowly walked towards her, cautiously, "I told you, you can't go back and change time. You mourn but you live. I know, Rosanna, I did it."

She looked back at the water and shuddered a breath, "Tell me, Doctor... can your conscience carry the weight of another dead race? Remember us. Dream of us," she took the final step and fell into the water.

"No! No!" the Doctor ran up the remainder of the plank but the water had stopped its bubbling. He sighed and slowly stood up, certainly feeling that weight of a brand new species lost because of him.

"I don't think it was your fault," he heard Lena's voice from behind. He looked back to see her standing at the threshold, "She did that by her own choice. You had already given her a choice before this."

He gave a faint smile and walked back to his 'baby sister', "Look at you being so wise."

"It comes and it goes," she nodded and the two walked off to find their friends.

~ 0 ~

Near the TARDIS, the townspeople were busy cleaning up after the storm. The group emerged from a turn of a corner and were heading towards the box.

"Now, then, what about you two, eh?" the Doctor looked at Amy and Rory, "Next stop Leadworth Register Office? Maybe I can give you away."

"It's fine. Drop me back where you found me," Rory sighed, knowing Amy wouldn't want to return back to Earth for a long time, "I'll just say you've..."

"Stay..." Amy moved beside him, linking her arm with his, "...with us. Please. Just for a bit. I want you to stay."

Rory opened his mouth but looked at the Doctor for his words, "Fine with me," the alien shrugged happily.

"Yeah? Yes, I would like that," Rory nodded.

"Look what I've got?" Lena came with Avalon, the brunette waving a small posey in her hands, "And I did not get bitten this time."

"What's going on?" Avalon noticed the sudden happy looks of everyone.

"Your best friend is coming along...apparently," Rory declared with a grin.

"Really?" she gasped. Immediately, she encased him in a tight hug, "Oh that's great!"

Amy's smile faltered slightly at the action and headed for the TARDIS doors instead, "So, I'll pop the kettle on, then?"

Lena chuckled, "Look at us, the little friends who were neighbors now traveling in a blue box. All we need is Mels and we're set."

"Oh that'd be interesting," Rory laughed as Amy went inside, him tugging Avalon behind him.

"Do I even want to know?" the Doctor asked Lena as they followed.

"No, don't think so," Lena stepped inside.

Just as the Doctor was about to go in he stopped as he looked back, "Lena? Do you hear that?'

"Hear what?" she frowned, "All I hear is...silence," she shrugged and went inside.

The Doctor remained in place and looked out at the now-silent city, recalling Rosanna's words...

~ 0 ~

Avalon gasped and sat upright, breathing heavily as she looked around with rapid blinking eyes. She saw she was in her TARDIS room on her bed, just the place she had excused herself to earlier. She was still dressed in her day clothes as she rarely got sleep nowadays, but somehow this night she'd managed to sleep...only to have an awful nightmare.

She jumped out of her bed and pressed her dress down, tugging her jacket closer as she walked towards her door and opened it up. She could still feel her heart beating quite fast from the nightmare but decided to push away those memories and simply try and find her twin's room. Lena was never the one to have a bad night, despite her condition. She slept like a baby nearly every night. Perhaps, being in the same room with her twin would help her calm down and actually try and sleep a little again.

But as she walked endlessly through the corridors, she couldn't find Lena's room. She recalled the Doctor saying that when the TARDIS liked someone, it would keep the person walking and walking through its infinite corridors and rooms to entertain.

Avalon sighed, "Please, TARDIS, I really need help. I feel awful, won't you please give me the room with the one person who can help me?" she looked around, hearing the hums of the box in response. She sighed again and began walking, "Okay, I'm just going to translate that as 'yes Avalon I'll give you the room'," she nodded.

This time, however, no doors appeared on either side, only agitating her even more, "C'mon, box. Please show me the dang room..." she frowned as she entered the console room, "This isn't funny!" she stomped her foot.

"What's not?" she heard the Doctor's voice call, a bit distant.

"Um...nothing, where are you?" she walked forwards.

"Down here - AH!"

Avalon winced as she heard sparks underneath, "Right, now I get why the TARDIS can't help me. She's busy prying you off her wires."

"I would like to point out that I am indeed okay," the Doctor, sulking almost, walked up the small stairs to meet her, "In case you were wondering."

She shrugged and turned to face him, "Actually I was wondering why your box won't help me find Lena's room?"

"Is she okay?" he quickly asked. He learned quick that sometimes Lena would wake up having an asthma attack. But, Avalon nodded and eased his worries, "So why do you need her room?"

"Um...I'm...I wanted to...check up on her?" Avalon quickly nodded again, "Plus I asked for some help and Lena's always the one that helps me...but your box doesn't want to aid me..." she sent a small glare at the rotor.

"You asked her nicely to give you the room?" he wondered genuinely, "You have a very..." he tried wording his sentence carefully. He was always on her bad side and perhaps telling her of her bad attitude would put him even farther down her friend list, "...intriguing attitude..."

"That's just a lame way of telling me you think I have a bad attitude," she crossed her arms, making him wince, "You're right, I do," she shrugged casually, "But yes, I did ask nicely. I asked for help in a polite manner."

"Well maybe she sent you the place she thought you'd get help," half-smiled, "What do you need help with exactly?"

"It's nothing," she quickly turned away, her hand reaching up to her neck as she remained quiet for a minute. Suddenly, she turned to face him, "Can I go home?"

He raised his eyebrows, taken aback by the sudden question. Had he finally angered her so much she actually wanted to leave her twin? "Avalon, I'm...I'm sorry," he sighed.

She frowned, "For what?"

"Look, it's no secret you don't like me but I don't think leaving your sister is a good idea for either of you."

Avalon tilted her head, replaying his words in her mind, "Hold on, you think I don't like you?"

He nodded, "It's pretty obvious. I know hate when I see it."

She opened her mouth and raised a finger...when she thought of a better idea. She crossed her arms, "Can you take me home, please?"

"But Avalon-"

"Doctor, take me home please," she gave him a sharp look.

With no other option, the Doctor went to the console and started putting in the coordinations.

"And can you make sure it's not too long after you first picked me up?" she moved beside him, "Like an hour or two later? Don't want my Dad or brother popping in just as I'm coming out of this box."

The Doctor silently nodded, "Hang on," he mumbled and pulled down the lever.

Avalon did as told and clung to the console as the box shook in its violent ways. Once the box stopped she scampered over to the door and opened them up, poking her head out to see the dark living room of her home, even glancing at the clock on the wall striking twelve, "Perfect," she looked back at the Doctor, seeing him dejectedly flipping about some controls over the console, "Oi? Fairy tale man, you coming?"

"For what?" he gave her a small glance.

"Cos I need to show you something," she stepped out to the living room, always facing his direction, "So c'mon."

"It's not a wedding dress is it?" he asked as he started walking towards her, already looking weary.

"Nope," she shook her head, "Or..." he immediately froze in place, "Just kidding! It's only my maid of honor dress. But don't worry, I won't kiss you or anything. Promise," she raised her hands in surrender, "But there really is something I need to show you."

"What is it? It's not another slap is it?" he stepped out and closed the TARDIS doors.

"Nope," she put her hands behind her back and started walking into the hallway, flicking on a light as she walked by.

"Or a scream?"

"..no," she said as she headed up the stairs.

"Or a threat?"

"No," she silently stopped by her bedroom door and looked back at him, "Do you think I hate you?"

"No...kind of - er, well..." he rubbed the side of his neck.

"Doctor, do you think I hate you?" she questioned again, dead serious.

He sighed and nodded, "Yes."

"Right," she looked away and grabbed the doorknob, feeling awful. Of course he would think that considering she had the worst attitude. Normally, she could care less if people assumed things about her...but she couldn't deal with it if it was the Doctor. She admired him and she needed for him to know what she truly thought about him.

She turned the knob and opened the door to her bedroom, walking inside first, "Fourteen years ago I once told a man who dropped from the sky that I loved fairy tales but that I only loved the modern ones. He said I should go back and read the classics because he was sure I would love them," she turned the light switch of her room and headed for a wall with three large bookshelves, all stacked with books to the brim. She turned to face the Doctor and smiled softly, "He was so right. They're incredible."

The Doctor looked from one bookshelf to another, a pointing finger at them as he spoke, "Are those all..." she nodded to his unfinished question, but he was so stunned that he didn't see it and went ahead and finished asking, "...they're all...fairy tales?"

"I love them, I absolutely adore them!" she spun around like a true princess and motioned to all her perfectly kept books. It took her a while to have this vast type of collection, but it was so worth it. "But it all started with this one," she walked up to a specific bookshelf and got on her toes to reach up to the highest shelf. She pulled out a thin, pink book and turned back to the Doctor. "La Belle au bois dormant," she pronounced the French title perfectly, contrary to the last time she'd attempted to say it as a child. "Like my French?"

He smiled and took the book from her. It seemed well kept for a book a child had gotten, but Avalon probably took great care of it and all the other books in her possession. "You took my advice," he commented, sounding a bit surprised that the ginger who did not follow orders had actually listened to him.

"I loved the story and I figured if that princess had to wait a hundred years for her prince to come, then I could wait a couple years for the fairy tale man to come back and take us aboard his ship. Although, I didn't expect you to take twelve years but..." she pretended to still be upset over the matter but shot him a smile in the end.

"Explains the not-hitting-me-with-a-cricket-bat greeting," he made a face as he remembered Amy's greeting when he'd returned.

"Oh give her some credit, you were late! Plus, no one really believed her that you were real. Lena and I were lucky, our parents were from New Earth where you saved their ancestors. Of course they believed us, but we couldn't very well backup Amy in her stories. We'd out ourselves in the process."

"So...you don't hate me...?" he asked cautiously, as if there was something else that was coming.

"I'm sorry," she began, heaving a small sigh, "You're right, I have a very bad attitude. I'm snappy, I'm rude, and I do and say things I don't mean...most of the time. I haven't been very nice to you and I'm really sorry for that. But I've never hated you. Yes, you've irritated and angered me in the past but I can't hate you. You saved my grandparents, you saved my sister, you saved this planet, and you've saved me. Plus, you made this," she pointed back at her bookshelves.

"Me?" he frowned.

"Yes, you! I was content with the modern fairy tales but then you came along and told me to go back and read the older, original versions. Look what you did," she gestured to the several piles of books on the floor beside the book shelves.

"I'm gonna let that blame slip because you told me you don't hate me," he handed her back the book.

Avalon laughed. "Your my fairy tale man! How could I ever hate you!?" she moved over and encased him in a hug. The Doctor smiled so widely it could have possibly cracked his face. He hugged her back and put away any doubts he'd ever had about her. "You better soak this moment up because I'm terrible at words so you won't be getting another moment like this."

The Doctor laughed and pulled away to gesture to her bookshelves. "Oh, I think you are very good with words. I am stunned by this room."

"I shocked the Doctor? Okay, now I've accomplished everything," Avalon stepped back and allowed him to take another look at his room. "See, all this time you've been trying to impress me but in the end, I impressed you!"

"Yeah, try again," the Doctor rolled his eyes distractedly. His eyes were still roaming over her bookshelves. He wouldn't be surprised if he opened the closet and an avalanche of books fell on him. Still, her room was pretty nice. It was definitely Avalon.

She had a soft pink colored canopy bed with cream colored drapes. There were star string lights at the top, all turned off for the moment. Her light brown duvets were neatly made, a sign that she had never come back to sleep. There was a medium-sized Tinkerbell cushion placed in the middle of her two white pillows propped against the headboard. She had one bed stand with a small lamp, an alarm clock, and a picture of herself and Lena. On the opposite end of the room was a vanity desk only a few feet away from her closet. The desk was sprawled with all types of make up. It looked like she'd been in a rush for something.

She had a date, the Doctor remembered soon and crinkled his nose. He didn't quite like the guy. He made Avalon cry and that just wasn't nice. Despite her challenging personality, she didn't deserve to cry for somebody who didn't understand her need to find her sister.

There was a bigger, solid, white wooden desk set near the bedroom door. It had a few drawers below and a hutch that had one glass vase of poseys in the middle and two frames on either side of it. The Doctor could spot Amy and Rory in few of them, along with a dark-skinned woman. There was a laptop sitting on the writing surface and a few papers threatening to fall at the corners. There was a small bucket - which the Doctor assumed she'd made as a child due to all the fairy and princess stickers on it, as well as the doodles only a child could make - full of colorful pens. Save Me the Waltz was left over the laptop with a bright green bookmark sticking out.

"Oh that's a book I definitely have to take with me," Avalon said once she saw where the Doctor's gaze had gone to. She moved to her writing desk and picked up her book. "I was almost finished with it."

"You like Zelda Fitzgerald?"

"Mhm, I love her! I think she had such a tragic ending when she had this beautiful, complex mind that her husband just...sucked dry," Avalon frowned. "Makes me madder cos his writing was really good too. I guess I just identify with Zelda. She liked doing things her own way, like me, and people didn't like her because of it...just like me. And when she wrote this-" she waved the book, "-her husband made her revise it because it was too much like his. He plagiarized her and he had the audacity to make her change all her words." Her gaze only softened when she looked over the cover. "You know she wrote this while she was at a psychiatric ward? They called it a hospital back then. Writing was part of her treatment and her husband didn't support her until she had changed it to the way he wanted it. Only then he approved."

The Doctor only listened to her passionate argument in favor of Zelda Fitzgerald. Part of him sympathized with Avalon because he'd gone through something similar in regards to being unliked by people. "I didn't know you liked her work so much, considering she only wrote one book."

"Well that's just the thing!" she exclaimed. "She had all these other drafts, short stories, that were lost. Who knows what else she could have written if her work hadn't been lost and she hadn't died. And you know, I admire her too because despite everything that happened to her, she kept writing. I may never know what she wrote besides this-" she gave Save Me the Waltz a gentle smile, "-but I know that it had to be amazing."

The Doctor's smile had also turned gentle as Avalon got lost in her thoughts of Zelda Fitzgerald. He hadn't really seen Avalon being her and now that he had, he wanted to see more of it. She was a whole other person when she wasn't constantly bickering with him or trying to keep Lena safe or running from the danger they bumped into.

Maybe she had a beautiful, complex mind too.

[shiveringpinkala]

Movie Rec List 1/?

My cousin and I were talking about reccing things the other day and she was angry about no one ever giving her good recs? So, I - of course - couldn’t let that stand, so here’s the first of 6? 7? (A Lot) movie rec lists I’ve decided to make both for her and anyone else looking for something new. (Or in this case, new-old).

Classic Movies (1920-1949) - Let me preface this by saying that it’s entirely probable, considering the time these movies were made in, that there are things in these movies that someone might find a offensive. I can’t remember the intricate details of each one to make sure. Watch at your own discretion.

The Thin Man & After the Thin Man (1934/1936) - William Powell, Myrna Loy - It’s a mystery series, but it’s also charming and funny and I adore Powell and Loy’s relationship.

The Philadelphia Story (1940) - Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart, Ruth Hussey - It’s one of the classics of all classics. All-star Golden Age cast; hilarious zingers everywhere. Ruth Hussey’s character Liz has the driest sense of humor ever.(I love her lots). (Also there’s a line in there that proves that even in the 1940′s men were aware that drunk = taking advantage, so you can get out of here w/ that bullshit modern guys).

Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) - Cary Grant, Raymond Massey, Peter Lorre - One of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen. (To be fair here, I am not a big fan of 90% of modern comedies, especially American ones, so that statement is maybe moot). It’s a madcap comedy about murder; you cannot go wrong.

It Happened One Night (1934) - Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert - The first movie that won all of the Big Four Oscars (Best Picture, Director, Actor and Actress) and believe me, there’s a reason for that. Also a comedy, strangely enough. I did not think I would be reccing this many comedies.

Casablanca (1942) - Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Claude Raines - I know, I know; but it’s a Classic because it damn well deserves to be. There’s something very universal and almost modern about it. And the quotes, dear god. (Also, I’m forever salty about Claude Rains not winning an Oscar for this; Louie is so two-faced and terrible and yet, you’re kind of reluctantly charmed anyway?)

Nosferatu (1922) - Max Schreck - It’s the best retelling of Dracula ever made. I’m dead (no pun intended) serious. It’s a silent film, so if that’s not something you can handle, give it a pass, but it’s worth it if you can deal. It’s got a great atmosphere and Count Orlok is creepy as fuck.

It’s A Wonderful Life (1946) - Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed - You’ve probably seen it and if you haven’t you definitely know the premise. It’s basically a trope at this point. Still, it’s my favorite Christmas movie and everyone should see it at least once.

The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) - Frederic March, Dana Andrews, Harold Russell - Post WWII film about three serviceman in various stages of life dealing with coming back home. It’s poignant, heartbreaking and hopeful all at the same time. And Russell, a real life disabled veteran, won an Oscar for it.

White Heat (1949) - James Cagney, Virginia Mayo, Edmond O’Brien - Cagney is known for his tough guy, mob/gangster roles, but this one (done when he was a little older) is amazing. Cody Jarrett clearly has issues; mental health problems and a controlling mother being the most prevalent, and it makes him volatile and a bit tragic.

The Grapes of Wrath (1939) - Henry Fonda, Jane Darwell - It’s a good introduction to the Great Depression and Dust Bowl that was still fresh in everyone’s consciousness at the time it was made. It’s a sad movie, okay? It’s really sad. So, beware of that.

The Maltese Falcon (1942) - Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor - It’s kind of the beginning of the classic film noir genre, so for that alone it’s a classic. It’s also the movie that made Bogart a star.

Dark Victory (1939) - Bette Davis, George Brent - I literally could not do a classic 30′s and 40′s list without a Davis film and this is the one that has stuck with me the longest. The ending is one of those scenes that’s been burned into my mind.

Honorable Mentions: The Ox-Bow Incident (this is a tough one to watch; read about the subject matter beforehand), Stagecoach, Phantom of the Opera (also a silent film), Angels With Dirty Faces, Gaslight.

If you have any recs for me, feel free to throw them in the comments/notes. Or if you watch any of these, tell me what you think.

[wheniwatchtheworldburn]

Titans season 2 ep 8&9

I cought up on both, so here's my late review on it!

• Honestly, I'm not gonna say much about the flashback ep. Just that Jericho is so pure and that I'm glad the Titans changed their mind about using him. I mean how can you want to hurt the kid?

• (we have so many pure boys with Jericho Gar and Conner, we're blessed)

• I miss the friendship the old titans had. I mean they looked so much closer

• I liked that Deathstroke vs Donna fight, but why did he had to kill Jillian in the first place? Also was the fight enough to make Donna forget her hate for him? I mean I'm gonna get to that later but...

• Why does Dick kept on insisting he killed Jericho?? He didn't! Jericho sacrificed himself for him! Sure he had a part to play in it, but just as much as Slade in my opinion!

• Last thing, about Slade. He's a freaking great villain and character. That's all.

• Okay episode 9 now!

• Anna Diop was right, it was a good episode. I didn't like what they all did, but it was a good episode

• Also remember when Rachel said "Thank God for Kory"? This is my whole season 2 mood

• Anyway, I'm gonna ask the same thing as everyone but... WHY DO THEY ALL BLAME DICK?? Sure, he lied to them, but he didn't kill him? They all had their part!

• I understand why Rose is mad. She was angry from the start, she learned that the Titans, the guys she's with at the moment and who were like "we're gonna help you" played their part in the death of her brother. And she's not very close to them, so okay, I can understand for her.

• Btw what is her relationship with her brother?? During the whole flashback we don't see them together, it doesn't even look like he knows her!

• I don't really get Jason. He told him that to help him in the first place, so sure he's mad for the lies but I expected more support from him, especially since Dick tried to help him

• Same for Rachel, yeah she's mad for the lies too but quiting like that? I mean come on, she should know he would need help! And because she's outside of this I expected her to have a more critical and fair jugement. Thanks to her for calling on Donna though. But honestly, I think she left not only because she was mad but also because she was on something (about her power? training stuff maybe?). Why would she leave Donna like that otherwise?

• The old Titans... I don't know, I also expected them to be more understanding. Especially Donna, she's his best friend! Even when they parted, she told him were she lived if he needed help! She was the most upset after Garth died! She saw Jillian die! She was beat up by Deathstroke! She should understand Dick more than everyone! But I don't know what happened there.

• Minka and Alan are good singers but... The scene was a bit too long I think. I think it actually is a good thing they break up. Since the beginning of the serie we see them evolve as Hank and Dawn not as separate individuals (in my opinion) so I hope some character development. Also I low key think and hope that with the Ellis story, Hank understands Dick and apologize to him (and they can become as close as they were before)

• Basically I'm waiting for an apology from everyone (especially the old Titans)

• Except Gar and Kory, my rays of sunshine

• I was glad to see more Gar, the Titans seriously don't deserve him. The tears in his eyes when he saw everyone leaving? Heartbreaking. The way he wants to save them all? How he slowly loses hope? How he fucking tries his best with Conner and with everything actually? So sweet.

• Imagine being Kory. You have to stop your evil sister from taking over the country,

• Their relationship is cute, I just hope Conner will not be mad at him because he went to jail. Gar doesn't need that and the both of them just need to be friends

• Dick, you poor child... Wtf are you doing? Are you possessed by Jericho? Because you didn't act rationally at all! Wtf was that? Is it your plan? I wished for you to do your trip in Alaska and come back as Nightwing! But apparently it's not gonna happen...

• Was it just me or did Slade acted weird?

• THE. DICKKORY. CRUMBS! HOW SHE WAS READY TO THROW HANK OF THE WINDOW! HOW HIS VOICE BROKE WHEN HE SAW HER LEAVING! I FELT THAT!

• Kory is so perfect! But she must be so exhausted! All the shit going on Tamaran, all her friends drifting apart and arguing... She can't catch a break!

• Honestly I can't rant about how perfect she was in this episode so just a few things:

•I liked her relationship with Faddei, you could see the sadness when she had to kill him

• How she continued to talk shit on her sister even after she knew it was her listening

• "I'm a fighter" Queen ily

• "Queen fucking bitch"

• Blackfire was perfect! "I'm coming for you". YES! PLEASE! I'M SO READY FOR THEIR FIGHT!

• Btw why does she call her Blackfire when everyone calls her Kory? I want someone to call her Starfire just for the feels!

• Also from what I know about Blackfire she was just kinda evil herself and all Kory did was making her jealous unintentionally. But here it looks like Kory wasn't all white herself? Like she also criticized her and provoked her? I think it's more interesting honestly, and more realistic. It just looks like sister rivalry at the extreme

• And is Kory the little sister here? Because it feels like she's the oldest to me?

[lady-divine-writes]

Coldflash Bingo - “Subversive” (Rated PG)

Summary: When Barry discovers something dangerous hidden underneath their daughter's bed, he jumps to conclusions that prove the trust Len broke between them hasn't entirely healed. (1757 words)

Notes: Written for the @coldflashweeks Bingo card prompt 'Father Len'.

Part 6 of Father-hood

Read on AO3.

“Did you have a good time at the museum today, Bug?” Len asks, fishing a ring of keys out of his pocket.

“Yup!” Lisa chirps, beaming at her father as if today, Friday April 12th, were Christmas. “Loads!”

“Really? It’s only what? The fifty-six hundredth time you’ve been there?”

“True, but I rarely get to go there with you.” She takes his arm and hugs it tight. “Thanks so much for agreeing to chaperone this time.”

Len stops messing with the front door and drops a kiss on the top of her head. “Any time. The Central City Museum happens to hold a special place in my heart. I’m sorry that I was nabbed by security for clearance before I could go in. I hope that wasn’t too embarrassing for you.”

“Nuh-uh! That was awesome! Watching you get interrogated by CCPD like some undercover super spy, knowing they were going to let you go the second they called Dad! But it wasn’t entirely fair, either.”

“Why’s that?”

“Well, you got marked for being an ex-criminal. But there are a bunch of kids in my class whose parents actually are criminals. Like every day.”

Len arches an eyebrow. “Like who?”

“Donna Bright’s dad is insider trading. Liam’s mom prints counterfeit coupons and sells them on the Internet. And pretty much every single one of Patty Roster’s older brothers are selling drugs.”

“You don’t say …” Len files that information away, making a mental note to do a background check on the parents of everyone else in Lisa’s grade. “That’s good to know.”

He finally gets his key in the lock and the door open. The second they do, they’re greeted by a sizzle of red and a pair of fiery eyes.

“What is this!?” Barry demands, holding his hands open for Len and Lisa to see.

“What’s what, Daddy?” Lisa asks, looking at her father strangely.

“Yeah. Don’t play the pronoun game with us, Red. We just walked through the door.”

“This!” Barry looks at his hands, but there’s nothing in them. He rolls his eyes, zips back upstairs, and returns, holding something that looks suspiciously like a gun up to Len’s face.

“Oh, that.” Len grins. “That’s …”

“… a cold gun! I know! I found it in Lisa’s room! And it’s child sized! I mean, where would you even get something like this? Actually, don’t tell me! I’m sure you have all sorts of connections in the seedy black underworld of Central City …”

Len snickers. “Seedy black underworld? And you say I talk like a comic book villain.”

“… and if you tell me about them,” Barry rants on, “I’m going to have to run out and round everyone up! You included!”

“Daddy?” Len feels Lisa grab his hand and squeeze, genuine fear vibrating through her whole body.

“Now hold on, Red. Don’t start jumping to any conclusions.”

“How can I not when I find things like this hidden underneath Lisa’s bed?”

“Why don’t you ask me what that is before you start talking about dragging me off to Iron Heights … in front of our daughter?”

“I’m sorry, Lisa,” Barry says to his frightened little girl. “I really am. But this is serious, Len! I know you like to play around with her, break into STAR Labs and Queen Tower, and we all indulge you. But there has to be a line! This isn’t a toy and it isn’t a game! This can have a very real effect on her life! We talked about that!”

“Yeah, we talked about it,” Len says. “That’s why I didn’t give her a cold gun!”

“Oh yeah? Then how did she get this?”

“I built it!” Lisa interjects. “Mommy helped me!”

“I find it hard to believe that your mother would help you build a cold gun!”

“It’s not a cold gun!”

“What is it then?”

“It’s a polarizing deflector,” Len declares, though not entirely square on what those words mean. The gun in Barry’s hands is heavy and expensive – that he knows. “Otherwise known as a digital beam steering device. Lisa designed it for the school science fair, and Felicity had Cisco build it. Lisa asked him to make it look like my cold gun because she thought it’d be cool.”

“But I don’t like the color,” Lisa admits. “So I’m going to re-paint it. Pink, I think.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Barry asks.

“Because I wanted it to be a surprise! That’s why I hid it under my bed. I didn’t think you’d look there!”

“If you’d stop hiding Brussel sprouts under your bed, I wouldn’t have to look under there!” Barry runs a hand through his hair and goes quiet. He’s thinking, but he doesn’t lift his eyes to look at them, and the expression on his face, Len can’t read. It’s a mixture of anger and confusion, sadness and defeat. It breaks Len’s heart because he never intended this discussion to end this way – not with Barry looking like he’s lost some huge battle when there wasn’t one.

“Hey, Lisa?” Len puts a hand on his daughter’s shoulder and steers her toward the kitchen. “Why don’t you go grab yourself a snack while I have a little one-on-one with your father?”

“Yeah, okay,” she says, taking her science project out of her father’s hand along the way. “I’ll need to give this a once over. Make sure it wasn’t wrecked or anything.”

After that remark, Barry’s expression goes from defeated to downright fractured.

Len waits until Lisa rounds the corner to the next room before he speaks. “What’s up with you, Red? You’ve been seriously on edge the past couple of days.”

“I have not.”

“Whatever. I know you weren’t too thrilled about missing the field trip today.”

Barry shrugs, but he still doesn’t look at his husband. “I always go on the field trips. I’ve been going on them for years. But she wanted to take you this time around. No harm, no foul.”

“I’m not buying that and you know it.”

Barry shakes his head. Len puts a hand to his husband’s chin, turning his face so he can see his eyes.

“Talk to me, Bare. Tell me what’s bothering you.”

Barry sighs. “I don’t want to hurt your feelings. You don’t deserve it.”

“I’m a big boy. I think I can take it.”

“It’s just … when Felicity had Lisa and we brought her home, I had so many dreams, so many visions of how she’d grow up. How she’d turn out. When you took off, it was just me alone with our little girl, and for a while, she was my mini me. But she’s growing up to be like you more and more every day. And that scares me a little.”

“I wasn’t always a criminal, Red. Once upon a time, I was a little kid like Lisa who wanted to grow up and become something other than my dad. Someone worth knowing. But I lost my way. I’m trying to go back to that. Marrying you, having Lisa, those were all steps in that direction. And I messed up. I know I did. But I’m back on the right track.” Len tilts his head, looking at Barry through narrowed eyelids. “Would it be so bad if our daughter turned out more like me than you?”

“No, it wouldn’t,” Barry says quickly, genuinely. “I think I’m a little jealous that somehow you became the fun parent, and I ended up the strict parent.”

“Oh, Red.” Len wraps his arms around his husband’s waist. “To be honest, I don’t think either of us is the strict parent. I think you’re better at making sure she eats her vegetables and gets to school on time. Otherwise, we’re pretty much the same. A regular bowl of fun.”

Barry shoots Len a confused look. “I don’t know if I should take that as a compliment or not.”

“You should.” Len pulls him close, kisses him softly on the lips. “And along the vein of being fun parents, I recommend blowing off the rabbit food for tonight and ordering in. Pizza, chicken wings, something deep fried and dipped in chocolate ...”

Barry chuckles. “Not that fun. You’re having a salad with that.”

“As long as it’s a taco salad, it’s all good.”

“You know there’s no such thing as a taco salad.”

“There’s no such thing as a Rocky Mountain Oyster, either, but you don’t see that putting a dent in that industry.”

“Ugh!” Barry pulls a face in disgust. “Fine. But you can order dinner. I don’t have it in me to voluntarily order that much cholesterol.”

“I remember a time when you’d eat that for breakfast.”

“That’s before we had Lisa.” Barry shrugs. “Priorities change. People change.”

“Yes, they do. Please try to remember that more often, will ya?”

Barry nods, then zips away upstairs to finish clearing out rotting food stuffs from under his daughter’s bed before dinner time.

With her father gone, Lisa returns to the living room, apple in one hand, her science project in the other. Barry is right, Len thinks. She’s gone from straight-laced future forensic scientist to Rogue-in-training in a few short years, and Len does feel guilty about that. But he feels a tremendous sense of pride, too. Lisa has positive influences out the ying-yang – Barry, Felicity, Oliver, Cisco, Dr. Snow, Kara Zor-El, all the heavy hitters. A few of them even have their own trading cards. She’s being raised by a community of the smartest, most law abiding and compassionate people on the planet, and it shows. She’s the smartest in her class, and well on her way to skipping enough grades that she might graduate college before she turns eleven.

But somewhere in that exceptional young girl, along with the bright and shining future as a hero and the potential for a Nobel Prize, there’s room for him, too.

She’s the most perfect human that’s ever entered his life. She’s never judged him for being low brow or for his past.

Or for the company he keeps.

She’s the coolest person he’s ever met in the whole damned universe, and he gets the privilege of calling her his daughter.

Len gives his daughter a side-eyed smirk when she shoulders her gun. “Well, then … should we tell Daddy about the matching parkas we bought?”

“No way! Did you see that vein throbbing in his neck?” she says, taking a bite of her apple. “I’m not sure he can handle that right now.”