#to the point that my sister asked if the screaming was necessary (she did not know the game yet she could just hear it) and we said yesh

[a-chaotically-small-lunta]

Me and my older brother played Cult of the Lamb together, cause we were celebrating my moms b-day and we were waiting for the food to get ready. Anyway, food gets done and my sister and mom walk in and see the game and we’ll this is how it went:

“WHY ARE YOU PLAYING A SATANIC GAME?!?!”

*disappoint and astonished sigh like noise with a click*

“What do you mean?”

“ITS SATANIC!!!! THERES THE STAR!!!! And that little 8 symbol with the arrows is satanic!”

“He’s just a lil guy”

“YEAH A SACRIFICIAL LAMB FOR SATAN!!!”

“Whaaaaaa?”

“ITS CALLED CULT OF THE LAMB!!!!!”

“Yeah you make a lil cult”

“I think she’s wondering why you’re playing a game like that”

“Its fun”

“Very fun”

Then we got the “I’m concerned for your souls and what you are into” looks from them and that “how could you think it was a good idea to play that game* sigh. Which I find very funny tbh.

[seriesxwriting]

rafe x maybank!reader where she goes to rafe after luke beat her up, but they’re not actually dating, just friends with benefits and he gets so worried cuz he doesn’t know about how luke treats her and jj and he just takes care of her

Thank you so much, I appreciate the request!! This sounds so fun to write I hope I can capture your idea for you<3.

He’s my safe haven

Rafe x reader (jjs sister)

Series- Outer banks

Warnings- swearing, domestic abuse (fighting), degrading words, sort of kissing. Main character putting herself down.

Summary- Request 💗

-requests are open for any characters 🫶

“Where are you going bitch?” Luke scowled from the sofa. He had another beer in his hand now after I’d kicked the other one all over the floor trying to get away from him.

“Somewhere your not” I sniffed through the pain my body was going through. “And where are you going to go” he laughed out loud throwing his head bad. “No one wants you, you don’t matter to anyone” my dad spat at me before taking another slip. He slapped his lips together and put the glass on the table, getting up.

“She’s had enough!” JJ stormed out of his room to stand in front of me. “J don’t” I winced but he put his arm out to block me. “I decide when she’s had enough” luke chuckled getting closer to us. He violently grabbed JJ by the neck and threw him on the floor.

I tried to get out of the door but Luke gripped my ponytail pulling it backwards hard. I grunted as he slammed me into the wall. A second after he landed a gnarly punch to my stomach.

Repeating his actions from an half an hour ago. “You do it to yourself you know that, by just talking you do it to yourself” he screwed up his face before his fist drove back again. Using my knee I pushed him backwards before kicking him in between the legs.

He cried out in pain and I ran for the door. “You’ll get what’s coming for you one day” I slammed the door in his face and bolted from the house. Of course it was raining. In fact it was pouring down. I did hear something about a storm on the news earlier.

As much as I hated to admit it luke was technically right. I had no place to go, no safe haven. But running through the rain, crying my eyes out and being in so much fucking pain led me to one idea. It was a long shot but it was the only idea I had. And off to figure eight I went.

-<3-

I knocked on Rafe’s window after climbing up biting back the screams from the intense pain all across my body. He was laying on his bed when he rolled his head over to sus out the noise. When he saw me sitting on the seal he grinned and bounced up tossing his phone on the bed.

“Well Well Well, look who it is showing up at my window” he swung his arms smugly walking towards the window to open it for me. He lifted the glass up and I climbed in.

“Hi” I breathed awkwardly looking at him, as I did his face dropped. “What the fuck happened?” He strode forward like we were magnets and held my face in his hands. Softly his thumb ran over a bruise that was forming on my cheek. He turned my face to the other side seeing another on my jawline. “You never seen a bruise before?” I smirked leaning forward into a kiss.

Rafe softly planted a quick kiss on my lips before pulling away from my face shaking his head.

“Just help me forget it rafe” I stepped closer to him again. “Not this time y/n- sit down” Rafe ordered pointing to his bed letting go of me.

He wondered off into his on-sweet while I didn’t know what to do with myself. “You going to tell me what happened?” He asked when coming back out. “I fell” my Shoulders shrugged awkwardly.

“Well your clearly lying, will you sit down please?” He asked again with a small medial kit under his arm. “Rafe this is not necessary, it don’t matter! I don’t matter!” I raised my voice slightly feeling my eyes prick with tears again.

“Y/n” he whispered shaking his head coming over to hug me as my chin wobbled. As soon as he did I broke down crying into his shirt balling it up in my fist just to keep him close. Rafe guided me to the bed where he sat and pulled me onto his lap. “You matter to me” he whispered squeezing me gently.

“Ive seen bruises on your body before- i think I was scared to ask in all honesty, but never on your face y/n never this bad”. I pulled away from his chest to look up at him wiping my face. “This isn’t your shit to deal with Rafe” I shook my head vigorously.

“Does it really look like I mind?” Rafe interrogated raising his eyebrow up. “Why is it so hard to believe I just want to help you” “I’ve told you how to help” I whispered moving my hand up to his face. “Don’t be stupid your clearly hurt, you need to rest” Rafe took my hand off his face holding it.

“And you need to change out of these wet clothes I can’t believe your dad let you out there in a storm”. My face dropped when Rafe mentioned my dads name and he picked up on it.

“I’m going to get you some of Sarah’s clothes from the utility room- your welcome to use the shower there’s towels in there” Rafe kissed my hand before getting up and leaving the room. It was tempting, rafes shower was the best feeling in the world. “Fuck it” I shrugged and headed to the kooks shower.

I was only in there for ten or fifteen minutes before coming back into rafes room with a green towel wrapped around me. My hair was brushed out now too so I looked less of a mess. “Hey” I smiled weakly, Rafe watched the bruising on my chest and on my thighs as I walked round to him.

He didn’t say anything just got up and put his arm out to hold my face. I flinched. I don’t know why I didn’t mean to I know Rafe wouldn’t ever hurt me. “I’m sorry I…” “…Is it luke?” He whispered pulling back and cutting me off, looking into my eyes. Now I didn’t say anything, just stared up at him.

“I’m going to get changed now” I shut down the conversation and reached over picking up the pile of clothes rafe laid out for me, walking back into the bathroom. My heart pounded against my chest. Rafe had gotten me some grey jogging bottoms, a white crop top and a matching grey jumper for over the top which I didn’t put on because I was boiling, unfortunately that left on show the worst bruise that Luke landed on me before I left.

When I came back into rafes room he was laying in bed with the TV on. He patted the other side not looking at me.

Hesitantly, I walked over and climbed in under the warm covers next to him. The boy scooped me up landing my head on his chest while his arms were wrapped tightly around me.

“He’s a piece of shit” rafe whispered to me after a second, almost like he couldn’t hold it back. “I know” I replied with a minimal response. “And so Is JJ for letting that happen” “don’t say that” I snapped shaking my head. “JJ gets it worse because he’s always protecting me”, Rafe hummed watching the tv but not listening to it. He was thinking.

“You can’t go back there y/n” he exhaled sounding worried. “I have to go back rafe there’s no where else for me to go”

“You can crash here” rafe suggested clinging onto me tighter. “He’s my dad Rafe, i cant avoid him forever and I can’t stay here forever” I rubbed his hand with my thumb. “But it’s cute you care” I smiled to myself. “of course I care” he replied quickly, “you just need to know that your welcome here when ever you need- AND that you do matter y/n, you do”.

“thank you Rafe” I whispered looking up at him. His face was so close to mine. All I had to do was close the two centimetre gap between our lips. It was tempting, have you seen that man? Of course it was tempting.

He looked down at me with his piercing blue eyes and smirked after a few seconds. “Get it out your head it’s not happening yet, your still hurt” “yet is the key word there Cameron” I grinned shrugging. Rafe chuckled hugging me tighter.

I found my safe haven. It wasn’t a place after all, it was a person. It was Rafe Cameron.

[meanbossart]

Sorry if you answered this, I did go through your asks a bit but didn't find an answer and I was just curious if you have any lore regarding the drow and Orin? Does he have, like, any thoughts regarding her as a pseudo-sister or she is just a henchmen that stabbed him in the back? Or like, regarding the fact it was her betrayal that got him out from the cult and eventually meeting Astarion and the gang? I feel a lot of people sanitize the Durge a little too much (which fair reaction, they are very fucked up in the game 😂) so I love hearing about people who have their durge lean on their violent weirdness

Huh! I guess it's been a minute since we've talked about Orin. Yes, their relationship was very significant and you should be able to find all that I've written and drawn with/about her here (save for anything I forgot to tag, which happens sometimes, lol.)

Also as a side note to everyone, please abstain from making comments about how other people choose to write their Durges (and Astarion for that matter) in my askbox, it is rarely (If ever) necessary.

Anyways, I guess this is a good opportunity to try and put it all down cohesively, so here we go:

DU drow came into the Bhaal temple at ages 17-19, he had lived a profoundly isolated life up until that point where his only constant companion would have been the lackey Sceleritas and, for a time, a horse. He had no friends, no companions, and killed the one woman he lost his virginity to the day after he met her. Sarevok and the rest of the Bhaalists taking him might have been a mockery of a family unit, but it was the closest he ever had to it nonetheless - and by far the one person in it that he felt the closest to was Orin, who was close to him in age and in that moment in time occupied a similar place in the temple's hierarchy as himself.

It's important to note here that when I say they were close, I'm talking about a closeness befitting of Bhaalspawn. They didn't share any good times; they had bad times together. And they enjoyed it to the extent that two profoundly dysfunctional young adults groomed to become murderous deities can. There was no tenderness here, feeling was expressed through violence and vulnerability wasn't only discouraged, it straight up wasn't practiced or even conceptualized in either of their heads. They killed together, mocked one-another, and hurt each other on the regular, and it's through those actions that they saw each other.

And yet, DU drow felt a burning limerence towards her from the moment he laid eyes on Orin, and this feeling never faltered, only grew. Orin cut off his matted hair in a careless, uneven slice of a blade, she pulled out his rotting molars with rusty pliers, she mocked his stink and resented his arrival (dare I say she was afraid, because she knew what it meant) but they had much more in common than they had in difference. This was a silent understanding, a screaming fact of life that led to them often gravitating towards each other in both packed and empty rooms, but never once discussed aloud.

I have no doubt that what would eventually become this Rabid, burning crush and later obsession of the drow's towards Orin is a result of their continous Isolation. The rest of the world was beneath them and temporary, and above was only Sarevok and Bhaal. Because of this, DU drow never once thought or desired to search for companionship and love anywhere besides for her, and so he started to see her not only as the vague concept of a sister, but also as his only option for a mate and wife, one which he embraced wholeheartedly (and that's putting it lightly).

Orin, on the other hand, had no such desires. Not to mention that her fear of being replaced and the implied consequences of it always spoke louder than any genuine feelings of comradery.

As DU drow ascended in the ranks and became head of the cult, those fears solidified in several ways. Not only did Sarevok favor him and she could feel herself being pushed aside, but DU drow's ego grew tenfold. What was once a quiet young man who saw himself as an equal to her became a self-righteous bhaalspawn who lavished in his role and all the boons that came with it. DU drow took everything he had acquired for granted, including her, whom he assumed would eventually succumb and become his romantic partner.

It didn't help that Sarevok subtly encouraged this partnership, thinking that through their children they could continue to produce bhaalspawn of a purer and more efficient pedigree.

Ironically, DU drow's disillusions went so far that he never once in his life thought Orin would turn against him, and as much of an egomaniac as he became, his love for her was always genuine - misguided, but genuine, and he never once wished for her death until she betrayed him. Realizing this, as well as that Bhaal would only accept one chosen, she struck, putting the tadpole in his head and sending him off to Kressa.

[fangirlfrom-hell]

Jay and Will Halstead x Halstead sister

Request: Hey! Could u do some sort of imagine of when halstead sister (becca or not:) sees pat halstead die. Obviously they’re relationship was a lil Distnat but he had a soft spot for her..blah blah blah. Basically just like Jay having to literally force her out of the room while she’s sobbing and screaming etc. lots of fluff and whatever!

*re-posting this because I'm stupid and accidentaly delated my blog 🫠

There was a siren, and soon the sound of two car engines parking in the garden indicated that her brothers had arrived.

-"He's in the living room, he can't stand up!" Becca whined going outside of the house, approaching to Jay and Will.

-"Ok, what happened?" She was so stressed she didn't even know who asked. She was now following her brothers inside of the house. Everything was happening so fast.

-"He--uh--he had a pain in the chest and fall down the stairs".

-"I told you not to call anyone!" Pat's angry accusation was heard from inside the house.

-"I know dad, but--He didn't want me to call 911, but he looked so bad that at the end I did anyway. But he yelled to the paramedics, made them go".

-"I'm fine!" Their father insisted with annoyance when his two sons and daughter got to the living room, where he was laying on the couch. Immediatly, Will ran towards the man to check on him. It was obvious that he was having trouble breathing and he was sweating a lot.

-"No, you're not!" Becca raised her voice: "They said he should be taken to the hospital as soon as possib--".

But her father raged before she could finish: "That's enough! Shut up now, Becca".

In a sudden movement, Jay positioned himself protectively in front of Becca and pointed at Pat with his finger, his voice stern: "Hey, you shut up! She's your daughter and she's just trying to help you".

-"Jay!" Will scolded him, it was not the moment.

Scared and crying, she lowered her voice: "He--he refused to be attended and made them go away".

-"Yes! I refused to go and you shouldn't have call your brothers!" He coughed and his doctor son made a sign to calm him down.

-"I didn't know what to do!" Becca cried out to her siblings, mostly explaining herself to Jay.

-"You did good in calling us, Becc". Will reassured her. -"And you are comming to The Med with me". He turned to threaten his father.

Will and Jay carried Pat to one of the poorly parked cars outside the house. "I'll take him. I can turn on the siren and get there faster", Jay ordered. Both brothers placed their father inside the truck, all the while he cursed his kids for what they were doing.

-"Hey! Take care of her". The detective nodded towards his sister, who was freezed in the framedoor of the house entrance.

-"Becca, come on! We gotta go!" Will called her at the same time that the siren sounded, and the truck sped away.

The road to The Med was silent. Will was frowning in concern while driving, thinking on what to say to make Becca feel better. There were tears welling up in her eyes, though she never let them truly escape; she wiped them away with the sleeve of her sweater, trying to keep her brother from noticing. He understood how she was feeling. Dealing with Pat was hard and emotionally draining, especially for Becca, who was just a teenager and had to face his insults and neglect all on her own. No words were necessary; he simply reached over to give her hand a reassuring squeeze before refocusing on the road.

By the time they arrived to The Med, Pat had already been admitted and Jay was standing up in the waiting room. Will wasted no time and immediately entered the ED to inquire about his father's condition. Jay and Becca just stared at each other and he gave her a sad smirk before hugging her. "You were so brave back there", he said.

-"Will hasn't sent you any text yet? It's taking too long" Becca faltered after an hour.

-"He'll be out as soon as he has news". He wished to reassure her that everything would be fine, but his certainty wavered.

Those were the only words they exchanged while waiting. A few minutes later, the head nurse arrived and ushered Jay to his older brother's side. Maggie, with a warm smile, ensured that Becca wasn't left alone and sat down beside her.

-"All I can tell you is that he's in stable condition. Delicated, but alive". Maggie grumbled noticing the teen's anxiety growing.

-"Good". She answered curtly. -"Or whatever". She tried to appear indifferent, but she couldn't completely hide her concern. Pat had been neglectful and offensive to her throughout all those years of upbringing, but he was still her father, the only parent she had left.

Maggie was about to say something when a beep on her phone interrupted her. She clicked her teeth as she read the text. "Come on, I'll take you to your brothers, sweetie".

The Halstead brothers were inside a tiny, empty room, both pale with expressions that were hard to read, but it was obviously nothing good. Jay frowned and pressed his lips together as soon as he saw his little sister coming in; there was this pinkness under his eyes noticeable whenever his eyes were watery. Will sighed and invited her to sit, but she refused.

--"Alright, I'll get straight to the point," the redhead exhaled. - "Dad had a heart attack..."

-"That's what I suspected," the girl interrupted, emotionless.

-"Becc...his heart stopped; he was gone, but Dr. Archer brought him back. This is worse than the last time. Much worse."

-"Oh. Ok, but he is alive". That came out sounding as a question.

-"He's stable for now, yes." He gazed deep into her eyes, and it felt as though he had pierced her soul.

-"What does that mean, Will? Is he going to be okay?" She shuddered.

Silence.

-"Will..."

-"It's uncertain, Becca." Jay joined the conversation to help. "Doctors are still working on him, conducting tests. We still don't know how serious this is. Anything could happen..."

She finally sat down, sniffing.

-"I know this is hard, but there's nothing we can do, but wait and pray". The doctor concluded.

Neither of the siblings moved from their spots; it was as if they had become frozen in place, as if time itself had stopped. Will's phone disrupted the solemn atmosphere: "He's awake".

Jay walked alongside Becca, following Will to the section of the ED where their father had been admitted. Pat lay on the hospital bed with oxygen to assist his breathing, surrounded by numerous cables and machines. He raised his hand when he spotted his sons and daughter entering, but Will hurried to signal him not to make any effort. Becca stopped abruptly, and Jay had to give her a gentle nudge to encourage her to enter. He squeezed her shoulder to let her know he was right there with her.

She felt confused, her emotions all jumbled together. Was she feeling this way because, not so deep down, she was worried and scared for her father? Or was she afraid of how he would react after being brought to the hospital on her account?

-"You wouldn't believe me, but I'm glad you three are here," Pat interrupted Becca's thoughts.

-"You shouldn't be talking--" Will rushed to his side.

-"I don't think it matters at this point, son," their father struggled to reply. Will shivered upon hearing how he was addressed.

-"I know I--I've been an idiot," he groaned in an attempt to sit up but failed.

-"Dad, don't--"

-"Will, please... just let me--" He sighed. "I've been an idiot. And I need to apologize to you before--."

At that moment, Becca started to cry uncontrollably, and Pat noticed her precense as if no one else was in the room: "...specially you". He conffessed looking at her right straight to the eyes. She had never heard such sweet tone on his voice before. After a few seconds of contemplating her, he smiled with teary eyes.

-"Come here, Becca."

The girl turned her head back to look at Jay, as asking for his permission and he nodded encouragingly. She slowly walked to the bedside but didn't dare to approach too closely.

"Look at you, my beautiful baby girl", he sighed. -"You resemble your mother so much. Oh, she will never forgive me. I think I will never forgive myself. But I hope you do... for your own sake". He struggled to catch his breath with each word he pronounced. "I know I've got no excuse. I was so hurt when your mom died, I couldn't even take care of myself, and you were so little and reminded me so much of her that I couldn't---I couldn't even look at you. It was too late when I tried to compensate for it with you, I couldn't even try". Pat confessed, his voice filled with sadness. "I regret it so much, to have seen you grow and become who you are from the distance, uninvolved. I wanted to be for you, but I didn't know how to go back to you...".

Will got distracted with one of the machines and focused on reading the signs from it.

-"I'm sorry, Becca. I am so sorry, sweetheart. For everything. I'm proud of you, know that. And even if you don't believe my words: I love you".

Becca was weeping as she got closer to take his hand.

-"Alright". The doctor said with a lump in his throat. "Enough emotions for today. Dad, you really need to rest now".

But he didn't listen: "Keep taking care of her, Jay. Promise me that".

-"Always". The detective answered simply, taking a step forward, his arms crosses.

-"I'm proud of you both too. Despite me, you've grown into fine men."He turned to his sons: "My boys". A violent coughing fit overcame him and all the machines started to make a sound, indicating that something was wrong. After a hard pain in his chest, Pat loose consciousness. Everything happened so fast.

-"Dad!" Becca yelled, still by his side.

-"What's going on, Will?" His brother jumped.

-"You have to clear the room!" He gently tugged at Becca, trying to pull her away from the bed, but she hesitated. Jay hurriedly joined her side, attempting to separate her from the scene. Suddenly, they found themselves encircled by a team of nurses, led by Dr. Archer, who were speaking rapidly in a whirlwind of medical terminology that Becca and Jay couldn't quite comprehend.

Jay persistently pulled his sister, but it seemed futile; she clung to the bed, sobbing and screaming for her dad, refusing to leave his side. Her distress was palpable, and Jay's efforts to move her proved challenging in the face of her deep emotional turmoil.

-"Jay, take her out of here!" Will pressured.

Jay knew he had to take drastic action to get her out. With tears in his own eyes, he firmly hugged her from the back and started pulling her harder, as he would do with any other victim at work. Her resistance made the process challenging, the girl's sobs and screams reverberated in the room. Come on, come on, Becc, he kept repeating.

The vitals monitor indicated that the patience heart had stopped, the sound it made as an announcement was like a dagger in the Halstead siblings. Doctors kept working, trying to resucitate him, and Becca gave up fighting her brother.

-"No!" She screamed long. If it wasn't for Jay, she would had fall to the floor. "I love you too, dad. I love you". She cried out.

Jay lifted Becca firmly into his arms and managed to pull her out. She clung to him, her cries muffled against his shoulder. Her grip was tight, and her protests were heart-wrenching, but Jay remained unwavering. She couldn't even hold herself up, so they both sank to the floor and settled in the hallway, where he cradled her even closer. She buried her red and tear-streaked face in his shoulder. He began to sway gently back and forth, as if he were soothing a baby.

-"It's all right, it's all right. Take it out" his voice was both comforting and broken. -"I'm here by your side, I'm not going anywhere," he whispered softly as she kept bawling.

-"I should have called you earlier," Becca blubbered, her voice filled with guilt. "Or somehow made him go in the ambulance."

Jay gently separated her from him, noticing the wet patch she had left on his t-shirt. He cupped her face in his hands, forcing her to meet his gaze: "Hey, this is not on you. Don't you even think about it."

Defeated, Will emerged from the trauma room and spotted his siblings in the heart-wrenching position they were in. Jay glanced at him with questioning eyes, and the doctor simply shook his head in response, conveying the grim news without words.

Jay kissed Becca's hair and took his head back to close his eyes finding his own solace. Quietly, Will sat down beside his brother and sister, sharing the grief.

[arlana-likes-to-write]

Resting on Your Shoulder

Masterlist

Summary: Your sisters decide that a trip to Iowa is exactly what you need to help you work through the effects of Daniel’s interrogation but they didn’t know you were battling with an angel and a devil on your shoulder. 

Warning: mention of past torture, past guilt, the Bartons are my favorite people to write, love confession, self-hatred. 

Word count: 3.5 

You caught the sandbag as it swung back towards you, resting your head on it. Every one of your muscles was screaming for you to take a break; to rest and recover. But you needed your mind to turn off. You needed your mind to stop reliving your interrogation with Daniel. It was a constant battle with the angel and devil on your shoulder as you knew getting him to talk was necessary to save Natasha but did you need to do it? You could have let Steve or Sam handle it and stayed far away from that mindset. However, there was a part of you that craved that power, that control. Oh, how you missed it and that scared you more. “There you are,” you looked over your shoulder to see Natasha walking towards you. You frowned. 

“Cho will have a fit if she sees you in here,” your sister rolled her eyes. She was banned from active missions until she was fully healed but you knew she was hitching to get back out there. 

“I’m not here to work out,” she said. “I’m here for you.” You raised an eyebrow at her as you bent down to pick up your water bottle. 

“What’s up?” 

“Since I’m benched I’m thinking about going to Iowa,” you cocked your head to the side. “Clint and his family live there.” That made more sense. “Do you want to come with us?”

“Is that a good idea?” You asked. It was her turn to tilt her head in confusion. 

“Why wouldn’t it be?” That was a fair follow-up question. “They’ve been pretty eager to meet you,” you sat down, leaning against the wall. She sighed, sitting in front of you. “Look, it will be good for you to get out of the compound.”

“Nat, I’m fine,” you said, taking another sip of water. She gave you a pointed look but you remained silent. 

“I know interrogating Daniel wasn’t easy for you and you don’t have to talk to me but you need to talk to someone about it. I’ve learned that Bartons have a healing presence,” you chuckled, shaking your head. 

“Sure I could use a vacation,” you stood up, holding out your hand to help Natasha. “Besides, it will be nice to meet the man who was tasked with killing my sister.” She rolled her eyes, punching you lightly on the shoulder. “When are we leaving?”

“As soon as you shower, you stink,” you pulled Natasha into your arms, hugging her tight. Her laughter filled the quiet gum as she tried to push you away from her. Since the interrogation, Dainel’s screams were no longer in your mind, only the sound of your sister’s laughter. 

*

“Why did they pick Iowa?” You asked as Natasha landed the Quinjet near the wooded area of Barton’s land. “Is it because it’s the Hawkeye state?” You knew it came from the Native American warrior named Black Hawk but it was too much of a conscience to not bring it up. Yelena giggled at your joke. 

“I bet he’d love to hear that joke,” Natasha deadpanned. “But Fury set this up for him when he decided to join the team,” she explained. “Only myself, Yelena, and Maria knew about it.” You nodded, you’ve yet to meet Nick Fury. You knew of him. He was a high target for the Red Room and HYDRA. 

The Quinjet landed and you met your sisters by the ramp as they collected their stuff and turned off the jet. You were hit with a wave of anxiety. 

“Are you ready?” Yelena asked, standing next to you as the ramp descended. 

“Yeah,” you told her. “I'm a little nervous.”

“Don’t be,” she said, pumping her shoulder against yours. “They are some of the best people.” 

*

The house was beautiful, painted white with green shutters and a wrapped-around porch. It was a split image of the American dream. Before you could comment the front door of the house swung open and a little boy came running out towards you. “Brace yourself,” you heard Natasha mumble as the boy yelled, “Auntie Nat,” and threw himself into her arms. You caught your sister before she went tumbling to the ground. 

“Woah little hawk,” Yelena said. “We have to be careful,” he looked at Yelena with a shy family on his face. 

“Sorry Aunt Lena,” Hearing this little boy call your sister's aunts was tugging at your heartstrings. 

“It’s okay,” Natasha set him down on the ground. “I'm very excited to see you,” she tapped him on the nose. “I want you to meet someone really important to Yelena and I. Nathaniel, this is our oldest sister.” He hid behind Natasha’s legs but he did give you a small wave. 

“Hi, Nate. I’ve heard a lot of great things about you,” you said, kneeling so you were level with him. He still didn’t come out behind Natasha. “I got you something.” You noticed he wasn’t hiding anymore at the mention of a gift but you didn’t draw attention to it. Instead, you took a Lego set out of your duffle bag. “A little birdie told me you like building legos,” he gasped, taking the box from you. “Do you think we can build it together?” He excitedly nodded. 

“I don’t have this one,” his eyes were glued to the box. “I have to show you the other ones I have.” You smiled. 

“Sounds like a plan, bud.”

“Spoiling my kids already,” you looked at the porch and saw Clint with his wife and two other kids. You stood up, following Nate and your sisters to the house. Nate was already showing his new toy to his siblings. 

“I have to make up for the lost time,” you said, handing Lila and Cooper a box. You got Cooper a drone and Lila a new bow and arrow set. 

“Why don’t you bring us anything?” Cooper asked Yelena and Natasha. Yelena rolled her eyes, punching him on the shoulder. 

“Because I don’t like you anymore,” your youngest sister deadpanned. Cooper smiled. “Meet the other Bartons. Clint, Laura, Cooper, and Lila.” Yelena introduced. 

“Welcome to the Family,” Laura said, pulling you into a quick hug. You were shocked by the action, not expecting it from the mother of three but you hugged her back not to make it weird. It was odd how welcoming they were. They knew nothing about you and the darkness you put into the world. The devil on your shoulder began to talk - hurt them, kill them, you’ll enjoy it. The angel was nowhere in sight. 

*

Natasha was right. It was impossible to be so deep inside your head when you were around the Bartons. Nate showed you his Lego collection and explained in great detail each. You enjoyed listening to the stories that Clint told and the banter between Yelena and Cooper. At night when everyone was asleep, you found yourself sitting on the porch with a 6 pack of beer. The stars were beautiful out here, it made you realize how small you were in the universe. You heard the front door open and Laura stood next to you. “Mind if I join you?”

“Your house,” you said as she sat down. 

“My beer too,” she smiled, taking one. You chuckled. 

“I made a mental note to buy you guys some more,” it was Laura’s turn to laugh. You both sat in silence, drinking beer and looking up at the stars. “You have a beautiful family,” you said, breaking the silence. “Thank you for opening it up to me.”

“It’s your home too,” she smiled. 

“Not sure how smart it is to offer your home to a stranger,” you joked. “I could be a killer and endanger your entire family.” She smiled. 

“Do you think you're a danger to my family?” She questioned. “Or your sisters?” ‘We have the same level of darkness inside of us,’ Daniel taunted. ‘You could conquer the world, burn it down, and rebuild it. If you just embraced it.’ You could never hurt your sisters or anyone innocent. But the devil on your shoulder wasn’t going away. It was so loud.

“I’d never hurt them,” you finally said. “Them or your family.” Laura nodded. Another beat of silence passed. “Sometimes I worry,” you told her and took a sip of your beer. “That they broke something inside me. It scares me.” 

“What did he say to you?” She asked. You weren’t surprised that she knew what happened. Finally, you looked at her. 

“He said that he and I were the same,” you said. “We have the same level of darkness. I could set the world on fire and rebuild it from the ashes,” you looked away. “He was right in a way, you know? Drekyov trained us to bring down empires. Maybe that’s all I’m good for.” Laura was quiet. Both her hands wrapped around her beer bottle as she stared ahead. 

“Have you seen the Harry Potter movies?” She asked. You shook your head. You knew they were on Yelena’s list to show you. “There is a quote that describes you and the other Widows - ‘You’re a very good person, who had bad things happen to you. Besides, the world isn’t split between good people and Death Eaters. We’ve all got both light and dark inside us.” You frowned, letting what she said to sit with you. 

“Which one do I listen to? The angel or the devil?” Laura smiled. 

“You’ve already beaten one devil,” she said, standing up. She stifled a yawn and you felt a little guilty for keeping her up. “Another one can’t be that hard, right?” You smiled, nodding your head. “From what Yelena and Natasha have told us, that angel is a lot louder than you think.” 

“Thank you, Laura.”

“Get some sleep and come get me if you need anything,” she squeezed your shoulder as she walked back into the house. You sighed, finishing the rest of your beer and placing it in the holder. You looked up at the stairs. It was so easy to see them. Were they always this bright or were you too busy to look up? 

*

“Has anyone seen my sister?” Natasha asked, walking into the kitchen. The kids were already eating breakfast and Yelena was working on a mission report for Maria that Natasha told her to get done before they came. She wasn’t surprised that it wasn’t done. Natasha knocked on your door for breakfast but the room was empty. 

“She was up early,” Clint said, pouring himself a cup of coffee. “She went on one of the trail runs.” The two sisters looked at each other. It was like at the compound. They’ve had to drag you out of the training room most days to eat or sleep. 

“Not sure how much sleep she got,” Laura said, passing by Natasha with a gentle hand on her back. “We were up late talking.” Before Natasha could question what they talked about, she heard the front door open. You walked into the kitchen with a smile and sneaked a sausage link from Cooper’s plate. 

“I thought you were never going to wake up,” you teased, filling up a glass of water and downing it quickly. 

“You know some people like to sleep in when they go away.” Natasha countered. You laughed. 

“Breakfast is ready,” Laura said. “Help yourself.” You smiled. 

“Let me shower and I’ll be back down.” You said. Before you headed upstairs, Natasha grabbed onto your arm. 

“If you aren’t back in 10 minutes I’m dragging you back down here,” she threatened. You smiled. 

“I would expect nothing less, Natalie, but I’m okay,” that was up for some debate but Natasha let go of your room. She watched you go upstairs, suppressing a sigh. 

“Sestra,” she turned to face Yelena. “She’ll be okay, we’ll make sure of it.” 

*

You sat on the edge of the bed, freshly showered, and with a new set of clothes on. You were taking care of some cuts on your knuckles. On your run, you got so lost in a memory that you punched a tree. You were a little surprised your sisters didn’t see it. Dreyokv brought you into a room where a Red Room guard and a fellow Widow were handcuffed to the ground. Her name was Anastasia and she was a few years younger than you. The man’s name was a mystery but you’ve seen him around. Dreyokv told you that the pair were in love and were plotting to escape, your job was to get them to talk and tell them the details of their plan. So you tortured them. You could see the blood on your hands. Their screams made your heart pound and you felt the adrenaline rush through your veins. When they gave in and told you everything, Dreyokv still made you kill them.  

“Hey sestra, are you with us?” You glanced up, getting pulled out of your thoughts, and saw your sisters kneeling in front of you. God, how many times have they been in this position? You needed to get your shit together. You nodded, pressing the palm of your hands to your eyes. 

“I lied,” you said, bringing your hands down to look at them. “I don’t think I’m okay.” Yelena smiled. 

“Yeah,” she whispered. “We know.” You chuckled. Of course, they knew. Your sisters were so much smarter than you. 

“Come with us,” Natasha said, holding out her hand. “We want to show you something.” And you took your hand without hesitation. 

*

They brought you to a secluded part of the Barton’s property where they had a small swimming pond. Yelena laid out a picnic blanket and you sat down looking at the water. “Can you imagine having a place like this?” You asked as they sat down. 

“I’ve thought about it,” Natasha admitted. “Leaving the team and getting a house big enough for all of us.” Yelena leaned back on her hands and looked at the view. 

“I couldn’t live out in the country,” she said. “But a house of my own does sound nice.” You let the silence fall between you and your sisters. It was peaceful as a nice breeze blew through. 

“Did you watch it?” You asked Natasha. “Did you watch me torture him?” The redhead nodded, pulling one of her knees to her chest. You knew the entire thing was recorded and it wasn’t a surprise Natasha watched it. “Originally, Steve and Sam were going to talk to him but I said it should be me to do it. I convinced them that he wouldn’t talk under normal circumstances but I could break him.” 

“And you did,” you nodded. “You did it to save me, that doesn’t make you a monster.” She was right. 

“But the thoughts I’ve been having after do,” you said. “A dark part of me missed it, you know? That control, the power, and that adrenaline rush,” you shook your head. “I wasn’t lying when I told him that my bite kills. No matter who Dreykov sat in front of me I could break - men, women, or another Willow.” You sighed, running your hand through the grass. 

“You did what you had to do to survive,” Yelena said as if it was the simplest answer behind everything you did. 

“And what about now?” You questioned. “What’s the reasoning for these thoughts? I have an angel and devil resting on my shoulder and I don’t know who to listen to. I’m afraid they broke something that can’t be fixed,” you admitted. You sighed, picking up a nearby rock. It was smooth against your fingers as you twirled it around. “I wonder if they were always there.” You looked back at your sisters. Yelena had her knees to her chest, resting her chin on her knees. She was looking at the swimming hole. But Natasha was looking right at you. 

“Nothing about you is broken,” she finally said. You scuffed, looking away. “I’m telling you the truth. I have those same thoughts,” Natasha sighed. Out of the corner of your eye, you watched her run her hands through her hair. “When Loki kidnapped and brainwashed Clint I was ready to kill everyone in my sight and when you were kidnapped I was ready to burn the compound to the ground if they got in my way.” you chuckled. “We go back to that mindset when things get out of control. It’s how we cope.”

“Fucked up way to cope,” you mumbled, leaning back on your hands. 

“We had a pretty fucked up childhood,” Yelena smiled. “But I think we turned out okay.” You smiled. 

“Yeah, we did.” 

*

“How’s Iowa?” Carol asked. Once again you found yourself sitting outside the Barton’s house but you felt different, lighter almost. You were video-calling Carol, who was laying in her bed at the compound. You smiled. 

“It’s nice,” you said. “And quiet. I needed this more than I realized.” She smiled. 

“Good, I’m glad you are enjoying yourself.” You looked past your phone into the vast darkness. Your mind couldn’t help but wonder and dream of owning a place like this. “What’s got you thinking so hard, pretty girl?” You blushed, biting your lip. 

“I was just thinking,” she gave you a look for you to continue as she sat up in bed. She was wearing a tank top and you were slightly distracted by her muscles. She smirked. 

“See something you like, baby girl,” she teased. 

“Shut up,” you mumbled, cheeks feeling hot from embarrassment. Carol chuckled. “Anyways, I was thinking about the life Clint built out here. One day I want to have something like this,” you looked into the vast darkness. “A place to call my own away from all the fighting.” 

“You know,” she said slowly, causing you to look back at her. “No one would be upset with you if you walked away from the fight. You’ve spent your entire life following orders. You can live for yourself.” You smiled, it wasn’t happy. 

“I can’t,” you whispered. “Not yet at least,” you looked down at the steps you were sitting on. “I’ve done a lot of bad stuff. There is so much red on my ledger. I can’t stop.”

“Sweetheart, can you look at me?” It took a minute for you to look at her. There was a look in her eyes that you couldn’t pinpoint the emotion. You saw it when Maria looked at Natasha when Alexei looked at Melina, and now when Clint looked at Laura. Love. Did she love you? “Why are you being the judge, jury, and executioner of your fate?” You didn’t answer. “The way I see it you paid your dues and if you want to stop, you can be done.” You chuckled. 

“What gives you the right to be my judge?” You asked. You didn’t ask it to be mean or rude but you were curious. She looked shy all of a sudden, scratching the back of your head. 

“Because I love you,” you felt your stomach drop at her admission. It was different hearing those three words coming from someone that wasn’t your family. It wasn’t a bad difference, just different. “And all I want for you is to be happy and safe. So if that means tomorrow you hand up your suit and get a 9 to 5,” you laughed, throwing your head back. “Then I’ll support you and I will always remind you that you deserve a chance to walk away from all of this.” You were stunned into a shocked silence at everything she said. But there was a part of you that felt the same, somewhere deep inside you knew that you loved Carol. ‘Tell her. Be happy and tell her.’ for once the angel was louder than the devil. 

“I love you too,” you whispered like it was a secret for only you, her, and the stars could know about. “Thank you.” 

“Why are you thanking me?” She asked. 

“For loving me and all of my scars.” She chuckled, shaking her head slightly. 

“You do not need to thank me,” she said. “I should be thanking you.” You looked at her confused. “You opened yourself up to me and made yourself vulnerable. Loving you is a gift I’ll treasure forever.” You smiled. 

“You are a sap.” 

“Only for you,” you tried to cover your mouth as you yawned. “Go get some sleep, baby girl.” You stood up. 

“Will you stay on the phone till I fall asleep?” You asked, gently walking back into the farmhouse. You saw her nod her head. You opened the door to the guest room you were staying in and immediately climbed underneath the covers, placing your phone on your nightstand. “I love you,” you said again. Oh, how good it felt to say. 

“I love you too. Goodnight, sweetheart,” you closed your eyes. The devil on your shoulder was silent and you no longer heard Daniel’s screams. You smiled as you weren’t afraid to fall asleep.  

__

Tag list: @ cd-4848

I have such an idea for a longer work for this AU where something happens to the Reader and she becomes the next villain the Avengers have to fight. Idk if I have time to write it so send me asks and I would love to talk about it more. 

Like my writing support the author and buy a kofi 

[agendabymooner]

goodnight n go ! max v. x ofc (hearth sister!ofc)

“it’s bad enough we get along so well.”

summary: there’s a way to make a graduation celebration better than to have her photos taken by the paparazzi, and max verstappen makes sure she remembers that. OR the dutch driver is making it hard for sylvie to dislike him. (1) (2)

content warning: use of explicit language

note: i wrote too much blurbs yesterday of max verstappen.

masterlist

liked by max33verstappen, lewishamilton, tillymarie

comments have been limited

lando.norris proud of you best friend!!!

charles_leclerc congrats sylvie!! (the master debater part isn’t that necessary)

tillymarie so so so proud of you lovie ! keep it up !

Photos were taken left and right by the time her family stepped out of the Sheldonian Theatre. Her black grad gown, she couldn’t wait to take it off. There’s three or five paparazzi that were by the gates, asking to get her photos taken— but she didn’t want to look in their direction, wanting to celebrate her accomplishments with her sisters and her mother after the grueling four years of school. Was she ever thankful that her private school had offered the advancement program. 

She was a graduate at 18– all thanks to the program and the money that her mother had invested into her education. Sylvie was so much like her sisters, but she had gotten into her post secondary education earlier because of her intelligence. Tilly had moved a year up after having herself assessed, but Sylvie… She's the only one who’s managed to get to college early due to the practically perfect marks that she had gotten throughout the years.

“Sylvie, can you just pose with your sisters for a moment?” Her mother begged as she held the digital camera, lens pointing at Sylvie, Stevie and Aimee. “We need a photo to put up in my study.”

“Maman, there’s a lot of paparazzi,” Sylvie whined, stomping her feet lightly. “I’m sure they got something for us.”

“They’ve been told to stay within a certain distance,” Stevie nudged Sylvie. She smiled and murmured, “Now smile. I need some photos to post.”

“I don’t like you,” Sylvie grumbled before her mouth quirked, hearing her mother’s camera clicking. That… and the many clicks of the cameras from the gate did too. It was meant to be a celebration for her family and friends only. It turns out, her life was everyone else’s too. 

Posing for a few more pictures, Blanche Ford finally put the camera down and grinned. “Well, do you want to get your photos taken with your friends?” 

“Already had enough taken earlier, Maman,” Sylvie sighed, “I want to go home and see Soren now.”

She didn’t want to celebrate. The past few weeks were rough. The Spanish GP had taken a toll on her energy and mental wellbeing; the last thing she had wanted to do was host parties or call for celebration. Whatever they had planned for today, that wasn’t her doing.

All she wanted was to see her two week old nephew and retire to bed after. 

But her family had a different plan. She only found out when they made the drive back to Brackley. 

Their home there had been built long before anyone was even born. It was only purchased by Blanche by the time her divorce papers were filed and signed, making it a home for her three daughters. They grew up there, and they didn’t even know that a few minutes from their place was the Mercedes AMG Petronas headquarters. It was funny how that worked because Tilly never really met Toto despite visiting the town. Sylvie still laughed about that. 

The estate was something of a peaceful place. Sylvie loved it there. She made it a goal to spend her Christmas breaks at home seeing as university was only 27 minutes away. Now, not only was she staying there again, but Tilly and Toto moved to another neighborhood that’s only 10 minutes away from their estate. It was an easier commute for Sylvie if she wanted to visit Soren. 

But her thoughts washed away when she opened the front door and heard the screams of, “SURPRISE!”

Sylvie caught the graduation cap that she nearly dropped. What the hell is going on, she asked herself. 

The foyer wasn’t fully decorated but anyone who had never seen the full estate would say otherwise. Balloons that spelled out ‘Congratulations’ were hung up and reflecting due to their metallic appearance. The marble columns by the two spiral staircases were fully wrapped in artificially made hydrangeas and other perennials that made the muted foyer colourful. As if those weren’t enough, the arch leading to the halls were decorated with garlands and flowers, string lights putting a wedding reception to shame because of how warm it made the house’s appearance. 

“You are not supposed to be here,” she finally found her words as she pointed at Toto, who was merely laughing at her bluntness as he approached her with a smile, hugging her as she wrapped her arms as much as she could around him. 

“Congratulations, maus,” Toto grinned, “I’m so proud of you.” 

That party that Tilly and Blanche held for her started there, but the discomfort that she was feeling while she wore her university uniform was unbecoming. So while she was having a conversation with Lando and George, she excused herself for a second to head upstairs and change her clothes. 

Life really was full of surprises, Sylvie told herself hours after she opened the door to her bedroom and found her vanity area cluttered with shopping bags and piles of books. She could have sworn that she hadn’t purchased any books lately, too stressed out to even look at a back synopsis. She also knew that there were some things sent to her by designer houses and brands that were trying to hire her — graduation gifts, her agent told her a day ago. But those gifts were downstairs according to Tilly. So she wasn’t exactly sure where this came from. 

Looking at the corner of her bedroom, however, she moved quickly as she grabbed the blue envelope from the foot tall teddy bear that she swore she never had either. The envelope was addressed to her. Well… it’s addressed to a “B. Mustang” making it easily known to her who had written the content inside. Regardless, she opened the envelope and read the message. 

“Mustang, 

Congratulations on surviving university. I heard it sucks there. I hope you like this bear— I called him McLaren. At least we have something to not argue about, no?

Also I hope you like the gifts I got you. It’s the least I can do. Enjoy your celebration! Wish me luck for the next race.

Love,

O. Cadillac.”

She had never been so frustrated over a man before. She swore. She hated having to see his face at the paddock or the garage but she had never been so angry about appreciating him or liking him. He made it difficult for her to dislike him, she hated that. 

She wanted to toss out the Dior, Cartier and whatever the fuck were dropped off at her bedroom. Everything that came from him, she wanted to throw out. Even McLaren the Teddy Bear. She wanted to despise him so much because of how shitty their history had turned out to become. But it’s not going to work like that anytime soon, she told herself. She was going to work with him one way or another and she’d have to work with him professionally. Clearly hatred didn’t work out for her— she was so grateful for the gifts he had gotten her and she was slowly returning the same feeling that he had.

She told herself that she could stay in her room for another fifteen minutes and looked down at the letter in her hand. With a sigh, she pulled out her phone and began typing. Her right hand typed and searched for his name and the other began to open the little bags first. 

[apomaro-mellow]

Steve and Eddie hopping through different universes and finding each other every time

The popcorn was hot and ready, the drinks were nice and cold. The only thing keeping the movie marathon from starting was the seating arrangements. Mostly everyone was decided, but there was a bit of contention about where Steve and Eddie should sit.

“This is a casual hangout between comrades”, Dustin said. “Not a date.”

“We never said it was”, Steve argued.

“If you two sit together, you’ll be gross the whole time”, Mike said.

“Why do Jonathan and Nancy get to sit together then?”, Eddie pointed to the couple sitting right next to them.

“I’ve given up trying to control what my sister does”, Mike explained. The rest let it go unsaid that they were afraid of telling Nancy what to do.

Max pulled Steve off the couch and brought him over to the armchair. “You here.” Then she pointed to Eddie. “You stay.”

“You guys are getting a little too comfortable ordering Eddie and me around”, Steve said.

“Steven, my love, it seems the forces of this world have split us apart”, Eddie said, reaching an arm off the couch. “But fret not, for I would find you in every universe.”

Eddie’s monologue was interrupted as Robin returned from the bathroom and slapped Eddie’s hand away. “What about a universe where you’re both socks?”

“Steve is the left to my right”, Eddie beamed.

“What about a universe where you’re a dog and Steve’s a cat?”, Lucas asked.

“I’d bark him up a tree any day.”

“What about a universe where you shut up and we can start the movie?”, Erica pressed play without waiting for a reply.

As the movie began, El got a little curious and tried to quietly ask Max about different universes. But Dustin overheard and answered instead.

“It’s like the idea of another world. Where some things are the same, but others are different.”

“Like the Upside Down?”, El asked.

“Kinda? Except, people are there too. Like, maybe there’s a universe where you grew up with us and we’ve known each other forever. Or a universe where we all have superpowers. Or a universe where we go on space adventures.”

Erica turned to look at them. “Or once again. A universe where you shut up.”

While they watched the first movie, El’s brain buzzed a little. They had picked a particular set that they all boasted as iconic and necessary for her to get some culture. El didn’t understand how a movie could be ‘necessary’ but she trusted her friends’ judgement...most of the time.

As she watched, the couldn’t help but imagine some of the scenarios. How would they all look in these different worlds? Would they all feel the same about each other? How would they even meet?

About three hours into the movie marathon, Eddie had wormed his way onto Steve’s lap and everyone was too done to say anything about it, even when they started whispering and giggling to each other during the entire runtime of Labyrinth.

The marathon went deep into the night, all of them eventually falling asleep.

---------------------------

Steve opened his eyes and he was not in his room. Honestly, it looked both better and worse than his room. It was bigger, the furniture looked older, his bed was larger, but the walls were made of stone. 

“Where the hell am I?”

He got out of bed and went over to the window. Only then did he begin to hear screaming and his view of the unfamiliar land was broken by a dragon flying by.

“Not in Hawkins! Got it!”

Part 2 coming soon

[bluesylveon2]

If you still have spots open could I get Idia + Kiss the girl? Your writings are so cute I adore them 😭💙 and please take your time with this!

I immediately saw this and thought Book 7 😂. Also, I'm in the EN server, so idk how exactly Book 7 goes and this is my interpretation of it. TO THOSE IN THE JP SERVER, DO NOT SAY ANY SPOILERS! I WANT TO BE SURPRISED WHEN IT COMES OUT.

I hope you enjoy, anon! 😂

Notes: mentions the Ghost Bride event, Idia has pink hair again, Ortho is a supportive brother, Yuu is bold, Idia doubting himself, true love's kiss, and me blanking out on how to write internet slang

Word Count: 1042 (yall these are getting longer lol)

Warnings: slightly suggestive ending (Yuu and Idia are basically making out), possible ooc characters, and not beta read.

Night Raven College was mostly fixed after the Malleus' overblot. The only thing left could be found in Ramshackle dorm, where the Prefect was asleep. She fell under that condition after getting hit by Malleus' magic, and, according to Sebek, there was a chance she could sleep for eternity. The staff, Grim, and the first-year group stood around her bed when some fireflies appeared. 

Crowley greeted the fae prince,  "Did you find anything?" 

Malleus nodded, and Crowley sighed in relief, "I am willing to try anything as long as it doesn't hurt Yuu. Besides, who is going to do my taxes?!" he exclaimed. The other staff members shook their heads. 

Crewel rolled his eyes and slapped Crowley's head, "Snap out of it! My pup's life is in danger!"

Annoyed by the headmaster, Malleus cleared his throat, "The only way to cure Yuu is for true love's kiss."

“True…love’s…kiss…” Everyone said and stayed silent to process everything. 

Crewel frowned, "I will not allow a random slimy mutt's lips to touch my pup's. She needs someone that she is close to."

"How about one of the first years?" Trein asked, but Ace (the self-declared leader of the group) shook his head.

"Not a chance. We got brother zoned by her."

The rest of the first years nodded in agreement, "And that would be weird to kiss your sister," Deuce added.

Crewel sighed, "Does anyone know who she was the closest to? Any suggestions?"

Slowly, Ortho raised one robotic arm, "I have an idea." 

---

"WHY DO I HAVE TO DO IT??"

"Because you are close to the Prefect, Big Brother, and you like her!" Ortho exclaimed, causing everyone to question what was going on. The group could hear a lot of ruckus downstairs, and Idia screamed, "I want to live!" at one point. 

Finally, the duo appeared at the Prefect's door. Well, it was Ortho carrying a flailing Idia until he dumped him on the floor at the end of the bed.

Crowley squatted to Idia's level, "Now, I'm sure that Ortho filled you in on the details, but we need you to kiss Yuu so she can wake up?"

"Can't you try to shake her, pour a bucket of cold water on her, or use Sebek's loud voice?"

"MY VOICE IS NOT LOUD!" The half-fae shouted into poor Epel's ears. 

Sam sighed and turned to Idia, "This is getting nowhere. Maybe my friends from the other side can convince you?" He smiled, and some eerie shadows appeared behind him, causing shivers to run down Idia's spine. 

Trein sighed, and Lucius let out an annoyed meow, "This is getting us nowhere."

"I agree! Is the audience necessary?" Idia asked, and Crowley stood up. 

"Fine. We will compromise. We will all leave you alone so you can kiss Yuu," He gestured for everyone to leave, and everyone followed. 

"Wait!" Idia called out, "I want Ortho to stay."

"If you insist," Crowley said and closed the door, leaving the two brothers alone. 

Ortho floated to Idia, sitting beside him, "What's wrong, Big Brother?"

Idia sighed and looked down at his hands, "Remember that time I got kidnapped by Eliza?" Ortho nodded, "This is the same level as that. Instead of me being in the afterlife, I am possibly Yuu's true love. Do you know how frightening that is?"

Ortho sighed and looked at his brother with big yellow eyes, "I do. I was the one who asked Yuu and the others to rescue you, but now it is the opposite. You can save Yuu!"

Idia turned to his brother with doubt on his face. "But what if it doesn't work? Then what? Even if it did, Yuu would be stuck with a loser like me."

Ortho frowned, "You might think that way, but you are also a genius! Plus, unlike Eliza, Yuu actually likes you, so the feeling is mutual!" he exclaimed with sparkles in his eyes. 

Idia smiled, now with determination, "You're right! I got this!" He marched over to where Yuu peacefully slept, unaware of everything around her. 

Ortho floated to the green armchair to give his brother some space, "Yeah! And you don't even have to kiss her on the lips. Malleus said true love's kiss could break the curse, but he never said where."

Idia's hair turned slightly pink at the thought. He would be down to kiss Yuu (preferably a short kiss and not a full-on makeout session) if she was awake and not cursed. He looked down at Yuu's sleeping form. If there was one thing the otaku could admit was that she looked adorable, but he would never let anyone hear that out loud. 

Idia slowly leaned down toward Yuu's face. Ortho watched as his brother's hair turned even pinker the closer he got. Idia stopped momentarily when his face was a few inches away to admire Yuu. "Please wake up," he whispered, pressing his blue lips on Yuu's forehead. 

Idia quickly jumped away but remained at Yuu's side and held his breath. A minute had passed, and there was no movement from the Prefect. Idia turned to Ortho with a defeated look. "It looks like I lost, Ortho. Let's try to find someone else."

"You missed," a voice called out, causing Idia to freeze. He looked down at Yuu, who was wide awake but had a blank expression.

"W-what??"

"I said, you missed my lips. You kissed me on the forehead instead," Yuu smirked, causing Idia's hair to turn pink.

"I mean, you were asleep, and then there's consent-"

Yuu rolled her eyes, "Well, I consent to it now," she grabbed Idia's collar and pulled him down, causing him to fall on top of her on the bed and for his lips to meet hers. 

Ortho stood up and cheered, his eyes closed with glee. "Yay! It worked, Big Brother! You are Yuu's true love, after all," The boy opened his eyes to see that the two were enjoying their second kiss a bit too much. Despite the boy getting human characteristics recently, he was still learning. He knew some things about love thanks to being in the Film Research Club.

Ortho immediately flew out the door. "Let me get the others before it gets out of hand!"

400 event is still open!! (only one spot left!)

Disclaimer: I do not own Twisted Wonderland and its characters. Those belong to Aniplex, Walt Disney Japan, and Yana Toboso.

©: This story belongs to bluesylveon2 2020-23. DO NOT modify, republish, or plagiarize my work.

[heyidkyay]

Just wondering if you would ever consider writing a Matty fic where he falls in love with a fan in the audience of a show? Maybe he writes songs about it all? It’s very cliche but man does it pull on my heart strings, the Cinderella of it all. Getting swept up into his life like that would be so romantic.

Tag along |

Part one

Strayed a little but it’s still very much fluff filled, maybe not what you’d first expect? Idk, that sounds strange but I hope you enjoy it anyway! Thank you for the prompt!<3

Part Two

--

It was official. 

After days of relentless pleading and having been so blatantly coerced into it by my mum and younger sister, I’d finally relented and given in to attending the concert. And I sort of hated myself for it. Strange, I know, but now I had no choice but to see some fuck-off band- I’d never even heard of- with my teenage sister and her best mate, who were practically mad about them. 

I mean, I love the girls, I truly do. With all my heart. But having to spend an entire evening with them, surrounded by a thousand other screaming fans, just wasn’t something I was looking too forward to.

And who could honestly blame me? 

You see, it had all begun earlier that same week. I’d been on my lunch break, grateful to have just a minute to myself, when my mum had called. We’d gone through the motions, happy to catch up; she told me the gossip whirling round back home (next door were back to rowing again and Tracey in the post office had fallen pregnant for the seventh time); she’d asked after me, like she always did, questioned if I was eating enough, sleeping alright, if I’d met anyone new…

My mum and I had always been pretty close. She’d had me young, I was her first baby- something she never failed to remind me of- and we’d sort of grown up together. Seeing as how my father (nickname: The Sperm-Doner- yes, the caps were necessary) had gone and fallen into all kinds of shit and ultimately decided to fuck off when things had gotten too real. She was my rock, the one person I could count on to defend my corner, and always believed in everything I ever set my mind to.

It had been hard on the both of us when I’d left home, especially seeing as I was now a couple dozen cities away. But life continued on and we adapted, I went back to visit as much as I possibly could, and called whenever I had the time. Even though in moments when all I really needed was a good hug from her, it was easy to remember what I was doing this all for, and that my family was only a train journey away. They were a constant, even if they lived a couple hundred miles from me.

So she had phoned, I’d immediately noticed the stress which underlined her tone and I’d asked what was up. She’d danced around the topic as much as she could- she hated asking for things, ‘that’s my job,’ she liked to reiterate whenever something occurred and I tried to help out. But I’d dragged it out of her in the end. And oh how I now wished that I’d just left it.

Because here I was, stood in the freezing cold, outside of the O2 arena, in a line full of a couple hundred other excited fans who were all waiting eagerly for the gates to open. 

The two girls were squirming beside me, so ecstatic you’d have thought that I’d gone and laced their drinks with something other than sugar, jumping all about the place whilst they squealed to one another in such a high pitched tone that anyone else would’ve believed that they were conversing in another language all together. 

It was amusing to a point, because I could honestly recall the same euphoric high I’d felt when I’d finally gotten tickets to an Arctic Monkeys gig almost a decade ago now. 

Internally I winced as the memory drifted to the forefront of my mind, feeling far too old for my twenty-three years.

But I could also admit that I was honestly in a tad bit of a mood, had been for the last half hour or so, because I truly fucking hated the cold. And right now? It was baltic and I was freezing my tits off. 

I’d already buried my face into the opening of the leather jacket I’d thrown on that morning and wrapped my arms around my torso to enclose some of my remaining heat, but it was of little use. I was still shivering away with a frown.

I’d gotten a couple of lingering looks whilst here, something I’d noticed but could’ve cared less about. It was far too cold to be stood about waiting in any sort of line, so they could all excuse me for not being overly delighted with the whole ordeal.

I sighed and peered down at my phone screen, glancing at the time, then double checked my pockets for the tickets I’d been handed on arrival and told to guard with my life. 

It was probably the twentieth time I’d done so, because who in their right mind would give me, of all people, something important to look after? I was the least irresponsible person I knew when it came to being organised. 

Because listen, I could get anywhere on time, I was insanely good at that- a job interview, an airport, a school play… But nine times out of ten, I’d almost always forget the one thing I’d needed most. My resume, everybody’s passports, the wig I’d worn one halloween and promised to my younger brother so that he could complete his costume in time for his class assembly…

Yeah, so I was a bit of a mess. But who wasn’t?

Albeit saying that, I had ultimately been the one to score these tickets. My mum and step-dad had gifted them to my younger sister as an early Christmas present after she’d literally begged for months on end during the lead up to the drop of the presale.

It had just been the three of us, all sat down in the family living room, back home up north, earlier this year. We’d counted down the minutes, a dozen devices in hand and at the ready, and it had been something short of a miracle, in all truth. 

The website had crashed a couple times, my step-dad’s phone had died, and then my laptop had quickly followed. The dog had knocked over a freshly made brew and almost pissed itself. And then the postman had scared the absolute life out of us when he’d knocked on the front door. 

So to say that we had all breathed in sudden relief when I’d loudly announced that I’d managed it, was a MASSIVE understatement.

Note. The worst part to seeing your favourite band live; Ticketmaster.

Even the thought of doing it again had me riddled with anxiety. I shivered involuntary, whether it was from the mere idea of it, or the cold, I’d never know.

But being stood here now, I was cursing myself for having been the one to officially bag the stupid things. I sighed inwardly, if only I wasn’t such a brilliant, caring and amazing older sister. But it was a hard life, I supposed. 

“I’m so excited!” My sister, Rosie, squealed, drawing me from my thoughts. She’d gripped onto Tea’s arm in her sudden bout of elation, and the two shared a maddening grin. The other girl didn’t seem to mind the tight grip her best friend held, and so I figured it was probably down to the anticipation of it all- or the fact that it was still so bloody cold.

The thing about Rosie and Tea was, they had been as thick as thieves for as long as I could remember. There’d never been one without the other, and so it was sweet to see the pair looking so forward to something like this, something which they both shared such an obvious love for. 

“I know!” Tea breathed dramatically, looking a little flushed, “I want to meet them so bad, it actually hurts.”

I fought the urge to roll my eyes at the pair, in good fun of course, because they were both so adorably obsessed. 

Oh, to be a teen again. 

“You two are really looking forward to this,” I commented with a light chuckle, watching on as the two girls danced around happily in the small section we’d claimed. “I just don’t get it.”

Once those words had left my lips, I instantly regretted it. Having been met with the deathly glare of two teenage girls was not something I’d offer up to just anyone. 

“Are you serious?” My sister outrightly demanded, staring up at me with a face of utter bewilderment. Scarily, she looked a lot like our mum in that moment. “They’re The 1975, Y/n. They’re- incredible! You must have heard at least one of their songs!”

Tea nodded her head alongside Rosie, bobbing up and down in agreement.

I simply shrugged at the pair of them, finding amusement in their infatuation. “Can’t say that I have, Ro.”

“But, Y/n/n, you love bands! Music in general- I’d bet my whole vinyl collection that you’ll love them too!” Rosie stressed, she then smiled brightly up at me when I merely quirked a brow in retort. I dug my hands deeper into my pockets.

“I like bands, yeah. Band’s like The Stone Roses, The Kooks, Joy Division… The type that make music for music’s sake, you know? Not the kind that strive to get on the top ten, babe.”

I shook my head fondly at the two. 

This band they were so enamoured by were probably just as decent as they claimed, and I could admit that simply because, well, they’d have to be to have all these crazy fans gathered in one place. But they just weren’t my cup of tea.

Ooh, talking of tea, I was proper gagging for one. I’d yet to have my daily fix, and after having been rudely rushed out of my flat early this morning, I’d been unable to stop off at any sort of coffee shop on the way over in fear of losing a spot in line.

The two teens rolled their eyes at me, and my forehead pinched when my sister pulled out a pair of headphones and all but shoved them into my ears. “Look, just listen, okay?”

I reeled back in alarm, having not expected the sudden ambush. “Christ, Ro!” I exclaimed, but the girl only huffed at me before turning to press play on her phone. She gave me a stern look. I relented.

At first, I couldn’t hear anything but the slow intro to an unfamiliar song- even with the swarm of fans gathered around me. But I continued to listen, honing in on the tempo and its melody. And as the song went on, I begun to understand why so many people enjoyed it. The lyrics, although a bit out there and entertainingly vulgar at parts, were smart and witty, they fell with the instrumental perfectly and the singer’s voice was pretty different to what I’d first expected. It made me want to really listen, to follow along, to understand the backstory.

Honestly, they weren’t half as terrible as I’d first believed. And once the outro had faded out, I actually felt a little conflicted. The song obviously had a much deeper meaning to it, but its instrumental made it so lively and energetic that I’d found myself bobbing along almost subconsciously. It was something I could see myself getting lost in, and I wondered whether or not they’d made anything more raw, or emotional.

The songwriter was definitely talented, I couldn’t deny that, they’d had gone through some shit, and I found myself longing to read deeper into their words.

“They’re sick, right?” 

The headphones being ripped out of my ears brought me back to the present and I blinked slowly at my sister’s question.

“Yeah.” I shrugged a shoulder, handing over the wire. “Yeah, they’re alright. Can sort of see why you two like them so much.”

I laughed to myself when the girls faces lit up. 

“They’re amazing! And you’ll so enjoy this show- as well as the boys! They’re proper nice deep down, like really care about us as fans and all that.” Tea encouraged, seemingly quite happy that I hadn’t just gone and shit all over her favourite band. 

“Yeah, they’re so lovely, Y/n!” Rosie added, eyes alive as she barrelled on to explain further, “There’s four of them, right? First, we have Adam, he plays the guitar mainly- blonde, tall, only one who’s started his own little family. And then there’s Ross and George-”

“Ross is on bass, long haired with a beard, whilst George plays the drums.” Tea weighed in, before Rosie was back to chattering away again.

I was honestly beginning to feel as though I was watching an extreme game of tennis with the way my attention kept batting back and forth between them.

“Tea’s obsessed with him.” Rosie felt the need to inform me, before her face immediately brightened, “Oh, and then there’s Matty of course!”

My sister was wearing one of the biggest grins I’d ever witnessed on any singular person and I snorted when Tea rolled her eyes and made a slight dig, “You can see who Ro’s claimed.”

“Hardy har.” Rosie deadpanned, jutting a light elbow into her friend’s side before she gave me a serious look, “I haven’t ‘claimed’ him. I just…”

“You just want to have his children. Yeah, I know, Rose. You never fail to not mention it.”

Rosie stuck her tongue out in retort whilst I tried to bite back my rising amusement when they continued to bicker. The two made a right pair.

“So, what’s this Matty like then?” I questioned, wanting to know a little bit more about the guy who’d caught my sister’s eye, but mainly just eager to poke a bit more fun at her. “Come on, what’s so great about him that you’ve gone and dubbed yourself a tribute to birth his prodigy spawn?”

The girls wrinkled their noses at me, Rosie’s upper lip curled in faint disgust. “Why’ve you gotta word it like that?” She scoffed, shaking her head at me.

I chuckled, shrugging a singular shoulder. “Because I live to annoy you. So, are you gonna tell me or do I have to ask about?”

I made the effort then to pretend as though I was about to disrupt the group behind us’s conversation, but the girls were quick to waylay me, jumping hastily to grab at my outstretched hand. I smirked.

“Stop it!” Rosie all but hissed, her worried eyes flicking back over towards the people beside us before falling on me again, this time they were slitted. “God, you’re so embarrassing.”

Me, embarrassing? Hah. She should be thankful that I knew when to stop. I could still vividly recall the days when my mum had attempted the same shit with me, except she’s the type to actually follow through, leaving her daughter to stand sheepishly behind her, internally cursing the day her mother had decided to forgo an abortion. Dark, yes, but I’d also been a hormonal fifteen year old girl, so sue me.

I rolled my eyes instead of voicing this though, knowing it would only go in one ear and out the other. And ultimately, my sister sighed allowing me to prompt her on further with the rise of my brows.

“Matty, he’s the frontman basically.” She said, back to talking with her hands, forgetting about the whole ordeal.

That made sense, I thought to myself, although I’d always been a drummer sort of girl. Helders, Taylor, Fleetwood, Bonham, Moretti… I could go on.

No honestly, I could, so I was just glad that Rosie chose that moment to stop me.

“He’s a proper performer, you know? Like he just belongs up there, on stage.” My sister breathed, and she wore the sweetest look of admiration on her face. “He’s got this mop of messy black curls and he’s covered in tattoos. Wears all this cool shit and he’s-”

“-also a bit of an arsehole.” Tea summarised for her, before Rosie could get too carried away. 

I blinked at my sister’s best friend in surprise, before a loud laugh bubbled out of me. 

In all the years I’d known this girl, this deceivingly sweet girl, not once- once, I stress!- had I ever heard something so shameless spill from out her mouth, and with the exasperated look she had paired with it, I couldn’t hold in my delight.

“Tea!” I exclaimed, and was so tickled to see the younger girl’s cheeks redden when she turned to give me a sheepish sort of smile. “How crass! I always thought it was Rosie who’d been the bad influence between the pair of you, but now I see quite a few secrets are coming to light tonight.”

Rosie snorted in reply, “She’s done worse. Trust me.”

Tea swatted at my sister’s arm upon hearing that, widening her eyes in a silent warning.

“Oh, come off it.” Rosie waved away with a roll of her eyes. “It’s just Y/n.”

I decided to leave off of the teasing, feeling a bit bad for embarrassing the younger girl. “Yeah, I’m just messing, lovie.” I told Tea with a soft smile as I draped an arm over her shoulders to draw her in for a hug. “You can relax, nothing that happens tonight will be getting back to your mum, alright?”

“Yeah, ‘cause we all know what she’s like.” Rosie tittered under her breath and I slapped lightly at her bicep to scold her. “What?” The girl exaggerated with a high-pitched drawl, rubbing at her arm with a narrowed eyed glare that was directed towards both Tea and I. “I was just saying! And what’s with you two and smacking me about today?”

Tea giggled and I squeezed her lightly before letting go.

“Don’t talk about things that have nothing to do with you.” I told my sister simply, “Freya’s a perfectly lovely woman, just a tad…”

“Insane?” Rosie offered, at the same time Tea said, “Extreme.”

“Eccentric- was what I was going to say.” I shook my head at the duo. “Honestly, the two of you.”

The girls only laughed. 

The line started to move a little while later, slowly mind, but it was a progress I was grateful to see. 

Anything to get out of this chilly wind in truth. 

And as we waddled along, the two teens I was with continued to speak of the band, trying to catch me up on anything and everything I’d missed before the show officially started.

Not that it helped at all. I was beyond crap when it came to things like that- recalling anything trivial- I could hardly even remember the band’s actual name and it was plastered practically everywhere around me. As well as this big box thing. 

I breathed out a loud sigh of relief when I realised that we were up next, and when we were signalled over towards the gates by one of the arenas guards I could see just how nervous Rosie and Tea had grown, giddy but mostly eager to just get inside. I couldn’t help the fond smile which limned my lips then, happy to see them so excited.

“You three.” A large man, branded in a security uniform, called, jerking his head over at us. I heard the girls take a deep breath as we approached and I quietly chuckled at them. “Tickets?” He stated. 

Oh shit, yeah. The tickets.

“Tickets…” I murmured quietly to myself, patting down my pockets to find them, “Tickets, tickets, tickets…”

I could feel the apprehension radiating off of my younger sister as I continued to riffle around for the poxy things, and so I flashed the bloke a wry smile before I started to unload the contents of my jacket pockets into both Rosie and Tea’s hands...

Gum, house keys, a stray tampon. Pack of haribo (because you never knew when you’d need those), ID, bank card, phone, charger. A few spare pound coins-

Oh God, that was where my Argos receipt had got to! I could finally return that shitty Nespresso machine my cousin and her fiancé had talked me into buying now.

I grinned in quiet victory whilst tucking the slip into the back pocket of my trousers.

“Y/n.” My sister stressed out in a hushed whisper, I just simply waved her off.

“They’re here somewhere. I felt them like, twenty minutes ago.” I assured her and- “Aha, told you! Three tickets, all here!”

I wore a triumphant grin when I held out the wrinkled papers towards the guard, who appeared to have been throughly amused by my prolonged charade. He took them from me to scan with a toothy smile.

“Oh cheer up, we’ll be in there in a sec.” I huffed at the girls, tucking all of my belongings back into their rightful place. Rosie didn’t look too cheerful though, but I could see that Tea’s lips had started to twitch, so I have her a conspiratorial wink in turn. Then glanced back towards the bloke, “We all good here?”

“Yeah, all good, love.” He exhaled on a faint chuckle, waving us in through the barrier without further issue. “You girls enjoy your night.”

“We will!” I promised, gifting him a gleeful smile, “You too- hope you don’t have to spend too much longer out in that cold!”

He just nodded at me, still looking rather entertained by all our antics.

“So embarrassing.” My sister felt the need to reiterate as we wondered further into the arena, practically growling.

“Oh, loosen up, would you? He was proper nice about it all. Fit too, don’t you think?” I said, glancing back over my shoulder.

But Rosie just rolled her eyes at me. Fed up, I was about to bite back at her when Tea’s unexpected gasp broke us from our little quarrel.

“Oh my god. They have the limited edition LP!”

Rosie’s eyes widened dramatically and before I knew it the two were scurrying away from me and over towards the merch stand. I sighed to myself and glanced about, hoping to see a sign that would lead me to where the bar might be.

—

We were here. In the middle of a fucking mass of people, but we’d actually done it. We’d finally managed to swindle our way near the front of standing, practically touching the barriers, even after having loaded up on snacks and drinks- mine mostly alcoholic.

The girls were buzzing. Looking all cute and excited in the outfits they’d planned months in advance, singing along to the set that was playing through the speakers to keep the crowd entertained before things begun.

And me? I was getting swept up in the atmosphere. Unable to believe that I’d almost forgotten how good it all felt. Because live music was truly unmatched.

There was just something about the heavy thud you felt in your veins, how being this close to the amps could make your chest ache in the very best way, and how’d you’d have to scream just to be heard over all the noise whilst you got lost in an avalanche of happy people. 

It really had been too long.

I was already a fair few drinks in by the time the opening act came out, and was chatting away to the couple crowded beside us. They were both a year older than me and studying down in Bournemouth. They’d bought their tickets off of a mate, who hadn’t been able to make it, on a whim when they’d had the cash to spare, and had decided to make a weekend out of it. 

We’d actually only gotten to talking when they’d almost sloshed a canned cocktail all down my back. 

I’d been startled at first, rightfully so, as this giant of a man had all but stumbled right into me, eyes as wide as saucers. His boyfriend had come to his rescue though, offered me up one in apology, and who would I have been to deny? 

So I’d cracked it open, found myself pleasantly surprised by the taste, and one thing had quickly led to another and they’d ended up letting me share the bagged vodka they’d also managed to smuggle into the stadium in the bands of their socks.

To say that I’d been impressed wouldn’t have been a lie, I sort of felt like I’d found my people in truth. Because the price of alcohol at these kind of events was always extortionate. Practically daylight robbery, there was no other way about it.

And my bank account had taken quite the hit from the first trip to the stands alone. And with two teenage girls, who could care less about money unless it was their own, I’d almost wanted to shed a tear when I’d handed over my card to the boy behind the till- he’d sympathised with me, I’d seen it in his eyes as he wished us a good time.

So here I now was, pissing it up in the pit with a bunch of strangers, a medical bag full of spirits clutched tightly in one hand. 

“Oh, God! Y/n, Y/n! It’s starting!”

I turned away from one of the boys to glance back towards my sister, who was staring up at the stage with this starry eyed expression, Tea was right beside her wearing the exact same face. I chuckled beneath my breath.

“You girls ever been to a show before?” Lewis, one half of the couple I’d met earlier, asked Rosie.

My sister shook her head at his question whilst the screens above us begun to distort and screams overwhelmed the arena. Lewis merely chuckled at Rosie's nonverbal reply, she only had eyes for the stage it seemed. 

“It’s her first gig ever. She’s been dying to see these lot for years.” I answered for her, leaning in close so that he could hear.

I saw his eyebrows lift at the information before he was grinning against my ear. “She’ll never want to see anyone else after this!”

My forehead pinched, silently questioning his statement, but just laughed it off when a row of boxes flashed brightly above us.

Lewis and I separated on cue, just as the world around us hushed for a split second and the sudden intro of a loud guitar pierced the veil.

“Please welcome, my favourite band, The 1975!” A voice then announced and I looked up, right into the eyes of a man who’d seemingly taken claim of the stage.

His smile was wide, unmatched, as he pranced up and down the front, his hair a mess of curls as a set of drums picked up the pace of the opening beat. I had to be reminded to close my gawping mouth.

Who the fuck’s that?

And I must’ve said it out loud, because I heard Lewis snort obnoxiously from right beside me, continuing to sing away whilst the girls immediately turned towards me to shout, “Matty!”

Shockingly, their loud exclamation also managed to garner the attention of the man himself when he danced by, and I watched on as the dark-haired frontman smiled down at Rosie and Tea. Waving hello. 

I was caught by utter surprise when I then found myself trapped in his heady gaze, still giggling away at the girls' hysterical reactions. 

Okay. Before I continue on, I truly am putting this all down to the alcohol that was streaming through my system, because it was then that Matty appeared to pause before me for the briefest of moments. 

And I didn’t dare look away. I couldn’t. 

He smirked down at me, eyes so observant, and I found myself shaking my head at him with a smile of my own. But sadly he only left me with a sly wink as he traipsed away to sing out into the rest of the audience.

Rosie and Tea had squealed beside me, excited to have captured the singer's focus, whilst I tried to catch my breath.

The show continued on after that and I allowed myself to relax and get lost in the people, their heat, the music. I danced, the girls and I swayed, twirling about, Lewis and I laughed, and I even managed to sing along to a couple of songs I sort of recognised. 

The current one came to an end though soon enough, and Rosie informed me with a glossy eyed smile and smudged liner that the last song was fast approaching, whilst Tea just pulled out her phone to record again. 

I nodded at my sister, squeezing her close before she pivoted away back towards her best mate, leaving me to sip at the drink I’d been trying not to spill all down myself due to the constant shoving and pushing.

Minutes went by and Matty engaged with the burly bloke on bass- whose hair I found I’d rather like to touch (because honestly, how did he get it so glossy?). Before he continued on, pointing out signs here and there, and sparking up another massive round of cheers by vocalising the inner workings of his mind, which was something he supposedly did quite often. Enough for the rest of the band to begin playing again only to shut him up. That had made me giggle. 

Dozens of faces passed over the main screen, most of them beaming, or crying, there wasn’t much of an inbetween. And Matty interacted with them all, grinning and joking in such a way that only screamed sincerity.

The shouts around us only started to double then when he made his way over to our section, and even my own heartbeat sped up as I watched his eyes drag over the absurdly large crowd. He was unfairly attractive, okay? I could easily see why my sister had taken such a shine to him.

He was smiling and my pulse stuttered then stopped altogether when Matty paused right by us, to look me directly in the eye, his eyebrows drawn tightly together.

“Alright, darling? Having a good night?” He quizzed me, the sudden weight of his attention making me jump even though the surrounding screams had yet to cease. “What’s in the bag?”

I glanced down at the liquid filled bag I was still holding, gaze drifting to Lewis for a split second before it darted back up towards the singer. “Vodka.” I told him before I could think better of it.

The sound Matty produced then was almost inhuman and I was actually quite proud of myself for having been the cause of it.

“Definitely snuck that in.” He accused, quieter this time around and with a growing smile. The audience laughed.

Rosie and Tea spun around to face me, huge smiles threatening to split their faces in half, as my brows pinched.

“Way to out me to an entire arena!” I instantly called back, ducking slightly to avoid the eyes of the hefty security man stood on the other side of the barricade. Matty’s cackle echoed out around me, coming from all directions.

“Oi, mate! Escort her out, will you?” Matty ordered, nodding down at the same man I’d previously noticed. “Ruining it for everyone.”

I gaped, eyes widening in sudden alarm whilst he just shook his head at me, feigning disappointment.

Thankfully though the singer was quick to go back on his word, waving the guard (who had actually begun to MOVE) off with a sway of his hand and a thoroughly amused grin.

Fuck, this man was really going to be the death of me, I thought. 

I willed my racing heart to slow.

“I’m just joking, love.” Matty reassured me, eyes twinkling under the array of lights. “Spotted you a couple times tonight, actually. Like to stand out, don’t you?”

It didn’t sound like much of a question.

“Might do.”

I could physically feel my brain struggling to make my mouth cooperate, and I figured I might’ve drunk a tad too much, because I usually wasn’t this tactless. Which was how I managed to surprise even myself with the next sentence I fired back.

“Or maybe it’s just you.”

“Just me?” Matty queried with a tilt of his head, and he squatted down then, bouncing on the balls of his feet for a moment before he took perch on the side of the stage. “What do you mean?”

“You’re the one who spotted me.” I retorted with a smug smile, raising my voice to be heard. “I’m just one face in a thousand. Nothing I did.”

He hummed, mouth quirked to one side. “So this is all on me then?”

I shrugged casually, but my mind was reeling.

Matty laughed before he motioned me closer. “Here’re.” He prompted, jutting his chin out and willing the crowd to woefully part. “Come on, let her through. Let her through.”

I frowned but did as I was told, slipping my way past the few who had actually managed to claim the metal fence before us, quirking a confused brow up at him.

He towered above me, even from where he was seated on the stage, and I willed back my shock when he proceeded to jump down from off his perch and approach me. My heart hammered and a lump formed in my throat.

“Have you got a favourite song of ours?” He asked and I actually felt how embarrassed I must have looked in that moment, gifting the singer a sheepish smile before I quietly informed him that I didn't have one.

His head jerked back, “What do you mean, you don’t have one?”

The sudden crow of Rosie's voice sounded above the rest of the buzzing noise then and I was unsure on whether or not to be grateful for it.

“She’d never heard any of them before tonight!”

I grimaced slightly from behind the hand that had come up to hide my face, silently hoping for the ground to just open up and swallow me whole. I could feel the heat radiating in my cheeks and the tips of my ears, knowing full well that Tea was definitely recording every inch of this mortifying moment.

“Oh, so we have a fake fan within our midsts?” Matty voiced and it was full of mirth, he found pleasure in his teasing. 

A soft brush touched my skin and before I even knew what was occurring my hand was being pried away from my flushed cheeks by the singer himself, who looked me dead in the eye and had the utter nerve to wear the most devastating grin.

“Is this all part of your plan? Lure me in and then break my heart. How’re you at my gig, after never having heard a single one of our songs?”

“I’ve heard a few!”

But my attempt to defend myself was waylaid, it seemed Matty had other ideas.

The frontman nodded over towards Rosie, who blanched under his gaze. “Go on. Tell me more. What’s her motive here?”

I watched on as Tea nudged my younger sister into talking, Rosie too shellshocked to remember that she had the biggest gob I’d known to man.

“Um,” My sister startled, blinking away before she took a deep breath, “I dragged her along tonight. Me and my friend, we’re huge fans!”

“Lovely to meet you. Glad you could make it- only wish you’d made a listener out of this one beforehand!”

“We’ve tried!” Rosie exclaimed with an exasperated sigh that had me rolling my eyes. It appeared as though she'd reverted back to her usual self, despite being under the gaze of her favourite person in the entire world. Yes, you could be assured that that was an actual quote.

“Oh it’s like that is it?” Matty asked, peering down at me. I couldn’t tear my gaze away, his brown eyes smudged with kohl making them that much more enticing.

His attention differed then, flitting back towards my sister.

“She seemed to be enjoying the set whenever I looked over though, so what happened?”

“She’s stubborn!” Rosie shouted back, and I could hear her muffled laughter through the crowd, probably upon seeing me so put out.

“Stubborn, are we?” Matty smirked, and his lips were by my ear before I knew any better, his mic long forgotten. “I like a challenge.”

And then he was gone, back to wooing the crowd and making the most of having all this attention.

I let myself slip back into the seams, breathing heavily as my sister and Tea joggled me about, Lewis and his boyfriend beaming madly from ear to ear. I tried to focus.

What had just happened?

Part Two>

[widowhawks]

sorry to vent again but ive had the worst night im actually dyinf

tw for harassment and fatphobia and anti-therian sentiments ig?

so i have paws drawn on my boots bc it makes me feel rlly happy as a therian. i was walking home from the store, on the phone with my dad, and this group of girls started to bark at me? so obv i turned around and i was like "????excuse me????" and they started yelling at me abt how they weren't talkin to me and telling me to go away, and since i was in a mood, i said "ok, but like, do you think people can't hear you?" and she asked me how old i was, and my stupid ass was rounding up, so i said "17" since i turn 17 next week. she threatened to call her sister and have her sister beat me up, and i said "alright, madam, that won't be necessary" and tried to walk away. but she called me a fatass. I'm recovering from an ED, so i rlly don't take comments on my weight rlly well, so i turned around and said "EXCUSE ME??" and she kept fuckin going and acting like i was all in her face and whatever so i just walked off as they kept barking and making fun of me and calling me fat. i started crying and i know they could tell, i went to my stepmom's house to cool off a minute and then went to go get myself and my dad dinner. and then they were at the restaurant i was gonna order at.... so ofc i called my dad and i was trying to walk off and they pulled up to me w their car and i tried to run but their mom got out of the car and started demanding to see my parents, saying i "ASSAULTED" her 14 YEAR OLD. I HAD NO IDEA HOW OLD THESE KIDS WERE AND I DIDNT TOUCH THEM???? i didn't even make any threats back either, but i was so scared, i was sobbing and shaking and screaming that i didnt do anything and i just wanted to go home, until my dad came, and by this point i was on the fucking ground bc my legs were shaking so bad that i couldn't stand, and there were people around trying to defend me, until my dad pulled me up and helped me walk away.... i don't think anybody believed that i had done anything, i was just begging for them to leave me alone already, i just wanted to go home.... im still reeling so hard bc what did i even do?? and they claimed to have a video, and they said they were gonna post it, theysaid something about pressing charges and im just. so. fucking. scared. im so scared and tired and i feel so worthless and awful and i hate myself... i might have to take the paws off my boots now too bc i dont feel safe and im just. so. done...

[progmanx]

I'm gonna lay all of this out right now so it is on the record, and I probably should have done this last week when I actually saw that Ch115 of Black Lagoon was out (and that apparently all of the previously untranslated ones had been translated officially on Viz in like March??? Is the series ending or are they just doing this for everything?) but hear me out:

Majeur is Yukio's older sister.

Okay. I'll explain. I know, "just because they are both from Japan doesn't mean they're related!" and I agree. This would not have crossed my mind if not for the GIANT KABUKI TATTOO on her upper body.

We're gonna circle back to this. Keep it in your brain. Also, I can't believe it but Rei Hiroe actually crafted a scenario where swimsuits were entirely necessary to the story.

That is not a joke. We're gonna get there. Need to set some things up for you.

Majeur apparently had a younger sister according to her former comrades, and the previous Auriculaire (the blonde that kept screaming Majeur was a lesbian) was someone she was so protective of she is still not okay about her death in "L'homme Sombre".

I do not have Vol 12 digitally, so trust me on this one.

I must've read 114 and 115 about fifteen times at this point because I kept finding little things that are so damned interesting (that's a different discussion but no surprise I love it) and at first I'm thinking "well this is the calm before the storm" because that's a no brainer. The comparisons between Revy and Majeur, and the little jokes about "it'll be confusing if one of us dies because we both have tattoos, are Asian women, and you want to ALSO have two guns?" and just a ton of other small and large things would, in any other story, be giant death flags for Revy.

I don't think that's where we're going. I think it's somewhere WAY more interesting considering we already know Majeur's #1 priority is survival and has no real loyalty to Balalaika.

Because all of these little pieces (the diving, teaching her to tie the rope, how the city works; basically everything she ever taught Rock and a few things she learned from Rock...) start to add up about Revy's growth as a person, and how many callbacks and connections are being made to the entirety of the story, combined with Revy breaking up a barfight before it starts between Majeur and Eda (holy shit???) and it paints a picture that is screaming right in our face.

Classic Hitchcock suspense. The bomb under the dinner table that the guests don't know about, but we do. We don't know when it will go off. Only that it will.

Gonna hit you with some stuff.

I don't think it is an accident that Revy's "dream" is wanting people to shoot her in the face and not the back, because she sure as hell lives by it.

I don't think it is an accident that Revy explicitly mentions she has been to Japan in front of Majeur and recognizes the word kabuki (remember!!!) I don't think it is an accident that Majeur is about to say her name at the end of 113 and Rock stops her, trying to be a "cool guy" because on the one hand he is correct, you can be someone else.

Start over. He did. Revy did. Dutch totally did. Balalaika did. Feng did. On the other hand, narratively, what is the one name that exists for a Japanese person to have that would carry any significance?

The one name that the only two people in existence would hear and have a visceral reaction to, as they are the only ones who know what actually happened?

Washimine.

Yukio Washimine.

It gets better, though. Remember that kabuki tattoo? I could go into what each one represents, and they're pretty neat, but more importantly...

He's quoting the play "Sukeroku". Listen, you don't do this TWICE. You don't show us this super specific thing TWICE and not have it be a giant neon sign. This is no damned accident, and it makes sense.

Jane came back. Roberta came back. Why not Tokyo? Throw in Takenaka (this would be INSANE and I am so here for it) and you've got the full set.

Majeur asking about honor when she's taken hostage by Rock, Revy, and Shenua and Rock's response being "That's a mafia thing" suddenly has quite a bit more weight to it.

We know the Washimine group were without a proper leader for a long time, which is what lead to their desperation in calling in Hotel Moscow to deal with the Kosa Kai. A teensy bit of conjecture, but "things happened" is probably about "my dad, the Yakuza boss, was murdered and I fled the country"

Why did Yukio stay behind? Could be that they're half-sisters. Same dad, different moms. Could be a lot of things.

Yukio took up the mantle, Chaka got his hands chopped off, Balalaika holds Rock at gunpoint in a parking garage, etc. We know that story; it's absolutely amazing and needs no reiteration even this many years later.

What does this mean? Why does this matter? Well, Majeur and Ginji both went up against Balalaika and Revy. The latter is dead because he had a reason to live; he wasn't focused on survival.

Majeur? She lost her Yukio. The first time was literal. The second time was in Nigeria. She stopped trying to go after Balalaika and Revy because there wasn't any point to it. She had no one to protect. No one to fight for.

And there's one more thing...

Yeah, man. I think this is essentially Yukio back from hell itself to take revenge on Balalaika. Revy's just the one who shot Ginji. She isn't responsible for the complete eradication of the Washimine group, and she has been trying to help Majeur because she obviously sees way too much of who she used to be in her.

Rock helped Garcia with Roberta, and they told him to fuck off...and rightfully so. It got dark. What dragged him out of the funk? Helping himself, Feng, in a way that was far less destructive and much more productive. What I imagine some have forgotten is that Revy also had an expy (this whole series is just parallel and intersecting character arcs and foils with the strangers who come to down I love it so so much) that told her to fuck off just as much, if not much more effectively and painfully: Fabiola.

Fabiola never needed her help. She just thought she did. Majeur actually does benefit from Revy's advice because, shockingly enough, she isn't filled with nearly as much hate or bitterness as she used to be.

Feng and Majeur were basically the 'second chances' for Rock and Revy respectively, after "The Dance of Death". Take it back further, and this whole thing really could have been trying to make up for how things went down in Tokyo, as Yukio and Ginji were far more explicit and direct foils than Roberta, Garcia, and Fabiola ever were.

And this isn't even getting into the Balalaika side of things. That's a whole other conversation. God, I love this series so damned much!

Revy making a bet with Balalaika with Majeur as the---oh, shit, right, I don't have Vol 12 digitally, but you just have to trust me that Hiroe did bring the "people are like dice" concept again, but it was REVY who did it. It was when they're driving Majeur after she starts talking, and Revy responds with something like "Why do you care? You already threw your dice."

Majeur has direct access to Balalaika at some point in the future. She has the perfect ticking time bomb of a motive to want her dead, and Revy's gamble might make Majeur too well connected and too skilled to be stopped before it is way too late.

No idea how this will pan out, but I fucking love this series.

[kaaragen]

YES IM SO GLAD YOU REBLOGGED THE ASK GAME! 😍 I’d like to know ❤️💕🦋🦈💘🚦📚🎨

❤️ Argh! this is the one I was hoping I wouldn't be asked because I remember having a line I was very proud of but I can't remember what the damn thing was now! XD

Of the lines I remember liking, I'd say this one is one I'm very pleased with looking back, as sentimental as it is. Ignore the fact that I'm cheating because there's more than one, but the context of the previous line is necessary:

"Because you, and millions of others, have fought and suffered through a war that’s killed billions, wrought by the most sophisticated minds of the age.

"So maybe childish, naïve and idealistic is worth a try."

💕 It has to be And if we Fell Together, which I think is also the best thing I've written. It honestly still boggles my mind how popular that became, and especially when I think about how close I was to never actually writing or posting it. But I'm very glad I did, and reading it back gives me so much joy. I don't think I'll ever be able to thank the people who read it enough, or convey how much it meant to me, not least for the confidence boost it gave me when I was at a really low point.

🦋Oof, that's actually a tough one...I like writing Ahsoka and Barriss for different reasons; mainly because they are interesting foils in how they hide their insecurities. Barriss presents with a lot of poise and decorum, but internally she's a hot screaming mess; whereas Ahsoka outwardly projects confidence, but is very insecure and almost uses 'running headfirst at things' to stop herself from thinking and being paralysed.

But lately, I'm really enjoying teenage Tatooine Leia and pre-fuck-up-with-the-Duchess Sabine. Both are quite fun to unpick and work backwards from their canon characters and think 'okay, but if they were in this environment and didn't have that what would they be like?' without removing their essential natures as characters.

🦈 It used to be Luminara, as I really struggled to get a handle on her. After her confrontation with Barriss, where she loses her poise, it became a lot easier as it clicked that she's devoutly committed to the Jedi Order and the spiritual ideals of the Force, but is also using them to mask her uncertainties about what to do in situations.

As of now, it's probably Seventh Sister - who is fun to write, but also needs care as she is a mess and it's easy for her characterisation to split too far too soon and there's less in canon to anchor with.

(The Spectres as a whole are tricky, because you have to give each of them something to do, and also have them react in ways that fit each character, without that becoming a litany of reciting. God knows how Tamsyn Muir manages to do it so effortlessly in The Locked Tomb...)

💘It will surprise no one when I say angst XD My brain just seems to be wired for it (and I like to think I do it pretty well). But I maintain that angst makes the fluff worth it/better when it comes. So there!

🚦I've changed on this one. I used to think I was more of a 'bad' ending person, but perhaps years of reading Grim Dark stuff has worn me down. Or, writing has made me realise I'm more sentimental than I thought. Either way, I like plausible happily ever afters or ambiguity tinged with hope.

📚Ooo, that's a good question. I couldn't narrow down to just one, so I'll say that The Padawans (by someone you may not have heard of, called JediMasterBailey :P) and The Erosion of the Spirit by @425599167 are different, brilliant, takes on canon-compliant Barriss redemption arcs; Down to my Knees (Up en Pointe) by @cafffine is the best Inquisitor Barriss fic I've ever read, with Tomorrow, She'll see the Sky Again by @thevalaxy being the best post-Inquisitor Barriss fic I've read. Then there's Where I've Always Been and Coming Home to You by Gabby (Kirahsoka), which are amazing and made a sceptic of modern-world AUs and fantasy-world AUs like me rethink my scepticism.

Special shout-out goes to Pity and Reforging by @mylordshesacactus, which were the first Barrisoka fics I read and Jesus Christ, I think they fundamentally altered my brain chemistry and will haunt me until my dying day.

🎨Well, someone (not naming because I don't know if they want to be) very nicely asked if they could do fanart inspired by And if we Fell Together, which was about the happiest day of my life! I've seen some drafts and it looks incredible and I'm incredibly excited to see the finished version!

If there were to be a specific scene, I'd go for Ahsoka and Anakin's starfighter duel as I really like the imagery in that one! Oh, and also the first kiss!

[evita-shelby]

Tie your heart to mine

Chapter 9

No warnings, i think.

Gif by @sibirr

“Will you tell me what you saw?” He asks as he walks her home from one of Lois’ performances. She is getting more gigs and has yet to know Diane may or may not have been behind it.

Especially now that she played at a club who’s owner is an associate of her dad’s.

He’d be climbing up the side and up her balcony later, but for now they are to pretend nothing improper is going on.

It’s August now.

Well, it was as of an hour ago.

In two weeks it will be her twentieth birthday, something she’s alluded to plenty of times.

Diane knows what he means, and yet she plays dumb as she keeps walking even when he stops. “What haven’t I’ve seen; do you want the name for the winning dogs at the track again?”

That had worked to distract him from it in the previous times.

She knows she promised to be honest about this, but this will change things.

For fucks sake, how do you go about telling someone he is going to be shipped away to fight in a war worse than the one their fathers fought in a decade ago?

“Diane.” He doesn’t let go of her hand even when it hangs awkwardly in the distance between them, insisting on knowing what she saw in those brief seconds that come at random since that evening.

When she left last weekend to visit her family for Gabriel’s fourteenth birthday, the uniform appeared as did some fading bruises at the train station.

He was leaning on the wall outside this morning, and she saw him wearing a coat over his uniform and holding a canary in a birdcage.

Somehow, she knew the canary’s name was Vera and he was hiding a slight tremor in his hand.

Letting go of his hand she turns on her heel and looks at him as she pronounced his doom. “Seaman, third class air gunner. Or at least that was what the badge your uniform meant.”

Something terrible is going to happen to him during the war, she knows it in her bones like a chill that never leaves.

“Mum did always like dressing me up in sailor suits when I was little.” Tom comments pretending he is fine and hoping his quip makes her forget this is a bad thing.

Of course, she tells him he might die and he makes a fucking joke about it.

The witch gives him a look that sets him off.

“What do you want me to say, Diane?” Tom’s demeanour changes, he is so much more than the cheeky arsehole she can’t help but love and yet she had never seen this side of him since the night they got arrested.

“Anything, a sign that you fucking understand how serious it is!” she finds herself answering. “Tom---"

Not once after had they had a fight like this.

This time she knows he won’t be coming in through her window.

He stands straighter, squares up to her as he gives in and voices all that he pushes away and pretends doesn’t make him afraid.

“Do you want me to cry and scream because I know I won’t be me when I come back, if I come back at all?

That I will end up like my old man and be an even bigger burden to my sister?

Is that what you wanted, Diane?”

He doesn’t raise his voice and yet he doesn’t need to get his point across.

“And somehow you want me to be alright with you keeping shit like this because you think I need you to protect me.

I’ve never lied to you, and fuck me for thinking you were done with the lying.”

Diane is left speechless and can’t make noise leave her mouth as he looms over her angry at the world for damning him and her for dishonesty after promising to never lie to him again.

When he walks away she knows its over.

For the first time in months, Diane wakes up to find her bed cold and empty without him.

Everything is set for when the factories switch from cars to tanks.

The personnel has been given the necessary training and sworn to secrecy to keep it from public knowledge.

They’ll still be woefully underprepared, but the select few who are starting wartime production tomorrow will be the ones giving the allies a chance to have enough to tide them over.

This is the first time Diane is at the table with the rest of board.

Her father stands at the head of the table, mother beside him and Diane sitting between her mama and Aunt Linda who has been the treasurer since Aunt Polly died ten years ago.

Uncle Arthur is here for show and to support his wife who’s stopped trying to run the company through him.

Uncle Finn sits behind him, with his wife Deborah and her brother, Isiah.

Lizzie Stark, dad’s former secretary and wife of her mother’s cousin, Santiago Rosales, runs the London offices and handles all business regarding Europe sits at the right of her husband.

Tiago takes the other end of the table and represents Riley International, the company owned and operated by their family for more than a century.

Officially.

Unofficially, he is an agent of the Crown who helps them get as many refugees out of Europe as possible while

There were many missing.

After Aunt Polly’s murder and that of his wife, Michael Gray gave up his place as the family’s accountant and head of the American offices, Aunt Ada had picked up the slack.

“Before we start this extraordinary general meeting of the board of the Shelby Company Limited, I would like for us to welcome, Diane Elizabeth Shelby to the board.”

Her dad has always been very formal about these meetings, well, the official ones anyways.

Here he addresses her as merely another employee, another gear in the great machine and not his ---soon to be--- twenty year old daughter.

She is not the youngest member of the board, Finn and Michael had been.

Both had been eighteen when they were brought on.

She is ,however, the first of the children to take an active roll in it.

“I am merely here to observe and provide input about the Manchester branch.” She says when prompted and feels very proud of herself even though Diane won’t be doing anything of substance here.

And sure enough, with the exception of reporting that the factories under her dominion are ready to start producing tanks and other military equipment tomorrow, Diane does absolutely nothing else beside observing her family run the business they built from scratch.

Even the

“Right. I declare this extraordinary general meeting over.” Thomas Shelby removes his glasses, wipes them clean and the formality is gone.

Those not part of the beast hiding underneath the polished wood are effectively thrown out.

“Sorry, sweetheart, you too.” He adds when Diane does not realize that her place in the board comes with conditions.

The young witch knows she should feel relieved that she is not part of her family’s true business, but she isn’t.

“Now we can talk about the real business.”

[summercreolefanfictioner]

Can you write about Estelle × Shuu please ?

I miss writing abt DL x GoT au

fleeting, wandering, leaving (diabolik lovers x game of thrones au)

pairing: shuu sakamaki x estelle (this is @yourlocaltea's OC btw) feat. yuma

tw: mentions of violence and nsfw

STORY MASTERLIST

Shuu watched the first fall of snow in the North, faster at its own pace, melting in his fingertips the moment they made contact. It was gone too soon, like a memory of yesterday, of a woman who caught the first snow and gave him a genuine smile, wide toothy grin, beaming eyes, and laughter that echoed like church bells.

"Estelle..."

"Huh? Who's that?"

Shuu was out of his trance, blinking in surprise to see Yuma standing beside him, carrying piles of wood for their fireplace. "The children and the women of Castle Black should be able to maintain their health," he explained. "They can't survive the future days if they die because of something shitty like winter."

Shuu hummed in agreement. In just a few minutes, they'll struggle to keep up with the cold, and while the women of the castle have already prepared all the necessary blankets and food for everyone, the men must ensure these women and children will live to see it all. After all, they're the backbone of their operations.

"By the way, who's that person you mentioned again?" Yuma reverted back to the topic at hand. "Esther? Ella?"

"Estelle," Shuu corrected, his tone a bit harsh, making Yuma think this 'Estelle' person is so special the blonde prince got annoyed when he got her name wrong.

"Okay, so who's she?" the bigger man asked. "A friend of yours? Your sister?"

"No."

Shuu walked back to the castle, avoiding the topic of Estelle further. Whenever he was reminded of her, he would feel a void inside him, like someone ate a piece of his heart and left a hole so he would be trapped there forever and drown. That's why he got rid of everything that screamed of 'Estelle,' from flowers, handkerchiefs, blankets, gloves, pillows—basically everything.

Or so he did—

"Oi, lazyass!" Yuma called his attention, running up to him after dropping off the wood he chopped. He was still frustrated at Shuu for evading his questions about this Estelle woman and the mystery she holds. "I just wanna talk about that Estelle lady, you know. You've never mentioned anything about yourself here, then you go talking to melted snow about her."

Shuu sighed in frustration. This fucker can't get a hint. "Forget about it. It's stupid anyway."

Yuma snorted at that. Like please, what stupid? All men are stupid anyway, going to wars to fight and have money when they can just farm with their wives and children. That's why he went to the Wall and served along with Shuu so he can protect people instead of waging wars against noble houses.

"Look, I know our duty comes first before your romance, but you know we're in the Wall now," Yuma pointed out. "Maybe we can... uh... you know... find that Estelle or send her a letter and tell her to go here. That way, she's alive and well."

Shuu sighed again. But this time, it was more like he was tired than frustrated. "I appreciate the concern, but there's no need."

"Huh? Why?" And then Yuma realized something. "I-Is she dead?" He gasped a bit in horror, scratching the back of his head. "If that's the case, I'm so—"

"No." Shuu was hesitant. He has never told anyone about Estelle. Maybe this was the best time. "Estelle's not dead... or... at least according to my last memory."

"Huh? What the heck are you talking about?"

"Estelle..." A memory of the said woman flashed in his mind, her brave facade as she held the straps of her bag tightly. She smiled at him for the last time and said her last words. "She went somewhere far away before I went here."

Upon seeing Shuu's distant and confused expression, Yuma got a hint about Estelle and her effect on the blonde prince. He remembered countless rumors about one of Karlheinz's spawns being caught bedding a lowly whore, and the said whore was publicly shamed because of the forbidden act. At the time, Yuma thought of it as nothing but old women gossip since it can be quite common for nobles to sleep with whores. He just did not expect to find out it was Shuu, though.

"Is she your woman or something?" Yuma asked, possibly for clarification since it looked to him that Shuu still had feelings for her.

"Yes. Estelle is my woman," he responded. There was an eerie sense of longing in his words. "However..."

"Hm?"

"... I am not her man."

The snow kept falling from the sky as silence filled the air. And there was a distant memory of the first snow, of Estelle, who ran outside the castle to catch it with her tongue, and how she wrapped her poorly knitted scarf around Shuu to protect him from the cold. The cloth was practically garbage, but Shuu kept it as a memento. An ode to something that is never meant to last. An affection he wasn't able to pursue.

[aquanova99]

Hey, I noticed in a lot of your Hcs have Kate kind of resenting being turned and wanting to leave. So could you maybe elaborate on the relationships between the sisters?

I have been waiting on this question 🧎‍♀️

•Kate•

From what we know in canon Kate loved her life, was proud of what she did. The fact of the matter is that Sasha saw Kate said “hmm I could make a sister for Tanya and get another daughter.” Turned her and expected a happy family. But imagine you are with people you consider family, doing a job you love, and someone comes and kills everyone around you. You’ve failed at your job, lost your friends, you’ve been in excruciating pain for days and now some blonde woman is telling you that you have a new mother and sister.

Kate has no one. She’s not like Kachiri who went back and kind her friends and they all agreed to live together. She has no one. No idea why her throat burns. No idea what the rules are. And no one she can complain to because one of them(Sasha) is delusional enough to think Kate would thank her for ruining her life and the other(Tanya) is mad that she wasn’t enough of a daughter and annoyed that Kate’s ungrateful for her new family.

Sasha paints the volturi as monsters, cruel and evil rulers. As much as she would want to leave now she’s even more terrified of the world she’s been brought into. So, she keeps to herself. Not talking to either of the other two women unless absolutely necessary. In my opinion the reason Kate got her gift at all was because she was so guarded against Sasha and Tanya.

Sasha tried to talk to her first, telling her they would get over this as a family but as she rested her hand on Kate’s back, we’ll you guessed it. She was wracked with pain, and her screams of course, brought Tanya in a rush. She’d had enough of Kate’s attitude anyway but as she went to attack her, same thing, Kate grabbed her hand to block her and electricity flowed through the hand she used to grab Tanya and now Tanya was doubled over in pain until Kate released her. Kate, on her end, had no idea how she did that and just told them not to touch her again. When they go hunting Tanya tries to convince Sasha to let Kate leave but Sasha saw Kate as protection. So, at this point any scary stories about the volturi are turned to the max. Sasha tells her how she would either be enslaved or killed due to her power and she should only use it in emergencies. Great, Kate thinks, now I really can’t leave.

She still doesn’t say much. And now that they know what she can do, they don’t push it. Kate starts practicing though or she wants to. Because she realizes she has no idea how to control and now she can barely feel anything emanating from her fingertips. But she’s angry, her human memories are fading and what she does remember is foggy, as if her brain has a protective mist around her past life. So, when she goes hunting she goes at night, more easily hidden. She realizes she can see her powers when she “accidentally” brushed by someone. Great. She can work with this, and she does, she walks with a cloak, trying to blend so she can reach out and see exactly how much she has each time she focuses on shocking somebody. When the humans start to get loud she quickly feeds and moves on. She somewhat hopes Tanya or Sasha try to confront her again, but they know better.

Then Sasha comes across Irina. A short and beautiful peasant girl. Perfect, no attachments. Kate is furious and fully plans to run away with the new vampire but stays quiet. Unfortunately for Kate, Irina had no family. Sasha was the perfect mother, and now she had sisters, perfect sisters she could count on. Irina was more than happy and while Tanya had resented Kate, the young vampires enthusiasm made her grow fond of Irina. Irina tried hard to get everyone to like her and really, Kate couldn’t help likening her either. So, she would talk to the younger girl, doing her hair and asking her what she liked. Tanya and Sasha are shocked she can even speak the same language as they hadn’t really heard her speak in years so they assumed she hadn’t bothered learning the newer language. This of course, makes Tanya all the more resentful of Kate. Unlike her, Kate begins tolerating Tanya’s presence at least for Irina. So they both play nice and after several years are at least indifferent to eachother. Sasha continues her warnings to Irina about the volturi but also states if she’s in trouble, they have Kate. Kate saw her words for what they were, she would be a sacrifice, she would be the one fighting or being taken while the others escaped.

Anyways, years and they all live rather peacefully. But while Irina looks youthful, what Sasha wants is a child, a perfect little child, that would never grow up. So when they’re supposed to go hunting, she steals Vasili and makes the poor baby undergo the worst pain possible. She tells the girls she has to visit a friend, and try as she might she couldn’t control the toddler. And well, you know the rest. The volturi come and they’re just as scary as Sasha said, and Kate…well Kate is so terrified she can’t even think about using her gift she has to protect Irina, so she decides to wait until they try and attack her. And then they, well they don’t. They kill Sasha but honestly she could care less about her, when Aro touches all of them it’s Kate’s mind that convinced him to let them go. Maybe Kate will want to join after a while, but not if they kill Irina. So he comes up with the excuse to let them go, it’s not a lie anyway they really didn’t know, but this way Caius gets to do his thing and now he at least has an ally in Kate (so he thinks).

Irina and Tanya are heartbroken so Kate becomes their pillar. Well she becomes Irinas pillar and Tanya’s emotional punching bag. Tanya thinks she should have helped their mother, Irina is just crying all the time. And frankly Kate is just terrified everything her maker said was true (it’s not) and she’s trying to keep Irina calm. Tanya grieves her own way and they let her, and shortly Irina follows suit. Kate just lured the men in for a meal she couldnt care less about any more emotional attachment.

Until Carmen and Eleazar come, Tanya and Kate are back on barely talking unless Irinas around. Kate follows the diet because Irina begs her to, she felt especially bad about a man she had grown actual feelings for. And whatever, blood is blood. Eleazar is very kind but Carmen is the one who charms them. Carmen and Kate become friends immediately and is actually the one that invites them to join, partly because she’d enjoy more company and partly because Tanya can’t turn them away when they’re so thankful that she’s been so welcoming. Kate has an evil smirk when Tanya glares at her. But honestly it’s for the best, Carmen gets Kate to break down why she’s so hurt about everything. So she forced Tanya and her to basically just air it all out. Tanya feels better to know that she was going to save Irina, and Kate agrees to play nice (she still hurt about her abduction though). After a few weeks they are neutral again and after awhile have the same relationship roommates might have. Still the two to fight the most but most everyone takes that sibling bickering. It’s not.

This the relationship between the sisters until Irina is triggered by Restingheartrate. Those volturi fears once again resurface. When she’s killed Tanya and Kate do grow closer but now they have nothing bonding them together. Kate found Garrett and soon enough they will leave for at least a few years to get to know eachother. And as much as she loves Carmen, she knows Garrett won’t judge her past. Or her feelings towards her family. She doesn’t have to hide how she didn’t grieve Sasha, how she still can’t fully forgive Tanya for some reason. And for his credit, he doesn’t. Garrett reassures her, let’s her have fun, and I mean actual fun being a vampire, and frankly their energy brings out the best in eachother. Tanya and her are cordial when they see one another but that’s it. They have nothing to connect the two anymore and now Tanya is all alone, she still doesn’t have her own person. She’s puts on a brave face but is bitter that she ended up with no one and nothing Carmen says will change that. I imagine they all live as a coven of five for a few years before she goes on her own to be a nomad.

[allthingsfangirl101]

TOS Chapter 11: A Thing That Cannot Be

Masterlist

Steve easily picked Alice up bridal style and carried her to the couch. He gently laid her down, making sure her head was resting on the pillow. He moved a piece of hair that fell in front of her face.

"Is she going to be alright?" El asked as she stepped up next to Steve. He looked over his shoulder at her.

"She's going to be fine," he whispered. "She just needs to rest, okay? She told me the other day this happens."

"What do you mean?" Dustin asked.

"Alice and I were talking and she told me that she often gets dizzy spells," Steve explained to the group. "After she healed Max, she passed out in her car."

"What?!" Several of the kids panicked.

"Relax," he laughed. "It's normal."

Steve ignored the irony when he realized their reactions were exactly the same as his was when she first told him. He looked back at Alice, something inside him changing. As he watched Alice sleep, a specific thing she said the other day repeated in his head.

"I could run as far as I wanted but I could never escape him. I have to finish this once and for all. No matter what."

"Whatever we do," he said under his breath, "we cannot let Alice face Vecna alone."

"I get that," Dustin chuckled, "but why are you pointing it out?"

Steve finally tore his eyes away from Alice and turned back toward the group.

"If Henry finds out his sister is still alive, he'll kill her."

"How do you know that?" Robin asked.

"Alice told me the other night," Steve said simply.

"The other night?" Nancy asked, trying not to sound as interested as she was.

"Last night, I couldn't sleep so I went on a walk," he sighed as he explained. "I ended up running into Alice and she joined me on my walk. We got attached by a demodog."

"What?!" Everyone panicked again.

"We fought it off," he said quickly. "Well, Alice did. I ended up getting hurt."

"What?" Dustin repeated.

"It bit down on my ankle," he sighed. "Alice helped me to her hotel room and covered my wound. I slept on her couch and when I woke up this morning, my ankle was still pretty bad. She healed me. We got to talking and she mentioned that we shouldn't go up against Vecna. She then let it slip that if her brother found out about her being alive, he wouldn't hesitate to kill her."

The group glanced behind Steve to see Alice still asleep. That's what Steve loved about this group. Even if they barely knew you, they'd do whatever they could to protect you.

                                * * * * *

The group tried to finish planning their next attack on Vecna, but they couldn't. Every one of them took turns watching her sleep. It was Steve's turn when it seemed like she was waking up.

She wasn't. Instead, she was stuck in the middle of a nightmare.

Steve jumped up the second Alice let out a scream. He collapsed next to her and gently grabbed her shoulders.

"Alice!" He yelled, trying to wake her up. "Come on, Alice. Wake up!"

It took a little bit more work but she finally woke up with one last scream. She sat up straight, struggling to wrap her head around where she was.

"Alice?"

Steve's gentle voice brought her out of her haze. She looked over at him, tears streaming down her face.

"Steve?"

"It's alright," he whispered. "You're safe."

"But Henry. . ."

"He's not here," he tried to calm her down. "He's gone, okay? You're safe, Alice."

She looked around, still struggling to dictate between her nightmare and reality. She looked down at her hands, noting that her powers weren't building. She was calm. Was it because of. . .

Alice looked up to see Joyce whispering something to Steve. He smiled and glanced back at her.

"You should rest," he said, grabbing her hands and pulling her to her feet.

"I should go back to the motel," she said under her breath.

"Absolutely not," Joyce spoke up.

"She's right," Will added. "You can sleep in my room."

"That's not necessary," she started to object but the group instantly started speaking over her.

"They're not going to stop until you agree," Steve laughed so only she could hear him.

"Fine," she gave in. "Just until I get some of my strength back."

Steve instantly wrapped his arm around her waist and started leading her to Will's room. He helped her into the bed, pulling a spare blanket over her. Alice watched as Steve took care of her. She felt all bubbly and nervous.

"There," he said under her breath. "Get some sleep. I'll be in the other room if you need anything."

Alice's heart jumped into her throat when Steve started to leave.

"Steve?" She spoke up, trying to stop him. He turned in the doorway and smiled at her. Alice cleared her throat as she struggled to gather her courage.

"Thank you."

                                * * * * *

"How are you feeling?" Steve asked as he walked into the room with a glass of water. Alice tried to ignore the weird feeling in her stomach when he handed her the glass.

"I'm okay," she sighed. "I just. . . I don't really know how I should be feeling."

"What do you mean?" He sat on the edge of the bed. Alice moved her feet to make room for him.

"I saw him, Steve," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I haven't seen him since the night. . . That night. But he looked different. I saw what the UpsideDown did to him. He clearly likes it. It's just. . . Whoever that was, it's not my brother."

Steve reached over and gently grabbed her hand. He gave it a couple of squeezes, not letting her go.

"You know we're on your side, right?" He asked softly. "This group does insane things to keep each other safe."

"I'm an outsider," she scoffed, looking down at their intertwined hands.

"That doesn't matter," Steve said quickly. Alice held her breath when he scooted closer to her. "You're a part of our group now, which means we'll do what we can to keep you safe."

Alice wasn't sure what was happening as Steve leaned in. By the time she figured it out, their noses were pressed together. He rubbed his nose against hers, ready to take this a step forward.

She wasn't ready.

"We can't do this," she whispered, leaning back.

"Why not?" Steve asked, his stomach flipping.

"Because," Alice hesitated.

"Tell me," he insisted.

"This isn't going to end well," she mumbled.

"What are you talking about?" Steve stuttered.

"For me," Alice clarified. "Fighting Henry. . . It's going to take a lot of power and energy to fight him. I've gone against one of the other experiments before and it nearly killed me. And he wasn't even close to being as strong as Henry. When I go up against him. . . I might not survive it."

"Wait," he said slowly, "are you saying. . . Either Henry is going to kill you or your powers will?"

"Honestly?" Alice scoffed. "Probably both."