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calypsoff2 · 3 years ago

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Twelve

It took me a day to digest what Captain was trying to say to me and I think I get it, it’s a lot to hear when you feel you want something. I very much want to glue my family together; I want that but it’s not the right time and I get it now. Chris and I have spoken on things and he’s happy to let god guide us, I need to stop dwelling on what I haven’t got yet and just spend time with what I have got, my girls. But I am going to be home so much more and knowing what is next for me, I am excited to be going on this journey with Chris and whatever is to come but today is my anniversary so it’s about us and I am so excited to just have fun, I can’t believe I am married for nine years, going on ten next, I can’t believe it. I never imagined myself being married this long, or even getting married so young. I have achieved so much and that is thanks to my husband, he’s been my everything at this point. I can’t thank him enough for the love and support he gives me, I couldn’t have done this without him, and I hope he knows this “Chris” touching the back of his head, someone is knocking on the hotel room door. We kicked the butler out so who can it be, he’s knocked out asleep so he won’t be getting up to find out so I will have to do this myself. Tying the robe tightly around my body as I made my way to the door; I wanted him to go but he won’t get up of course. Dragging the door open and the first thing I see is flower “good morning Mrs Fenty-Brown, we come with gifts. Sorry, did we wake you?” Shaking my head stepping to the side, they both walked in with flowers, a whole bouquet of them actually “please put them on the table” letting the door close “most certainly” following behind then “Happy Anniversary and a Happy New Year to you both” I cooed out “thank you” that’s so sweet of them, I’m excited for today. I feel like we are going to have a good time being able to celebrate us, our marriage and just have a blast, sex of course but I need to wake Chris up.

Chris is dragging his feet, I want to open the card. It must be from Chris anyways, picking the card up and ripping the envelope open, he’s so sweet that husband of mine. Sending flowers in the morning, so thoughtful because flowers will always get you in a good mood, hopefully some diamonds “oh” I said seeing the front of the card, this is not what I expected, and a USB fell out of the card and onto the floor “what is it? I didn’t send these by the way” Chris admitted which made me confused, who the hell would send it if Chris didn’t “right?” Looking at Chris and he just shrugged and then leaned down to look at the card on the flowers “it’s from Rylee, Tianna and Imani” letting out an oh “and them?” I pointed, leaning down and picking the USB drive from the floor “Monica, Rorrey, Rajad happy anniversary” oh I didn’t know that “so just to confirm you haven’t sent me no flowers?” I pointed; Chris chuckled “no?” Pulling a face at him opening the card “happy anniversary Mommy and Daddy” I cooed out “my babies, they sent us this. Oh gosh. They sent a USB drive though” holding it up to Chris “we can use that on the MacBook” he took it from me “shall we watch it now” following behind him “I thought you sent this to me with a gift, so you got me nothing?” I need to ask again “just me babe, you should be blessed that you got me. I thought we wasn’t giving gifts?” Slapping his butt with the back of my hand, I couldn’t help it. It looked so juicy in the boxers as we reached the bedroom “but still” I mumbled, I mean he could have surprised me, he knows I love surprises and he didn’t even get me anything “before you cry, I’m not you. I got you something, I couldn’t do my wife like that now” I shrieked out jumping on the bed and hugging him “see what I mean about you, but I did now let’s see what this is” I am spoilt, and I love it.

I can’t stop touching Chris’ legs, my husband does spoil me, and I love that for me “you done yet?” He’s taking forever to do it, he ain’t good with computers and neither am I but he’s worse than me “I’m trying, oh wait it’s coming up” looking at the MacBook screen as it loaded, resting my head on Chris’ shoulder “you think my mother made them?” I have a feeling “momo Imani is taking over!” Tianna spat; oh my god it’s my babies “look at the girls” now I feel emotional “Imani, come on now” my mother picked her up and bought her back to the couch “now girls, come” my mother walked away from the camera “happy anniversary Rihanna and Chris” I gasped, they both giggled being ever so cheeky my daughters “stop it now, tell them how you miss them” Rylee waved at the camera “happy anniversary mommy and daddy you are old now, I miss you so much!!” I’m getting emotional, what is wrong with me “lots and lots we love you lots and we want you home so we can play games and we go with you” Tianna is looking at my mom “what is the best thing you love about dad and mom, come on girls” my mother said “one thing about dad first, Rylee you start” they are acting out these girls “he always gives me time” looking at Chris “he tells me I’m beautiful” Tianna added “where daddy?!” Imani would be the odd one “I love you daddy” Chris chuckled “let’s start with mom then girls “she is the prettiest ever!” Tianna shouted “oh na na” Imani started singing “she tells me that I can be what I want, and she was sad that time too” Rylee said, “mom and dad are the best” our kids are the best, bless their souls for this video “say bye now” my mother said “bye!!” the girls shouted, Imani quickly got up from the couch “I want daddy” she ran to the camera “hey” the video cut off “oh my god, our babies” I poked my lips out and rested my head on his shoulder “that got me choked up” Chris looked at me all teary eyed “we are so blessed, Captain is right. We are blessed” I am so lucky to have them.

Chris and I of course had to skype girls, after that video we had too “are you there yet mom? You know we can see up your nose” my mother and technology “don’t be silly, let me just see. I think they are here, Mel” oh Mel is there, I didn’t know that “Melissa, call the girls. Imani come here” the girls are running riot clearly “look who is here, my Imani. My baby” my mother sat down “can you see under my mother’ nose” I said to Chris, he just laughed “stop, that is the mother in law now” I chuckled “hi daddy, hi mommy” Imani waved “awww look at you, did momo change your hair?” she looks so sad “mother, did you do her braids again, she is in pain” my mother rolled her eyes “she needed, you are ok aren’t you?” Imani stuck her tongue out at Chris “I miss you mamacita, I love your hair” I can hear the other one “where are they?” Tianna said as she jumped on my mother “we called to let you know we saw the video, and I love it so much. Thank you so so much!” I chimed “you old now mom” rolling my eyes “girl please, you wish” they want me to be old “when are you coming home? Rylee is having a bath; she fell in dirt. We went on a walk” letting out an oh “is she ok?” I asked, I hope she isn’t sad “I think so, I will tell her you said hi, oh she did say love you” I cooed out “Chris looks tired, hope no more babies are being made” I snorted laughing “mother, please” what is she like, she needs to keep her thoughts to herself right now.

I thought I would look extra cute for my man today, he said he got me a gift but I don’t see shit being shown to me with that nigga of mine “oh my god” I said checking my husband out “you showing chest too?” Chris is wearing a black shirt with his top buttons open “my gold chain, I love this chain” Chris looks so handsome “you speak on my chest but ma’am your boobs are showing too and I don’t mind it, they all mine though” I grinned, Chris placed his arm around me “see, I told you Chris. I am yours, all of this is yours” Chris licked his lips, he is impressed “I can’t believe we been married this long, it’s just a blessing to be married to you” moving my head back “peck my lips lightly, do not wipe my lips from the lip gloss” Chris rolled his eyes and moved back “let’s take a picture” waving him over, I want the latest picture of and so that I can post us “god I can’t wait to get you naked Chris, I love when you have a tan too. The way it turns me on” Chris looks so good, he doesn’t understand how fucking handsome looks “wow, I am really getting my ass ate tonight” he is so annoying “in your dream’s nigga” he thinks I will do that with him “you mean you will eat my ass, don’t give me that shit” unlocking my phone, let me take this picture.

I clapped my hands together, then Chris handed me over a card. Staring at the card and then Chris “stop being ungrateful Robyn” he said a gift “this better be something cute” taking the card, Chris keeps looking at my boobs, I have caught him so many times which is making me laugh. This man is going to devour me, and I just can’t wait “are you done?” I said covering my boobs laughing “I am just admiring my wife but open it” pulling the card out of the envelope “I am joking with you, about the gift” I am saying that, but I would have liked a gift “I know you but read it, I have a little something. Read it out loud too” I sighed out, luckily this meal is private, so we got the beach to ourselves and just the sunset. Opening the card “oh wow, you wrote a lot Chris” I am impressed “let me be real with you Robyn, I didn’t get you anything because we said we would leave it for the ten year, so this card was last minute and I realised what we need, what is important to us and what you need. I feel like when you are home we should appreciate it, your birthday is around the corner too, so I wanted to write this thing for you” now I better get the napkins ready “you rushed this, the handwriting” Chris rolled his eyes at me “sorry, right. My twin, I have written a lot of cards for you and you probably sick of hearing the same thing, but being with Captain it’s made me open my eyes with a lot, at times I can be scared to admit things with you but the day with him and admitting what I did, it made me realise that you aren’t scary at all, you just care for me. To look in your eyes and just see the concern and care, nobody has ever cared for me like that. I see what is important to us, married for nine years, we should have been married for longer, life got in the way. Nine years, five kids” I choked out, putting the card down. I knew it with him, let me gather myself. Looking back down at the card “nine years, five kids. Birthed three and two in heaven, five kids for us is tame, we have to do more” I laughed out “I am so blessed to be a girl dad, I wasn’t appreciating what I have and Captain made me realise that, the gift I am giving is not just anything. The gift is that when you go overseas, me and the girls will be with you” my voice broke “I have been stubborn in wanting stability for them to be at home, what is home without mom” putting the card down “I promise you, we will move with you” that is it, he has set me of crying.

He is so annoying, now I am a mess “sorry” Chris chuckled “I didn’t mean to do that to you, sorry” he apologised again “don’t, like” I paused trying to compose myself “I always wanted to say this to you and I have always wanted my kids close, I have suggested things but I left it, I didn’t want to make it seem like I was putting you down, like I was not allowing you to be the man of the house so I just left it you know, I didn’t want to upset you, like you would say it’s always your way, you have to go, you’re leaving to pose half naked, like the arguments wasn’t worth it. Like you assume that I was ok with it, I didn’t miss my three kids, I did but I just didn’t want you to feel like it’s always my way. And this, it means the world to me, it’s the best gift you could have give me. Thank you” Chris chuckled “I am pretty stubborn, like nobody knows and sees that but I am very stubborn, nobody knows that. They think I am too soft on you and that I allow you to be away for so long, but they don’t know I am strict on you, hearing Captain saying what he said, he is right. We aren’t ready for a son, we aren’t appreciating what we got now and it’s wrong, I want us to work better instead of you being away from us, I can’t be without you for that long, fuck that anyways” I smiled so wide, he doesn’t understand what he has done, I am so happy “I don’t mean like if you going New York for a few days but if you are overseas like he said you are, I think it’s best if we just come with you, work through it as a family without being apart, makes you weaker, makes us weaker” this is amazing for me, I just hated being apart from them.

#Chrianna FF #Chrianna #Fanfic #Fanfiction #Chrianna Fanfiction

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lastluvbug · 5 years ago

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Your Trick Me Once and Trick Me Twice was amazing! My poor heart ached as I read it. May I request for a situation where Kalim was depressed after the events of Chapter 4;Jamil says something along the lines of "If only you hadn't exist" and Kalim decides to take drastic actions like attempting suicide? You can choose if his attempt is a success or a fail but I do want to see Jamil's reaction to the attempt though. Of course this is only if you are willing to write this. Thank you very much! :)

Toxins

Haha, you guys sure are enjoying the angsty Kalim fics! Oh well, truth be told, I am too! So let’s continue the sadness train!

Warnings: Extreme suicidal tendencies, toxic behavior, and language.

Please do not read if you are sensitive to these topics.

Vermillion skies bled to dark midnight as a little twinkle on the horizon grew into a thousand stars that created shapes and pictures Kalim loved to trace with his fingers.

Twilight, the death of the day, and the birth of the night. A long time ago, it was the part he dreaded with a passion unmatched by any other. After all, when the sun set, that meant today was over, and all those precious times he’d savored were now nothing more than lightly remembered memories soon to be rewritten, or forgotten. But now... well, now that he had no one to fall back on, no one to reach out to, twilight was now the sweetest kiss he could await for, the kiss that he’d wished to feel, but for now could only see.

Caressed by the wisps of wind that held the slightest hint of spice, he leaned back onto his hands, swathed in the moonlight that seemed to spotlight only on him, on the tears that freely dripped down his cheeks like crystals, a sad smile tugging at his lips. Feet dangling over the edge of the too tall balcony, he drank the taste of night, the bittersweet flavor of the dry desert air.

Sleep had long since been a hazy concept, often coming in sporadic periods that sometimes stretched for hours, and sometimes lasted no longer than five minutes. No longer did he carefreely fall into blissful dreamland, no longer did he find comfort in the silk finery of his sheets, or the clothing that had once fit so snuggly over his already lithe body.

Stomach shrunken, fingers bony, cheeks ever so slightly caved in, Kalim had gone from so heathily full, to a frail petal on the edge of falling from its flower of life. He didn’t need to show anyone the way his ribs had replaced the muscle that used to line the bones, didn’t need to explain why he’d suddenly found nitpicking every food that was placed before him as a new hobby. Probably the worst of all, he refused to allow anyone to see the secrets he was hiding, masked with a terrifying expertise he surely shouldn’t be capable of creating.

Riddled with jagged lines that cut over his shoulders, his hips, his thighs, Kalim hid those so well, walking without a single limp, waving without a flinch, acting as if he didn’t feel the sting of reopening wounds whenever he stretched his limbs a little too far, or the dripping of crimson as sparkly as gems down tanned skin. Laughing soundlessly at the tranquil sky, he sniffled, betraying his actions as the glittery sea of bottled sadness spilled from his eyes.

What was perhaps the scariest feeling of all, was that he simply felt... nothing.

All those smiles to his friends, all those sympathetic hugs he offered to classmates in need, he didn’t feel anything through it. It was as if a switch had been turned off; the dark smothered his light, shutting out the emotions that had so clearly made Kalim, Kalim. He could laugh and cry as much as he wished, but that didn’t cover the fact that it was all... fake? Forced? Imitated?

He knew why. He wrote about it every night, in the journal he kept beneath his pillow. He dreamt about it, whenever he could manage even a glimpse of an image past the realm of sleep. He remembered it, he remembered him. His words. The ones that stabbed him in the back, in the heart he thought he could so foolishly bear to someone who’d once been so trusted.

He knew this was all because of Jamil. But he rejected any thought that came within a hundred feet of blaming him. How could he? How could he even begin to blame Jamil, after everything he’d done?

“Hey, Mr. Oblivious. Won’t you pull your head out of your ass for one goddamn second and pay attention?”

Kalim should’ve been listening better, then Jamil wouldn’t have had to tutor him on basic classes.

“Why won’t you just get out of my life? I’ve told you a million times, and I’m done repeating myself. I’m not your friend. I never have been and never will be. Now leave me alone.”

Was he being too pushy? Maybe... maybe he just needed some space.

“Kalim, get the hell out! Good for nothing leech, just get away from me!”

...How much longer can he do this?

Slow, encumbered, Kalim turned his head to the door of his room, waiting, hoping, praying that the handle would turn, and welcome in the one person he wanted to love again, despite the late, late hour. Staring at the wood, he felt numb, expecting something he knew would never happen.

Falling rather ungracefully from the balcony ledge, he dropped onto his wide bed, onto the plush mattress that was deceivingly firm underneath his back, cradling all the wrong places as his covers practically strangled him in the heat. The tears that came this time weren’t born of fear, or anger, but grief and guilt.

Maybe if he’d been more perceptive, maybe if he’d loved just a little harder, things would be different. But... didn’t it amount to anything that he’d tried? That once, Jamil had been treasured like a brother? Didn’t he care at all that Kalim was suffering?

Cuddling into the overwhelming confusion between suppressing heat and empty cold made Kalim’s head spin, and cradled by the hand of the night that so desperately urged its dimming sunshine into sleep, he felt his eyes slip shut, sinking into a slumber that was neither welcoming, nor satisfying.

<————>

Heavy and cold, shivering in warmth, dimmed in light.

Kalim curled in on himself, sleep clothing askew as he gritted his teeth, chest sinking with a fractured stabbing as he hugged his knees to his chest. Just as the nights before, sleep had brought nothing but a dreamless black that he wished he could stay trapped inside, only to awake yet again in a body that only ever seemed to work against him.

Sitting up, he grunted as his wounds burned, flames traveling through his veins as if salt had been rubbed into his cuts. Tears speckled across his eyelashes as he bit back his cry, every breath he took watering the knot that grew in his throat.

He knew then, with the sensation of cracking glass prodding at his chest, with the cloud that dampened his head, with the glaze that formed over his eyes consisting of dammed tears and bottled fear, he couldn’t do it today. He couldn’t go out and act as if everything was alright. He couldn’t smile and laugh like he’d taught himself to. Because every time, it would come out too broken, it would show the feelings he’d worked so hard to conceal.

He needed to make a trip.

Dressing himself was an especially difficult task, as any small movement made his arms scream in protest, his hips cry in red as mended injuries were pried open, his thighs burn like boiling water had been splashed over them. But, biting his cheek and gritting through it, Kalim disregarded his bodily urges to stop, pulling on his school uniform and sloppily tying his turban, slipping on his pointed shoes to complete the look.

He didn’t even note the time as he headed out, feeling unbearably heavy as he glued his gaze to the floor, wandering through the halls of Scarabia. Along the way, he caught the eye of a few students, who waved energetically. He didn’t have the strength to summon even a hint of a smile back, trudging past them as he blinked, shoving down the water that longed to rush down and cool his warm face.

Pinned with the helplessness of being alone, Kalim hesitantly made his way to the mirror portal that led back to Night Raven’s main building, freezing as he noticed who stood against the wall, cleaning the dirt from his nails. Jamil barely acknowledged Kalim until he was within reaching distance, scowling as he met the crimson eyes of the other.

Though he was tugging dangerously hard on a taut string, Kalim inhaled as he brought forth a shimmering smile, betraying the unspoken words in his eyes. “G-G—“ Kalim cleared his throat, swallowing the knot, “Good morning, Jamil! Are you on your way out? I could come with you, if you’d—“

“You’re a damn idiot if you think I want to spend even a second with you. Not that it’s any of your business, but I was waiting for someone.” Jamil clipped, crossing his arms.

“A... Ah, of course! Well, I could still stay with you as you wait for—“

“No. It’s clear they’re not coming. I should get out of here, before I waste anymore brain cells on a useless, incompetent child like you.” Jamil didn’t make eye contact as be pushed off the wall, pushing by Kalim without another word and wandering off into the labyrinth known as Scarabia.

Fists clenched tightly at his sides, Kalim stared blankly into the mirror, watching it swirl and sparkle with ethereal light as he resisted the urge to break down right then and there. He could feel as his legs quivered, on the edge of giving out as his breathing hitched, shallow and shaking.

Still, he followed the path set aside in his mind, almost missing a step as he practically fell into the portal, whisking away to the Mirror Hall.

Emerging on the otherside, he almost breathed a sigh of relief when no one was there to greet him but the dead silence of morning. Instead of bouncing off to class like he would’ve had he the stability to paint on a pretty smile like any other day, he made a sharp detour to a certain portal he never saw himself going into.

Stepping into it, he squared his shoulders, prepping himself with failing encouragements for the conversation that needed to succeed.

<————>

“Dorm head Vil. Pardon the intrusion, but you have a visitor.”

The blonde looked up from his vanity, pausing mid stroke and setting his mascara down. “Oh? Let them in, I’m not busy.” He shrugged, standing to his full height, enhanced by his heeled shoes.

“Of course,” the underclassman nodded, stepping out of the room to allow in said visitor.

Kalim felt weirdly out of place in the proper Pomefiore, despite having been raised in sumptuous royalty since birth, and setting foot into Vil’s positively sparkling room made him wince inaudibly with guilt. His bone slim fingers twitched with anxiety, a dark shade over his eyes as he stepped before the taller boy, only scarcely making visionary contact. “Good day to you, Vil,” he blandly greeted, grinding his teeth together in a smile that looked more like a grimace.

“...And to you, as well Kalim. Is there something you needed?” The white haired dorm leader shuddered, offering no explanation before pouring out the dialogue he’d rehearsed a hundred times in his head.

“Well, you see... I’d like to ask you if you could make me a poison. Something fast acting, and easily hidden, that doesn’t smell too horrible.”

Vil flinched, pupils dilated and mouth agape as the request spilled from Kalim’s lips. He... wanted a what? For who? Why? “E-Excuse me? Kalim, what are you thinking?” Vil near yelled, balling his fists at his sides.

“O-Oh uh...” Kalim scratched the back of his head, feigning an awkward look as he chuckled. “It’s for educational purposes. I’ve been cooking for myself lately, and knowing me, I’m likely to accidentally poison myself!” He laughed boisterously, perceived differently by both listeners. “So I figured you’d be the one to go to, right? Unless... maybe I should’ve tried doing it on my own...” His voice trailed off, Vil’s hand on his chin, debating within himself.

Kalim popped a sad smile that didn’t appear so outwardly as Vil returned the act, a smirk falling to his painted lips as he extended a hand towards the prince. “Very well. Of course, coming to me is obviously the smartest idea someone like you could’ve come up with, but sit down first. You look absolutely atrocious.” Vil scoffed, gesturing to the seat before his vanity.

Reluctantly taking a seat, Kalim felt the insult dig deeper beneath his skin than it should’ve, crushing his hands under his thighs as he obediently followed Vil’s instructions, lips pulled into a thin line.

With momentary strokes and too gentle touches, Kalim couldn’t help but think of Jamil, seeing his gold speckled coal black hair and stony grey eyes instead of Vil’s blonde and amethyst. He used to do this too, every morning, dragging a brush dipped in black over Kalim’s thick lashes, dabbing red onto the corners of his eyes, thumb and first finger gripping his chin and tilting his head when need be.

A cold stab to his heart snapped Kalim from his short lived memories, reminding him of his purpose for coming to Pomefiore. “All done. Now that you look presentable, please, follow me.” Vil clapped, stepping away from the fellow leader and clicking off. Scrambling after him, Kalim gripped the fabric of his sweater tightly, biting his lip.

They didn’t travel too far, Kalim following closely behind Vil as he unlocked his bathroom door. Arriving in the room, Kalim toed the polished white tile, the lights fixed into the ceiling seeming to spotlight him as opposed to the beauty guru who swooped low to open the cabinets under the sink.

Inside were a number of brightly colored liquids, some transparent as water, others dotted with plant shavings or objects Kalim didn’t want to recognize. “Fast acting... sweet smelling, easily hideable, is that correct?” Vil quizzed, the twinkling of glass clacking against glass filling Kalim’s ears.

“Exactly,” he nodded into the mirror, averting his gaze quickly.

Vil didn’t reply, merely smiling devilishly before bringing out a small cauldron and three different bottles. Apprehension pulled Kalim taut as he watched the taller begin to explain his process, acetic irony making him soundlessly sneer. From poisoned to poisoner.

“On most occasions, a poison of this sort wouldn’t be possible to make, seeing as you want it to be not only quick to show results, but also pleasant-smelling. But, since you are working with the best, I believe we can make it work.” Vil boasted, uncapping and pouring the first vial into the cauldron. “This one is for the rapid dissemination,” the second, “this one for scent,” the third, “and this one for dilution, to water down the color, though still deadly.”

Kalim watched in wonder as Vil stirred the liquid, eyes wide and trained on the poison. Though at the beginning, an arrant black that made him scrunch his nose in disgust, the more Vil continued to churn, the color began bubbling with splashes of transparency. By the end, it was water-clear, and almost overpoweringly reeked of florals.

“Ah, there we are,” Vil smiled, laying a delicate hand on his cheek. Once again swooping low, he retrieved an empty bottle, ever so carefully filling it with the solution and capping it. “I haven’t made any antidote for this particular poison, so it may be in your best interest for me to hold onto it presently.” Vil cautioned, placing the ewer just out of reach while Kalim’s eyes shadowed.

“A-Are you sure? You can trust me, I’ll be careful with it!” Kalim argued, smiling wide to prove his point.

“Hm, I’m not a fool. I feel it would be for your safety if it was in my care until I create an antidote.” Vil refuted, sternly said, toying with the intricately designed cap.

Kalim chewed his tongue, clenching and unclenching his fists as he formulated a plan. Beaming a smile to Vil that seemed so outwardly innocent, he bowed slightly, showing his appreciation. “I see. Thank you for your time anyways, Vil.” He lied through his teeth, rising from his bow and bouncing off.

He didn’t risk a glance behind him as he stepped out of the senior’s room, shutting the door gingerly behind him. Scanning the gorgeously decorated hallway, he identified objects that could be used to his advantage, closing his eyes as he snapped the steps of his newly formed plan together.

Tiptoeing over to a vase that rose slightly above his head on a marble pedestal, he yanked the flowers that sprouted from the top out, tossing them on the floor as regret rooted itself into his heart. He internally apologized for what he was about to do, knowing full well that no one would hear him.

Winding his arms around the pot, his knees buckled as he dropped the weight of it in his arms, the arms that could barely lift his body mass. The water inside sloshed around, jumping onto his face as he regained his footing, tilting the porcelain prize and leading a trail of water around the corner of the hall. Repositioning himself in the indigo drapery of the curtain closest to Vil’s room, he swallowed a deep breath, hurling the expensive decoration as far as he could, cringing as the sound of shattering filled the hallway.

He hid himself in the curtain just in time, as Vil’s door burst open, slamming against the wall as he stormed out, empty handed. “What in the— Rook! Rook, go chase down Epel! That little scamp destroyed another vase, and made some pretty little prank out of it too.” Vil barked, Kalim cowering behind the curtain as the older stomped off.

“Sorry, Epel-kun,” he whispered, before creeping out from the curtain and darting back into Vil’s room.

Snatching the vial from Vil’s bathroom countertop was surprisingly easy, Kalim tucking it into his pocket as he scampered out once again, heartbeat amuck. Sneaking along the walls, he beelined away from the mess he’d created, turning a blind eye to it as he pushed open a random door in the hope that it was some sort of exit.

Instead, he welcomed himself to the Pomefiore lounge, where a handful of boys were lined up before Vil and Rook, Epel amongst them, who all twisted to stare at the invader. “Kalim? What are you still doing here?” Vil badgered, arms crossed.

“U-Uh... you see...” Kalim ducked his head in fabricated humiliation. “...I got lost... I couldn’t find the exit.” He whined, a few of the students laughing as Vil sighed.

“Rook, please escort Kalim out. I need to have a word with you lot.” The leader threateningly smiled, the laughter immediately ceasing.

“Of course, Roi de Poison! Come now, Kalim, we shall leave these heathens to their due punishments!” Rook singsonged, spinning over to the white door where he stood.

Kalim looked over to Epel, who had his face scrunched in confusion and fear, an apology spelled in his gaze that the purple haired boy only caught at the last minute, Kalim vanishing behind the door as Rook pulled it shut.

“Oh, what a tragedy! The rowdy boys of our dorm destroyed a simply magnifique vase crafted of the finest quality! On top of that, they made a mess of the hall too...” Vil’s overly extra vice leader boohooed, the flowy feather of his hat bouncing in an imaginary wind.

“Really...? Why would they do that?” Kalim asked, as if he didn’t already know they answer.

“I wish I could say. I often wonder what goes on in those spoiled little brains of theirs.” Rook replied, falling into a solemn silence Kalim relished.

The early blue sky hadn’t before been such a treat to the Scarabia dorm head, the boy thanking Rook briefly for the guidance. “Of course! Do come again!” He laughed, waving briskly and waltzing back inside the rather stuffy building.

Sneaking a victoriously pitiful smile, Kalim pulled out the stolen toxin, only holding it to the sun as he stood before the mirror portal.

It wasn’t supposed to be so easy.

A tiny part of him had wished it hadn’t been.

<————>

The school day came and went in a blur of colors, voices, and assignments that flew right past Kalim’s head.

He wasn’t fully there when he agreed to walk with Azul, the Leech twins joining not to long after. Happy conversation tied between the threads of three complementary personalities weaved around Kalim, who remained uncharacteristically silent throughout the exchange. He was too busy twirling the stolen poison in his pocket, and had been for the whole day, debating his very existence instead of interacting with his peers as he normally would.

The quiet wasn’t overlooked by the three, though Floyd was the one to finally put voice to the thought the Octavinelle trio shared. “Hey, Sea Otter~ is something wrong? What’s with the face?” He cooed, downturned eyes for once actually bearing a dollop of sadness.

“Hm...? Oh, um—“ Kalim shook his head, pulling a smile to his face that looked more dismal than welcoming, “—of course! I’m a little tired, is all! Y’know, Trein’s lessons can put anyone to sleep, even me!” Kalim laughed, mutual discomfort shared between the Leeches as Azul fixed his glasses.

“Kalim, would you like to accompany us back to Mostro Lounge?” Azul offered, having picked up on Kalim’s abnormal behavior. “We could always use someone like you to brighten up the atmosphere.”

“Yes, Azul is right. You know how to play the drums, correct? Why don’t you pair up with Floyd? You’ll put on a show that’ll attract dozens to the Lounge.” Jade smiled, eyes shut out of joy.

For a moment, Kalim thought about it, giving them the false hope that maybe, he’d agree. He felt remorse sink its claws into his brain, making him shake his head as the three strolled by the open courtyard, a flash of red, gold, and black making Kalim freeze as he identified the person behind the Scarabian shades. “A-Actually, I had plans already,” he fibbed, stepping back to put distance between himself and the trio, “I was going to meet Jamil in the courtyard. Sorry guys.” He bowed, shoving his hand back into his pocket to fiddle with the bottle.

Azul perked an eyebrow. “Jamil wanted to meet up? With you?”

“Uh, yep! Told me this morning!” Kalim smiled, trying to wave off the suspicion that the fellow second years exuded.

“Oh? I thought that you and Sea Snake had—“ Floyd began, but Kalim was already dancing away before he could continue.

“Sorry, don’t want to keep him waiting!” He shouted, coughing after he stepped outside. It wasn’t often he had the voice to be so loud anymore.

“Should we pursue this, Azul?” Jade asked calmly, Floyd’d signature careless grin upside down in a glower.

“...No. It’s Kalim, he’ll figure it out himself. It’s about time he learned how to do so.” He coldly decided, pushing his glasses up. “Come, we have business elsewhere.”

“Of course,” both Leeches replied, though Floyd couldn’t hide the somewhat concerned look he sent over his shoulder, before disappearing with his fellow Octavinelle members.

In the courtyard, Kalim looked around confused, having been so sure that he saw Jamil walking around from the hallway. “Surely, he didn’t leave... wouldn’t I have seen it if he did?” He puzzled, approaching the stone well located in the middle of the wide yard space. He briefly caught a glimpse of his striated reflection in the impossibly dark water at the bottom, hastily breaking the contact to look up.

Through the strings attached to the wood bucket, Kalim’s maroon irises set themselves beneath the apple tree, to the person who sat so daintily upon the black-rimmed bench. With his hair brushed over his shoulder, Jamil crossed his legs, immersed in a thick book that Kalim couldn’t quite make out thanks to the gap. Sprinkled in the choppy afternoon sunlight, he looked more like an ethereal angel than the traitorous student he was to Kalim, so deceivingly beautiful.

Exhilaration, and dare he say, a spark of hope, flared in him, a genuine smile splitting his face as he sashayed closer. Believing that he had the courage to mend the bridge that had been severed from both directions, he stopped a meter from the bench, attracting Jamil’s attention, who shot him a dirty look, tearing himself from his readings.

“What is it you want now, Kalim?” He spat, holding the book up.

“I... I saw you from the hallway and I...” It was as if he’d forgotten how to speak, words working against him.

“Congratulations for using your eyes, dimwit. If you’ve come to be nothing but a stuttering fool, see to it that you leave me alone.”

Kalim squeezed his lips shut, heeding Jamil’s advice as he awkwardly looked up, to the apples that grew plentifully from the strong tree overhead.

Courage slowly being whittled down to an embarrassing pit, Kalim forced himself to smile once more, pulling his hand from his pocket. Taking a seat beside Jamil, he gripped the edge of the bench, leaning over the side to peer at the cover, and, riskily enough, Jamil’s tranquil features.

They didn’t stay tranquil for long, as grey orbs met Kalim’s enchanted red ones, scowling as he noisily slammed his book shut. “What?” He seethed.

“Nothing, I just—“ he cut himself off, unwilling to live the lie any longer, “I miss you, alright? I miss—“

“No, don’t start. Screw this, I’m leaving.” Jamil growled, tucking his book under his arm and stomping away.

“Jamil! Jamil, wait...!” Kalim called. Panicked as the vice refused to listen, he hopped up, rushing over to him and pulling on his arm, book falling to ground in a flurry of aged pages. A thunderous boom exploded in the courtyard as it collided with the ground, Jamil whipping around, arm still locked in Kalim’s grip.

“Jamil, please! I’ve tried so hard to take care of myself, but I need you!” He confessed, tears brimming. “I need your—“

“Shut up!” Jamil yelled, making Kalim flinch as he tore his arm away. Turning the tables, he spun, shoving a finger into Kalim’s chest as he grew red from anger. “What you need is to grow up! Do you understand how much you’ve hindered my life, because you just “need me so much”?” He kept shoving his first finger into Kalim’s chest, making him stumble backwards. “I wasn’t able to have a normal childhood because of you! I had to hide who I was, because of you! And now you need me? You must be a goddamn idiot, even after all this time!” Jamil accused, Kalim staggering as he tripped over himself trying to back away.

He refused to let his tears fall, Jamil continuing with his rant as his back hit the apple tree, both of them speckled in the magical light, despite the argument. “It would’ve been better if no one came to save you whenever you were kidnapped!” Kalim choked a sob, meeting Jamil’s murky eyes as the taller seized the collar of his shirt, slamming him back into the trunk of the tree.

Kalim gasped as his head thwacked against the wood, Jamil so close he could feel his uneven breathing. “If only you’d never existed.” He whispered, shoving a hatred dipped dagger into Kalim’s heart as he dropped the boy, Kalim’s legs giving out as he fell to the ground, eyes glazed and distant.

Stomping away, Jamil grabbed his book and left the courtyard, steam practically pouring from his ears as red hot anger guided his feet as far from Kalim as possible.

Dropped unceremoniously on the grass, the silvery haired dorm leader slumped over, bleak and broken as he stared to nowhere at all, shoved over the dam that had both blocked his sugary tears, and kept him from drowning in the ocean of self hatred and doubt that now had full access to Kalim’s entirety.

Numbly, Kalim picked himself up, ambling towards the school corridors once more as his eyes dried, hand reaching back into his pocket and this time, pulling out the vial within.

The clear liquid swished around, seeming so harmless in its elegant bottle.

Kalim hoped with everything he had left in him that it would be quick.

<————>

The beat of his heart had never been so loud before.

Erratic and off timed, electric volts shot throughout his hands, every pulse of blood throbbing in the tips of his toes, the center of his chest, the thin muscles of his legs. A formless noose of cold anticipation wound itself tighter around his throat, strangling the words that longed to be said from a voice that wouldn’t again speak. Tears pooled in his deep red eyes, though Kalim couldn’t fathom why, since he waited all this time just for the moment of peace that wouldn’t remain so peaceful.

Lying with his back against the end of his bed, Kalim rested his head on the firm wood, clenching the small bottle of poison Vil had specially created that morning in one fist, his journal in the other. Tilting his head to look at the moon, always a perfect circle, and always smiling down at him despite the action he was so close to making. He was tempted to smile back, but uncapping the bottle and smelling the rosy scent that wafted from it, he was reminded why it was he couldn’t.

Dropping the book inked with the thoughts he’d neither shared nor broke free from, he watched as it fell, slamming on the floor loudly and torn between pale light and shadows. Inside, a letter was tucked in the smudged pages, the last note that would be written in his swirly handwriting. He prayed that Jamil would take the time to read it, but he didn’t want to hold his breath.

Lifting the graceful vial to his lips, he felt his tears drip down his supple cheeks, for what seemed like the first time, fear dripped into his soul.

He was scared. What would be waiting for him after...? Would this really fix his wrongs? Would it... make up for what he did to Jamil?

“No,” he thought gently, pressing the glass to the plush flesh of his lips, “it’s not for you. It’s for everyone else.”

Hungry for a distraction, he looked to his door, locked for safe measures, keeping any prying intruders away. He didn’t want anyone to stop him. He needed to this, needed to make up for the years of pain he’d brought to those around him. Though, he did regret not getting a second chance to apologize to Jamil, the scuffle from before helping him realize that Jamil truly didn’t want anything to do with him. He deserved this. He earned it.

Finally, setting his dulled gaze on the moon once more, he leaned the glass up, pouring the liquid into his mouth and swallowing it in a single gulp.

It was excruciatingly bitter, burning trails down his throat as he gagged, dropping the vial as his hands squeezed his neck. The feeling didn’t stop no matter how tightly he wound his fingers around the skin, the bubbly fire spreading throughout his chest and dripping into his stomach, iron-tasting blood seeping out through his parted lips.

His vision swam with black, his body betraying him as he lost the fight in him, leaning back on the end of his bed, sitting with his legs stretched out on the floor and hands numbly dropped into his lap. It no longer felt painful as he struggled to keep his eyes open, the midnight-dark blood dribbling over his chin to settle on his clothes.

He had time for only one last thought, jumbled and lost to the winds of his mind, never to be voiced.

“I... I’m sorry... for every breath I took. I’m envious Jamil, that you had the strength to carry on for so long... Me? I couldn’t last half a year in your shoes... I’m not a fighter... I’m not even strong enough to look you in the eye. I hope—I hope this did something for you... I hope this... brings an end to your suffering.”

For a moment, he saw his life flash before his eyes. The games he used the play when he was little, the laughter he used to share with his siblings, the friends he made, the fight that cost him his best friend... they all seemed to burn away as he stared at the moon, ever the lively spirit.

But, just like a candle whose fire was blown out, he snapped, going limp in the paleness of his room.

Sat on the floor, leaning against his bed, Kalim Al-Asim took his last breath, light finally snuffed out for good.

<————>

Clomping down the corridors of Scarabia, Jamil pulled his hood over his silky braided hair, something indescribable cracking in his chest.

He hadn’t seen Kalim at dinner that evening, off putting Jamil’s behavior as he pondered over the reason behind the change. Ever since Kalim announced them as “equals,” Jamil had been rather lax with his servant duties, cooking only for himself instead of for the prince, refusing to wake him in the morning, and so on. But tonight... tonight was the first night he noticed Kalim’s absence in the mess hall.

Asking around had revealed that the white haired dorm leader had been skipping the meal for quite some time, furthering Jamil’s confusion as he followed his planned track to Kalim’s room. How long hadn’t he been eating? Was he really that afraid to ask someone else for help? The idiot.

Jamil gritted his teeth. The absence hadn’t been the only reason he was so adamant on checking Kalim.

He wanted to—and damn him for saying it— he wanted to apologize. Ever since that afternoon, when he laid hands on Kalim, he felt strange, almost guilty. Maybe it was true that Kalim was overly clingly and immature, but it wasn’t his place to hurt him the way he did. Not only that, but...

Jamil furrowed his eyebrows, glaring at nothing in particular as he tried to assemble a puzzle that was missing far too many pieces. The gnawing in his stomach continued as he trudged down the hall, bringing a fist to his cheek as he nibbled on his lower lip.

Kalim had been so... thin. Like all the muscle on his body had just melted off, leaving skin and bones as replacement. Before the overblot, Kalim had been almost neck-and-neck with Jamil when it came to physique, always healthily svelte, while the dark haired servant became more toned thanks to the dirty work he often found himself in. But now—now Jamil could only describe Kalim as frail, dangerously near skeletal.

Squeezing his eyes shut, Jamil tried and failed to remember how easy it had been to slam Kalim into the wall, to pin him using barely an ounce of his strength. The usually cheery boy’s helpless face flashed in the darkness, stained with tear tracks and shock as Jamil walked off, not even a glance over his shoulder to accompany him.

How long had it been since Kalim properly took care of himself?

“Doesn’t matter,” Jamil clucked quietly, reopening his eyes to see that the end of the hall, and the door leading to the grand bedroom, was closely approaching, “I’ll just get him to tell me. He’ll be back to the old Kalim in no time. Idiots never change, after all.” He quipped, though the tremor in his voice sounded more like a timid reassurance than a witty remark.

Stopping a few inches from the door, Jamil bit his tongue, debating what he was trying to say as he pulled his hood down. Cautiously bringing his hand to the door, he faltered for a split second, as if in fear the wood would reach out and bite him. Three quick short knocks bounced off the hall walls, magnified in Jamil’s ears as he was met with silence. “Kalim, it’s Jamil. Can I—I come in?” He stuttured, surprising himself.

When, yet again, late night quiet was his response, he felt the need to double over, uneasiness eating his gut. Knocking again, Jamil placed his ear on the door, listening for the rustle of clothing, or the scuff of shoes on stone. “Kalim?” He tried, hand slithering down to the brass knob. “Kalim, answer me or I’m coming in.”

Still nothing.

Dread coiling in his core, his arms stiffened as he turned the handle, finding it firmly held in place. Frantically jiggling it, he used a shoulder to push at the wood, feeling it give way ever so slightly. “Last warning, or I’m busting in, Kalim. Open the door.” He deadpanned, taking a step back.

The third round of the silent treatment sent Jamil over the edge, the vice shaking out his hands before balling them, running shoulder first into the door. It swelled, before dropping back in the same place, Jamil repeating the process over and over until his shoulder was decorated in a blossoming bruise and there was a hole just big enough for him to weasel his hands through.

Wincing at the sting in his skin, Jamil pushed his hand through the cracked wooden hole, maneuvering his arm so that he could reach the lock from the handle. Twisting it, a satisfying click rendered the door openable, Jamil yanking his scratched arm from the door panel.

“Alright, Kalim, was that necessary? I understand that I—!” Jamil froze as he swung the door open, letting a swath of light from the hall slip into the dorm leader’s exquisite room.

His heart skipped a beat as his blood chilled, eyes stretching impossibly wide while the air fueling his lungs seemed to be syphoned out of him.

There, just barely discernible from the dark, Kalim sat motionlessly. His eyes were sealed with his thick lashes, mouth parted as blood dribbled down to the neck of his clothes. He lie still, propped up by the bedside, a transparent purple vial close by, glinting in the light.

One moment... two moments... three, until Jamil shrieked out Kalim’s name, throwing the door completely open and rushing inside.

Sliding and dropping to his knees before the body, Jamil softly lifting him into his embrace as he called for anyone to come help, to come save what had clearly been lost.

“Kalim... Kalim, wake up...! I know you’re stronger than this! Get up, move, do something! Please, please wake up...!” Jamil cried, brushing the hair away from his forehead. “I-I’m sorry I pushed you earlier... I’m sorry I l-left you alone for so long. I... I didn’t mean what I said, you know I didn’t! I’m sorry, I’m sorry but please, just open your eyes... laugh one more time. Smile...? Anything... just... wake up...”

Nothing. Kalim was cold, and not a single breath heaved from his bony chest.

“Somebody help me!” The plea was cracked, echoeing about as Jamil suppressed tears, tears that shouldn’t even exist.

He asked for this. Every damn night, he asked for this. He wished with every part of what he was for Kalim to be kidnapped, for him to shunned, for him to rot in a ditch. He hated Kalim—no, he despised him.

So why the hell did it hurt so much?

Why did every look at his pale face stab his heart in a way watching an abused puppy limp did? Why did he care that Kalim was feather light, that it felt as if he was holding a pile of bones rather than a person? Why were there tears dripping from his hatred powered eyes?

Trembling with the force of fear, disbelief, and stigma, Jamil’s ears didn’t recognize the orchestra of shouts and gasps that rang out behind him as Scarabia students acted upon his words, calling for teachers and help alike. He didn’t realize just how many tears slid from his face to Kalim’s bloodied clothes, soaking the fabric. He could only stare numbly at Kalim’s once so buoyant features, at the eyes that would never again light up with joy whenever Jamil entered the room. At the cheeks that would never again heat up in a blush that was the product of his profuse smiling. At the lips that would never, ever utter a single syllable, or pull into a grin that made even the sun look like a busted light bulb.

Moreso than that... Jamil heaved breathy sobs at the discoveries he made hidden all over Kalim’s body. His arms, mutilated with self inflicted wounds that never properly healed. His torso, tenuous and more bone than skin. He wouldn’t let himself go any further, already shaken to the core by the sick scavenger hunt.

The tears felt hollow and empty, painfully slow in their race to his jaw, grip crushing on Kalim’s shoulders.

He fought with a vigor that put three boys in the infirmary when help finally arrived, Kalim being wrestled away from his protective grasp and off to who knows where. He didn’t settle down until Kalim was carried off somewhere, far outside of Jamil’s view, and was left with the worthless consolation from people he didn’t care to see.

The only thing that ran through his head was the fact that he’d been the cause of this. That he was the one who pushed Kalim too far. That it should’ve been him to die instead.

Hours later, Jamil slept in Kalim’s now unoccupied room, stumbling upon a certain bound journal that just begged to be explored.

<————>

Why was it that the saddest moments always happened on sunny days? Was it the sun laughing at the earth’s struggles? Was it nature’s way of trying to ease the pain?

Jamil had no response for his questions, dressed in his formal wear as he stared somberly down at the glass casket, the temporary bed for Kalim’s lifeless body. Today would be the last day he ever saw him, as in less than an hour, Kalim’s family would be arriving to take their brother, their cousin, their son, home.

“Hey Kalim...” Jamil muttered, kneeling before the casket. “I, uh... I wanted to say goodbye, one last time. You’ll be with your family now, they’re taking you back to the Land of Hot Sands, where you’ll get a proper burial.” He said, studying Kalim’s blissfully expressionless face.

It was so strange, seeing him so calm. It looked like he was sleeping, like he could wake at any moment and pull Jamil into a hug that he would reciprocate with all of his strength, had he the opportunity.

“It’s not fair...” He whispered as a ray of light painted over Kalim, making his white tuxedo almost blinding. “Even in the afterlife, everything about you is so... so happy. Not a cloud in the sky, the sun shining on the horizon, it seems fitting. You were always... the sun to my moon.” Jamil admitted, a realization striking him like a lightning bolt.

“Oh, I um... I read this last night,” Jamil held up the black journal he’d found in Kalim’s room, “Kalim, why did you keep yourself hidden like that? You didn’t have to—you know you didn’t have to! You shouldn’t have done this to yourself, because of me. You should’ve... should’ve...”

Should’ve what? It wasn’t Kalim’s fault he felt that way... it was his. Jamil knew that.

“I know it’s a little—no, very, very late, but I... I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry. Those words don’t mean anything now that you can’t even hear me, but I need to say them. I need you to know that I’m sorry...!” He felt his eyes damped, and using the back of his hand, he wiped away the water that hadn’t even spilled yet. “Kalim, you were right, okay?! You were right! You may have needed me, but I needed you more! You gave me my freedom, even after I threw you to your death! I had so much pent up anger, I didn’t... didn’t know what to do with it!”

The dawning of the truth set Jamil’s waterworks into action, a pretty blush darkening his cheeks as his shattered weeping rose into the air. This was it. Kalim would never smile, laugh, speak again. Never. He wouldn’t ride a magic carpet, or sit on the balcony of the lounge, or even take another breath.

He was gone.

Undeniably, irrevocably, gone.

Sniffling, Jamil placed the journal in Kalim’s hands, having written his own letter inside. “I figured, your family deserved to see your last words. And my apology. There’s not much left for me to say... but thank you. You were never in the wrong, it was me. Thank you, for being so forgiving, even in my darkest hours. Thank you, for staying by my side. Thank you, Kalim, for being the brother I didn’t realize I needed.”

Standing, Jamil leaned over Kalim, the one he took for granted. Sliding his hand over his eyelids, he bent down, pressing a kiss to his forehead, the way he did when they were little. “Goodbye.” He breathed, before parting ways, beads of saltwater still trickling down as he trekked off, fists balled tightly at his sides.

<————>

Dear Kalim,

I’ve had little time to ponder over your passing. Over the very certitude that you’re not here anymore. But in that little time, I’ve arrived at a single conclusion, that can’t begin to express my emotions.

I said I hated you. I said I wished you’d never existed. I said I wanted you out of my life. And, I used to mean those words. I used to believe that if you one day disappeared, everything wrong with me would suddenly right itself, that you were the source of my suffering.

But... only now, when you’ve really departed, do I see that I was so incurably mistaken.

I was the cause of your pain, as once upon a time, I thought you to be mine. I’m the fool, for having ignored you for so long. I’m the fool, for pushing you beyond your limits. I’m the fool, for pretending to hate you, even as I myself, was at the mercy of your charms.

When we were young, I treasured you like family. We fought like siblings do, we laughed as brothers, we grew as a pair. It’s impossible to set a specific date, but somewhere along the way, something changed. Suddenly, you were no longer my brother. Suddenly, you were my rival, my enemy that I could never escape.

I know the penmanship of my woes could never bring you back, I am painfully aware of that. I am beside myself that it took your death for me to grasp that the reason I never left your side was because I didn’t hate you.

I never left you, because I was afraid.

I was afraid that you’d lose the need for me. I was afraid that you’d leave me behind. Moreover, I was terrified of losing you, like I have now.

That smile of yours, the one that never ends, and never fails to bring laughter to even the coldest of hearts, that was what I wanted to preserve. That was what I wanted you to keep, if nothing else.

I’m truly sorry, sorry beyond what words can say.

I pray that one day, you’ll smile again. It’s far too late for me now, but I want you to know that you were my best friend, Kalim Al-Asim.

You were what I strived to be.

I just wished I had the gall to admit it sooner.

Written truthfully,

Jamil Viper

Yet another request finished! Thank you @etervenislucifen for the ask!

I hope you enjoyed, and thanks for reading!

Stay lovely!!

#twisted wonderland #jamil viper #kalim al asim #twst #angst #vil schoenheit #azul ashengrotto #jade leech #floyd leech

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thestoryofustaylorsversion · 5 years ago

Text

Folklore perspectives ✨

As Taylor said, each folklore tale is told from either her perspective, her friends’s perspective or perspectives of those she has never met before.

Here’s who’s perspective I believe each tale is told✨

The 1- taylor’s perspective looking back at a past friendship (most likely in her 20’s) she may have thought would be more OR betty’s perspective on how she wished things worked out different with james (during the roaring 1920s?)

‘If you really wanted me then you really should’ve shown’

‘Roaring twenties, throwing pennies in the pool. And if my wishes came true, it would have been you”

‘It could have been sweet, if it could have been me’

‘In my defense, I have none. For digging up the grave another time’

‘It could have been fun, if you would have been the one’

cardigan- betty’s perspective on her & james relationship when she’s older (reflecting on what she was told she knew vs what she knew)

‘When you are young they assume you know nothing’

‘But I new you...’

‘When I felt like an old cardigan, under someone’s bed. You put me on and said I was your favorite.’

‘Chase two girls, lose the one’

‘Tried to change the ending, Peter losing Wendy.’

‘I knew everything when I was young’

‘I knew you’d haunt all of my what-ifs’

‘I knew you’d miss me once the thrill expired. And you’d be standing in my front porch light. And you’d come back to me’

the last great american dynasty - rebekah & taylor’s perspective on similar circumstances of being perceived as loud, mad and shamless

‘there goes the loudest/ maddest/ shameless woman this town has ever seen’

‘And then it was bought by me’

‘She/ I had a marvelous time ruining everything’

exile- james & betty’s perspective when they are a bit older on how they fell apart; how they refuse to listen to each other

‘I can see you standing honey, with his arms around your body’

‘I can see you staring honey, like he’s just your understudy’

‘I think I’ve seen this film before, and I didn’t like the ending’

‘We always walked a very thin line’

‘Took you five whole minutes to pack us up and leave me with it’

‘Second, third and hundredth chances.’

‘You didn’t even hear me out’

‘You never/ I gave so many signs’

my tears ricochet- taylor’s perspective on the story of her masters being stolen from under her

‘Even on my worst day. Did I deserve, babe, all the hell you gave me?’

‘Cause I loved you, swear I loved you.’

‘I didn’t have it in myself to go with grace.’

‘And if I’m dead why are you at the wake? Cursing my name, wishing I stayed, look at how my tears ricochet.’

‘You wear the same jewels that I gave you, as you bury me’

‘I can anywhere just not home’

‘I still talk to you, as I’m screaming at the sky’

‘And when you can’t sleep at night. You hear my stollen lullabies’

mirrorball - taylor‘s perspective of her career

‘I’ll show you every version of yourself tonight’

‘I can change everything about me to fit in’

‘But I’m still on my tallest tip toes. Spinning in my highest heels, love. Shining just for you’

‘I know they said the end is near’

‘I’ve never been a natural, all I do is try try try’

‘I’m still trying everything to keep you looking at me’

seven- taylor‘s perspective as a child, before she is forced to grow up and become a woman

‘Picture me in the tree’

‘I peaked at seven”

‘We can be pirates’

‘Please picture me in the weeds’

‘Before I learn civility’

‘I used to scream ferociously’

august- james’ summer fling’s perspective on their summer romance

‘Are you sure? Never have I ever before’

‘I can see us lost in the memory’

‘August slipped away to a moment in time’

‘Cause you were never mine’

‘I remember thinking I had you’

‘For me it was enough’

‘So much for summer love and saying us’

‘Back when I was living for the hope of it all’

this is me trying- told from the perspective of James when he’s a little older, who feels he lost his way and is trying to find his way back after losing betty

‘I have a lot of regrets about that’

‘They told me all my cages were mental. So I got wasted like all my potential’

‘Fell behind all my classmates now I’ve ended up here’

‘But I’m here in your doorway’

‘It’s hard to be at a party when you feel like an open wound’

‘It’s hard to be anywhere these days when all I want is you’

‘You’re a flashback on a film reel on the one screen in my town’

illicit affairs- a young woman’s perspective on having an affair with someone older

‘I tell my friends I’m out for a run, you’ll be flushed when you return’ (makes me think she’s in college, living with friends)

‘What started in beautiful rooms ends with meetings in parking lots’

‘That’s the thing about illicit affairs and clandestine meetings and longing stares’

‘Take the words for what they are. A dwindling mercurial high’

‘They show their truth just one single time but they lie and they lie and they lie a million little times.’

‘Don’t call me kid, don’t call me baby’

‘Look at this idiotic fool that you made me’

invisible string- taylor’s perspective on fate bringing her to her lover, joe; time heals all things

‘isn’t it just so pretty to think, all along there was some invisible string, tying you to me’

‘a single thread of gold tied me to you.’

‘green was color of the grass where I used to read at Centennial park, I used to think I’d meet somebody there ’

‘Teal was the color of your shirt when you were 16 at the yogurt shop’

‘Bad was the blood of the song in the can on your first trip to LA’

‘Bold was the waitress on our three-year-trio getting lunch down by the lakes. She said I looked like an American singer’

‘Cold was the steel of my axe to grind for the boys who broke my heart, but now I sent their babies presents’

‘Time, mystical, time, cutting me open and healing me fine’

‘Gave me the blues then purple pink skies (lover)’

‘Gold was the color of the leaves when I showed you around Centennial park’

‘Hell was a journey but it brought me heaven’

‘A string that pulled me out of all the wrong arms and to that dive bar’

mad woman- taylor‘s perspective of how she (and other female artists) has been persecuted by the media, celebrities and her former record label

‘What did they think I’d say to that?’

‘They strike to kill and you know I will’

‘Does she smile? Or does she mouth “fuck you forever”’

‘Every time you call me crazy, I get more crazy’

‘Women like hunting witches too’

‘I breathe fire each time I talk’

‘It’s obvious wanting me dead has really brought you two together’

‘Cause you took everything from me. Watching you climb, watching you climb. Over people like me’

‘No one likes a mad woman, you made her like that’

epiphany- a soldier’s (her grandfather’s) perspective, a medial worker’s perspective, a hero’s battle story

‘crawling up the beaches now, I think he’s bleeding out’

‘some things you just can’t speak about’

‘hold your hands through plastic’

‘keep your helmet, keep your life son’

‘Something med school did not cover’

‘with you I serve, with you I fall down’

‘watch you breathin in, watch you breathin out’

‘doc, I think she’s crashing out’

‘only 20 minutes to sleep, but you dream of some epiphany’

betty- james’ perspective when he was seventeen, after he came back from his summer with ‘august’. He chased two girls and now he wants betty back.

‘would you tell me to go fuck myself or lead me to the garden’

‘you heard the rumors from Inez, you can’t believe a word she says, most times but this time it was true’

‘it was only a summer thing’

‘plus I saw you dance with him’

‘the worst thing I ever did was what I did to you’

‘I’m only seventeen I don’t know anything but I know I miss you’

‘I was walking home on broken cobblestones’

‘i slept next to her but I dreamed of you all summer long’

‘I’m here on your doorstep’

‘will you have me? will you love me?’

‘will this fix your broken wings?’

peace- taylor telling joe she knows she can’t give him everything he may need (peace) and is asking if that is still enough? Also a promise to do everything that she can do for him.

‘Would it be enough if I never bring you peace?’

‘You paint dream scapes on the wall, I talk shit with my friends. It’s like I’m wasting you honor’

‘People think love is for show, but I’d die for you in secret’

‘Give you my wild, give you a child’

‘The rain is always gonna come when you’re standing with me’

‘I’m a fire and I’ll keep your brittle heart warm’

‘You got a friend in me’

hoax- taylor making promise to joe that no matter what happens she will always be there for him; also makes references to how he’s the only one who understands her and her pain just like she understands his

‘Don’t want no other shade of blue but you’

‘No other sadness in the world would do’

‘I left a part of me back in new york’

‘You know it still hurts underneath my scars from when they pulled me apart’

‘Stood on the cliffside screaming “give me a reason”’

‘Your faithless love is the hoax I believe in’

‘My broken drum, you have beaten my heart’

Although so many songs are written from many character’s perspective, I absolutely adore how certain lines in most songs are clearly about taylor. She’s such a magical author to weave her life into her character’s lives in her folklore stories ✨🖤🧚‍♂️

I WILL NEVER GET OVER THIS ALBUM 🖤🖤🖤

@taylorswift @taylornation 🖤✨🧚‍♂️

14 notes · View notes

twoghostys · 6 years ago

Text

the one where they’re soulmates

10.6k words

Zayn handed her glass of water and a pair of Alanna’s best heels, “come on,” he rushed, “you’re going to be late.”

Dawn sat on the edge of Zayn's couch and took her time drinking every drop of water before bending forward to strap the shoes belonging to Zayn’s soulmates into her feet. She fumbled with them a bit, confused as to how to wrap the strips around her ankles before huffing in exasperation and sitting back. Zayn sighed and knelt down without a word to wrap them himself. “Anna can’t do them herself either, don’t know why she bought them. I always end up having to fix them for her.”

“You’re her soulmate,” Dawn responded, “it’s what you’re made for.” Zayn smiles fondly, the way he does whenever anyone mentions that Alanna’s his soulmate. Dawn couldn’t help but mirror his smile as she watched him, her best friend was absolutely smitten with his girlfriend. His countdown had gone to 00:00 on the same day Dawn had gone into a shelter to adopt a kitten. They were standing at the front desk, waiting for an employee to bring her new pet when Alanna walked up with a cat in her arms. Dawn remembers how Zayn tensed, grabbing her arm and shoving his wrist in front of her eyes for her to see his countdown rush to zero. Just as it did, Alanna looked up, clueless that her countdown was mirroring Zayns. She handed Dawn the cat and was telling her some last minute details, but Dawn was gaping at Zayn and he at the beautiful chestnut skinned beauty across from him. They’d been inseparable since, and Dawn still claimed she was the one that brought them together.

Zayn tsked, “I know what you’re doing. Don’t try to distract me, you have to go to this release party!”

Dawn groaned, kicking her leg at him in a small fit, “you know I hate these things.”

Her best friend nodded, “it’s why we’re friends, we’d both rather stay here and marathon Jurassic Park instead of going to a bougie social event. But this is for your future, and I’ll be your date. So how bad can it get?”

“I don’t know anyone there, they’re all going to be Ph.D. owning rich people and I’m going to humiliate myself.”

Zayn finished tying the last strap and clapped in celebration, “it’s a good networking event, plus, you were invited by the author of the book! You belong there.”

Dawn took the hand he had extended for her and let him pull her up, “he’s only inviting me so we can meet face to face before the school year starts. He’s my thesis advisor.”

“He could meet you at a coffee shop, this is him introducing you to his academic circles. The man’s already started mentoring you.”

But Dawn was still nervous to go. Realistically, she knew she had too, and that it would be good for her. But the list of reasons not to go was a mile long. For one, she knew that all those accomplished academics would make her feel stupid. Hell, they probably think she’s stupid. And, she’d have to explain over and over again that No, Zayn isn’t my soulmate. Just my friend. Yes, I’m a woman in my twenties and haven’t found my soulmate yet. My countdown is broken.

As Zayn locked the door to his apartment behind them, Dawn pulled out her phone to double check the address her advisor had sent her. She read over his email one last time before locking her phone. Her eyes shifted to the numbers on her wrist, and she couldn’t help the feeling of devastation that clawed at her chest as she watched her countdown continue to glitch, like it had been for the past three months.

30:00

05:00

00:00

20:00

02:04:00

She doesn’t know what caused it, and the experts she consulted were just as baffled and lost. So Dawn had since accepted that her countdown was broken, that something was wrong with her, and she wouldn’t find her soulmate. Quickly, she covered her wrist with the sleeve of her blue dress before Zayn saw her moping. He always got upset when he saw her looking at her countdown. “Ready to go?” he asked, a comforting hand finding its place on the small of her back. Dawn hummed her response, and they set off.

~~~

The book release party was a bigger event than she thought it would be. Dawn had been there for almost 20 minutes and hadn’t yet met her advisor. She knew what he looked like from his info page, and because she had a multitude of his books on soulmate research stacked on her desk at home, so there’s no way she could have missed him. In her time at the book release, two people had walked up to her and started a conversation. It seemed like everyone knew that the author had taken on a new graduate student, and she must have looked like a grad student because they both assumed it was her. The two conversations were nice, they started off asking questions about her research, and Dawn explained that her thesis would be about the impact of the soulmate culture on societal rules. For example, there have been many articles about how two men in a very religiously dependant culture find out they’re soulmates, and how it had devastating consequences for everyone. The people were always amazed at her idea and knowledge, one even gave her his card and said he’d like to discuss it further! Then came the haunting part of the conversation.

“Well,” the second one had started, “it’s no news you’re so passionate about soulmate culture, since your soulmate here is ever so handsome.”

Zayn practically choked on his cocktail that time, trying not to laugh at the compliment he was given as he gave Dawn a cocky glance. The man knew he was good looking, but loved when he heard it from other people. Dawn then tried to ignore him as she smiled at the professor in front of her, who was clearly confused by Zayn’s reaction, “he’s not my soulmate,” she would throw in a lighthearted laugh with that, “just a close friend.” Then they would ask her why she didn’t bring her soulmate, because she had to have found them by now. “I haven’t,” she would force a smile, “not yet.”

That time, she was spared the sad oh, and attempt at awkward comfort by an accented voice behind her. “Professor Harmon! I see you’ve met Dawn before I have.” Dawn and Zayn turned to see her advisor walking towards them, a large smile plastered on his dimpled face. Dawn knew he was good looking, she’d seen him before. But the countless pictures on the back of his books did the man standing in front of her no justice. His heeled boots clicked on the wooden ground as he walked to them in his patterned, and clearly expensive, well fitted, suit. But the beauty of his wardrobe choice was dwarfed by the leafy green eyes that fixed themselves on Dawn with a friendly look. She could see little swirls of brown circling the irises and felt as if she could lose her bearings just by looking at his eyes. And his hair, wonderfully styled to make it seem like he didn’t style it at all, with brown curls perfectly circling around the back of his ear and a few falling onto his face. He was perfect, one of the youngest professors in his field (just a few years older than her) and one of the most successful, and now he’s also one of the most beautiful beings she’s laid eyes on. Dawn snapped herself out of her trance as her advisor finished talking to the professor and turned to face her. “Well, I was starting to think you stood me up.”

She must have still been gaping at him, because Zayn elbowed her in the rib to stir her into action. “Oh, of course not! I’ve been here for almost 30 minutes, you’re just too popular is all.”

He chuckled, definitely just humoring her, “ah, all of these people probably think I’m a nut. Anyway, nice to finally meet you Dawn! I can’t wait to discuss your research. I’m Harry Styles.” He extended his hand, introducing himself as if she didn’t already know who he was. The gesture somehow comforted her though, almost as if he were telling her they’re on the same level.

“Nice to finally meet you Dr. Styles,” she shook his hand, ignoring the goosebumps that spread across her body at the contact. “This is my friend Zayn.”

Harry turned to look at Zayn, who was once again in the middle of downing another drink. He looked at the two of us wide-eyed before forcing himself to swallow a big gulp, “it’s nice to meet you,” he coughed, shaking Dr. Styles’ hand, “I’ve heard great things about you.”

“Are you in academics as well?” He asked, his eyes not leaving Zayn’s, as if his answer was incredibly important and he didn’t want to miss a word.

“Um, no I’m an artist,” Zayn smiled.

“Have I seen any of your work?” Once again, Dr. Styles was invested in this conversation, and Dawn could see Zayn perk up at the attention.

“Probably not? I do a lot of contemporary work and it only features in small galleries downtown.”

Dr. Styles nodded, “I go to those all the time actually.”

“Really?” Zayn and I asked at the same time, and he nodded. “What are some of your favorites? Zayn asked.

He thought for a moment before saying, “last week there was this exhibit, it was three paintings set up next to each other and they were absolutely breathtaking. You could tell they were all of the same woman, but each was drawn so differently, yet I couldn’t imagine them not being together. There were no facial features, but the way her hair and body were drawn had an expression to it. I must have stood at that one for fifteen minutes just taking it all in.”

Dawn’s jaw had reached the ground long before he had finished talking, and now she looked over at her best friend, who seemed like he’d forgotten how to breathe, his eyes were practically popping out of their sockets. “That’s uh… that’s mine. Yeah, wow! I can’t believe you saw that.”

“No way!” Now it was Styles’ turn to gape, “you are incredibly talented! What inspired those?”

“My girlfriend,” Zayn had that smile again, “they’re of my girlfriend.”

Styles’ eyes softened, “that’s lovely, your soulmate?” Zayn nodded, and he was practically radiating fondness that all Dawn wanted to do was just coo at him. But before she could, he thanked my mentor again before saying he’d leave them to talk.

It was silent between the two for a while, Dawn could feel him studying her and busied herself by picking up a drink from one of the caters walking by so she could have something to do with her hands. “I see why Zayn keeps drinking these,” Dawn laughed, “they’re wonderful.”

“Don’t let him drink too much,” Styles responded, “most academics need to be loaded with alcohol to socialize like this, so they’re pretty dangerous.” She hummed in response, looking around to spot Zayn grabbing another drink as he made his way to the garden outside.

“This is a lovely home,” Dawn finally spoke up. It truly was, the place was grand and screamed professor. The walls were a calm beige and the decor had a cozy, vintage feeling to it. It reminded Dawn of her own apartment, which had a similar decor style, but everything she had was from thrift stores.

“Thank you,” he responded, “have you had a chance to look at the book?” As he said that, he reached for a stack and opened one, “not to brag but there’s some interesting stuff in there. I think it would perk your interest, considering your work.”

“I was planning on purchasing one before you even said that,” Dawn nodded, “I have all of your books, your work is amazing.”

He rolled his eyes and waved off the compliment with his hand, “here, take this one. Lord knows I have plenty.”

Before Dawn could say anything, a man with a camera walked up to them. “Hello,” he smiled sweetly at the two of them, “Dr. Styles, I’m Liam, the photographer you hired.” Liam nodded his head at Dawn politely. “Would you mind if I take a picture of you as you hand her the book?”

“Um, if it’s okay with you?” he looked at Dawn, his eyebrows quirking up curiously, and she couldn’t say no.

So Liam helped them pose for the picture and snapped it. Before he left, he looked over at Dawn once again, “you look lovely in that dress. Blue is your color.”

Dawn’s face flushed as she thanked him and he walked away. Her mentor gave Liam a tight-lipped smile as he was leaving before turning to Dawn. They talked for a while about meeting times and how she plans to go about her research before he excused himself to go see the other guests. “Find me before you leave,” he gave her a dimpled smile before walking away.

Dawn turned to find Zayn, suddenly feeling drained and unreasonably upset that she was standing alone. She tried not to think that it was because she wanted to talk to Styles’ more. As that thought crossed her mind, she remembered to find the photographer and ask him for that picture. Dawn continued to weave through the people in search of Zayn, growing more and more agitated before realizing that the source of the agitation was the bracelet on her hand. “Must be allergic or something,” she mumbled, slipping it off and folding her sleeve back to itch at the spot. She looked down at the redness, and her heart stopped.

There on her wrist, it read 00:00. And it wasn’t glitching anymore.

~~~

She finally remembered that she’d seen Zayn go to the garden and ran out to find him crouched down amongst the flower bushes, snapping pictures with his phone. He knew she was walking up without looking, “I think I’m going to paint these, there are so many colors it kind of turns me on. Is that weird? Nah, I’m allowed to be weird. You know what else turns me on? Your advisor, kind of. Now that’s weird, but he’s like really pretty and he likes my art. His soulmate is so lucky. Of course, I’m lucky too, I think I’m a little drunk. Those–”

“Zayn shut up.”

“Oi!” he snapped his head to glare at her, “ok! No need to be rude, what’s got you all wound up?” Without a word, Dawn shoved her wrist down to his eye level. Zayn grabbed it and pulled it closer, yanking her down with it. “Holy shit! What does this mean? Did you find them?”

“I don’t know!” Dawn squeaked, trying not to panic. “I stopped looking at that thing a long time ago! I wasn’t paying attention.”

“Okay, okay don’t worry!” Zayn stood up a little too fast and wobbled a bit, “yeah I’m definitely drunk.” He shook his head, “okay focus. Who did you talk to since we got here?”

“You, the two professors, and Dr. Styles?”

Zayn nodded, “who else?”

“No one! What if it’s just broken? I didn’t talk to anyone else I– Oh my god!”

“What? What!” Zayn yelled, still holding onto her wrist and jumping up and down anxiously. He always got loud and weird when he was drunk.

“The photographer!”

“Who? He hired a photographer? This guy’s loaded” he exclaimed, then shook his head. “I don’t care. Focus Malik. Let’s go find your soulmate!”

They found Liam leaning against a wall, deep in concentration as he cleaned one of his camera lenses. Once Dawn pointed him out, Zayn started to pointedly walk towards him until he was pulled back by his best friend. “I don’t know about this.”

The tipsy Zayn rolled his eyes and let out a childish groan, “why? He’s right there! You had given up and he’s right there!” When Dawn chose to bite nervously at her nails instead of respond, Zayn softened, tucking a stray curl behind her ear. “Hey, it’s okay to be nervous, yeah? I’ll be right here the whole time. I was terrified when I met Anna, and you helped me through it. So this is the least I can do.”

Although his words soothed her nerves, Dawn was still hesitant to approach the photographer. Something in her was screaming no! That this wasn’t right. Zayn was patient as she stood there, trying to sort through her thoughts. Dawn had read a multitude of books about soulmates, and you were supposed to know the minute your clock struck zero and you looked into their eyes. Everything was supposed to click immediately and make perfect sense. You were two parts of a whole, and you were supposed to feel the countdown to zero in every atom of your body. But she didn’t feel that, and right now, looking at Liam, she didn’t feel anything.

But if it wasn’t him, he’d tell her, right? He’d confirm all of her doubts and it would be a little humiliating but she’d get it over with. Then she’d know for sure that she doesn’t have a soulmate and she could go on living her life as normally as she could. Right, he’d fix this. With that resolve, Dawn walked up to Liam, conscious of how Zayn was practically vibrating beside her with excitement. “Hi,” she greeted, and Liam’s gaze met hers.

“Hello, would you like a picture?”

Dawn was thrown off, did he not know his clock had gone to zero? Maybe, if he was her soulmate, what was wrong with her was wrong with him too, and he hadn’t noticed yet. “This is going to sound weird but–”

“She’s your soulmate!” Zayn nearly screamed, turning a few disapproving heads. “I’m sorry I couldn’t contain myself. I’ll leave you guys alone. I think they have more cocktails somewhere.”

Before either of them could say anything, he had disappeared. Dawn turned sheepishly to Liam, “are you?” Liam’s face was skewered in a confused frown, and she had to admit he was kind of adorable, reminded her vaguely of a puppy. She tried to explain everything to him, about her countdown and seeing him and the itch that happened when she remembered him. She watched as his expression changed, and Liam then slowly lifted his long sleeve and looked at his wrist, head snapping up to look at her.

“Holy shit! It’s you!”

Something snapped inside of Dawn, and she cried in relief while rushing to hug him. She wasn’t broken, she had a soulmate! Liam held onto her for dear life, and she to him. He smelled like vanilla, her favorite lotion was vanilla scented.

~~~

Dawn cared about him, a lot. But it wasn’t as smooth sailing as she thought it’d be at first. The feelings weren’t as intense as Zayn’s were for Alanna. When he had first met her he hated being apart, and he kept telling Dawn about these crazy similarities in their lives and these intense feelings that made him want to punch a wall or do cartwheels. Dawn didn’t feel any of that. She knew, from her research, that not everyone had intense feelings when they first met their soulmate. It’s very rare, but sometimes there’s awkwardness and a lot of avoiding each other. Sometimes the feelings come slowly, in slow bursts. That’s what kept her going, the slow bursts. Because butterflies always seemed to spread from her stomach to her toes when Liam bought her gifts or called to wish her goodnight. And she always felt a little light headed when they kissed. She liked him, but it was slower than she would have liked.

He gave her all the space she needed, that was one thing she loved about him. Liam understood that her feelings weren’t as intense as his and he wasn’t hurt by it. Usually, soulmates move in together right away, because when they meet it means they’re ready. But Liam didn’t push her to do that. Sometimes he spent the night with her, when she asked, and during those nights he cuddled her and cooked for her and tended to her in ways that made her toes curl. She liked having him over for nights, but then she’d always wake up with a nasty feeling in her stomach if they did something remotely sexual during the previous night. She felt like she’d betrayed herself, or cheated on someone. They hadn’t even actually had sex yet and she was already feeling terrible. So she always asked him to leave, and he did. Then she’d shower and go to work, Dawn always felt better at work.

When she wasn’t in her office doing research and writing, she was either doing her job as a teaching assistant or going over her work with Dr. Styles. Dr. Styles was her favorite part of the week. They met twice a week to discuss her work, and he was always excited and amazed at everything she did. He’d read her work and shower her with compliments that made her warm. And he’d listen as she spoke with his eyes glued to hers, a soft smile playing on his lips. “I love how passionate you are,” he had said once, “your eyes almost literally light up and your energy captures everyone in the room. It’s inspiring, really.” His words made dawn feel dizzy, she felt her heart beat faster and her face turn red, and that feeling was followed by guilt as Liam’s face floated into her mind. She should be feeling this for Liam, not her advisor.

Dr. Styles must have sensed that it made her uncomfortable, “I’m sorry,” he shook his head, confusion etched on his features, “I don’t know why I said that.”

That conversation was weeks ago, since then her and Dr. Styles had developed a friendship. They no longer just talked about their work but also their favorite books and TV shows. Dawn guiltily told him she sometimes watches kids TV shows and he nearly fell off his chair with laughter. Then, to comfort her, he told her about his love for children’s books, and how he tells people they’re for his nephew but really they’re all his. She knew small insignificant things about him that he admitted no one else knew, and it was the same for her.

She knew that he developed emotional connections to some of his shoes, and wore them until they fell apart, then he’d get sad when he had to throw them out.

He knew that she named her cat Tika after the elephant from Barbie and the Island Princess

She knew that the nighttime made him anxious and he didn’t like to spend it alone, although he did a lot.

He knew that she got angry when she watched sad movies instead of crying.

She knew he started studying soulmates so he could understand his own better someday, and she knew it was hard for him to talk about so she never pushed.

They were friends. He knew her in ways that Zayn didn’t, in ways she didn’t want Liam to know her. And it scared her a little. Is it possible to fall for someone else when you’re already with your soulmate?

~~~

“Sloths! Of course it’s sloths. End of discussion!”

Liam snorted, “wrong, the cutest animal on the planet is a baby chimpanzee.”

“I don’t know where you’re getting your information but it’s wrong.”

He rolled his eyes, reaching over his empty plate for one of her french fries, “I could say the same for you.”

Dawn whacked his hand away, but he caught hers in his before she could pull away and left a light kiss on it. It had been a little over three months since she met Liam, and she could now confidently say she was absolutely smitten with him. She didn’t know when exactly it clicked for her, maybe it was when they were talking during a movie and he said, “sometimes I’m convinced I have an extra finger on my right hand. I know I do!” and it was so out of the blue that she soda spewed out of her nose because she was laughing so hard. Or maybe it was when Zayn got food poisoning and Alanna called Dawn in a panic, then Dawn called Liam and he somehow got to Zayn before she did, and took him to the emergency room. She found him comforting Alanna when she rushed in, and he assured her that everything was alright.

The food poisoning night was when she told him she loved him. It was when she threw all her anxieties out of the window and let him in because Liam was so good. And he made her feel amazing so of course, he was her soulmate.

“So,” Liam said, giving her back her hand and snatching a hand full of french fries, “I have a gift for you.”

Dawn raised her eyebrows at him, he was always showering her with gifts. And she knew by now that rejecting them was hopeless, “oh yeah?”

Liam dug into his coat pocket and pulled out a black velvet box the size of Dawn’s palm. Her breath hitched in a panic and Liam laughed, “don’t worry, I’m not proposing. I know you’re not ready for that.”

She hummed gratefully, pushing away the feeling of unease in her gut as she took the box from him and opened it. It was a necklace chain, and right in the middle of the box, attached to the chain, was a key. “Think it’s time we moved in together, yeah?”

Her nerves seemed to freeze, her brain refusing to work. Liam sat across from her, his smile slowly fading into confusion and then hurt. He sat back, his lips forming an ‘oh,’ and he suddenly found the grease stains on the table incredibly interesting. “I...I’m not saying no,” she croaked, although it still felt weird, “can you give me a few days?”

He shrugged, “I thought we were moving forward is all, I’m sorry if it made you feel uncomfortable.”

Guilt gnawed at her chest, “just a few days, I’m the one who’s sorry.”

Liam sighed, then nodded. “Ok, whatever you need.”

“I love you.” She said, and she meant it.

He smiled, “I love you, too.”

~~~

Alanna’s face lit up when she opened the door, “hi! come in! Zayn! Dawn is here!” she shooed Dawn in and went into the kitchen, opening the fridge and pulling out the pomegranate juice they always kept around specifically for her. Alanna was amazing, she and Zayn were total opposites, kind of like Dawn and Liam. Where Zayn was quiet and mellow, only getting loud when he had a few drinks in him, Alanna was talkative and energetic. She was always doing something. If she wasn’t working at the shelter she was volunteering or working out or helping Zayn with his art. There were days when Zayn and Dawn would lounge in his apartment and watch movies and she’d bustle in and out, doing a million things while they barely did one.

“I feel like it’s been forever since I saw you! I keep telling Zayn that the three of us should hang out more together but you know how he is at making plans. How’s Liam?” she handed Dawn a glass of juice and waited patiently as she drank the whole thing.

“I’m actually here about Liam.”

Zayn ambled out of their bedroom, zipping up his jeans and throwing a jacket over his shoulder. “Hey Dawn, you alright?” while Alanna was clueless to Dawn’s sour mood, Zayn picked up on it the second he saw me. “What is it?”

But she saw that he had a nice jacket on his shoulder and Alanna was wearing those fancy heels, and knew she couldn’t ruin their date. They’d both stay here if he even suggested she might want them too and throw their whole night away. But ruining one pairs day was enough for Dawn, so she waved it off. “Nothing, I just came to pick up some books I left here.” She got up and picked up a stack of books she left there from the yesterday before hugging them both goodbye and humming as she walked towards the door so as to seem casual. From the quizzical look Zayn was giving her, she knew he didn’t buy it, but he wasn’t going to push, so he waved goodbye as she shut the door.

~~~

Dawn didn’t know what she was doing, she felt dumb and pathetic and her arms hurt from carrying all those books all the way to campus. And now she stood in front of Harry’s office, staring at the closed door and wondering how she got here. She was just deciding to turn and run before he sees her when she heard his voice, “Dawn? Did we have a meeting?”

She shook her head, refusing to face him because for some reason there were tears pooling in the corners of her eyes, “no, I was around, just thought I’d drop by and say hello.”

Her feet had finally started carrying her away when she felt a gentle grip on her shoulder, “you’re crying.”

Then she couldn’t hold it in anymore, Daw let a sob rack through her body as she continued to fade away from Harry, “sorry, I don’t know why I came here I just couldn’t go home and I didn’t want to ruin Zayn’s day because I seem to be ruining all the men in my life’s days and now I’m here ruining yours I’m so—”

Harry shushed her, “stop that. Come in, let’s talk.”

Dawn rushed to decline his offer, “no you’re probably busy I don’t want to—”

“I don’t care,” he interrupted again, “I don’t care how busy I am. Let me take care of you.” He tugged on her sleeve, taking the books from her hands then fixing his in between her fingers. Dawn tried to ignore how her breath hitched and she instinctively squeezed his hand. He pushed his office door open and lead her in. Dawn reluctantly let go of his hand and walked towards the couch at the far end while Harry started to make some tea. “This should calm you down, it’s not as great as tea made properly with a kettle, but that’s a fire hazard and they told me to stop bringing portable stoves into my office so this electric one will have to do.” Dawn cracked a smile at that, and Harry chuckled, “that wasn’t a joke, but I’m glad it cheered you up. Now, what’s wrong poppet?”

Dawn’s heart squeezed at the new pet name, it made her feel warm and comforted, but it also hurt her, making her unexplainably sadder. “Is it…” she huffed, closing her eyes and taking a sip of her tea as she scorned herself for asking this question, “is it possible to end up with the wrong soulmate?”

Harry cocked his head, “what do you mean?”

She huffed, knowing it was too late to go back now because she knew Harry and he wouldn’t drop this. “I mean our countdowns went down at the same time, and I love him,” she ignored how his jaw tightened when she said that, “but I don’t have those intense feelings or that feeling of completeness with him. If anything I feel like something’s missing.”

Harry nodded, “there are cases where two pairs would meet at the same time, and then get their partners confused. But they always find their way back, because if you’re with the wrong person after your timer has stopped, your body starts to reject them. Even if your mind doesn’t, those people may think they love their partner but they always get sick until they find their true soulmate.”

Dawn sighed, a little upset and a little relieved because her body wasn’t doing that. She wasn’t rejecting Liam, and she did love him. She would die for him. So he had to be the one. “What if, it is the right person but you still have those doubts?”

Harry played with his lip, something he did when he was deep in thought, Dawn loved that habit, she’d even started to pick up on it herself. “Soulmate is an imperfect science, you know that, because everyone is so different. No two minds and bodies are the same or react the same. Again, there have been cases, although very rare, where it took the couple a longer time than usual to get into the swing of things.”

“But we are in the swing of things!” Dawn couldn’t help her voice cracking in frustration, “and he doesn’t feel any of this. He’s fine! It’s just me.”

Harry places a comforting hand on her knee, and again, Dawn tried to ignore how her mood immediately lifted but her heart hurt even more. “Do you think that could just be you being in disbelief? You said you had started to think you didn’t have a soulmate. So maybe you’re just doubting it because you can’t believe you do?”

“Maybe,” she nodded, although her heart tugged at that. “What do I do in that case?”

Her advisor shrugged, “fake it ‘til you make it. You said you love him, and that you're certain he’s your soulmate. All those doubts will go away if you stop mulling over them.”

Dawn exhaled, “you’re right. You’re right! I just need to stop running away every time I voice in my head whispers for me too. Thank you, Harry.”

“Anytime love, you can always come to me.”

Dawn doesn’t know what pushed her to say what she said next, but once she said it surprised her more than it did him. “What’s your deal? With your soulmate.”

Harry’s eyes widened, he always shifted the conversation when she tried to get information about his soulmate. Now it’s been months and she still didn’t know. He was studying her, playing at his lips again, before finally saying, “I don’t have one.”

Dawn’s heart broke for him, because he looked so defeated after that confession, playing with the fabric of his pants and refusing to meet her eyes. “What about your countdown?”

He showed it to her, 00:00. “It’s been like that for as long as I can remember. I don’t know why. An expert once said that maybe they died when we were young. But if they did I’d feel it, and I don’t. So I just don’t get a person like everyone else does.”

She shifted closer to him, not knowing why tears sprung at her eyes from his confession. All she knew was that someone with as much love in his heart as Harry deserved to be loved, and the world was cruel and unfair for not giving him that. “Harry, I’m—” but he shook his head, silently asking her not to apologize. He never liked pity, but it was so hard not to feel sad for him when he looked so broken. Dawn ran her fingers through his hair, he once told her that always comforted him, and her heart seemed to sour when his eyes fluttered closed and he leaned into her touch.

He was so beautiful, in every possible way. Harry was kind and generous and passionate and loved everyone. He also had the most mesmerizing eyes and the perfect curve of his nose. He had a voice that calmed Dawn’s biggest worries, and a dimpled smile that made her want to coo every time she was granted one. Harry also has unbelievably pink lips, lips she always found herself staring at. Ones he liked to play with and cones that drew out every word he chose with care and precision. She knew his lips were soft, she knew it like she knew her name. And she wanted so badly to feel them.

His eyes were still closed, a comforted hum slipping out of his lips as Dawn massages at his hair. That sound was enough to make her lean closer and brush her lips against his.

Harry’s eyes shot open and he straightened up so quickly that Dawn's hand fell limp onto his led. Neither of them said anything, Dawn didn’t know what he was thinking. As she waited for him to say something, a fire seemed to grow inside her, getting hotter and hotter until she felt like she was going to melt. The brush wasn’t enough, she wanted more, needed more and she was certain she’d suffocate if she didn’t get it.

Dawn didn’t get a chance to think of what to do because Harry leaned in, his lips crashing with hers so quickly it knocked the wind out of both of them. He kissed her hungrily, with a monstrous passion as if his whole life was building up to that moment. And Dawn kissed back, she pulled at his hair as he sucked on her lower lip and pushed him closer to herself, so close that she could almost feel his heartbeat through his lips.

He sucked at her lips and she bit at his, his tongue danced around hers and she let out sounds she’d never heard before. His hands held onto her face, directing her where he wants her to be and Dawn was certain she’d have a mark on her face for days because his touch was so hot. Liam would definitely—

She pulled away with a gasp, and Harry tried to lean in again but she shook her head, “this was wrong,” she said, almost trying to convince herself, because she felt no remorse, and wanted more than anything to continue to kiss him. She finally looked at Harry, who’s swollen red lips were now pointing down in a pout, “I have a so— I have Liam. I’m sorry.”

Harry seemed to want to argue with her, and she wished he would. She wanted him to give her a reason to stay with him all night. Instead, he coughed and said, “right. Liam.” Dawn waited for a little bit more before forcing herself to walk out of his office, out of his building, without turning back. If she turned back she’d go all the way back, and say screw Liam. Screw soulmates and kiss me.

The guilt started to seep in when she was a few minutes away from her apartment. It was a nasty feeling, she was used to feeling guilty but it didn’t hurt her stomach the way this did. It didn’t make her hands shake until she dropped her phone, and it didn’t make her lose her bearings until she was crying in the middle of the street. This is what happens when you cheat on your soulmate, she thought, I’m going to die. It hurts so much it’s going to kill me.

She didn’t want to go back to her apartment and be alone, so she kept walking until she was at the one place that never filled her with confusion and turmoil. Zayn opened the door this time, and only saw her face for a second before pulling her into a hug, “oh, button.” Dawn blubbered, in the middle of sobs and sighs, her apology about ruining their night. “Nonsense, love. We just got back and Anna’s tired anyway. Come on, let’s clean you up.”

Alanna and Zayn forced her into the shower, and now she had on a pair of Alanna’s softest pajamas and socks. She was laying on the couch, covered with a blanket and her head in Zayn’s lap as she recounted the events of the day. From Liam asking her to move into kissing Harry, and Zayn listened quietly through the whole thing, humming at the right parts and playing with her hair to keep her calm. Her body still aches, especially as she explained how guilty she felt. Zayn squeezes her arm when she told him it felt like dying, and he peppered her hand with soft kisses and comforted her with kind words when her body started to ache again. Dawn wondered then if Zayn was her soulmate, not in the way he was Alanna’s, but as her friend. She sometimes felt like he was her other half, like him and her were made from the same fabric and sent down to watch over each other, even though most of the time it was him protecting her.

“You know what you need to do, button.” He said softly, massaging circles into her scalp, “it’s the only way to make yourself feel better.”

“But what about him? It’ll break Liam, I know it.”

“He’s stronger than you think. And he loves you so much.”

Dawn groaned, covering her face with her hands, “I’m the worst soulmate ever. Why did he have to get stuck with me?”

“No, you’re not. No more of that, okay? You’ll stay with us for a couple of days until you feel better, I’ll tell Liam you’re sick and I’m taking care of you. Then you can tell him, he’ll understand. Soulmates always do.”

“Soulmates don’t cheat.”

“Yeah well, your story was never like everyone else’s was it?”

~~~

Soulmates always understand.

Liam understood. Of course not at first, at first. At first, there was yelling and crying and Dawn feeling so sick she had to run to the bathroom before she emptied her stomach on his carpet. But then he took care of her, he helped her clean up and made her some lemonade. Liam sat down across from her, his head in his hands for what seemed like an eternity before finally speaking up, “what are you going to do?” Dawn didn’t understand, “do you want to fix this?”

“Yes! Of course I do Liam I’m so sorry! Please let me fix it, it’s killing me.”

“What are you going to do to fix it?”

She fixed it, she did. Dawn emailed Harry the next day and requested a new advisor. She didn’t see him or think about him again. For a very long time, the guilt still ate at her. She was sick and fatigued and irritable, “a proper monster,” is how Zayn described it. But Liam was patient and tended to her all throughout that. And the more time that passed between her and Harry, the better she felt. Yes, every now and then she’d get sick again. And sometimes she couldn’t bear being near Liam or the guilt would eat her up. But that was better than before, things got better.

Harry did give her good advice. She faked it until all the bad feelings about Liam were gone, and she only got them when she thought about Harry. It worked. And a year later, when Liam proposed, she was able to say yes without a second’s hesitation. They were soulmates after all.

Everything was wonderful. They were engaged and living together, Liam’s photography was getting more recognition, and Dawn was almost done with her thesis. Her new advisor was kind, strict, but kind, and she respected her. It was almost Christmas time, and nothing could go wrong.

Liam and Dawn were gift shopping, walking hand in hand through a pet store as Dawn looked for a cute Christmas outfit for Tika. She had met Liam at the mall after a meeting with her advisor. Harry had walked in during that meeting, not knowing that Dawn was there. And when she saw him she felt her hands start to shake again. Her mouth was dry and her heart felt like it was going to jump out of her chest, so she excused herself and came back when he left. Other than that, the meeting went great, and Dawn was telling Liam about all of her research and the possibility of it getting published when someone approached them.

“Liam? Liam is that you?”

Liam froze, squeezing Dawn’s hand once before turning to face the voice. Dawn saw it was a woman, maybe a few years older than the two of them. She had a short blond bob cut and big blue eyes, and she her face was one of wonder when she saw Liam, but then her eyes turned to Dawn and were confused. And when they saw their interlocked hands they got angry, was she an ex? Sometimes people dated others before they found their soulmate, it was rare, but it happened. But usually, there are no hard feelings when the soulmates are found. “Daisy,” Liam forced a smile, “it’s been a while.”

Something felt off, Liam was being so cold, and he was such a sweet person. Daisy cocked her hip and crossed her arms, “yeah no shit, you told us you were leaving town to deal with everything. Yet here you are.”

Dawn wanted to ask what was going on, but the tension between her fiancé and Daisy made her keep quiet. “I was out of town.”

“Yeah?” she cocked her eyebrow, “and who’s this missy?”

Dawn responded before Liam could do it for her, “I’m his fiance, his soulmate. Who are you?”

Daisy gasped, then threw her head back and laughed. When she stopped, she looked from me to Liam, “his soulmate? Well I know that’s not the truth.”

Dawn’s mind was reeling as she tried to keep up with everything, “I’m sorry?” she asked, confused.

“His soulmate’s dead baby girl,” Daisy rolled her eyes, “I should know, I’m her sister.”

Dawn froze, not being able to comprehend what was going on. The girl didn’t seem to be lying, and Liam was frozen as well, unable to say anything. Was it true then? He already had his soulmate? There’s no way, because that would mean Dawn wasn’t his soulmate, and that would mean he’s been lying to her. “Liam?” was all she could force out.

Liam threw daisy a dirty look and pushed Dawn away gently, “ok listen to me, she’s right. I had a soulmate before you. Her name was Sophia, and she passed away. But you’re my soulmate too! You’re my second one.”

Second soulmates were rare, but they happened. When someone loses their soulmate, their clock resets again, and they find another. “But that’s like... everyone in a million,” Dawn choked out, starting to calm down, “and why wouldn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want it to bother you, babe,” he comforted, “you’re my one in a million.”

Daisy wasn’t done yet though, “another lie!” she cackled, “oh my God Liam, I can’t believe you. You’ve always been a snake.”

“What?” Dawn questioned, “what is it now? Why can’t you just leave us alone?”

“I’m trying to help you, baby, his clock never reset after Sophia. He doesn’t have a second soulmate.”

Liam growled, “she’s lying, Dawn.”

That seemed to push Daisy off the edge, “lying? I’m not a liar! I have proof.” She opened her phone and after a few long seconds, turned it to me, “this was before the funeral. We were all standing outside and my mom snapped a picture, remember that? Then she wanted to process it and put it with Sophia so she could have us all with her but she didn’t have time? Remember when we were all there together grieving for your dead wife?”

Liam made a sound at the back of his throat, no doubt saddened by the mention of his late soulmate. But Dawn paid that no mind, because she zoomed into the picture, where Liam was fixing one of his sleeves, and his wrist was turned towards the camera.

00:00

It felt as if the air was taken out of her, like she’d been hit in the head and forgot how to breathe. She looked at Liam, who was frozen, guilty. She spent her whole life looking for him, only to find out after two years of them being together, that he wasn’t him. Everything she felt, or didn’t feel, it was all valid and she was made to be the bad person in the relationship because of it, while he knew the whole time, that she didn’t feel everything because he wasn’t hers.

Liam reached for her, but she dodged him, not wanting to touch him ever again. All she could do was force out a “don’t follow me.” Before turning and walking away.

She wound up in the apartment they shared, surrounded by pictures of them and the things they owned together. Tika pawed at her foot, wearing a collar Liam bought her. Dawn knelt down and took the collar off, tossing it across the room and it hit the front door, which swung open right after to reveal Liam. “Dawn,” he breathed, “please listen to me.”

“Get out.”

Liam stepped into the apartment, shutting the door behind him, “Baby, please we can get through this.”

“So it’s true?” she asked, part of her hoping he’d say no.

“Yes but that doesn’t matter! I love you, and you love me. This whole soulmate thing is shit anyway.”

Dawn scoffed, finally getting angry, “the past two years have been a lie! Everything about us is built on your pathetic lie! You’re shit, you are. You’re a liar and a psychopath and I want you out.”

Liam’s face twisted, “oi, this isn’t on me! You’re the one that walked up to me and told me you were my soulmate!”

“And you didn’t think to deny it? Instead, you had me believing that I was your soulmate! And that I was a shit soulmate at that because I didn’t love you at first, and I didn’t trust you. My whole being was telling me something was wrong about this, but every wrong feeling I got just made me feel worse, and you let that happen.”

He stepped closer, his arms extended towards her, but Dawn stepped back. Tika looked from her owner to the man she’s grown used to, sensing the negative energy and decided to go hide in a room. “But we got through all of that, right?” Liam continued, “every time you had a doubt or started pulling away I was understanding! I took care of you and loved you even when you treated me like shit and ignored me all the time. I was patient with you. I was patient with you when you wouldn’t sleep with me for a month and I was there even when you cheated on me! You’ve hurt me time and time again and I always forgave you. Now it’s your turn.”

Dawn was disgusted, she wanted to throw up. The thought that she fell in love with him, slept with him, has lived with him and was going to marry him without knowing all of this. “I didn’t lie to you about being your soulmate! I thought you were mine and I tried so hard to love you! I did love you!”

“You’re crazy! What were you going to do when we got married huh? When we couldn’t have kids because you’re not my soulmate? Tell me it was my fault?”

“Dawn please.”

“Get out! I don’t want to see you again.”

Liam clenched his jaw, “this is my apartment love, if you’re going to refuse to talk to me then you get out.”

Her blood was boiling, and if she didn’t get away from him she’d either hurt him or hurt herself. “Fine, I’ll fucking leave. Can’t stand this stupid place anyway.” Dawn stormed to the room they shared and started shoving her belongings into a stray backpack. “I’ll send Zayn for my stuff, don’t talk to him, and that’ll be it.”

Liam then started to grow desperate, “no, I’m sorry Dawn don’t go. Please, Dawn, we can work this out. I love you. I’m sorry I lied please just stay I can’t lose you.”

“I’m just your fucking replacement, Liam.”

“But I fell in love with you. We can fix this, I can fix this and we can still get married.” He blocked the door, “please, Dawn. You probably don’t have a soulmate anyway, this is better for both of us.”

That was it for her, she swung her backpack onto her back and shoved him out of the way, “anything is better than being with you. You stay the fuck away from me.”

She forced off her engagement ring and threw it at him, “Dawn!”

Dawn picked up Tika and grabbed her purse. “If you bother me or my friends, I’ll tell the police you faked being my soulmate. And you’ll go to prison. Stay. Away.”

Liam finally gave a defeated sigh, “fine, ok. Just don’t turn me in, please.”

“You’re pathetic.”

~~~

When she told Zayn what happened, he was livid. If it wasn’t for Alanna yelling at him to stay put, he would have gone and done who knows what to Liam. Zayn was gentle, but he had a temper and it was scary when he got mad. Instead of taking it out on Liam, he put all his energy into caring for Dawn. He and Alanna set up the guest bedroom for her, “you’ll literally live with us until our grandkids kick you out. Shut up about being a bother it’s really annoying.”

Zayn didn’t trust that Liam would stay away, and he insisted on driving Dawn to and from work. In order to try and forget everything, Dawn threw herself into her work. She increased her office hours and helped more of her students, and spent all her days in the office, working on her research or studying for her classes. The deadline was approaching fast, and she had allowed herself to get distracted with all the wedding planning, but now she was back on track, she’d get her masters on time.

Dawn was typing away at her laptop, so lost in her work that she didn’t notice a figure at her door until he knocked on the wall. Harry stood at her office door, looking nervous and holding a wrapped present in his hands, “Hello, can I come in?”

There was no longer a reason for her to say no. Harry sat on a chair, “I just wanted to congratulate you on your thesis almost being done. I’m a little upset I couldn’t read it but I will when it’s published. I got you something to celebrate.”

He handed her the present and Dawn opened it to find two CDs. A Dragon Tales, seasons 1-5 and CD featuring three Barbie movies. She laughed, her eyes springing tears because he remembered such small insignificant things about her. “These are wonderful,” she breathed, “thank you so much.”

Harry beamed, his dimples pinching in and giving her a feeling she hadn’t felt in a long time, one she only felt around him. “Your welcome. Maybe I’ll get you Teletubbies as a wedding gift.” Her smile faded and she didn’t respond. “How is Liam,” Harry pushed, clueless to everything that happened.

“Harry,” Dawn sighed, “thank you for the gifts, but I really don’t want to talk about him right now. And I have a lot of work to do.”

His smile dropped and he looked like she wounded him, “right. Sorry, I overstepped once again.”

As he was walking out, Dawn spoke up, “I’m sorry, Harry.” He turned around, “I didn’t mean to snap like that. You never overstepped, it was always me. You shouldn’t feel bad about anything.”

He gave her a small nod, “I don’t think you overstepped either. With me.” Dawn didn’t know what to say, so she just gave him a forced smile and looked back at her computer. “I miss you.”

Her head snapped up, her blood feeling like electricity at those three words. But Harry left before she could say anything.

~~~

She couldn’t sleep, every time she closed her eyes she saw Liam, and it made her afraid to sleep. She also had a pounding headache. It was three in the morning, and she couldn’t stop thinking about everything. Her countdown had turned to zero, which means someone else’s must have too, right? Her real soulmate was out there somewhere. She wished she could remember the party clearer, but it was too long ago.

There was also a possibility that she didn’t have a soulmate. Her countdown had been glitchy and maybe that was just it finally breaking down. Maybe she still was broken.

She had to do something, so she got out of bed and went to get a glass of water. Once she returned to her room, Dawn started rummaging through her unopened boxes, looking for something to make her feel better.

“Dawn?” Zayn’s sleep filled voice yawned and he flicked on the lights, “what are you doing up?”

“Did I wake you?” she said guiltily, “Sorry.”

He shook his head, squinting at her as he tried to keep his eyes open, “was going to get a drink and heard you. Can’t sleep?”

“I’m looking for something.”

“What?”

Dawn sat back on the bed and Zayn joined her, she closed her eyes and rubbed her temples, feeling dizzy. “The picture.” Zayn hummed for her to go on, “the one Liam took from the party, I don’t want it around anymore. I have to get rid of it. God!”

“What?” Zayn asked, concerned this time, because Dawn had knelt over, gripping her head. “Dawn what’s wrong?”

“Dizzy,” she croaked, “my head hurts. My whole body hurts.”

Her best friend stood up, “ok lay down, I’ll go get you some medicine.”

“No, I need that picture.”

“Dawn that’s not important right now.”

“Yes it is!” she yelled. She didn’t know why she needed the picture so badly, but she just did.

“Okay, okay. Lay down and I’ll find it for you.”

She must have dozed off, because the next thing she remembered is Zayn waking her up, the picture in his hand. Dawn sat up and took it from him, studying it. Harry was giving her his book, his dimpled smile present as he looked at her. Dawn was enamored by the book, probably focused on not dropping it. The picture made her sick, “this is what started everything,” she hissed, going to tear the picture.

“No, no! Dawn wait!” Zayn practically tackled her for the picture, taking it out of her hands before she could tear it in half. She glared at him, hoping he had a good reason for doing that, “look.” He said, pointing to the book. But Dawn didn’t see anything, she cursed Zayn for being too sentimental and went to take the picture back. “No stop it! Look!” This time he pointed at her wrist, where the numbers were grayed and rapidly approaching zero. Her breath hitched, Liam had captured the moment her countdown went to zero. But that wasn’t what Zayn was referring too, because after he made sure that Dawn saw her countdown, he moved his finger and placed it just above Harry’s wrist.

~~~

This was stupid, this was so stupid. But Dawn could barely think straight over her heart beating so fast. She had taken Zayn’s car as soon as she noticed what he was pointing too, the picture was crushed between her hand and the steering wheel. She didn’t know if he’d be at his office at three in the morning, who’s at their office at three in the morning? But she had to go.

Dawn practically ran to the building, the door was open. That was a good sign, nevermind the fact that it could be any of the hundreds of people that worked in this building. She rushed up the stairs and down the hall, stopping short in front of his office. Her hands were shaking so hard she almost dropped the picture multiple times, so she shoved it into her pocket before putting a shaky hand to the door and pushing it open.

Harry was laying on the couch, a mug of black coffee sat on the floor beside him and he was reading a paper, a red pen settled behind his ear. His legs kept warm by sot grey sweatpants and instead of a dress shirt, he wore an old Rolling Stones T-shirt. He turned when he heard the door open, startled, then confused when he saw who it was. “Dawn?” he sat up, taking in her pink pajamas, the bun of hair toppled on her head, and the star wars slippers that belonged to Zayn, “are you alright?”

“When did your countdown go to zero?” she was panting.

“What?” Harry tilted his head, “Dawn what are y–”

“Tell me! Please,” she calmed down, “when did your countdown go to zero.”

“I already told you, love,” his eyebrows knitted in concern, “are you drunk?”

“You lied.”

His eyes widened, “excuse me?”

“You lied! Tell me the truth, please, Harry.”

Something in her voice unwound him, and he leaned back onto the couch before saying, “at the book release.”

“Why didn’t you notice it?”

“Dawn what’s going on?”

“If you knew that your time was approaching, why didn’t you notice it and know who your soulmate was?” Harry’s jaw twitched, he was embarrassed of the answer, and she knew why. “Because you didn’t expect it to ever get to zero, right? Because it was glitching for months before that and you had given up, so you didn’t notice it was at zero until way after.”

He stood up, eyes wide, “until after the party, when it was too late. How do you…” his jaw dropped when the realization hit him. Harry looked at his wrist, then back at her, then at his wrist again. He went to sit down, putting his head in his hands and exhaling through his nose. “What about Liam?”

“He lied to me.”

Harry fell silent, he laid back on the couch, then sat up straight. Dawn watched him repeat the motion over and over, then stand up and pace the length of his office. He was in shock, she understood that. Harry had thought he lost his soulmate forever and now here she was, in oversized pink pajamas, wide-eyed and panting like an animal. She looked away, trying to give him some privacy. “What are you doing?” Harry spoke, she turned around to answer, but was stricken silent by his dimpled smile, “come over here so I can kiss you.”

She practically jumped on him, and Harry laughed as he stumbled from her weight to the couch. Dawn tried to take in all of his features, to look at him and take in two years worth of him. Everything made sense then, why she was always drawn to him, why she felt guilty when she was with Liam. Why she kissed him, and didn’t feel guilty about that. Even why she started getting sick after they kissed. Her heart knew, it always knew that Harry was her person, it just took two years and a Zayn for her to catch up.

Harry’s lips captured hers, and he hummed happily as she kissed him back. Dawn could swear she heard their souls clicking together. She knotted her fingers with his hair, and Harry pulled her closer until all that's separating them was the clothes on their bodies. Between his kisses and their happy giggles, Dawn felt like she could finally breathe. His tongue on hers was fresh air, his lips on her cheeks and neck and mouth were fresh air, she felt like her soul could have floated all the way to heaven if it staying here and kissing Harry wasn’t more enticing.

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neverbacksdown7476 · 6 years ago

Text

Don’t Say It (Part 2)

Warnings for the Chapter: Other than bad writing, and a tad bit of bad language, this chapter is pretty tame

Part 1 Part 3

Barba wasn’t kidding when he said this would be a long night. You just didn’t realize this would take all the way until the next night.

Sonny and you walked in at about midnight, and suddenly all eyes were on you. All the detectives, and Barba. The two of you got smirks from two of the detectives, and a harsh sigh from Barba. You walked quickly over to him, and stood next to him without another word, while the detectives caught you up on the case. How over the last two years there had been seven women who had been attacked in the middle of the night. The perp would break into their apartment, by climbing up the fire escape, and coming in through the window. He would hold them for two hours, all while raping and torturing them. The final ‘fuck you’ so to say was the perp cut their left cheek, so they would remember him every time they looked in the mirror. The pictures of the victims were all up on the board, all of them in their late twenties, or early thirties. Under the photos of the victims smiling faces were pictures of the crime scenes, and the injuries sustained.

Seeing their faces, even just in a picture, go from a bright, joyful smile, to cold, and broken sadness buried so deep in their eyes that it would never go away. It almost made you sick. Raising your hand to your lips, you covered them just before a gasp could escape. Then you found yourself suddenly praying that no one had seen that moment of weakness. You took in a deep, shaky breath as you slowly dropped your hand back to your waist.

“So for the last two years we hadn’t been able to find any suspects, and he was inactive for the last six months.” Lieutenant Benson explained.

“Until tonight when he struck again, a Jackie Baker. Twenty-seven lives alone. Same M.O. climbed up the fire escape, broke in through the window. Until she was able to get away.” Detective Rollins continued.

“A Uni found her running half naked down the street. He went back and arrested the suspect who was trying to sneak out of the front of the building.” Detective Tutuola finished.

“Okay, so why are we all here at midnight, couldn’t this have waited until morning?” Barba asked, while you were kind of wondering the same thing.

“I don’t think you would have wanted us to wait Counselor.” Lieutenant Benson answered as she started walking to her office, Barba followed as did you. Through the glass she was looking through was an interrogation room, dull and grey, a table in the middle. Sitting at the table was an older man probably in his forties or fifties. He had black hair that was starting to turn grey. He seemed to be in pretty good shape, and wore a nice suit that seemed like it probably cost a lot of money.

“Who is he?” You spoke for the first time.

“Jason Dixon. He is a huge reporter for LMZ,” Lieutenant Benson explained, “He is constantly bashing the police, and has already been talking about an NYPD set up to keep him quiet.” You bit your lip, finally letting it settle in why this was going to be a long night.

“Okay, so do we have any evidence tying him to the other seven victims.” Barba asked

“Well, not yet, there was no DNA evidence on any of the other girls, or in their apartments.”

“Did this Ms. Baker? Did she have a cut on her cheek, how long was she held?” You asked, surprisingly enough, Barba didn’t even bother to scowl at you. Just looked at Lieutenant Benson waiting for an answer.

“No, she was only held for thirty minutes, and he always cuts his victims right before he leaves.”

“Did he have anything with him, rope, a knife, anything?” Barba retorted, but the Sergeant just sighed. There was no way to tie this man to the other seven girls, and odds are he knew that.

“Look we may not have him for the other girls right now, but we can have them come in first thing in the morning to I.D. him.”

“A lineup?” Barba asked

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but wouldn’t that do more harm than good? I mean they could just recognize him from the television, or even worse they could get it wrong.” Barba groaned, as if he didn’t like the fact that you were right.

“We should at least try,” Lieutenant Benson retorted

“Is he under arrest?” Barba asked

“Yes, but he has asked for a lawyer, so we can’t question him any more tonight.”

“Alright, first thing in the morning we will arraign him. We will ask for Remand and hopefully after a little time in the tombs he will be more willing to talk. In the meantime, is there any way that we can tie him to the other women.”

“All the women said they had a piece of jewelry missing. There is no way he got rid of it.”

“I will work on getting warrants, for his home office, his computers too there might be something on those.” Barba said then turned and walked out, you followed in suit. Rushing to keep up with his brisk pace. The two of you stayed in absolute silence through the halls, and in the elevator, and the entire taxi ride back to the office.

“Alright,” he began, pointing at the round table in his over sized office. “You will work there, on high profile cases like this you will not speak to press, or anyone other than the detectives and myself.”

“Okay,” you nodded and walked over to the clean table. He shuffled through some papers on his desk, then brought you a stack of papers, and a laptop setting them down on the table.

“We will work through the night, I want to be prepared first thing in the morning when Mr. Dixon’s lawyer comes knocking. We have to try to get the warrants before, and if, he is released on bail.” Staring at the papers, and listening to him go on and on about the to-do list you were starting to feel a little overwhelmed. You had spent your last three years in law school studying for this very moment, but now it seemed so much harder. For an instant you forgot everything you had learned. All you could think about were those photos, and how if you messed this up, a horrible man could walk free. Free to rape and torture. It was a horrible thought, and though you tried to remind yourself that he was innocent until proven guilty. Your mouth went dry. “Y/L/N.” His voice shattered your thoughts, and you drug your attention back to Barba.

“Yes, sir?”

“I have to ask, is there anything between you and Detective Carisi?” His words were cold, as if he were ready to throw you out if you gave him the wrong answer.

“Of course not!” You retorted quickly, maybe too quickly? “I know that would be a conflict of interest, I would have said something right away if there was. The two of us are just childhood friends.”

“Okay,” he said, but continued to eyeball you. Did he not believe you? “Then we will get started, right away.” He walked to his desk. He pulled off his blazer, draping it over one of the hooks of the coat hanger just behind his desk. You took a moment to appreciate the suspenders, and the way he rolled up his sleeves and got straight to work. You didn’t plan on getting caught staring, so you sat down and got started as well. Through most of the night we worked in silence, you would ask him a few questions from time to time, and he would respond quickly, straight to the point.

About the time noon rolled around, you were pretty much a walking corpse. You had pulled all-nighters in law school. A lot of them in fact. This seemed harder though. You hadn’t slept much the night before either, since you were so nervous about your first day, so you were going on pretty much no sleep for the last two days. Barba had been running back and forth from meetings with lawyers, and court appearances. Trusting you to finish up the loose ends here.

“Here,” A familiar voice jolted you to attention. Apparently, you were staring blankly at the laptop in front of you. You looked up to see Barba holding two cups, extending one out to you.

“Oh, thanks.” You mumbled taking it from him, appreciative of the nice gesture. “How was arraignment court?” You asked taking a sip from the coffee, letting the caffeine jolt your insides awake.

“The judge set Dixon’s bail at $200,000. Which has not been posted yet.”

“The warrants?” You asked taking another sip of the coffee then ran your fingers through your hair.

“The judge signed off on them. You did well on them.” You watched a grin spread across his lips. “Of course it was my smooth talking that got him to sign them.” You let a chuckle escape your lips, that was probably the best compliment you would get from him. “The detectives are searching his home, and office now.”

“So that’s a win?”

“For now, but the war has only begun.” You nodded your head, and let out a small yawn. Your attention went back to the laptop, and you took in a deep breath.

“Let’s hit pause on that for now, I find this job is just a little easier when you get out of the office from time to time. Go home, change, get ready for the day.” You wanted to act calm, but you were so hungry that your mouth was watering at the thought. Not only that, but a nice hot shower sounded like nirvana. You didn’t want to seem like you couldn’t handle the work.

“No, I’m fine,” You assured him

“Listen, you go home, shower, eat something, look presentable for today. Meet me back here in two hours.” He turned towards you, and nodded his head out the door. Slipping past him, and out the door.

It didn’t take you long to shower, re-apply your makeup, eat a whole bunch of takeout that you so desperately needed. Though none of that took very long, by the time you were finished with everything it was time to head back to the office. You were missing the sleep you so desperately needed once again.

~~~

Walking back to Barba’s office was the awakening you needed, apparently. There were eight women sitting in the waiting room, clearly uncomfortable, and staring silently at their laps, phone, or just into the distance. They all looked similar black hair, either long or short, bright blue or green eyes, a slim athletic body. You recognized these women from the board of the special victims unit. Barba’s door swung open his eyes landing first on the woman with curly black hair, and blue eyes. You knew her as Ms. Baker, the most recent, and you pray to God the last, victim of Dixon.

“Ms. Dixon we will go over your statement first.” His eyes flicked up seeing you, and he nodded his head towards his office. Letting you know that it was alright for you to be part of this conversation. So, you followed Ms. Baker into the room. The room had been completely cleaned and organized, which was for sure not how you left it. In front of Barba’s desk, Detective Rollins was sitting in a chair with one leg crossed over the other.

“What is going on?” You asked, since the last time you checked there was no way to connect Mr. Dixon to the other victims.

“The search warrants got us everything we needed; he kept trophies of his victims, and a detailed account in a little blue book. He is going down. Odds are he will take a plea deal, but we will still go over the victims lives, and attack until then. Detective Rollins is here to make them feel more comfortable.”

“Okay, so what do you need from me?” You asked

“I am going to ask her questions, just make sure you write everything down.” Barba said, almost shoving a yellow legal pad into your hands. He shoved his chair towards you, so you sat down as he walked to the other side of his desk, sitting on the corner.

He started asking Ms. Baker questions without a second thought. Things about her past sex life, any crimes she might have committed. Things that you would not have even thought about asking this woman, like if she was having an affair? You wrote everything down though; his questions and her answers. You were writing so fast that you were sure you were making a lot of grammar, and spelling errors that you would have to fix later. Besides that your hand was cramping, and this was just the first victim.

~~~

After about two hours of speaking with witnesses, and swearing to yourself that you were going to have to learn how to become ambidextrous. Another three hours of more paperwork, and feeling like your head was going to explode. You got an hour, to stand in the background of the courtroom where Barba was negotiating another suspects bail. It all seemed so trivial, and definitely not why you became a lawyer. You didn’t become a lawyer to file paperwork, and watch Barba from afar, that was a job for a secretary or something, right? You just felt like after the last two days, you needed a win personally, and this was by far not it. So as you and Barba made your way out of the courthouse, you were staring at the ground, which apparently Barba noticed.

“You had better get rid of that sad puppy dog look, the circus begins as soon as we leave these doors.” Barba warned, but not soon enough. The two of you left the courthouse, and halfway down the stairs a sat a whole bunch of reporters that rushed you.

“A.D.A. Barba, is it true that Jason Dixon is being charged with the rape of eight women?”

“Is it true that he was found with trophies?”

“How is the D.A. planning pressing charges?”

“No comment.” Barba shouted over the commotion of the reporters. Though he said that, the reporters kept questioning him about Mr. Dixon. The two of you walked away quickly, and you turned my head looking at the press who were feeding off the despair of the victims.

“Don’t they have anything better to report on?” You asked

“Apparently not.” He abruptly stopped walking, and turned towards you. “ I tell you what, it has been a long day, come with me.” He raised his hand, and a taxi stopped in front of you. Even though you weren’t entirely sure what was going on, you followed him into the taxi.

“Where are we going?” You finally asked

“To wind down,” He responded, but that just left you with more questions than it answered.

“Okay,” you said almost awkwardly, and looked out the window. The taxi only drove for a couple of minutes. It almost seemed like you could have just walked, but you didn’t think that a sophisticated guy like Barba walked anywhere if he could avoid it. It almost made you wonder what kind of childhood he had; raised as a rich boy, who go everything he ever wanted? You got out of the taxi, and followed Barba into a bar. It wasn’t exactly fancy, or run down, either way when you got to the counter and heard him order a bourbon you couldn’t help but giggle, and order a long island.

“Something funny?” He questioned, as he took off his blazer, draping it over his chair, rolling up his sleeves. Last time you weren’t able to admire how handsome he looked with his well fit button up, tucked in to his pants, and his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. This time you took a few moments, you could berate yourself later for checking out your boss.

“No, um, of course not.” Your face straightened, and you looked at the drink that was set in front of you.

“Don’t be nervous, I know the last couple of days have been crazy, but since we will be working together I figured it would be a good idea to get to know each other. Just a little.” He said taking a drink from the glass.

“Wait, you actually want to know about me?” You asked taken back by the thought. He had been so cold to you since you started, and when Sonny tried to explain how you two knew each other he was fast to shut him down.

“Yes.” He said grabbing two menus off the counter, handing you one. “My treat.” He grinned again.

#law and order svu #rafael barba #fanfic #barba x reader #rafael barba x reader

69 notes · View notes

raphpanda21 · 6 years ago

Text

Cause you got me in my feelings

Last time

Hermes: I will see you Monday.

Persephone glared at him as she tried to set her hair to rights again.

Persephone: Sure thing. See you Monday!

Waving bye over his shoulder he soon disappears from her sight the sound of the elevator gate rising and falling quickly followed by the sound of the elevator descending. All to quickly the large loft falls silent and Persephone is left with only her thoughts for company. Not wanting to focus on them she instead moves towards the boxes setting aside her coffee cup as she digs out a change of clothes. Finding an outfit that she deemed comfortable enough to unpack in she moved back upstairs to make use of one of the showers. It might be a late start but better to start out her day feeling fresh she resolved. As she was stepping into the shower downstairs her phone screen turned on with a ding and as a text notification appeared on the screen.

After much effort and plying them with alcohol Hades had managed to successfully excuse himself from the emergency bro brunch. Pulling into his driveway he took out his cell and checked his text messages for the thousandth time. Still no response from Persephone. Was she okay? Was she mad at him? He groaned audibly at all the imagined horribles. Locking his screen once more he climbed out of the car and made his way to his front door. Putting his keys in the door he realized it was unlocked. Strange? He was positive he had locked it before he left.

Opening the door he was greeted by Cerberus who he absently pet as he walked into the house pushing the door closed behind him. The sound of soft mood music wafted through the house. As he walked further into his house he quickly figured out who the intruder was when he spied a very familiar pair of heels and limited release bag. Both of which he had been coaxed into purchasing for Minthe in the past. This could not be good news for him. Well best to face the music she obviously was not going to let him run away. Searching the entire downstairs he finds no sign of Minthe inside or out. With a deep breathe for courage he made his way upstairs. The smell of her cigars was his next hint that he was getting closer. Following his nose he entered his bedroom and unexpectedly discovered a pile of her discarded clothing and underthings. Perhaps things wouldn’t go as badly as he thought. Moving to his bathroom he finally found the lady in question reclined in a bubble bath reading some sort of magazine her cigar resting in an ash try. Seeing her phone resting on the counter ledge Hades clicked pause on her music app.

Hades: Making yourself at home?

Minthe lowered the magazine laying it down on the floor as she leaned over the bathtub edge to grab her cigar giving Hades more than an eyeful of her bare chest. Looking away his eyes fall on what she had been reading and his stomach dropped seeing that it is the latest tabloid. He had hoped to do some damage control before Minthe saw it.

Minthe: That’s kind of the point of having a spare key isn’t ?

Minthe exhales a swirl of cigar smoke as she rolled her eyes at him

He settled on the edge of the tub not comfortable with standing awkwardly in the doorway of his own bathroom.

Hades: Not exactly the intention I had but I can guess your reasons for being here.

Minthe gives him a look that’s says without her speaking a word she thought him and idiot.

Minthe: Oh really? Would that reason be the fact your face is splattered across every bit of media that exists alongside Persephone’s and now double shock Thanatos.

Hades: Like I keep telling everyone those gossip mongers have it all wrong.

Minthe hmmms exhaling her cigar smoke into his face.

Minthe: Of course I am sure you are completely innocent.

The tone seemed to imply she hardly believed him at all and as she took one last puff from her cigar and ground it down into one of the pictures of him on the magazine front. Hades sighed reaching out to stroke her face.

Hades: Have some faith in me Minthe.

Minthe tossed the spent cigar in the ashtray and leaned back lifting one of her lithe legs from the bath and laying it across Hades lap.

Minthe: Sure, I will have faith when I see you have commitment. How long has my relationship request sat unanswered on Fatesbook?

Hades brows knit as he frowned in annoyance.

Hades: That has nothing to do with this.

Minthe sunk down more her hair hallowing around her as she looked ever much a wild water nymph. A seductress full of sweet promises that could very likely lead to the foolish victim’s death.

Minthe: Perhaps you don’t think so but remember I have always been more shrewd than you. I am offering you my help but you are too stubborn or stupid to realize it.

Minthe really was like a rose at times like this. So beautiful and enticing but she had hidden thorns that sliced deep.

Hades: Well since you are so certain of yourself enlighten me.

Minthe pulled back her leg suddenly the sudden exposure of his now soaked pants making him shiver. Pulling her legs up to her chest she wrapped her arms tightly about them and leaned towards him.

Minthe: It is simple. Make us official and I will move in. There is no easier way to dispel such a asinine rumor. Sure you maybe villainized for a time in the press but you are no stranger to being the tainted one.

Hades was shocked at Minthe’s suggestion. In all there years together she had never even left a toothbrush at his house and now she was talking about moving in together. Making things public. The laugh slipped out before he could stop it.

To say Minthe was miffed was an understatement. With a huge slosh of water she rose from the bath and grabbed his terry robe tying it around her much smaller from with far more force than was needed. Hades could almost hear the ticking of the time bomb he had started and he moved quickly to cut the right wires before she exploded. Standing up he moved behind her grabbing her shoulders and giving her a squeeze.

Hades: Sorry , I shouldn’t have laughed, you just caught me of guard. I think this is all to fast. Perhaps we should start with moving some of your stuff over a little at a time see how things go from there?

Minthe turned in his hold glaring up at him her ears pressed back showing her rage clearly.

Minthe: You said you wanted to work on us yet nothing with us has changed. To throw your words back at you have some faith!

Hades sighed loudly rubbing his hands up and down her robe covered arms. He both hated and admired her skills at turning his words back on him. Looking her in the eyes he felt his resolve beginning to waver as behind all the anger he saw the loneliness that was all to familiar.

Hades: Fair enough. Go dry off and get changed into something warm before you catch a chill. We can talk more after. Perhaps over a nice bottle of your favorite.

Minthe pouts but her ears pull forward slightly as her anger begins to abate.

Minthe: Fine, but don’t think you can ply me with alcohol to get your way. I am serious about this.

As if to prove her point she thumps him in his chest before slipping out of his grasp and disappearing back in the bedroom.

Hades let out a long slow breathe he hadn’t realized he had been holding and rubbed his hands through his hair. Hanging his head his eyes fell on the discarded magazine. Minthe was always the worst about not picking up after herself. It was one of Hades pet peeves but she always accused him of being to much of a neat freak when he brought it up. He no longer bothered to bring it up and right or wrong would just take care of it. Bending down he picked up the magazine glancing at his scorched face briefly before he folded it in half and tossed it in the bin. Getting burned by Minthe was nothing new for him .

Back on Mt Olympus Hera had just made it home. Walking in she tossed her keys and sunglasses onto the entryway table. She needed a bath and nap stat. Making her way through the house she paused as she passed the living room and saw Zeus engrossed in some sort of sporting event. Perhaps the bath could wait a few moments. Moving into the living room she plopped down beside him kicking off her heels before sinking back into the couch.

Zeus: Long night I take it?

Hera snorts at this rolling her head back and forth trying to work the stiffness our of her neck.

Hera: That’s the understatement of the day but everything is falling into place. Your Bellyhand’s take their jobs very serious. Much more than my little birdies told me.

Zeus didn’t comment on this uncertain if it was wise or not to boast about the secrecy of his former love nest. Hera sensed his hesitation and smirked smacking his shoulder

Hera: Calm down tiger. You aren’t in the dog house yet. You did after all agree to give up your hideaway for my use exclusively. I have to be a tad forgiving considering. The sex swing was a shock though, poor Persephone hadn’t a clue what it was and would have hopped right in if not for Hermes and myself.

Zeus coughed nervously at the mention of the swing.

Zeus: So I take it that the swing is no more?

Hera’s eyes narrowed at this question and Zeus quickly hurried to back peddle.

Zeus: Which would totally be fine with me. It was more a novelty than practical really.

Hera flicked her hair in annoyance his coverup not exactly what she was wanting

Hera: The Bellyhands made a nice bonfire out of it yes and I had to pay a small fortune to have the place deep cleaned in addition. It was shamefully disgusting Zeus. I had no idea going in how bad it would be. I was honestly a bit shocked.

Zeus could feel his guilt rising. He was a horrid husband and it was times like this when he saw Hera’s beauty cloaked with sadness that it really hit him in the gut. It was just so hard sometimes. He was a creature of passions with no will to want to resist. This only seemed to get worse whenever they had a row. It was as if he wanted to show her that she wasn’t special that he could have whoever he wanted and she couldn’t do anything about it. It was a sick power trip for him plain and simple but once the endorphins passed the regret would hit him like a truck. There was no way to make up for his actions but he could try to be better going forward and perhaps in its own small way it might help.

Zeus: I am sorry you had to see that, be in that place. It couldn’t have been easy for you.

Hera sighed reaching out lace his left hand’s fingers with her right and gives them a squeeze

Hera: It wasn’t easy at all but I survived. I really truthfully wanted to burn the place to the ground but it will serve a better purpose now. In that place I saw I think the worst of you. Now that I have faced it I want to move forward together and leave the past in the past. Can we continue to try together?

Zeus heart was breaking and growing at the same time for the beautiful goddess before him. How many times would he hurt her, tear her down, and yet like the most stubborn of weeds she would never fade away. Reaching out with his free hand he gently cupped her cheek turning her face to face him as he leaned in and kissed her forehead with tender reverence before pulling back to look her in the eyes.

Zeus: Yes, I would like that as well. Perhaps when Persephone need for the place ends we can sell it and put the money made towards a getaway for the family instead.

Hera smiled at Zeus nuzzling her check into his palm.

Hera: That sounds like a wonderful plan to me. It makes me so happy that you are actively working now to make things better.

Zeus chuckled softly a smile spreading in response to hers

Zeus: I am not perfect Hera despite the pedestal everyone puts me on but I would like to be better for us. We were so happy once.

Hera leaned over resting her head on his shoulder and he unlaced their fingers wrapping his arm around her shoulder to pull her closer.

Hera: We both have our faults but the first step in fixing them is the steps you are making. Admitting to your faults and facing them can be the hardest part. I will be your anchor through this if you promise to be mine.

Zeus laid his head on top of Hera’s hair savoring the sweet smell of honey and spring rains before kissing her head gently

Zeus: Always.

Hera wouldn’t be getting her shower or nap anytime soon but she didn’t mind. She wanted to linger a little longer and enjoy the rare moment of genuine contentment and happiness. She knew that there might be many more dark days ahead of them. Bad habits like addictions often had relapses so she wanted to savor this experience to have something to cling to if he did falter.

It was nearly sundown before Persephone had finished unpacking all her things and getting them situated the way she wanted. Coming down the stairs she stretched her arms up high trying to work some of the stiffness from her back. Looking down on the large living room area she suddenly realized as modern and neat as it was it lacked any personal touches. Perhaps she could bring in some houseplants and things would seem less chilly. Maybe she could even convince number 1 to add a trip to a nursery on their agenda for tomorrow. Mind made up she headed into the kitchen to grab a glass of water and her phone to scope out possible nurseries in the area. Acquiring both items she went back to the living room and settled down in the pit couch. Setting her drink back on the floor behind her she unlocked her screen surprised to see several notification alerts on it.

Clicking on the most recent one she saw it was from Thanatos concerned over her well being. She felt her guilt grow at reading that he to had been hounded by the press as well. Her thumbs hovered over the screen not sure how even to begin to type it all out. Wait she didn’t have to type it technically. She could call him or at least try to. Biting her bottom lip she hesitatesd for just a moment before hitting the call button. As the phone began to ring Persephone’s doubt and worry grew. Would he answer? Was he mad at her? As the third ring went unanswered she felt she had her answer and just as she was about to hang up the sound of the phone clicking with an answer followed by a jumble of words stopped her.

Thanatos: Persephone is that you ?!

Persephone’s earlier anxiety began to lift away at hearing Thanatos’s voice.

Persephone: Yes it is me. I am sorry it took me so long to respond.

Thanatos who had been having to practically shove the Furies out of his home when the phone started to ring let out a large sigh of relief.

Thanatos: No that is fine I am just glad you responded. Have the press come after you? Do you need help?

Persephone: They were around earlier but Hera and Hermes helped me get to somewhere safe. Hestia was going to kick me out so if it hadn’t been for them I would probably have already been forced to move back into my Mother’s.

Thanatos rubbed his face in annoyance hearing about Hermes. Why was he not surprised? They had all agreed to keep their distance unless she asked for help but it seemed the young god could not resist.

Thanatos: Well if Hera was involved I am certain at least that your new abode is safe and habitable. What will you do though when you leave it? The press are not going to be backing off anytime soon with this sort of story. You aren’t planning to quit the internship and school are you?

Persephone absently picks at the embroidery design on the throw pillow besides her as she ponders his question. Would she eventually have to quit? She hoped not but there were still unknown factors that might come into play.

Persephone: I have no plans so far to change anything. Hera has assigned some bodyguards to look after me here and when I leave here.

Thanatos: Bodyguards huh? I mean I know she is like Queen B goddess but how did she get all of this pulled together so quickly?

Persephone chewed on her lip unsure if it was her place to reveal the true nature of her new sanctuary. Well maybe if she was vague he wouldn’t question her more, better than changing the subject and raising suspicions.

Persephone: It seems this is a place Hera and her family use whenever they want to get away and have some privacy. The Bellyhands are always stationed here to ensure no one messes with the property or the family.

Thanatos: The Bellyhands? As in super large cyclops Bellyhands?

Persephone: Yeah those are the ones! You have heard of them ?

Thanatos: Yeah, the coven of seven are somewhat legendary at their craft. They have been masters of fortification and protection long before the Titanomachy happened. Unlike many of their Cyclopean brothers though they had no involvement in the conflict. As their name implies they don’t do anything without payment that will see their bellies filled. I had no idea that they were now under the employ of Zeus and his family.

Persephone: So you would say I am in good hands then?

Thanatos laughed at the terrible joke.

Thanatos: Anyone that dared to mess with you while you are under their protection would come to regret it dearly.

Persephone: What about you ? You said the press have been hounding you as well?

Thanatos: Don’t worry about me. I few vultures at my door are hardly a bother and for now they have been handled.

Persephone: Well, if you say so. I still feel awful though.

Thanatos rolled his eyes hearing the guilt in Persephone’s voice.

Thanatos:Don’t you dare start Princess. If you try to apologize to me I will hang up. You didn’t ask for any of this to happen so you better not apologize or feel awful.

The guilt she felt began to waver under his scolding and she smiled. She was so thankful he was always so forgiving. Sometimes she felt like such a child when she was around him. Just like an older classmate or brother he always seemed to protect her and push her back on the right path.

Persephone: Alright, I won’t say a peep.

They continued to talk for a time Persephone telling Thanatos all about her new abode and some of the more luxurious features. As the sunset started to burn into twilight she stood from the couch and made her way to the window to enjoy it. She was just telling Thanatos about her plan for the next day when her eyes spied someone having what appeared to be a rather heated conversation with the Bellyhand stationed at the front gate.

Persephone: Oh! Someone has come to the gate

Thanatos:Seriously? Is it a reporter?

Persephone tried to squint and make out the figure more in the growing twilight.

Persephone:I can’t tell from here. I guess I can ask them later who it was.

Thanatos didn’t like the sound of the stranger but didn’t want to alarm Persephone either so he didn’t voice his concern aloud and instead got her back on the subject of her plans for Sunday.

Meanwhile at the gate a very irate Thetis was about to become unhinged. Zeus had been coming less and less to the office choosing instead to work remotely and only communicating with her via professional emails. She had tried to text him but he was seemingly ignoring them. She wasn’t sure what his issue was but she was not going to be tossed aside like yesterday’s news. She had come here planning to set up a rather seductive scene and text Zeus some enticing photos of her in the new set of lingerie she purchased just for this occasion but all her plans had gone out of the window the moment she arrived. Instead of finding the gates swung upon with barely a glance she found her path blocked by a very bullheaded cyclops.

Thetis: What do you mean I am not allowed to enter?! You have seen me here a million times before!

Bellyhand: Can’t say I remember. Types like you all look the same to me. You best just be on your way miss. A new lady has taken residence here.

Thetis eyes narrowed with rage. A new lady?! Had Zeus taken on a new mistress? Was that why he was ignoring her!

Thetis: What do you mean a lady?! I should be the only lady you ever see. Who is she!

The Bellyhand lets out a huff of air crossing his large arms over his chest as he looked down at the tiny female before him.

Bellyhand: I think miss your definition of a lady and us Bellyhands definition are two different thing. Who she is or isn’t wont be any of your business miss. The lady is under our protection that is all you need to know. Now kindly be on your way else things might get a bit messy if you catch my drift .

Thetis was livid but she wasn’t stupid and she knew when to cut her losses. Spinning on her heel she was grinding her teeth in agitation as she made her way down the street ordering a new car to come get her. Whoever this bitch was she did not know whose territory she was messing with. Zeus might stray but he always came back to her in the end. This time though she would make him suffer for his unfaithfulness. He had never dared to treat her so poorly in the past and she was not going to tolerate it now.

Persephone saw the lady depart with what seemed liked little incident as she continued to chat with Thanatos laughing at some of the antics the furies had pulled so far. It wasn’t until he mentioned needing to get off and find something to eat that she realized how hungry she was as well. Saying their goodbyes she hung up the phone and head towards the kitchen to look for something to possibly eat. Unsurprisingly the cabinets were basically bare except for a bag of melting chocolates. Well she could add grocery shopping to the list of Sunday activities but until then she would need to order something in. Moving to the elevator she pressed the intercom button waiting for the other side to pick up.

Bellyhand: Needing something Miss?

Persephone: Umm yes please could we order some take out? There isn’t really anything up here for dinner.

Bellyhand: Of course, there is a stack of menus in the kitchen by the fridge. You figure out what you want and we will see to it ma’am.

Persephone: Alright thank you.

Moving back to the the kitchen she quickly located the stack and begins to peruse trying to decide what she might want to eat. The rest of the night was uneventful. After devouring a small pizza she went up to her room and let herself get lost in some mindless television. Eventually she nodded off under the soft glow of the screen sleeping deeply and thankfully peacefully through the night.

In the Underworld another was not sleeping as peacefully. Slipping free from the sleeping Minthe’s hold he quietly slide out of bed taking his cellphone with him. Exiting the bedroom he carefully pulled to door closed behind him before he made his way to his home office. Walking into the room Hades settled into his chair pulling open a desk drawer to take out a cigar and lighter. Lightening up he takes a few slow puff before unlocking his cell screen frowning at the still unanswered text screen that loaded up. Still nothing. Was she okay? If something had happened it would surely be all over the news so she must be okay. Maybe she was cross with him. It wasn’t his fault exactly he had tried to handle the earlier incident but it seemed it had all been for naught. He sighed sagging into his chair as he let himself get lost in the pleasure of his cigar. Glancing back at the earlier text he made up his mind to leave it alone. If he didn’t hear back from her he would just speak to her directly on Monday. He was supposed to be keeping his distance not loosing sleep over her while another woman was lying in his bed. What was wrong with him ?! Putting out his cigar he locked his screen once more before heading back to the bedroom to settle back in bed with Minthe. Still sleep wpuld allude the weary King for many hours to come because the mind and heart were not creatures so easily swayed even if the will was weak.

#greekgods #inspired #loreolympus #lore olympus #thanatos #hades #persephone #zeus #hera #minthe #thetis #drabble

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shewhowantsmouseears · 6 years ago

Text

Shattered, 7

Notes: As always, big thanks to my amazing editors Drucilla and BlueShifted!

C'mon, guys you didn't think it was going to be that easy, did you?

Includes a loving shout-out to one of my favorite Disney flicks. Also, I'll admit this story is getting harder for me to write because it's so dang depressing. I gotta make the next one a thousand percent funnier to make up for it.

Summary: On the night of her first party, Minnie uncovers the reasons behind the celebration, but an unwelcome guest will make for a horrifying reunion.

With the party now known all across the kingdom, Minnie was whisked away to Daisy's castle for “final preparations”. She was given a warm bath, which was so heavenly Minnie nearly fell asleep in the water, then brushed and dressed with the finest of care at Daisy's fingertips. At all times Minnie kept an eye on the rose and satchel she had with her, making sure they never left her sight. Ratface stayed outside, walking along the windows and making sure no tricks or traps were lying in wait for them.

Minnie remained quiet, allowing Daisy to do the majority of the talking up until they were nearly finished and the party was about to begin. The girls were in Daisy's gigantic bedroom, which was nearly the size of Minnie's house, and Daisy was carefully tying up the last details on Minnie's outfit. The red dress they'd chosen, after a long time deliberating, was nothing short of gorgeous. The puffy sleeves and frills at her feet made Minnie feel like another person entirely. She wondered what Mickey would think of it.

Daisy was brushing Minnie's hair again, making sure the rose would fit perfectly alongside her ear – clearly this flower was important to Minnie. “Don't you look like the belle of the ball, Minnie! I swear, all eyes will be on you. You shan't get a moment's peace.”

Minnie could see herself in a long vanity mirror, and she wanted to enjoy the sight. After all, mirrors and other reflective surfaces had been forbidden in her home. Here she was, with pretty things for a not-so-pretty girl. It was like a dream come true. She wanted to take in the splendor of the fabric, the touches of make-up adorning her face, the shoes that glittered underneath the candles. She felt pretty for the first time in her life, and wished nothing more than to merely bask in it.

But her blue eyes wouldn't allow it. They were a reminder of what was waiting for her beyond the kingdom, and who needed her help. The chill in her chest was growing stronger. “Daisy? May I ask you something?”

“You may ask me anything you please, my darling,” Daisy replied as she adjusted the large bow on Minnie's back before resuming brushing. “Consider me an open book. What chapter interests you most?”

Ratface, in a moment of brief privacy between them, had told Minnie earlier than such questions should be handled with grace and finesse. Minnie didn't know what those things were, so, as usual, she went blunt. “Are you in love with Donald?”

Snap. Minnie glanced over her shoulder and saw that Daisy had broken the hand-brush in two, her eyes wide as saucers. “How... how did you know?!”

For once Minnie was relieved Ratface wasn't around for this, for she was certain he'd be laughing his fool head off. “Is he why you keep throwing these parties?”

Daisy continued to gawk in a stupid stupor before throwing the broken pieces of the brush on the floor. “Must you be as clever as you are lovely, dear girl?” She walked around Minnie in a circle, hands clenching and unclenching as she tried to choose her words. “Oh, you'd never understand, no one would! I know everyone thinks I'm not bright, I hear the words they whisper... but this is all I can do! He is all I have! I can't stop these parties, I mustn't!”

Minnie was getting dizzy as her eyes tried to follow Daisy while her body stayed still. “Maybe I won't understand,” she admitted. “But I would still like to hear about it, if it's all right with you. You've been very kind to me, even if you're just using me as a pawn.”

“I am noooot!” Daisy whined, stopping her circle in front of Minnie, fists knocking together. “I mean, I am, in a way, but, really, I'm not! Don't call yourself that!” She wavered back and forth between guilt and her own selfish desires before giving in. “Listen, listen my dear one... Some time ago, I was out in the kingdom all by myself... I'm the one who has to run things here, but I wasn't prepared for it! I barely knew what I was doing. I was so worried about everyone and everything that I could hardly sleep or eat... so I thought maybe, if I went among the people, I could know what to do.”

This story seemed familiar, and it didn't take long for Minnie to put the pieces together. “Then you were attacked by robbers?”

Daisy nodded. “Terrible bandits, the whole lot of them. They've been going from land to land, stealing whatever they please, and they saw me as the perfect target. I was cornered in the darkest alleyway, and I didn't know what to do, where to turn for help. I was so scared... I truly thought they might end my life, if they could!” She faced herself in the mirror as her story continued, recalling the muffled screams she'd made as one of the men shoved his hand over her mouth. “We've all been trained to fight off the Snow Queen's minions... but this was something else entirely. My mind just shut down.”

Minnie's satchel was resting neatly in her arms, and she hugged it close, unable to imagine such a fate. Stealing in her homeland was unheard of, because you wouldn't get much. There had been the occasional desperate thief, but they were seen as the lowest of the low, a pitiful sight one could barely stand. “That's when... Donald saved you?”

Daisy's face softened, her fingers touching the mirror. “Yes... he wrestled them away, and made so much noise that it brought more than half the kingdom together to fight them off. I don't think anyone would have known what was happening if it wasn't for his temper. Once those ruffians had been scared off, he helped me to my feet... and he... he had no idea who I was.”

The soft, near whisper quality of those words stirred something in Minnie, though she couldn't understand it. “Why was that so important?”

“Because... he didn't rescue me because I'm a princess.” She began to smile, a genuine small smile without a song or theatrics. It was a far better look, Minnie thought. “He saved me because I needed saving, and that was all. His heart goes out to all in need...he tries so hard to help everyone he can. He's kind, and generous, and brave...when I threw that first party to thank him, he said I'd given everyone great happiness...that they spent so much time preparing for the worst and being afraid that they forgot about the joys in life. That night...we were all happy, we were all the same. Not royals and commoners, but people loving life, and being loved.”

The joys in life – Minnie looked down at the satchel in her hands. What joys did she have at home? Talking with Mickey, being with him? Had there ever been anything more than that? Smiles were so rare, and they would continue to vanish so long as their food supply dwindled. Even if she took Mickey back home, that was no guarantee things would be fixed. What would they do about the endless winter and the dying fields? If they held a party, could they forget about those agonizing days – or merely be reminded of what was to come?

Minnie felt small as those questions weighed on her mind. “Is that why you keep throwing parties? So you could... try to get those feelings to stay?” As wrong as it was, with the money wasted and the soldiers needing to stay on guard, Minnie could sympathize. Wouldn't anyone want their fellow man to be happy, over and over and over again?

Daisy's smile vanished instantly, and her fingers drew in. “I wish I could be that selfless,” she said quietly, looking at herself in the mirror, yet not really seeing herself. “But...so long as the Snow Queen watches us, my love for him puts us both in danger. I can't express it...I can't tell him...or else the soldiers will take us away. And no matter how hard we fight, we keep losing people. If I lost him too...I wouldn't know what to do. I know how horrible it makes me sound...a good girl like you couldn't understand.”

Wouldn't that have been the perfect time to say “of course I do?” and Minnie planned to do so, planned to tell Daisy everything, but Daisy herself prevented it, suddenly straightening up and slapping her own cheeks. “That's enough of that! We have a party to attend, and we mustn't have sad faces for it! No, we shall think only happy thoughts.” With restored confidence, she snatched Minnie's hand and began to drag her off. “Your first party awaits! May the night be long and merry!”

Minnie chided herself at the missed opportunity, but decided there'd always be another. She wasn't as good a girl as Daisy thought – she did want to know what a party was like. Her fingers intertwined with Daisy's, trying to remember all the pictures and words Mickey's books had used to describe parties. Yet for all her memories, it didn't prepare her for the actual sight.

At the end of the long hallway was the grand ballroom, where the golden wonders never ceased. Beautiful men and women were dressed in their fanciest garments, the smell of warm food wafted through the air, and dazzling lights made the stain-glass windows sparkle like newly lit stars. Daisy was saying announcing Minnie's presence to all who could hear, but Minnie wasn't among them – she was too entranced by the sights, smells, and sounds. The sounds! She stepped forward slowly, losing Daisy's hand as she followed the odd sounds that were soft and deep, pleasant and inviting. The crowds parted for her, bemused by her trance.

There, in the middle of it all, were men and women touching foreign objects that made these sounds, and it struck Minnie at once what they were – the hidden things in the attic! The giant with the black and white lines stood out the most, not coated in dust but polished with care. Each line could be pressed and create a different sound, and they were all perfect. She had never heard anything so graceful in all her life, and wanted to keep hearing it always. This... this was music.

Daisy caught up to Minnie, delighted that her new friend was enjoying herself. “Fan of the piano, are you?” she asked cheerfully. “Do you have a favorite song? Tell me, I'll have them play it all night!”

Minnie strained for words. “I... I've never heard... Can you really listen to this, whenever you want?”

“Of course,” Daisy replied, but the look of surprise on Minnie's face melted her. What kind of captive life did this dear have? She could spot Donald coming over, no doubt wanting to say his peace before high-tailing it out of there, and fidgeted. She did want another dance with Donald – a nice, slow, lingering one – but seeing Minnie in such awe was touching her heart.

“Here I am,” Donald said as he approached, and indeed, he was looking for a way out, much the same as all the other exhausted party-goers. “So, if you don't need me, I'll just-”

“I don't need you,” Daisy interrupted with a lie, “But Minnie does. Have the honor of her first dance at her first party! You're a gentleman, show her your gentlemanly ways.”

Minnie and Donald were equally thrown off, giving each other a puzzled expression. Minnie was the first to reject it. “But I don't know how to dance. I'm certain Donald wouldn't enjoy himself with me.”

“Nonsense, you're a delight.” Daisy yanked Donald's wrist, then Minnie's, and practically pushed them together. “Just one dance, and then you're all mine, Sir Donald. So make it a good one!”

Donald exhaled deeply, exasperated, but for Minnie's sake he gently took her hands and led her a few steps away. “It's not as hard as it looks. Here, just watch my feet.” He placed a hand on her hip, keeping their bodies apart just enough so Minnie could look down and do as instructed, the satchel hanging off her arm. He took his time with her, not minding when she stepped on his webbed feet – well, he did mind, but he was clearly biting back the urge to snap at her, which she thought was nice – and as it went on Minnie understood it was in time with the music. Dancing and music really were supposed to go together, just like the books said.

“See?” Donald said with a hint of a smile. “It can be fun, when you're with the right person...” Then, under his breath, “And you haven't been doing this several weeks in a row...”

Minnie kept her eyes down at their feet. “But that first party... it made you really happy, didn't it?”

She heard him give a huff. “Well... yeah. It did. We all liked it. And if she just kept these things down to a reasonable amount, we'd keep liking it. Stuff like this makes you feel like we're all the same, like we're kind of one big family. You don't have to worry about anything, and you can just... enjoy things...” He was finding it more difficult to explain – because he was seeing tears in Minnie's eyes. “Hey! Hey, hey, what is it?” He stopped where he was, getting down on one knee and holding her shoulders. “Shhh, it's okay, what's wrong? What's the matter?”

“I'm...” Minnie hiccuped, her face quickly getting wet, her body trembling as she hunched over. “I am enjoying this.”

“Then...” Donald glanced over to Daisy, hoping she'd have some idea what was happening. The princess gawked, horrified that her party was causing someone to react this way. “Then why are you crying?”

“Because... because everyone should enjoy these things!” Her hands flew to her face, and she sobbed as she thought of her town, of all the wondrous things that had been denied to them due to fear. Had there been a time when Mama enjoyed playing the piano, or someone in their family tree had brought it out to parties like this? Only now did Minnie feel how unfair the rules had been, how terrible the Snow Queen's reign truly was. “Everyone should know what it's like to feel pretty... to dance... to hear music! Everyone should feel like they can be happy!” How many other towns had sacrificed this in order to stay alive?

And Mickey, Mickey, Mickey – he didn't even know the full beauty of music, and dance, and games, and yet he tried so hard to bring it back. He wanted to bring this joy to the town who shunned him, because he knew it was right. She missed him with all her heart, and she kept crying as she thought of him, and of all the things that had been denied to her people. It couldn't go on like this.

Donald was incredibly confused by this turn of events, but all thoughts of abandoning the party left him. Instead, he stood back up, and carefully put his arms around the young girl, letting her cry into his chest. “All right, let's get it all out...” He murmured tenderly as he stroked the back of her head, “It's okay.” It only made Minnie cry all the more. The world was full of kind people, and they deserved kindness in turn.

Daisy finally made her way over, pulling a frilly handkerchief out of her sleeve and leaned in to dab at Minnie's cheeks. “Oh, my sweet girl, I'm so sorry. I never meant for this to happen...”

It was hard to hear her cries and the comfort over the music - but an especially loud voice broke through it all, mostly because everyone was startled to see where it came from. “RUN, RUN, RUN YOU FOOLS!” Ratface had flown in from a window and now circled the ceiling, shouting as loud as his little lungs would allow to those below. “HER SOLDIERS ARE HERE! RUN WHILE YOU STILL CAN!”

His warning came too late, as the windows were smashed one by one, and Minnie recognized the colors and insignia of the expressionless warriors pouring into the ballroom – the Snow Queen's soldiers! The party-goers screamed in terror, running as fast as they could, leaving behind dropped food and tossed instruments. Donald thrust Minnie into Daisy's arms - “Get to safety!” as the soldiers wordlessly began targeting individuals, using long icicle-shaped spears to knock them down and drag them away. Soldiers who were supposed to guard the gates leapt into action, using utensils and broken chairs as weaponry in a struggle to fend off the invaders. The soldiers were only after certain targets – anyone else was dealt with as an obstacle to be removed as swiftly as possible.

Donald threw himself into the fray, armed only with his fists, his temper unleashed at full fury. “GET AWAY FROM THEM, YOU COLD-HEARTED CREEPS!”

Daisy screamed out Donald's name, but she knew trying to call him back would be useless. She breathed rapidly, and then clasped Minnie's hand. “Th-this way, Minnie, hurry!” She raced back to the hallway, but she could see soldiers pouring in there as well. The only other option was the doors leading to the outside, and so she raced with Minnie stumbling along, the girls holding onto each other for dear life. All around them they could hear screams, of loved ones being dragged away, but nothing could be done to stop it.

The night air was brisk, the light from within the castle illuminating several of the streets nearby. Daisy wasn't certain where to run, only that she must run, and that she must keep Minnie safe. Minnie merely followed, until -

Until she saw Mickey.

She tripped over her own feet, falling to her knees and taking Daisy down with her with a yelp. Minnie was quick to look up, ignoring Daisy asking if she was hurt, unsure if she'd seen what she'd really seen... but she had. Mickey was there, underneath the light of the castle windows...

… As one of the Snow Queen's soldiers. His black fur was now a rich blue, his eyes soulless and his clothes replaced with armor. Though his usual merriment was dead and his colors were replaced, there was no denying this was Mickey – Mickey, who was dragging Clarabelle by her arm as she lay injured in the street, ignoring her screams, begging for mercy. Minnie said his name once in a breathless daze, and then said it again as she rose to her knees, louder, louder, “Mickey... Mickey! MICKEY! MICKEY!” But he didn't hear her.

Daisy grabbed Minnie by the shoulder, trying to pull her away. “What are you doing?! We're sitting targets!”

Mickey continued to drag Clarabelle along, and was only stopped when Horace suddenly came from behind, his arms around Mickey's neck in an useless effort for a choke hold. “Let go of my woman, you varmint!” He even tried to bite Mickey's ear, which proved futile when he chipped a tooth. Mickey didn't respond, didn't flinch, and merely raised his spear to stab Horace deeply in the arm. Horace howled in agony, falling to the ground as he bled, and in that moment Clarabelle desperately tried to crawl away when Mickey's hand was slightly loosened.

This horrific thing had taken Mickey's place – but, surely, Mickey was still in there! A warm heart like that wouldn't go down without a fight! He must still be alive, there still had to be a way to bring him home! And didn't Minnie have something to guide him? She threw Daisy off and reached into her satchel, pulling out the jewelry that had spelled their fate, and ran towards Mickey, Daisy's shrieking for her in the distance. “Mickey! Mickey, look!”

The chill in her chest then shuddered, expanding, reaching into her lungs and making it difficult to breathe. Minnie was so overcome with cold that she fell over in her new shoes, and the necklace went flying out of her hand, landing between Mickey and Clarabelle. Mickey's dark eyes went down to it.

Minnie tried to sit up on her arms, fresh tears in her eyes. Yes, of course he saw it, everything would be okay now! “Mickey, I have an answer to your question!” She called to him, reaching out for him, knowing what he wanted to hear, what he needed to hear. “Mickey, I'm ready! Mickey! Mickey!”

Mickey walked forward...

… and stomped down on the necklace in his path, so he could continue towards Clarabelle, the red jewel shattering into a thousand pieces.

The world went dead.

Minnie stared at the destroyed bauble, at the destroyed hopes and dreams of all it contained. It hadn't been enough. She hadn't been enough. Mickey was gone.

Mickey was gone.

If you break the rules, the Snow Queen will take you away and no one will ever see you again.

Minnie was a little girl again, out in the cold, begging for Papa to let her in, the cold devouring her, and the chill in her chest spread throughout, in her belly, in her mouth, and this time there would be no saving her. Her vision went dark, only seeing the broken jewel, the blood in her body freezing up, and she hurt, everything hurt, and she was alone, all alone, Mickey was gone, the world would die, there would never be dancing and music and everyone would suffer THIS WASN'T FAIR PAPA HELP ME SOMEONE HELP ME -

“Wake up!”

Who knew that the wings of a raven could slap as hard as a normal person's hand? Minnie's entire body heaved and jerked – she gasped for air, and it came out as a fog. While she had been trapped for what felt like eternity, it had been about fifteen minutes, the soldiers having left with their targets. Apparently Daisy had gotten to her and was carrying her in her arms, but it was Ratface who had come and smacked Minnie back to life. He sat on Daisy's shoulder, ready to slap again if need be, as he saw Minnie's vision clearing. “How dare you throw away your life like that!” he snapped at her, baring one of his taloned feet at her. “You stupid girl, how dare you take me on this journey just to die on me! I won't forgive you, not in a million years! You don't have my permission to die!”

Minnie breathed steadily, trying to comprehend what had happened, but what she saw first was Daisy's horrified eyes, too overcome with what happened to Minnie to really care that the bird on her shoulder could talk. “Minnie, darling! You... what's happening to you?”

How was Minnie supposed to answer if she didn't know? She raised her hand, trying to get up, and that's when she saw what was scaring Daisy – the veins in her palms, all the way up to her shoulders, were now bright icy blue. They had the same chill that was in her chest – the ice shard was spreading. It had stopped growing for now, but who knew how long that would be? “I... I don't know,” she whispered as Daisy put her down on her feet, closing and opening her hands. The lines in her palms wouldn't disappear. “I'm... getting colder... am I... turning into one of them?”

Would she become just like Mickey – an unfeeling soldier who would carry out the Snow Queen's whims? But as she thought of this, a new question popped up. If the soldiers could take people away without the Snow Queen's aide, then why had the woman herself shown up to personally kidnap Mickey?

She saw the broken shards of the necklace still scattered on the ground. No one had bothered to clean it up – as far as the rest of the world was concerned, it was merely abandoned trash. Had it even been a real jewel, or a pathetic attempt by a poor jeweler in a dying village to rake in whatever money they could? The wind blew softly, and the rose in Minnie's hair lightly touched her ear. She had spent ages pining over the necklace, over its beauty and symbol, and it had been absolutely useless in bringing Mickey back. It hurt – but, why didn't it hurt as badly as she thought it should?

If she didn't have any answers, then... this wasn't over. Her hand clenched. She was still alive. She could still walk. She could still try.

“Daisy! Minnie!”

Donald came running into the scene, with several townsfolk nearby, some searching the streets for their family and others mourning who had been taken. Donald skidded to a halt as he saw Minnie's transformation, his eyes bulging with shock. “Minnie! What... did they do this you?”

“She just fell, and then this happened!” Daisy cried, hugging Minnie close to her chest. “Oh, whatever shall we do? You can't turn into one of those dreadful beasts, you can't! We must think of something!”

Donald's eyes slid from Minnie to Daisy, and his infamous temper began to bubble. “Think of something... what, like another party? Is that going to be your answer?”

Daisy looked up, startled that he was using that dangerous tone on her. “Sir Donald?”

“Don't you 'sir' me!” he snapped, pointing at finger at her, and many others joined in heated glaring. “You're supposed to be in charge around here, helping us, telling us what to do, but you keep throwing these stupid parties that don't solve anything! You put the whole kingdom in danger! If they did something to Minnie, it's your fault!”

The princess paled, drawing in on herself while still holding Minnie, who looked back and forth between them both. “I... I didn't mean to... I was... I was just trying to...”

“You were just thinking about yourself! Wasting our money, our energy, our time, all just to make sure you're happy!” Now he leaned in dangerously close, trying to ignore Daisy's pitiful whimpering. The other townsfolk began to rant and rave in agreement, yelling out harsh names and the loved ones they had lost. Cascading tears fell down Daisy's face, unable to argue back, unable to explain herself. Minnie watched as Daisy appeared to collapse in on herself like a dying star, losing her light and hope.

Ratface hopped onto Minnie's shoulder, murmuring to her ear. “We should get while the getting's good, pretty girl.”

Minnie didn't go anywhere. She couldn't make her legs move. She felt Daisy's hands weaken around her, and then Minnie lightly took Daisy's fingers and pushed them back.

“We should have been fighting them outside instead of dancing inside!” Donald continued to snarl, his voice getting louder and louder with each fiery accusation. “The soldiers are mean to protect people, but you kept them away from the gates! How are we ever supposed to save our people like this? We should have been on guard!”

“Would that have changed anything?”

Minnie's interruption was so quiet and so calm that it silenced the entire area, with all eyes turning on her. It made her uncomfortable but she didn't stop, keeping her head held high and not looking away from Donald's surprised gaze. “I remembered what Clarabelle and Horace told me... that they never actually stopped the Snow Queen's soldiers from taking anyone away. Has anyone ever actually been able to stop them? Even before all these parties began?”

Daisy stared at Minnie in transfixed awe, stunned how such a small girl could stand up so easily to a large crowd without any sign of hesitation or fear. Donald's hand fell as he tried to come up with a counterpoint, and couldn't, even as he looked around at all the other faces for help. There were mumbles and shuffles, but nothing definitive. “I... well... no. We've... never actually... been able to stop them from taking anyone they targeted...” Yet his anger wasn't so easily defeated, and he tried again. “That doesn't make what she did right! We shouldn't be partying all the time!”

“Then what should you be doing?” Minnie asked with all the gentleness and sincerity within her. “Is there anything you can do to prevent the Snow Queen from ever returning? To get back anyone you've lost?” She thought of her home, of the rules they followed to the letter, and the idea that this happy place full of warm people turning into that made her heart ache. “She was doing something... not the best something. But something. What have you been doing?”

It was the final blow, and the furious crowd now looked like young children who had been disciplined rightly by their parents. Some began to disperse, hanging their heads low, and Donald's entire body sagged in defeat. He didn't want to admit Minnie was right. He wanted to be angry at someone he could actually win against, but you couldn't win against the Snow Queen.

“Strong words, pretty girl,” Ratface said, “But what will you do now? Your boy didn't even look at you. How can you expect to save him? If the soldiers can't fight them, how can you?”

“Exactly, how can you fight-” Donald cut himself off that time, pausing to process what he just heard and who he just heard it from. “Your pet can talk?!”

“No, her pet can't talk, because I'm not a pet,” Ratface replied, sticking his beak high in the air.

While Donald tried to comprehend the speech abilities of a raven, Daisy cradled Minnie's hand in her own, worried about how cold it felt. “The boy... the one you went after. The Snow Queen took him from you, didn't he? I'm so sorry... once they turn like that, they never listen to anyone. It's hopeless.”

It did seem hopeless. Minnie couldn't think of anything that could break Mickey free from the spell. If she kept going now, the Snow Queen might finish the job and make her one of her minions too. There were infinite reasons to stop the journey here and now.

There was one reason to go.

“I came to this kingdom because I'm headed to where the Snow Queen keeps my friend.” Minnie said, not looking at either duck, her eyes forward and clear. “And I've stayed long enough. I must keep going.” With that, she pulled away from Daisy's tender hand and began to walk.

Princess and commoner gaped at her, at the sheer lack of logic she seemed to have, and both made a grab for her arm.

“Didn't you hear a word we said?” Donald shouted, holding Minnie's left arm.

“You can't possibly face the Snow Queen and live!” Daisy added, holding Minnie's right.

Minnie stood her ground. “What other choice do I have?” To live without living? To die alone and unhappy? To let things stand by and never even attempt to change it? Even if it was hopeless, even if the odds were stacked against her... “I will try, and try, and try, until I can try no more. Now, please let me go.”

If the journey didn't kill her, the shard would eventually. It was a choice of doing something or nothing – which, in its own way, was what Daisy was trying to do, even if it hadn't been “right”. Not many people would think Minnie's quest was “right” either. But even a wrong thing was, perhaps, better than nothing at all. Was sitting around, waiting for the inevitable, really the “right” thing? A slim, next to nothing chance was better than none, and Minnie would not, could not, budge on this.

“She's a stubborn fool,” Ratface said snidely, although he was tempted to bite off their fingers if they didn't release her. “So you won't change her mind. Believe me, I've tried, and if I can't do it, neither of you can.”

Daisy looked at Donald, and Donald looked at Daisy. Daisy swallowed quietly, and then hugged Minnie's arm in an even tighter embrace. “If you're going... then I'm going too!”

Donald let out a loud “WAK!”, staggering backwards. “You?! You too?! You two have lost your marbles!”

“I'm the princess, am I not?” Daisy said huffily, fingers entwining with Minnie's. “My people are my responsibility! It's high time I did something about it! You were right... parties aren't solving anything. I will go with Minnie, and get my people home! Come, Minnie, let us take down that wicked winter tyrant! I shall take my finest carriage and strongest horses!”

Minnie blinked a few times, surprised at the generous offer. She didn't want to put Daisy in danger – but, well, it'd be rather hypocritical to tell Daisy otherwise, wouldn't it? If anything, Daisy would be putting Minnie in danger, with her love for Donald making her a constant target of the Snow Queen's soldiers. So Minnie nodded, and squeezed Daisy's hand in reassurance. “Thank you.”

Daisy offered a kind smile. “You are so very gorgeous when you smile, my dear.”

Was Minnie smiling? She had no idea. Ratface was grumbling, shaking his head. “If she starts to sing, I'm gone, just you wait.”

Donald sputtered as he watched the two girls walk off. “But... but... but... AW, PHOOEY!” He stormed over re-seized Minnie's hand, his face flush with anger. “I'm coming with you!”

Ratface tried to kick Donald's shoulder. “This is getting too crowded!”

“If I can't be a guardsman,” Donald said as he ignored Ratface's attack, “Then this is the next best thing! I'll protect the people, including two of its biggest nutjobs.”

Daisy grinned, and hoisted Minnie's hand high in the air. “Let us be off! Watch out, Snow Queen, for us band of heroes shall take you down, or die trying!”

“... Die?” Donald quietly moaned.

“We might just end up killing each other,” Ratface mused, taking one more swipe at Donald.

The chill in Minnie's body didn't stop, but now it had a new warmth to combat with. She had yet to realize the smile on her face remained, and grew more beautiful the longer it stayed. Maybe with these two, they could form new ideas on how to rescue Mickey and put an end to the eternal nightmare around them. Maybe they could protect each other from new dangers. Maybe they could win.

Donald argued with Ratface, and Daisy sang triumphantly about the beginning of their noble quest. They didn't let go of Minnie for a long time, and she saw no reason to encourage it. She had never felt warmer.

~*~

The Snow Queen saw many things, as her magic allowed her to watch any reflective surface within her magical staff. She sat atop her icy throne, fingers tapping on the edge. The raid on the Golden Kingdom had been mostly successful. Soon her soldiers would return with their targets, who in turn would become soldiers as well. It had gone perfectly.

Except Mickey hadn't taken the princess.

How was that possible? She had given him an explicit order, and all her soldiers obeyed them to the letter. There should have been nothing to prevent this, and there was nothing that could interfere with her magic.

Her fingers clutched the armrest. No, that wasn't true. Only one thing could interfere with an angel's magic.

The presence of a demon – an extremely powerful one. Just being there could disrupt the flow of magic and make her soldier miss one target.

She inhaled deeply and leaned back in her seat. No matter. She would snatch the girl up, it was only a matter of time, and she had endless amounts of time. She wouldn't give demons a second thought. They didn't need her “lesson” about the pains and uselessness of love.

She knew all too well that demons couldn't love anyone.

#fanfic #shattered #disney #minnie mouse #mickey mouse #donald duck #daisy duck #horace horsecollar #clarabelle cow #ratface #magica de spell

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miraculouslbfangirl · 7 years ago

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Complications - 8 - Tying up the loose ends

AO3 ch 1 ch 7

Marinette opened on her computer the picture Luka had sent her. He was smiling surrounded by the members of his band at the studio. It had been almost a month and they were working hard. Since the band had already made some arrangements when he arrived, they expected to have the final product soon.

“Cheating on me with your ex? You hurt me, princess.” Chat Noir said from behind Marinette making her jump in surprise almost falling on the floor, but he caught her on time. “Careful.” He chuckled and straightened her up.

“You scared me.” She panted “You didn’t knock”.

“The window was opened.” Chat eyed the picture “He seems happy. Who’s that girl beside him?”

“The female vocalist, she also plays the guitar.”

“They are a lot close there.” He studied his girlfriend for any signs of jealousy but found none.

“He said they are getting to know each other. Nothing solid yet.” Marinette spun her chair to face him. “I told him we’re together.”

“This explains the threatening message.”

“Threatening message?”

“If you make her suffer, I’ll kill you.” Chat mimicked Luka’s voice and Marinette laughed. “I thought we had agreed to wait a little more.”

“I know, but since your relationship with Kagami is officially over… I thought he had the right to know. I warned him that no one else knows. He wished us happiness.” She turned off her computer. “What do you wanna do?” She stood up and embraced him.

“Just be with you” Adrien tilted her head up and kissed her. “I had a hard time with the press today.”

Marinette could see that he was tired and upset. Apart from dealing with the press, his father wasn’t pleased about the end of his relationship. There wasn’t a scandal, they said they preferred to be just friends since their schedule were too tight and barely had time to be together. Gabriel decided to take Adrien’s extra freedom back, what made him extremely sad.

“We can cuddle and watch a movie or just talk.” Marinette said as she took his hand and led him to her chaise.

“Cuddle’s nice. If I watch a movie I’ll sleep.” He said already snuggling up on her. “And I don’t want to sleep.”

He detransformed to give Plagg a break and they talked, enjoying the comfort of each other. Moments like this were precious to them. It was the only time they could show their affections as Adrien and Marinette.

At school they were just friends or so they were trying to be. However their classmates weren’t as blind as they thought. Glances, secret smiles, casual hand touching… their proximity was obvious and was driving everyone crazy. One day someone finally lost it.

“Why don’t you two date already?” Said Chloé slamming her looker’s door making everyone around jump in surprise. Marinette and Adrien that had been whispering and giggling stared at her with wide eyes. “I don’t know who you are trying to fool, us or yourselves.”

“I hate to agree with Chloé, but we can’t stand it anymore.” Alya stood beside Chloé and a chorus of agreements came from all their classmates.

Marinette looked at Adrien communicating without words in a very Ladybug and Chat Noir manner. It was time.

“It’s not it guys. We’re just…” Marinette began.

“No, Marinette.” Adrien interrupted her. “I’ve been wanting to tell you for a while.” He took a deep breath “I really like you and wanted us to be more than friends.” This was just to be an acting, but he felt his palms sweat, his heart race and he was sure that it wasn’t because he had an audience. Despite the fact that they were already dating he was nervous. He knew she wouldn’t change her mind; he just couldn’t help his worries. He took her hand in his and pondered if he should go down on one knee. He decided against it; he wasn’t Chat Noir at this moment “Will you be my girlfriend?”

“Y-you like me… like for real?” she stuttered and he smiled, she hadn’t stuttered in a long time. Was she nervous too or just pretending? He nodded not trusting the emotion in his voice. They were going public and this would change everything. “I will. Of course I will. I like you too.” She smiled sweetly and he released the breath he didn’t noticed he was holding.

“Kiss her Agreste.” Alix challenged him.

He gladly accepted the challenge and kissed Marinette passionately. It took everyone by surprise, no one had expect him give her more than a quick peck like he used to give Kagami.

“Dude, we’re in school. You don’t kiss like this in school.” Nino censured making the others laugh.

“Alix challenged me.” Adrien said when he ended the kiss, but kept holding his now girlfriend by the waist.

“What about your father? What are you going to tell him?” Marinette asked looking up at him clearly worried.

Adrien didn’t have a chance to answer when a familiar voice echoed from behind his classmates.

“You don’t need to worry about it, Adrien.” Kagami said making her way towards them. “He summoned me to explain why we broke up and I told him that you liked someone else. To my surprise he was happy to know that this someone was the talented aspiring to fashion design that won one of his contests and somehow he already knew that Marinette liked you back.”

“How did he know?” Adrien directed his question to Marinette.

“I… ahm… told him myself?” she stammered.

“You did? When?” Adrien was astonished as was everyone else.

“Long story. I’ll tell you later.” Grunts were heard from their friends and Marinette sighted “I went to see him once to ask something about fashion and ended up saying more than I should. He was considerate enough to not tell Adrien anything.” This placated the group, but Adrien knew it wasn’t everything. She would tell him when she got the chance; he was sure of it.

“He was happy then. Did he say something else?” Adrien asked Kagami to avert the attention from Marinette.

“Just that he was going to wait for you to tell him. By the amount of praises he paid to Marinette I’m sure this will be an easy thing for you.” Kagami looked at Chloé “Well… I came here to fetch you. We have some shopping to do, remember?”

“Of course. Shopping is all I need to take this lovey-dovey stuff from my head.” Chloé said linking arms with Kagami, but not without glancing at Adrien with a smile on her lips.

Adrien and Marinette glanced at each other, if they found the proximity of the two girls suspicious neither of them mentioned it. It wasn’t their business after all.

Ladybug sat atop the Eiffel Tower with her legs dangling on its edge. One year had passed since she went there to think about her complicated life. After all the complications they had gone through they manage to be together in both sides of the masks and their lives were turned upside down, in a good way this time.

Life was much easier; they no longer had to hide from each other and they were spared from a lot of excuses since people just assume they were together when they disappeared. Well they actually were, just not in the way their thought. Ladybug and Chat Noir were stronger than ever and with other superheroes help once in a while, Hawkmoth was having trouble. He even dropped the number of akumatizations, he was either getting tired or found something else to focus on. Master Fu was proud of them and sometimes would question himself as to why he insisted so much in secrecy in the first place, but them he had to remind himself that there’s a time for everything.

Marinette’s parents had practically adopted Adrien. They filled his life with love and treated him like a son. He even helped in the back of the bakery sometimes with the consent of his father. Gabriel said that it would be good for Adrien to learn some real life work and treated Marinette like a daughter himself. He was delighted with Marinette’s creativity and promised her an internship when time was right. Sometimes Adrien would get a little jealous seeing his father give more attention to his girlfriend than to him, but then again, most of their interaction was about designs and the fashion world and he decided that he preferred to talk about pastries and sweets with Tom and Sabine.

Adrien had freedom again to hang out with his friends, as long as it was with Marinette. It wasn’t a problem to him; since his best friend was dating Marinette’s best friend he always had alone time with Nino while the girls would do whatever they do when they are alone. Kagami and, surprisingly, Chloé would take part in the group at times.

“Any problem, my Lady? I thought you would be at home.” Chat Noir asked sitting beside her.

She looked at him feigning to be sad “I had to ditch a date with my boyfriend today; I hope he’s not mad at me.”

“Oh! What a coincidence, I had to stand up my girlfriend too. I’m certain that she is not pleased with it.” He grinned. “I’ll make it up for her.”

“Really? How?” Ladybug asked and he produced a tub of ice-cream and two spoons from behind him.

“Improvising.” He chuckled and she shoved his arm.

“You could just have taken me to Andre, you know. He’s near the Louvre.”

“Like this?” he gestured for Ladybug and himself.

“Why not? Aren’t we a couple?” his entire face lit up.

“Let’s go them.” He attempted to stand up but she held his arm.

“We can do it another day, kitty. I was just kitten. This is purrfect” he swallowed hard, he loved when she made cat puns “Who else can share ice-cream looking at the most beautiful sight of Paris?”

He looked at her, illuminated by the moonlight, among the lights of the Eiffel Tower, nothing could compare to her beauty at that moment. The girl who changed his entire life and gave him the love he so longed for. He felt the luckiest person alive. “Yeah, who else can share ice-cream looking at the most beautiful sight of Paris?” But me.

This was the last chapter. Thanks for reading.

#miraculous ladybug #fanfic #LadyNoir #adrinette #love square #always reblog

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teamfreewill-imagine · 8 years ago

Text

I Know Your Wife (She Wouldn’t Mind) - Part Sixteen

Summary: Your mom confronts you in the airport, leading to friction within your new family Words: 2.2k Jared x Reader x Gen, Danneel, Jensen, JJ, Tom Warnings: aggressive confrontations, angst Beta: @blacksiren

I Know Your Wife - Masterpost

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“It’s… it’s my mom.”

Danneel dropped your mom’s wrist instantly, stepping back as if she’d been burned.

“Can you stand behind me, please?” she requested, calmly.

You searched her eyes for… what? Comfort? You weren’t sure, but she nodded slowly and you did as she asked.

“Oh, so you do what she tells you to,” your mom sneered, and you flinched at her tone. “Is it because you feel bad that her husband knocked you up? God, and you’ve got her protecting you? You’ve got all of them wrapped around your slutty little finger-”

“Don’t,” Danneel warned, reaching behind to link her own hand with yours while raising a finger to your mom. “Don’t you even look at her. You have no right to talk to her like that.”

“I have every right,” she shot back, stepping in closer; almost closing the gap between her and Danneel. “I’m her mother.”

“You’re no mother,” Danneel growled, her hand tightening around yours.

You were openly crying now, willing the floor to open up and swallow you whole.

Your main fear about moving to Austin had been realised, and it was worse than you’d imagined.

People were beginning to gather around to watch the exchange as you stepped closer to Danneel, trying to hide from the phones that were filming you.

“Why would you be willing to protect her?” your mom asked, genuinely incredulous. “She slept with your husband.”

“She did not,” Danneel replied, calm despite her fury. “The media lies.”

Your mom was watching her carefully, clearly hearing the truth in her words.

“So it’s someone else’s,” she mused, as if this was brand new information. “Does she even know whose it is? It could be anyone’s, right?”

“It is precisely none of your business,” Danneel informed her, her voice low and dangerous, “But we know exactly who the father is, and it is not my husband.”

“Oh, but it is my business,” your mom argued, her voice just as calculated. “You see, ‘Dee’, this baby is my grandchild. Legally, I can fight for custody. And when the court finds out what an unfit mother my whore of a daughter would be… I’ll be granted it.”

You let out a choked sob as Danneel let go of your hand, clenching her fist.

“Over my dead body,” she hissed, and your mom sneered.

“It’s you that has no rights, here,” your mom told her, stepping back as Danneel raised her fist.

“No!” you shouted, catching her hand as your mom got the attention of airport security.

“These women are attacking me!” she insisted as Danneel turned to face you, her eye starting to bruise and her chest heaving.

She took in your tear-tracked cheeks and the anger left her expression, pulling you into a tight hug with her hand at the back of your head.

Security approached, and you looked over Danneel’s shoulder to see your mom smiling smugly.

“Mrs. Ackles?” one of the guards asked, clearly recognising Danneel and causing your mom’s expression to drop. “Is everything okay?”

Danneel straightened up, linking her fingers with yours as she shook her head.

“This woman,” she began, her voice calm and professional as she nodded in the direction of your mom, “Has physically assaulted me and verbally assaulted my daughter.”

Your mom scoffed, and Danneel’s jaw tightened before continuing.

“I’m sure there’s video evidence of the altercation if you need it, but I’d appreciate it if you removed her from our vicinity.”

He looked at you for confirmation and you nodded, sniffing.

That was all they needed before they were ushering your mother away from you.

“See you in court, sweetheart,” she sneered after you as Danneel wrapped her arm around your shoulders, leading you back towards the baggage reclaim.

“Yeah,” Danneel murmured, squeezing you to her side, “You will.”

The people who were watching parted as you walked, not wanting to add to your obvious trauma.

You tried to control your breathing, avoiding eye contact with everyone until the crowd had saturated.

“You’re okay,” Danneel told you, and you shook your head, breaking away when you noticed an almost empty corner you could run to.

She followed quickly as you backed yourself against the wall, your head in your hands.

“Sweetheart, talk to me,” she begged, quietly.

Her hands were rested on your shoulders as she tried to calm you down.

You shook your head, opening your eyes and wishing you didn’t when you saw the damage your mom had done to her eye.

“Dee, I’m-”

“Shh, no,” she shook her head, smiling slightly. “I’m fine. It’s not your fault.”

You sniffed, nodding even though you didn’t believe her.

Of course it was your fault.

If she didn’t know you, if she hadn’t tried to protect you, she wouldn’t have got hurt.

“Alright baby,” she soothed, hugging you close again and kissing your temple. “We’re okay.”

You hugged back, accepting the attempt at comfort, taking everything you could get while it was still being offered.

It wasn’t going to last much longer.

You’d stopped crying by the time you met up with everyone else, but you didn’t feel any better.

You didn’t feel anything.

The obvious tear stains on your cheeks and the already noticeable bruising around Danneel’s eye had them rushing over to you.

Gen held your face in her hands, brushing your cheeks with her thumbs while Jared kept an eye on the kids, wanting to comfort you but not wanting to draw attention.

Danneel didn’t let go of you as Jensen questioned silently what had possibly gone down on your bathroom break.

“Y/N’s mother,” she answered, and Gen gasped, leaning in to press a kiss to your forehead.

“Are you okay?” she murmured, and you shrugged, not meeting her eyes as you nodded.

Halfway through, your nod turned to shaking your head as your chin began to quiver, tears coming quickly once more.

“Ditto!” JJ yelled, breaking free of Jared’s hold to run to you.

She pushed past Gen to hug you tight as you sniffed, trying to blink away the tears.

“Please don’t be sad, Ditto,” she murmured, your heart breaking further.

You wanted to assure her you were okay, but you promised once that you’d never lie to her.

You didn’t know how to respond, but Jensen stopped you from having to, picking up his daughter and resting her on his hip.

“Ditto just saw a mean lady,” he explained, quietly.

JJ didn’t take her eyes off of you as Danneel tucked you into her side once more.

“She’s gonna need some time to process, okay?”

She nodded, and you offered her a weak smile.

“Let’s go home,” Jared suggested, all of the bags already loaded onto luggage carts, and Danneel nodded.

She let go of you, needing to help Gen with the twins as Jared and Jensen pushed the carts.

As you all started towards the exit, Tom silently walked up beside you and linked his fingers with yours.

When you looked down at him he was looking straight ahead, but he squeezed your hand in acknowledgement.

His emotional maturity had you fighting back tears again.

For the next six days, you didn’t leave the house apart from going to your scan.

Even seeing your baby didn’t make you feel better.

You tried to be enthusiastic for Jared’s sake but, for the whole time you watched your unborn child on the little screen, the same thought was going through your head.

As soon as you got back to the Ackles house, you set about putting your plan into action.

You changed the background on all of your devices to pictures from your scan, reminding you of the most important thing in your life every time you used them.

Practically locking yourself in your room, you searched the internet for the perfect home for you and Baby Ditto.

You needed to get a place of your own.

You’d felt it for a while, this had just pushed the issue to the front of your mind.

You could barely face Danneel, the deep purple bruise around her eye reminding you of the poison you were bringing to her family and the danger you were putting them in by staying.

They all avoided you, too, apart from meal times when Jensen sent JJ up with a plate rather than trying to convince you to come down and eat with them.

You’d be doing all of them a favour if you had your own home, so you put all of your minimal energy into finding one.

On Tuesday, almost a week since the incident at the airport, you woke up to a knocking at your bedroom door.

You frowned as you got out of bed, tying your four-day-unwashed hair into a terrible attempt of a bun on the way to the door.

You cracked it open, expecting to see Jensen or Danneel and having to look down to notice JJ grinning up at you.

“Mornin’,” you murmured, opening the door further and walking back over to your bed.

“Uh… Ditto?” she asked, and you sat down, raising an eyebrow at her. “Wha’s wrong?”

You sighed, patting the mattress beside you.

She shut the door behind her before climbing up onto the bed, waiting for you to answer her.

“I’m okay,” you told her. “I’m still… since the airport, I figured it would be best to keep to myself.”

JJ nodded.

“You’re still sad because of the mean lady,” she clarified, and you smiled sadly.

“The mean lady… Tex, that was my mom,” you explained, and she frowned.

“Mama made you cry?” she asked, and you shook your head.

“No, not Momma D,” you assured her. “My birth mom, the one I ran away from. She found me and she punched Momma D, and… I’ve not been dealing with it very well.”

She leant forward and hugged you, and you kissed the top of her head.

“I get why you forgot my birthday,” she murmured, and your eyes widened.

“JJ, I didn’t-” she pulled back, and you sighed, swallowing. “I had something planned, I just…”

Your heart was pounding, hating the fact that you’d allowed your selfish wallowing to let you forget everything you’d planned for your best girl’s fourth birthday.

You’d not even registered what day it was.

“It’s okay,” JJ insisted, and you shook your head. “You were sad.”

“It’s not okay!” you shouted, looking away as your eyes prickled with tears. “It’s not! I should’ve remembered! Justice, you’re so important to me and I’ve been so obsessed with myself that I-”

“Ditto?” JJ interrupted, getting to her feet.

You looked at her to see tears in her own eyes as she took a deep breath.

“Tex, I-” you tried to soothe her, instantly regretful, but she shook her head.

“I don’t like it when you shout,” she told you, calmly.

In that moment, all you could see in her was the strength of Danneel.

She spoke exactly the same as her mom had spoken to the security team at the airport - clearly full of emotion but keeping a professional and calm exterior.

“I’m gonna get pancakes downstairs,” she continued, her lip quivering but trying to keep composed. “I love you but I gotta leave.”

She ran from your room, your heart breaking as she started to cry as soon as she closed the door.

You’d lost your temper in front of the person in the world that you most wanted to protect.

You’d made her cry on her birthday.

Your mom was right.

You were unfit to be a mother.

Five minutes after JJ left your room in tears, you pulled yourself together enough to kick yourself into action.

The minimal things you’d unpacked since getting back from Rome went into your case as you cleared the guest room of all of your belongings.

Once everything was packed away, you went back to your laptop.

The image of Baby Ditto on your screen made you pause for a moment.

“I’m sorry,” you murmured, running a hand over your bump before starting to type.

You’d gotten all the way through to the payment screen when there was a knock on your door.

You wiped your cheeks with the heels of your hands, standing up and folding your arms across your bump.

“Yeah?” you called out, your voice cracking.

The door opened slowly, and you were surprised to see both Jensen and Danneel cautiously make their way in.

Danneel looked around, frowning at the fully packed case and empty shelves.

She’d taken you shopping to get more things to make your room feel like home, but all of it was packed into your holdall.

You swallowed thickly, avoiding her gaze when she looked at you.

She looked up at Jensen, taking his hand and squeezing slightly.

He nodded slowly, squeezing back as he offered you a sad smile.

You shifted on your feet, trying not to show weakness in front of them.

Danneel sighed, letting go of Jensen’s hand and stepping towards you.

You stepped back, looking away again.

You couldn’t bare to see the disappointment in her eyes or the yellowing bruise covering the socket.

“Y/N,” Jensen warned, his tone forcing you to look at him. “We need to talk.”

I’m SORRY (i’m not)

@purgatoan, @thelittleredwhocould, @sammylynne321, @ariannalikescake, @writergirl909, @vinylwinchesters, @thisisthelilith, @tlb-kylie, @allinhishands, @winchester-gospels-67, @supernatural0826, @greek-geek481, @mija-novella, @nerdysandwichqueen, @gemini75eeyore, @imaginespnr5er, @green-love-red-fantasyhearts, @kelsey-spn, @lafayettrash, @emoryhemsworth, @dearnoonethisisurlovesong, @spnolivia, @remybosslika, @ruined-by-destiel, @fernandasvaldi, @kickasscas67, @theplaidshirtmadness, @quilliamfears, @charity-elizabeth, @haleyhay96, @latinenglishfandomblog, @smoothdogsgirl, @chelseypaigeake, @katymacsupernatural, @prideandprejudiceandbrendonurie, @tiffanycaruso, @juliaschminke, @breakthesociety, @jpadjackles, @lakama15, @lookalivewinchester221b, @abbirae99, @hiddenwritingsintheworld, @karrington7, @leyhikawinchester, @youcanhavit, @faegal04, @ellen-reincarnated1967, @avengersgirllorianna, @burgundycastiel, @mint-and-pastel-pink, @feelmyroarrrr, @leatherwhiskeycoffeeplaid, @obi-wan-my-only-ho, @aprofoundbondwithdean, @clueless-gold, @trashforwinchesters, @raeeismee, @supernaturalsuperfreakfan, @blacktithe7, @sinceriouslyamellpadalecki, @supernaturalstarbug, @pinkbunnies2001, @madelineannmolder, @danijimenezv, @h4izel, @missbabyfae, @bovaria, @impalaimagining, @im-super-potter-locked, @samcentric-fics, @oriona75, @samsexualdeancurious, @butiaintgonnaloveem, @atc74, @too-much-winchester, @aquabrie, @taylorlaurenthomas, @crowleysaveme, @missvengeance93, @flawsweirdo, @a-queen-and-her-throne, @maxwellthemajestickoala, @castielsgrace-idjits, @typicalweirdbookworm, @relationshipyard, @supernaturalismalife, @screechingfangirlnerd, @aeryntheofficial, @letsfrickfrackhemmings, @summerbee53, @cfordwrites, @pinolief2001, @im-beautifully-sewn, @clariedelalune, @xlarryisreallovex, @archer-whovian-violinist, @asgardianvamp21, @shadowpriestess6, @writingbeautifulmen, @l8nitl0vr, @wificrazymisfit, @buckybarnesisalittleshit, @crowleysthornybeauty tags are closed because this took me 20 years

#ikyw #i know your wife #jared x reader x gen #spn rpf #supernatural #spn imagine #danneel ackles #jensen ackles

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evenstevensranked · 7 years ago

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#31: Season 1, Episode 2 - “Stevens Genes”

Louis makes the track team! Not only that, he’s poised to be the new star runner! The only problem is that Louis runs as slow as a sloth. Sound confusing? Well, it’s all part of Larry Beale’s plan to set him up for failure and humiliation.

It’s only the second episode of the entire series and things are already starting to pick up amazingly. This episode is packed with memorable and quotable lines, many of which I still use to this day. This one continues with the theme established from day one: Louis trying to discover something he’s good at. I love this theme. It makes for some awesome character growth and it works really well here!

It opens with Coach Tugnut rallying up the boys in gym class, announcing that there’s an open spot on the track team. This of course, somehow segues into him worshiping Donnie Stevens and ranting about how much of a legend he is and what an asset he once was to the track team. Well, to every team actually. If Ren is the academic overachiever, Donnie is the athletic overachiever. Tugnut yells at the class army style to turn right and bow their heads. We then get a shot of this giant mural dedicated to Donnie excelling at every sport ever with patriotic music playing in the background. It’s incredible. It also includes one of the greatest unspoken quotes ever:

Donnie needs to give a TED Talk. Stat.

While this Donnie praise is happening, they make a point to show Larry Beale -- who I’m assuming is Coach Tugnut’s assistant since he’s not in Grade 7, looking visibly disgusted. He mumbles “Donnie Stevens is over. It’s my turn now” to himself. Oh, boy.

They head out to the track to do some timed sprints. Of course, Larry is the one with the stopwatch. Larry’s sort of taunting all the kids trying to motivate them to run faster. When it’s Louis’ turn we get a line that always gets a laugh out of me:

The thought of Louis “running” slow enough to take days to reach point B is great. Gotta love his self-awareness.

To everyone’s surprise, Louis is extremely fast. Even faster than Donnie’s best time. Could this be Louis’ “thing” he’s good at?! Don’t get your hopes up. Larry purposely clocked his time in at 18.25 seconds... which is probably a good 8-10 seconds before Louis actually finished lol. Tugnut is shocked and gives Louis the vacant spot on the team immediately.

Tugnut is totally kissing Louis’ butt now because he thinks he’s carrying on the Stevens Dynasty. Louis is seriously amazed that he’s so fast!! “I always knew you had it in you!!” Tugnut tells him. And then we get yet another line I love:

Legendary save, Tugnut. Legendary save. I literally use this quote whenever the opportunity arises.

Louis starts hanging out with Donnie more to get some sports advice. Donnie suggests the most ridiculous things like putting mousse in your hair for aerodynamic-ness and shaving your legs to run like the wind. Which results in a line you’ve undoubtedly heard: “Donnie, I’m running track -- not modeling pantyhose.”

We see that Ren has been assigned to cover sports for the school newspaper. She discovers that Louis made the track team, and is immediately suspicious. I’d be too, tbh. I mean, this is the same kid who gets cramped up and winded just from tying his shoes. Louis is pretty excited about this new-found talent, though. He’s finally starting to feel like a true member of the Stevens family. Naturally, this goes to his head and he’s already dreaming of becoming a multimillionaire Olympic athlete:

Do athletes just stand in the middle of a packed arena and get handed giant checks for 40 mil? Like... is that a thing? Not to mention, the check is from “Hoop Stars” and clearly shows a basketball player logo. Okay.

Around this point, we start to see Louis succumbing to peer pressure a bit. This happens a few more times throughout the series. Yet another symptom of desperately wanting to fit into his family. He ditches Tawny and Twitty at lunch to hang out with Larry and the popular jocks.

Larry is so fake. Louis is so pure. I’m so sad.

Ren stops by to get a quote from Louis about the big meet against Rockport and he gives the most awkwardly ridiculous and overdramatic statement. That patriotic music we heard earlier kicks in again. It’s great. The cherry on top is when he mispronounces Rockport “Rock-a-por.”

Later that day before practice, Louis takes Donnie’s mousse advice a little too far:

You’ve probably seen gifs from this scene. (Especially the gif version of the photo I chose for the cover picture.)

He shows up to practice feelin’ all suave with his moussed-to-death hair. There’s a “Staying Alive” knock-off playing as he walks towards the track. I actually love that this show basically never got the rights to use the legitimate songs. It sort of makes everything funnier, imo. That, and Disney Channel is cheap apparently and don’t permanently pay for the rights to popular songs. Dunno if I mentioned this before, but Lizzie McGuire was pretty much the channel’s most popular show and was super trendy/caught up in Early 00′s pop culture. Therefore, that show used SO MANY official songs. 16 years later, almost all of those songs are missing in the reruns and replaced with terrible stock music. An iconic scene like the “Us Against The World” music video is not nearly as impactful or nostalgic because they’re dancing to generic techno music now. It SUCKS. So, thank god Even Stevens never used any. Their stock music sort of works subconsciously. The song used here is totally not “Staying Alive” -- but it’s juuust close enough that it triggers your brain and you remember it as “Staying Alive.” Kinda cool.

Side note: It’s so difficult to not quote almost every line of this episode. There are so many good ones, I have to keep stopping myself from typing out a freaking transcript.

Anyway, Ren observes Louis and Larry practicing and it’s crystal clear that Larry is holding back for whatever reason.

Be a little less obvious, Larry. Also, sorry for all the gifs. I can’t help myself.

Ren puts the pieces together and figures out what Larry is up to. His plan is to set Louis up to fail big time at the meet. That way when he beats Louis, he’ll be able to gloat about beating “the fastest Stevens of all!” Makes sense. Ren tries telling Louis, but of course, he doesn’t believe her........ WE GO THROUGH THIS AGAIN ONE EPISODE LATER IN WHAT’LL IDOL DO, JUST REVERSED. God. Siblings not believing each other drives me insaaaane. I understand where Louis’ unwillingness to believe is coming from though. He insists that Larry is Ren’s enemy, not his, and he’s just so excited to finally have something to be good at. It breaks my heart.

Ren later apologizes and tells Louis that she’s proud of him. Louis rants again about everyone in the family having their “thing” and now that he’s found his he’s not gonna let anyone take it away. But, Ren tells him “You HAVE your thing. You’re... funny.” *Cue the emotional piano. Literally.* You can tell those words really mean a lot to him.

We’ve made it to the big track meet. Coach Tugnut gives the guys possibly the greatest motivational words ever: “Remember, it’s not whether you win or lose -- as long as you come in first.” Perfect. There’s also a great bit here where Donnie is stretching Louis’ leg and asks him when the last time he stretched was. Louis is clearly in pain and says “I don’t have a schedule with me right now... but if I were to guess..... uhh.... NEVER?!” - This is so me. I’ve also used that quote before.

We learn that Louis’ main rival is some dude Trevor Dunn. As the runners take off, both Trevor and Larry dramatically fall halfway to the finish line. Victory is within Louis’ reach... If he just keeps running, he’ll totally win! But what does he do?! He runs over to help them instead. The sucky thing is, Larry faked his injury and pulls Louis to the ground like “lol got ya” and wins the race. Louis stays behind and comforts Trevor, who has an actual sprained ankle. What a sweetheart. Louis is cracking jokes (”Talk about the agony of da-feet. Please, no standing ovations.”) and making Trevor laugh pretty hard. So, Trevor casually says “You’re funny.” :’) This time it means so much more coming from someone who’s not his sister.

Even though Larry won, the entire crowd is cheering “LOUIS, LOUIS!” for his good deed. Larry is fuming.

The final scene is a sweet mirror talk. I think I’ve mentioned enough how much I love and miss these. This one is a favorite of mine:

"The best thing that happened to me today? A kid called me funny. And as much as I like being on the track team and hanging out with my brother... I like being funny more."

This is so heartwarming. Because it’s obvious that comedy is truly his "thing." It’s nice to see him accept that. (Even though he still struggles later on.) This is another parallel with Shia, I think. He has suuuch a natural gift for comedy. I want him to embrace it more these days!!! *sigh* Plz god.

Louis also ends up getting Student of the Month and his picture is adorable lol

I really, really like this episode.

I feel like most people remember this one pretty well. If you watched Disney Channel during Even Stevens’ original run, then you most definitely remember a slew of quotes. Its quotability is the main reason I’ve ranked this towards the higher end of the list. I also have a soft spot for this episode in general and there’s some nice character development as well.

Like I’ve mentioned before, Disney hammers the first few episodes of a show into the freaking ground. I swear I’ve seen the same few episodes of Andi Mack and Raven’s Home on TV every single day since they premiered. That’s basically what they did with Even Stevens, too. It’s part of what makes Season 1 particularly memorable at times. There really isn’t much that I dislike about this one. Like most S1 episodes, it’s just a little slower. Since it’s super early in the series, the overall plot feels very Late 90′s Disney Channel. Similar to All About Yvette. (I feel like I bring that episode up constantly lol) There’s just a certain pure, old school, generic quality to it that simply cannot be accurately explained and somehow makes me feel a little neutral about it.

That being said, this is only EPISODE 2!!!! Considering that, it’s top-notch honestly. Right out the gate, we’re getting to see more sides to Louis Stevens. Naïve, arrogant/head in the clouds, caring, funny. And of course, we ultimately see what a good kid at heart he is. And boy, do I love to see that. :D

Thanks fo’ readin.

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theinfamoussons · 7 years ago

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Shads’ UFS

1.18.14

If you swallowed your pride, you would choke to death. Disclaimer: ...This survey was made at midnight and beyond. Viewer discretion is fucking advised. 1.) Your fist has to be inserted into the ass of a Pokemon. Which, and why?lopunny because i just beat her in beer pong. she clearly won the bet 2.) What is one song you wouldn't be caught dead listening to?fuck. maybe brokencyde and all that? but i jammed that in 08. i wouldn't really be embarrassed by anything, i guess. call the docta, i'm a monsta. (already wasted) 3.) What will your face tattoo be for Summer 2014?LOVE IT. literally just a pot leaf, small. next to my right eye. 4.) Best "out of mood" set of titties you can think of? (Guy and Girl)wow. this requires some serious concentration.....AH CANDY KONG for sure. if deeks wasn't my bro... if deeks wasn't my fucking bro. for a guy, i'll say wers. there's definitely some fat ass pokemon i'm missing, but i'll stick with my grandson. globes gets an honorable mention 5.) Lickitung grabs you with his toungue, and you are dragged to the depths of a baseball game. Literally, to an underground rape chamber. Amidst the commotion of Tentacruel's tentacles nearly knocking you unconscious, you notice there are three girls (name them), and two guys (name them). Well, you notice that the first girl you named is in front of you (you can see her ass), and you realize you can save her from tentacruel's wrath by shoving your dick up her ass. Do you do it? Also, during the session, you realize that Machamp is vigorously pumping his rather veiny penis. As you are all swung around, you realize that as you let out your screams from being raped, droplets of Machamp's sperm go in your mouth. The second guy will now get raped by Machamp, unless you want to take it from Machamp to save him. Do you?the sad thing is, i'm CERTAIN shit like this actually goes down. that's just horrible, not gonna lie. the three girls are clearly fifi, fairy bomber, and rosalina. the guys are monte and jet. i would have to consider the pros and cons of saving fifi by fucking her in the ass, but eventually i'm pretty sure i'd do it out of the goodness of my heart. and jet...? machamp can fuck him. i love the kid to death, but i'm pretty sure he'd enjoy it a little anyways. 6.) Alright, big boy. Number these scenario's from "most likely to do" to least likely. a.) Lean, shoulder first, into a girl, and slowly begin to rub her shoulders until you reach her tits, and give them a squeeze.b.) Go behind a girl, and slowly grind with her, getting extremely sexual and then easily squeezing her cheeks.c.) Lifting up a girls shirt, sucking her nips and then quickly run like hell before she has a chance to react.d.) Pretend to "accidentally" elbow a girl in the face, and then romantically pick her up and ask her if she's okay, giving her a magical look in the eyes, allowing you to make a move.e.) Bringing her a drink, then spilling it on her, and offering to rub it away with your hands.f.) Smacking a girl's ass for no reason and go in for a feel. b, a, f, e, c(?), d 7.) "Molestor Mode Engage" You see a kind-of young looking girl from across the stadium, no idea what mood she's from. She flashes you and reveals a decent sized chest, and does a quick sexy dance, and blows a kiss and laughs. However, she is lost amongst the crowd. Do you go after the unknown young girl, or play it safe incase it's some kind of trap?charge like there's no fucking tomorrow 8.) Globes is ejaculating nutella, and you realize that a couple of Fan Characters are massaging/sucking his ballsack. Describe how you would go about either ending, or joining in, on this orgy.since they're fc's, they must be dope as fuck. damn, this is so hard to think about in a sober state of mind. if i was stoned out of my mind, maybe i wouldn't notice globes' smell so i could just go to town on one of the girls. but that means i'd technically have been in an orgy with globes. let's go with no for this one. 9.) You realize it's gonna be one of those nights. Your blurred vision slowly reveals Mogul in the nude. He's ripped, and he has a girl that you care about held hostage. In this biazarre situation he demands that you must abuse her, or he'll rape the shit out of you. Would you take it from Mogul to save the girl, or abuse the girl to save your ass?well, it's someone i care about right? goodbye to my asshole. wait, why's he ripped? no need shads. 10.) Just as Quagmire met his match, there will always be a bitch crazier than you. If you were in a situation where a girl was going hard as fuck on you (Streching your asshole, bending your nipples, yanking your dick, fisting your ass, tying and cutting off your circulation, etc...) how would you save yourself?i wouldn't. there's a very small portion of myself, repressed in the depths of my asshole, that would absolutely love it 11.) Name the worst kisser out of these: Daisy, Noki, Dixie, Bellossomi was like, who the fuck's "noe-kee?" but noki! (kid, you're a molestor). i'm gonna say bellossom. here's my reasoning. daise is probably #10 on this survey, i can't even think about doing ANYTHING with noki because that's fucking weird, and dixies got them nigga lips. so piks' whore 12.) What do you think is reasonable behavior when you get caught in a lie when you're talking to a girl?fess up. they'll find out regardless. if there's anything i've learned in my life, it's just man up to your shit and brace for impact a.) Whip it out and make some creamb.) Laugh it off and quickly change the subjectc.) Slap her in the face and hump her on the groundd.) Bring up some blackmail you have of here.) Man up and accept the lief.) Pretend to get a phone call and slowly walk away that's awkwud. let's order this, shall we.e if it's a serious relationship, if notd, f, c, b, a. actually i'd probably do all of those in that order. (i fucking died at c) 13.) If you were physically Machop, and Machop was you, would you still go hard and try to get girls? I mean, you're fucking Machop. But you still think the same...damn, this may be the hardest question so far. maybe, but i'd probably go after 5-6's instead of 9-10's. idk it would be grabs. maybe i'd commit suicide 14.) For whatever reason, nidoqueen wants you to eat her out. She is letting you choose hershey syrup, vanilla ice cream, honey mustard, or nutella as a complementary lubricatorial ingredient. Which do you choose? Give a little description of your sexual - bringing process as you slowly drive the three hundrer pound beast of a woman to a pleasing orgaIsm.first, DIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. second, why's there so many typos you chubby chaser? this is honestly THE single most fucked up scenario i've ever placed myself in, in my entire life. vanilla ice cream. if anyone picks honey mustard i'm gonna fuckign SHOOT MSYELF AHH NOW IM DOIONG TYPOS 15.) If you saw a Pichu take a quick small dump in someone's drink at a baseball game, would you tell them? Or let em slurp the rock?i'm staying the fuck out of the pokemon mood. let 'em slurp unless they're one of the very few people i truly care about. that shit is funny as fuck 16.) "I don't know where ya goin' but do you got room for one more troubled soul?" You hear Falco say to you. You must be extremely fucking wasted, because you have an erection at his voice and the sight of his birdly swagger. (You realize you can't get any girls for that night...) How would you use Falco to get quick relief while still (somewhat) keeping your dignity?how the absolute fuck do you expect me to answer this? maybe i'd just picture him fucking krystal and jack off 17.) What's a memory that, no matter what has happened or will happen, always brings you to a calm and serene state of mind?ignoring the previous question/my answer, this is on a very serious note. just the fact that memories of things--most things--are always there, and even if things or people change, you always have those memories fall back on. and sometimes it helps you realize things may not be that different. i see the words "Tiny" and "blows a load" in the question below this and can't take life seriously. i guess just living in the past a little sometimes makes me calm, but then coming back to reality is bittersweet. i don't know. 18.) Your head is grabbed and forcibly shoved to Tiny (from the crash mood)'s cock and he blows a load in your mouth. You immediately go to spit, but you realize you're in Bomber territory and if you spit, you will be killed on the spot. You have to run across the stadium while gurgling Tinys cum. Would you be able to last, or would you spit and have Ninja B end your summer?if it was to save my life, i'd try to gurgle. well not gurgle. just not spit. lmfao. but if i was shitfaced as it was, or just reacting to instincts, i'd spit immediately and be killed. baseball games are starting to sound less appealing 19.) Zebes offers you to hang with him at the next baseball game. Describe which girl you would bring along for the trip, and how you would dress/act around the big Z and Donks.ahh. i'd bring someone hot as fuck, but well behaved. krystal fits the bill. i'd dress and act normal, but not gonna lie, i'd try a little bit harder with everything. cuz why not. it's zebes and donks. come on. also i wouldn't get incredibly fucked up, because i'd make an ass of myself. 20.) Geodude has molested Jigglypuff, and you see her on the floor, nearly deflated and covered in sperm. You go down to give her some words of advice, and find that she gets a second wind and wants to fuck you. Taking note of her round and puffy physique, and the fact that you're in public at the baseball game, you...accept. maybe kick her in the teeth though, she's covered in geodude's sperm, that's fucking grimy. yeah, i definitely wouldn't accept thinking about it now 21.) You see an extremely attractive girl from the back and want to get her in the bag. You walk over and realize that she is you in female form... how do you give it to yourself?definitely in the ass because i wouldn't want to see my face. 22.) It is a baseball game near the end of Summer 2014... the clock is just about striking 3:00 AM. You inexplainably have large gauges (half-dollar size), and you notice a group of EXTREMELY hot FC's approaching, and they say they'll only do lines with, and fuck you, if you spit Scourge's semen into their mouths. This means that you'll have to transfer it from your mouth to theirs, (keep in mind at this point you've been drinking for hours and feel like death)... would you go through with the challenge?yep. literally no hesitation with this for whatever reason. probably just because this will actually happen. it's actually sad how realistic this is. 23.) This question is completely... just different from the rest. Try to take it seriously. Basically, you overhear Aiai and his gang getting racially harassed from some Brawl Trolls... would you get involved? Or just walk by and pretend you didn't hear anything?oh i'd fuck up those brawl trolls. i'd call them out in a heart beat, because aiai doesn't deserve that shit. the trolls are probably retarded and fat anyways. but even if they weren't (fat ass chance) there's still no excuse to start shit with someone like aiai. always stick up for my nigga. 24.) Out of these various events, name one that is enough to bring you to your senses, (even if you're completly shitfaced)a.) Globes rip's ass within 5 feet of youb.) Some puss from Olimar's pimple he just popped lands on your armc.) A Bomber's head flies through the warm night, nearly too fast to be seen, still screamingd.) You hear a girl scream as if she's seen a ghost b, a, d, c (that's how often i expect c to happen.) 25.) Generally, are you one to go along the crowd at high-energy situations? For example, if a good friend of yours was passed out, and you noticed people doing the usual antics of permanent marker, etc. But then they take it a step further and break out the tattoo machine, and even sprinkle a little piss or shit on him, would you defend his honor/join in/or just watch?damn. if they were like a good friend, i'd want to help them. sincerely. but 1) if i'm really fucked up i'd probably think it's hysterical 2) i'd just be happy it's not me 3) let's be honest. i'd join in. i'd probably start it though. to answer the original question, i totally go along with the crowd. but i start what the crowd is doing if that makes sense. 26.) What type of partier would you define yourself as? And to make it more interesting, pick ANY guy and ANY girl of your choosing, and define them as well from the following types: i.) 'The Big Sho' - #1 Big cheese. You wander around without a single fear, always socializing, never afraid to look anyone in the eyes, you scope out nearly every large gathering at the stadium and look for the freshest of meat.ii.) 'Silent But Crazy' - You party hard and in the shadows. Roaming around, you're never in one place for too long unless you've found a girl or some ridicuolously crazy shit going down.iii.) 'Thug' - You basically have mad swag, and display it through exaggerated forms of dance, walk and bravado. It's as if there are always camera's rolling on you, and even a simple laugh could be a movie scene to you.iiii.) 'The Energizer' - You are insane. You're loud as hell, always flailing around, screaming when the crowd screams, always yelling to people, pushing, shoving, drinking and dancing.v.) 'Casual' - You are a casual attendee. There are some games where you legitamtely watch the baseball game, and have conversations with your friends. Every blue moon, you may make a trip to get a standard snack or drink. After the game, you always go right home.vi.) 'Missionary' - You are always on some type of extremely specific mission, and pay absolutely no mind to anyone or anything that doesn't have to do with your business. Whether it be exchanging, buying, or doing something specific.vii.) 'Good Boy' - You are one of the few. But they are there. Most wear the 'Staff' badge proudly displayed on their clothes. You stand by, and watch and inspect the crowd to make sure everyone is safe. You can coordinate medical help if an emergency breaks out, you keep a watchful eye over the stadium at all times, and pick up any trash you see.viii.) 'Smogger' - You're a smogger. Meaning, you set yourself up in one place, and you don't leave. Be it your bong, your tobacco, cigar, drinks, you are rather stationary and are focused on ingesting your products of choice, and only go to the bathroom for sexual or throw-up related purposes.viiii.) 'Troublemaker' - No one likes these kind of people. These people are the essence of people like Dingo, who parade around, looking to piss people off for no reason. Be it punching someone in the head, spiking a drink, stealing a wallet, you're out to take advantage and make fun of people. i'm the perfect mix of the big sho and missionary, for sure. i'm a bit of a thug too. i'll say becky is a mix of energizer, the missionary, and there's some big sho in there. and instantly, lanky is the definition of a fucking smogger 27.) Name a mood, if any, where you would never tap a girl no matter how hot she was. sticks 28.) Do you NEED to drink/smoke to have a good time at a baseball game? from the few times (twice maybe?) i've been sober at baseball games, i've still had fun. it was just really awkward and i had to preoccupy myself with something else. you're reeeally fucking missing out if you stay sober 29.) Name some factors which decide that a seemingly harmless and fun time has turned into a very dangerous situation that you need to escape.it's sad that alot of these factors i'm about to name happen frequently. i'd say a serious brawl happening right next to you, bonus points for blood or pieces of glass. also when a serious drug is out, like the boundary's been crossed. i've responded pretty poorly in the past. but i remember being already in the fucked up state of mind and trying to hear my conscience over the music and people yelling. this is a story for another time though. what else? probably in general when i'm making my way through the bombers/eggs/gang territory. basically, if i'm not absolutely fucked up, i'm terrified. i remember being stoned thinking "what's wrong with this?" i almost died that night. good times. 30.) The morning after a crazy fucking party... what do you usually do to deal with the pain?hit the blunt my nigga 31.) If you are chilling with a friend who you know isn't a fan of partying, drinking, etc. Would you still drink/go hard as fuck? Or be more chill, or not even drink at all?why would i be friends with them 32.) You're getting blown in the bathroom, when all of a sudden, in walks Monkey Khan. You realize that he's extremely pissed off at you. Presumably, his girl is sucking your dick. Without ruining the experience, how do you get him to leave?allow him to fuck his girlfriend while she blows me 33.) Does the reality of the world ever get to you?yes, but i shut it out with substances 34.) Is there any type of drug or drink or anything that you have banned yourself from having?i've broken that rule twice and set new boundaries each time :( my newest boundary is heroin, and there's no chance i'd ever do that. or krokodil 35.) Have you ever been at fault for someone crying, when good times were supposed to be had?yes sir, only in a relationship though. could you imagine this happening during a ons. killlmeee 36.) Give me a 'yes' or a 'no' if you would accept food from the following people: 1.) Biscotti's from Bishop Bomber2.) Lasagna from Loo3.) Garlic Bread from Falcon4.) Cream of Wheat from Wal5.) Sushi from Musashi6.) Crabcakes from Eggy7.) Cupcakes from Birdo8.) Macaroni from Bean 1. yes (JUST to see if i could survive, no other purpose)2. in a fucking heartbeat3. yee4. absolutely not5. yesss6. fuck yeah7. no8. fuck no 37.) You have somehow become really good friends with Slippy Toad. Literally almost best friends, you've chilled nearly daily, done shrooms, shot the shit, partied hard. One summer night when you and Slippy are chillin together (the windows are open and a slight chilling breeze is blowing through), and Slippy comes back with some amazing Rootbear Floats for you two to enjoy. When the Football game hits a commercial, he looks at you and tells you that he feels comfy enough with you to tell you that he is homosexual and finds you attractive. He leaves the room to get another snack. What in the hell do you do? a.) Leave the houseb.) Talk to him and tell him that you appreciate his honesty; nothing's different between you guysc.) Tell him that you're a bit creeped out and laugh it outd.) Tell him that he shouldn't have told you that faggot shit and that you're not friends anymoree.) Punch him in the facef.) Tell him that you admire his honesty; but you're now a bit more weary about spending time with him. i'll go with b, but if he's persitant, a. maybe e for kicks 38.) So, you're having a great time at The Club with an extremely attractive girl, and she has just come back from the snack stand with some popcorn for you. A few minutes goes by, and you find something extremely cold and chewy in the popcorn. You eat a little piece of it and swallow, and can't recognize the taste. You take some of it out, and hold it up to the light to try and figure out what it is. You ask her and she laughs and tells you she put the bloody ear lobes of Ixis Naugus in your popcorn as a joke. You look at your hands and see the blood on them. What the fuck do you do? (now that i just threw my fucking hot dog away) i punch her in the face as hard as i can, then fuck her and shove naugus' ear lobes down her throat 39.) Since this is the last "real" question of the survey, it's going hard as fuck. Your blurred vision becomes clear as you are extremely freezing and feel blood rushing to your head. You are hanging upside down, and notice that people are throwing huge rocks at you. Some are missing, but some are hitting your arms. Bark the Polar Bear screams at you "Tell me your sincere #1 Regret in Life, and I will Release you and spare your life." ...You heard the man, no lying.i regret doing horrible things to people i love(d) that didn't/don't deserve it. very vague, but it applies to a lot of things and i still smell naugus' ear lobes. i regret letting people down. 40.) You walk outside, the sun is shining, it's the first day of Summer 2014. Everyone's having a blast in the pool, chillin in the club, and no one gives a fuck about anything. Congrats, ya made it.this isn't even a question, but my answer is carve out my eyeballs and fuck someone's mother. what up vanilla. --[ The Bonus ]-- 41.) You don't know what time of the year, or day, or month it is. You awake in a dark and moist room, and hear awkward moaning sounds, and the sound of an ass being slapped echoes very loudly. You realize that in the corner of the room, you can see a sihloutte of someone on top of someone else. Well... Wal is vigorously giving it to rosalina in the ass. You turn around and catch a glimpse of slender man. The room is large, dark, with no windows. You then turn back around and find Wal and Rosalina gone, you're on your own. You see a phone in the corner of the room. You run over to it, and can only make one call to a friend. Who do you call and what do you say? Slendy's hungry. hmm. i don't fucking know. wers. i'd tell him i love him and that his best friend got it the fuck in, and he should too. wers is probably one of the VERY few genuine people left in my life. 42.) Wild night out with The Chaotix, or Romantic night in with a girl?outtt with the fucking chaotix (fuck what i said about krokodil. jk) ~Well, 42 is the answer of life, so that's the last question. I hoped you learned something about ya self. Suck Big Ry's nips for brutal milk. (Tim's dick for Brutal Sperm) Black Bull, OUT!~ don't be out for too long. you saucy fucker. i learned a lot about myself.... (shit).

#survey #2014

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