#unfortunately they succeed in convincing him it wasn’t his fault

[bayalexison]

[FE Engage Fic] Big Joys, Ch 2

Summary: After the war ended, Alfred and Alear decided to start a family. Unfortunately they’re struggling after several months and have yet to be successful. Alfred believes it’s his fault and is convinced he’s running out of time to start one. Warnings: Discussions of possible infertility, references to endgame spoilers, fade-to-black sexual activity this chapter

In this chapter, Alfred, Alear, and Celine host a tea party to a couple nobles, only for it to turn sour.

Excerpt:

Bartel narrowed her eyes at him. "Yes, we're aware of that. It's been over two years since you two were married though with no sign of a child yet. I already know some people are gossiping about that."

Alear raised a suspicious brow. "What kind of gossip?"

This time Eleonora spoke. "Well, some people are concerned without an heir and if something were to happen to King Alfred, then--"

"Then I would be taking over the throne," Céline interrupted in a shaking voice. She hung her head down, her fingers circling around the rim of her tea cup.

It wasn't surprising to Alfred that some people would point that out. His council had brought that up to him a few times before, and each time he said that Céline would take his place in the event something happened to him. When he and Alear agreed to start a family, it was because they wanted one and not out of pressure or obligation. To calm his nerves, he took a deep breath and made full eye contact with Eleonora.

"I have full faith in my sister that she would make a great queen." He gazed at Céline, who responded with a grateful smile. Meanwhile, Eleonora frowned at him, as if disappointed.

"Alright, so you're not worried about who will succeed after you. If you intended to start a family, surely you've been trying at least, yes?"

You can read Chapter Two over at AO3!

[lovelyirony]

that rhodeytony piece with the bots........... iconic. do you think we could have more of that sweet sweet mit era?? I just think they’re neat

Look. Rhodey hadn’t meant to build another robot. But Tony was at some business conference for the weekend, and Dum-E was just pitifully sad. If Tony had been there, he would’ve convinced Rhodey that Dum-E is a drama queen and acts like the end of the world is happening at any minor inconvenience. 

But why not give Dum-E a little sibling? This is how U comes to be, and he’s quite the gentleman, far more gentle than his big brother. 

Rhodey enjoys teaching him how to pick up socks and shoes, and how to put the coffee mugs on the counter gently, something that Dum-E is not good at yet, but they’re trying their best. (He has a stuffed coffee mug that they got from the pet store that he’s flung at every single surface so far.) 

-

Tony comes back from his business conference (which ugh) looking for cuddles, dinner, and maybe a movie date night if they can get Dum-E to stop trying to escape the apartment. 

What he isn’t expecting is for his boyfriend to be mediating a fight between two robots. 

Two. 

He stares at his boyfriend for a moment. 

“Rhodey, darling, is Dum-E having a...play-date?” 

Rhodey freezes. 

“Oh!” He says, grinning. “I, um...made him a sibling?” 

“And they’re...fighting?” 

“Well, for now. Dum-E’s mad because he didn’t get to put actual coffee mugs on the counter, and U is mad because Dum-E stole the couch blanket. I think U is really into decoration!” 

“Yeah, that explains everything,” Tony says faintly, sitting. “So...U? Like, the letter?” 

“Yeah, you like it?” 

“And you thought that it made a good name for what?” 

“Well, it was more of a placeholder, honestly. But then he liked it!” 

U looks over at Tony curiously. 

“U, this is Tony. Your other dad. We used part of his code to make you!” 

The arm bumps softly against Tony’s, which is an improvement from Dum-E, who tends to go full-force. (Although they’ve worked on it.) 

“So...” Tony says. “You think with U, we won’t need to look for a babysitter for date night?”

“No, we will. We definitely will. Dum-E hasn’t adjusted to a sibling yet.” 

“Poor baby,” Tony coos, patting Dum-E on the claw. “You thought you were going to be the only attention-seeker for a while, didn’t you?” 

He glowers, wheeling back and acting very high-and-mighty for a robot who just threw the equivalent of a tantrum. 

Rhodey looks at Tony, kissing him on the forehead as he leans over to lay on his legs. 

“How was the business conference, honey?” 

“Utter shit. I didn’t need to go, I was an ego boost for Obie to tote around.” 

“Told you that you shouldn’t have gone.” 

“If I said ‘no’ one more time, we would’ve had to have a phone call about my ‘five year plan’ and ‘legacy’ bullshit. You know that that gives me a migraine. Besides, he gave me a gift certificate to a fancy restaurant, so that means we get to have a good meal one of these weekends when you visit.” 

“Who said I would visit with you?” 

“Because Jarvis adores you and I think Ana wants to adopt you and force you to stay.” 

“You make a compelling argument,” Rhodey says, pretending to think about it. “I’ll...consider it.” 

Tony snorts. 

“And they say I’m the asshole here.” 

-

Two years later, Dum-E and U demand that they get a sibling. The dads are back home together (for now) and Jarvis has grown tired of reason. 

“They want a sibling, Sir.” 

“What, each other isn’t enough?” 

“They have requested many movie nights where there are siblings or groups of friends, and I think they want to, in a sense, replicate the scenarios.” 

“They’ve already done all of it? Wasn’t it them who got onto a plane for DC just because they wanted to see Pops?” 

“Yes, yes it was.” 

“You know, J, I still think that you helped them with that one.” 

“I most certainly did not.” 

(Jarvis totally did. He gets bored, you know? Besides, Colonel Rhodes hadn’t been home for three months, which should have counted for cruel and unusual punishment.) 

“Well, regardless of your guilt in certain situations, we’ll have a family discussion about maybe a new sibling.” 

Rhodey gets a text as he’s grocery shopping. 

hey, need to talk about family stuff. can you also pick up some more colby jack cheese? 

sure. what’s it about? 

your son has decided he wants a sibling. he convinced dum-e....

got it. 

Rhodey laughs to himself as he turns his cart around, going towards the dairy section. Of course U would decide something like that, it makes sense. 

- 

Tony is looking at Rhodey with a disappointed look on his face. 

“This is all your fault.” 

“How is this my fault?” 

“You dote on the boys too much.” 

“Oh, I do that? Who makes them Halloween costumes every year and hosts a party with all of the other appliances we’ve made over the years?” 

“Oh like you hate those, Mr. ‘Here’s-the-hand-made-Halloween-playlist’.” 

“True,” Rhodey says, setting down the bags. “Help me put away all of this stuff, half of it is yours anyway.” 

“We have a shared fridge, Honeybear.” 

“Tell that to your pomegranates taking up about two shelves!” 

“Only for now, and half of those are Pepper’s! They’re not all mine.” 

“Do you think she would want a say in the robot? After all, she does have to deal with U and Dum-E worshiping the ground she walks on.” 

“And she is the reason that Dum-E usually succeeds in his smoothie-making,” Tony admits. “Yeah, sure, invite her over.” 

- 

Whenever Pepper is asked what it’s like having to be a personal assistant to Tony Stark, she always wants to answer with something like “oh, it’s really fulfilling to help a company reach its goal and learn so much from my boss to apply to what comes next” or even “oh, it’s nice.” 

She got invited to dinner, and is now in a conversation about whether or not Dum-E and U, her boss’s children, should get a sibling. 

And the fact that her boss’s children are robots, have two dads, and think that Pepper is the best thing since life itself. 

“Why do they need a sibling?” Pepper asks, chewing on her pasta. 

“Because they’re bored, and we think that maybe we’ll stop getting calls from the fire stations around town that they’re trying to wreak havoc again,” Rhodey says. “They’ll want to teach the new sibling how life works around the house, and we can start on security measures.” 

“Can’t you just put a genetic lock on the door or something?” Pepper asks. 

“They’re surpassed it,” Tony says grumpily. 

“How?” 

“Don’t look at me!” Tony defends. “Look at Jim-dear, who is obsessed with true crime documentaries! They picked up how to gain evidence and use it for proof from him and Forensic Files!” 

Pepper puts her head in her hands. 

“Just once, I wish that we had a dinner to discuss a business proposal or something normal instead of whether or not your two boys need a sibling.” 

“Well, we are thinking about a daughter,” James admits. “And we wanted to talk to you about that.” 

“Why, because I’m the only female either of you know?!” 

“No,” Tony says quickly. “We know plenty of women!” 

“Name seven.” 

“Plead the fifth,” Rhodey jokes. “But you spend time here, and so we wanted to know what you’d want to see in a robot.” 

“How the hell should I know?” 

“You work for the best tech mogul in two hundred years,” Tony says. 

“Tones, you’re entirely too cocky.” 

“Oh shut up babe,” Tony says, no real heat to the sentiment. “Besides, I’ve treated you well, haven’t I?” 

“Other than embarrassing me in front of every single government official every time you interact, sure.” 

“You love it, they hate it, win-win,” Tony says, stirring around his mocktail. “But Pepper, seriously. What do you think about a third robot?” 

“Well, can’t get anymore chaotic,” Pepper sighs. “And I think having a girl around would be...nice. Not as chaotic.” 

“You saying girls don’t bring as much chaos?” 

“No,” Pepper says. “I’m just saying that we know when to bring it.” 

- 

Butterfingers is born, and she is the most perfect definition of a “daddy’s girl” any robot has ever been. She wheels around with grace, although she can’t stop bumping into things and dropping things, being worse than Dum-E. (Which he actually adores.) 

She follows Pepper along in awe, and can be seen usually in her office. 

Curiously enough, the only time she doesn’t live up to her name is in Pepper’s office, where she handles things with grace and Pepper gives her little tasks to do, like delivering cups of pens to employees or papers. 

Rhodey gets her (and the brothers) little souvenirs from his time away, and Tony has an absolute ball of a time making them all costumes and taking a million little pictures that are hung up everywhere in the building. 

But perhaps the crowning achievement are the Christmas photos. 

Usually, Stark Industries will take pictures of their employees, put a newsletter out, and wish everyone a happy holiday and all that. 

But then the employees have an entirely different idea. 

It comes from one of Pepper’s assistants after she’s made CEO, Julia. 

“Why not have the bots be the Christmas picture?” she muses, restacking some of the papers Miss Potts had to sign. “They’re always around the office, and they’re the unofficial mascots of the business. I think it’d be fun to see their Christmas hijinks!” 

Pepper smiles. 

“Julia, remind me to add a little extra to the Christmas bonus.” 

-

Rhodey finds the idea to be the best idea anyone has come up with in years. (Although it just gives him an excuse to take more pictures of the bots during the festivities.) 

Dum-E is only too happy to finally be allowed within two feet of tinsel. (Unfortunate incident in 1998.) U is very excited to show off his understanding of symmetry and how to pick out the perfect tree, and Butterfingers just wants Pepper to tie ribbons around her wheels so that she looks “extra-pretty.” 

Stark Industries’ holiday card involves Dum-E and U at either side of the tree, with U gently readjusting one of the many ornaments they’ve had the bots make over the years, and Dum-E is trying to pull off a ribbon from the top of the tree. Butterfingers is at the center, guarding any attempt to unwrap presents, and presenting her bow-filled-wheels. 

Pepper has the picture framed in her office. 

[twoidiotwriters1]

Written In The Stars CXXXIX (Harry Potter xF!Oc)

A/N: I’m scared to see how you guys will react to this one, hope you at least find it enjoyable despite my very self-indulgent plots -Danny 

P.S. Huge s/o to @bwbatta​ bc I decided to update my fic and now I have pretty dividers in all my books! Most of the ones I ended up using are her work so go check it out :)

Words: 4,641

Series’ Masterlist

Book V // Next Chapter

Listen to: ‘Need Your Love’ -by Joshua Wicker

Chapter One: Dumbledore's Mission.

"A galleon says Erick will crash the car —"

"Shut up!"

"Don't make him nervous," Emily scolded Harry. "If you continue this I won't teach you how to drive!"

"We don't need to learn," Mel snorted. "We'll apparate everywhere..."

"I thought you hated it," Her mother raised a brow.

"Yeah, but she's lazy," Harry smirked.

"Why is Harry here? He's not allowed to leave the house, is he?" Mel frowned.

"He's not allowed to be alone outside, there's a difference. We're babysitting two infants, unfortunately..." Erick taunted.

"What's the matter, Flint? You have stage-fright?" Harry replied.

"Oh please, he feeds on attention! Like a dementor but in a more annoying way..."

"Enough!" Emily looked over her seat. "Is that the kind of things you want to teach your brother?"

"I doubt he'll remember any of this!"

"We know he can do it, Em, we're just teasing," Harry said blithely.

"Yeah, he's the only adult here apart from you, mum. It's kind of his obligation to be good at driving."

The baby let out a squeal of agreement, he was three weeks old but had a good set of lungs that he was happy to use at any given time, especially while everyone was sleeping.

Harry leaned and checked that the baby's blankets. Mel beamed at the sight, the boy had pretty much adopted the boy as his own brother, which she thought made a lot of sense, not only because it was Sirius' son, but because he'd been part of her family for so long that anything else would've been silly.

They were well aware that bringing little Regulus to their driving lessons was a bit risky, but Emily wasn't as keen to leave Mel and Harry alone in the house as she used to, so she put a few safety spells on the chair once the baby was seated while Harry and Mel sat on both sides of it.

Erick turned out to be a good driver, but he still had a bit of trouble understanding how cars worked.

"I have to be pulling and pushing stuff all the time!" He complained as he activated the windshield on accident for the third time. "Why can't I just turn the key and press the pedal?"

"Cars don't work like that," Emily said patiently. "It's complicated, but you're good!"

"He's only gone up and down the street for half an hour, Leggie fell asleep already," The girl huffed.

Emily looked over the seat once again, she was frowning. "Erick, switch seats with Mel."

"You're joking... right?"

"Erick," The woman repeated.

"On it," He said happily. "C'mon Mel, are you scared?"

Ten minutes later, Erick was in the backseat and she was tightly holding onto the wheel.

"I'm doing it!" She said. "Is not that hard, is it?"

"A slug could move faster," Harry was looking at the roof of the car and dying of heat. "I thought you were going to be more... the reckless type of driver."

"Me too..." Erick agreed lazily, he was playing with one of Reggie's feet.

"I'm not going faster, my brother's in the car!" Mel scoffed.

"We're not asking you to! Just enough so we can feel like we're actually moving!"

"Bringing you three was a bad idea," Emily said over the boys' laughter.

"Fine!" Mel pressed down the pedal, the car immediately gaining speed. "I'm was just being careful!"

"Which makes me proud," Emily softly patted her shoulder. "It feels like it was yesterday when you were running around Remus' house in nothing but a diaper and now you're driving!"

"The other night I ran into her wearing no pants, so she's hasn't changed really," Erick murmured nonchalantly. "I stepped on Grey's tail thanks to that... maybe that's why he hates me so much."

"What?" Harry's head snapped to the side so fast he hurt himself.

"I forgot you live here now! Sometimes I sleep like that, s'not a crime!" She looked at Harry through the rearview mirror. "I've been an only child for sixteen years, sometimes I forget there are more than two people in my house..."

"I'm surprised her scream didn't wake up Leon," Erick sniggered.

"He's a heavy sleeper like his dad," Emily responded distractedly.

The conversation died instantly. It wasn't the woman's intention, of course, but it'd been only a few weeks since Sirius' passing, sometimes they would forget for a moment, just a brief second, then one of them would talk about Sirius and everything would start again...

It was painful, and it was weird. Mel had never endured something like this with anyone except Harry. Having a larger group of people sharing the same pain was strangely comforting.

Mel cleared her throat. "It's Harry's turn..."

"I'm okay," He said quickly. "I can learn another day..."

"Glasses, you and I have a tradition of experiencing things at the same time," The girl stopped the car and turned to look at him. "You're not going to ruin our streak. Besides, I need to know if I'm better than you."

Harry stared at her in amusement, then he looked at Erick.

"Is it fun, having her bossing you around all day?"

"I boss her around too," Erick smirked.

"They take turns," Her mother sighed.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Harry gave the woman a look of sympathy as he stepped out of the car.

"There are worse things than being stuck with two pushy teenagers..."

"Hey!"

"Sorry," Emily smirked. "A pushy teenager and a pushy adult."

"If it annoys you that much I'll move out," Mel offered humorously. "What d'you say, Prince? Should we try our luck outside our comfort zone?"

"You wouldn't last a day," Erick taunted.

"Fiddlesticks," Mel muttered, to which Harry laughed.

It was around three in the morning when someone knocked on her door. She'd been awake for a while now, so she stood up and opened it.

"Hi," She rubbed her eyes. "What's up?"

"Can't sleep," Erick mumbled. "Care if I stay a moment?"

"Go ahead..."

She went back to bed, Erick sat at the edge and stared at her for a moment. Grey let out a sleepy growl, curling further away from his reach. Erick pulled out his pocket watch, now hanging from a chain he'd found in Regulus Black's room back in Grimmauld Place. The reason why he'd taken it was unknown to Mel.

"What's up?" She mumbled, suppressing a yawn.

"I'm thinking."

"About?"

"How lucky I am."

Mel let out a puff of air without replying. He would do this often, say he was lucky to be there, that she'd saved his life... She just wanted him to shut up.

"I really don't want to punch you, Prince, I'd ruin your pretty nose."

He smiled, unbothered.

"You know, a few years ago you would've been pleased to hear me say that, you ungrateful git."

"Yeah well, a few years ago my biggest dream was to become a princess," She joked. "So you see my priorities were a bit messed up..."

"You'd make a cute princess."

"C'mon —"

"I mean it."

"Erick," Mel said in a tone of warning. "Stop."

He'd been acting like that for a whole week: flirting when no one was around, complimenting her... Mel had closed up so tightly around herself that she was barely capable of saying I love you to her mum. Erick had lived deprived of affection his whole life and was just getting out of that environment. At what point had she become the cold, distant one, and he the ray of sunshine?

She knew right away what he was trying to do, but she was so numb... Mel cared about him, but she was not there yet.

Erick leaned on the wall and tilted his head a bit so he could look at her.

"I'm sorry."

"Why?" She replied. "It's not your fault... I just — I need time."

He nodded shortly.

"We can talk later?"

He was wonderful, but she was in the middle of all that was wrong in their world, right next to Harry and the lifeline that she still hadn't decided whether she wanted to keep or not.

"We should go to bed," She murmured, still unable to make any real decisions for herself.

"Yeah," He stood up, carefully putting the blankets back in place and dropping them all over Grey on purpose. He put the watch back in his pocket as well. "Sweet dreams, Mely."

The Ministry of Magic

PROTECTING YOUR HOME AND FAMILY AGAINST DARK FORCES

The Wizarding community is currently under threat from an organization calling itself the Death Eaters. Observing the following simple security guidelines will help protect you, your family, and your home from attack.

"I have a better way to protect our house," Erick groaned, he was gently rubbing his temples. "Let Leon cry the whole night and not even Voldemort will try to enter... I myself am starting to consider living on the street just to get away from the noise."

"S'not that bad," She answered, the dark circles under her eyes giving her away. "It's hard to get used to being a human, you know?"

"Look at this," Emily unfolded the newspaper. "'Scrimgeour succeeds Fudge' — Well, haven't met him yet but I hope he's got a bit of brain, Tonks told me a few months back that he's certainly a bit brisker..."

The doorbell rang and Mel left to open the door.

The routine at that point was established even if it had been only two weeks since their arrival; Erick got used to life at Privet Drive quite easily, he spent two whole days examining every corner of the kitchen, and when Mel showed him what a movie was, he wasted a whole day in the drawing-room watching the movie adaptations of the books she'd lent to him.

Harry would go daily to check on"Reg". Once he'd stayed the night but refused to sleep in Mel's room, not that she'd tried to convince him otherwise.

"Goodmorning," She opened the door without paying attention, "you're a bit late for breakfast but I'll let it pass as soon as you —"

She stopped talking at the sight of her great-uncle, Dumbledore smiled at her and walked in.

"I can't stay for breakfast, but I dare say I regret it deeply."

"Professor... I — Is everything okay?"

"Certainly."

"To what do we owe the pleasure?"

Mel turned to see her mother standing near the stairs, gazing at Dumbledore coldly.

"Emily," Dumbledore said. "Good morning... I'm here to speak with Mr Flint."

"Is he in trouble?"

"Quite the contrary, I believe he's never been better."

"Professor," Erick's posture changed when he walked into the room, suddenly he looked more like a young man and less like a boy. "What can I do for you?"

"I have a mission for you... Mel as well, but only if she wishes to go."

"She's not of age," The woman replied quickly.

Mel was ready to accept whatever it was he wanted her to do, she needed to feel like she was doing something. Although she wasn't exactly happy to see him so soon after the end of their last term.

"As I said, only if she wishes to come. I assure you she'd be safe."

The girl looked at her mother and then at the men standing in front of her.

"Can I hear what this is about first?"

Emily crossed her arms without uttering a word, her uncle signalled towards the couch.

"A word, then?"

Erick nodded, making a beeline to the closest armchair. Emily turned to leave, but Dumbledore spoke again.

"You can stay."

The woman shared a look with her daughter, Mel couldn't hide her eagerness to hear what the old man had to say.

"I won't sit there and watch history repeat itself," Emily sighed.

The woman left before Mel could say anything. She would talk to her later, but first, she needed to talk to Dumbledore.

"I beg you not to interrupt me while I speak."

Both pupils silently agreed to his petition.

"Now, I find myself in need of a new Professor, but the man I'd been contemplating for the job has been on the run for almost a year — He's not guilty of any crimes," He added, noticing the way their faces grew worried. "He's just afraid like everyone else... I need you to track him down and point me to where he is so I can have a word with him."

"I'll do it," Erick responded instantly.

"Alone?" Mel frowned.

Dumbledore stared at her for a second too long.

"If I remember correctly today is your sixteenth birthday, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"Mr Flint turned seventeen in January — You may know that's considered to be the start of our adulthood."

"Yes."

"Erick is allowed to do magic outside school... But you still have a year left."

"I don't see  —"

"You have Matthew's spirit when it comes to saving a friend, Mel. When you were eleven you left this house with Hagrid so you could look for Harry yourself... The time has come for me to finally be honest with you."

"What do you mean 'finally'?" The words were burning a hole in her brain. "You mean all the things you told me when I was in your office last month... that wasn't it?"

Erick stared at them with polite interest, even though she knew he was dying to ask. Mel hadn't told him a thing about that night out of respect for Harry's privacy.

"That was all I had to tell you regarding the Harry," Dumbledore replied. "There are plenty of things I haven't said, and I wish to talk about them with you."

"And if I agree to go with Erick on this mission... you'll tell me?" Mel raised a brow.

"I'll tell you whether you help me with this or not, but I believe there's nothing else I can teach you, Mel. All that's left for you is to start putting your knowledge to use; I recommend you to go on this mission."

"What about my animagus lessons?"

"Ah, yes," Dumbledore smiled. "I'll help you with that, but that'll be it. You've concluded your lessons with the highest marks, dear girl."

She would've been elated hadn't been because of the strange way her uncle was acting.

"Aren't you happy?" Erick nudged her arm gently. "You've worked hard for years, you should be proud!"

"I am proud," Mel replied shortly. "And I'd love to help, but I can't leave my family, it's not safe."

"They'd go to the burrow if you leave."

"What about Harry?"

"He'll go to the burrow too, but I have a few matters to attend with his family first."

"If Mel wants to stay that's alright, I can go on my own —"

"You can't."

Erick looked at her irritated.

"It's not like you can do magic outside school."

"It takes more than magic to survive out there — You don't know how to blend in with the muggles, do you?"

"You can discuss this throughout the day," Dumbledore grabbed a letter from his pocket. "In this, you'll find all about Horace Slughorn's last known whereabouts and a picture so you can identify him. If you do, don't approach, he'll know you're following him. As soon as you find him come back to Privet Drive and write to me."

"This is all just in case we decide to go, right?"

"I'm going," Erick scowled at her.

"We'll talk about this after dinner," She glared back.

Dumbledore stood up and they followed, Emily was at the entrance ready to let him out.

"I'll wait for your response, then," Her uncle stared at her for a moment. "You and Harry..."

"We haven't decided," She was quick to reply. "We need time."

"Very well."

"You're quiet."

"I have a lot to think about."

Her day had been slightly ruined by her great-uncle's visit. Although Lupin had been there for a couple of hours and stayed for dinner. Mel and Erick talked about the mission and she'd promised to tell Harry after the party was over, which was now.

The Slytherin was upstairs taking a shower and Emily was putting Reggie to bed. Mel and Harry were sitting on the grass, watching the stars above them. She'd fallen into contemplative silence, pondering what to do. She could go chase some stranger for Dumbledore's benefit, or she could stay and look after her family.

"This would be much easier if my mum had asked me to stay!" She pouted.

"I reckon she knows that," Harry responded, throwing small rocks over the fence.

"Won't you?"

"Hmm?"

"You won't ask me to stay?"

Harry stared at her.

"No."

He didn't explain his reasons, but he didn't need to. Mel had made up her mind even if she didn't want to admit it. That was exactly why she was so upset, she wanted to look after her family, but her responsibilities were keeping her apart. Three years of hard work had led to this, and although Mel was a big sister now, winning the war was more important than changing diapers.

Her mother was a whole different problem too. Around them she was always cheery, but Mel was sure she'd heard her cry when none of the boys was around to hear.

She believed it was about Sirius, but it could also be about her and Harry, that she was scared for them. Mel didn't have the heart to lie if her mother were to ask about the prophecy. It was, as they had agreed without even having to speak about it, too much weight to put on their loved one's shoulders. The idea of Emily, the closest thing to a mother Harry ever had, finding out there was a big chance one of them would die after having lost Sirius in such a brutal way...

"I don't think I'll be able to look at Dumbledore in the eye if I come back empty-handed..."

"You're one of the best witches I know," Harry shrugged. "You'll be fine, just try not to murder Flint while you're away."

"He's less annoying now," She grinned. "Ever since he left his parents' house, dunno, he's improved. Although I might murder him if he doesn't stop —"

She was going to say 'flirting', but for some reason, she didn't feel ready to talk about that with Harry. She wasn't ready for anything and yet the world was forcing her to keep moving, it was exhausting.

Mel got up and offered her hand to her friend.

"Do you remember when you were just Harry and I was just Mel, and we were the odd kids at school?" She fixed her gaze on her bedroom window. "Wish we could go back to that."

"When I didn't know I was a wizard?"

"Things were easier back then, don't you think?"

"Maybe," He retorted. "But they were never entirely good."

In Harry, Mel found another reason to stay.

They could have the summer to talk about the things they needed to. She would stare at his aged features and compare them to the ones of that young boy she used to call her best friend...

Their bond still had thousands of cracks that had to be fixed, Mel was having a hard time letting him in again and they needed to be okay in order to know if they wanted to keep the lifeline or not. It wasn't that she didn't want to like him, she wanted the comfort he used to provide, the warmth and security of having someone who understood.

He knew it, and he was trying his best to not mess it up, but Mel didn't want to love him again, cutting the lifeline was the best way to assure that... It was easier said than done, though.

Harry was confused. Sometimes it felt like nothing would ever happen, then an overwhelming affection would crush his chest whenever Mel laughed or touched him. He didn't want to put a name to it, he was terrified of saying it, even to himself. All he knew was that the connection was a way to make sure Mel would be safe, and he didn't want to give that up.

"I should go."

"Yeah..."

"Happy birthday," He said. "I have to be honest and tell you that your present was meant to be sent last Christmas, but..."

"I didn't give you a present either, it's okay... I'm a bit angry though, that was a missed opportunity, I could've won."

Harry laughed.

"You'll have a new chance this year, but I doubt you'll be able to beat me — I've already gotten yours..."

"It's July!"

"I know," His smile vanished suddenly, then he added. "Be careful out there, please."

"Erick'll make sure I don't do anything stupid," Mel smiled. "He's so obsessed with protecting me — as if he didn't know I can do it alone just fine!"

"Yeah, but now's different."

"Different how?"

"We need you alive," He told her. "You want to live long enough to become Headmistress, right?"

Mel froze, not knowing what to answer.

"What?" Harry tilted his head.

"I lied," She blurted out. "I never wanted to be Headmistress — I saw you that night, in the mirror... I saw..."

"What?" He asked again, this time softer.

"You kissed me. A real kiss... like the type we used to gawk at as children."

Harry cleared his throat. "Oh."

A tense silence surrounded them. The variations of colour in his eyes were remarkably easy to notice from where she was standing. She was tilting her head up now, perhaps they were too close.

"Be careful."

"You told me that already," Mel whispered, unable to look away. "Anything else you'd like to say?"

"Yes," He paused, his eyes took a quick glance to her lips. "But if I say it you'll get mad."

Harry kissed her, Mel responded by pulling him down.

It was hard to tell whether she was euphoric or scared, perhaps both, or perhaps neither. As soon as it happened Harry jumped away, and she was dropped back into reality.

"I can't do it — We haven't talked about  the lifeline — We won't make the right choice if we let our feelings —"

"You're right! Yes!" Mel said, acting just as agitated. "It's a terrible idea — I like you, but—"

"—it's confusing," He said anxiously. "Do you have feelings for me?"

"Do you have feelings for me?" Mel asked in a high-pitched voice.

"No!" He responded, but his voice trembled with a lack of confidence. "I care about you a lot —"

"— I care for you too —"

"— But just —"

"— as friends!"

They stared at each other with the same frightened expression.

"I'm sorry if I made things uncomfortable," He groaned, running a hand through his hair. "I... I don't want to lose you."

"We need to spend some time apart," She nodded, avoiding his eyes. "We can ignore this happened, right?"

"Absolutely," He agreed. "You're spending the summer at the burrow?"

"My mum and my brother will be there, so I kind of have to... is that okay?"

"It's okay," Harry looked around. "We... we should go."

"Did you ever regret falling for my dad?" Mel asked randomly. "I mean, you ever wonder how things would've turned out if you'd stayed as friends?"

Emily stopped folding her clothes.

"Something nagging that head of yours?"

"I think relationships are a waste of time. They all break and you always end up hurting..."

"What makes you think such nonsense?" Emily raised a brow, leaning back on the couch. "Who are you and what did you do to my daughter?"

"You don't think that way?" She asked doubtfully.

"Because I lost my partners that means I have to be bitter?"

"I didn't mean it like that," Mel replied quickly. "But... yeah."

Emily remained silent for a moment, gathering her thoughts.

"Solitude can do weird things to your heart, love. It can pull you towards bad or good places... People that make you feel a little less lonesome, someone who understands you. You should hold onto that for as long as you can, no matter how scary it is. You never know what wonderful things may bring you..."

"Sirius said something similar a year ago," Mel said quietly. "Something about finding my equal, that the earth's full of options and stuff..."

"I won't force you to find a partner if that's not what you want, but you're young and the world is big, you can't turn your back on every opportunity."

"It's not like I have lots of prospects right now..." She huffed.

"You don't need lots, just the right one."

Mel hesitated for a moment, then added:

"I know you used to have a crush on James Potter."

Emily looked up from the laundry again, she raised a brow. "Oh?"

"I know it was a long time ago," She shifted in her place awkwardly. "But do you ever wonder what would've happened if you two..?"

The woman sighed.

"Only once."

"When?"

"When I found out Voldemort was after his son," She folded the last shirt and handed it to Mel. "I asked myself if I had made the right choice by giving him up... When I look at you I know it was the right thing to do. What happened to James and Lily... it was horrible, but it wasn't my fault. I was happy with your father; maybe Matthew wasn't my first love, but when it comes to this, your first love rarely is the one that lasts."

"Mel?" Erick walked into the room. "If we're planning to drive around all day tomorrow, you should sleep," He nodded shortly at both of them and left the room, her mother chuckled.

"You know, Erick reminds me of your father... I know Sirius said he was like his brother, but Regulus made all the wrong choices... Erick's done all this for himself, to be better. Just like Matty."

Mel's gaze lingered on the doorway long after Erick had left.

"Thank you, for letting me go," She sighed, looking back at the woman. "I don't love following Dumbledore's orders but I... I want to make this world a better place."

"Love," Emily cupped her face adoringly. "I know why you're doing this. Just how I knew why you flew that car to save Harry, and why you went to the Ministry... but you're my daughter, and it's my job to worry about you anyway."

Erick and Mel took three changes of clothing and put them in the trunk, Emily gave them muggle money. Mel had a fake driver's license as well as Erick, and they would take turns driving. Harry was nowhere to be seen, but it was expected since it was five in the morning. She hadn't mentioned the kiss to either her mother or Erick, she was determined to keep it that way, much like the whole lifeline stuff and the prophecy.

'Just pile more secrets on top, why don't you,' She thought bitterly as she walked out of the house.

Emily hugged both and let them kiss Reggie goodbye, Mel promised they would see each other soon, and Erick vowed he'd make sure Mel would be safe (she snorted loudly at this). Once inside the car, her friend took a deep breath.

"Ready?"

"This isn't our first adventure, Prince."

"This one's the first we do with permission."

"You're an adult, you don't need anyone's approval."

"You know what I mean," He rolled his eyes.

"Sorry. I get defensive when I'm —"

"I know," He sighed. "I talk too much when I'm worried."

"I know," She put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed lightly. "I'm ready... We'll be okay."

Next Chapter —>

Taglist.

@dee123ksha @vampiregirl1797 @siriuslysirius1107 @stardusthigh @mikariell95 @vernon-dursley @thesuitelifeofafangirl @tomshollandz @wlwmaximoff @reverse-hxlland @hamiltonwc @omiwashere @t-rexs-world @just-here-to-escape-from-reality @21bruhs @i-am-scared-and-useless-bisexual @dielgonacoffee @thelastpyle

[gaybutterflynerd]

Ok hot take: The Eggpire should’ve won at the banquet.

Gonna be honest I really want the Eggpire to win in a major stream. It’s just... I guess I’ve always had trouble taking them seriously and antagonistic force? Let me explain why.

One of the things I love about The Dream SMP is the fact that the antagonists have a long history of winning. When it’s a battle between 2 conflicting sides it feels like battle, and (in the older streams especially) because of the improvised status people didn’t hold back, and it felt like if someone managed to win organically there would be no chance of retcons. Anything can happen. That’s the best part of it being streams, there’s no “oh there’s a bunch of episodes left with ‘insert thing here’ in the title, so they to win”. There are real, unpredictable stakes. Not to mention, every major antagonist has done something tangible, and had something that makes them a real threat. Let’s look at the antagonists thus far:

Dream (l’mansburg independence war):

Actively prevented L’mansburg from becoming a thing. He was the admin, it was his say.

Had stolen the Discs back in the disc war

Got Eret to betray everyone, causing all of the members to die

Blew up the nation itself

Killed Tommy in a duel

Got power over Tommy via the discs

Basically won the war

Final Explanation: Though this was back when there was less roleplay there was still tangible acts and reasons to take him seriously. Not only did he have a past with conflict with the current “protagonist”, he basically won at every step of the way. He was bad, because he stood in the way of the “protagonists” getting what they want, and he had real power to do that.

Jschlatt:

Had the presidency, and by the viewer vote rather than a simple power seize (legitimacy as a threat)

Had the charisma/intimidation to get the citizens of L’mansburg to enforce an exile of Tommy and Wilbur

The speech. You know the one.

 Was abusive to Quackity

Killed cats

Taxed Niki (and got her to pay said taxes)

Caused Wilbur’s downward spiral

Manipulated Tubbo, and purposefully kept him from Tommy

Had the intimidation/charisma/perceived power to get Techno to kill Tubbo (his ally) at the festival.

Was directly responsible for Tubbo loosing his cannon lives, this would later be one of the reasons he was so vulnerable to Dream

Warped the nation into something that felt wrong

Got Dream to betray Pogtopia

Final Explanation: While Jschlatt didn’t have a lot of power tangibly, he had a ton of power in convincing others to do things, and was very good at seeming powerful. That being said the effects of this persuasion had the tangible consequences of lives lost, and lost allies. Not to mention he wasn’t even the main antagonist on Doomsday, I’d argue that goes to...

Wilbur Soot:

Blew up L’mansburg

Lied to Tommy, and betrayed him on Doomsday

Was someone the audience saw as a good person before Wilbur’s downward spiral (legitimacy)

His speeches were some of the most iconic in the series

Was someone Tommy looked up to

Worked with Dream, a known antagonist

Actively egged on Tommy’s anger in the pit

Kept trying to pressure Tommy to do things he repeatedly said he didn’t want to do

Actively staged the blowing up if L’mansburg so that Tommy would be onstage when it blew up. Tommy who also only had one cannon life. Even if it didn’t succeed, attempted murder to prove a point is not okay.

Didn’t care when Tubbo died in the festival

Didn’t care that Tubbo was onstage

Didn’t care that Tubbo was onstage when he blew up L’mansburg

Final Explanation: Even if you don’t view Wilbur as a bad person, he has done some bad things, and was most certainly an antagonist. He destroyed the nation we worked to build, and his paranoia caused him to do actions that could be described charitably as questionable.

.

Dream (exile conflict and beyond):

(Oh boy, this is gonna be a long list...)

Did everything himself (legitimacy x10, especially after Jschlatt’s power and downfall being reliant on others)

Previous history as an antagonist

Super skilled and powerful. One of the best fighters on the server. Extremely powerful. (legitimacy)

Took 2 of Tommy’s cannon lives. Eventually took all 3.

Used the threat of Tommy’s death to get him to go what he wanted. A threat caused by said taking of 2 cannon lives.

Built walls around L’mansburg, and forced Tubbo to exile Tommy for him to stop

Blew up Tommy’s armor (and other stuff) every day in Exile

Manipulate Tubbo into thinking he was his friend.

Told ghostbur to go into the forest and leave Tommy so he would be alone at the party

Kicked George off the thrown

Payed Sam to make Pandora’s Vault to imprison all his enemies. Actively helped with the construction.

Telling Tommy his friends hated him

Telling Tommy that Tubbo never actually visited to make him question his sanity

Just, his entire abuse and manipulation of Tommy

Overall, just exile (I’m not going to list everything, there’s too much)

Seemingly having no points of attack against him (legitimacy)

The scenes of Techno to get Techno to hand over Tommy (legitimacy)

Getting Techno to team with him to blow up L’mansburg (legitimacy)

Blowing up L’mansburg for a final time

The fact that him, Techno, and Phil won against the entire rest of the server (legitimacy)

His manipulation and control of Ranboo

The Vault, and him getting Tubbo and Tommy into a vulnerable position despite their preparations

The fact he was going to force Tommy to be completely isolated in a prison with the only think he could do is think about how it’s kind of his fault his friend died

The fact he was going to kill Tubbo

The fact he was going to keep Skeppy in a 1 by 1 cage to blackmail BBH

The fact he was going to steal all the server’s most valuable possessions to control them

Manipulating Sapnap during his prison visit, so he could facilitate further manipulation of Ranboo

Killing Tommy in the prison

Laughing after her killed Tommy in prison

Saying he was going to kill him again as an experiment

Saying he was going to brung back Wilbur, specifically after Tommy begged him not too

His reaction to people finding out about Tommy’s death and revival was “do they think it’s cool”

You get the point, Dream was done a lot. Its a very long list.

Final Explanation: Dream is powerful because he physically does everything himself. He has no apparent weakness. He’s manipulative, seemingly obsessed with hurting Tommy, physically powerful, and is the primary antagonist to the server. He wins the majority of the time, and when he wins it doesn’t feel like anything could be done to prevent it. He also relies on himself for basically everything. Overall, Dream does an amazing job of being an effective threat.

While I could go into the other characters that are more controversial as being classified as “antagonists”, I think you get the point. What makes antagonists on the sever intimidating is the tangible things they do. Every good antagonist on the server has a list of mostly irreversible tangible effects of the plot. Jschlatt got Tubbo executed, Wilbur blew up L’mansburg, Dream did... a lot of things. Every major antagonist has succeeded in some way at successfully irreversibly hurting or destroying something the audience had an active attachment to. However in my eyes the egg has not done this as well as the other antagonists.

What makes the egg different from any other antagonist as its fundamentally a bunch of blocks, rather than an actual person. Not to say the egg can’t work because of it, but in general selling the audience of the idea that it’s am actual dangerous force is extremely important. Unfortunately, it doesn’t really succeed in doing so.

Let’s attempt what we did for all the other antagonists, but this time apply it to the Eggpire. Let’s see what they have they done:

The Eggpire (feel free to add anything I miss):

The egg warps the mind of those on the server. It can generally influence people into either loving or seemingly into hating it.

It twisted Bad (an previously wholesome character, but with hints of a darker side) into someone willing to do some pretty bad things, including murder (legitimacy)

It brainwashes its members into working for it

The Egg took Skeppy, this is likely why Bad is willing to work for it

They tried to kill Tommy multiple times simply for the fact he’s immune to the egg

They celebrated Tommy’s death due to his connection with the egg

They tried to feed Puffy (someone originally a part of the Eggpire) to the egg. They eventually send a mercenary after her as well.

They put Sam in a hole with The Egg overnight. Though he did not join, he ate his own skin, however this has not been mentioned as a persisting injury, or even been mentioned again to my knowledge.

They stuck Ranboo in the hole near the Egg. This caused him to freak out and later try to destroy it.

They stuck Hannah in a box near The Egg despite her allergy to it.

The egg blew up a statue in the Foolish confrontation.

They trick and trap everyone at the Red Banquet

They planned to execute a room full of people

They Killed Foolish

So on the surface, it looks like they’ve done a lot of bad things on par with the others. However upon a closer look you will realize something: almost everything on this list either failed, or was something that had no importance established before The Egg plot started. Let me explain why with all the corresponding bullets:

The egg warps the mind of those on the server. Yes, it technically does, but when you think about it no one who actively was against the egg has been forced to join it. The only person was Bad and it wasn’t The Egg’s control, it was Skeppy. Even those left overnight with it haven’t joined. We can only conclude it’s abilities are fairly weak.

It twisted Bad. Actually this is a fair one, though it should be noted Bad had basically no plot relevance before this arc. However, though this one is a legitimate source of legitimacy for The Egg, it’s a bit counteracted by all the other points.

It brainwashes its members into working for it. Does it really though? Basically everyone but Bad was influenced by it offering power. No one who actively hated the idea of joining the Egg has joined it, despite Bad’s claims. They mostly all joined for power, power they seemingly have no gotten. But still not much has changed as The Badlands was already power hungry before The Egg. It can be argued that thats the point, but it still fails in relation to all the other Eggpire failures.

The Egg took Skeppy, this is likely why Bad is willing to work for it. This is another good one... except it happened 4 months ago...

They tried to kill Tommy multiple times. Yes they tried. And failed. Multiple times.

They celebrated Tommy’s death due to his connection with the egg. While this is bad as an action, it’s more of a “look how x has effected these characters” than an actual tangible bad act. It’s more of a dick move than evil.

They tried to feed Puffy to The Egg. They eventually send a mercenary after her as well. Yes they tried. And failed. And yes they did try to send a mercenary. A mercenary who not only failed, but betrayed them.

They put Sam in a hole with The Egg overnight. You know this could be good if it left a scar, or became a big thing in Sam’s character. However it was never mentioned again.

They stuck Ranboo in the hole near the Egg. He got out after immediately, they didn’t even close the hole. Also I don’t see “one of the most rich people on the server now wants to destroy you” as a win. They seemingly gained nothing from this.

They stuck Hannah in a box near The Egg despite her allergy to it. Okay finally they turned someone. Someone completely new to the server. Someone who was not involved in any events before this. You know, like every other Eggpire member.

The egg blew up a statue in the Foolish confrontation. This is the only display of power we have ever gotten from The Egg, and Foolish out completed them with the “Totem of Death” thing. It wasn’t even an important statue.

They trick and trap everyone at the Red Banquet. They do that. Then they loose and get The Egg itself captured by all of their enemies directly after pissing them off.

They planned to execute a room full of people. They did plan to do that. Then they failed. They failed partially to do with the act of poking Techno with a stick that was his visit with Ranboo.

They Killed Foolish. This would be a lot more impressive if Foolish didn’t have all 3 cannon lives left, and if it wasn’t followed by them failing to kill an entire room of unarmed people, and having one of their own members loosing a cannon life. And they lost the godamn egg itself

Basically everything done was either to something newly introduced to the roleplay, or it failed. The Eggpire keeps repeatedly failing every step of the way, and has yet to have a major success. What makes it not work it though it may win some battles, it’s never at a state of winning the war. It makes it so hard to take them seriously when they make a threat. They have the success rate of Team Rocket from Pokemon, and seemingly every stream has them blasting off again. There are plenty of things that could be done to remedy this: they could get someone with heavy plot armor previous establishment to the lore under their control, they could make a plan that actually succeeds, they could successfully pull of an execution like the one at the banquet, or anything that physically effects the characters on the server. However they need to succeed in something. The problem with the failure at the banquet was that it further proved that the Eggpire will never succeed. It could’ve been a killing on par with Doomsday, yet instead we got deus ex Techno and Quackity.

I rest my case. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

(But anyway that’s just my view of why I never could really be intimidated by the egg, I’m open to counter arguments and suggestions. Lol I really just want the egg to successfully do something)

[calamitousrpgarchive]

This puzzle wasn’t as straight forward as the last; Axel knew that. And yet, he had expected more from the creatures in the audience. “Oh, come now. It’s not that difficult to figure out.” Axel said towards everyone. “Did all the smart people choose not to attend?” He teased and then laughed. “The clock is ticking, everyone. Wouldn’t want to stay here all night, would you?” 

Axel paced the stage as he heard people shout out the answers. He shifted between shaking his yes, saying “no”, or just rolling his eyes. He had wanted the puzzles to be somewhat hard, yes, but he hadn’t thought it would take this long. 

Westside was shouted from across the room.

“Who said it?” Axel yelled as he tried to find the person in the crowd. “Finally! Fuck, I truly thought we’d be here forever.” He let out an exaggerated sigh. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, you all are splendid company. But... there are a few of you that I’m keeping my eye on.” His eyes narrowed and darted around the crowd, meeting a few gazes. “Like you, you filthy Demons.” A laugh left his lips. “You all are dirty fuckers, aren’t you?” He tilted his head to the side. “Making deals, not caring about consequences.” He hummed. “Though, I suppose it’s not just the Demons that do that. Fae do as well, right?” He stared out at the crowd. “Have you ever just wanted to get one of their heads in your hands and just--” He clamped his hands together, pressing them hard against one another, pretending to squash a bug. He lifted his eyes to the audience. “No? Is that just me then?” He frowned. “I’m sure there will come a time.” He waved the conversation away.

“Unfortunately for you all, you get no intermission.” He held up his hands to ward off any complaining. “You took way too long for that puzzle. It was your own damn fault.” Axel insisted as the curtains began to open once more. “I hope you all are ready for the next Act.” He winked at the crowd before slipping behind one of the curtains.

ACT 3

The sounds of waves echo through the stage as two people entered from each side. 

“Arya.” The man coos as he takes a few steps into a cave structure. “Aryaaaaa?” 

“Finn?” The woman, Arya, stares at the man for a moment before she smiles and wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him close. “What are you doing here? I thought you weren’t coming until tomorrow?”

“I convinced Lucia to give me legs a day early. To surprise you.” Finn says with a wide smile as he shakes out his legs. “I owe her but... it was worth it to see you.”

“Finn...” Arya frowns as she pulls away from him and glances down at his human legs. “You know I don’t like when you do that.” She grumbles as her sad eyes met his once more. “What do you owe her this time?” 

“It’s nothing.” Finn insisted as he plasters a smile on his face. “Something for me to worry about later.” He wraps an arm around her shoulders. “But right now? How about we go do something fun.” He hums. “We could... go get a drink at one of the nice establishments in Myre Grove? Maybe participate in some recreational, medicinal, herbs you’ve talked about before...” He clicks his tongue and smiles. “What do you say, Arya?”

“I say... you should have led with that.” She winks at him before she, too, wraps an arm around him and they walk off stage together. 

The lights dim as two different figures enter the stage. They are wearing all black and their eyes were, too, black.

“Did you give him the task?”

“Of course I did.” Lucia says as she folds her arms across her chest. “Do I think he’ll be able to succeed and actually grab it for us?” She snorts. “Highly unlikely.” 

“Why did you ask him to retrieve such a thing if you don’t believe he’s capable?” The other woman asked.

“Because. It’s either he succeeds and grabs what we need, betraying his best friend in the process. Or he fails and the fae make an example of him.” Lucia smiles widely. “Either way, it’ll be enjoyable for me.” 

The other woman rolls her eyes. “If he fails and is killed, then we are still where we are right now. Vulnerable to the fae. We have ability to go after it ourselves, even with the alliance we have with them. How is that enjoyable for you or us?”

“That is for me to know, darling.” Lucia hums. “And for you to just sit back and watch the show.”

The stage darkens. When it lightens, Finn and Arya are sitting in a tavern, a two large flights of beer sat in front of them.

“You know...” Finn says as sips on his drink. “I’ve been here so many times and I still have yet to see your family’s house.” 

Arya presses her lips together into a thin line. “It’s nothing special. Just a lot of historical decor. Pretentious and stuck up people.” She snubs her nose. “It’s not much to look at, really.”

“I don’t know... there are rumor’s in the Forgotten that you guys have a special room for items you collect.”

“Rumors?” Arya's eyes harden as she stares at her best friend. “And you are going to believe these fucking rumors over your best friend?”. 

Finn frowns and tries to backtrack. “No, I--”

“I’m just kidding!” Arya smirks and then takes a couple of gulps of her beer. “Yes. It is tradition in almost every Fae home that they have at least one room for their collection. Ours is no different.” She pauses. “Maybe a bit more... extensive than others. But no different.” 

“Do you think...” Finn presses his lips together. “Can I see it?” He asks his best friend. “I promise I’ll be respectful and I will keep my hands to myself.” He shows that he can do that by shoving his hands into his pockets. 

“I don’t think mom and dad will like that...” She mutters as she glances towards the table. “But...” She let out a breath. “They are out of the house tonight. They are attending some part with the Royals.” She bit down on her lip. “We’ll be quick about it. We can’t stay in there long.”

“A couple of minutes to browse. That is all I’m asking, Arya.” Finn tries to hide his excitement but his smile is beaming.

“A couple of minutes.” Arya says. “But I’m not leaving here until we’ve both finished our drinks.” She picks hers up and starts to chug.

Finn laughs and does the same.

The lights dim once more. Props shuffle around the stage and when the lights shine bright again, the setting is inside a home. The stage was filled with shiny objects, some fake and made of cardboard, some real.

Arya moves around the room, humming as she runs her fingers over some of the trinkets. “I’m a little surprised that this was what you wanted to see at my house.” She muttered. “I mean, my own bedroom was the first thing I thought you’d ask for.”

Finn snorts as he stands still in the middle of the stage. “Your bedroom? That’s private. Why would I ask to see your bedroom?” 

“I don’t know, Finn...” Arya lets out a sigh. “Why would any man ask to see a woman’s bedroom?” She raises an eyebrow. 

When Finn doesn’t answer, Arya rolls her eyes. “To woo her, Finn! To lay her on the bed. To ask her to put on a pretty little dress.” She plops herself in a chair and folds her arms across her chest. 

“Woo?” He frowns as he turns his attention towards Arya. “We are best friends. Why would I want to woo you?” 

“Are you fucking--” Arya immediately stands from the seat and grabs the handle to the door. “You know what? Have all the fucking time you want in here. I’ll be in the living room when you’re done.” She doesn’t even give him a second glance as she stomps off the stage. 

Finn watches her until he can no longer see her before he turns his attention back to the shiny objects in the room. “Now where could you be...” He mutters to himself as his eyes move from one item to the next. He walked around the room, touching each object, and trying to figure out if it was the object he was supposed to take. “Obsidian orb...” He mumbles as he begins picking things up. “Black. Not black. That’s black... What about--”

He opens a small box and, in front of him, is a shiny, black, orb. It’s smooth with no cracks in it. It’s, thankfully, small enough to fit into his pocket. He places the box back and takes a step back. He turns towards the edge of the stage.

“Arya?” He calls out. “My mom texted me. I have to go home early.” He takes a step in the opposite direction that his best friend had walked just minutes prior. “I’ll see you tomorrow?” 

“No, I will not see you tomorrow!” A shout came from the other side of the stage. “Stay underwater, you asshole!” 

Finn runs off the stage.

The curtains close for a few moments before opening again. The backdrop shows a forest near the water. 

“Lucia?” Finn’s voice carries throughout the stage. “Lucia, I’m here!”

“Ah... yes. You are.” The woman, who plays a Demon, steps out of the shadows. “Have you brought the orb?” Her hands were clasped behind her back as she walks towards the Merfolk. “Or have you come here to tell me you’ve failed?” She tilts her head to the side. “I would hope it’s the former, as I will be the last one you see if it’s the latter.”

“I have it.” Finn shoves a hand into his pocket and pulls out the orb. He holds it in the palm of his hand and then adds: “But I have something else I want for it.”

“That was not part of the deal, guppy.” Venom drips from her voice as she takes a step towards the man. “Legs for the orb. That was the deal we made. Nothing more. Nothing less.” 

He wraps his fingers around the orb, holding it tighter in his hand. “Well I’m asking for you to reconsider.” His eyes flickered towards the woman’s feet as she continues towards him. “This... black orb. It’s important to you, is it not?”

The Demon says nothing.

“So there is no reason why you can’t just--”

“Finn!” The angry voice of Arya erupted through the stage. “Finn, you son of a bitch--” 

A yelp came from Arya as she is dragged onto the stage by another. 

“Arya, what are you doing here?” Finn hisses at her as he watches a man wrestle with the fae until her arms were behind her back.

“You stole from my family!” She spat at him. “I couldn’t just let you walk off with it. My family is entrusted to protect it. I am supposed to protect it.” 

“Oh hush now. It doesn’t matter anymore, does it, little fae? Your boyfriend here has made a deal with me. He must give me what I have asked for, or else, I will take a soul.” 

“He is not my boyfriend.” She hissed. “And he doesn’t even have a soul to give you!” 

“Not his own soul. Someone else’s.” Lucia’s eyes gleamed as she looks at the fae. “Now, how about we cut the dramatics? I am tired of waiting. So what is it that you want, Finn? Hm?” 

“What?” Arya breaths as she jerks against the Demon holding her. “Finn--”

“I want legs. Permanently.” Finn completely ignores his best friend who is struggling.

“Finn!” Arya shouts at him. “What did you do?”

Lucia let out a loud laugh at his request. “Seriously? You are holding my fucking possession hostage because of a pair of legs?” She shakes her head back and forth. “The deal has already been struck, guppy. There’s no going back on it. Unless you want to experience some consequences?”

“Don’t give it to her!” Arya shouts. “No matter what happens. Please, Finn. You can’t.” 

“Shut her up, will you?” Lucia chastises the other Demon, who quickly clamps a hand over Arya’s mouth.

“Let her go. She’s not part of this.” Finn says as his eyes flicker from his best friend, towards Lucia. 

“You made her part of it when you bargained her soul.”

Arya screams against the hand and begins kicking and hitting the Demon that has her restrained. 

“Change of plans.” Lucia says as she took another step towards Finn. “You have made this transaction incredibly difficult and I am tired of it. You give me the orb or both of you die.” 

“What? That’s--”

“Extremely fair, considering you trying to get more out of me than what we agreed upon, wouldn’t you say?” 

Finn’s body shakes as he stares at everyone in front of him. His eyes flicker back and forth between the three, clearly unsure of what to do. “I--” 

Light exuded from Arya as she finally got out of the Demon’s grasp. She runs towards Finn, wrapping her arms around him and dragging him to the ground. The back of her shirt tore open as wings shoot out from the clothes and she lifts herself into the air with Finn. “You are such a fucking idiot!” She hisses as she carries him higher.

A dark spear appears and is thrown at the two in the air. They drop to the ground, Arya falling upon Finn. Her wings lower and blood seeps onto the floor of the stage. The obsidian orb rolls away from the two of them.

“Finn?” Arya whispers as she places her bloodied hands on either side of her face.

His skin was pale, his eyes lifeless.

“Thank you for that.” Lucia reaches down towards the ground and grabs the orb. “And thank you for this...” She moves towards the fae, grabs her by the neck, and yanks her towards her. Lucia plants a kiss on her lips. Smoke erupted between the two as Lucia takes the fae’s soul. 

“You can kill her now.” Lucia licks her lips as she drops the woman.

Arya doesn’t even scream as the other Demon ends her life with a silveriron blade to the heart.

The stage darkens for the last time.

“Wow!” Axel shouted. “I mean. Holy fuck. Did you see that coming?” He asked the audience. “Because I sure as hell didn’t.” He flattened his hands against the front of his suit and brushed some lint off. “I was hoping they’d kill those two Demons before they had a chance to get that obsidian...” He reached into his pocket and pulled out the orb. “Funny little thing, isn’t it? Such a small item, and yet, it held so much power to them.” 

He threw it up in the air and caught it. “What’s next? What’s next...” He muttered to himself as his eyes remained on the orb in his hand. “Oh! That’s right. The infamous puzzles.” He shoved the item back into his pocket. “This one, my friends, is a bit of a doozy.”

He held a hand up, giving an alert to the humans he had standing in all of the isles of the theatre. Each one of them grabbed a bucket and tipped it; obsidian orbs rolled across the floor of every isle. “The puzzle is written on each of these orbs.”

He offered a a wide smile. “Have fun decoding it.” 

ADMIN NOTE: Welcome to Act 3! It’s a little shorter this time (i think... probably not). You can thread out any reaction to this Act, and you can also thread out solving the puzzle. This code is a little harder to figure out, as we have utilized several ciphers to create it. If you think you have deciphered what this puzzle says, please message either me (Kira), Nova, or Wren and we will tell you if you’ve guessed right or guessed wrong. You can use this information as you wish, whether your characters tell others, or if they keep it to themselves. You can also discuss this with other muns. But remember, it is only canon if it is happening on the dash.

Please let us know if you have any questions!

A Reminder: Axel has informed his hacker to live video the performance, so those who aren’t present at the theatre. They won’t miss out on the play as it’ll be wired into all electronic devices in some dodgy 720p footage.

[letterstoleia]

Important Lessons Learned from Gabby and Brian

As an author and advocate for survivors of domestic violence, I’ve learned a lot about the predictable patterns of unhealthy relationships. After years of personal experiences, research, and outreach, I’ve learned to recognize the tell-tale signs of abuse. I am not a licensed therapist, social worker, police officer, or minister. So please understand I shared my thoughts as 3 a.m. musings. When a few people asked me to make the post public, I agreed, reluctantly. I had no idea this message would resonate with so many people. I've worked back through the original post to explain a bit better how I'm feeling. I realize not everyone will agree with me, and I respect all opinions and views. All I ask is that we engage in respectful discourse on all sides. Thank you all.

In recent days, the tragic events involving Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie have given us a lot to learn. This case is still under investigation, and I can only make assumptions based on the textbook patterns of abuse I’ve witnessed too many times to count. I also recognize that multiple families are grieving, and I have tremendous empathy for everyone involved. However, many survivors will resonate with at least some of the following insights, and I’m hoping we can use this tragedy to shift the way we as a culture approach the complicated issue of domestic abuse.

Let’s examine 30 important lessons this couple teaches us:

1. Followers on social media saw a smiling, happy couple, full of love and wanderlust, setting out for a cross-country adventure while documenting all the joys of young life. In many cases, targets become very good at smiling through the pain.

2. When the public was shown body camera footage captured by Moab City Police officer Daniel Robbins, (who pulled Laundrie and Petito over after the 911 call on August 12), some viewers assumed Petito was suffering from mental illness and Laundrie, while nervous, was the steadier of the two.

3. Other viewers assumed both partners were equally at fault—the old “it takes two” myth that doesn’t really apply to most abusive situations.

4. Some people even assumed Petito was the abuser and Laundrie was the victim.

5. These three assumptions probably crossed everyone’s mind as a possibility (they did mine). Healthy minded people tend to give others the benefit of the doubt, especially when someone is being accused of a negative act. Also, we can all understand that mental illness is a difficult situation and can tax even the kindest most gentle of souls (and the people who love them). Unfortunately, in many cases, this thought pattern leads us to assume the victim is mentally ill or that the victim is to blame for an altercation.

6. “Victim blaming” can happen even in the worst cases of abuse because we don’t see the longitudinal story unfolding. What we don’t see is that the target has managed to keep things together until she reached her threshold, at which time we may see her crying, yelling, or breaking down emotionally. By exhibiting those behaviors, many might assume the target is “crazy,” and it’s natural for us to feel as if the more stable person is more trustworthy.

7. If we listen carefully to Laundrie’s conversation with the officers, he even laughs and says, “She’s crazy.” (17.09) Then he dismisses it as a joke. Of course, he’s already put this claim in the officers’ minds (and by the nonchalant way he says it, many might assume it’s not the first time he’s said these words.)

8. So while viewers (and officers) start wondering if perhaps the target is “crazy,” the abuser plays the part of the poor, patient partner who has to deal with this irrational person. In the video, Laundrie mentions Petito’s anxiety and her OCD, painting her as an unstable partner. (Please note: I’m not at all justifying any physical violence against either party. No one should intentionally harm any other person. Period.)

9. A typical abuser would be skilled at convincing people that he’s innocent, while in fact he’s been acting very differently behind closed doors, pushing his target to this point intentionally and feeding on her emotional break. Many abusers LOVE to see evidence that they’ve hurt their target. They LOVE to see their target in pain. For this reason, “breaking” the target is usually the goal from the start. In cases of abuse, it may take an abuser hours, weeks, months, or even years to break the target, but he won’t stop until he gets that reaction, and then he’ll point the finger and say, “See? She’s crazy. I’m just trying to keep her calm.” And then he’ll do it again. And again. And again.

10. As a result, some people will buy into that false narrative. Even the target can be brainwashed to doubt her own truth. Which may be one reason we see Petito making many excuses for Laundrie’s behavior and taking the blame for everything.

11. In contrast, we see Laundrie blaming Petito, insisting he never hit her and saying he was just trying to keep her calm. He’s charming. He comes across as the loving and loyal partner. He’s joking around with the officers and even gives one a fist bump in the end. All the while, his fiancée is at risk of being charged with domestic assault and possibly spending the night in jail.

12. Later, we’ll hear the 911 recording that (it seems) the responding officers were not fully informed of at the time: “I’d like to report a domestic dispute.” The 49 second audio recording continues as the caller says, “The gentleman was slapping the girl.” When the dispatcher asks him to confirm that the man was slapping the girl, the caller responds, “Yes, and then we stopped, they ran up and down the sidewalk, he proceeded to hit her, hopped in the car, and they drove off.”

13. But long before the 911 call was made public, many survivors could already see through the spin playing out on the video footage. They easily recognized the “red flags” because these cycles become the norm for victims of long-standing abuse. Many targets eventually become conditioned to believe everything the abuser does is her fault. Covering for the abuser, accepting all the blame, trying harder to make the abuser happy—this warped reality becomes the only truth a target knows.

14. Also, it seems clear that Petito doesn’t want her fiancé to be in any trouble. She’d rather pay the price and protect the man she loves. And because she probably believes he only acted this way because of her mood/behaviors/anxiety/OCD/job, she doesn’t want him to be blamed. This is also the norm in abusive relationships.

15. Many experienced and well-trained officers see right through this typical pattern. Others buy the cover-up story. And, sadly, because some officers are also abusers, some side with the abuser even when they know exactly what’s going on. Throughout the video, we get the sense that Officer Robbins senses there’s more to the story.

16. I credit the police in Petito’s situation, especially Officer Robbins. The four responding officers (two of whom were park rangers) remained calm, they separated the couple, they interviewed them individually, they split them up for the night, they consulted the domestic violence shelter … many would say they did everything right considering the information they had at the time.

17. I imagine the officers involved may be suffering from tremendous guilt and wondering if they could have prevented Petito’s death, but I want to give credit to the officers in this case. While it’s easy to look back and say maybe they should have handled things differently, knowing what we now know, I was impressed with how well they treated both Laundrie and Petito (and, sadly, I was thinking how rare it is to see that level of respect and professionalism in most cases of domestic violence, particularly in the South where I’ve been most involved with survivors’ stories.)

18. After Petito was reported missing, many people expressed shock in response to the Laundrie family’s refusal to cooperate early in the investigation. Petito reportedly lived with the Laundrie family for more than a year. Anyone can see that this family will do anything to protect their son, even at the cost of an innocent young woman who was a real part of their family and soon to be their daughter-in-law. While most of us can certainly understand parents wanting to protect their son, most would agree they crossed a moral line when his fiancée went missing.

19. But perhaps it goes deeper than that. Perhaps what we’re seeing is a system of enablers who not only allowed their son to abuse Petito (which may have been a factor in her reported anxiety) but also a system of gaslighters who may have always been shifting the truth to keep Petito confused and make her believe she was the problem.

20. It’s not a far stretch to assume Petito was caught in a system of abuse. And once a target is caught in that psychological web, it’s extremely difficult to see a way out. Reality becomes flipped.

21. It’s also worth noting that Petito and Laundrie had been involved in various levels of a relationship since their teens. This is also commonly observed in dysfunctional partnerships.

22. These immature relationships work beautifully when both partners grow together and mature emotionally. But when one wants to keep the other down, naïve, and under his control … and the other is growing, learning, and maturing … it doesn’t work.

23. We hear Petito tell the officer that Laundrie didn’t think she could succeed with her travel blog (3.25). It seems clear that he didn’t believe in her and that he was trying to make her doubt herself.

24. Throughout the conversation, he implies that he locked her out of the van because she wouldn’t calm down. But when we listen to the full video, it seems he was upset because they’d spent too much time at the coffee shop with her working on her website when he wanted to go hiking. This suggests that because she wasn’t in the van when he was ready to leave, he lost his temper.

25. In the moments that followed, the altercation became physical. Reportedly, Laundrie squeezed Petito’s face with his hand, cut her down verbally, and criticized her.

26. Some would argue that this escalating abuse typically persists until the target reacts emotionally and/or physically. If this case follows the norm, Laundrie may have been trying to break her spirit, intentionally.

27. Why? Again, if this case follows the typical situation, it would likely be because Petito’s focus wasn’t 100% on Laundrie. She had found this new job she enjoyed. She was succeeding at it, and it was allowing her to connect with other people. (Remember, she’d already left her job as a nutritionist to travel around the country with Laundrie.)

28. In a healthy relationship, the new job might be considered a positive opportunity for Petito. Especially considering Laundrie admits they have very little money (not even enough to afford a hotel room to prevent his fiancée from going to jail). But in an unhealthy relationship, the abuser wants the target all to himself. And when that doesn’t happen, he can become increasingly violent.

29. Petito now had this one little piece of her life that Laundrie couldn’t control, so if we’re looking at textbook patterns, perhaps her blog angered him. Perhaps he didn’t like all the attention she was getting on social media. Perhaps he punished her for it. And then a cycle developed. Even though she was doing nothing wrong by building a new career.

30. The next thing we know, we have a missing person, a recovered body, a young man on the run, and several families destroyed. Too much grief to measure. And the truth is, it will happen again tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day, until we learn to recognize and respond to abusive situations in healthier ways.

The overall takeaway?

When we see someone at her emotional end during a domestic dispute, we shouldn’t assume she’s crazy. We shouldn’t buy into the false narrative given by the abuser. We shouldn’t believe the cover-up story by the target who has been conditioned to carry all the blame and shame. And we shouldn’t assume they’re going to be okay.

Instead, we should all learn the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships. We should learn to recognize the warning signs of abuse. We should engage in respectful, fact-based conversations about trauma bonds, abusive cycles, and emotional intelligence. We should be familiar with terms like gaslighting, hovering, love bombing, enabling, triangulating, and projecting. We should stop blaming targets and help them reclaim their truth. And we should stop repeating the age-old myths that keep targets trapped in these dangerous and all-too-often deadly cycles.

Finally, while I’ve used the most common scenario of male-on-female violence in this article, we should recognize that abuse crosses all barriers and can impact anyone regardless of gender, sexuality, ethnicity, nationality, religious affiliation, age, or socio-economic level. And we should stop assuming these situations will get better in time. Personally, I haven’t heard of one abusive relationship that became healthier. Not one. Not with therapy. Not with church. Not with prayer or forgiveness or complete surrender. When an abuser is determined to destroy his target, he will not stop until that target is erased from this world or stripped from her life. And in many cases, he’ll walk away without any consequences, often taking the target’s finances, home, vehicle, reputation, or even her children with him.

Please don’t let the next statistic be you or someone you love. For support, contact the Domestic Violence Hotline. From a safe phone, call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text “START” to 88788.

[writingpaperghost]

There is a Me Who Can Become Strong (Chapter 16)

Chapter 16: The Paradox of Defeating M

The CR get clarification on Emu's status as Bugster. While fighting the Bugster, though, Ex-Aid does something... strange.

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/32857183/chapters/83607565

The most notable thing about the next morning was that Emu was late. Or perhaps he wasn’t going to show up at all, after the previous evening. Saki wouldn’t blame him. As much as she was probably right about being worried, she shouldn’t have pushed him so far. She could see that he was getting worked up and stressed, yet she still chose to try to see what was wrong.

She was worried though, given his lack of appearance. He was rarely late – perhaps due to his ability as a Bugster to teleport. It was entirely possible that he simply chose not to come today, given his hesitance to tell her what he truly was. Perhaps he was truly worried she would react badly.

Haima, on the other hand, was certainly, extremely worried. “Hojo’s late,” He fretted, “Why? Did Gemn get to him on his way here?”

“While a possibility,” Saki responded, “I doubt that is the case. He may simply not come today, as unfortunate as that may be.” Another person who chose not to come to the CR today was Nico. Even though it would be easier to keep an eye on her, she insisted on staying at Taiga’s clinic.

Curiously, Poppy asks, “Why do you say that?”

Which leads Saki to a terrible dilemma. She doesn’t want to reveal Emu’s secret without his permission, but she also doesn’t want to keep Poppy and Haima in the dark. Not to mention, if anyone would know about pretending to be human, it would be Poppy, even if Asuna was a persona, not exactly based on any real person, to their knowledge. It would also be best to alleviate Haima’s stress before it finds a way to cause him any problems.

Taking a deep breath, Saki answers, “After the fight yesterday, I found out something rather… important, about Emu. He’s been hesitant to share, and I’m hesitant to tell you, but I believe it’s best if you know.” She takes a moment, hoping to come up with a good way to phrase this. Perhaps, though, tearing the bandage off, so to speak, may be the best. “Emu, you see, is a Bugster.”

For a moment, they both just stared at her. Then, Poppy recovers, gasping and pressing her hands against her cheeks, “Put!?” Her vocabulary suddenly gained a large amount of ‘p’ sounds, “Pemu’s a Pugster?”

As if on cue, footstep begin to walk up the stairs, slow and hesitant. Everyone turns their attention to the stairs, watching as Emu slowly emerges. He glances about the room hesitantly, running a hand through his hair. Saki wonders how much he looks like the real Emu.

“Um, sorry I’m… Late,” He says hesitantly.

In response, Haima eloquently blurts out, “Bugster!”

Which prompts a startled look on Emu, as he hurriedly looks around, “Is it Revol again?” Then he blinks, looks at the three of them, then sighs. He glances at Saki and asks, “Oh, I guess you all know now, huh?”

Saki nods, “Nico told me last night, though I do believe you’d been trying to tell me,” She said, “I told Haima and Poppy just now. I thought that they should know.”

Excitedly, Poppy asks, “So you’re a Bugster, Emu?” She jumps towards Emu, who takes a startled step back, “What game are you from?”

“Um, yeah, I guess, and uh, Perfect Puzzle and Knockout Fighter? I guess?” At Poppy’s surprised face at his response, he adds, “Or Emu, I suppose, since I didn’t even think I had a game until I tried using that blank Gashat.”

“That reminds me,” Saki begins, “Nico mentioned that you’ve been around for sixteen years?”

Chuckling in a bit of a nervous manner, Emu responds, “Yes, but I’ve only had my own body for six,” He tugs at his sleeve a bit, “Before that, I only ever really existed to Emu.”

A silence sits, for a moment, before Haima points out, “That means you’re older than Poppy,” As if it weren’t an obvious fact, given Poppy’s only existed for six years, “But how come we never knew?”

Emu blinks, “Because Emu never really had any negative effects of Game Disease? The only reason we were separated when we were was…”

“Zaizen,” Saki finishes, “Emu was the one he operated on.”

“Yeah…” He rubs the back of his neck nervously, “So, uh, I guess the whole part where those Next Genome scientists became Bugsters is sort of my fault? I hadn’t exactly meant to but…”

Poppy frowns, “Emu, that’s terrible. How come you never told anyone?”

The look that he gives in response told that he felt the question had a rather obvious answer, “Because at the time I didn’t know whatI was. And then when I did, I decided that it would probably be better not to risk it.”

“I suppose that’s fair,” Saki responds, “Though you really don’t need to worry, not at this point.”

“It’s not like we didn’t already know there was something odd about you,” Poppy adds, “I mean, you can’t even use a Gamer Driver!”

He responds quietly, “I… yeah…” He’s silent for a moment, before saying, “I should have told you.”

Saki sighs, “While it’s disappointing that you felt you couldn’t tell us…” She gives him a kind smile, “I just hope there can be no more secrets between us.”

Emu laughs, “I promise, no more secrets,”

Sheepishly, he just runs a hand through his hair and changes the subject, “Anyway, are you and Nico okay after yesterday?” He looks at Saki, “After trying to fight Ex-Aid’s new form… I forgot to ask you guys before I… left.”

Assuring, Saki nods, “We’re fine, though Ex-Aid’s new form will certainly be a challenge.”

Tapping his chin in thought, Emu sighs, “If only Nico could fight Revol, then I’d say that you two could try to deal with him. I think my Level 20 would at least be a little better match to Ex-Aid’s Level 50.” His other hand digs into his pocket, producing the Perfect Puzzle/Knockout Fighter Gashat. He glances at it, “But as it is, that’s not going to work.”

“Maybe we can try talking to Yuko?” Poppy suggested, “If the reason why Nico can’t effect Revol really is because of Yuko’s perception of her, then maybe we could change it.”

“Perhaps,” Saki considered, humming, “Though I get the impression that it won’t be quite so easy.”

“I can try,” Emu offers, “You’re probably right about it not being easy.”

Poppy grabs his arm, “But first!” She declared, “Since Yuko’s still asleep, you should come see my cabinet!”

The inside of Poppy’s cabinet is as cheerful and colorful as the outside. For the most part, there was only one wall that wasn’t somehow visible through the screen to the outside. Though, Emu had to admit it was… odd. He’d never really gone inside something, like this. Poppy did it all the time, but Emu hadn’t even known he could do it, until he saw Poppy do it. Even then he’d never bothered trying.

Once Poppy was done showing him every detail of her cabinet, she jumps out, then looks at Emu expectantly. He blinks, “Poppy,” He begins, then looks away sheepishly, “Um, I… don’t know how to get out.”

“Oh!” Poppy gasped, “Hold on, I’ll help you!”

It took Poppy half an hour of teaching for Emu to figure out how to get out of the cabinet.

Later, once Yuko had awoken, Emu found himself in the patient room, Asuna by his side, attempting to convince Yuko that Nico would be fine and could handle herself. A feat easier said than done, because Yuko was terribly stubborn, Nico had been plenty right about that. Yuko’s sitting up in bed, stubbornly not listening.

Emu had his work cut out for him, “I know it seems like Nico isn’t… well suited for this-”

“Because she’s not,”

“-But she’s really proven her skills as a Rider.”

“Has she?”

Some part of Emu thought that she hadn’t listened to a word he’d said. She probably hadn’t, given how she acts. Still, he wasn’t about to give up, they really needed Nico’s help. Gemn and Ex-Aid were both too strong, with Revol bordering on the edge. They hadn’t seen Revol fight much, but they knew that he’d be harder to fight than last time.

Taking a deep breath, he reminds her, “Nico is more than capable of being Snipe,” Then, more forcefully, he adds, “And she’s worried about you, even if she isn’t good at showing it.”

“I don’t know why she’s the one worrying,” Yuko scoffs, “She’s the one putting herself in danger willy-nilly.”

He needs a moment to stare at her before responding. After last night, he was still a bit tired emotionally, so he really, really didn’t want to blow up at her. But god was she making it hard. He takes another deep breath, and answers, “Yuko, she’s worried because you’ve been infected and we’re forced to work with one less Rider than our already one less Rider team, because your view of Nico seems to make it impossible for her attacks to do anything to Revol.” He levels her with a serious look, “We just can’t be having that right now.”

Admittedly, he could probably have phrased that all better, perhaps in less a blunt manner, but he really didn’t have the energy to right now. He was still a bit tired and frankly, didn’t feel like dealing with this.

Crossing her arms, Yuko just shrugs, “Whatever,” She rolls her eyes, “That’s not my problem.”

“It really is,” He shakes his head, “You’re the one who will suffer because we aren’t able to do our jobs properly. If we can’t defeat Revol, you die. And fighting Bugsters is a part of our job, Saki, mine, andNico’s.”

Yuko doesn’t respond, instead huffing and looking away. Emu shakes his head, figuring that he’s not going to succeed in convincing her of much. So with that, he leaves.

At some point while he was trying to talk with Yuko, Nico arrived at the CR, looking rather annoyed. When he walks up the stairs, she looks at him, “No luck, I bet?” He shakes his head in response, prompting her to continue, “Yuko’s really stubborn.”

Saki sighs, “I just wish Nico would be in a better position to fight against Revol…” she shakes her head, “I suppose what we’ll have to do is let Emu fight Ex-Aid, then Nico can deal with Kuroto if he’s there, if not she can help Emu. I’ll deal with Revol.”

“Not like I’ve got a better plan,” Emu agreed.

---

“Feeling better, Mu?” Kuroto watches Mu peek out from under the blankets of the nest. When they’d returned the evening before, Mu had made his way there and curled up. Kuroto wasn’t sure why he’d had such a reaction to the Mighty Brothers XX Gashat, but it was a bit worrying. Mu hadn’t exactly said much about how he’d been feeling, other than not good.

“Yeah, I guess,” Mu responds, coming out from under the blankets. He rubs his eyes a bit, “It felt like… I don’t know.”

Kuroto considered his words for a moment, “Perhaps you shouldn’t use the Gashat again until I can figure out what’s wrong with it.”

At that, Mu seemed hesitant, “I don’t know…” He considered it for a moment, “Let’s see if maybe it was just a result of using it for the first time?”

“Are you sure?”

With an uncomfortable looking smile, Mu nods, “Yeah, besides, it only started bugging me after, not while I was still transformed, so if it’s still a problem, it won’t be much of one until after the fight.” Despite his attempts to be reassuring, Kuroto clearly wasn’t too convinced.

After a moment, he sighed, “Fine, but if it starts causing problems sooner, tell me.”

“Okay!”

---

Just like before, Revol targeted Nico while she was out and about. And just like before, Saki and Emu were there to help. They doubted that Emu’s attempted conversation with Yuko did little to effect Nico’s ability to fight the Bugster.

Of course, with the Bugster, was Kuroto and Ex-Aid. Which was probably overkill since Ex-Aid alone had been able to defeat both Nico and Saki. But Emu had a tentative plan to deal with that. Or well, the entirety of the plan was to fight Ex-Aid himself and let Saki and Nico deal with Gemn and Revol. But it was better than nothing, and he might at least stand a chance against Ex-Aid.

Though Kuroto quickly transformed, prompting Saki and Nico to do the same. Ex-Aid, though, hesitated for a moment, glancing down at his Gashat. Briefly, Emu wonders if it has something to do with his and Kuroto’s sudden departure yesterday. Still, Ex-Aid activates the Gashat and transforms, taking on the form that looks a like a Level 1.

Following suit, Emu transforms into his Perfect Puzzle form, knowing that brute strength probably wouldn’t do him much good. No, he’d need more of a strategy on his side, rather than strength, if he wanted to defeat Level 50.

Though Ex-Aid did not seem to have a specific desire to fight Emu, he still seemed to be putting an effort in. Emu blocks an attack from his sword.

They’re close at the moment, and were it not for that, he probably wouldn’t have heard the strange question that came from Ex-Aid, “Why did Graphite give you that Gashat?” It seemed he too knew of Graphite’s no longer death. Though that begged the question why Graphite hasn’t helped him or Kuroto. “And how did you give it data? Only a Bugster should have been able to do that-” With his last question, Ex-Aid seemed to have come to an answer. He pushes back on his sword, knocking Emu away.

For a moment, Ex-Aid just stares at Emu, before reaching for the lever on his Gamer Driver. He hesitates, for a moment, before flicking it over and splitting in two. This fight just got a lot harder.

---

“I want to see Nico,” Yuko demanded, “To make sure she hasn’t gone and done anything else stupid.”

Asuna just gently put a hand on her shoulders, halting her attempts to get out of bed, “You need to rest.”

Yuko scoffs, “What rest will I get while she’s out gallivanting like some crazy person?”

Sighing, Asuna relented, “If I take you to Nico, will you rest afterwards?”

“Yes!” Yuko huffs in response, “Let’s go!” As Asuna helps her out of the bed, Asuna mutters something about stubbornness.

When they arrive at where Nico and the others are, Yuko doubts that Asuna had intended for her to see the fight. The one she can identify as Snipe – so Nico – along with a lighter blue one was fighting some black and white guy. A different sort of blue one was fighting two guys, one cyan, one orange.

Though Yuko’s eyes mostly went to Nico. For some reason, she kept fighting that guy, even though she was clearly out matched, but why? It was so stupid, clearly she didn’t have an ounce of self-preservation.

Asuna places a hand on her shoulder, “Nico’s fighting for you,”

“What?”

“She can’t fight Revol directly, but she can fight Gemn, make sure he doesn’t interfere with the defeat of your Bugster,”

Revol. Most likely the strange monster over there, not really doing anything. Yuko doesn’t understand it but… She knows she wants it gone.

She watches Nico intently, how she keeps a distance and tries to dodge as many as that Gemn’s attacks as possible. Then when she sees an opening, she uses it to attack, still able to keep her distance. Perhaps….

Maybe Nico was more suited for this than she had thought.

The one weird blue one was knocked back, down on the ground by the pair of Riders. Gemn gets a good hit on the lighter blue one and knocks her down, her transformation disappearing, revealing Saki, as two Gashats clutter to the ground. Nico attempts to keep him from getting much closer, only for him to run up and knock her down too, her transformation disappearing. Gemn leans down and picks up the Gashats that Saki had dropped. Right as Yuko’s about to worry he’ll do the same with the three that Nico dropped, one of the pair of Riders does something strange.

Double Mighty Critical Finish!

Yet instead of striking one of the Riders, like one would think he would, the orange Rider strikes Revol, destroying him. Though Gemn sucks up the resulting cloud into his strange device, he looks at the cyan and orange Riders confused. Startled, the cyan Rider flips the lever on his Driver and the orange one merges with him. Then the armor disappears entirely.

The man in the hoodie from earlier, Nico called him Mu, once, sways on his feet as he makes his way over to Gemn “Kuroto,” He calls weakly, “It… It’s happened again…”

The armor around Gemn disappears, revealing none other than former Gemn Corp CEO – however briefly – Kuroto Dan. He appears concerned as Mu grabs his arm. Mu says something quietly and the two quickly leave.

Yuko rushes towards Nico, as the last Rider, Emu, untransforms, “Nico!”

Nico just groans, “I’m okay, Yuko, so don’t bother.”

She just stops in her tracks at Nico’s words. Yuko considers what she’d saw that day. Hurriedly, she blurts, “I’m sorry!”

“What?”

“I’m sorry for insisting that you stop being Snipe. I should have listened to you.” Yuko clarified, slowly, “I’m sorry that I didn’t trust you, but I’ve clearly seen that I was wrong.”

Blinking, Nico sighed, “If you say so,” She pulls herself up, “Just stop pestering me about being Snipe, alright?”

“Alright,”

---

Kuroto watched Mu curl up under his blankets in the nest, “Mu,” He called softly, “What happened with Revol earlier?”

Mu glances over at him, “I don’t know,” He answered, pulling the blankets closer, “For some reason, the second player just… Decided to get rid of Revol. But at least we still got his data.”

Considering his words, Kuroto nods, “I suppose,” Then he holds his hand out, “Mu, I’d like to check over the Mighty Brothers XX Gashat, given the repeat of yesterday we had, and the mysterious actions of the second player.”

Without hesitation, Mu hands over the Gashat, “Okay, I hope you can figure it out,”

“Me too, Mu, me too.”

“What about Brave’s Gashats?”

There’s something concerning about the look on Kuroto’s face when he answers, “I have a use for Taddle Quest,”

[goblincas]

Entry Level Angel | Ch 3

On AO3

Saturday, October 10th:

Charlie tapped Cas's shoulder, urging him forward as another breeze stroked past his skin— his still very desensitized skin. He swallowed, unmoving, eyes drilling into the scene ahead. After waiting another moment, Charlie flicked Cas in the bicep. He flinched out of sheer habit.

“Y’know, this is super important,” Charlie reminded him, using her fingertips to soothe the site of assault. “Like, for your own well-being. Hell, for your life, even. Not to be melodramatic or anything, but it’s not like we have any clue of the severity we’re facing, here.”

She was right, of course— Cas needed help, and he needed it more and more desperately, each passing day. He had almost certainly been cursed. Although, that was right about where the reasonable conclusions slipped off into the abyss, never to be heard from again.

However, if Charlie’s plan was to succeed, Cas was going to have to take some initiative, first. There was nothing productive about standing in place, waiting for the asphalt to swallow both his body and his oh-so stubborn will to live.

Christ, how did Charlie convince herself that she was the “melodramatic” one?

The brick wall ahead was tinged by an earthy green plaster, offsetting the tubular neon lights spelling out “Magical Books ‘n’ Goods” across an otherwise cramped windowpane. Damp autumn leaves clung to the chipping windowsill and the base of an oval-capped doorway. Cas could hardly see inside the low-lit shop, aside from the unassuming profile of a retail bookshelf.

Sure, it wasn’t an especially threatening setup, but he wasn’t exactly coming at the situation from the calmest headspace. Thus, there was an almost menacing ambiance filtering through the shop’s walls, clamoring in Cas’s direction. It wasn’t his fault that he’d been rendered motionless by fear, much like a toddler off to their first day of preschool. Nope, no need for personal responsibility or self-initiative, here. Not today.

Again, Charlie nudged him, although with more pressure than earlier. “Dude, I’m serious. I just know that if anyone’s gonna be able to give us a clue, here, it’s gonna be her. Listen; I get the nerves, okay? And, like, I don’t even expect them to go away when you guys meet. She’s great, but she’s still an acquired taste… if it’s not totally insensitive to say that about another person. But this is important, Cas. I care about you too much to be lax, right now. Got it?”

Cas huffed, blinking slowly. Processing. “What a beautiful speech,” he quipped, continuing to gather his thoughts. Charlie flicked him again, this time on his shoulder. “Fine, okay, I understand. I do. I’m going in.”

Eyes lighting up against the muted autumn backdrop, Charlie thrust a celebratory fist into the air. “Great! Let’s get going, then.”

⁂

The inside of the witches’ specialty shop wasn’t too much unlike a run-of-the-mill small town bookstore, down to the effortless quirks of its layout. Mismatched shelves lined much of the back wall, creating a rich smattering of varying hues and grain around the secondhand spines. The air smelt faintly of chemical cinnamon, hardly able to overcome the musk of the place. Still, the witchy touches were anything but hidden; a line of tables ran down the center of the shop, covered in plastic-wrapped bundles of herbs, jars of unidentifiable glowing substances, and trendy rose gold altars. Wait, was that… an eyeball?

For his own sanity, Cas decided not to overthink it.

Before Cas had the opportunity to turn to Charlie for guidance, a voice jetted through the air, originating from god-knows-where. “Ah, hello there, dearie! Charlie, welcome back! And who is this you’ve brought along with you?” The thick, unmistakably Scottish sing-song seemed to reverberate out of the air, itself. Although hazy at the start, the sound was quick to crispen up.

Shifty eyed, Cas began to peer around the shop, only slightly disturbed by the disembodied words. Truly, it wasn’t as if he’d been expecting a day-to-day, streamlined retail experience. This was about in line with his expectations, so, whatever.

Charlie, bless her, managed to respond with near perfect nonchalance; this calmed Cas, yet somehow, also put him just a bit more on-edge. Well, then. “Hey, Ro! Where are you at? The back? I kinda, really need your help with something. Or, at least, my friend here sure does. Oh, Cas, introduce yourself!”

Cas side-eyed his friend, chewing his lip before replying slowly, seemingly to no one in particular, “Hi, I’m Cas. Um. Nice to meet… you? Yeah, sorry, who am I speaking to?” He was a human, for heaven’s sake; he wasn’t used to this, as expected as it might have been. Witches were certainly avant-garde, Cas could give them that.

Seconds later, a door was pushed open toward the back of the shop; it was encased on both sides by thinner, darker shelves, lined with stones and miscellaneous shiny and slimy tchotchkes. Cas swallowed, taking in the emerging figure.

The woman was surprisingly petite, yet carried herself as if she could crush Cas beneath her pinkie finger, alone. Red hair styled in fat curls poured over the shoulders of her simple black gown. Her eyes seemed to be faintly glowing, and Cas wasn’t certain he was comfortable with that fact, all things considered.

Nonetheless, Charlie was beaming in an instant, giving a short yet enthused wave of her hand. “Hey again, Ro. I know you’re probably busy, and I seriously don’t wanna waste any more of your time than I have to, so I’ll get right down to it. Oh, first— Cas, this is Rowena MacLeod, the spell-casting and lore dictionary, herself.”

Rowena let out a low giggle, the gleam in her emerald eyes only intensifying. Honestly, Cas was convinced that that “gleam” was more than simply a trick of the light.

“Yes, of course! Well, it’s very good to meet you, Cas, dearie,” Rowena said, her voice flowing over Cas like compound butter.

Cas gave a curt nod, unsure if he was meant to lead the conversation from there, but praying that he wasn’t.

To his luck, Charlie continued, “Like I said, I’ll get right down to… it. ‘Cause it’s kinda a lot. Unfortunately,” she said, planting her hands on her hips and entering an inadvertent power pose. “Cas here, just like the unlucky bastard that he is, managed to go and get himself mega cursed. And we have, like, no clue what’s goin’ on. So, first off, we’re gonna need a diagnosis, if you can give us one.”

Pursing her red-painted lips, Rowena hummed, squinting in Cas's direction. Cas fidgeted as the witch glided across the room, the floor creaking and whining beneath her leather heels. Moving in Cas's direction, she continued to scope the young man out.

“Hm? Ach, so… Cas, darling. Mind to expand in place of your friend? This is your tragic curse, after all. I’m sure your first-hand assessment will be more useful to me, here.”

Strangely enough, Cas wanted to contend. While Charlie hadn’t been the one experiencing the bizarro symptoms that past week, she was the witch. This was her specialty, her very domain as their backdrop.

Still, with trepidation, he replied. “It’s not anything bad, necessarily. At least, not painful. Just… very strange.” He sighed. Rowena leaned forward, tipping the weight of her body in Cas's direction. “I spilled hot coffee on myself and wasn’t burnt. No pain, either. I can’t sleep. I haven’t tasted food in a week. Oh, I haven’t slept in a week, either, so I definitely should mention that. Also, once, not too long after this all started, my entire abdomen glowed blue, before I was knocked unconscious for… a few hours, I believe?”

Cas held his breath, anticipating the sharp-eyed witch’s professional assessment. She continued to squint upward, claw-like hands finding their way to her hips.

“Well,” she hummed, after a moment of thought. “That’s certainly… concerning, to put things all too simply. Ah, and— you’re a human, correct?”

“Yeah, I am.” Although, frankly, Cas wasn’t so sure anymore. He certainly didn’t feel like a human, at that point. Surely, a “human” would have dropped dead of exhaustion by then, right?

(Although, it was more likely that Dean was going to be the one to kill him for neglecting his health and safety, if he ever found out. Assuming the curse didn’t get creative and take care of that first, of course.)

Rowena gave a delicate nod, loose curls bobbing with the movement. She straightened herself, leaning just slightly away, and Cas felt the concrete seeping from his own limbs. Wait, when had he gotten so tense?

“I see, I see. Hm…” She clucked her tongue, momentarily turning her gaze toward the tiled ceiling. “You are certainly correct, Charlie, dear. This isn’t a common ailment… how fascinating. That is certainly an unusual combination of, what sounds like, quite powerful and life-altering symptoms. Ach, well…” She trailed off, before reaching out a slender hand and attaching it to Cas's forearm. He lurched, but made sure not to pull away. As much as he loathed people touching him without a lick of permission, he reasoned that it was a sacrifice he’d apparently have to make.

God, he felt like a fucking lab rat, though. A genetic freak of a rodent, caged off from the rest of its whiskered brethren.

“I… have a bit of an inkling, certainly,” Rowena said, nails digging deeper into the flesh of Cas’s arm. She gazed directly into his eyes. “Infernal magic of some sort or another seems likely. Demonic in nature, maybe? Of course, draconic spellwork is still very much a consideration.”

Charlie drew in a breath between her teeth, reaching out from beside Cas and laying a hand on his shoulder. “Woah… not good. Why do you think that?”

To Cas's hardly containable irritation, Rowena let out another giggle, sleek as ever. “Well, you see, dearie, it’s really just a simple process of elimination. The more uncommon the spell or the curse, the more likely it’s outsourced from fringe magic. It’s as simple as that, really.” She drew back her hand, joining her palms together atop her heart. “Of course, we’ll have to do some further investigation to understand what, exactly, is the matter. Now, think of it like a fun little puzzle— in that light, your predicament will feel far less harrowing. Hm?”

As Rowena spoke and Charlie shifted her hand to clutch at the meat of Cas’s bicep, the front door to the shop was nudged open. Cas peaked over his shoulder, watching a golden-haired stranger hop on in— and promptly drift toward the corner shelves. There was no hesitation to his movements, his gait full of pep and bordering on enthusiastic. Still, he didn’t reach out to fiddle with any of the items; he simply stood in place, arms crossed over his chest, facing away from Rowena and company.

“Follow me to the back, now,” Rowena sung, re-seizing Cas's attention. “I’ll dash back out if I’m needed, but for now, privacy would be best.”

Charlie nodded. “Totally, I agree. Cas, you okay with heading back? Do you want me to come with? I can, if you want. Or not. Whatever you need, man.”

Throwing a final glance toward the apparent non-customer, Cas turned to Charlie, eyes pleading. Please. Please don’t leave me alone with her.

Thankfully, his friend got the message. Blessed be

[moodyvalentinestories]

Direction – Nine | Hunt x HWU MC (Danielle)

Warnings: Viktor being his digusting self.

Summary: Thomas has a realisation, and there is a genuine conversation taken place between him and Danielle. But then there's also Viktor...

Words: 2200+

Notes: Don't worry, it gets worse 🙃

❥ Previous Chapter: Eight ❥ Moodyvalentine’s Masterlist

It wasn’t until he’d spoken it aloud that Thomas realised how true it rang. Not just in regards to the events of the day, but the events of the past two or so weeks. It had never been Danielle’s fault – though she most certainly could have handled things better, and it had been quite naïve of her to enter into a contract with someone like Montmartre when she knew nothing about him – and he’d been treating her most unfairly.

He recalled that night in her apartment and how, though he’d wanted so badly to trust her, he simply couldn’t. He recalled asking for insurance – for blackmail material, essentially – and he recalled the box that was sitting in a desk drawer in his office at home. He’d told her he would never use what was in it against her, and he’d wanted to mean it then, but he knew he didn’t. He knew that he never could believe that she truly wasn’t out to get him, and he knew that he’d expected to find an article about him and alleged indiscretions towards his students any day.

He also knew that he, upon leaving her apartment, had had half a mind to release what he’d held in his hands right away – to be the quickest to draw – and he wasn’t sure he’d ever felt so ashamed of his own thoughts before. He was, however, sure that he’d never been so relieved to not have done what he’d meant to do, then.

“Dear Lord,” he breathed, hoping she wouldn’t hear, but knowing she was paying far too much attention to his every word or action, just as she always did.

When he felt her hand on his shoulder, squeezing ever so lightly, and heard her quiet question of “Thomas, what’s wrong?”, he was afraid to lift his eyes to hers because he knew just what he’d find. Sympathy he didn’t deserve from her and worry for him. He knew, from her tone of voice and the way she used his given name, because despite the insults they’d traded on so many occasions, despite her aloofness in response to his, she’d always cared.

And just now that meant she was worried, because she always could read him well enough to know something troubled him, and to his absolute horror, it also meant that she apologised again. “I’m sorry for getting you into this. I’m so—”

“Stop,” he said, with a little more force behind it than he intended, and Danielle quieted immediately. The look of worry on her face stayed, however, and Thomas took a deep breath before he continued. “I should be apologising to you.”

Her eyebrows drew together in confusion and she shook her head. “No, you shouldn’t. You didn’t do anything.” She hesitated for a moment before adding, “Did you?”

“I shouldn’t have asked for it,” he said quietly, putting that confused look right back on her face. “And I certainly shouldn’t have taken it. I’ll give it back to you right after we wrap for the day, I promise.”

She seemed to realise then what he meant, and she shook her head. “You were right to ask for insurance. You couldn’t have known if I—”

“But I should have,” he said urgently. “I should have known you better than that. I did – I do – know you better than that.”

Danielle shook her head again, a faint smile on her lips. “Just because we’ve worked together once doesn’t mean you have to trust me. I understand. At the end of the day, I was just one of your students.”

Though he’d told her many a time while she’d been at the university – he remembered at least three distinct instances when the words ‘you’re just a student’ had been uttered – Thomas found himself vehemently disagreeing. “You never were just a student, Danielle,” he said with a rueful smile. “You were the student.”

“The student?” she asked, her tone somewhere between amused and bewildered.

He nodded. “The student. You must have noticed I tortured you a fair bit more than most of your classmates.”

“Everyone just assumed you hated me more than the others,” she said with a chuckle.

Thomas raised an eyebrow. “And why did you think I did it?”

Her smile turned bashful. “I knew you were doing it to push me to succeed. You wanted me to succeed.”

“I still do,” he said. It took quite a bit of effort for him to get out his next words, having been reluctant to let her know for so long. “You’ve come a long way since you walked into my classroom that first day and I – I’m proud of you.”

Danielle simply stood and stared at him for what felt like an eternity before she broke into what must have been the brightest smile he’d ever seen on her. “You are?”

“I am,” he confirmed, his lips forming a smile of his own. “Very.”

She bit her lip in an obvious attempt to tamp down her grin, which fell off her face all too soon. Thomas found he missed it immediately and wished he knew what to say to put it back on her face again. “I still screwed up. And I’m still sorry. God, Hunt, I’m so sorry.”

He bristled at the way she’d returned to calling him that after she’d used his first name earlier. It felt wrong now, somehow, and before he could stop himself, he told her as much.

“Thomas,” he said abruptly. “I think I’d prefer if you called me Thomas.”

She looked at him with a puzzled expression, then gave him a little half-smirk. “You always told me not to call you that. I remember. Hated it more than when I dropped the Professor before the Hunt, and that’s saying something.”

“You were my student then,” he said with a bit of a shrug.

She inclined her head and studied him for a moment too long before asking, “And what am I now?”

“You’re… you’re…” He was at a loss then, unable to find a word for it. Was she a friend? A colleague? Neither sounded quite right, but there wasn’t anything else he could think of. “I don’t know.”

The smile she gave him then was a far cry from the ones he’d received just moments ago, and he cursed himself for having brought it on. It looked sad more than anything else, and it shouldn’t have. “I thought as much,” she said, losing even that trace of a smile along the way. “Well, I suppose I’ll let you get back to work then. You’ve Zoe and Chris here, maybe you can get to reshooting that scene in the tavern cellar.”

Thomas was inclined to stop her – use his authority as a director to turn the suggestion down – but he knew they wouldn’t get anywhere if both Montmartre and she were on set, and since one of them he couldn’t make leave, he let her go. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then,” he said, and it sounded much more like a question than he thought it should have.

“See you tomorrow,” Danielle said and left him standing there by himself.

She was glad no one was in the room when she got to wardrobe because she wasn’t sure she could stand having company just now. It was a strange feeling that she had – nothing bad had happened, after all – but it wasn’t as if she could help it. Those knots in her stomach were there for one reason or another, and they weren’t going to go away just like that.

Perhaps once she got home, and made herself a nice cup of hot chocolate with loads of whipped cream and a few marshmallows, they would go away. Or at least be replaced with a proper stomach ache.

Unfortunately, it didn’t seem like that was going to happen anytime soon, as there was a knock on the door before she could even get started on taking off her costume. She closed her eyes for a moment, then called out, “I’m going home, Hunt. You won’t change my mind.”

It wasn’t Hunt, though, and she supposed she might’ve known if she hadn’t been so in her head. No, the person she saw step into the room when she glanced at the door was, of course, Viktor.

She very much did not feel like dealing with him at the moment, but it was just as well, since she wanted to free Hunt of his blackmail more than ever now. She turned fully towards him, a forced smile on her lips. “I was just going to get out of my costume,” she said, noting the gleam in his eye and trying very hard not to shudder. “We’ve decided it’s best to proceed with another scene, as this one clearly didn’t work today.”

“We, is it?” Viktor remarked, an eyebrow raised.

Danielle bit back a sigh. “Well, I guess it was more Hunt’s decision than mine. But I agree,” she half-lied.

Viktor hummed. “I suppose that means you’re free for the rest of the day, does it?”

An unpleasant shiver ran down her spine at that, but she nodded, trying to find another smile in her. It wasn’t convincing by any means, but Viktor didn’t appear to notice, or if he did, he didn’t care. “I suppose it does.”

There was a moment of silence during which he almost seemed to be waiting for something. Eventually, he said, “Do you need help getting out of that?”

Danielle swallowed as he stepped closer, but she didn’t tell him no just yet. It wouldn’t do to make him angry, not if she wanted to go through with her plan. Which she had every intention of doing.

She startled when she felt his hand on her back, fiddling with the top button. There was a chuckle that may as well have come from a Bond villain as far as she was concerned, but she let him go on until he’d undone all the buttons. His hand found its way inside the garment, and that was where she stopped him.

“Viktor,” she said as softly as she could manage, trying for a tone somewhere between disappointed and seductive, “Not here.”

Here would have been marginally safer, she knew. There were people not too far that she could call out to, but just the thought of Hunt walking in and finding them had her feeling sick for reasons she couldn’t bear examining just now. She knew why, though, after that talk they’d had. She knew very well.

Viktor clucked his tongue behind her, startling her yet again, before he said, “Will you accompany me to lunch, then?”

It wasn’t a question or invitation, Danielle knew. She made herself put on the smile that had slipped when she’d felt his hands on her and turned back to him. “Of course.”

“Then I shall leave you to it,” he said with a vaguely triumphant grin. “I’ll meet you out front.”

She gave a quick nod, and Viktor blessedly slipped out of the room again, closing the door behind him. Once he was gone, she took a moment to sit down and calm herself. She’d never have admitted it to anyone, really, but she was scared shitless. Because even though she had a plan – and all arrangements had already been made, luckily – there was no guarantee that it would work.

Eventually – she wasn’t quite sure how long it took her to compose herself and she only hoped it wasn’t so long as to make Viktor suspicious – she quickly took off her costume and got into her everyday clothes. She was glad that she’d chosen a fairly form-fitting dress for the day, if not originally intended for Viktor’s benefit but rather someone else’s, and decided that it would do just fine.

She took another moment, perhaps a minute, before she went to meet Viktor. She took a longer way to the front gate than necessary so as to not run into Hunt, and perhaps to give her even more time, but found him standing by his town car.

“I’d almost begun to wonder if you’d run away,” he said, though he seemed to be teasing rather than suspicious.

Danielle was glad for it and responded in kind, “Well, perhaps I should have asked you to stay and help me out of the costume.”

The gleam in his eye was as predatory as his grin and Danielle suppressed the urge to throw up. “I should have quite liked that.” He took another good look at her, then turned to open the door of the car. “But I suppose I won’t have to wait much longer now, will I?”

She steeled herself with a good, deep breath, and then climbed into the car, Viktor following right after. “No,” she said, rather quietly. “Not much longer.”

Once the door was closed, the driver started the engine, clearly having received instructions as to where they were going before Danielle had got into the car. She briefly wondered if that should worry her, but decided that it couldn’t be helped now, anyway. She only hoped they were going where she’d thought they would.

Just as they drove off, she chanced another look out of the window, and her heart nearly stopped upon seeing Hunt standing right there, having quite obviously seen her get into the car. She tried her best to ignore the crestfallen expression on his face – though she supposed the sight would be burned into her brain until the end of her days, heart-breaking as it was – and consoled herself with the knowledge that he’d understand tomorrow.

Tags: @lilyoffandoms​ @oneemofungirl​  @trappedinfandoms​ @silversparrow02​ @alj4890​ @alleksa16​ @i-bloody-love-drake-walker​

[pvtteralbvs]

❝ But before I go, remember one thing, promise me one thing: be brave when you’re afraid. ❞ ALBUS POTTER looks a lot like that muggle, CHANCE PERDOMO, right? Only 20 years old, that SLYTHERIN alumnus works as an EMPLOYEE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL MAGICAL COOPERATION and is sided with the ORDER OF THE PHOENIX. HE identifies as CIS MAN and is a HALFBLOOD [ ADOPTED ]. [ PLOT ARC 30, PROPHECY 15, THE MEDIATOR. ]

DEATH TW. so albus was adopted by the potters when he was only one. his birth parents, a halfblood couple from london, were murdered in their home one night when al was just a baby; the result of a past affair gone wrong. whether he was left alive because he was merely a child or because the murderer didn’t realize he was asleep upstairs remains unclear, but he was the only one still alive when the team of aurors arrived, among them harry potter. unfortunately, albus had no other living relatives that could take him in, and his situation hitting close to home for harry, he and ginny made the decision to adopt him. END DEATH TW. 

so yeah, al grew up with the potters from a young age, and is just so, so grateful to have been adopted by them. while he has sometimes wondered what his birth parents were like and what his life would have looked like had they lived — really, who wouldn’t? — al loves the life he’s been given and wouldn’t change it for the world. he’s never once had to doubt the love of his family — it’s clear in their every action — and the same can be said for al. he loves them more than anything in the world, and really would do anything for them. 

when it came time for al to go to hogwarts, he was quite nervous about his sorting, but quickly found that slytherin really was the right fit for him. he’s ambitious, resourceful and holds a great deal of self-preservation, and his house helped him hone his skills and develop them. 

he was always a really hard-working student and often one of the top in his classes, so that plus his helpful and friendly nature made him a good fit for prefect in his fifth year, and he eventually became head student in his last year which he was rly proud of hjfsgdj

growing up, al was quite an observant child and quickly became interested in politics and the way the world worked. somewhat cynical, he couldn’t help but notice the flaws in the system more so than the things they got right, and felt that he had to do something to make the world a little bit better than it was when he entered it; just do whatever he could. his family have been subjected to countless powerpoint presentations about things he would improve and correct because he is a certified nerd™ hfjkdhkj (still thinks of himself as a Bad Boy™ but that’s just wrong)

would play the sims a lot as a kid to show how he would build a society fjhsdk 

his goal is to one day become minister for magic so he can work on improving life in wizarding uk for its citizens, and he’s currently working as an employee in the department of international magical cooperation. he landed an internship there after he graduated hogwarts, after which they hired him. he really wants to learn as much as he can before he fully pursues his dream, especially in terms of politics, which is why he started his ministry career here. so yeah minister is the longtime goal but i mean he’s gotta try to survive this war first! we’ll see if he succeeds. 

speaking of which… al joined the order pretty much as soon as he was able to, partly because he fully believes in what they stand for, but also because he kind of felt like he had to, coming from the family he does? frankly, the war has terrified him from the start, and he wasn’t sure what he could really contribute to the order; he doesn’t consider himself brave and a big part of him would rather run away than join a battle, but he would never go through with it ( he wouldn’t be able to live with it tbh ). i think it comes down to a fundamental misunderstanding of what bravery means; it doesn’t mean that you feel no fear, just that you try to do what’s right despite it, so like — al is brave, as he fights for the order and what he considers to be right, he just struggles to identify it in himself. he can see it so easily in his friends and family, but when he looks at himself he just considers himself a coward which tbh… isn’t even true? we love insecurity in war verses! besides that he’s pretty confident tho but that’s like. his Big Insecurity you feel 

DEATH TW, PARENTAL DEATH TW. harry’s death just ruined al. he keeps replaying the last moments in his mind, wanting to go back and stay with him and fight, do something to help, not just run away. he blames himself, even though he knows deep down it’s not his fault. since the start of the war, al has been terrified of losing someone he loves, but he never really thought it would be his dad - he didn’t really think anyone could get him down. he was harry potter, and he’d already survived so much, so surely he would survive this war too. finding out that he didn’t almost made al lose hope - if his dad didn’t make it, what chance did the rest of them have?

that said, when al found out about the resurrection, he was horrified. he missed his dad more than anything, but in al’s mind, there are things you simply don’t mess with, and death is top of that list. it goes against every natural law and the fact that his sister and the other knights managed to do it made him nauseous. he’s angry at lily for her actions, but more than anything he’s mad at himself - he should have made more efforts to reach out to her and support her in her grief, even though they’re in different locations. if he had been a better brother, maybe he could have helped her through it and known about the plans in advance so he could stop it

not only is he horrified that they pulled harry back from death, when he was finally at peace, but the loss of his godfather in doing so was a punch to the stomach and more grief than he knows how to handle. losing neville was something none of them saw coming; losing the only other father figure he has, and knowing that the longbottoms are now suffering as much as he and his family is, is something he never imagined or wished would happen. all the grief he’s been feeling have returned tenfold and he doesn’t really know how to handle it

because of his belief of how wrong the resurrection was ( and as part of his plot arc ), al is trying to convince the order not to restore harry’s memories. he knows some might find it strange or even cold for him to take that stance when he can have his dad back, but the thought of them having snatched harry from peace wrecks him. he feels like the least they can do for him now is allow him to live the rest of his life out in peace, away from the horrors of the war. what he doesn’t admit is that part of the reason he’s so against bringing harry’s memories back is because if his dad returns to fighting in the war, there’s a chance they can lose him again, and al doesn’t think he can survive that loss a second time 

nr 1 ginny weasley defence squad over here. losing harry made al realize how much he’s taken his parents for granted? not in terms of like — ignoring them or not appreciating them enough throughout his life, because he always has, but he never imagined he would lose them? he always thought they would be there? but now harry is gone but also back but also not really and it’s a mess and neville is gone too and it’s just ginny left and al is absolutely terrified, he is so scared something will happen to her too, or to one of his siblings. he doesn’t share that with anyone, really, especially his mum, she has enough on her plate, but he wishes he could just take her, lily, and james away somewhere safe so he could look out for them  because he cannot stand the thought of losing them. he just can’t and he’s so afraid. END DEATH TW, PARENTAL DEATH TW.

okay in terms of prophecies al’s one says that he ‘is destined to achieve true greatness. however, it will come at the price of what they hold most dear. they will be tested in ways they cannot imagine, and if they do not persevere through it, everything will be doomed.’ so that definitely starts out good but then sounds terrible! al honestly wishes he didn’t hear it and he’s trying to forget it but it’s hard. achieving greatness sounds good and all, especially for someone who has been dreaming of helping make the world a better place as minister since he was a kid, but at the cost of losing what he holds most dear? no fucking thank you. he’s absolutely terrified it means he might lose more family members, because they’re the ones he cares about most in the world, and he just can’t go through that again. he can’t. he wishes it won’t come true but also the warning that if he doesn’t persevere through it they’re all fucked isn’t very reassuring so altogether he’s Not Pleased!

anyways when describing characters as different types of lights, jane said al was a guiding lighthouse, looking out for the people in the night, and that really is the best description of him i can imagine tbh 

but yeah, to sum him up, he’s got that Potter Sass™ and can be a hypocritical pain sometimes, but he’s quite friendly and charismatic and he’s got a good head on his shoulders and right now he is Suffering™ because of the war and what it’s doing to his family 

i think his patronus might be a thestral but i need to muse more on it and also what sort of codename that could give that isn’t like…. death related gfhjsdgfk idt they need that, so i hope it’s okay i add that later!! 

[msjr0119]

Cordonian Wags

Part 13 - We are family

In a world full of Professional footballers and their demanding wives- can their football team nicknamed the ‘Cordonian Apples’ succeed? An American female physiotherapist joins the club. Will this cause issues with the footballers wives?

*This series is based on The Royal Romance characters who belong to Pixelberry - AU Plot switch*

Tags:

@annekebbphotography @burnsoslow @drakesensworld @ladyangel70 @kingliam2019 @bbrandy2002 @butindeed @bascmve01 @drakewalker04 @pedudley @captain-kingliamsqueen @duchessemersynwalker @insideamirage @of-course-i-went-to-hartfeld @kozabaji @texaskitten30 @ibldw-main @kimmiedoo5 @nikkis1983 @dangerouseggseagleartisan @gnatbrain @walker7519 @lodberg @cmestrella @hopefulmoonobject @addictedtodrakefanfic @angi15h @liamxs-world @rafasgirl23415 @notoriouscs @whenyourheartskipsabeat @jovialyouthmusic @nz1091 @yukinagato2012 @indiacater @seriouslybadchoices @rainbowsinthestorm

******

Madeleine didn’t attend the meal, neither did Kiara. Instead the women decided to meet up with each other- to drown each other’s sorrow. Madeleine always believed that she had full control over her relationship with Leo and that he would never actually provide her with divorce papers.

“The bastard is divorcing me Ki, that Brooks girl has caused all of this. Why aren’t you as angry as I am? She stole your man and now her sister has stolen mine.”

“What can I do Maddy? The fake pregnancy didn’t help me keep him. He looks at her like he used to look at me. And Leo will just be bluffing. Unlike Riley she has a life in the states.”

Madeleine began to think, maybe Kiara was right. Maybe Leo just had lust for this woman- she may not be his usual one night stand but she didn’t belong in cordonia, neither did Riley Brooks.

“Kiara, if we hold on- we may get our men back. Riley is only contracted to one season, if we convince Constantine to not renew that contract you will get Drake back and I’ll be able to keep my husband.”

*****

Olivia returned home, Liam and Leo had waited up for her. The journey back was silent- Olivia just kept repeating Reginas words in her mind. She had a suspicion about who the secret love child was- but needed the two brothers to help her confirm if it could be accurate.

Storming through the door, she held onto the doorframe removing her heels- walking into the kitchen she poured herself a glass of wine. The two men joined her.

“So?” They both waited eagerly for Olivia to elaborate. She liked to keep people waiting and guessing when she had gossip- which frustrated everyone.

“How would you both feel about having another brother?” They both looked at each wondering how drunk she was. Noticing their bewildered expressions- she shook her head.

“Regina was very quiet. Not her usual self. I think Xavier is your brother. As a result of one of your father’s many affairs.”

******

Drake woke up, still holding on to Riley. He was going to keep his promise about not letting her go and protecting her. Sneaking out of bed, he decided to go downstairs to make her breakfast in bed.

Walking into the kitchen, he had an audience giving him a look. A look that kill. They all looked exhausted. Bianca robotically strolled over to him passing him a black coffee- I think you’ll need this, did you use protection?

Drake had wondered why his Mom kept repeating those words. Lying he nodded, he and Riley never really spoke about contraception. Every time they were together it just happened.

“Bastien can I make some breakfast please? I’ll take it up for her.”

“Why? Why doesn’t she come down? Not wanting to do the walk of shame?” Lindsey smirked and winked at Drake. Even though she was slightly traumatised hearing her little sister have sex, she was happy that the blushing man stood in front of her could finally make her sister feel like a princess.

“She’s asleep. I just want to do something nice for her. Lindsey there was something I wanted to ask you. It’s her birthday Saturday- I wanted to ask if you’ll come shopping with me.”

“Sure. When?”

“Later on?”

“It’s a date. Well not a date. You know what I mean. What are you getting her?”

“I want to get her two things. Something sentimental and something that she deserves.”

Lindsey nodded and smiled, wondering what he was considering buying her- she couldn’t wait to find out.

*****

Xavier knocked on Constantine’s door, seeing Riley again made him regret everything that he had done in the past to her. He loved her, he was stressed out that his career had ended prematurely. It was no excuse to use his wife as a punch bag. Since receiving the divorce papers, reality sunk in deep and hard. Having this opportunity to spend time with his wife he was hoping to make amends.

“Good morning, how may I help?”

“I’ve been thinking about the first match that I’ll be managing, I’ve drafted out some tactics for the team. Also it’s Riley’s birthday. I was thinking it would be nice for her to miss the match- maybe Bastien could stand in?”

“Unfortunately she will have to be present, I will make sure that she can leave early though. Are you still in love with her?” Xavier looked defeated, he knew she would never return his love again- he blew his changes with his wife who once adored the back bones of him.

“Of course I am. I messed up. I understand that now. I’ve had counselling and I believe that I could make a better husband. And I want to get to know my brothers too.” Patting Xavier on the shoulder, he knew paying for the counselling sessions for his son would change him. He could see a difference in him already.

“I will arrange for a family meal between you and I, Liam, Leo and Riley. They deserve to know the truth. Only Regina knows. Leave it to me.”

*****

Drake had made a breakfast fit for a Queen, hoping that she would appreciate it. The aroma of; cronuts, fresh fruit, bacon, eggs, hash browns lingered in the room. Riley fluttered her eyes open, seeing Drake sat in front of her smiling and admiring her.

“Good morning sleeping beauty.”

“Morning. What’s all this?” Smiling, she looked at all the food in front of her. No one had done such a spontaneous gesture for her.

“Breakfast in bed, for my gorgeous girlfriend.”

“That sounds so surreal.” Drake slipped into bed, holding her lovingly.

“So, I know this conversation is a bit late to discuss, since we met we have had occasions where we haven’t been careful. I know it’s mainly my fault and I’ll be careful. I’ll keep a condom with me at all times.”

“Drake... I’m on the implant. I know it’s not 100% but it’s something. Don’t worry.” He knew it wasn’t sensible just relying on the implant, he had always wanted to plan children, plan a family- if there was an accidental unplanned pregnancy this soon in the relationship he wasn’t sure how either of them would react.

“I’ll still be careful. Erm, I’m going out this afternoon- so I thought we could spend this morning together. Do something together. What do you want to do? I’ve got an idea.”

“I don’t mind. What is your idea?” She was intrigued at what he was going to suggest. Every second she spent with him filled her heart with joy. They could spend the day at a dump site and she would be happy. As long as he was with her, she didn’t care.

“It’s a place called the ‘forgotten falls’, it’s beautiful. You’ll need some swimwear though.”

“Oh. Well looks like I’ll have to go home and get some then, or we could skinny dip.” She said winking, Drake knew she was teasing him but he wouldn’t mind the suggestion.

*****

Arriving at the forgotten falls after doing a de tour via Riley’s apartment, she couldn’t admire the scenery enough- it was breathtaking.

“So there’s a story about the waterfall. If two lovers climb to the top and jump in it is said that they will get a blessing from the lady of the waterfall.” Riley raised her eyebrows up at him- folding her arms.

“That is so sweet, but are not doing that Walker, have you forgotten about your ankle?” Riley still raising her eyebrows as he smirked at her, she wasn’t going to get blamed for causing for harm or injury.

“I knew you’d react like that. But honestly it’s beautiful here- we could just have a swim? Chill out?” Drake rolled his ankle in a circular motion, trying to convince her that he was fine.

“Sounds perfect. And besides I don’t need a blessing. We just need each other and that’s all.” Raising onto her tip toes, she wrapped her arms around him- tightly not wanting to let go, before kissing him gently on the lips. The kiss became more passionate before Drake picked her up- walking into the crystal see through water. Peppering her body with tender kisses, the world around them melted away. The two of them couldn’t resist each other- sneakily they had sex in the sea- the passion between them both was undeniable. They were falling in love, both of them needed a positive love story.

“I never thought I’d find anyone like you. You are so precious.” He said as he stroked her cheeks, admiring her. She was his and he couldn’t quite believe his luck.

“Your such a marshmallow. Where’s that grump that hated me as a child?” Reminiscing What Bastien has told them, she never thought the grumpy child would become someone she was beginning to love.

“I didn’t mean that. Well I probably did. I just wish bastien had continued to take us to the states to you.” Sitting up, Riley also thought about this. Wondering if they had met any other times. If so why couldn’t she remember?

“So do I. But should maybe question him as to why he didn’t.”

“I don’t care. Fate brought us together and I’m never letting you go. I’m falling hard for you, and I want to keep falling.” Drake placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, and snuggled into her. The remained like that for a while, before retrieving their belongings and heading back to his car.

*******

Drake dropped Riley off back home, giving her a goodbye kiss- he missed her immediately. Meeting Lindsey in the capitol, she looked more awake than she did this morning.

“So, what are you buying her. I’m so intrigued.” Drake smirked, staying silent. He had showered Kiara with gifts in the past, but she never appreciated them. He knew the slightest minuscule present would light Riley’s eyes up. Leading Lindsey to the toy shop- she thought this was some kind of joke.

“You do know she’s 24? Not 2.” Lindsey looked bewildered at him, whilst he laughed shaking his head.

“So, when bastien and my mom explained that we came to your parents house when we were younger. I apparently hurt her doll. It may sound stupid, but I thought it was a bit sentimental. I can’t remember what kind of doll it was so i was hoping you’d remember.” He prayed that she would think it was a sweet idea, and not laugh in his face. That sort of rejection would stab him in the heart. Riley appreciated the last sentimental gesture he did, so hoped he could do it again.

“You’re so damn cute. You know that? It was just a bog standard doll, I never understood why she loved it so much. And you actually fucked up the dolls leg. She never forgave you for it. When you guys left she said and I quote ‘I don’t like that big boy.’ We had two full days of tantrums, until my father replaced it. She was definitely a daddy’s girl- had him wrapped around her little finger. This one looked like the one she had.” She pointed to the doll, Drake looked at it with a scowl on his face- Lindsey was right, there was nothing special about it. It wasn’t as if it was a special edition Barbie doll.

“I didn’t like that little girl either. Who would have thought that fate would make us fall in love.” Lindsey noticed a slight blush on his face, she knew he had it bad. Was it possible to fall in love in a matter of days? She wasn’t sure, but seeing her sister and Drake look at each other she had a feeling that they would have a great future together.

“Have you already said those three words?”

“Not quite. She said she was falling for me and that she knew it was too early, but I feel the same. I was a jerk to her at first, but seeing her that first night I had to follow her on to the balcony. Her smile lit up the room.”

“You know you had a girlfriend at the time you made a move on my sister. It’s all very touching that you love each other- but Drake.. if you hurt her I will kill you.” Drake shuddered at the thought of what she would do to him, if he ever upset Riley. He wasn’t intending to, but the thought still crossed his mind. The way Lindsey’s facial expression changed from a teasing smile to dagger eyes - he dread to think what she would do if Leo was ever going to be in the doghouse.

“I’m not going to hurt her Linz. You have my word. Come on, I have to get her a proper present.”

******

Riley made her way to the stadium, Constantine had rung her demanding for an urgent meeting. She text Lindsey informing her that she wasn’t sure what time she would be back home.

“Come in Riley.” Gulping, she didn’t know what to expect. Now assuming it was just a meeting between him and her as he knew who it was at the door.

“Sorry for this impromptu meeting. I want a word with you before we meet the others.” Sliding his phone over to her, he laid back in his chair- his fingers resting on his lips waiting for a response. Looking down at the phone. there was an article on it- her eyes widened shit.

The Apples injured player, Drake Walker gets cosy and intimate with the teams new physio, Riley Brooks. A source explains that Mr Walker has only just recently split up with his ex girlfriend. Will a scandal like this cause trouble for the team?

“Can you explain your relationship with Walker to me?”

“You know about our kiss. Neither of us expected it to go any further- it just happened.”

“Have either of you considered how Kiara and Xavier may feel about this?”

“Who the fuck do you think you are criticising me? You’re fucking Kiara- and myself and Xavier are technically separated - soon to be divorced. But don’t worry I will be civil with him for the rest of the season.”

“My relationship with Kiara and Madeleine is no secret Miss Brooks. Your husband still loves you- and is hurt. He has had counselling and is a changed man.”

“How do you know that he is apparently a changed man? You don’t know him!”

“I just have that feeling. Come on we are going to be late.”

*******

Walking down the hallway, they entered the room where Regina, Liam, Leo and Xavier were sat. The two brothers gave Xavier daggers. The estranged husband stood up and greeted Riley, kissing her on her cheek- she couldn’t react quick enough. He made her skin crawl.

“Hola mi bella esposa.”

“Joder a mi marido gilipollas”

Liam and Leo wondered what they had said, they didn’t know Spanish. Riley forced herself to sit between the two of them- face like thunder. Seeing the two brothers bewildered expressions, it was time to teach them a bit of Spanish.

“He said, ‘hello my beautiful wife’ and I responded telling him to fuck off and that he was an arsehole. Why are we here?”

“I’m glad you asked Riley.” Constantine overheard her talking to his sons. “Leo, Liam. Xavier isn’t only just the teams new manager, he’s....”

“Our brother.” They both said in unison, Riley looked as if she was about to faint.

“How do you know? Well that saves all the awkwardness.”

Riley shook her head, in astonishment. Anything could happen in this country- what was going to happen next? She was just glad she had eyes for Drake and not the two brothers- her brothers in laws. The meal was silent, Xavier and Constantine chatted making small talk. Riley spun the same strand of spaghetti on her fork in a trance, needed to ignore the fact that she was trapped in this ‘family meal’. Liam and Leo were ready to commit murder- quite literally. The way their father was acting around Xavier was sickening. Both staring at Riley, she was vacant and still as if she was under a spell.

“Riley?” Liam whispered.

“Ri. Speak to us. We can leave.” Leo also whispered. She was mute.

“Your wedding was beautiful. Riley looked absolutely breathtaking.” Snapping her head up, she thought she had imagined what had just been said.

“How do you know about my wedding? And what I looked like? Have you been googling me?”

“No. I was there. In the shadows of course- we couldn’t cause a scandal.”

“I wanted to tell you baby.” Riley’s body began trembling. Punching the table as she stood up abruptly- Liam and Leo became concerned and considered dragging her out kicking and screaming. They didn’t want to be there either.

“Don’t ever fucking call me that! You never told me a damn thing during our marriage! I had to find out every dirty little secret through the press when my face was plastered all over the Sun and Daily Mirror.”

“I’m a changed man. I love you.” Leo stood next to her as she began crying uncontrollably.

“You will never change.” She barely said, feeling like she was hyperventilating.

“I asked for you to have Saturday off- relax on your birthday. I still think about you and I love you.”

“Shut the fuck up! You don’t know anything about love. Oh you give a shit about my birthday- tell me something darling, what happened around my last birthday?” Xavier looked confused at his wife who strolled up to him. Grabbing his collar in her fists, scowling at him- anger had built up, she had an adrenaline rush- she wasn’t scared of him anymore and could defend herself. He had counselling, she had self defence classes.

“Oh let me remind you! I spent my last birthday at some charity event. The day after, you was supposed to take me out, instead I was having the shit beat out of me by you. Then that night I was rushed to hospital, with my sister by my side afterwards- she came from fucking New York on the first flight! Where was you? Fucking your ex teammates wife! What was I doing? Giving birth to our son who you killed! Holding him whilst he wasn’t breathing, having his footprints on a piece of paper is the only memory I have of him.”

It was Riley’s birthday weekend, Xavier had decided to treat his wife to a classy meal - a way to make up to for his atrocious past behaviour.

“Who are the flowers and gifts from?”

“The club. They are lovely aren’t they?” She said as she smelt the sweet aroma.

“Who the fuck do they think they are sending you gifts? You are my wife. You only need gifts from me.” Holding her tightly he warned her to not accept gifts from anyone but him. Reverting his gaze to the gifts- he threw them off the table. Seeing him full of anger, shaking he stormed over towards her- after that was a blur for Riley. The room was spinning, she had been unconscious for only a few minutes. Standing up, she noticed the puddle of blood surrounding her- the blood dripping from her nose but also down her legs.

Linz I’m losing the baby. He did it again. I’m bleeding.

I’m getting the next flight. You’re not losing him. Don’t worry. Please leave him and come back with me. I’ll be there ASAP. I love you so much xxx

Riley was surrounded by the noise of new born babies, she had given birth all alone. She was fed up with everyone apologising. Holding her baby that had died, she didn’t want to let him go. The midwife handed her a picture of her son’s footprints. Lindsey arrived a few hours later, dealing with the press- she was going to look out for her baby sister. Grieving together- Riley felt like she couldn’t live herself. She was empty. Upset. Angry. Feeling guilty that she couldn’t protect her child.

“Baby, I’m so sorry. We can try again. Our marriage and to have a baby.”

“You’re a fucking moron! If I ever get pregnant again it’ll be a miracle and it won’t be with you. Sign the goddamn papers Xavier. I am done with you! Excuse me, I’ll see you all at training tomorrow.” Swiftly exiting out the room, she began to shake. Getting in her car she didn’t know where she was heading.

*******

Liam and Leo were furious with Xavier and their father- you can choose your friends but not family. They both immediately went to Riley’s apartment, they wanted her to know that she had people on her side. There was no response. They assumed that she would have gone to Drake- arriving at his cabin, they explained what had happened. Drake was furious- trying to contact her himself he couldn’t get through. The three men went to Liam’s house, if anyone knew where she would have gone it would be Lindsey. Lindsey and Olivia got on like a house on fire- waiting for the men to arrive back, they was shocked seeing the stray following them in.

“Lindsey have you heard from Riley?” Lindsey looked concerned, the brothers explained what had happened.

“That fucking bastard. I’m going to kill him.”

“I’ve got some daggers you can lend” Liam’s eyes widened at her comment- she just laughed as he shook his head.

“I’ll use my fists, us New Yorkers aren’t afraid. Are there any churches around here?” They all thought she was pulling their legs, she noticed them all laughing but she was frustrated as she was being sincere and serious.

“I’m being serious. She always goes and prays around this time of the year. Lights a candle for her son. I think she will have gone to find a church. Or....”

“Or?” They all said in unison.

“She’s gone home to Manchester.”

[saiilorstars]

The Girl in the Forest

Chapter 7: The Brewing of Traitors

// Story Masterlist //

Fandom: The Originals

Pairings: Klaus Mikaelson x Original Female Character

Pronunciation of OC’s name: Ma-leh-nee

No real warnings for now!

Requested tag: @queenmj10​

~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~

Chapter Summary: After Maleny’s near death experience, Klaus is more cautious than ever. However, there's somehow a date in the midst of a deadly witchy party...

Esther Mikaelson ushered in a blonde Maleny into her home and sat down the young blonde down on a chair, "Stay still," Esther warned as she hurried to a table filled with many herbs and ingredients of types.

"I was not planning on leaving," Maleny assured as she scratched her wrist frantically.

Once Esther saw her she shouted and scolded, "Maleny, stop scratching! You will only make it worse."

"A tree poisoned me, how much worse can it really get?" Maleny challenged unintentionally as she was continued scratching. Her wrist and the area immediately above it was turning red and bumpy with a rash.

Esther ignored the question as she finished looking through the herbs on the table, "I don't have it," she concluded with a frustrated huff, "I have to go get it from the forest."

"That long?" Maleny sighed, "Esther, this is really irritating me. It hurts!"

"Perhaps if you had listened to my instructions we would not be in this situation in the first place," Esther wagged a finger at the girl as she went for a small basket just by the door.

"I listened..." Maleny weakly argued but even she didn't believe it.

"You used to listen all the time, what happened to you?"

"I do not know..." Maleny sheepishly looked down, not that it covered her blush.

Esther shook her head, knowing very well her children had something to do with the progressive alteration of Maleny's once obedient personality, "I shall be back. In the meantime, stay in here and dab some water over it."

"Just hurry, please."

Esther opened the door and hurried on out. Maleny sighed and got up from her chair to go for the water. She went around and found a cloth then went straight for the water Esther had for her family across the room. She bent down and dipped the cloth into the water, ignoring how cold it was as best she could. She pulled the cloth out and after removing the excess water gently dabbed it over the growing rash.

"Cold!" she exclaimed for the first couple of seconds before the temperature settled.

A couple minutes later, the door re-opened and in came Rebekah and Klaus chattering among each other. Maleny quickly rose to her feet and his her arms behind her back.

"Mal, what are you doing here?" Rebekah was the first to ask, however Klaus thought of the most important question instead.

"Why are you hiding your arms from us?"

Maleny coughed awkwardly and looked down, "...no reason."

Klaus rolled her eyes, Maleny could not lie to save her life. Her innocent face gave her up, "What did you do?" he went up to her and while she did her best to stand against him he easily pulled her arms in front of her.

"It was all Rebekah's fault!" she quickly accused.

Rebekah scowled and made her innocence known, "I wasn't even there, how could it have been my fault?"

"Because you told me that the red bush was not poisonous and that it in fact gave you a pleasant scent instead."

"And you chose to listen to her?" Klaus laughed and ended up being glared at, "I mean...nope, this is sort of your fault too."

Rebekah smirked at Maleny with triumph, "You should have paid attention," was all she said before turning and walking out of the place.

Irritated with him, Maleny snatched her hands from Klaus and returned to the water, "I thought you were supposed to defend me when I was right."

"But...you were not exactly right..." Klaus debated if he truly wanted to get into a real argument with her about something so petty. He was always getting himself into trouble but that wasn't really what he wanted to with Maleny. He rolled his eyes and quietly exhaled, "I am sorry, you are definitely right. This was all Rebekah's fault."

Maleny stopped with the cloth and looked at him, unimpressed, "You are such a liar. You just don't want me to be upset with you."

"That may very well be true," Klaus gave a nonchalant shrug which made her roll her eyes.

"If you really want me to be happy again make this better," she held out her arm for him.

Klaus took a look at the arm with a face then decided he would try a different tactic. Maleny yelped as she felt his arms go around her waist, "What are you doing!? Your mother is going to be back-"

"Don't talk about my mother, please," Klaus pretended to shiver which made her laugh. He cut off her laughter with a kiss, and a second one, and a third one...

"Seriously," Maleny pulled away, partially forgetting what she was arguing for again with the daze, "Esther said she would be back..." but she was promptly kissed again, "...I hate you," she murmured seconds later.

Klaus pulled away only to say, "I think it's the opposite, love," and smirk.

Maleny playfully narrowed her eyes, "You and your siblings corrupt me," she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled her down to her lips for another kiss.

Maleny's eyes snapped open and immediately looked around. She was in her bed, still clearly in her dress from last night but with a blanket over her. Slowly, she sat up and thought of everything, from last night to her dream. She touched her messy hair in wild tangles and looked down at her dress.

"Ah, you're awake now," Klaus strolled into the room holding a paint jar in his hand. It was then that Maleny noticed a canvas set across her room by the window.

"You're...painting...in my room?" Maleny blinked with mild surprise, "Why are you in my room again?"

"The correct term was 'good morning'," Klaus pointed at her while setting down his paint jar on a nearby table, "Also, may I suggest a shower? You've got some, uh..." he mimicked the status of her hair.

At that, Maleny reached for a pillow and threw it at him, "Shut up!"

Unfortunately for her, Klaus was quick and caught the pillow, "Funny, don't recall you being so hostile in the mornings. Then again, we were in good moods in the mornings prior-"

He received another pillow that managed to get the side of his face. An irritated Maleny got out of bed and marched up to him, "Shut up! Just shut up, alright? You don't get to 'remind' me of 'our mornings'. What the hell are you doing in my room? And why are you painting in my room?"

"One, because the sunlight is just right," Klaus pointed at the window, "Two, because I wanted to make sure everything was fine with you. Happy?"

Maleny couldn't settle with the idea for some reason, "You just decided to care today?"

"I decided that since last night," Klaus corrected, "Or did you forget that with all the drinks you've had?" but Maleny pointed at him with a face that spelled doom, even for him, "Would you mind explaining to me the origins of your injuries?" Klaus pointed to Maleny's injured arm, making the brunette quickly hide her arm behind her back, "It's too late, love, I've already seen it."

Maleny rolled her eyes, "It was nothing..."

"If it was nothing then you would not have hidden it with makeup. Who did it?"

"It's not important. What is important, however, is finding out who tried killing me last night so I can kill them. Now, get out," she pointed at the opened doors.

"I'm not finished yet," Klaus frowned and gestured to his painting which wasn't quite at view for Maleny yet.

"I don't care," Maleny waved a hand, "I want to get changed. Finish your stupid painting later. Go," any other person Klaus would've chucked across the room, but he had to admit the attitude suited Maleny quite right. Maleny was growing more irritated with the silent hybrid in front of her, "C'mon, go!" she pointed.

Klaus raised his hands in defeat (for the moment) and left the room. Maleny went after him and shut the door, leaning against it and taking a breath. Her eyes flickered to the unfinished painting ahead and slowly approached it. There was an unfinished figure prominent in the center, the background that of a bright, green forest. She moved away from it and started getting her clothes out while simultaneously pushing away that 'dream' (memory) from her mind.

It just made things awkward.

~ 0 ~

The first thing Maleny saw when she exited her room was Genevieve and Elijah down in the courtyard, the ginger trying to of course get something out of him.

"La Fête des Bénêdictions. Feast of the Blessings. In the past, members of the community offered witches gifts in exchange for blessings. We'd like to use it as a forum for introducing our young Harvest girls to society," the ginger was telling her compelling argument.

Elijah, however, didn't seem so convinced, "So your coven attempted to destroy my family- and you yourself held my siblings in unspeakable torment- and you would like a party for the witches?"

"I made my amends with your brother. Why don't you think it over?" with that, Genevieve turned and left the compound.

"Oh she is up to something," Maleny spoke up and leaned on the rails, "I wouldn't trust her."

"Mal," Elijah turned and looked up, "How are you doing?"

"Ah, post-poisoning isn't that bad," Maleny shrugged and stood straight, her finger tapping on the rails, "Course it does help when you have vampires around to cure you with some blood. Speeds it up."

"No one seems to know how that poison got into your glass," Elijah sighed, "But I am still looking into it, don't worry."

"I already told Klaus who I think it was, but he still seems unbelieving. I'm gonna get to the bottom of it. And then, let there be blood."

"I'm not sure I'm liking that talk," Elijah frowned, that really wasn't like Maleny.

"Elijah, those people are out to kill me. If they succeed then I lose my memories and begin anew all over again, in some new century or whatever," Maleny scowled, "and I will not allow that. I'm as closest as I've ever been and I won't lose that."

That, she swore.

~ 0 ~

Later in the day, Maleny met up with Riley in the streets and quickly conversed over the matters of the previous night. Since he'd left early to tend to the boundary spell of Kieran, he'd missed a couple things Maleny thought he should know about.

"So you have no idea who put the poison in your glass? No leads?" Riley looked at Maleny with concern, "Mal, this is dangerous. You shouldn't be exposing yourself out here like this."

"No stupid poison is gonna lock me up," Maleny waved him off, less than scared,"If anything, it'll get me motivated and moving."

"But Mal-"

Maleny saw he was not going to give up and so changed the topic, "So did you get the boundary spell working with uncle Kieran?"

"Yeah, it's all set. And, I should warn you that his moods will get more and more rowdy. Please be careful," Riley warned.

"And you haven't found anything to help him with the curse?"

"At the moment, no. But hey, I heard Davina got her magic again. Maybe she'll help now too."

"Davina got her magic?" Maleny blinked as a smile spread across her face, "That's great! Oh, I should go see her! Genevieve isn't around there, is she? Really don't feel like seeing her twice in a day, that's two times more than needed."

Riley laughed, "I think she won't be there."

"Good, then I'll go see right now, but first, we have to talk," Maleny stopped and turned to him, "I sort of had a little talk with Elijah and he kind of made me promise that I wouldn't go into the witches' territory until everything was safer."

"He forced you?" Riley scowled, "Mal, that doesn't sound very fair. Did you agree?"

"I know Elijah is just doing it to keep me safe. And since he has a lot on his plate I figured I could do this one thing," Maleny shrugged, really not minding it.

"But he's like imposing on you these rules and-"

"It's not a big deal," Maleny chuckled, "I mean, at first, I was a bit pissed off too but then I realized he was just trying to help. So, the arrangement is I won't go into the witches' territory but you and Davina are free to stop by the compound any time you want."

"Well I guess if I want to keep seeing you then I'll have to abide by them," Riley flashed a smile as he reached for Maleny's hand, something Maleny wasn't quite comfortable with. She didn't want to be rude though so she allowed him the gesture. But truthfully she didn't understand why it was so uncomfortable.

~ 0 ~

"Here you go, oh, and take these," Davina finished handing over the last bunches of roses to Maleny.

They were in the greenhouse of the witch's territory, a place Maleny didn't like visiting so often. She knew Elijah had made a compromise with her but she supposed one little slip wouldn't be so bad. Besides, she had to tell Davina of the new arrangement. As soon as Maleny had walked in, she found the room covered in roses. Davina had apparently conjured them up as a sly way to get back at Monique who'd been rude to her over the last month. But now Davina didn't know what to do with all the roses!

"Davina, I can't carry all this," Maleny had to dump the load of roses on a small round table, "Maybe we'll get a bag or something."

"Sorry, sorry," Davina stopped moving around and plonked down at the centered table, "Okay, so now that we're back in business, the curse..."

"No, Davina," Maleny took the seat across her with a small smile, "You should take it easy, you know. Do small spells, not jump into a century-old curse. I can wait."

Davina smiled, "I've had enough lounging around, I'm ready to get back in action. I'm done letting people push me around, like Monique. If I can solve this curse on my own then the witches will have to respect me."

"Ah, so you're using me," Maleny teased as she rested an elbow on the table and her cheek on her hand, "Well, good, now we're even, cos I'm using you to get my body back."

"And I'll crack the spell, trust me!"

"Riley's been trying that but he's had no success," Maleny sighed and rubbed the side of her head.

Davina gave a brief nod, not too pleased to hear that. She was aware of the new friend Maleny made and to be honest she wasn't on board with it, "Where'd you say he came from?" Davina suddenly questioned her, kind of startling Maleny with the change of topic.

"Why...?"

"Cos, I don't know," Davina looked to the side with a face that told Maleny she indeed knew something.

"Davina, what is it?"

Davina sighed and looked at Maleny, "Well, it's just that...you know my story, I haven't had the best relationship with the witches here. I find it difficult to believe that this guy you met only a month ago is like your confidant."

"Riley's earned my trust," Maleny gave a nonchalant shrug, seeing no reason to doubt Riley, "He's been there for this entire month that I've felt lonely."

Davina made a face, "Are you and him...?" she made a sway of her head to gesture relationship and Maleny quickly shook her head.

"No, absolutely not. We're just friends!"

"Okay, but...if you were I wouldn't be opposed to it," Davina lightly, "It'd be a step up, actually."

"Hey," Maleny feigned offense and made Davina laugh.

"I'm just saying," Davina pretended to dust off her side of the table, preferring to stay quiet about her thoughts of Maleny's previous relationships, "Anyways, I was thinking that maybe an old spell book could help us in this curse."

"You think a book would have the answer?" Maleny raised an eyebrow, "Cos I don't have one, and if I did have a book in the past, I'm sure it's long gone by now."

"Maybe, maybe not," Davina tried to look on the positive side, "Cos you're from the olden world and you were a witch. You said your mother had a spell book that Esther Mikaelson taught you with."

"Yeah, she combined it with her own spells. But that book must be dust by now," Maleny shrugged.

"No," Davina wagged a finger, "You disappeared from your original home, leaving all your things behind. Now, if it's true that Klaus was so in love with you," she rolled her eyes at that idea, "do you really think he would burn all your things?"

Maleny blinked as the idea Davina was getting at ran through her own mind, "Well, I...I suppose not..."

"Exactly," Davina leaned forwards on the table with a smirk, "Meaning that hybrid has to have your spell book hidden somewhere. And we can use him to give it up."

"Well, I don't like the idea of using him," Maleny admitted, shifting under the odd look Davina gave her, "I mean, if he does have it then he would give it back if I just asked."

"Just like that?" Davina scoffed, "Have you met him?"

"As a matter of fact, I have," Maleny nodded with assurance, startling Davina for a moment, "and he would too give it to me if I asked. Do not forget he and I have had several relationships in the past."

"Don't remind me," Davina shook her head, "You can so do much better."

"Davina he's not as bad as you think he is," Maleny confessed, wearing a small smile across her lips, "I've seen many sides of him. There's layers and those layers are the ones you haven't seen."

"Please don't tell me how you've seen them," Davina waved a hand to motion her disgust. She still could not picture someone like Maleny willingly being with someone like Klaus. That was a mistake, period.

Maleny blushed and looked down at the table, "So," she cleared her throat, "I can ask Klaus about my spell book but I doubt he has it. Elijah has been trying to help me so if he had the book he would have handed it over."

"Maybe because he doesn't even know it exists," Davina shrugged. She didn't think Elijah would hide something that important to Maleny, "Or maybe cos he hasn't found the right witch to give it to yet. I mean, a book that powerful and old has to be given to the perfect witch."

Maleny started getting up from her seat, excited and determined to find that book, "Which is exactly why I'm giving it to you," she pointed at the teenage girl, "If it still exists, then rest assured you'll have it by tomorrow."

Davina smiled and stood up, "Thanks, Mal. I promise I won't let you down."

"I know you won't. Gotta go, then," Maleny backtracked to the exit, "I gotta get back to the compound and start the search. I'll see you tonight though at your festival, apparently. Bye!" as Maleny went down the corridor a crumpled, balled-up, paper appeared in front of her, dropping to her feet.

She looked around for the possible culprit, but there was no one around. It couldn't have been Davina, the letter appeared far too fast and besides, why wouldn't she just call it out instead of writing a letter? It had to be someone else. And so, Maleny reached down and picked up the crumpled ball and started undoing it. As she did, she could tell the writing was not from anyone she knew...until she saw the signature at the bottom of the page. Her eyes looked up and scanned the immediate area, it was no trick.

~ 0 ~

Genevieve was sitting at an outside table of a coffee shop, patiently waiting. She didn't hide the wide smile on her face when she saw Maleny approaching the table, "Right on time," she remarked politely, though sounded utterly fake.

Maleny was in no mood for any games as she sat down across, "Yeah don't feel so special. I'm only here because you said in your letter there was something you could do for my uncle. Now remind me, why are you suddenly so helpful? Cos last night you nearly killed me."

Genevieve rolled her eyes, her polite smile gone from her face, "As I told Elijah, it wasn't me."

"It has to be you. You had perfect motives to do it."

"While I won't deny that, I am going to argue my defense. It wasn't me. Believe me, if I did want to kill you I wouldn't settle for a meek mortal poison," Genevieve scoffed, sounding indignant of the idea, "I'm a witch, I'd be more creative. Besides, there is one particular ancestor that's keen on you staying alive," Maleny raised a questioning eyebrow, "If I kill you then my ultimate punishment would be to die again. You're not that important."

Maleny had to agree with her there, she would never think Genevieve would put her own life at risk for simple revenge. So if it hadn't been Genevieve...who did?

Genevieve knew she'd managed to convince Maleny with her words. She leaned forwards, "But if you ask me, it's clear someone tried pinning it on me. Or, at least tried making it seem like a human did it."

"Why do you say it like that?"

"Look at the facts, humans revenge always involve some kind of useless poisoning and a really smart person would want to throw the blame as far as possible. I'd say you're dealing with a supernatural being. There are three eligible factions here, do your research."

"Well it's complicated because I don't understand why anyone would want to hurt me in the first place," Maleny sighed, forgetting who she was talking to for the moment, "I know only one wolf and about three vampires, all Originals."

"Just because you don't know them doesn't mean they don't know you," Genevieve pointed, "According to your history, you've lived as different people, meeting all kinds of people. Simply because you can't remember them doesn't mean they won't remember you. Take me for example," she grinned, "I remember you."

"Excuse me?" Maleny blinked.

"Maya Sterling, I knew her," Genevieve smirked, knowing she'd completely piqued Maleny's interest now, "Not as a friend but simple acquaintances. You were a witch in search of her powers, couldn't remember why you lost them apparently."

"I don't remember that..."

"Surprise, surprise," Genevieve smirked, "And do you know, before I...died," she gritted her teeth at the memory, "there was a young woman asking for you."

Now that interested Maleny, "Who?"

"Emily Cordera."

"And who's that?" Maleny awaited for a good explanation that would tell her the importance of that random name.

"A witch, clearly," Genevieve rolled her eyes at Maleny's lack of common sense, "But she was one of those witches that came into the city during that year. She had some family here. She asked me who you were and wanted a locator spell on you."

Maleny blinked, "...and you just gave it to her!? Without even knowing what she wanted from me!?"

Genevieve didn't seem as troubled as Maleny was by it, she merely shrugged and flashed a smile, "Maya Sterling was with Klaus and well..."

Maleny narrowed her eyes, seeing the jealousy that could have basically caused one of her previous deaths, "I hate you."

"Nothing I didn't know before!"

Maleny rolled her eyes next, "So did this Emily ever get to me? Did she ever talk to me?"

"No, not that I know of. She arrived just before I died and I have the understanding that the city theater was burned only a month later. I don't know if she had enough time to do what ever she wanted to do."

"Or maybe I just don't remember," Maleny whispered, "You were dead and I have amnesia, meaning there's only three other people, no...four, who could tell me about that woman."

"Who?" it was Genevieve's turn to be curious.

"Klaus, Elijah, Rebekah and even Marcel," Maleny smiled, "And I'm going to do that right now. Look at you being actually useful," Maleny pointed at the ginger sarcastically, even chuckling for a moment, "But now tell me, why exactly did you call me in? I doubt it was to give me this information. What did you want?"

Genevieve looked around before growing earnest in her proposition, "It's no secret you want to know who cursed you and why, but nothing more than to break the curse itself."

"Yeah, thanks, and I have Riley and Davina helping me," Maleny nodded, finding the review nothing but irrelevant.

"But they can't help you," Genevieve spoke faster as she saw she was losing Maleny's interest, "I can."

"You?"

"Yes, me," Genevieve shrugged, "You and me. Because even though we may look young, we've lived far more than they have. You've lived on as different people while I've watched the city over the past century. We've got knowledge that neither Davina nor Riley have."

"So...you want to help me?" Maleny stared at Genevieve with utter confusion, "Nope, sorry, not getting it."

"This may come as a shocker to you, but we have something in common," Genevieve spoke quieter and leaned on the table, "Maleny, you and I have had our lives stolen from us."

"Stolen?" Maleny raised an eyebrow, not quite understanding.

"Yes, stolen," Genevieve nodded, "Rebekah killed me for learning of her trick with Marcel. She stole my life," she whispered and looked down for a moment, "I thought I had a friend, a real friend...but she used me. And when I became a threat, she killed me."

On that part, Maleny could see why Genevieve disliked Rebekah, that had been a cruel trick from the blonde vampire. It was true, Genevieve's life had been stolen from her and that probably could account for some of her craziness. That, however, on no account, meant that she began to like Genevieve.

"And then you, Mal," Genevieve continued.

"Don't call me 'Mal'," Maleny shook her head, no where near being friends with the woman enough to be on nickname basis.

"You were tricked, your powers were taken from you. That's why you can't conjure up your magic, cos most of it was taken. And then came the curse, someone placed the curse on you and stole the days of your life, your memories. Don't you see? We're alike," Genevieve said confidently, "People used us, they stole from us..."

"I don't know if that's what happened to me," Maleny reminded, unsure if she should just believe what Genevieve did.

"Oh c'mon, what else can it be? What? You just gave up your magic?" Genevieve bitterly laughed, "I refuse to believe you're that stupid."

"Hey," Maleny frowned, "I may not have powers like you do but I can, and will, kick your ass."

"Maleny, I know what it's like to have something stolen from you. I can see it in your eyes," Genevieve pointed, "Side with me and I'll help you regain what is yours. Apart from that, there could be a little antidote for your uncle."

"At the cost of what?" Maleny raised an eyebrow, "Because like I said before, I doubt you just woke up deciding to help good ole Mal. What do you want?"

"Well...to figure out a reversal or the breakage of the curse..." Genevieve started tapping her fingers on the table, "...we'll need something...extra special," she whispered with a smile.

"Like what?"

"I have an understanding that Klaus keeps his mother's spell book in the compound. I've no doubt Esther Mikaelson could have something useful for both of us."

"Okay," Maleny raised a finger to stop the woman, "before I remark on that little plan of yours, what do you hope to gain from getting that book?"

"I have to die soon, and I don't want to leave my coven unprotected," Genevieve calmly said.

"What?" Maleny started laughing, "And you think I'll just hand over one of the most powerful witch's spell book over to you?"

"It doesn't have to be to me, you can hand it to that girl, Davina," Genevieve suggested, "After we're done with it, of course. I think she would make a fine regent for the covens, but she needs to be trained first. Give me the spell book and we'll all come out wining."

"First of all, you're crazy," Maleny pointed, "and second of all, do you think that Klaus would just hand over his mother's spell book to me? Have you no idea who that man is?" she knew she was contradicting herself from earlier but it was best to let Genevieve think there was absolutely no trust between Klaus and herself.

"I'm confident you'd find a way to persuade him," Genevieve smirked as she stood up and pressed a paper to the table, sliding it over to Maleny, "And when you do get it, give me a call."

Maleny watched the ginger woman head off wearing a smirk on her face, clearly thinking she'd won an alliance already. Maleny looked back at the table and picked up the paper Genevieve had left for her. What should she do? She couldn't, and didn't want to, betray Klaus and his family, but she really needed answers and she was sure the ginger could offer something of help. Perhaps...there could be a middle ground...somewhere...?

~ 0 ~

Maleny entered the compound nearly at dawn, there was only about an hour left until the festival began but she was no where in the mood to be celebrating. She'd come from Cami's house and her mood had went even further down after seeing Genevieve. Someone had told Cami of the poison incident and the blonde had gone high with anger. According to Cami, she was always the last one to find out about everything in the city and that she was sick and tired of it. Needless to say, their relation had once again plummeted.

"There you are," Klaus's voice made her look up to find the hybrid standing on the second level, at the rails, "I would've thought you were more than happy to go to that festival, should've been ready hours ago..."

Maleny didn't feel like dealing with his sarcasm and assumptions, "Screw off," she mumbled but knew he heard her perfectly well.

"What is it?" Klaus tried not to sound as irritated as he actually was. It seemed like Maleny was full of mood swings for the day and didn't want to worsen them after they'd finally gotten slightly better.

"My spell book," Maleny decided on that topic to converse with him. She'd had enough time to think about Genevieve's offer, as well as Davina's words, and she knew what she had to do. She walked up the staircase and remained across Klaus, earnestly looking at him, "You have it, I know you do," she said quietly, "Abigail Rowan's spell book is in your possession, isn't it?"

"Where are you getting this from?" Klaus stepped towards her but she instinctively took a step back. Without realizing, the move hurt him. It seemed as if she may actually harbor fear for him.

"Let's skip the 'where I got it from' part and just tell me where is it," Maleny gestured for him to get moving, "I want it. It's rightfully mine and you know it."

"You don't even know if it actually exists-"

"I know perfectly well it does," Maleny spoke slowly as she started walking for him, "You were distraught about my disappearance and so you would've kept all my things to yourself, hidden them, buried them, I don't know, but you have it. Please, I'm asking nicely, give it back."

"And why do you want it?" Klaus knew he'd basically told her she was right but he was not going to hand that powerful book back to her when she had no idea what it could do.

"Because it could help with the curse, don't you see?" Maleny raised an eyebrow, "Plus, it's mine. If you and I are truly set on breaking this curse then you should give me back my mother's book."

"I'm curious, why have you suddenly gained interest in a book you seemed to have forgotten about?" Klaus had to ask.

Maleny had never even questioned about a book and now all of a sudden she claims he has it and demands to have it back? Maleny's eyes drifted to the side as she tried coming up with an answer that wouldn't anger him.

That only served to confirm Klaus's suspicion, she was up to something, "Who wants the book?" he whispered to her, "You...or someone else? Perhaps that Riley fellow?"

"Leave him out of this," Maleny snapped. She knew he was itching to find something wrong about Riley and simply would not give him the satisfaction, "If you must know, Genevieve wants it. In fact, she wanted me to get you to give me Esther's spell book," now that surprised Klaus and left him without words for a moment, "She's promised to help me and whatnot but I know she's lying. She wanted me to...persuade you, to hand over the book. She's up to something and with tonight and the festival, rest assured there'll be some witch or warlock crawling in this house if I don't hand over the book."

"Why are you telling me this?" Klaus raised an eyebrow, finding her words out of place.

"Because I want you to see that if I want something from you, I wouldn't go behind your back...I would ask you for it," Maleny straightened up, "So please, give me my mother's spell book so that I can give it to Davina who will honestly help me."

Klaus looked around as he considered his next move. Part of him wanted to go and kill Genevieve for her attempt of betrayal, and for using Maleny like that. Still, it didn't mean he couldn't make some sort of retaliation, "You want Abigail's spell book? Fine, but you'll have to do something for me first."

"What do I have to do?" Maleny asked then, settling for what ever gimmick or antic he had up his sleeve.

~ 0 ~

Dressed in a short, silver gown, Maleny walked down the street of the Festival where she could see Davina, Monique and Abigail being carried down the road for the tourists to see, each girl dressed to symbolize an earth element. But for now, Maleny had a request to put into action and so ignored the festival and went straight for Genevieve. The ginger woman stood on the sidewalk watching the parade.

"I couldn't get the book on my own," Maleny began, having come to stand beside her and facing the parade as well, "If Elijah's wasn't in the compound then Klaus is, and vice versa. I can't sneak around in a house of vampires."

Genevieve looked less than impressed, "Then what do you suggest we do?"

"Well, I know for a fact Elijah isn't at the compound right now and I know exactly where Klaus will be, the compound will be empty."

"Then go get it," Genevieve ordered.

Maleny bit her tongue to stop a snap from coming out of her lips. She glanced at the ginger, "I can't," she replied, "I'm on a date."

"Excuse me?"

"You wanted the book, I got the compound empty. All it took was a simple date," Maleny fixed the sleeve of her gown with an innocent smile, "I'll keep Klaus out of your hair for the night. Don't screw it up," she warned then headed off, ignoring the dirty looks she received from the redhead. As soon as she was out of hearing shot, she pulled her cellphone out of her purse and dialed a number then pressed the phone to her ear, "It's done. I'm sure she'll be sending someone in about five minutes. You've got my book safe, right?"

"You've got my date, right?" came Klaus's impish drenched voice.

Maleny rolled her eyes, "This is such a stupid deal, but what ever it takes to get my spell book. But don't mess this up, Klaus, or I'll kill you. And when you come back, I'll kill you again."

"Come now, Mal, it's like you don't know me at all," Klaus replied, and Maleny knew he was wearing that famous smirk on his face, "Besides, you do forget I can't be killed."

"Then I shall enjoy my attempts," Maleny smirked and hung up, seconds later realizing that had sounded like a flirty move. She shook her head, that couldn't be right. But as she thought about their 'date' and the recent memories of them together in...closer moments, she felt her heart ping in a way it hadn't for a very long time.

~ 0 ~

Maleny walked into the party building around the same time Davina had decided to go in. The two bumped into each other and, of course, began conversing. Maleny mentioned the acquirement of her spell book, which provided for a smug Davina to give an 'I told you so'. Everything was going fine until Davina spotted Elijah making his way over, the teenage girl still not quite on good terms with any of the Mikaelson's.

"Elijah," the girl nearly spat a venom with the name her mouth had uttered. She honestly couldn't figure out why oh why (and a very big how) did Maleny decide to fall in love with the most maniacal creature that had ever walked the earth. The entire family was deranged and full of murderers! Maleny did not fit that category at all!

"It's lovely to see you," Elijah kept his moralities in check as was usual, "And under far better circumstances."

"Is it?" Davina raised an eyebrow, "My friend Tim is still dead, and your brother's still breathing."

"Davina," Maleny sighed. She knew she had no right getting upset over a clear fact, but it still bothered her that one of her friends wanted to kill...well, someone she cared for.

At that moment, Genevieve showed up and put an end to Davina's words, "Davina, that's enough. Elijah has been a patron to us this evening. We will show him respect," while Davina didn't respond, she rolled her eyes and decided to leave instead. Genevieve then turned to Elijah with a fake smile ready to go, "Thank you for all of this.

"This isn't for you," Elijah clarified, "You know as well as I that your people would never accept a truce unless we showed them some respect. So be it. Enjoy your party."

Genevieve gave a mere nod and left. Maleny took a breath and moved around, discretely looking for anything wrong. Elijah, meanwhile, had taken to studying her completely, something that Maleny noticed fast, "Well, if you're going to complement you might as well do it," she flashed a smile.

But Elijah was no fool, "You and I both know that you were never the show off," he reminded and stepped closer.

"Times change," offered Maleny, doing her best to remain casual, "Let's not forget I've lived as different women with different personality traits."

"Maleny Rowan you cannot lie to me, what are you up to?"

Maleny tried playing dumb to see if she could get away with it, "What? What are you talking about?"

"Mal, what are you doing?" Elijah asked again, this time however he asked in a brotherly way and not as a troubled patron of the party, "I want to help, remember?"

Maleny smiled and nodded, "Of course I remember. Elijah, there is nothing wrong right now, okay? I'm just...well, on a date," she laughed abruptly. Technically, she wasn't lying, she was just giving a part of the truth.

Elijah seemed a bit surprised at the answer, "With Riley?"

Maleny couldn't decide if the tone of his question had been because he was against that relationship, "If I said yes would that be wrong?" she curiously voiced her wonder.

"No..." Elijah answered but Maleny could see he wasn't being completely honest with her, "You're a free woman to do as you please..."

"But?" Maleny knew the word had been coming. She crossed her arms and waited for the answer.

"I just...don't think you..." Elijah wanted to word his thoughts without causing problems, "...may be thinking correctly..."

"How so?"

"Your mind is fragile right now, and I think you have forgotten certain things - feelings - that are important for you to have before you decide to initiate a relationship with someone."

Maleny let her arms drop to her sides as she processed his words, trying to find the hidden message he was really trying to say, "You don't think Riley's for me either," she realized with a small smile.

Elijah became defensive, thinking she would take offense to it, "I didn't mean to say that-"

"He's not my date, Elijah," Maleny informed, chuckling lightly, "and I don't think he ever will be. You're right, my mind is very fragile - more like frazzled, really - and perhaps there's things that I need to remember. But thanks for telling me all that in your nice, sophisticated way," Elijah looked down, shaking his head with a smile of his own. Maleny stepped forwards and reached for his arm, "I suppose that's what brothers are for."

Elijah looked up, his smile softening, "I'm glad you see it that way."

"Well, it's a bit surprising to acquire an older brother so quickly but I like it, thanks," Maleny honestly said, feeling herself blush for getting so mushy all of a sudden. She supposed it was due to everything she was beginning to remember of the Mikaelsons'. After her mother died they truly had become like a family to her.

~ 0 ~

Maleny was on the phone again when Riley approached her, "Mal, hey?" he smiled at her.

Maleny covered the phone and whispered to him, "Hey, can you give me like one minute?"

"Sure," Riley agreed and stepped back to give her privacy.

Maleny then turned her back and focused on the conversation she had going on, "Is it done?"

"More than done, it's all taken care off," Klaus assured from the other line, "It's like you've forgotten who I am!"

"Oh no, I remember who you are," Maleny sighed, "And because of that I know your tendency to play with your food."

Klaus had a small laughter, irritating Maleny, "Rest assured, love, it's all finished. I'm actually almost there at the, uh...party?"

Maleny rolled her eyes, "It's a festival and you know it," she scolded him, "Now hurry up with my book!"

"The book stays with me until I decide if I've received a proper, special date. You have to be nice."

"You'll get a dance and you'll like it," Maleny snapped, though it only seemed to amuse Klaus as he laughed, "Hurry up, will you?" were her final words before hanging up. She honestly had no idea what Klaus intended with this little 'date'. He had his redhead, didn't he? And she, well, she didn't have a specific someone...but she could.

"Mal?" Riley broke through her thoughts.

The brunette spun around, "Yeah?" she nearly forgotten Riley still stood near her and felt ashamed for it.

"Something wrong?" Riley moved closer to her, "You were looking a bit upset. Who were you talking to?"

Maleny looked around as the feeling of awkwardness settled on her shoulders, "Uh...well...a date..."

"Oh, you're with someone?" Riley blinked.

"Sort of..."

Maleny made a face and figured she would be causing more awkwardness of she answered the complete truth, "Sort of, it's complicated. It's nothing real - well - not real, real, as in 'real' but..." and she realized she was rambling too much, "...I gotta go, um...see you around?" but she didn't exactly wait for an answer when she'd already run out.

~ 0 ~

After Maleny had given Davina her offering gift, and from nearly having an argument with Genevieve because she'd disobeyed the guards telling her to give her gift to Monique, Maleny retracted to the entrance doors of the room. There, she watched the rest of the offerings and how Genevieve, along with Monique, humiliated Davina with the lack of gifts. She could never side with a woman who found joy in torturing children. Then again, she was siding with vampires who'd done far worse.

"Good evening," came the voice that brought her out of her thoughts.

Maleny flinched in her spot and looked at Klaus who stood beside her, clearly amused by her reaction, "Does it kill you to be normal for once?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Normal is vastly overrated for us, love," Klaus shrugged.

Maleny rolled her eyes and turned to him, "My book, where is it?" she just didn't understand what was the whole point in all this. What ever it is he wanted from Genevieve, he got it, why add this whole, pointless thing?

Klaus turned as well and opened his mouth but out came something completely out of topic, "You look lovely."

For a second, Maleny looked down at herself like she had forgotten what she wore. She had on a silver, metallic dress, in a sheath silhouette, that reached above her knees. It had a high neckline with short sleeves. There was a diamond striped pattern of silver and white, the silver being shiny with its metallic. Her short hair was pulled back by two twists and a clip, the rest of her small curls flowing where ever she went.

"No, hold on," Maleny snapped put of her trance, "You're off topic," but then she felt bad because it appeared Klaus had genuinely meant to complement her, "...but thank you," she added in a hushed whisper, feeling herself flush as she fixed a curl.

Apparently satisfied, Klaus smirked, "Oh, and by the way, I stopped and had an interesting conversation with your little friend..." he swayed his head as he pretended to think, "...Riley?"

"Please tell me he is still alive," Maleny said with an ounce of true fear Klaus had followed his suspicion on the man and done something to Riley.

"Oh, I said chat," Klaus pointed out, "But I do have to inform you he seemed a bit upset when I told him of our deal."

Maleny closed her eyes and put a hand on her head, "Oh no, I wanted to avoid that...kind of why I ran out on him earlier."

"My mistake," was all Klaus could say, but he seemed no where near ashamed of his move. He had actually had a rather fun moment telling the human Maleny was on a date with him. What he would give to see Riley's face again after being told who Maleny's date was.

"No, no!" Maleny couldn't help shout, "I did what you asked for without an argument. You should have the same respect that I did," of course that was before she remembered what she'd done to Genevieve earlier, "Um...I need to ask you something."

Klaus was surprised of the sudden change of tone in Maleny, as well as her change of expressions, "Hold on, I thought you were scolding me and now you have a question?"

Maleny sighed, "This is like a gate openning for you to take and avoid my scoldings. Now, tell me, do you know a woman named Emily Cordera?"

It seemed like Klaus was honestly thinking about it, "No, I don't think so. Why the interest?"

"It's just..." Maleny figured it was best to just come clean completely, "...Genevieve mentioned a woman that was looking for Maya Sterling and her name was Emily Cordera. Genevieve thinks it could be connected somehow."

"Oh Maleny, you would do best not to listen to her," Klaus shrugged, "Genevieve has a tendency to speak more than she should."

"But what if this time it's not just nonsense? What if it's important?"

"Look, I don't know how long you've been alive in this century but people don't always tell the truth-"

"Don't patronize me," Maleny snapped, "I know how the world works. Just tell me, do you or do you not know Emily Cordera?"

"I don't!" Klaus nearly shouted, "And a word of advice, I don't allow anyone to talk to me like that or else-"

"You'd kill me?" Maleny took it on as if it were a challenge, even taking a step closer to him with a wicked smirk, "Be honest with yourself, Niklaus, could you really kill me now...knowing who I really am?"

"You'll find I can do anything," Klaus took the last step between them, leaning to her ear, "That includes you, darling," his hushed, whispered voice gave Maleny chills she chose to ignore.

"Hm," Maleny's smirk didn't falter, and she was really proud of herself for that one, "If I had money, I'd bet it all on a big fat 'can't' because that's the truth. I'm important."

"Someone's gotten some new confidence tonight," Klaus looked at her in the eyes, slightly beguiled by her scent.

Maleny knew he was momentarily captivated by something and took advantage, "Well, apart from your big mouth," she began fixing his bow-tie, her eyes trained on his, "everything is going according to plan. That means I'll get my book in a couple of hours...because you will keep your word, right?"

Klaus took her hands off him but kept his own wrapped around them tightly, "For you? Of course," he flashed a smile that made her heart once again ping.

"Good," Maleny bit her lip, feeling her face warm, "I expect nothing less from you."

"If you'll forgive me, I need to do one last thing to keep this plan going," he let go of her hands and started for the central room when Maleny called.

"What is your plan, Niklaus?" Maleny stopped him with the question. Her smirks, her flirts, her authoritative tone, all gone and exchanged for a soft voice that was originally hers, "What is it that you want?"

"Nothing that will harm your cause, love, don't worry," Klaus spared her a glance over the shoulder.

"But," Maleny once again stopped him with her voice, "I would imagine it's something bad...considering how you're going behind Elijah's back to do it. What are you going to do?"

While Klaus wasn't intending on revealing his plan with Hayley's wolf friends, pack, he did feel some kind of spurring inside him nearly forcing him to tell Maleny at least something that would make her feel better. He turned around and faced her curious face, "I want protection," he settled for that.

"Protection?" Maleny raised an eyebrow while considering how valid that answer was, "For...you? No..." her mind worked to solve the puzzle he'd given in just those three words, "...not protection for you...no, that's never your idea. The only logical answer would be for Hayley, cos she's the mother of your child. You're doing something to protect her," a smile worked its way over her lips, "Look at you...being a father."

Klaus decided not to mention that the protection he sought was also meant to extend to her. Knowing Maleny, she would refuse it and lecture him on how she was grown up and whatnot and was more than capable of taking care of herself. But the sad part was that until she gained access to her powers she was just another human. Sure, she was a human with a surprising inability to die but they didn't know what the limits were. He lost Maleny Rowan once, he would not lose her again.

~ 0 ~

The party had taken a surprising twist after listening to Klaus's basic form of "peace" and while Maleny and Hayley knew that he had other plans, neither spoke up. As much as both knew, everything was being done for a good cause. He had given a pardon to Josh, one of Davina's newfound vampire friend, and a gift of a daylight ring, thus proving to the public his intentions were good.

Now, Maleny had decided it was best to clear things with Riley after what Klaus had told him. It was no simple task but Maleny felt like it was only right after the rude departure she'd given to Riley earlier. However, after searching and searching, she didn't find Riley anymore. She had, instead, found Hayley and Elijah.

Upon seeing her, Hayley noticed a sort of distress Maleny had on her face, "Everything alright?"

"Have either of you seen Riley?" Maleny asked and sighed, once again looking around the room in case he appeared somewhere.

"Yeah, he was talking with some guy," Hayley looked at Elijah who nodded, "and then he left."

"I was going to eavesdrop when Niklaus gave his little speech," Elijah admitted.

"I thought you weren't supposed to be rude," Maleny raised an eyebrow, "Never mind, I need to find him," as she turned around she bumped into Klaus.

"Find who?" the man questioned curiously.

"Riley," Maleny mumbled and moved and round him to leave but stopped when the doors opened and allowed a group of drummers in.

The entire party watched the small show of drumming with amusement, though Genevieve was confused because she knew for a fact she hadn't hired any of those people.

Once the drumming stopped, the leader of the players spoke up, "Happy Fête des Bénédictions. We have a message for all of you from Marcel Gerard."

That left everyone unsettled, especially when the drummers took out razors and sliced open their wrists. The oozing blood attracted the vampires in the party.

"Control yourselves," Elijah stepped forwards, "This is a vulgar trick. We do not violate our agreement."

But the lights went out, creating the perfect setting for vampires to follow their instincts and feed on the drummers and humans. Chaos emerged as people tried escaping the scene and others tried stopping them. In one of those, Maleny felt something sharp near her clavicle, making her scream in utter agony as she felt her skin rip off the moment the cold metal made contact with her. When the lights returned the room was a scene of murder with blood. Of course the main attraction were the words written on the wall in pure blood 'There will be no peace'

Maleny, who was on the floor, called for help as did several other still alive people. Klaus was the first to aid her after finding her, "What the hell was this?" he noticed the knife behind her which had caused her wound. He bent down and picked her up in a bridal style, "This was no vampire move," he concluded only seconds after.

And he was damn sure that this second attempt on her life hadn't been by Marcel either.

~ 0 ~

After everything had been cleared at the party, everyone who needed to be saved was saved, the Mikaelson brothers returned to the compound. Maleny had been the first secured and cured with blood. She'd been brought to the compound where several vampires had been compelled to protect her until someone got home. Of course due to Elijah's treaty, the vampires had been compelled to forget the moment they left the compound.

Maleny was sitting on her bed, against the headboard with her legs up to her chest and her arms draped over her knees. She had changed to pajamas and was wearing a silk sleeping robe over it. The moment she heard footsteps nearing her room she grabbed what ever she could to defend herself, in this case a lamp, and ran towards the door, ready to bash whoever wanted to kill her. In the end, it was nearly Klaus who took the lamp to the head.

"Well, is that my reward for saving you?" he had to laugh of amusement as he pushed the lamp away from his head.

"I...I thought it was someone..." Maleny pointed behind him, "...the vampires you left...I don't...I don't trust them..."

"They were under compulsion," Klaus glanced back at the compound to make sure there were no more vampires lingering about.

"I didn't...I didn't exactly trust them from the start," Maleny confessed while slowly lowering the lamp her hand still clung onto, "I know what I said this morning but...that was before someone tried driving a knife into me. The poisoning was different - it gives you time to heal with blood. But not with a knife. A knife can kill you instantaneously," she swallowed hard, "They were so close to getting me and...and if they get me, it's all over," her voice fell into a whisper, "I wake up God knows how many years from now with no memories of this life. And it starts all over again."

"I swear that won't happen," Klaus took the lamp from her and led her towards her bed. He could hear her heartbeat beating faster than was normal, due to her inability to calm down. It seemed like this time the attempt had really stricken her.

"I don't get it, I just don't," Maleny expressed her confusion while taking a seat back on her bed, "I don't know anyone in this city that would want to harm me. Why do they want to kill me?"

"So you don't think it was part of Marcel's gimmick," Klaus observed as he set her lamp back on its place beside her bed.

"Of course," Maleny waved that option off without a doubt, "Marcel doesn't care about me, as long as I don't hurt Cami. Besides, it seemed like he had intentions for the vampires, not me...meaning, there's someone brand new in this city that wants me dead."

"From now on, you are not leaving this compound," Klaus announced and ignored the discontent look she gave him, "There is a murderer out there just waiting to kill you, so we're going to try this thing where you don't expose yourself."

"No, you can't keep me locked up in here," Maleny shot right up to her feet, "And you can't compel me either, I'm on vervain. I do as I please, Klaus, and no one will tell me otherwise. I have to get back out there and-"

"And what? Get killed?" Klaus snapped, his irritation only simmering due to her fragility, "It's like you said, Mal, you get killed it's game over. Who knows what century you'll wake up in. No. Absolutely not, you're not leaving this place and if I have to strap you to a chair to make sure it doesn't happen then so be it."

Maleny groaned and air-strangled him, "You can't keep me locked up! I have things to do, people to see, okay? For starters, I have to go see how Cami's doing with uncle Kieran. I have to get my spell book to Davina and I have to explain to Genevieve why I sided with you. Because I assume she got your little present of a warlock earlier judging by the glares she gave me," she heaved a heavy sigh and rubbed the side of her head, "Plus, I have to go find out about Emily Cordera-"

"To hell with that senseless name!" Klaus shouted and startled her in a flinch, "You're following a fake name, a woman who doesn't even exist-"

"Might not exist," Maleny pointed, making sure to leave that doubt there, "Because you don't know that, none of us do. That's what I have to discover."

"You're not leaving," were Klaus' final words as he headed for the doors. She just really couldn't understand that he was trying to protect her. Staying inside where he could keep an eye on her would diminish any other attempts of murder against her.

"I can't stay in here," Maleny insisted, however this time her voice wasn't covered in anger which is exactly what made Klaus glance at her from the doorway, "The time is running out for my uncle, okay? Cami might be angry with me but we both want him to get better. Please don't keep me here," without a word of response, Klaus reached for the door knob of the room and shut the door with lock, "Klaus!" Maleny shouted and dashed for the door, pounding on it endlessly, "Klaus, open this door!" but her calls were in vain as Klaus walked away from the door.

Seeing he wasn't coming back, Maleny gave up and kicked the door with her foot to get her frustration out. She felt prickly tears develop in her eyes the more she thought about everything that had happened lately. She suddenly felt small shots of pain on the side of her head which made her return to bed the stronger they got. She actually hadn't gotten many of those over the past month. Her memory had been coming in peacefully with some herbs she'd been able to buy from witches shop or even from Davina herself. Maleny supposed the pain was due to the wariness of today and the effects of the herbs expiring from her lack of intake. Perhaps a nap could take care of it. However she knew she wouldn't be able to actually sleep for the entire night.

~ 0 ~

By the time Klaus had returned, Maleny was in her bed, but stirring from what one could assume was a bad dream. He cautiously went to the foot of the bed, setting down an old book, and reached for her ankle to shake her awake, "Mal?" one gentle shake was the only thing it took to make her gasp awake, "Mal?"

The brunette's eyes snapped from side to side as if there were something in the room, "What time is it?" was her first response.

"Past 1 a.m, are you okay?" Klaus eyed her as she sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"I'm surprised such a stupid question is coming from your mouth," she muttered and finally dropped her hands from her face to see a familiar book not too far from her feet, "My mother's spell book..."

"I would never have burned it," Klaus admitted, still eyeing her for any more terror she had from what ever it was she had dreamed,, "And you'll have to forgive me but Elijah has discovered my little plan behind his back and hid my mother's spell book from me."

"No, this is fine," Maleny slowly reached for the book and took it into her hands. She ran her hand down the worn cover, seeing brief flashes of her mother - the ones she remembered anyways.

As she opened it up, Klaus backtracked to the doorway, "Mal, you're still staying in here," at that, Maleny looked up at him with irritation.

"Klaus, you can't-" but she didn't get to finish that sentence when Klaus reached for something outside the room.

"You can't leave but I thought perhaps family could be of use for you tonight, or as many days as you'd please," Klaus pulled Cami into the room.

"Cami," Maleny breathed and instantly let the spell book drop.

Cami rushed to the side of the bed, her concern etched all over her face, "Are you okay!? Klaus said someone tried killing you - again."

Maleny felt like her bravery had crumbled down the moment she remembered her bad dream, the murder attempt at the party, "Someone tried to kill me..." she broke down, her tears developed in her eyes, "...I don't know why or who but they want me dead and I don't know what to do. I thought I was brave b-but I'm not. I'm cursed and I'm scared."

Cami took her cousin into a hug and as she spoke she looked directly at Klaus to make it clear that they were all included in this situation, "Well, they're going to have to pay. Who ever it is, they'll pay big for all this. I swear."

Without a second thought, Klaus gave the 'yes' in the form of a nod back. He silently slipped out of the room to leave the two women alone, thinking Maleny would much rather prefer Cami more than anyone else. However, just ten steps away from the door, he heard a call of his name. It was Maleny who sheepishly stood at the doorway, her hands on the fringe and her red-stained eyes fixed on him.

"Is there something else you require?" he asked, genuinely meaning to do anything if she asked.

"Um," Maleny cast a small glance back into the room before taking small steps towards him. She didn't know how to go around it, it was such a simple act and yet the thought of it was making her a nervous wreck.

"Mal?" Klaus asked again.

"Thank you," she abruptly hugged him, leaving him stunned for a couple of seconds before realizing he was meant to hug back, "I know you don't usually do this stuff," Maleny said, keeping her head resting on his shoulder to avoid further awkwardness, "but I wanted to thank you for tonight."

Normally, Klaus was one to take 'thank you's' because he felt he deserved them. This time, he felt like he had failed her. In his amusing game of a 'date' he'd left her unprotected when she needed him most. He could not be cocky and accept Maleny's 'thank you' just like that.

"And please," Maleny finally gathered courage to pull away and look him in the eyes, "don't feel guilty for anything."

Klaus lifted an eyebrow, startled she'd managed to guess his thoughts, "How did you...?"

Maleny flashed a smirk, "Don't forget I lived with you for centuries. I've remembered a lot of things. I know what you tend to do. So please, don't do that with me. I'm okay - in what fits. I'm good. Thank you."

Klaus accepted her words though just for her sake. She seemed so weary after what happened and the only thing he'd actually want from her is the assurance she was going to get some rest, "Please, sleep well. And Cami is welcomed to stay however many days you need her around."

Maleny smiled softly, "Okay, I'll tell her that. And...I'm sorry that I didn't really keep my promise about this date - you didn't even get the dance."

"I liked it," Klaus declared, startling Maleny, "It was unorthodox but then again when has anything about us ever been normal?"

Maleny's eyebrows raised upwards, "Well..."

"Go back to Cami and try to rest," Klaus motioned for her to return to her room, "She's not very angry with you anymore but maybe explaining what's really going on would help."

"You think I should tell her everything?"

Klaus nodded, "Yes, because she's your family, and I know she cares for you very much."

"Okay," Maleny agreed and, a bit reluctant, headed back for her room. After a day like today, she could use some rest as well as a good ole talk with her cousin who sincerely needed to be caught up on the latest, supernatural matters of the city.

[deep-nerd]

BRO I LOV YOUR OCS WHADDA HELL. CAN U TELL ME MORE ABOUT THOSE MAD LAD SIBS. SORRY IF YOUVE DONE IT B4 AND I MISSED THE POST

NAH NAH UR GOOD! I can totally like sit down and infodump! 

im gonna put this under a read more

also TLDR: Leelas is a punk ass bitch who i love 

To start im gonna begin with the world. You got Genesis (Heaven basically but not the Christian Heaven.) and Cesstation (Hell.) and then Gaia (Earth) 

My universe does have like biblical themes but i take the God and worshiping aspect out of it. Genesis and Cesstation are other dimensions with creatures that fit the descriptions of what humans call angels and demons. which they are right! They are Angels and Demons lmao. 

I have Genesis more fleshed out than Cesstation unfortunately. But anyhow! Genesis has a ruling class, basically the same status of what the people of Gaia refer to as God, a monarchy. They call the rulers Archangels! 

Now here is where Leelas and Jackson comes in. 

Leelas and Jackson are the sons of Gabriel Gustav and his wife (who i have not designed yet.. or named.) Gabriel was the current Archangel, raising Leelas, his first born child, to be the next archangel. Jackson had no problems with this, meaning they can dick around as much as they want! They were the clown of Genesis, always getting into trouble, getting Leelas into trouble, getting out of trouble with more shit, trying to get Leelas to also dick around and play, and they acted like this for y e a r s. 

And people loved them. Jackson would stroll into town, flirt with e v e r y o n e, steal some bread, nap, and get scolded by Gabriel... who only sighed and then laughed. Now even though Jackson was very uh lazy?? is that the right word? he was still very talented and well respected.

Leelas was a very tight screw since the responsibility of being the heir fell onto his shoulders, always studying, training, until Jackson would come in to the room and chuck a wet sponge at the back of his head. Like Jackson, the people also enjoyed having him around since he could be very philosophical. Jackson did comment that Leelas overthinks a lot. 

One day, Jackson threw another wet sponge at Leelas and convinced him to go to Gaia. A treat yourself day. 

So they went to Gaia. And ran into a woman named Anna. Only because Jackson noticed Leelas staring at her like a love struck idiot and they shoved him into her. 

He yelled, she yelled, Jackson laughed. Then got yelled at. 

however Leelas and Anna did keep in touch, eventually started dating, and three years later got married. 

Jackson Gustav, ultimate matchmaker. 

But Leelas brought Anna to Genesis and she met Gabriel. Who was like oh good one of my sons finally found someone. And they lived happily ever after.

BITCH YOU THOUGHT AH HA!

But Anna got very sick one day and Leelas tried everything in his power to try and cureher, but death wants Anna and he is gonna have her. She died and Leelas was devastated but Jackson was better athiding his grief, since they also really liked Anna and thought of her as a very close friend, and tried to coax Leelas out of his depression

Leelas thought that it wasn't fair that fate decided to makehim fall in love with someone so frail and then pull her from him so soon so he basically said Fuck Fate and started looking thelibrary for dark arts and necromancy

which Genesis didnt have so he had to go to Cesstation tofind what he needed

Demons are willing to do necromancy but its like.. aterrible act leaving the deceased in a purgatory like state of agony since youare defying the will of Death

There is another world which is basically where the souls of the deceased go. The people of Genesis and Cesstation  refer to death as His Will. and with necromancy?

you are basically ripping their soul from Death's world byforce and the soul will feel that pain forever until the spell is removed and Leelas was willing to ignore the demon's warnings torevive Anna in order to see her again and he completed the act, blind to the fact that Anna wasdeformed, in agony, and screaming

Jackson was the one who found Leelas on Gaia after thespell, seeing the books and Anna

lets just say Jackson was traumatized

Gabriel appeared, pushing aside his panicking son and killedAnna and made Leelas fall on the spot. 

Thats where the color scheme comes into play. All angels have some form of gold markings. either on their face, hands, or both. Purple means you fell, your markings turn from gold to purple. its like a punishment for doing something forbidden. 

Leelas went from gold to dark purple and falling feelssomeone sucked the life out of you so thats fun

back on Genesis, Gabriel announced that Leelas has fallen,named stripped to Stewarlight, and cursed until he is forgiven. And thatJackson will be the new Archangel

Leelas basically has to work off his sin

Jackson, now in line to be archangel is at an impasse

He truly believed that Leelas was the one to succeedGabriel and now he thinks he won't be good enough since all they did was dick around a flirt. thats a lot of sudden responsibility. 

Leelas, feeling bitter about Anna and his fall, takesadvantage of Jackson's turmoil and says that jackson has to be perfect, better. Leelas thinks that Anna being dead forever was Gabriel'sfault since he killed her, and Jackson's because they didn't understand whyLeelas wanted to bring her back and they didnt stop their father from killing her. If Jackson loved her too, wouldn’t he want to bring her back as well?

enter years of emotional manipulation

Gabriel passed his title to Jackson, who was now moreserious and cold

i like to think that Gabriel was not aware of what Leelaswas doing? or i just havent thought that far yet or he thought that Jackson, suddenly giving up theiraloofness, was taking his inheritance seriously

Gabriel eventually did die, leaving Leelas' curse up toJackson who decided to not remove it thinking Leelas did not earn the right to have it removed. 

enraged, Leelas manipulated Jackson to go to Earth as a kindof 'prove your perfection to me' thing

enter Ignizen Vasseur thats another long story.

basically, ignizen was the one who told jackson that hesuffered through years of abuse due to something that was not his fault

and jackson just. kinda broke?

broke down in a sense

because for years he thought that he could have preventedLeelas from doing that, prevented Anna's death by trying harder and not beingstupid, got gabriel's attention sooner, thought Jackson was not good enough andwas an after thought since Leelas fell

so thats where this image comes into play.

[crystaljins]

Would I choose you? | 04

Characters: Jimin x Reader

Word count: 5.6K

Synopsis:  Every year the graduating class of International Academy for Superheroes and Sidekicks are allocated to their future partner. They will work with their partner for the rest of their working lives.

Jimin, the star of your academy and picked as the favourite to succeed in life, is not pleased when he is allocated to you, the school loser.

Superhero!au.

Notes:  My purpose in writing fics is to get to the point where feelings start to bloom. Keep your eyes wide open folks because feelings are starting to sneak in for our characters O.o

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Things go really well between you and Jimin after that distress call. It turns out that when he’s not ignoring you and furious over a failed mission, Jimin is a competent, capable hero and just a fun guy to be around in general. The two of you have an endless supply of distress calls and with each new call you are improving. You learn how to work with each other, and you learn how to handle the numerous situations a hero duo is expected to lend aid in. Jimin hasn’t brought up the dinner debacle since it happened but it seems the two of you are fine to leave it behind. You had been hurt but you hadn’t given Jimin a reason to trust you. He trusts you now and you’ve accepted each other as partners and that’s all that matters.

It’s not just as heroes that you find the two of you are getting along better in either. As a roommate, Jimin is wonderful! He sometimes cooks dinner for you, and he’s always happy to hang and watch a movie with you, and sometimes he will pick up food for whatever the latest injured critter you decide to harbor is on his trips to the grocery store. He even admits one night over dinner that he finds it charming the way you can’t leave any creature alone without trying to help. That admission has you blushing and smiling for far longer than you care to admit.

You can’t help but feel that things are going really well for you- the alley cat who wouldn’t stop swearing at you has warmed up to you as well. He’ll accept the food you leave out for him and sometimes he’ll come in through the window and nap on the little cat bed you secretly purchased for him. Val’s babies grow stronger every day and Ratbert will occasionally come to visit (though he keeps his family far from the clutches of the alley cat and they all have apparently settled in a new building a few blocks down). You’re happy.

The same cannot be said for Jimin, unfortunately. Because while you are content to leave behind the dinner debacle and pretend it never happened, he is not. Each new day his harsh words and desire to dismiss you as a worthy partner haunt him, especially since with each new day you prove your worthiness anew. You’re almost always exactly where he needs you (apart from the odd mess up since you are only human), you’re supportive and when things get hard or scary or difficult you’re right there with him to help him find a solution. You do sweet things like make him breakfast and you hum songs under your breath as you clean the living room and you’re always sneaking things you think he might like into the trolley when you think he’s not looking. It’s no one’s fault but his own- he let his own fears and insecurities and other people’s opinion of you distort his view until he missed what was right in front of his nose. A compassionate, determined individual and probably the only person he’s ever met who works harder than him. The question of how to begin to apologise for his earlier behaviour hovers over him like a dark cloud.

The conviction that he needs to do something to make it up to you solidifies the first time the two of you make it into the newspaper. You both successfully take down some bank robbers in the area. The photographer requests that Jimin move closer. As he slides his arm around your waist and steps in close, you offer him a tiny, private smile. He doesn’t know what about that smile sticks with him, but something about it makes him realise he can no longer avoid apologising because somewhere along the line the two of you had become friends and trusting partners.

It is while he is training at headquarters one day that he stumbles upon something- or rather, someone who can help him apologise. He strolls through the now-familiar winding corridors of the government-funded facility, fresh from a sparring session with a former classmate and he collides with none other than Kim Seokjin.

The only sidekick who rivalled your infamy at the academy was the man who now stands before Jimin. The two of you had had a bit of a reputation amongst the heroes- everyone dreaded being allocated to either of you. It had been a running joke amongst his classmates whenever something bad happened to say something along the lines of “Hey, it could be worse- you could be allocated to one of those two.”. And while Jimin himself had never participated in such disrespectful jokes, he had heard them and that is why he knows you and Kim Seokjin are thick as thieves. Seokjin offers Jimin an uncomfortably bright smile.

“Park Jimin, fancy seeing you here.” He says cheerfully. “How’s (Y/N)? I’ve been meaning to stop by and have lunch with her.”

Jimin rubs awkwardly at the back of his neck- Seokjin is just tall enough that he must tilt his head slightly to make eye contact and it’s not a great feeling.

“She’s well. Actually, this is great timing, because there’s been something I’ve been meaning to ask you about.” Jimin admits. Will Seokjin be mad when he leans of how Jimin treated you? Then again, you have probably already told him if you are as good friends with him as you have seem. Either way, Jimin tenses just slightly, prepared to catch a punch from the taller man if necessary.

“No problem. What do you need to ask, merman?” Seokjin questions cheerily. Jimin shoots him a look to signal the nickname is unwelcome but he ignores it like he seems to do with most things in his life. “Who rained on your parade?”

Jimin frowns. 

“I... well...” he says slowly. He hesitates, mentally attempting to calculate the likelihood that he’s about to get slapped. Seokjin seems friendly enough.

“Is it about that whole dinner thing?” He asks suddenly. “And how you ignored her for a week after your first mission?”

“Wow she really tells you everything doesn’t she?” Jimin responds, equal parts nervous and impressed. Seokjin nods.

“If it makes you feel any better, I think one of her super powers is an inability to hold grudges. She doesn’t even hold grudges against our childhood bullies.”

“That makes me feel worse, oddly enough.” Jimin confesses sadly. Seokjin smiles sympathetically.

“I know the feeling. Kinda like you just punched Snow White in the face for being sweet enough to offer you some delicious baked apple pie while she cleans your house for you. It’s the whole Disney princess vibe she has going on- that’s her other super power. Tugging on your heartstrings like a wounded puppy.” He tells Jimin solemnly. “My guess is you want to know how to apologise?”

Jimin nods eagerly.

“I’m just not sure how to make it up to her, I guess.” He admits. “Can you help me, Seokjin?”

“First things first, call me Jin.” Jin tells him, clapping a warm hand on Jimin’s shoulder. “Second of all, I am a master of apologies.”

“That doesn’t sound like a good thing to be a master of-“ Jimin protests and the thought crosses his mind that maybe this isn’t such a good idea.

“Just trust me, Ariel. I got this sorted.” Jin cuts him off.

++

Jin does not have it sorted.

“Are you sure she likes these sorts of things? She doesn’t seem like the type to be big on video games.” Jimin asks hesitantly, setting down the bag of merchandise and games that Jin had coerced him into buying.

“Of course she is,” Jin tells him dismissively, reaching into the bag and pulling out one of the games. “She wouldn’t have the console if she wasn’t right? Besides, I’ve known her since we were kids, you can trust me on her likes and dislikes.” Jin selects one of the games and walks over to the console, popping it in. “She also likes chocolate cake- I’ve bought the ingredients if you want to get started.” He settles onto the couch and waves in the general direction of the grocery bags he had set on the counter. Jimin frowns- he can’t shake the niggling feeling that Jin is taking advantage of him.

“Can’t you just make one with your powers?” Jimin interrogates. Jin yawns, stretching widely.

“I’ve had a long day, see, and my powers aren’t as good when I’m tired. The cake might not come out well.” He tells Jimin over the startup music. Jimin sighs and rolls up his sleeves, pulling out his phone to consult a recipe.

This is how you find the two of them when you walk in an hour later.

“You’re eating it all!” Jimin protests as Jin practically spoons batter into his mouth.

“I’m just taste testing! I have to make sure it’s exactly to her tastes-“

“I feel like you were lying and you just wanted me to make you dinner! I distinctly remember her saying she likes fruity cakes- this is almost pure chocolate-”

“Jimin?” You call curiously. Both Jimin and Jin freeze. Jimin is coated in cocoa and flour and frantically wrestling Jin for a wooden spoon dripping with cake batter. Jin attempts to surreptitiously wipe away the icing and cake batter smeared across his cheeks. A game you’ve never heard of plays music in the background on the console he convinced your parents to buy for you for your graduation present. The console in question has sat untouched up until this point. “What’s going on here?”

Beneath the copious amount of flour and cocoa, Jimin flushes bright red and Jin takes the opportunity to shove the whole wooden spoon in his mouth.

“I… I was trying to do something nice for you.” He confesses, almost sweetly. Jin nods his support but does not remove the wooden spoon from his mouth. You raise an eyebrow at Jin and he pales. He recognises the face- it’s your ‘get of my house now and stop eating my food or I’ll send a lion after you’ face. You can thank Jin’s lack of boundaries throughout your childhood for the development of such a specific expression.

“I’ll just be taking my leave then. Good luck with the cake, Aquaman,” Jin says. He darts out of your shared apartment with a farewell salute and just like that you’re left alone with Jimin.

He still looks embarrassed, and you smile at him as you step forward and begin to help him shake the flour from his hair.

“Why were you trying to something nice for me?” You ask. “Not that I don’t appreciate it. And for the record, I do prefer cakes with fruit and I’m sorry Jin conned you into buying those games- he’s probably going to live on our couch with Hoseok for the next few months.”

Jimin chuckles, shaking flour off his forearms. He’ll probably have to vacuum the whole kitchen with the mess he’s made.

“I was trying to apologise.” He confesses. You pause in your adjustment of his fringe and meet his gaze.

“For what?” You ask, and your genuine puzzlement makes him feel a strange fondness. Jin wasn’t kidding about the not holding grudges thing.

“How I treated you, when we first moved in together. And that dinner where I…” He hesitates. “The things I said weren’t cool.” He confesses. “And you’ve been such a wonderful partner… And I really appreciate it.”

You hesitate, dropping your hand, before offering him a tentative, shy smile that causes an odd fluttering sensation to fill his chest.

“It’s ok.” You tell him, and you go to step away from him but he anchors you in place by reaching out and grasping your wrists with his hands. “You were stressed and we failed our first mission. I can’t say that I wouldn’t have reacted the same- it’s really ok.”

“It’s not.” He tells you firmly. He tilts his head slightly so that you are forced to look directly into his warm brown eyes. “It’s not ok- I was rude and misjudged you. I’m truly, truly sorry and I know it’s no justification but I acted like that because I was just afraid. Because so many people expect so much from me and I don’t deal well with failure. I took it out on you and I shouldn’t have. And you may have moved on but I haven’t, so let me have this apology.”

He doesn’t know what prompts his next confession, but the words come pouring forth anyway.

“I really admire you. You’re so kind and genuine. When you told me why you wanted to be a hero… I think it’s so amazing. You’re so genuine and you want to help people so much and next to you I feel so fake. I’m only in this profession because of my parents- how can I be a genuine hero like that?” He confesses. He still does not release your wrists nor your gaze. You wonder if he can see the flush that rises to your cheeks at his words. You’re genuinely at a loss for words.

“You’re not a fake.” You almost whisper. Jimin looks like he’s about to protest so you cut him off. “I’m serious. I’m an empath- I can sense fakes from a mile away. That’s not what I sense from you Jimin.” You tell him sincerely. “I sense a-“ You pause, hesitating. You’ve never admitted this out loud to anyone, but it was part of the reason you had been so smitten with Jimin at the academy. Confessing it is scarier than you thought it would be, but you plough forward regardless. “I sense this churning desire to do the right thing deep inside you. It’s warm and it always surrounds you no matter what you’re doing. It never goes away. Someone who wants to help others that much can’t be a fake. I know you’re the real deal, regardless of who your parents are or why you enrolled in the academy.”

The look Jimin gives you following your confession is loaded with a lot of emotions you don’t understand. You could read him, but you have a feeling you still wouldn’t understand the emotions that flicker across his face. Instead you watch as he finally settles on a warm smile that makes your heart flutter a lot more than you want to admit.

“Give me a second chance.” He begs softly.

“What do you mean?” You ask, confused. You’d already forgiven him ages ago.

“At dinner. I want a second chance to do that dinner properly, like I should have. To get to know you, my sidekick and my partner, instead of what I actually did.” He asks. “Let’s have a redo.”

His words bring a hesitant smile to your face.

“Sure.” You say.

The smile he offers you in return is blinding.

++

The two of you settle on a date later in the week for dinner, but it is not to be. The morning of, Jimin receives a call from his mother. You don’t know what it’s in regards to, but you know it is nothing good. Since moving in together, you have noticed that Jimin has a lot of fights with his parents, from mundane things like whether he’d called that day to more severe things like their disappointment with his lack of progress in his career. Overall they’d just given the impression that they were overbearing and put a lot of pressure on Jimin. It shows when he comes out of his bedroom with a stormy expression. You can practically feel the hurt and frustration pouring off him in waves. You don’t have to actively reach out with you empathy- you can sense the way his distress darkens the room.

“I’m going to have to cancel dinner tonight. I’m so sorry.” Jimin tells you, apologetic. It is a tense apology though- you can tell he barely holds back his temper. You shake your head.

“That’s fine- are you ok?” You question. He pauses, like he’s surprised by the line of questioning. Then he shakes his head.

“I… I was just on the phone with me mother and she…” His voice catches and he curls his hands into fists where they hang loosely at his side. “I don’t really want to talk about it. Sorry.” He says after a long pause where you get the impression he’s desperately trying to control his temper by taking slow, concentrated inhales.

“That’s ok.” You reassure him. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

Jimin stares at you for a long, uncomfortable moment. It is like he is searching for something but you do not know what that something is. Finally, he takes a long, deep exhale.

“She just wants to meet with me to discuss our partnership. Don’t worry though- I’ll disregard anything she says. It just means we have to postpone our dinner, which sucks.” He says with a sigh, combing his fingers through his hair. You smile weakly.

“That’s fine. I can sort dinner for myself. I don’t mind rescheduling.” You say. Jimin gives you one last long look before sighing.

“I really am sorry.” He apologises once more, before hoisting his gym bag up on his shoulder. “Anyway, I have an appointment at headquarters for a health check- I’ll see you when I get back from dinner tonight, ok?”

You nod and watch him go. It doesn’t bother you to have the dinner postponed- you know it would probably cause a huge fight if he were to refuse his mother’s plans and go to dinner with you. It’s more that it bothers you that his mother hates you so. If Jimin has warmed up to you to such an extent that he’s started including cat food on his grocery list for the alley cat you’ve befriended even though it keeps trying to bite him, then you feel that all his mother has to do is make an effort to know you and she’ll change her mind.

Either way, you shake the discouraging thoughts from your head and proceed about your day. By the time it gets to early evening, around the time you were meant to have dinner with Jimin, your mood has cleared and you’re settled in for the night to watch some Netflix and then head to bed early- you have an all day training session at headquarters the next day and you’d rather not tire yourself out.

Alas, it is not to be- it seems the universe doesn’t want Jimin to go out for dinner at all, for right as you have settled down with a plate of dinner after feeding the numerous animals you’ve taken in for the night, your phone begins to trill with a distress call.

Not long after Jimin calls.

“I’ll meet you there?” He questions as you pull on your uniform.

“Yup.” You tell him quickly. You don’t comment on the way his voice trembles darkly. You suppose the dinner had not been going well. “I’ll meet you there. Remember not to engage without me or I’ll report you.” You scold as you slip on your watch and program the location of the distress call into it.

“No promises.” And the simmering anger in his voice makes you hesitate. Perhaps it is not the best idea to answer this distress call. However, Jimin hangs up before you can voice your concerns and you sigh.

The distress call in question seems to be a minor villain trying to make a name for themselves. You watch the carnage of the doomsday device from the rooftop of a nearby building as you wait for Jimin to arrive.

He arrives quietly beside you, watching the chaos below. You can’t read his face because of his helmet and when you reach out your empathy all you sense is a cold, dark, swirling sensation. You couldn’t name the emotion he’s feeling but if you had to try it would probably be close to a cold fury.

You don’t get a word out before he is launching himself off the side of the building. You are about to cry out in protest but a pair of ice handlebars materialize in front of him and he grips onto them, using them to lower him to the ground. With a sigh, you allow him to do whatever it is he thinks he’s doing while you evaluate the situation and decide the best course of action.

The doomsday device in question seems to be some sort of large vehicle designed to inflict structural damage to the buildings around it. An ominous ray gun is built into the top and you wouldn’t have the slightest clue what it does. Perhaps you could have managed some reconnaissance to evaluate the threat it poses had Jimin not leapt impulsively into action as he had, but you push down your frustration. He’s stressed and he’s upset and really the blame is on you for allowing him to come out despite the emotional turmoil you knew he was experiencing.

Instead you focus your attention to your main duty as a sidekick: Reducing the casualties. You do not need special powers to facilitate an evacuation of the area, and it had been one of the most fundamental pieces of training you had received when you were in the academy. Protect the civillians above all else had been the fundamental lesson drilled into you. You rush out onto the street through the fire escape, immediately evaluating who needs help. A young woman is injured but she seems able to walk. A lot of people have already fled in panic and the only ones remaining are those who are too injured or too scared to go on their own.

You start with the young woman.

“What’s your name?” You asks her, and she looks up at you. She is deathly pale and tears streak down her face. Taking stock of her injuries, nothing seems too severe. A laceration on her cheek. A scrape on her arm and potentially a sprained ankle.

“E… Emma.” She says softly, her voice trembling with tears. She looks puzzled that you are here to help. You smile as sweetly as you can and crouch down to your level. She’s only your age, perhaps a little younger.

“Well, Emma, I’m going to get you some help, ok?” You say warmly, and a fresh round of tears spills down her dirty, blood cheeks.

“You’re going to help me? But I-“ She begins, but you cut her off.

“The first thing I’m going to need you to do is stay calm, ok?” You tell her firmly. “I can’t help you if you lose your head, ok?”

She seems taken aback, but nods with determination in her eyes.

“Ok good,” You say, already looking around and deciding what step to take next. Perhaps if you can gather more civillians who are actually able to walk, they can help you transport Emma. Authorities are already on their way but they cannot enter the immediate danger zone until the villain threat is removed, as per protocol. That’s really all on Jimin to do. Ideally, he would have helped you evacuate the civs first and then engaged in combat like he does now, firing ice projectiles at the large metal machine, but he clearly isn’t thinking straight. Besides, it’s too late- he’s already engaged and preoccupied and the villain will work faster now that she knows there are heroes in the mix. He needs to stop the machine and restrain the villain. A glance in the direction of the carnage tells you that will not happen any time soon. “Emma, what I’m going to do is I’m going to help you walk. We’re going to try and see if we can find any others, but I don’t want to leave you alone. Do you think you can do that for me?” She looks like she very much can’t, but that is where your empathy comes in handy. You send out a wave of calmness towards her and then determination steels her gaze once more. She nods her head.

You loop an arm around her waist and she puts her arm around your shoulders as you help her to her feet.

It is slow-going, hobbling with this injured person, but you aren’t game enough to leave a civilian unattended with a doomsday device on a rampage barely a hundred metres from where she’s standing.

“Hydro,” You call into your comms device as the two of you hobble through the streets. If you can get her just a block away, you can probably leave her there and emergency personnel could begin administering first aid. “Update me on your status. Can you neutralise the threat?”

“Not yet,” Comes back Jimin’s static-y voice. “They’re putting up a big fight. Artemis I’m gonna need you here- there are civillians in the immediate vicinity and I need you to help them.”

You frown- you cannot take Emma with you but you can’t leave her there.

“I have something to tell you-” Emma says suddenly, eyes wide. You pause. 

“Hold on, ok? I just need to speak with my partner.” You quiet her before returning to speaking into your comms device. “I’m already clearing out the area. Maybe you should disengage and focus on bringing them to safety first?” You suggest to Jimin. Really, this sort of plan of approach should have been made before Jimin engaged. Perhaps you’d have more ability to evacuate civs if Jimin had been there to help. Neutralising the threat was meant to come secondary to removing all innocents from imminent danger, but Jimin in his anger had leapt straight into the ass-kicking portion of his job. You just hear static in the background- Jimin is too preoccupied to offer a response.

“Listen it’s really important that I- Over there!” Emma suddenly cries, interrupting herself with a startled cry and you look in the direction she’s wildly point in. It’s a young family- a woman desperately cradles her baby while her husband stands over her looking desperate and panicked. And then you realise the doomsday device is on a direct trajectory for them- it will run them over unless something is done.

“Hydro, red alert, red alert,” You cry. “The device is heading straight for a young family. You need to stop it! Disengage now, disengage now!”

“Affirmative! Taking action now!” Comes Jimin’s answer and you see an ice shield erupt in front of the machine. It is not enough though- it merely redirects the course slightly, but the ray gun is still pointing directly at the young family. You still don’t know what it does but you do not wait to find out.

You don’t think. You don’t plan. You drop Emma and race forward. You dive forward. Protect the civs is your mantra. The beam hits you in a concentrated ray.

The family remains untouched. They stare at you in shock. Then slowly it dawns on them what happened. You took the hit for them.

And then everything goes black. The last thing you are aware of is Jimin screeching your hero name in horror.

++

You wake up in a bed in the infirmary back at headquarters. You take stock of your injuries and realise you’re sporting of a lot of bruises and cuts that weren’t there before.

“You’re lucky,” you hear a voice call and you start violently. It’s just Jimin though, coming through the doorway with a bouquet of flowers in his arms. “It was a mind control beam. Not like a death ray or anything like that.”

You blink in confusion as you recall the events that lead to you waking up in the hospital bed. Your eyes knit together.

“A mind control beam?” You question. He nods, setting down the flowers in the table at your bedside. You can make out a card with Jin’s messy handwriting scrawled across it in their midst.

“Yup. Apparently she was trying to form an army to wreak chaos on the city or something,” He explains. “Which I suppose we would have known if I’d given us the time to evaluate the situation and do some recon.” The guilt is heavy in his voice. He settles into a chair beside you. He’s changed out of his super suit into some civilian clothes and he looks unfairly handsome. His hair is pushed back off his forehead from running his hands through it one too many times and his clothes fit him well. Will you ever be desensitized to his beauty? Probably not.

“So then… I was mind controlled?” You question. He grimaces but there’s something reserved and uneasy about it.

“Sort of. Apparently your refusal to do what anyone tells you to do is a very deep-rooted personality trait.” He tells you and there is a fond glint to his eyes as he recounts the story to you though it is diluted by the misery in his expression. “And so you put up a decent fight resisting it. Long enough for me to neutralise as many threats as I could. Uh… including the highly trained, combat ready soldier she had just hit with a mind control beam. Sorry. It wasn’t that gentle, taking you down.”

Well that would explain the bruises, then. Jimin had neutralised the threat- and while mind-controlled, you were probably the biggest threat. You nod, and Jimin raises his hand. You go eerily still as he pushes your hair off you face, revealing a large, purple bruise on your forehead.

“Never let me criticize your abilities again,” Jimin says, but his tone darkens with something. Perhaps guilt? “You can put up a fight when you want to. Anyway, once you were taken down and I knew it was a mind control beam I was able to focus on the important things pretty easily. And about the civillians...” He opens his mouth as if to say something but then he grimaces like he’s swallowed a lemon. “They’re all... They.... You see... They all came out fine.” He says, though he says it like the words pain him. Were you not still groggy with sleep and painkillers, you might have questioned him but as it is you miss his slight slip. “So everything worked out ok”

You nod awkwardly. Your hand is in a sling. You must have sprained your arm while fighting Jimin. His gaze darkens as he eyes your swollen wrist.

“I would tell you off for doing something as reckless as leaping in front of an unknown beam to protect a civ, but I feel like the blame lies with me.” He confesses. “I… I was off my game tonight.” He admits. “I leapt into things and acted recklessly and it got you and oth-” He aborts the sentence and clears his throat. “You got hurt and I’m sorry.”

The guilt pours off him so strongly you can sense it even without extending your empathy.

“I was just so… angry and hurt.” He admits. As much as you think it is important for Jimin to recognise what he could do better for his next mission, you are not a fan of the downward spiral you see him in.

“Jimin,” You say softly, and slowly. He lowers his gaze, shame painting his face.

“She called me useless.” He says in a low, broken voice. “My mother. She told me to get rid of you and when I refused she pointed out what a terrible hero I was. All the ways I’ve failed and all my shortcomings and she told me not to consider myself her son if that was how I was going to continue to perform.”

You are speechless as Jimin continues recounting the diner he’d had.

“And so when we got the distress call I was so determined to prove her wrong. But all I managed to do was screw up the mission and beat up my sidekick. I’m so sorry, (Y/N).” He cries. His voice cracks on the ‘sorry’ and so does your heart.

“Jimin!” You call urgently, reaching out with your uninjured arm to cup his face and force him to look straight into your eyes. He is surprised at the sudden movement and just stares dumbly at you. “Don’t beat yourself up. First of all, you’re an awesome hero and your mum is just trying to guilt you into doing what she wants you to do. Second of all, yeah, maybe today was a bust, but we’re only humans. Gifted or not, we’re gonna screw up every now and then. We have limits. Besides, I’m just as much to blame. I didn’t stop you from answering the call when I knew you weren’t in any state to handle it. We’ll just learn, Jimin. That’s why we start small. We’re working our way to the top in little steps, but we’re gonna get to the top. I can feel it in my bones, ok?”

For a second, he just stares at you, confused, and then his whole expression softens.

“You’re really something, you know that?” He says warmly. You grin.

Something in the air shifts between the two of you. You don’t know what causes it but suddenly the space that hovers between your faces is warm and tight. Why did you pull his face so close to yours? It’s suddenly hard to breath through the unnamed tension that thickens the air.

“Jimin,” You say slowly, as the smile slowly slides off your face. You don’t know what you planned to say next, because your attention is captured by his mouth. His lips are so smooth and soft looking. You like it best when they are curved upward in a smile, the kind that makes his eyes scrunch as they twinkle with delight. Currently they are pursed into a slight frown but the plush curve to them is still distracting. And you’re so focused on his lips that you miss the way that his gaze flickers downwards as well, anchoring onto your mouth.

And then he is abruptly pulling away, clearing his throat awkwardly and flushing bright head.

“Anyway,” He says, a bit more forcefully than the situation calls for. “Let’s get you home, ok? I’ll buy us some food on the way home to make up for my incompetence.”

You are too busy protesting his self-deprecation and so you don’t pick up on it on the journey home, but the flush never quite leaves Jimin’s cheeks.

The desire to kiss you never quite leaves him either.

[taexual]

HOLIC - 1 | jb x reader

gif creds to prdsverse

Strangers, united by their big dreams, try to learn to live together and lift each other up to reach their goals without losing themselves or their relationship on their way to the top.

pairing: Im Jaebum x Reader

genre: enemies to lovers au

warnings: some sexual themes

words: 2.8k

it took me months to prepare this story even after i did a poll. once again, thank you so much for voting on it, and i’m so excited to finally reveal the JB fic i’ll be trying to write! 😬 🙌

          prev / next

You thought you heard shuffling in bed next to you but you assumed it was just happening in your mind. Only two hours later, when you finally opened your eyes to greet your surprisingly empty bed did you realize that your guest from the night before had chosen to leave while you were still sleeping.

He wasn’t a complete asshole who bailed on you after having sex, though. He had left a note on your bedside table – the only remaining piece of furniture in your bedroom, aside from the bed itself, – but as soon as you read the dry words he had written, you started to wish you’d never seen the piece of paper.

               I had a good night. Thanks, x

“Thanks,” you read the last word out loud. “Well, you sure are welcome.”

Leaving without saying anything or even waiting until you woke up was really sort of awful but even that would have been better than leaving after writing a dry note as if to acknowledge that, yeah, he did have sex with you and he’s grateful you gave him a place to sleep for the night, but that’s it.

Should you have expected anything more? Not really. Were you still hoping he’d, at least, stay a little bit longer and the two of you could get breakfast and, maybe, fall in love along the way? Of course. You were as delusional as it was possible to get, apparently. But you couldn’t help yourself. This was your first one-night-stand, so, of course, you were hoping for some fairytale happy ending.

Groaning, you crumpled up the piece of paper and got out of bed. The saying “all men are the same” was something you tried to refrain from using but, damn it, it fit your situation so well. Although, rationally, you could understand that this was your fault, too. You recalled every unsuccessful date you’ve had as you put your robe on. Each and every one of those dates would have gone better if you hadn’t expected so much from those guys. If you had lower standards.

You glared at yourself in the mirror, blaming your own mind for deciding that having a one-night-stand would help you feel better. It didn’t. This was the first time you’ve brought a complete stranger home to hook up and it was absolutely the last one.

Walking to your kitchen, you accidentally kicked one of the many cardboard boxes in your house. Your whole foot stung as you limped to the kitchen and leaned against the island, hating this morning even more. Moving out was already stressful. Why did you need to sleep with someone on your last night in this apartment and then mess your mind up by imagining some unrealistic scenario about falling in love with your one-night-stand?

You rolled your eyes and started the coffee pot. Then, simmering in irritation, you opened your laptop that you’d left on the counter before you had gone out drinking with friends the night before.

“I need someone to share my stupid hopes with,” you mumbled under your breath, opening Facebook and texting the groupchat of your best friends a quick update on how your night went.

Then, you got your phone out and, pouring coffee into your favorite mug with one hand, texted your soon-to-be roommate with the other one.

You finished half the mug – and really considered blocking your friends for ignoring you when you desperately needed to talk – by the time Kiera, one of your friends, replied to you. Coincidentally, she was the only friend from your small group of four who wasn’t present at the night-out you had.

Kiera was too busy to hang out last night, but she was really curious to know what your one-night-stand had done to unleash such fury from you. However, she wasn’t content with your explanation of how he left after thanking you for a “good night” in a note. She wanted you to elaborate on the so-called good night itself.

You shook your head – she always wanted juicy details – and started to reply.

Your mind was immediately flooded with memories of the beautiful guy at the end of the bar last night. Hyojin, your other friend had pointed him out to you, insisting that he was your type. You were convinced that he only glanced at you because he felt you staring as you tried to decide how far out of your league he was. However, something about you must have attracted him, too, because a minute later, he was making his way towards you.

He did have a slightly cocky attitude but you were always weirdly drawn to arrogant guys. It must have been something about their confidence that attracted you. And, if you had to be honest, this guy had every reason to be confident. His face was a work of art – you didn’t need to be a photographer to recognize his beauty, but you did wish you had your camera with you – and his voice almost made you melt as he listened to what you told him, and responded with genuine curiosity.

This was where your Kiera interrupted your story with a confused emoji. She said that you had come across a guy who was boyfriend material, she could feel it from your texts. Apparently, these guys weren’t the type to have one-night-stands, so, she swore you’d hear from him again.

You scoffed. “Via pigeon post, most likely.”

You continued to tell Kiera about how he stared at your lips until he finally cut you off mid-sentence and asked if he could kiss you. You told her about how he couldn’t keep his hands off of you the entire taxi ride back home. You even told her how he pushed the boxes in your apartment aside so he could have you against—

Your phone buzzed suddenly and you flinched, the hot feeling caused by the memories of last night settling down in your stomach. You didn’t know why your heart dropped at the text message but you had to remind yourself that Kiera was wrong: your one-night-stand didn’t have your phone number. There was no way he could have reached out to you again.

And indeed, the text wasn’t anything exciting; it was just a message from your future roommate.

You sighed, disappointed for the second time today and it wasn’t even midday.

You hadn’t met your roommate yet but you were hoping you’d get to meet her as soon as you moved in. What was a better ice-breaker than you telling her about how a guy had sex with you and then – perhaps unsurprisingly – bailed while you were asleep. The two of you would bond over your mutual irrational hatred for the male specimen – because you knew she was single, too – and then you’d become best friends for life.

Maybe you were being naïve again because you didn’t even know her real name. Somehow, you never felt the need to outright ask her what her name was. You used each other screen names to communicate – you figured DEF had to be her initials – but you did try to make out her name from her signature on the online lease form. You didn’t succeed, though. In the end, nor her name, nor her face – she had a cat as her profile picture – mattered. You’d get to know her better when you moved in.

You already got to know her a little bit since you texted her number from an ad looking for a roommate a couple of months ago, but, since you never met face-to-face, you were slightly scared that talking in real life would have been different. This time, your conversations wouldn’t consist of questions about allergies, musical preferences, and ambitions.

Although, now that you thought of it, you and her were really similar. Both of you enjoyed the same type of music and both of you had big, rather ambitious dreams. You wanted to become a professional photographer, and she wanted to become a singer. Both of you knew that the chances of these dreams actually coming true were slim, but you both enjoyed dreaming about it together nevertheless.

In the end, you were hopeful that you’d enjoy living with her, even if you wouldn’t get to begin the friendship as soon as you moved in.

You got back to replying to Kiera, this time struggling to remember the feeling of your one-night-stand’s hands on you as vividly as before, but then your phone buzzed again, distracting you even more.

You smiled at this. It had to mean that she wanted to bond with you, too, so maybe you weren’t that naïve and delusional. You may have expected too much from guys but your girlfriends haven’t let you down yet.

You weren’t trying to hide your enthusiasm. Furniture shopping was always a sign of maturity in your eyes and ever since you moved out of your parents' house a couple of years ago, you were eager to move into your own apartment so you could choose all furniture yourself. Unfortunately, the first apartment you lived in – the one you were in right now – came furnished, so you’ve yet to experience the joy of choosing your own bed, closet, and chairs.

Actually, you still couldn’t afford to buy it all on your own, but living with a roommate had a lot of perks. Not only did you have someone to socialize with when you desperately needed a person to talk to, but you could also split the rent, the groceries, and even the furniture. This arrangement worked well not just for your social needs – however minor they were, –  but for your financial needs, too.

You really couldn’t wait.

The van you had rented came with three guys, two of which carried the boxes into the van for you – all while complaining about it, and thus fueling your hatred for the males today even more. The other guy was the driver who was, actually, really patient and kind, albeit a little too intrusive.

“So, why are you moving?” he asked you after you finally sat down on the passenger seat and all of you headed towards your new building.

“I graduated from college,” you said. “This was a small apartment, it only had one bedroom. I lived here because I wanted to stay away from the mess that is the dorms. I’m not into that life.”

“You had to work to afford to live in an apartment, though, didn’t you?” the driver asked again.

“I did,” you confirmed. “I waitressed at cafés mostly. I got a job that’s a bit more serious now, though, so now I can afford to live in a bigger place.”

“Any roommates?” he wondered.

“One,” you nodded. “Today will be the first time I’m meeting her.”

The driver glanced at you, surprised. “You’re moving in with someone you’ve never met?”

This was the question you’ve heard twenty times already. You had to admit, everyone who asked this had a point – you really were moving in with someone you barely knew – but, at the same time, you were very confident in this decision. Not even your parents’ warnings that you could end up moving in with a psychopath could steer you. Def was nice, you were sure about that.

“I am,” you said. “I’ve been talking to her for a few months and she’s really sweet. We’re very similar, so I know we’ll get along well. Or, well, I hope we will.”

“Alright, then,” he replied. “Best of luck to you. Make sure I don’t have to transfer your stuff back to your old apartment after you meet her, okay?”

You laughed at this, shaking your head and assuring him that this won’t happen. But, really, his words made you anxious, which was funny, since many people tried to prove to you that this was a bad decision, and yet a simple driver of a moving truck was the one who actually opened your eyes.

Maybe you became more aware of the fact that you were, essentially, starting a new period of your life blindly because you were seconds away from opening the door to this new life. Maybe the anxiety was a normal reaction. Maybe you’d have felt the same way even if you’d known the name or what your roommate looked like.

Taking a deep breath, you spent the rest of the trip focusing on how excited you were to meet the person you were about to live with. Finally, your late-night conversations about cats – she used to own five of them at once, apparently, and you’ve never heard anything more impressive than that – could come to life.

So, yeah, you were going to be alright. This would work out. No anxiety could dim the excitement of meeting your roommate.

The same two guys helped you carry the stuff up to your new place – well, “helped” was a stretch; what you really did was admire the hallways as you carried a little potted plant while they did all the hard work – but, this time, they complained less. Maybe because they finally realized you’d be paying them and wanted to suck it up to you in hopes of a tip. Well, aside from complaining, they really did a good job and all nine of your cardboard boxes reached the floor of your new kitchen within twenty minutes, even though the apartment was relatively high up and the elevator was, of course, broken. So, you felt like they deserved a tip.

Once you were left alone, you finally took in the new place. The décor was white mostly: white walls, white ceilings, grey floors. The built-in kitchen appliances and cupboards were also either white or grey.

There was one bathroom, a kitchen, a living room area – that was completely empty, –  and two bedrooms in the apartment. The bedroom closer to the exit had its door slightly open and you couldn’t resist peeking inside.

You didn’t see much. There was a mattress on the floor, a sad looking piece of paper – that must have fallen out of one of the black travel bags that were scattered there, –  and a guitar case. You hadn’t realized your roommate played the guitar but you should have probably guessed it. She did want to become a singer after all, so it was likely that she’d know how to play at least one instrument.

You closed the door – after noticing how few bags there were there in comparison to the boxes you’ve brought – and carefully began to drag your stuff into your bedroom. You were afraid to ruin the floorboards but you also didn’t want to actually lift the bags and carry them manually. Perhaps you should have asked the workers to bring your boxes to your new bedroom instead of just having them drop them all in the nearly empty living room/kitchen area.

As soon as the boxes with your books, clothes, shoes, and other necessities were in your room, you texted your roommate to let her know you were here and to subtly ask her when she’d be home. Then, while you waited for her response, you started to unpack the rest of the boxes that you’ve left in the kitchen.

You were halfway through the crockery box when she finally replied.

The domestic request brought a smile to your face. Finally, you didn’t have to worry about leaving the stove on when you went out. You could just text your roommate to check.

The fridge, as it turned out, wasn’t working at all. You panicked at first but then you realized it just wasn’t plugged into the electric cord on the kitchen wall next to it. You did that and texted her back.

She replied with a thumbs-up emoji and you placed your phone on the counter next to you so you could finish unpacking.

You had offered to bring the cutlery and crockery before you moved in, telling your roommate not to worry about any of it. Both of your parents worked for ceramic tableware manufacturers so, each Christmas, your family was gifted new sets of plates, bowls, teapots, and dishes you’ve never learned the names of. You had so many different sets by now that you could have eaten out of different plates every night for a whole month.

Once you finished with this box, you went through the boxes of cutlery and other minor home appliances. You laughed when you realized you had brought your blender, even though your roommate had already placed hers on the kitchen counter. It made you laugh even louder when you realized that both of your blenders were from the same brand and looked almost identical.

A couple of hours later, when you finished working on all the other boxes in the kitchen and moved on to the ones in your bedroom, you heard a key in the lock of the apartment door. Your stomach clenched in excitement and you felt yourself smile.

Your roommate was home.

Deciding to unpack the rest of the boxes later, you headed for the door of your room.

“Hey!” a voice called out. You froze to the spot immediately. “I’m home!”

Was it possible to be robbed on your first day in a new apartment? No, scratch that, it was possible to be robbed at any point in life, this was a stupid question. But… was it possible for a robber to announce that he was home before he stole all of your precious belongings? Because the voice outside of your door didn’t belong to your roommate. At least, not to the roommate you had imagined.

“Hey!” the same voice called out again. You felt yourself panic because the voice was most certainly male and it sounded familiar. “Are we playing hide-and-seek or something? Or are you not home yet and I’m talking to myself?”

With your heart beating out of your chest, you opened the door.

“Seriously, where are y—”

The words got caught in his throat as soon as he saw you walk out of the bedroom. To be honest, you almost forgot to breathe from the shock as well. Not only was your roommate a guy, but, as it turned out, you’ve also met him before.

“Jaebum,” you said, your eyes wide and clouded with confusion.

There stood Def. Your new roommate.

And your one-night-stand from the night before.

[katyakiryu]

An Unexpected Wrath, Part 7

Quinn couldn't pull his eyes off of them. So what if the Republic and Empire were engaged in an alliance to stop Revan? No matter how you looked at it, Asha'lie was staring at the SIS agent across the war table from her. It wasn't a murderous stare, but one that Quinn himself had looked at her with many times.

Theron Shan.

That was the one who had stolen her heart. Quinn was convinced that the Republic spy was up to something. Why else would he smile at Asha as soon as he noticed her gaze? He had to be leading her into a trap. She'd stride right into another betrayal. Surely Asha'lie knew that? That was her enemy that she happened to be staring at. And the son of a Jedi, at that!

Quinn was fairly certain that he was going to tear his own hair out. He was jumping back and forth between jealousy and worry and it was her fault! The world could end at any moment and she, as usual, was in the middle of it all.

"I suggest that we take a group in to storm the temple," Asha suggested. She walked around the war table, past Theron. Quinn pressed his lips together when the spy glanced down towards his left hand. "Those are Imperial guards in there. They'd have useful intel."

"Unfortunately, our troops are spread thin," Darth Marr disagreed. The masked, gruff Sith crossed his arms.

"Then I'll go alone. Just be sure to have a team ready to sweep after, I'd like to take captives," she compromised. Asha'lie circled back to the Empire's half of the table.

"Going in alone is suicide," a Republic soldier protested.

Quinn opened his mouth to snap at him, but Theron beat him to the punch.

"She's the Emperor's Wrath. That's the strength of an armada in one woman," the SIS agent chided. "I hate to say it, but you're the best option we have."

"Excellent. Meanwhile, about the Revanites around the outskirts," Asha'lie continued. Quinn glared across the table. She wanted him for tactical advice, otherwise he would be on the bridge. What good was he for advice when all he could think about how much he wanted to strangle the Republic SIS agent across the table?

Theron noticed his glare and returned it.

"Quinn. Quinn!"

Quinn ripped his angry gaze away to find Asha'lie lightly tugging on his sleeve.

"Are you alright?" She asked, frowning.

"Of course, my lord," he lied. "I was lost in thought, that is all."

The Sith gave him a gentle, understanding smile.

"I know that this is stressful. It is for all of us," Asha told him. He followed after her as she made her way down the crumbling, moss coated stone steps. "Still, I'm glad that you're here with me."

Quinn bit back an icy reply. He wouldn't let his fury with himself lash out at her. They'd made their choices. Nothing could make him start yelling. The situation was not her fault. He let out a discreet breath to calm himself. There was no reason to be angry.

"Hey, Commander, got a sec?" Theron called.

The galaxy was testing Quinn.

Asha'lie stopped and turned towards the datapad- wielding agent. A warm, affectionate smile broke out across her face. Was it really only a month ago that she had looked at him that way? Quinn bit his tongue and held his hands behind his back.

"I always have time for you," the Emperor's Wrath purred. Theron smiled and shook his head.

"There's some more data on the layout of the temple that I figured you might want," Theron explained.

"It's certainly can't hurt. Thank you, Theron," Asha said gratefully.

"No problem. See you later?"

"Of course."

Quinn slowly became aware of a sting on the palm of his hand when he was finally able to usher Asha'lie away from that damned Agent Shan. He glanced down to find that he had scratched it raw.

"Well, I'll see you in a bit," she told Quinn unexpectedly. He raised one dark brow.

"Shouldn't I accompany you to your objective, my lord?" He found himself asking. She kicked at a stray piece of stone. "The jungle is dangerous. Surely you aren't intent to travel through it alone."

"Didn't you hear, Captain? I have the strength of a Republic armada," Asha teased. "I'll be alright. Help with what you can."

"My lord," Quinn protested. She pushed a finger against his lips and silenced him with a pointed look.

"You worry too much, Quinn. If I'm worried about you getting hurt, I can't fight at my best," she explained. "I'll return before sunset."

With that promise and reassurance, Asha had walked to the speeder and vanished over Yavin 4's treetops. The captain sighed heavily. She was right. If she had to concern herself with protecting him, she'd fail.

Meanwhile, Quinn could do exactly what she had brought him to do-- lead and organize. Tactics. He shoved Theron Shan to the back of his mind and went to work.

Quinn didn't catch her when she landed. He'd thrown himself into his job as a man of the Empire. It was difficult to work alongside the Republic, but to his surprise, it worked. Asha'lie had strained to achieve that. To his surprise, he heard whispers of her accomplishments down in the jungle. Imperial or Republic, she didn't care. If someone needed something done, she would do it. The kindness she had once offered him on Balmorra a year ago had reignited the ambition he had lost. The warmth that Asha offered her soldiers and allies stirred determination. They were inspired. She was a force of nature who would lead them to success. Quinn found the men he worked with fearing less and less that Revan would succeed.

How could they fail when the Emperor's Wrath was on their side? How could they die when Asha'lie would do anything to protect them?

Quinn found himself unbuttoning the jacket of his uniform on the way back to Asha'lie's tent, which she had graciously offered for her crew to share with her. The humidity of the jungle was getting to him. The heat was far more bearable now that the sun was down.

Movement in the dark made him frown and squint. He couldn't stop the sigh that left him.

He found her sitting alone at the side of the cliff.

"My lord," Quinn greeted her.

"Hello, Quinn. I heard you did excellent work today," Asha'lie told him. He raised his eyebrows. She'd heard? From who? "Lana told me."

He was almost smug.

"How did your mission proceed, my lord?" He asked. She sighed and shifted in the darkness. It was an unhappy sigh that Quinn knew all too well. His smugness vanished. "You had to kill them?"

"Not all of them. I gave the survivor to Satelle over Marr," she explained. "You should have seen the looks I got."

"Did you acquire what we need?"

"More than that, actually. We'll be attacking Revan himself tomorrow."

Quinn briefly clenched his hand into a fist. Revan would be insanely powerful. Even with her skills, he'd be difficult to kill. The fight against Malgus echoed in his mind again. His eyes drifted to the scar on her cheek. It was a fight to resist brushing his fingertips along her skin.

"Why are you out here all alone?" He found himself asking.

"I needed some peace and quiet," Asha explained. She ran her fingers over the dirt.

"With Agent Shan?" Quinn questioned with more venom than intended. He cleared his throat as she pressed her lips together. "My lord, he is from the Republic. Whatever trist you have with him will have to end when this alliance ends."

"I know that," she sighed.

"Why spare him the attention at all, then? He's your enemy."

"Quinn, go back inside," Asha snapped. He opened his mouth to protest, but was stopped as she fixed him with an icy blue gaze. "Go."

"My lord, spare yourself more pain-"

"Quinn."

The captain bowed his head and walked away. Asha knew what she was doing. As much as Quinn hated it, he knew that with time she and Shan would be a mere memory. Still, he couldn't help but look over his shoulder at the shadow of the Sith that he had come to love. It wasn't just about his own jealousy. She'd have her heart crushed again if Shan turned on her. If she'd sunk into the dark side from Quinn's betrayal, who would she become if Theron Shan hurt her as deeply as he had.

Quinn watched as she pulled her hood over her head and tucked her knees to her chest. He stopped, gazing at her form with longing in his eyes. If there was one thing he hated most of all, it was that he no longer had the privilege of offering her the comfort she needed.

Damn his privileges.

Quinn began to stride back to her, only to stop as the familiar shadow of a certain Republic agent was cut out of the moonlight. The captain found himself stood still, frozen as he watched Asha'lie stand to cup Theron's cheek in the darkness.

That gesture was a thousand times more painful to witness when it was in broad daylight after Revan had been vanquished and the Emperor released. Quinn watched several unexpected goodbyes between Republic and Empire that day, but none was quite as radiant as theirs. He swallowed down the hard lump in his throat.

He was waiting for her to recoil as Shan's expression turned serious. He knew the grave words being spoken. The relationship was over, wasn't it?

Quinn's hands turned into fists behind his back as he watched Asha'lie's warm, bright smile shine. He watched her kiss the agent and ground his teeth. Shan cupped her cheek.

"Why do you do this to yourself?" Vette asked, startling Quinn from the quiet, seething rage that he'd been wallowing in. "You don't need to watch them. Are you trying to punish yourself?"

"Shut up, Twi'lek," he found himself muttering venomously. Vette sighed and shook her head. She walked away, only to look back at him.

"Both of you are ridiculous."