#what we do know is that three young children have been murdered and others have been wounded

[listen-to-the-inner-walrus]

.

[darkbluekies]

Make things right? Or make them worse?

Yandere!doctor husband (platonic to his children) x twin daughters ocs x female!reader

Summary: Dr Kry’s children finds out their fathers dark secret, and he's determined to silence them.

Warnings: toxic household, yandere, favoritism, guilt, poison, mentions of murder (things along this way)

A/N: I have created my own poison for this story, so I choose the effects. Lol.

Word count: 6.2k

“Bye, dad”, Lydia says and closes the car door.

Her twin follows out of the car, almost hides behind her like a shadow. Lydia frowns confusedly. She’s been more silent than usual this morning. They turn to walk into school.

“Girls”, Dr Kry says through the open car window, catching their attention. “I want you here at three sharp, okay? I’m not in the mood for waiting.”

“Yes, sir”, Lydia answers. 

“Good. Have a good day, girls, I’ll see you later.”

With that said, he drives off. Lydia turns to Nadia who finally raises her gaze from her feet. 

“What’s wrong?” Lydia asks and fixes her backpack. “You’ve been acting off all morning.”

“I have to talk to you about something”, Nadia says hesitantly and looks at her with uneasy eyes. 

Lydia blinked and frowned. “What?”

“I was meaning to talk to you earlier, but I didn’t want to do it when dad was around.” Nadia glanced at the other students swarming around the school grounds. “It’s about mom … and her sickness.”

For as long as they can remember, their mother has been bound to her bed by a rare disease. Thankfully, their father is a remarkable doctor and has been caring for her ever since the twins' birth. He works at a hospital in the city and travels forty minutes back and forth every day, dropping the twins off at school on the way there, and picking them up on the wayback. When they were young, they were put in a private school carefully chosen by their father — who has been very active in the administration.

Their father is a complex person. Although they’ve been by him their entire life, they still feel like they don’t know him. He rarely talks about himself, and seem to have a human side for their mother only. Very rarely, there’s a soft side for the girls … often they’re met by a doctor, rather than a parent. Despite that, Lydia has always been a daddy’s girl, while Nadia has clung to their mom for love and comfort. 

“What about it?” Lydia asks carefully. 

“I heard something …”, Nadia starts and licks her lips nervously. “I heard these noises, from mom and dad’s room-”

“Don’t tell me you heard them have sex”, Lydia grimaces. 

“No …” Nadia shakes her head, eyes shaking. “They were talking. Mom was crying and daad was standing by the bed, holding her cheeks in his hands like this …” She cups her sisters cheeks in demonstration, “...while saying: ‘you’re never going back there, I’ll never share you like that again’.” She shivers. “I-I don’t know what that was, but it made me feel really weird.”

Lydia frowns, trying to picture the scene in front of her. 

“Are you sure that it wasn’t just dad’s weird love language?” she asks carefully. 

“I don’t know”, Nadia sighs defeatedly. “Mom seemed … scared. She looked up at him with eyes full of terror. She could have had a nightmare or something, but dad’s voice- … it was awful. I don’t know how to describe it, but it sounded extremely dark.”

“We could try to ask her.”

“What if dad hears?”

“I could distract him while you ask, if that helps you ease your worry.”

Nadia smiles gratefully. “Thank you, Lyd.”

Lydia gives her an unsure smile and grabs her hand and they walk into school. 

Like Dr Kry had asked them to, they stand by the gates at three sharp. His white car rolls over and the two of them jumps in, Lydia in the front seat and Nadia in the backseat.

“How has your day been?” he asks and drives off. 

He always asks about their classes, teachers and friends. If there’s a small detail he doesn’t like, he makes sure to contact the school and let them know his thoughts. More than one friendship has ended thanks to his overprotectiveness and the twins has learned to dilute the truth enough for him to be able to swallow it. So once again, they answer in the way he wants to hear it. 

The car drives from the city, gets off the highway and enters a countryside road. The dirt road is divided in the middle with grass, creating enough space for the wheels of his white car to roll forward. Here, nothing can be heard except the sounds of distant birds. Their white, edwardian villa is surrounded by a deep, dark forest, close to a gigantic sparkly lake with the closest neighbor being a kilometer away. Despite the isolating upbringing the twins have had, getting away from the noisy, stressful city to the empty forest always cleanse their brains. 

The white, Scandinavian, edwardian aged, wooden villa appears behind the trees like a castle. The house has two floors with a green atticroof, and a bushy, blooming garden in the same color, two glass verandahs on either side of the house and a white fence around the garden.

The twins get out of the car. Nadia gives her a look and Lydia nods. 

“Dad”, she says. “I’ve been feeling a bit weird these last days … I think I’m going to be sick.”

“Really?” Dr Kry asks and frowns. He closes the trunk of the car. “Who have you been around? Are any of the other students sick?”

“A few.”

“Nadia, are you feeling bad too?”

“No”, Nadia replies.

“Could you please give me a check up?” Lydia asks. 

“Alright, come with me”, Dr Kry says and nods at her to follow him. 

While they walk inside, their father and Lydia walks to the living room and Nadia sneaks off upstairs. She moves carefully to their parents’ room and knock gently on the door before entering. Their mother, you, is lying in bed with a book in her hand. You look as weak as ever. Nadia shivers. 

“Hi, sweetheart”, you smile and puts down your book on your chest. “Did you have a good day in school?”

“Yes …”, Nadia mumbles and sits down on the side of the bed, unsure on how to start this absurd conversation. 

“What’s wrong, Nadia?”

“What happened yesterday? WIth you and dad?”

You flinch. Your smile disappears for a moment for it to appear quickly again, but this time in a fake manner. 

“Why did he say that?” Nadia asks carefully. “Why did he say that he wasn’t going to share you again?”

“O-Oh, that …”, you mumble with an embarrassed smile. “It was nothing, don’t worry about it. It was just some adult stuff that me and your dad were talking about.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, honey. Why? Did it make you worry?”

Nadia nods slightly. Y/N gives her a smile and takes her hand. 

“It’s okay, sweetheart, there’s nothing to be afraid of”, you reassure Nadia. “Whatever happens between me and your dad is nothing you have to be afraid of. We will always put you and your sister first, okay? There’s nothing you have to be worried about. I love you, darling.”

“I love you too, mom …”

You hug her, and Nadia hugs back, but she can’t help but feel that her heart sinks. Something isn’t right. 

The very next day when they’re left off at school, Nadia grabs Lydia’s arm. 

“Let’s go to the hospital”, she says the second their father’s car disappears behind the corner. She holds up a metallic key. “I have the key to mom’s old room.”

“What?” Lydia asks in confusion. “Why?”

“I have a feeling that mom isn’t really sick and I have to take a look around in her old hospital room. Something isn’t right!” She clears her throat and lowers her voice. “Mom and dad met at the hospital and that he was her doctor, that much we know, right?”

Lydia nods, trying to follow along. 

“Isn’t it weird that a doctor as professional as our dad decided to start a relationship with a patient like that?” Nadia asks, sounding unsure. “And wouldn’t he have done everything he could to make mom feel better? Shouldn’t she be better now? I just … I want to know if he has done something.”

“Do you really think he has?”

“I don’t know. I really don’t know. But something isn’t right, and I feel that. Mom seemed to be put on the spot when I asked her about the interaction I had overheard. She seemed scared.” Nadia grabbed her hand in hers. “Please, Lyd, can we go there and just take a look?”

Lydia hesitates and glances at the private school behind them, contemplating the consequences. 

“Please”, Nadia repeats. “If mom is getting hurt, I want to help her.”

“Okay”, Lydia nods. 

With that said, they hurry past the school gates before a teacher has the time to catch them. They take the first bus to the state hospital their father works at and hope that he’s with a patient while they sneak around. 

They hurry inside the hospital and keep their heads down to make sure that none of the working receptionists would recognise them and report to their father right away. They stay silent until they get into the elevator. 

Once out, they sneak over to the door. Lydia stands guard as Nadia presses the key into its lock. The click from the key opening echoes in the empty corridor. Nadia’s hand hovers above the door handle. Her heart twirls around uncomfortably. In a moment, she will be in the room where their parents met, where something happened that made their dad take the decision of stepping over the professional line. If that was good or bad is yet to be known, but she can’t help but feel worried. 

The room is empty, in more than one way. The spirits of old memories haunt the room and they leave a sour taste in the twins’ mouths. Lydia looks towards the bed. Their mother has been lying here for months with a sickness that has kept her bed bound for years. But what happened while she was here?

“What are we looking for?” Lydia wonders. 

“Anything”, Nadia shrugs and looks around. “Whatever that can help us is fine. Journals, reports, notes — anything.”

They start to rummage through drawers, in binders and notepads. Lydia finds herself holding a yellow paper binder with their mother’s name written on it, in their father’s handwriting. 

“Nad, look at this”, Lydia says and holds up the binder. 

They put the binder on the desk and start to pull out papers. Every paper is written from the top to the bottom in ink.

“He has documented her every day …”, Lydia says, perplexed. She shakes her head in denial. “Every single day, every single hour. Obsessively. Look, every little detail is written down. ‘12:35, eaten an apple’, ‘16:52, took a shower’, ‘22:30, called for me on the telephone’. What is this?”

Nadia picks up another paper, a smaller, clearly supposed to be hidden between the other sides. She puts her hand over her mouth as her eyes widens. 

“Oh no”, she gasps and drops the paper. “No, no, no, no …”

Lydia frowns, bends down and picks up the paper. Her heart sinks as she reads the note. It’s a single word, but they’re familiar with it. They’ve found bottles of it in the cellar and the attic multiple times, and when they asked Dr Kry about it, he answered that it was a substance to kill vermin.

“He’s poisoning mom”, Nadia whispers in horror and looks at her twin with wide, terrified eyes. 

Lydia feels the air disappear from her lungs. Suddenly, she feels nauseous. She sits down on the rolling stool and tries to control her breathing. Nadia sinks down on the bed with her head in her hands. 

“What the fuck do we do?” Lydia breathes out with her eyes staring dimly in front of her. She has never felt this empty before, this helpless. “What the fuck do we do now, Nadia?”

“W-We have to call the cops”, Nadia gulps. 

“The cops? Nad, he’s our dad!”

“But if he hurts mom …” Her voice dies out. “We can’t let him take more years from her.”

Lydia nods and wipes the few tears that have begun to run down her cheeks. With shaking hands, she unzips her backpack and shoves the binder down. They will need evidence if they have to prove to the cops. 

The door behind them opens. Both girls fly up from their positions and scurry over to each other. Dr Kry walks in and stops abruptly in the door. 

“What are you doing here?” he asks quickly. 

He’s trying to force a smile, but the red eyes of his daughters and the trembling bodies of theirs are all he needs to see, to know that they know. 

“How fucking could you?!” Nadia screams. 

Dr Kry hurries to close the door as she continues to shout through sobs. 

“What’s your deal with mom?!” she screams. “How can you keep her like this?! Where’s your fucking conscience?!”

She thinks that she’s going to explode in pure fear, anger and sorrow. Dr Kry clenches his jaw and sighs heavily. 

“Your mother is a very, very special person”, he says slowly, as if he is talking to a ticking bomb. “It is all a misunderstanding, girls, I will tell you everything at home. Come, we’re going home now.”

“We’re not going anywhere with you”, Nadia spits and stands in front of her frozen sister. 

“You don’t have to be afraid of me.” Dr Kry rolls his eyes when they don’t answer. “You’re my daughters, and you are not yet of age, you have to come with me.”

Nadia wants to refuse again, but she doesn’t want to leave her mother alone with him, not when he knows that they know. 

“Now”, Dr Kry decides. 

Nadia picks up Lydia’s bag and gives it to her sister. It looks like Lydia is going to throw up any second now. Nadia takes her hand and they follow their father out of the room, and out through a back door. For the first time, Lydia sits down in the backseat together with her twin. They hold each others hands tightly and keep silent the entire car ride home. 

“Girls, I never wanted you to see that”, Dr Kry sighs and tries to meet their eyes in the rear view mirror. “I- … It’s hard to explain. Your mother is a very special person who I’m very lucky to have met.”

Lydia squeezes her eyes shut, but she can’t keep him out of her head. 

When they come home, Nadia drags her sister into the house. 

“Girls, don’t go upstairs”, Dr Kry says in that same dark voice Nadia had heard him talk in a few days ago. “I want you to stay down here.”

They halt, suddenly too scared to move. 

“I want you to help me with dinner”, Dr Kry says. “Come on.”

The twins glance at each other. Lydia starts to drag her sister to the kitchen. They help in complete silence. Lydia’s hands are trembling while she cuts cucumber and it slips, cutting a slit in her finger. She yelps and drops the knife. 

“Oh, honey”, Dr Kry breathes out and grabs her hand. “You have to be careful.”

She doesn’t look at him as he washes her hand under the kitchen sink and puts on a bandaid. Her entire body is in fight or flight mode. 

When Dr Kry takes care of the final touches, the twins scurry up to their mother. Your face drops when you see them. 

“Why is he doing this to you?” Nadia asks thickly as she tries not to cry. “We found out.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry, girls”, you say sorrowfully. “I wish that you never had to know.”

“Why do you let it happen?” Lydia asks quietly. 

“I have no choice … I can’t do anything.” You lower your gaze and voice to an ashamed whisper. “I don’t have the energy to run away, and if I managed to, you’d be in danger and I’d be dead. Your father has the only antidote to his self made poison. It’s safer for everyone if I stay here.”

“But mom …”, Nadia whimpers, “... he’s hurting you.”

“I … I know, dear.” 

The door opens behind them. 

“Girls, dinner”, Dr Kry says shortly and nods towards the corridor. “Go downstairs.”

The twins turn to you, wanting you to make their decision. You give them a reassuring smile and they leave. You look at the man who has become your husband, much to your dismay. 

“Why did you let them find out?” you whisper with tears in your eyes. “You promised that they would never know!”

“I didn't think that they would.” He wipes the tears that roll down your cheeks. “I’ll fix this mess. Don’t worry, darling.”

With that said, he tucks you in and leaves to go downstairs. The twins have sat down by the dining table with their blank, staring eyes turned down into the table. Dr Kry sits down and start to eat, without seeming to care at all about the incidents that happened earlier. Nadia stares down into her plate with disgust roaring in her stomach. If she eats, she’s going to throw it all up in a matter of thirty minutes. She closes her eyes and sighs sadly. Lydia tries to eat a bite, forcing it down her throat. 

“Nadia, eat a little”, Dr Kry says. 

“I’m not hungry”, she mumbles. 

“You need to eat a bit. I won’t allow you to leave the table before you have eaten. Look at Lydia, she’s eating.”

Lydia feels her cheeks heat up as the attention turns to her. She’s suddenly embarrassed over obeying. Feeling exposed and naked under Nadia’s look of disbelief, as if she’s just broken a silent pact. But instead of saying anything, Nadia picks up her fork and takes a bite of the white rice. The twins can agree that this might have been the worst dinner they have ever experienced. 

Nadia puts her hand over her heart and clears her throat. There's a heavy feeling over her chest, something almost suffocating. She looks to the side, seeing how Lydia is frowning as well, trying to clear her throat. Nadia think that she looks like she’s going to faint. She wants to ask her how she’s feeling, but doesn’t dare talk in front of their father, afraid to start a conversation. 

After dinner, the twins decide to go upstairs, but their legs suddenly feel weak enough to break apart. 

“What’s going on?” Lydia whispers and grips the staircase railing. 

“I think that he put something in the food”, Nadia whispers back. 

“I feel really sick …”

She falls down on her knees in the middle of the staircase, still holding onto the railing. Nadia hurries to pull her up again and drags her over to her bedroom, lazily tucking her in. 

“Don’t leave me”, Lydia whimpers and grabs her hand before she can leave the room. “Stay … please. Don’t go. I'm scared.”

Nadia agrees, not wanting to leave. She climbs down under the covers of Lydia’s bed. They lay in silence and look up at the tilted, wooden ceiling. For every minute passes by, they’re growing more and more sick. Every muscle in their bodies seem to ache, twist and turn. 

“He’s doing it to us too”, Nadia whispers. 

They hear the lock on the door click and give each other terrified looks. Nadia stumbles out of the bed and feel the handle. She gulps in horror and turns back to the bed. 

“It’s locked!” she says and breathes out in shock. “He actually locked it …”

“Come back …”, Lydia begs and reaches for her. 

Nadia returns to the bed, crawls down under the covers and hugs her. She wraps her arms around her sister and rests Lydia’s head on her shoulder. 

“I’m scared”, Lydia whispers. 

“It’s going to be okay”, Nadia replies, although she doesn’t believe it herself. “We’re going to be okay.”

Dr Kry removes his tie, about to go to sleep. 

“I can’t believe you …”, you whisper from the bed, with her eyes down at her trembling hands. 

“Darling …”, Dr Kry sighs and turns around. 

You raise your tone, but keep it hushed enough not to exceed the bedroom walls. “You promised that they would never get hurt! You promised that they would never get exposed to this fucking substance!”

“They haven’t … yet.”

“Yet?! Don’t fucking tell me-”

“They figured it out, okay? They heard our conversation and decided to check out the hospital for themselves. I underestimated their intelligence … and their love for you.” He sighs annoyedly. “I’m not going to let their lack of understanding break apart our family — that I have fought so hard for. I put something in their food to keep them still for a while. It’s nothing dangerous, little one. I promise you that.”

“If I knew that you were going to break your promise-”

“I had to.”

He is about to caress your cheek, but hears sounds coming from next door. One of the girls is banging on the locked bedroom door, and calling for him. Dr Kry excuses himself and gets out of the room. He walks over to Lydia’s room, where the noise is coming from. Quickly, he unlocks, finding Nadia leaning on the wall right next to the door. Her eyes are full with tears. 

“What’s going on?” Dr Kry asks. 

“Lydia isn’t waking up!” Nadia cries.

Dr Kry feels his body turn cold. He runs over to the bed where his other daughter is lying on her side, and he soon finds out that Nadia is right — she isn’t waking up. He shakes her, gives her gentle taps on her cheeks and lifts her up. Nothing wakes her. He has to take her to the hospital. 

“Wait, where are you going?!” Nadia screams after him as Dr Kry carries her sister down the stairs. “She doesn’t want to be alone!”

“You have to stay here with mom”, Dr Kry says over his shoulder. “I’m taking care of Lydia.”

He hurries out of the house and quickly places her down in the back seat. Dr Kry’s usual forty minute drive to the hospital took only twenty five minutes this time. He picked her up in her arms and ran inside through the backdoor, and didn’t stop until their reach the room you have spent many, many months in. Dr Kry places his daughter down on the very same bed you have laid in. He placed an oxygen over Lydia’s mouth and nose, turning on the machine. He hasn’t felt this scared in a long time. 

Finally, after an hour, Lydia opens her eyes with a small moan. Dr Kry hurries over to the bed and removes the mask. 

“How are you feeling?” he asks her and brushes the hair out of her face. 

“I feel really sick”, she whimpers. 

“Do you need to throw up?” 

Lydia nods. Dr Kry picks her up again and moves her into the bathroom where she hovers over the toilet for ten minutes. Dr Kry holds her hair back and grimaces sadly. He does feel bad for putting her through this, but he has to. 

“There you go”, he says and puts her down on the bed again. 

“Why am I here?” Lydia asks weakly.

“You weren’t responding when anyone tried to wake you up. I got worried, so I decided to take you here.”

“Am I going to die?”

Dr Kry scoffs out a smile in a weird sensation of deja-vu. He has heard that question a lot, in the exact same tone and manner, but from the generation before her.  

“You’re not”, he reassures her and strokes her hair. “You know that I would never let anything happen to you.”

“Why am I feeling like this?”

“I put something in your food to make you and Nadia calm down, but you seem to have reacted badly to the substance … weirdly enough. Since you’re identical twins, i thought you’d react the same, but it seems like you are a bit more sensitive than your sister.”

“Nadia ate less than me.”

“Yeah, you might have gotten more substance in your body, which is why you feel worse. It’s going to be okay, I will not let anything happen to you.”

“But you hurt me.”

His smile drops and his hand stops stroking her hair. He knows that Lydia shares half of her mothers genetics, but he didn’t know that she would sound exactly like you. She has never heard you use these phrases, and yet Lydia has chosen the exact same wording that you have tortured Dr Kry with years ago. 

“I didn’t mean for you to end up here”, Dr Kry sighs and continues to stroke her hair. “That was my fault, I admit that. However, I had to keep you and Nadia a bit sedated because of how scared you were.”

“Why did you use so much?” she whimpers. 

“I was a bit shaky myself, I wasn’t meant to hurt you, Lydia.”

Lydia sighs shakily and sinks down in the mattress. She wants nothing more than to go back home, to Nadia, but at the same time she knows that if she goes back home, she will be locked in her room again. Continuing with life now that they know their father’s secret will be difficult. 

“How long do I have to stay here?” she asks quietly. 

“Until you’re feeling better”, Dr Kry replies and stands up. “For now, I think that you need to sleep. It’s late.”

That’s the last thing she wants to do. She has always been Dr Kry’s (not so subtle) favorite, and she has always had a preference for her father … but for the very first time, she’s afraid of him. She can’t trust him anymore, especially about her health. Being unconscious is the last thing she wants to do. 

“I don’t want to”, Lydia says pleadingly. “I’m not tired … please don’t make me sleep, dad.”

Please don’t make me sleep. Your voice echoes in his head, in the exact same tone. Dr Kry knows that he did a million things wrong when he kept you here, and now he has a second chance to fix things. 

“Okay”, he breathes out and sits down on his stool. “You don’t have to sleep, darling.”

Lydia gulps and looks around in the room, trying to imagine how you had felt while being here. She feels a heavy sensation over her chest, like a heavy stone. She couldn’t see the poisoned air purifier that was mentioned in the journal. 

“Did mom lay here?” Lydia whispers. 

“Yes”, he answers quietly. 

“How long?”

Dr Kry looks down at his nails, eyes faltering. “A, uh … very long time. Many, many months.”

She starts to look around again. “Where is the air purifier?”

“It’s not here … it broke, a long time ago. I had to throw it away.”

“Do you still use that kind of thing on mom?”

“No, I don’t. Not often.”

But he has his new way to make sure you stay.

Nadia runs her hand through her hair. Her poor sister. What should she do? Dr Kry left the rooms unlocked, which means that she can move around. She drags herself into your bedroom. You look at her with wide, nervous eyes. 

“Is she okay?” you ask and take Nadia in your arms. 

“I-I don’t know”, Nadia responds shakily while shaking her head desperately. “She wasn’t waking up and …”

“She’s going to be okay. I know your father can all of those medical stuff … maybe a little too well.” You sigh and caress the seventeen-year old girl’s face. “It’s going to be okay.”

Nadia shakes her head. “No fucking way things are going to be okay! He’s a madman, mom.”

“I … I know.”

“We can’t stay here.”

“Where are we supposed to go, Nad? We have no car, nearest neighbor is a kilometer away and we have poison in our blood. Sweetheart, we can’t walk far.”

“Mom, we have to leave. We can’t stay here with this psychopath!”

“Nadia …”

Nadia sighs frustratedly and hides her face in her hands. Something has to work. The farthest she has seen you walk is out to the garden when they’ve had picnic evenings. You take her hand, removing it.

“Sweetheart … you know dad loves you, right?” you ask carefully. You don’t want her to hate her him, after all he is her father … but you have to let her know the truth, no more living in the shadow.

“Fucking doubt it”, Nadia mutters. 

“He does. In his … own little way. But I need you to understand that he has sides that he hasn’t shown you … a-and I don’t want you to see those sides.”

Nadia’s face goes blank. You’re trying your best not to get swindled back into old memories, but thinking about that murderous side of Dr Kry brings you back to a time you much rather would want to forget. 

“Mom?” Nadia asks blankly and almost shouts in panic. “Mom! What sides?”

“He … He is a very patient man, but he can't take as much as possible, so please, whatever you do … cooperate.”

“What does that mean? Mom?”

Nadia goes cold. That’s it, she thinks, they have to leave. 

“Mom, get up”, she says and grabs the blanket before ripping it off. “Now. Before he returns.”

“Nad-”

“We have to try, at least. Please.”

You hesitate before getting out of bed. Nadia grabs your hand and try to pull you out of the bedroom, but everything around you seem to spin. Your entire body is heavy and aching in all the wrong places. 

“Nadia, wait”, you groan. “If I’m going to move, I have to move slowly.”

“Alright”, Nadia agrees. “I’ll go get some stuff and then meet you by the stairs.”

Nadia runs to her room to collect her wallet and hoodies for herself and her sister, then runs to get your jacket. She meets you by the stairs, helps you put your jacker on and then start to lead you down. You’re terrified of falling. 

“Nadia, I don’t think that this is a good idea”, you mumble and think back of your numerous escape attempts, all ending with someone losing their life. 

“We have to, mom”, Nadia pleads. “I can’t leave you here.”

“What about Lydia?”

“I’ll figure something out afterwards.”

Nadia unlocks the front door and leads you out on the glass verandah. You’re filled with fear. What if you can’t walk? What if you hurt yourself? What if Dr Kry finds out? Your body won’t be able to take his anger. Besides, you have barely left the house in eighteen years — apart from a few car rides here and there — what if the world has changed to something you don’t like?

“Mom”, Nadia says slowly. “It’s going to be okay.”

“I’m terrified”, you admit. 

“We will be okay.”

They start to walk along the dark countryside road. There are no streetlight this far out in the forest, but the moon lights up enough for them to see where the road is heading. 

“It’s been years since I was outside last”, you say. “I think the last time I was out walking was in the garden, last summer when we had that picnic.”

“Have you ever tried to run away from dad before?” Nadia asks. 

“I have”, you answer quietly. “A few times.”

“Did you ever succeed?”

“That depends on what you mean by ‘succeeding’, because I’m still here, aren’t I? But I got away a few times … the only problem was that he found me again.” You sigh, realizing that perhaps you shouldn’t have this conversation with your underage daughter. “Forget that. Where are we going?”

“We need to go to our neighbors. They have to help us.”

Nadia has only spoken to the neighbors a few times, because of how rarely they run into each other. 

They only manage to walk a hundred meters before bright, beaming headlights light up in front of them. Nadia wants to flee into the forest — in case it happens to be her father behind the wheel — but can’t seem to pull you with her. The car stops and to Nadia’s horror, her father gets out. 

“What the Hell are you doing?!” he shouts, sounding both angry and terrified. “Y/N!”

You freeze in your spot and seem to crawl together like a hurt dog, sounding like one too. Dr Kry runs over to you. Nadia watches in horror and starts to panic, wondering what she should do. Stay here with you and get caught in Dr Kry’s claws … or make a run for it to try to get help. 

“I’m sorry”, you shriek in fear. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry-”

Dr Kry hugs your shaking body in his arms and strokes your back, hushing softly.

“I know you didn’t come up with this stupid idea”, he reassures you. “Don’t cry, my dear, I'm here now. I know this wasn't your fault. I'm not mad at you. I’ll get you back home and I'll take care of you. It’s going to be okay.”

He helps you into the front seat. You don’t fight back in the slightest. Nadia looks back at the dark forest and gulps. Her eyes glues onto something in the backseat and realizes that he has come back with her sister! 

“Nadia, get in, we've had enough of these childish outbursts”, her father tells her. “Get in. Now.”

“Is she okay?” Nadia almost stutters and points at her sleeping sister. 

“She’s okay. If you don’t get in now, Nadia, I’m taking them both with me and you’ll never see them again.”

His favoritism has never been clearer, Nadia thinks. She can’t leave her sister … so she gets into the backseat. Nadia wakes her sister up and caresses her cheek. 

“Are you okay?” she whispers quickly. “Did he hurt you?”

“I feel okay”, Lydia whispers back. “Just … tired. I had tro throw up a lot and I think that he gave me some sleeping pills or something. I insisted on going home … so he let me.”

Nadia breathes out. She glances over at the front seat. Their father holds the steering wheel with one hand and yours with the other. 

“Please don’t cry”, he wishes. 

Nadia watches on in disgust. 

When they get back to the white villah, Nadia pulls her sister up to her own room and lays her down on the bed while Dr Kry takes you into the master bedroom. 

“Here you go”, Nadia says and tucks her in. “Are you okay? Do you need anything?”

“Some water”, Lydia says quietly. 

Nadia disappears downstairs to get a glass of water. She meets her father in the stairs. 

“Nadia, I’m not sure your sister will be able to leave her bed for a while”, he says warningly. “I wouldn’t try to leave, if i were you. If you do, I will take both of them with me, and you’ll never see them again.”

“Do you like to hurt your family?” she spits back. “What kind of sadist are you?”

“One to make sure my family stays with me. If you don’t want to end up in the same physical state as your sister and mother, you’re going to continue living as if everything is normal, got that? Go to school, come home, study, continue everything. No talking to anyone about this. Is that clear?”

“So everything as normal … but without Lydia?”

“Exactly.”

“Why aren’t you healing her?”

“Because I’m not going to let you, or anyone, take my family from me. Be glad that I’m still letting you live normally.”

Nadia glares at him and continues up the stairs. She holds the glass to Lydia’s mouth, watching her sip. 

“What now?” she whispers. 

“I’m allowed to continue living like normally … and you don’t”, Nadia says quietly. “I’m sorry.”

“But … but I don’t want to live like mom!”

“I know. I’m sorry, Lyd.”

The girl in the bed sighs sadly. Naida takes her hand and gulps. 

The coming weeks seem normal. Nadia goes to school, studies, returns to the villah, but nothing is the same. Without Lydia, there’s no use in being on top. She has no one to impress anymore. Her father is dead to her, and sucking up to him makes her sick. She barely talks to her friends anymore. They’re always asking her about Lydia, and why she’s not in school anymore. Nadia can’t come up with countless excuses … it’s easier to distance herself. 

Life doesn’t seem that bright and colorful anymore. Nadia can’t bring herself to be excited about things that used to interest her badly. Now, every day is a chore, something she wants to get done, until something happens … but she doesn’t know what it is. A death in the family? Someone saving them? Someone killing someone? 

Nadia walks out of school, seeing her fathers white car parked outside the gates, and him inside … waiting for her. 

[spacebarbarianweird]

Dadstarion prompt:

Caretaker takes the kid to a fair, playground, restaurant or shopping, just spending the day and having fun together

Ha! Take that. Pure fluff. What could possibly go wrong??

Synopsis: Tiriel and Astarion take Alethaine to a fair.

Tags: dadstarion, dhampirs, fluff, a snippet into the future

Another fluffy thing I have written! And there is also a snippet into the distant future with adult Tiri who hasn't inherited her mother's macabre nature!

Alethaine's age - 12-years-old

Thanks @themadlu for beta-reading!

Read on AO3

Masterlist

Headcanons

Guide on How To Skin Monsters

Tiriel stops at the daggers’ stall. All of them look rather dull and Tiriel decides to search for something better for Astarion. Besides, he prefers to choose weapons for himself and Tiriel can always get something else – a book, jewelry, or a shirt. He always huffs when she brings him gifts, but she knows he is grateful for those little reminders of her care.

“Looking for something?” A merchant, a halfling woman, asks.

“Nothing in particular,” Tiriel says.

The halfling is definitely in the mood for talking and starts gossiping about a feud between two noble human houses, a serious plague “originated by giants” and someone’s wife cheating with an ork.

“Oh, and have you heard? There was a murder in Secomber! The whole family was slaughtered and by whom? A dhampir!”

Tiriel takes her eyes off the daggers.

“Yes! A half-vampire! Can you imagine sleeping with a vampire? But I think their mother was assaulted. Anyway, the dhampir grew up and slaughtered the whole family! Those half-undead are merciless cruel creatures, and they say there are so many of them!”

“Yeah… cruel monsters they are,” Tiriel mutters.

She heard of the slaughter, but there were no dhampirs or vampires involved. Just a young man possessed by a dryad. He was hanged a week later, but someone started spreading rumors his mother fucked a vampire and that’s why her child grew up so bloodthirsty. 

Tiriel feels pale hands hugging her waist from behind. Alethaine presses her face against her back – she is 12 but she is still cuddly as a little child.

“Oh, is this your daughter? Such an adorable little girl. How old is she?”

“Alethaine,” Tiriel touches her fingers.

“I am twelve,” she says, trying not to betray her fangs.

“Oh… I am sorry… didn’t notice she was an elf.” The merchant apologizes and then proceeds  to tell other gossip.  

“Have a nice day,” Tiriel says, taking Alethaine’s hand.

“You too! And beware the dhampirs!”

“Beware the dhampirs my ass,” Tiriel says, moving further away from the obnoxious halfling.

“I can bite her,” Alethaine suggests. She is twelve, but elves mature slower than humans and half-elves and Tiriel notices her daughter sometimes behaves like a younger child.

“No, we are not biting people we don't like.”

“Dad wouldn’t mind if I bit her!”

“Hm, good thing it’s daylight then!” Tiriel rubs Alethaine’s ear. She knows her daughter too well not to notice the merchant’s words upset her. 

Cruel merciless creatures? Alethaine cries her eyes out every time someone dies in the books she reads! Well, she mostly sympathizes with dragons and monsters – but also with orphan children, victims of arranged marriages and curses. 

And little dead animals. 

Little dead animals are a whole different story. It’s been three years, but Alethaine still feels sorry about an albino kitten killed by a stranger. The dhampir accidentally resurrected the pet and now Tiriel and Astarion also face the issue of raising a necromancer.

“Hey, don’t be sad!” Tiriel leans to a little dhampir. “Do you want anything?”

Alethaine doesn't answer. She stops by the book stall completely enchanted by a huge black volume covered in leather. 

How to Skin Monsters.

Aletaine immediately flips the pages, and Tiriel sees intricate and creepy pictures of the insides of different beasts and monsters. She’d fought many of them in her lifetime (beholders in the Underdark are still one of her worst memories), but never ever did she want to look at their remains, let alone study them.

“Hey, don’t touch it!'' The merchant tries to take the book away from Alethaine’s hands, but the dhampir keeps holding it with her iron grip. “I think this book is rather dark for a little lady like you.”

“Mum, look, the cover is made of human skin,” Alethaine casually says. “No. It’s half-elf actually.”

“No it isn’t!” The merchant protests. “It’s… wolfskin!”

Liar, Tiriel realizes. She has good perception skills, and the merchant lies. And the dhampir necromancer has already passed the verdict. 

Alethaine puts the book away and takes another one – a green volume with letters in Espruar. 

“Is it just a collection of stories or the real guide on Feywild?’” Alethaine asks. “People who have never messed with fey write all sorts of fairytale stuff about pink unicorns and fairies who grant wishes.” She opens the book which is written with trembling handwriting. “Oh, I see. Looks like a feverish nightmare. So the writer has been there.”

The book merchant looks at Tiriel with a facial expression she knows too well. 

What crypt did you find this child in?

“I have some ballads and traveler guides. Maybe...it is more for your age?” he asks

“Travelers guide on what places?”

“Icewind Dale, but it’s a rather uncomfortable read…”

“I’ve read about Icewind Dale,” suddenly something else attracts her attention and she points at a small book with a dragon on its cover. “Show me this!”

The merchant sighs in relief and reaches for the storybook. Tiriel looks at the pages – even though she still experiences issues with reading, she sees that it's just an adventure story about knights, princes, dragons, and treasure hunting.

Something her daughter stopped reading when she was five or six.

“I will take this too,” Alethaine declares.

“Eighty silver for all three,” the merchant says.

Too much, Tiriel thinks. Alethaine frowns but doesn’t try to bargain. For some reason, she is very shy when it comes to arguments.

“Thirty silver,” Tiriel intervenes. “And we are not telling anyone about the half-elf skin you’ve bound the book with.”

“It’s not made of anyone’s skin!”

“I can hear her screams,” Alethaine whispers, flipping the book pages. “They flayed her when she was still alive!”

The merchant gulps. Tiriel chuckles. So, this is true and the merchant knew it.

“All right. Thirty,” he mutters and Alethaine happily gives him the silver coins. 

Alethaine puts the books in her black bag and wishes the merchant good night. The man mutters something not appropriate for children’s ears.

“Did you catch the scent of the skin or it’s more like your necromancy skills?” Tiriel asks, taking her daughter’s hand as they stand by the stall with needles and threads. 

She shrugs. “I-I don’t know. Maybe both.”

“Do you know if Dad needs something to sew?” Tiriel still can’t really tell apart shades of the same color and all needles look the same to her. 

“Take the black threads,” Alethaine says, touching the samples of fabric. “He’s always out of them.”

Tiriel nods. She doesn’t know why and when Astarion decided to make all his daughter’s wardrobe black, but here they are. Alethaine got from black onesies to black dresses, from black nappies to black skirts, gloves, and coats. Only her shoes and boots aren’t made by Astarion - and they are as pitch dark as everything else.

A few hours later, at sunset, they sit on the grass outside the market. It’s a beautiful summer sunset and Tiriel adores the light. Alethaine sits on her traveling cape and takes out one of her new books. 

“Interesting?”

“Uh-um,” she nods, completely taken away.

Tiriel smiles to herself. She’s never been a stranger to violence and dark things – if you faint at the sight of a blood sacrifice, you won’t survive in the wilderness. But having a child like this takes everything to another level.

Death, dark arts, corpses – they have  a special appeal to Alethaine, the same one Tiriel feels towards fights.

The sun sets and Tiriel sits beside Alethaine. Darkvision allows her to see in gray colors and Tiriel sees a picture of the monster inside.

“All right, now I understand who all these people were who hired me to bring them certain parts of the beasts I killed.”

“Dad is coming,” she says. “Or another vampire, but I think Dad scared all of them away.”

Tiriel smiles. “Good thing vampires hate the presence of each other.” She stands up and approaches the edge of the hill. Yes, Alethaine is right – Astarion has left his daylight shelter in the nearby inn. She can see his silhouette from the distance – white hair and black armor she can’t mix with anyone else.

She waves to him and he quickens his steps. 

“Hello, darling,” he murmurs in her ear the moment he hugs her. Astarion pecks her cheek and Tiriel rubs his left ear.

“Dad! Look what I’ve bought!” 

Tiriel thinks Alethaine will show him the anatomy book, but, instead, she hands him the adventure story.

Astarion studies the first page, then another. Tiriel watches them carefully.

“I just don’t get it,” Alethaine admits. “Is it about how to enter the thieves’ guild or how to smuggle drugs?”

“None,” Astarion returns her the book. “It’s about how to find a job as a bounty hunter in Neverwinter.”

“Oh, I misread the symbols then,” Alethaine pouts.

“Wait, the book is in Thieves Cant?” Triel asks.

“Yes. Hidden deep under snotty stories,” Astarion answers. “And what are these two monstrosities?”

Alethaine proudly opens the anatomy book as Astarion studies the Feywild one. Tiriel barely prevents herself from laughing as she sees Astarion cringing at the pictures. Vampire or not, he saw so many disgusting and cruel things he hated looking at them. 

Then Alethaine yawns. 

“Let’s go home,” Tiriel says. It will take them till sunrise to return to Daggerlake. If they don't hurry they will need to set up a camp for the daylight - or leave Astarion behind which Tirel absolutely hates to do.

It’s not like it’s a big deal right now – thirty-two years since he gained his freedom, he has nothing to fear. More than that, Tiriel is sure there is simply no other monster in the area who could be a threat to Astarion. He is a vampire, an undead, a skilled rogue, a dangerous assassin.

But when he is alone, the nightmares slowly crawl back. The loneliness fuels his memories and there are so many of them. Thirty-two years are simply not enough. Astarion can handle that too – he’s learned to. But Tiriel doesn’t want him to face mental struggles if it can be avoided.

Alethaine walks in front of them and Tiriel takes Astarion’s hand in hers. They are her little family – everything she’s ever wished for. 

She looks at Astarion and notices his lips are squeezed and there is some anxiety in his eyes.

Hunger.

“Go for a hunt, we will wait for you”.

“Nonsense, let’s return home sooner.”

Tiriel doesn’t push it. They agreed years ago that Alethaine isn’t to see him dining on her mother (because it’s absolutely a sexual thing and must remain behind closed doors) and also that she shouldn’t see him feed on animals (because her dhamprisim might get awoken – blood will tempt her and they don’t want their daughter to become more a vampire then she already is).

Of course, she isn't stupid, she knows her father drinks blood. She often sees bite marks on Tiriel when she forgets to cover them – but the process remains out of sight.

It’s already sunrise when they reach Daggerlake and Astarion walks forward not to risk staying in the sun.

By the time they return home, Alethaine rushes upstairs to prepare for sleep. She sleeps a lot, even more than a human would – and Tiriel wonders how much dhampirism affects her sleeping habits.

“So, is the book really about how to be a mercenary?” Tiriel asks closing the door to the bedroom

Astarion has already put off his doublet and now sits on the bed watching Tiriel.

He waits.

“Yes. It was a guide on how to find people who will give her a job as a mercenary,” he slowly answers as if he had to concentrate on speaking. His eyes are focused on her neck. 

“And can she read this book?”

“She thought it was about smugglers and thieves. Her skills aren’t that good.”

Tiriel approaches Astarion and he tugs her closer, forcing her to sit on his lap.

Astarion is no longer a sweet caring elf – his predatory side is on the loose and he pierces her skin with his nails as the fangs are looking for the vein.

Tiriel wraps her hands around his neck and lets herself drown in painful pleasure. 

“Take as much as you need,” she murmurs. “I love you.”

She feels like falling into the warm dark void and, when she almost crosses the border of no return, the tender hands let her go and she finds herself on the bed with Astarion carefully applying a bandage on her fresh bite mark.

“Thank you,” he says, kissing her with his blood-stained lips.

“Will you stay with me when I sleep?”

“Of course,” he chuckles. “Besides Alethaine has occupied the bathroom – she isn't getting out any time soon”

“Oh… and I forgot…” Tiriel points at her bag. “I’ve bought you some black threads and new needles.”

Astarion kisses her cheek. “Such a caring and thoughtful wild girl. Now I have something to occupy myself with while you are asleep.” He takes her nightshirt from the floor. “Do you have anything in mind? I noticed you’ve ripped it.”

“Me? Astarion, you rip my clothes all the time!”

He unfolds the shirt showing the ripped collar. “Yeah, I agree. My fault. So, what patch do you want?”

“Maybe a dragon? A black one?”

Astarion covers her with a blanket – the one she uses when she sleeps alone – and sits on the floor with the shirt and the needle.

“I have a daughter who likes seeing monsters’ inside-outs and a wife who likes murdering monsters. Can someone in this family enjoy nice and cute things?” He pouts.

“Imagine Alethaine having a child who enjoys such things. She will pout then, ‘no one in her family has taste for macabre’”.

Astarion chuckles, and Tiriel wraps herself in the blanket. 

Safe. She feels safe. 

And loved.

**

Sewing has always helped Astarion to concentrate. It’s been centuries since he needed to shut the darkness up. Memories of his enslavement, memories of the misery have faded away and feel like a distant nightmare. 

But habits never truly go, and Astarion enjoys sewing patches and repairing clothes even though the old purpose of that process has long gone.

“You know, for someone who is an elf and was raised as an elf, you are very messy,” Astarion says looking at the ripped cape. It looks like it was chewed by a tarrasque.

“It’s not my fault! I was careful!” Tiri objects. She is making new arrows (as she lost the whole quiver while running from a particularly nasty behir in the Underdark the previous day).

Astarion chuckles. Tiri, his granddaughter, showed up at his place deep in the Fairgheight Range five years ago. Red-haired like her grandmother, she was eager to see the world beyond the Isle of Evermeet – and she still doesn’t show any desire neither to return to her parents nor leave him be and travel alone. 

“What patches do you want?” Astarion asks and takes his sewing kit from the traveling sack. 

“Well, I am an adult independent woman…” Tiri starts.

“You are thirty and you are an elf. You are basically a child.”

“Hm, you were a magistrate and mum would work for smugglers using her necromantic skills. Barely a child activity.”

“So?”

“I want a unicorn patch,” Tiri finally admits. “Or a butterfly. Don’t laugh, ar’o’su!”

“I don’t, damia,” Astarion finds white threads. “Besides, Alethaine has never been fond of cute and nice things.”

“Mum has her own idea of what is nice and what is cute,” Tiri touches a thin tiara on her hair. While all Tiri’s clothes are made according to Wood Elves traditions, her father’s ancestors, the tiara is pitch black and with a small skull in the center. It definitely belonged to Alethaine and then she just passed it to her only daughter. 

Tiri puts the new arrows on the ground and lies on her bedroll to reverie. Her drake, Aurix, immediately nestles on her chest like a cat.

Astarion casts a glance at his granddaughter. She has a certain similarity to Tiriel – and Astarion knows she would have loved her. But half-elves have such an offensive short life span in comparison with elves she had no chance to see little Tiri. At the same time, her facial features are her mother’s and sometimes she speaks like her. There is something else, something unfamiliar – Tiri’s father and their ancestors.

And she loves cute and nice things - and cringes at the sight of monsters’ inside-outs. Necromancy scares Tiri and she admits she’s never been to her mother’s dungeons just because of how uncanny it was for her.  And elves would often joke that their “witch-queen” just kidnapped Tiri because no way someone like Alethaine could give birth to such a sweet young woman. 

Astarion pierces the fabric with the needle.

“Well, so be it, a unicorn.”

-- Tag list

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@astarion-imagine-archive  

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@ednaaa-04  

@dajeong

@wilteddreamsofbaldursgate

[justmeinadaze]

Children of the Night Part 9 (Steddie X You)

Warnings: Daddy Vampire Eddie/Switch Vampire Stevie and Sub Human/Vamp Fem Reader, SMUT, dp, dirty talk, light spanking, light choking, blood drinking (obviously), slight roughness but more passionate, FLUFF, these three weirdos love each other so much <3.

ANGST, ANGST, ANGST!!

Domestic abuse and Child abuse triggers (we learn everything about the reader here including the abuse she's gone through including gaslighting and physical abuse) It's briefly touched on how the police didn't help her. Personally I felt like this added to her mistrust of authority like that mixed in with how law enforcement handled everything that happened with Eddie in Hawkins.

S4 things are touched on including Chrissy and what happened with Lucas, Erica, and Gareth. Brief conversations with readers mom, Wayne, and Mr. Harrington (the latter being an asshole of course). I think that's everything. The main thing I wanted to focus on was the abuse triggers. I know that can be triggering especially since some of the dialogue with the mother is lifted from things my own abusive parent said to me.

Love you guys! Enjoy this final piece.

Series here/ Buy Me a Coffee :)

Word Count: 7400

StokersGirl86: “Oh my god. I’m so excited. What do you think they are going to do?!”

Dannyalwayshere1: “I imagine it’s going to big after everything going on in the news right now.”

Minaismygirl: “Eddie better release Y/N so she can come find me. I can take care of her!”

StokersGirl86: “Oh please. You really think she’s innocent in all this?!”

StokersGirl86: “She was a fan just like us. No matter what her criminal mom preaches on tv.”

LivingDeadBoy24: “Like mother like daughter :P.”

Living DeadBoy24: “Maybe Eddie will sacrifice her the same way he did Chrissy Cunningham. I’ve been reading about what happened. It’s amazing.”

Justice4ChrissyCunningham: “You all should be ashamed of yourselves! An innocent girl was murdered and another may be kidnapped! They don’t need to be put up on a pedestal. They need to be behind bars!”

Dannyalwayshere1: “I see you think Steve Harrington is guilty to?”

CaliforniaPD: “This is the California police department and currently we seem to be having trouble disconnecting this stream. That being the case, we do highly recommend that everyone log off this site and do not engage.”

VampQueen91: “Yeah sure. Nice try whoever you are. I thought the police already had their location. Yet they can stream??”

Minaismygirl: “Because California PD sucks lol But who knows, maybe they just need them to stream to catch them…”

The video feed begins counting down and as soon as it ends three faces illuminate everyone’s screens. Both men were shirtless with hair frayed every which way as their black eyes starred into the camera with a small smirk painted on both their lips. 

“Hm. I see everyone’s here and already has opinions.”, you growl as you quickly take in everyone’s words that flew across the screen. “We wanted to come on today to set the record straight about a few things. First and foremost, Edward Munson and Steven Harrington are dead. YOU killed them when you placed blame for something they didn’t do.”

Justice4ChrissyCunningham: Edward Munson murdered Chrissy in his trailer in cold blood. 

“Oh, sweetheart. I can’t imagine how much you must be hurting, Andrew. You lost three friends in the span of a week to such odd circumstances. Of course, it would just be easier to blame Eddie. It’s the only thing that would make since right? Not that some other man come in and hurt her.”

Justice4ChrissyCunningham: I don’t know who you think I am but—

His picture suddenly flew up onto the screen for everyone to see. 

“Normally I’m not one to display people’s personal business this way but after everything I’ve read and the things they told me, you can go fuck yourself. I see here while Eddie was missing you and Jason Carver assaulted a young man named Gareth in his garage. Police report says you and your friends jumped them while playing hero; broke the young man’s nose.”

The long-haired vampire growled deep from his chest at the accusation. 

“It also looks like in March of 03, you tackled a middle schooler and threatened to break her arm if she didn’t tell you guys where Eddie was. That seems to be the same night Mr. Carver also beat up a young man while he was trying to protect his girlfriend. Hm. How odd that you were there for the last few deaths.”, you muse as you glance towards Steve who continues to glare forward.

“The night Steve went missing his blood was found mixed with two other jocks about your age. Friends, Andy? He tells me they were there to hurt him because he missed the man he loved. Kind of seems like violence is normal for athletes in Hawkins. Maybe that’s why Chrissy felt more comfortable with Eddie. I can’t imagine how angry that made Jason feel. Maybe angry enough…to kill?”

The count of people in the stream both drastically dropped including Andy and then suddenly increased with a new flux of people. 

California PD: “Miss Y/L/N if you are in danger we can help you. 

“I don’t need your help. I’m not a hostage with these men. If anything, I was a hostage growing up with the mother that you all so quickly rallied behind including you, Officer Williams. I spent my whole life dealing with people like you. Willing to believe any narrative that fit your agenda. I have been beaten and abused by almost everyone in my life but these men have done nothing but love and protect me! And you want to punish them for that?”

California PD: “Last chance Y/N. Tell us where you are and we can save you.”

“I told you… I’m safe right here…with Renfield and Dracula. My name… is Mina.”

With that both vampires bared their fangs and bit into either side of your neck.

##############

2 Weeks Before

Eddie didn’t say a word as he got up and angrily stomped back towards the bedroom. 

“Baby, please.”, you pleaded as you watched him pull out the suitcases from their closet and throw them on the bed. “We had to have this conversation at some point—”

“No, we don’t. The answer will always be the same. No. Fuck no. Hell no. Take your pick.”

“Why?”

“Because I fucking said so. Now, start packing your shit because we are leaving in 30.”

“No.” The vampire paused as he slowly turned to face you. “No, fuck no, hell no. Take your fucking pick.”

Stalking towards you, he stopped till his nose was hovering just above your own.

“Get you shit and get ready to leave.”, he rumbled.

“You sound like John right now. You don’t command me, Edward.”

“Yes, sweetheart, I do. That’s what you agreed to, remember? You and Steve are mine—”

“In bed.”, Steve interrupted, coming around the corner. “In bed we belong to you. She’s still her own woman and is allowed to make her peace. Let’s hear what she has to say.”

“Steven, you and I didn’t have a choice. She does—”

“So you’re going to make it for her?” The long-haired vampire’s jaw clenches as he places his hands on his hips. “You’re right, I didn’t have a choice which is why we never had to have the conversation she wants to have but I always thought about it. If I was still human, you would have remained the same and I would have grown old. We would have lost each other again…”

Eddie’s glassy eyes glance his way as he sighs and takes a seat on the bed.

“After the last time she left and we didn’t have her…I’d rather not experience that now or even 50 years from now.”

“I guess we know what your vote is.”, he sasses. 

“I think we can do this in a controlled way so what happened to us doesn’t happen to her especially since we would be doing it without her being hurt or wounded.”

“Fuck. O-Ok but I do it and we can change her after we get where we are going—”

“There’s no rush. I genuinely don’t believe they know where you are and are banking on us streaming again but we can find out. I can find out which guys are working the case and go through the digital file. I didn’t do it before because I didn’t want to put us at risk if I didn’t have to.”, you respond as you sit beside him. “I…I also think we should stream you changing me—”

“That’s a fuck no and I’m not budging on that. I don’t care what you both tell me.”

“I actually agree with him on that one, honey.”

“No, no. I mean we should do this together privately but make our fans and police believe you’re changing me. It will keep them invested to keep the revenue coming no matter where we go and show the police that we aren’t afraid of them. We now know that we can suck each other’s blood so…”

As Eddie sighs again, you wrap your arms around his shoulders and kiss his cheek. 

“I love you, Eddie. I trust you and I know I’m safe with you; both of you.”

Turning to face you, he kisses your forehead and holds you to him. 

“Do what you have to do, babe, and we’ll start getting things together.”

***

While the guys packed and ran out to grab some extra blood packs, you did some research into the people hunting for you three. You were right that they hadn’t found you yet but they were getting closer. One of the officers grabbed one of Dustin’s pings he created and traced it to the next town over. 

“Hey pretty girl.”, Steve cooed as he slumped down onto his knees beside you. “What did you find out?”

“We’re still ok. They haven’t found us yet and from what I see here they most likely need us to stream again. Now this is a new development.”

Moving the mouse, you click on the news website in the background and play the clip you stumbled on earlier that day. 

“So you say, Mrs. Y/L/N, you saw Y/N with Mr. Harrington and Mr. Munson?”

“Yes! Oh my goodness.”, your mother sobbed. “She came to visit me in the hospital because I was sick. She was always such a sweet girl. They threatened my life and then dragged her away. They are awful people.”

Feeling your anger, Eddie swished into the room as the other vampire petted your head. 

“If you could say anything to your daughter, what would it be?”

“You monsters let my baby go! I love you, Y/N! So…so much…I can’t…”

“That’s not all I found.”, you whisper, clicking another link and pressing play. 

“Mr. Munson! Mr. Munson! How do feel about the content your nephew is posting? Do you think he’ll kill Y/N like he did Chrissy?”

“Get off my property! My nephew…my nephew is dead. Haven’t you and this town sullied his memory enough!”

“Police seem to have strong evidence that this is Edward Munson.”

“Well, if he is alive…I hope he stays away. He can be happier with Steven away from these fuckers!” Eddie’s uncle pauses before entering the house the reporters were following him to. “I also want him to know that I love and miss him. I hope your happy, son.”

Steve grabs his partner’s hand as his stoic features faulter and tears begin to slowly fall that he quickly wipes away. 

“Mr. and Mrs. Harrington! Anything to say about your son?!”

“We’ve made a statement already! Go away!”

The vampire’s eyes narrow at the sound of his dad’s voice. 

“You really don’t think that’s your son in the videos?”

“I know for a fact that’s not my son. No son of mine would engage in that behavior nor be in a relationship with a freak like Edward *beep* Munson. Now leave us be so we can grieve our son in peace!”

“I’m sorry.”

“No reason to be, honey.”, he sighs shaking away the frustration. “We, um, got some more blood and we got you some more clothes. We found a house up north; I just need to—”

Eddie’s lips cut his boyfriend off as he cupped his face in his hands and pulled his body closer to his own. When he finally pulled away both boys were panting heavily. 

“I love you, Steve Harrington.”

The pretty vampire smiled softly as his fingers lightly moved some of the other man’s hair out of his face. 

“I love you to, Eddie Munson.” His mouth gently kissed him again as he began to sing making the metalhead breathily chuckle. “I’d give up forever to touch you. Cause I know that you feel me somehow.”

“You’re the closest to heaven that I’ll ever be and I don’t want to go home right now.”, he sings back. “We don’t have a song for Y/N.”

“Oh, I don’t need one. It’s ok.”

“No, no, baby. Let’s see what we got.”, Steve smiles as he pushes the button on the stereo and starts searching through stations. He and Eddie cringe as a few come through that aren’t suitable in anyway making you laugh. 

“Hey, wait. Go back.” After the vampire does what he asks, you three listen as the long-haired boy grins and bobs his head.

“And I wonder When I sing along with you

If everything could ever be this real forever If anything could ever be this good again The only thing I'll ever ask of you You've got to promise not to stop when I say when She sang…”

Taking ahold of your hand, Eddie spins you as you both smile and he sings along.

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard this one before.”, Steve muses as he watches you two dance. 

After letting you go, you grab a hold of his waist and he circles his arms around you as you sing.

“Breathe out So I can breathe you in Hold you in And now I know you've always been…”

Smiling, his lips kiss your forehead as you press your head into his chest. 

“I love you both so much.”

“We love you to, sweetheart.”, Eddie replies as he comes behind you and holds you both tightly.

***

“What if I kill you.”

“You won’t, baby. I trust you.”, you try to comfort as you cup his cheek. 

Nodding, he tilted towards you, placing soft tender kisses on your lips and along your cheek to your neck. When you feel him hesitate, you run your fingers through his hair and whisper adoration for him as you wait. 

When his fangs bit into you, you were surprised how fast you blood left your body. Steve’s worried eyes watched as the color left your face and the sight killed him. Your eyes rolled shut and a tear left his eye as the memory of finding Eddie in the upside down flashed through his mind. 

The vampire wanted to calm him but he couldn’t. 

He had to focus on you. 

After releasing his hold on you, he hurriedly wiped your blood from his chin and bit into his wrist offering it to you.

“Come on, baby girl. Come on. We need you to drink.” Just as Steve’s had, your eyes snapped open as the sweet taste hit your lips and you began to drink from him. “Fuck…good girl, princess. Mmph…There you go.”

Abruptly, you detached from his arm and passed out against the pillow as Eddie began to dizzily fall back. 

“Whoa, honey. I got you. Are you ok?”

“B-Blood, Steve. I need… please.”

He didn’t waste any time, running to the kitchen and back as he tore the bag open for his partner to take. 

“What happens now?”

“Now, we wait.”

Neither man left your side as they kept a diligent eye on you. Eddie held your hand while Steve kept his palm on your chest to make sure you were still breathing.

“It’s weird…I can’t feel her anymore.”

“When she wakes up you will and it will be more in tune. When you woke up that feeling was incredibly strong.”

Hearing the sadness in his voice, Steve reaches over runs his fingers along his face. 

“What are you thinking about, baby?”

“Everything.” Eddie glances his way and his boyfriend’s loving gaze fills him with warmth. “I never thought about the future. I guess because I was stuck like this…it didn’t even occur to me that you two would age and I wouldn’t. When would you have asked me?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t even know how to bring it up. All I really wanted was for us to have what we always talked about. A happy, simple life away from all the bullshit in Hawkins.” Steve grins when his partner chuckles. “A nice two-bedroom home where we could settle down and have a family. Three boys and three girls you and I would spoil rotten. I would work some office job with so-so benefits and brag about my rockstar husband who was on tour but coming home soon.”

Eddie couldn’t hold it in anymore as the last couple days events hit him and he began to cry. 

“I know, honey. I know”, he cooed as he held his free hand. 

#############

The sound of something crashing to the ground startles both vampires as they sit up and jump out of bed realizing you were no longer between them. They could feel you though; fuck could they feel you.

“Jesus, Eddie…”, Steve groaned as his head lulled to the side.

“I-I know. Stay focused. We need t-to get our girl back first.”

“I don’t know if I can.”, the vampire whined as his palm began absently grazing the bulge in his pants. 

“You will because I told you to, little boy. Do you understand?”, Eddie hissed. 

“Y-Yes, Daddy.”

Slowly moving down the hall, they searched every nook and cranny before something loud in the kitchen caught their attention. They found you on the floor balancing on your heels in your bra and shorts they had laid you down in. The sound of your growling filled the room as you continued to bang on the refrigerator door with your palm. 

“Y/N.”

Jumping at the sound of Eddie’s voice, you fell on to your butt and pressed your back to the cabinets as your black eyes glared his way. 

“Sweetheart, everything’s ok. You’re alright.”

It took you moment but something in your face softened and your crawled towards him, pushing him back slightly before banging your hand on the door again. 

“Daddy. Hungry.”

“You’re hungry, baby?” Reaching in, he takes out a bag and tears it open, handing it to you. Your wide eyes watch him as if he’s figured out a riddle you had spent thousands of years trying to solve and when he offers you what you want, you take it from him without question and chug it back. “Good. Good girl.”

After three blood packs and a peaceful smile on your face, even Eddie could still feel a hunger within you.

“What do you need, pretty girl? Tell me.”

Steve couldn’t control it any longer as his eyes darkened and his own hunger took over. Grabbing his partner’s shirt, he pushed him to the side as he began to crawl towards you. In your state, you perceived the action as hostile and practically roared as you tackled his chest, pinning him to the floor.

“NO! Bad boy…hurt…Daddy!”

His wrists tried to push against your hands but you were much stronger than before. Eddie couldn’t help but be utterly fascinated as he watched you both interact. 

“Say…SORRY!” When he hesitates, your nose presses to his as you growl in a low voice that makes them both hard. “Now.”

“Sorry…Daddy…Sorry, honey.”

At the term, your eyes blink in surprise as you sit up slightly to gaze along his features. Steve’s own black irises search your face for recognition, finding it in your sudden shift of demeanor.

“Steve…”, you coo as lean down and run your nose up his bare, hairy chest to his neck. “Boy…hungry?” He nods emphatically, literally ripping your shorts from your body after pulling down his pants enough to free his cock. “Ask.”

A small whine leaves him as he turns to face Eddie whose eyes were now also black as he stroked his own length while watching you. 

“Daddy…hungry. Please?”

He growled in response, hastily coming up to take his place behind you and runs his tongue up your spine to your shoulder. You mewl as you lower yourself down onto the man beneath you, gripping his neck to pull him up so you could press his head into your chest. Clinging to your hips, the metalhead guided himself into your ass and your head fell back onto his shoulder as they both roughly thrust into you.

When their fangs pierced your skin, you clenched around them causing them both to grunt and hold you tighter. 

“Steve…Eddie…fuck.”

As your fingers tangled into his hair, you bit down on the pretty boy’s shoulder and his moan reverberated through the house as his body shook while releasing his seed inside you. The metalhead circled around to rub fast circles into your clit and you came off Steve with a heavy pant as he fell back onto the floor.

Taking ahold of his arm pressed to your chest, you brought it to your mouth as you bit into the skin. Eddie’s head flew back as your pussy quivered around him and you came hard. Yanking your hair, he shoved your face next to his boyfriend’s as he chased his high and with a few more aggressive thrusts warmed your insides. 

Heavy breathing filled the room as both boys passed out beside you. 

#################

5-year-old you pulls her knees to her chin as you hid under the kitchen table listening to your parents fight. 

“Fuck you! You want to leave me than fucking leave and take that little brat with you.”

“I can’t! Jesus, you never listen! Marnie, doesn’t want kids right now.”

“Oh, oh. The slut doesn’t want kids so I guess whatever she says goes. I didn’t want kids either yet here we are!”, your mother slurs. 

You listen to the sound of his footsteps as he stomps out the door leaving you behind. Glass shatters as the beer bottle she threw hits the wall before she falls to her knees and sobs. 

12-year-old you cries as the police officer lifts you into his arms and tries to carry you out of the foster home you were physically fighting to stay in. 

“Y/N, come on! You need to go be with your mom.”

“NO! I want to stay here! Please don’t make me go back!” You kick the officer, hitting his stomach causing him to drop you to the floor. As fast as you could you get up and run to the woman you had been calling mom for over 6 months. “Please! I’m sorry. I’ll be good. I promise!”

“Sweetheart, listen to me.”, she empathetically murmurs as she sinks to her knees. “It’s time for you to be with your mom. Who knows maybe things will be different this time.”

“It-It won’t. It never is.”

You and your boyfriend panted as you tried to catch your breath hiding under the pier. 

“Woo, that was close!”, he laughs as 15-year-old you grins up at him. “But hey, now we can eat.”

Tossing the wallet to the side, he takes out the money and reaches for your hand as he guides up the bank towards the stores above. After purchasing a burger and some fries, you both share it as he lights a cigarette and stares off into the distance.

“I love you.”

“I love you to, babe.”, you smile as you bite into a fry. 

When his fingers reach out to touch your face, you can’t help but flinch when his thumb grazes the cut on your lip from when he thought you were giving him attitude. 

“I really do. Things are going to get better, Y/N. I promise.”

She couldn’t even make it three months. The police had brought you back home and as soon as they left your mother went off about you running away and how that made her look. By the third month, you tried to leave again and she stopped you. 

“What happened to your arm, Y/N? You said you fell?”, the doctor asked as he began wrapping the cast around the limb. 

You didn’t move or say a word as you stared off into the void. What was the point? The cops knew how she was yet they kept bringing you back. Even if you told this doctor the truth it wouldn’t matter.

“Sweetheart, I can help you. I just need you to tell me what happened.” The man sighs when you remain silent before whispering under his breath. “You don’t have to say anything just nod your head, ok? Did you fall?”

Your eyes meet his for a brief moment before autopilot takes over and you shake your head. 

“Did your mother do this? Did she grab you?”

You nod.

“Ok.”

You stare at the screen in front of you as two men known as Renfield and Dracula make love to each other before biting his neck. A heavy sigh left you at the action and the human boy’s moan hit straight to your heart down to your core. 

You had been watching them for over a month now and you couldn’t explain it but something about them just pulled you in. Hearing their voices and watching how they took care of each other made you feel safe. It’s part of the reason you kept coming back even though you knew if John ever found out you were seeing this he’d probably kill you. 

That following day you were surprised when a message from the site appeared when you signed in from the creators themselves inviting you to a private session. 

When their faces illuminated your screen, a little sigh left your chest. They were both so handsome up close. Because of the technology, you weren’t able to really see their features before but now you could see them in all their glory. Dracula’s eyes fluttered slightly behind his mane of hair. 

“Hey Mina.”

Renfield glances his way in surprise as his partner spoke. Usually, he was the one that did the bulk of the talking so when he initiated, he was taken a back. 

InnocentLittleMina: Hello.

“Hey, honey. We, um, we just wanted to reach out to you because we see you pop up from time to time. You don’t talk or engage very much.”

InnocentLittleMina: Yeah. A lot of the people here are kind of rude.

“Ha. Yeah they are. We were wondering and we understand if you say no but would you want to work for us? Dracula says a moderator could really help us get some control over these people. You don’t have to tell us your name or anything. We can send money straight to your account.”

InnocentLittleMina: You’d pay me?

“Yeah, honey. Of course.”

“However much you want.”, Dracula adds again making his partner’s head quirk to the side. “You just…seem like a kind person with a good heart.”

InnocentLittleMina: You don’t know me.

“We’d like to.”

His words flow through you almost as if you can feel how genuine they are. What’s the worst that could happen?

InnocentLittleMina: “Ok. I’d love to help.”

***

Both men groan as their eyes open and take in the scene before them. After what they saw, they couldn’t care less. They just needed to find you. 

Rising to their feet, they power walk down the hall to find you closing a suitcase and quietly taking a seat on the bed. Your eyes lock with theirs as you softly smile and shrug. 

“See? I told you I had experienced real monsters.”

“Sweetheart.”, Eddie breathed as he sat beside you and pulled you to his chest. “I’m so fucking sorry you went through all that. We would never ever fucking hurt you like them.”

“Or let anyone hurt you like that.”, Steve added as he knelt in front of you. “How are you feeling?”

“Calm. Clear. It’s weird. I’ve never felt like this before. I feel like I’m…home.”

“Because you are, baby.”, the pretty boy cooed as he kissed your palms. 

“While you two were asleep, I packed up some clothes for us. I’m not sure what else we need.”

“Let me see if that relator guy called.”

After he disappeared, the metalhead cupped your face in his hands as his eyes ran along your face. You still looked like the girl they fell in love with but you seemed to have this air of confidence surrounding you that made him fall even harder. 

“I wish I could have seen your life the way I saw his and you two saw mine. I think it’s because him and I are new…”

“Oh, baby girl, trust me. You don’t want to see that. Not all in succession like that. Everything kind of sucked till I met Steve. Before him it was a blur of heartache and anger.” When he sighed, your palm circled around the back of his neck and brought his forehead down to yours eliciting a small, nervous chuckle to fall from his lips. “Fuck…are you doing that?”

“Doing what?”, you murmur. 

“Y/N, I’m a jaded asshole.”, he laughed. “It takes me a while to trust anyone and feel safe but the feeling running through me right now… God it’s so quiet. I can breathe.”

“Because that’s how I feel with you two, Daddy. You’re feeling me.”

“Fuck, Y/N.”, he groaned, his lips falling to the side of your neck. 

“Wait…Wait, Eddie. I need to show you both something first.”

####################

Present Day

“Ok, Williams, we’re right outside the door. Going in, in two.”

The officer paces around his desk as he glares at the screen watching both men continue to feed while blood drips down your neck. 

“Good. They’re still streaming in front of their computer. Be careful! They shouldn’t be armed but I’m not sure if they’ll react hostilely.”

“Entering in, 3, 2, 1. GO, BOYS!”

As soon as the door kicked in, a little box appears at the corner of your current feed showing the raiding team running through the house. Everything was still in its place including the blood staining the floor by the fridge. 

“We have all eyes on us, guys. Go slow.”

When they find the bedroom, they scream into the void for you three to get down… 

Only to find now one there.

The swat leader walked towards the computer, tearing off the note that was taped to the screen.

“I shall be glad as long as I live that even in that moment of final dissolution, there was in the face a look of peace, such as I never could have imagined might have rested there.

Our souls are knit into one, for all life and all time.

-Mina”

“FUCK!”, Officer Williams shouted as he kicked the chair in front of him. 

CaliforniaPD: You can keep running all you want but you are just making it harder on yourselves! We found you once and we can find you again!”

You whine as your head falls against Steve’s chest and your black eyes flash towards the screen with a small smile. 

“Good luck with that. I’m sorry to say, for you, we’re a lot stronger now than we’ve ever been.”, Eddie rumbled sarcastically towards the camera. 

As you pull away to lean against the metalhead’s shoulder, the other vampire growls low with needs as his head follows yours for a moment before hesitating to focus on the camera. 

“We don’t want any trouble. We just want to be left alone to be happy together but we will gladly do this dance again to keep ourselves protected and keep her safe!”

Your palm ran down his back, calming him as he tilted his head to place open mouth kisses on your shoulder as his own hand absently traveled under your shirt to run along the skin of your stomach. Eddie growled at the action as both vampires glared at each other. Grabbing his throat, the long-haired boy pulled his boyfriend’s lips to his own passionately.

“I think you all have had enough of a show…and I’m…hungry.” At the last word, your tone drops and after you wink towards the camera, you move the mouse, and shut it down.

***

“Did you guys see that? Over one million people were watching us!”, you giggle excitedly.

“Mhmm.”

Both vampires were still distracted as they detached from each other to kiss your neck again. Grinning as you bit your lip, wind messed their hair as you flash ran towards the other side of your new shared bedroom. 

“Oh, come on, boys. Now focus.”

Trying to run after you, you hastily sprinted away, your beautiful laugh filling the new house you three were going to be living in. Eddie was the one to catch you first, practically tackling you to the ground in the living room and pinning your wrists beside your head. 

“Hi, Daddy.”

As you beam up at him, he can’t help but smile down at you before bringing his lips to yours. Your hands flex in his grip but he remains steadfast as he kisses softly down your body and over your blood-stained shirt. 

 Steve crawls towards you both on his hands and knees, falling onto his tummy with his hand grabbing your cheek to turn your head so he could kiss you. Letting you go, your hands remain where they are as Eddie pulls down your panties and tosses them to the side. 

His strong palms dig into your thighs as he lifts your legs over his shoulders and you moan against the other man’s lips as Eddie presses his face into your cunt wasting no time as his mouth devours you. 

Your legs close around him and he mewls into you as your back arches off the floor. 

“Fuck, Daddy! Your mouth feels so good.”

Maneuvering behind him, Steve spreads his partners legs a bit wider and his groans vibrate through your core as the pretty boy runs his tongue between Eddie’s cheeks. You grin blissfully as you watch the sight before you and you run your fingers through the metalhead’s hair. 

“That’s it, honey. Fuck. Make our girl cum. Jesus, Y/N, I can feel how good he’s making you feel. Daddy’s so fucking amazing with that mouth isn’t he? It’s why he never shuts up.”

Eddie’s growls turn into moans when his boyfriend effortlessly slides two fingers inside him while pushing his head harder against your pussy.

“Oh, god!”

Your eyes roll back as you grind your hips against the vampire’s tongue till you tumble over the edge and cum. Releasing him from your grip around his shoulders, you pant as you try to catch your breath, shuddering at the feel of Eddie’s heavy exhales fanning your dripping core. 

You’re not sure if it was the dominance within him or just how sexy both men looked right now but something inside you bubbled forward and you rushed towards them, tackling Steve to the floor. 

“Hungry!”

Abruptly an arm wrapped around your stomach and pushed you back against the hardwood. 

“No.”, the long-haired vampire hissed as his hand clung to your throat. “You ask, little girl. The rules haven’t changed. Not yet anyway.”

“Want…boy!”

“Beg me, Y/N.”, he cooed in a sultry voice that had both you and the other man whining. “Beg Daddy, baby girl.”

“Please, Daddy. Want…” You pause as you blink, trying to clear the fog and intense need from your brain so you could focus. “I want Steve. Please, may I…have him.”

As the black irises disappear and your natural eye color returns so does his as he smiles before giving you a tender kiss. After moving out of the way, he ushers Steve between your legs and helps lift your shirt over your head. 

“I’m sorry if I hurt you. I didn’t mean to grab you like that. I just couldn’t—”

“Control yourself. I know, honey. I understand. You’re doing a lot better than I did though.” He taps his cock against your sensitive clit a couple of times making you jump and you both let out a strangled moan as he slides himself inside of you. “Shit. Always so fucking good.”

Falling on to your chest, he rolls his waist as you cling to his shoulders, leaving little pecks along his skin. When you bite into his flesh, he grunts loudly and snaps his hips hard, punching his length deep inside your heat. 

As he picks up his pace, you release him and he pushes up onto his knees, looping his arms under the back of your own so he can hold your legs open. Feeling someone near him, he opens his eyes to be met with his boyfriend’s cock in his face. Steve opened his mouth willingly and Eddie’s mouth fell open as he bobbed his head, taking him as far back as he could. 

“That’s it, sweetheart. Such a good boy. Jesus, I love watching you two together.”

Threading his fingers through his hair, the metalhead groaned as he fucked his partner’s face making you whine and clench around his own cock every time you heard him gag.

“Mmm—there you go, Steve. Make our pretty girl cum.”

Shoving Eddie’s stomach, Steve growled with need as he pushed him out of his way and wrapped his arms around your back, lifting you up till you were face to face with him. Hugging him to your chest, you used his neck as leverage as you bounced and grinded against him.

When his fangs pierced your skin, your eyes squeezed shut as you did the same, taking him in as his hands grabbed the meat of your ass, guiding your movements till you trembled and came. Steve grunted at the feeling, pushing you back down onto the floor and pounding his cock into you so deeply you swear you could feel him in your stomach, through your heart, and into your soul. 

“Fuck!”, he growled in his deep vampire tone as his movements stalled and you whined as he pumped his spend aggressively into your cunt.

You couldn’t help but breathily giggle as Steve continued to run his lips and tongue along your body. Pushing his chest, you disappeared from underneath him but Eddie anticipated your move, running ahead of you and slamming his palm against the wall as his arm shot out to stop you. Before you could run the other way, he blocked you and pinned your front side to the hallway.

His hand playfully spanked your behind and you both mewled as he guided his cock into your entrance. 

“Oh, fuck, Daddy.”

Intertwining his fingers with yours, Eddie held your hands above your head and thrust his hips roughly against yours, his humid pants in your ear turning you on even more. 

“Shit…baby. Your little pussy is…so fucking perfect. J-Just like you.”

Hastily, he pulls out, turns you around to face him, and lifts you into his strong arms as you reach down to slide his length back inside you. You cling to him as he fucks his cock deep into your core leaving you both grunting into the other face. Not being able to wait, you bite into his neck and he growls loudly before doing the same. 

After dropping one of your legs, Eddie balances his forearm on the wall next to your head as aggressively takes what’s his. Your body shakes as the coil breaks in your tummy causing the metalhead himself to fall over the ledge as he thrust his release inside you. 

As you slump over in his embrace, you feel wind move your hair as Steve runs to the bathroom to turn on the shower and Eddie lifts you again so your legs are wrapped around him as he carries you that way. You can feel it in their energies, they are just as exhausted as you, leaning against you, each other, or the wall to keep from falling over. 

You barely even feel it when they dry you and carry you over to the bed. 

#############

“What’s wrong, honey?”

“I don’t know. I think…I think something’s wrong with Mina.” Eddie sighs when Steve turns away from him and focuses on the computer in front of him. “She feels…alone. I don’t like it, Steven. It reminds me of how I felt growing up with my dad.”

“There’s nothing we can do, Ed.”

“We can—”

“No. We’re not having this discussion again.”

“Why?! Why would it be so bad to bring her here? It feels like she’d be safer with us than wherever she is now!”

“Eddie, have you taken a look around? We’re on the run, you’re a vampire, we do this internet stuff for money. It’s not exactly lavish!”

Both men glare at each other as their computer pings informing them that you were online. 

“Hey, Mina. O-Oh my god. What happened?”, Steve gasps as he and his partner take in the slowly forming ring around your eye. 

“Oh, it’s nothing. I’m so clumsy and fell. Thankfully John was here to help me.”

“Yeah…thankfully…”, Eddie growled towards Steve as his heart broke for you. 

“I’m…I’m so sorry, sweetheart.”

“Why?”, you giggle as you shrug. “You didn’t do this to me, Renfield. I did it to myself.”

***

Your glassy eyes take him in as your boyfriend huffs around the bedroom before kneeling in front of you to place an ice pack on your cheek. All you wanted him to do was leave so you could talk to Renfield and Dracula. 

You had no idea how you were going to explain this new wound to them. It was so weird having people in your life who genuinely cared about your wellbeing and you found yourself lying to them more than you ever did to keep any of your toxic partners or family calm. 

They were your friends…you didn’t want them to worry…

“This is your fault. Why do you push me like that, Y/N?”

“I just asked you when you were getting off work…”

You jump as he tosses the pack hard against the wall. 

“See? It’s that fucking attitude!”

“I’m sorry.”, you whisper, fully giving up and accepting blame so all this would end. 

Sighing, he runs his fingers along your arm as his own eyes scan you over. 

“Will you be alright?” 

He takes your nod as enough confirmation, rising to his feet and finally leaving your house. Gradually, you stand as well and head to the bathroom to wash your face.

Sitting in front of your computer, you stare at the screen as you debate on rescheduling with them but you are so desperate for a kind voice to say something…anything…to comfort you from the current hell you’re in. 

***

Your eyes slowly opened just as the sun was beginning to descend behind your black out curtains, smiling softly when they land on Steve’s gentle yet sad expression. 

“It’s ok.”, you murmur as you reach out to caress his cheek. 

Catching your hand mid-air, he brings it to his lips as he scoots closer to your frame. 

“It’s not. You could have been with us this whole time.”

“Steve, you didn’t know—”

“But I should have. Eddie saved me from my father and took me in when everything was falling apart in my house. He always told me he understood and I was always grateful for that. I should have known the first time he felt something.”

“But you’re here now.”, Eddie replied groggy from sleep as you rolled onto your back so you could see them both. “Y/N, if ever you don’t want to play rough or anything like that, you know we’d still love you. I don’t want to trigger you or—”

“No, baby, no. You’re not.”, you assure him. “With my mom and my exes… I never had any kind of control over what was happening. With you two, even last night, I know you’d stop if I asked. I can feel it.”

Eddie sighs pleasantly when you place your palm on his chest. 

“Speaking of last night, you were really sexy, Miss Computer Hacker, hiding those skills under that beautiful head of hair.” You laugh as he leans in to tenderly kiss your neck.

“You’re both safe with me to. I’m not going to let anyone hurt you.”

Steve tilts down to slowly kiss your skin as well making you groan as you turn into Eddie’s chest making him chuckle as he presses you to him. The other vampire’s hairy chest grazes your back and you grin as you listen to them kiss above you. 

“What do you want to tonight, honey?”, Steve whispered as his fingers ran up your arms. 

“We seem to be drifting into unknown places and unknown ways.”, you recited making the metalhead laugh again. 

“So did you just memorize the book or?”

“It’s one of my favorites.”, you beam up at him as you kiss his lips and crane your neck to do the same with the other man. “We can rewrite the ending though.”

###################

@chelebelletx @mandyjo8719 @nailbatanddungeon @corkadymu 

@lemme-slytherin-that-dick @she-collects-smut @dashingdeb16

@bexreadstoomuch

[ghost-bxrd]

So I've seen you post a lot about Dick and Calvin recently, and I wanted to know how you thought Calvin would react, in this Calvin gets adopted by Bruce kind of au, to:

1). Jason's death, in the assumption Calvin can't prevent it (And subsequently what he would do to Joker for it.)

2) Damian's early childhood.

3) Tim's Tim-ness.

4) How Calvin would react to the Batman Robin situation, when he finally learns about it.

I haven't gotten the opportunity to learn much about Calvin, but you have me interested, I'm a sucker for overly traumatized characters, and I am looking for the comics with him!

We can never have enough Calvin Rose content, that boy is so underrated 🥺💚

1. Pfpfpfpf you know for ONCE I wanted to go with “Jason doesn’t die in this Au” but you asked and I shall deliver hehehe.

Look, Calvin adores children. And it’s no different with Jason, whom he basically helped Bruce raise from the moment he came to the manor. (Bruce is a good dad here but emotions are not his forte. Calvin picks up the slack.)

So we’ve got a former Talon basically raising Jason, sharing a lot of his interests, teaching him fun escape techniques and pranking the others…

Only for Jason to die in Ethiopia. Beaten within an inch of his life and then blown up.

Because his birth mother sold him to the Joker.

Look, there’s very few things that make Calvin snap. Canonically it only happens when his loved ones are in danger/threatened, or children are being hurt.

And this one ticks off both boxes.

Calvin doesn’t kill if he can help it. Hasn’t done so since that one time with the Court, and that instance still haunts him in his sleep. But this?

Yeah. He’s not losing any sleep over killing Joker. He’d hunt the clown and put him down like a rabid animal. Cold, clean, and efficient. No drawing it out.

2. As mentioned before, Calvin adores kids. I don’t think they’d meet before Damian comes to the manor though, so no early early childhood shenanigans. But when Damian arrives, all entitled and clearly having been conditioned from a very young age, he gives Bruce a very deadpan “You do know you don’t get a discount for the amount of traumatized kids you take in, right?”

Damian is a stabby little shit that tries to kill Calvin at every turn. Dick thinks it’s hilarious. Damian becomes progressively more angry because Calvin doesn’t break a sweat side stepping each and every attempt. (Talon training pays off)

Calvin just lets Damian “burn off his excess energy” (“You do know he’s a kid and not a puppy, right?”) and uses the time the boy isn’t actively trying to murder him to child proof the manor again. Just to piss Damian off.

Having the kid try to poison him at dinner that day is so worth it.

Damian reluctantly warms up to Calvin over the next few weeks when the former Talon proves annoyingly helpful at setting up his room and helping him with training. (Although Damian turns his nose up every time Calvin obviously handles him with kiddie gloves. But the man point blank refuses to do anything else.)

3. Calvin spends a week around Tim and all his alarm bells for “neglected child” are going off like autotune in his brain.

Considering it’s still very close to Jason’s death tho it would take him some time to truly warm up to Tim.

Tim wishes Calvin remained as distant as he was the first year or so (no he doesn’t) because now Calvin has strictly limited his daily caffeine intake, is forcing him to eat at least three healthy meals a day, and actually set a bed time for him.

Tim is outraged (flustered) about being treated like a kid (like the kid he is).

4. Depending on who’s Robin when he finds out the reactions would vary greatly, but he still wouldn’t be happy that Bruce is taking kids out onto the streets at night to fight criminals either way. It remind him too much of the Court for comfort, grooming children into the percent assassin.

After a while though he’d realize that Bruce would love nothing more than for his Robin(s) to hang up the mantle and just live their lives to the fullest, and that they’re simply too stubborn and determined to fight crime with Batman to stay at home. With our without permission.

It helps that Bruce is clearly distressed and close to benching Robin whenever Dick/Jason comes back from patrol with a bruise. Never mind an actual injury.

[cloveroctobers]

BURN — DANTE TORRES: [Summer Writings]

A/N: Don’t fall over, yes this is a part two to one of my previous works which can be found here + we only saw a sprinkle of Mr. Bambi eyes since the last time I wrote the first piece because we clearly know who the show is catered to but we won’t go too deep on that lol.

🏷️: @darqchilddaydreamz

WARNINGS: Dante taking his job seriously, slight crossover with other shows such as: Chicago fire (character mentioned at best) + Abbott Elementary, language, she/reader now has a name for story purposes, mentions of addiction, mental health and drugs, slight plot with references to the final episodes of this last season, and me bringing you nothing but angst!

ོ༘₊⁺☀︎₊⁺⋆.˚ ོ༘₊⁺☀︎₊⁺⋆.˚ ོ༘₊⁺☀︎₊⁺⋆.˚ ོ༘₊⁺☀︎₊⁺⋆.˚ ོ༘₊⁺☀︎₊⁺⋆.˚ ོ༘₊⁺☀︎₊⁺⋆.˚ ོ༘

June’s air is a great contrast to what March once was. She can smell the grilling of food in the warm breeze as her face is turned towards the open passenger window and…shes hesitant. Which is a foreign feeling but it demanded to be felt. She can hear the squeal of laughter from children as they patter down the sidewalks, simply being children and that makes her heart swell to see they that still had their innocence.

There’s a mixture of Reggaeton and 2000’s r&b playing on different sides of the block and she’s reminiscent to many summer days on this same street as a teen, no JLO. Her fingertips are resting on the door handle, staring at the brick home and she knows she’s always welcome but things have been different since that night. It’s not like Dante would ever be nonexistent in her life, there was no timeline where she could imagine that happening but life really happened since then.

Dante went off and dug deeper into his case so communication was a bit tougher until it was all over. The only way she knew that was mainly from Momma Catalina who had called to chat with her, wondering when she was going to stop by (since the older woman missed her son’s friend’s pretty face—her words) and have dinner with the both of them soon because she also liked hearing the praises on her go to dish: Jocón from the younger woman. She also knew Dante’s case was over because the texts weren’t just a simple sentence and he would incorporate voice notes like he used to do. Yet the friends made no plans to come around despite being on each other’s minds. However she kept busy, like she always did when Dante got caught up in a case and she was a working woman herself, so she also knew how to keep her head on what she strived to do in life.

They were still parallel even if they weren’t face to face.

Now she has a case of her own, being brought in and working with forensics to figure out this new fatal strand that’s been killing kids as young as being in their preteens and may or may not have a connection to a serial killer as well. She already guessed that it did before a certain someone got in contact with her. It was heavy work and not typically the field she worked close with in years—since triggers were a thing—yet it was also the reason why she wanted to be a chemist. To make a loooong story short, she was to “blame” for her severely depressed mother’s addiction (granted her mother was now thirteen years sober) bringing opioids, unknowingly laced at the time, into the house with the intent to sell and also to try at just fourteen was the start of a lengthy journey. The reason she felt like she was to blame was her father not letting her forget it even now in her thirties. Which brings us to life in the now, being a “know-it-all,” chemist who always felt like she had a lot to prove.

Normally she did the basic boring tasks working with businesses and ensuring that their products were deemed safe for consumers rather than another serious level of crimes like murder, however she initially started out as a forensics chemist until she switched paths after it became too much on her mental. Her father felt that was a terrible decision, only thinking of the income rather than how that screwed with his daughter’s brain but she always learned how to take his words with a shard of glass. That’s right, glass. In spite of that anyone would be lying if they said she wasn’t one of the most well known in the city, going above and beyond—just behind the scenes now—to solve many cases. She preferred it that way, to herself, some may even say safe, being out of the way and she still got her thrill from figuring out what most couldn’t. And here she was over the last two weeks working this slowly building case, finding a balance of catering to her own self care by leaving the work solely behind at the lab and even engaging in a few more dates—just not with the salt and pepper haired SWAT member anymore.

Which didn’t turn sour, there was no need for that and she respected that Deacon also wanted to keep his mind on his work and his kids. He was still a good man in her eyes. Ultimately she knew that she didn’t see it working in the long run and that she didn’t have to take dating so seriously…at least that’s what she tried to tell herself.

“You seem stressed,” a voice says to her left, reminding her that she was in fact sitting beside another male that wasn’t her best friend, “you gotta roll that tension away, smell the lilacs, and then realize that there shouldn’t be any nerves right? You talk so highly about the guy…unless you want me come with?”

Immediately her eyes widen and she’s shaking her head, although the brunette means well she tells him, “no…I appreciate it though, Manny. it’s just the caffeine wearing off I guess. I’ll only be five to ten minutes tops, I need to get back home anyway and into a eucalyptus bath.”

Manny raises his brows, “a bath you say? You do know that it’s eighty degrees out here right?”

It was the woman’s turn to raise her own brows, silently challenging the man who breathes out a laugh with his signature wicked grin.

“Alright, alright.” Manny’s hands are raised in surrender, “I’m sensing hot showers are a thing too all year around? Which I don’t get if summer is here but if that’s your thing then I’ll accept it.”

“As you should.”

“I do.” He places a large hand against his chest still grinning, “there’s no static on my end.”

“Oh you’re such an east coaster,” she playfully rolls her eyes, “but you’re kinda great.”

“That’s what they tell me.” He winks as he reaches over to give her shoulder a light squeeze, “you’ll be fine out there I don’t doubt it. Now go and celebrate your best friend’s birthday and don’t forget the two slices of cake.”

She leans against the outside of the door, frowning at the man who shakes his head, “yeah that would be too much, considering we haven’t even met, right?”

She gives him a small smile in response and a point before she spins on her heels, taking the short walk towards the Torres’ household. Dante didn’t have much family here in Chicago, most being spread all over the globe, leaving it to always be just Catalina and Dante. From as long as she’s known the mother and son, Momma Catalina was always on the phone having long distance calls with family members but they seemed to be missing in action when she was being beat on nearly every day.

Moving along the side of the house towards the music and charcoal, her hands are behind her back as she nervously makes her way to the backyard. She likes to say it’s the social anxiety rather than seeing Dante but perhaps it was a mixture of both. Most of the faces are probably neighbors but it’s a nice crowd as she instantly spots the buzzed man up ahead, dressed in a short sleeve white loose fitting button up v-neck, tattoos on his arms are on full display, along with the chain that sways from his neck as he dumps chunks of ice into a cooler that Upton is holding open for him.

“Whaaat? Who let you out the cage? I thought they kept experiments locked down, Coty.” The voice of Atwater pulls her gaze to the man who’s smirking down at her with a beer in one hand.

Coty scoffed although there’s a smile on her lips, “You always know how to give the most warmest welcomes, Kev.”

He laughs as he swoops in with a side hug, “Well I had to say something with you sneaking in here like you about to steal something and roll out.”

“Not my style.”

“Yeah, just like you not interacting with nobody.”

“I just got here!”

Kevin nods his head letting the woman have that one before adding, “and how long do you plan on staying?”

“I haven’t decided yet.”

His round eyes give her a look of disbelief while she shields her eyes from his stare. Laughing to himself he taps her arm, “well in that case, I won’t hold you any longer to go talk to your boy. Just as a fair warning to you, don’t touch that potato salad. Somebody made it and it got peas, carrots, and I think I even saw some apples all up in it.”

Tilting your head to the side you say, “…sounds like a Russian salad.”

“A what?” Kevin cups a hand over his ear although he’s sure he’s heard Coty correctly.

She just smiles at him, giving his arm a squeeze before she turns to make her way to Dante, who is not where she’s last seen him. Coty pauses, scanning the backyard again and sends a wave to Burgess and Ruzek who are sitting thigh to thigh on the picnic bench with a face full of smiles. They echo a wave back in Coty’s direction before some hands plop down on her forearms.

“Seraphina, mija! You made it.” Momma Catalina greets before sinking into Coty’s frame.

She was a tiny woman who still managed to have the kindest of hearts given what she’s been through. Coty grips the woman back in a sweet embrace before they’re eye to eye again.

“Of course! Had to see the best lady in town,” Coty tells the cedar brown haired woman with a blunt bob full of ringlets.

Her grin reaches her summer green eyes which mirrors her son’s as she almost bounced on her toes, “that’s right! Didn’t know it had to take you forever and a day to come see about me.”

“I’m sorry about that…”

She blows a raspberry, “no need to dwell on that because I already know and all is forgiven now that you’re here! Let’s get you something to eat so you can enjoy the party.”

“Oh no, Momma Cat. I can’t stay.”

Her usual soft stare darkens for a moment and it’s actually scary to witness when you irk this pocket full of sunshine’s nerves, “you will stay, eat, and dance. You are family. Then you and my son will fix whatever this bullshit is.”

“Dante and I are fine.” It sounded weak coming from Coty’s lips but she knew she couldn’t fool Catalina. Momma Cat was the first to see something special between her son and Seraphina (even before Séan) before they ever did so hearing this felt like a big insult.

That’s when the woman shifts in her slippers, fists digging into her hips as she peers up at the woman in front of her, “Seraphina! do not lie to me in my own home, mija. I will not have it and you will do as I say.” Catalina clapped her hands as if she was dusting off Coty’s worries, although this was only adding to it.

Coty felt like she was being scolded and her own mother wasn’t even here! Sure she was grown and didn’t have to take being yelled at but she would never disrespect Catalina, especially when she’s done so much for her growing up and when her own parents didn’t want to be bothered with her when she was up to no good.

“Ma…is everything okay?” Dante’s quiet tone could be heard over the music, along with his body heat from behind the pair.

Coty can feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand up just from Dante speaking and she’s been sweating since she got out of Manny’s car.

Catalina flashes a smile at her son, reaching to cup his face as Coty steps to the side for the two to have their moment, “Everything’s perfect! Your best gift is here so enjoy it.”

She whispers the last part to him with a wink while Dante just scoffs with a shake of his head as he watches his mother start to dance with a neighbor on her way by. He turns to face his old friend and let’s out a sigh, “see what you started? I was expecting the dancing to start the moment I woke up but you seem to always bring it out of her.”

Momma Catalina came from a background of dancers and it was a dream that became distant once she gave birth to Dante and knew that passion wouldn’t pay the bills. Dante’s birth father passed when he was around six so everything really fell onto Catalina’s shoulders and seemed to keep piling up.

She was never regretful over how her life played out but rather thankful that Dante chose her to show her how to truly love. There was never sadness in her words when she showed the stack of photos of herself in her younger years and her joy shined whenever she still broke out into a move. In the end, you do what you have to do for family.

“Me?” Coty points to herself innocently although she’s not really at fault this time, “Maybe you should check if the Aguardiente is still available.”

Dante nods in realization, “you’re right…that could be it. I’ve been running around since this thing started so who knows how much is left and it’s supposed to be my day.”

“I thought you loved birthday’s?” Coty’s response is sarcastic, knowing just how much Dante dreaded his birthday but was right with Catalina in honoring your special day around the sun.

The look Dante sends his friend makes her snort out some laughter, “We still have six more hours at least.”

Letting out a low whistle, she lightly grips his shoulder, “you still have six hours. I can disappear with ease.”

Dante groans, “you’ll take me with you, won’t you?”

His light green’s were pleading as Coty slipped an arm across his waist, leaning into his shoulder, “stop being a little turd, have some more drinks and you’ll get through it.”

Dante grumbles, “I’ll remember that when it’s your birthday.”

“Uh…i’m going to Vegas.”

“When did we decide that?”

Coty lifts her head from his shoulder, “You should have gone to France with all this we talk.”

“Nah, not my vibe.” He says before peering down at her, “…thanks for coming. I was beginning to lose my mind.”

“Why?” Coty questions as she looks around at all the faces in the backyard, “You had the team here with you at least.”

“Yeah…but that’s not the same and you know it.” He honestly says as his eyes begins to trace over Coty’s features.

She couldn’t stomach the way he was looking at her and it made her guess how many drinks he’s had himself this evening. The amount of tenderness and care in his green hues was the same reason why they were in a constant battle in the first place.

“How’s Gloria?” Flies out of her mouth before she can even comprehend it.

Dante sharply inhales at this, looking elsewhere in slight annoyance before shrugging, “gone.”

“Gone where?”

“Can’t discuss that with you, Nina.” The way he’s the only one that uses her name this way, is enough to let her know that he means business.

Mostly everyone calls her by her last name: Coty, which she preferred (he’s not everyone) but he’s firm in his stance—closing himself off to that part of him and that’s not like Dante. Sure he’s not this open book by any means but it’s not like he has a piece of him that she hasn’t seen. That particular piece was still there but reopened by someone like Gloria. Someone that could bring out his skeletons and glamorize it to match her own pain. Coty knew Gloria was not the answer to whatever it is Dante was looking for and now that Gloria was suddenly gone, it will hold a weight he was willing to carry on his back—that he shouldn’t have to—but Coty was not willing to help him with that.

She said that months ago and she still meant that shit. She never wanted to pay for someone else’s mistakes. Coty knew how to love Dante but he wouldn’t let her, not in that way.

Only Dante and Gloria know what they’ve been up to since they decided to fuck around.

And perhaps they found out.

“…who’s this?” Dante suddenly lifted his chin, stepping forward a bit as Coty stood to the side of him.

Her eyes follow his line of sight to see Manny, searching around the backyard for her. Once he found her, he smiles, waving a bit before he starts making his way over. She deeply sighs as Dante sends a look her way, silently questioning her before the brunette gets closer.

“Hey, Having fun?”

Coty molds her lips together while Manny looks back and forth between the two, either oblivious to the tension or trying this best to ignore it.

“Phina-Mena, you left something—

Manny starts but Dante cuts him off, “sorry man, who are you?”

“Oh! How rude of me.” He frees one of his hands, “I’m Manny, friend of Seraphina’s. And you must be Dante! I’ve heard good things about you so it’s nice to finally meet you, bro.”

‘Finally?’ He cautiously puts his hand out to shake Manny’s but his eyes are hot on Seraphina’s who shifts on her feet, lightly swaying from one foot to the other.

“Can’t say the same…Nina hasn’t mentioned you at all.”

“Oh well…don’t worry about it, y’all been busy.” Manny shrugs it off, not the least bit phased.

Dante nods his head and folds his arms, “right but…I’ve got time now. So you said you’re Manny. What do you do Manny?”

“I proudly work for the Philadelphia school district and I’m just here for a conference but it also doesn’t hurt that I get to hang out with Phina-Mena!” He boasts as he sends finger-guns at Seraphina while Dante finds his personality to be a lot.

And that was saying enough since Seraphina was mostly introverted and easily got exhausted around people…except for him.

Dante rounds off another inquiry, “where did you two meet?”

She huffs but Dante ignores her, awaiting all the information he can get.

Manny talks with his hands, “Down at that bar with the sticky floors along with one of the floorboards being this naturally strange color of purple that takes up a good portion of the place? My apologies, I forgot the name.”

That gets Dante frowning as he casts a glance over at Seraphina who’s chewing on her bottom lip now, “A bar? You’re not really a bar kinda woman.”

Manny shrugs his shoulders, “eh…people can surprise you.”

“Did you go alone…were you alone?” The second half of that question is directed at Seraphina and now she was getting agitated, this Dante could tell as she side eyed him.

Manny also gazed at the woman, picking up on the tension now. “You know my dad was an officer too so this is feelin’ a little too familiar for me.”

“Really, what precinct?”

“Dante, cut the shit.” Coty bites but the buzzed haired man just blinks not missing a beat.

“It’s only right I get to know your new friend since he already seems to know so much about me.”

“Well not everything…” Manny laughs, trying to ease the heaviness in the air but Dante’s not backing off.

Dante was suspicious and his guard had to be up so he redirects the conversation back, “so you said you two met at the bar…I’m assuming the Violet Branch?”

“Yeah,” Manny snaps with amazement crossing his bearded face, “that’s right! You know the place?”

Dante hardened his stare as he turns his head to Seraphina, “uh huh. That’s Sarge’s spot.”

Manny turns his eyes into slits, “sarge? As in sergeant. Oh was that the guy you were—

“Manny!” Coty interjects, “I think this interrogation is over. Why don’t you go mingle with the rest for a little, while I finish talking to the birthday boy.”

“No, No.” Dante shakes his head, “Let him finish, Nina.”

Manny’s eyes are moving back and forth between the two who are holding each other’s stare, “oh…I see what’s happening here. I’m doing that thing where I’m talking too much. I’m just gonna leave this…on that lovely gift table over there.”

And with that Manny swiftly points and drags himself to the left where most of the party goers are eating or dancing.

“He’s…interesting.” Dante’s stare lingers on the man who quickly strikes up a conversation with one of his nosy neighbors.

Coty scoffs, “the hell is your problem?”

“I don’t have one.”

“So you think it’s cool that you just grilled into my friend like that?”

“Is that really all he is? Because you didn’t tell me about him at all.” Dante’s jaw is tight, almost like he’s irritated with the woman for leaving this out over a few phone calls and then also bringing him here to his house with no type of heads up.

She attempts to reason with him, “We just started being somewhat normal again, Tay.”

“That didn’t stop you from telling me about things ending with Deacon.”

“You asked. I didn’t just bring him up.”

“I see so that was your way of what? Being fair by bringing up Gloria? Why bring her up if you know that topic bothers you so much?” Dante searched Coty’s eyes, trying to understand what she was doing and up to although his gut was telling him everything he needed to know.

Coty furrows her brows, “Because I’m being a good friend and checking in on you since you know? I can’t exactly do that when you’re undercover.”

Dante rubs at his jaw, “I can’t say I fully believe that. I feel like this was a tactic to get me riled up because I developed a relationship with Gloria—as if I don’t already know who you’ve been around since you’re that important to me. First it was Deacon, then it was that firefighter Jake Gibson, and now this Manny guy? It’s a game for you and I don’t want to play.”

Coty laughs in shock as Dante walks away from her, “are you fucking serious? And then you’re gonna walk away from me after that?”

“Yup.” Dante says over his shoulder as he makes his way back to the cooler.

Coty isn’t having that as she charges after him, watching as he squats and begins searching through the ice. She desperately tries to keep her voice leveled but she can feel her skin getting hot and her eyes beginning to burn out of frustration.

“I don’t even want to know how you know about Jake ghosting me—

Dante looks up at her, “he didn’t ghost you, he checked himself into rehab. Stop selling yourself short.”

Her mouth can’t help but to drop open at that.

“Dante.”

“Yes?”

“You can’t go searching up every guy that I might want to give a chance…I shouldn’t even have to tell you that,” her frown is so deep that it should be permanent for the rest of this conversation, “and I wouldn’t just bring a random stranger to your house. I told him to wait in the car but I left your gift.”

Dante snickers and drops his head with a shake of his head, “that’s no better, Nina! You don’t know him and I don’t know him.”

“Well I’m getting to because that’s my choice! He doesn’t even live here and you’re acting like this. And you don’t have the right to get upset with who I spend time with while you do whatever the hell you want anyway, clearly.” Coty crosses her arms while Dante is upright now.

His heat is radiating again as he stands in front of Coty, “I know.”

“You know?”

“Yes and I wish I could say I’m sorry, as if that’ll ever be enough when I know it’ll never be especially when you’re the one who said you’re not over me.”

“That was how many weeks ago? I didn’t think you’d still be worrying about what was said when who knows what you’ve been up to with Gloria. You say a relationship but judging by the fresh burn mark on your neck, tells me it’s been anything but loving.”

Dante exhales, “stop.”

“Stop what? Caring?”

“No, stop trying to tell me you told me so.”

“I wouldn’t gloat yet I’m not sure what it is exactly you want from me, as your friend?” Coty quizzed him, “To stay by your side and just continue accepting everything for what it is? I did that before and now look where we are.”

Dante blinks, trying to get his thoughts together.

“She was wrong from the start and you knew that. And that burn is enough to remind you of that forever.”

“And what about me huh? What about what I’ve done to you all these years, those scars I gave to you and you still stayed while she had to leave. You don’t think I’m not dealing with all that?”

That alone leaves Coty stunned.

To know Dante from his late preteen years all throughout many phases of their lives to this point now, was so much at times that Dante knew just how much it stung. He couldn’t give Coty what she wanted and not in the way she wanted because of his own issues. If it stung for him, he had to know that it burned for his dear friend Seraphina Coty. He tried to be alone, almost begged Coty to get out of his life by the time they were eighteen but there was a constant need for their souls to be intertwined.

It felt like bleeding internally when they were apart but somehow they were still functioning. It’s been a minute since that damp spring day but the earth never stopped spinning. When the good was present, it felt like a summer sunrise compared to a fire tornado the two of them could unleash.

“I—

Coty starts but stomps against the grass, catches both of the two’s attention, revealing Kevin who’s appears to be getting off his phone, “My fault for breaking this up but Voight needs us.”

“Now?” Dante asks, practically forcing his eye contact to his team member.

“Pronto.”

Dante dips his head, his hand going out to gently touch Coty’s elbow, “Looks like I have to go.”

Kevin glances between the two before adding, “Uh, he needs all of us. Including Coty.”

Dante’s widens his eyes at this news and this confirms what his gut was saying all along when Manny dropped the crumbs. Coty was about to get wrapped up in the same danger she warned him about. He couldn’t say what he felt in that moment since time was always of the essence but he’s aware that Coty saw the eruption in his eyes just then.

She sparked the flame that Dante didn’t want to spread.

He wasn’t sure how he could protect her after this. His blood was boiling in the passenger side of Kevin’s car and he wanted nothing more than to tell Kevin to pull the car over and to leave Coty on the side of the road, sending a ride to bring her back home and away from it all like she conditioned herself to be.

Dante knew Seraphina like the ink on his back and with her stare burning into the back of his neck, eyes probably focused on his new mark, he peered over his shoulder at her, meeting her view and was aware that she always finished what she started, whether he liked it or not.

“Happy birthday,” she mouths to him with a small smile but it’s anything but comforting.

The glare on Dante’s face is evident as he turns back to face the front with a roll of his eyes, rubbing at the tightness in his jaw once more while slouching down in the passenger seat.

June’s air is a great contrast to what March once was.

ོ༘₊⁺☀︎₊⁺⋆.˚ ོ༘₊⁺☀︎₊⁺⋆.˚ ོ༘₊⁺☀︎₊⁺⋆.˚ ོ༘₊⁺☀︎₊⁺⋆.˚ ོ༘₊⁺☀︎₊⁺⋆.˚ ོ༘₊⁺☀︎₊⁺⋆.˚ ོ༘

-> Part Three!

[limehaspassed]

To Give a Man His Name

(Thomas Hewitt x M!Reader)

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In which you run across four teens along the side of the road.

Part Two

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Prologue

He was born to the world in a crude and grotesque way, one that can only be described as a living nightmare. His birth was a fatality, an innocent brutality for he was just a babe merely being born. To take someone’s life so young, at such an age, was an image unseen in the world, despite its sordid nature.

From the very start of his life, from the time he was born, he was a murderer, someone who took the lives of those around him. As he grew into a man, once fit for killing, he came to terms with his conditions, realizing that there was only one path he could take within this cruel world.

However, when your hands caressed his face and your lips graced his own, his life felt limitless. All restrictions left and for the first time, he felt as if his strength could be used for something else.

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Chapter One

Texas, 1969 …

Texan heat bore down on your body as you swung the knife down repeatedly, a motion you’ve been repeating over and over since the morning’s first light. The smell of salty iron hit your nose, a rough and overwhelming smell, one that encircled your brain in a hazy and intoxicated field of buzzing cicadas.

You were a slave to your practice, a slave to your job. Everyday, you would wake up at the crack of dawn to make your expedition to that slaughterhouse and everyday you would slave away in front of that slab of wood, constantly slamming your knife into its surface over and over, consecutively using muscles most do not know exist. Your body would burn and your shoulders would cry but still, you would attend your job for you had a family to care for.

Your daughter, a young girl within her early teenage years, depended on your job for a life. Of course, your daughter wasn’t really yours, you had merely found her when she was around ten, abandoned on the streets. You had taken her in that day, whether out of pity or quickly growing love, you cared for her and you still cared for her to this day. She was your world now, your reason for continuing the path of slavery, your everything.

You were one in three workers at the meat factory for a while but that changed the day someone new showed up, someone intrusive and observant, someone so excluded yet centered it baffled you. He was a brute of a man, a massive guy who took up a good portion of the doorway. He held strong, sharp eyes, intelligent in a way you haven’t seen within others, not even yourself. He had a strong grip and quiet mouth. He was the ideal worker too, accepting of anything as long as he could work.

He was Thomas Hewitt, a man you would grow to know as the freak of the town, yet, you could never see why. From the day you met him, you’ve never considered him a freak, no matter what the people of that small, sullen town told you. They could express their own misguided hatred to the man all they wanted, but you would never back their statements. After all, on that day, the day you met him, your life was changed forever.

It all started a day before you actually met him, a day before he ever stepped foot into that meat factory. It all started one fateful afternoon when you stumbled upon a group of teenagers who had come from out of state, their car had broken down and they were in need of some help. Being the nice person you were, you aided them the best you could.

“Please, sir, can you help us? Our car has broken down and we don’t know where we are.” They had asked for your help first, reaching out to you like hungry children to a diligent mother.

“Sure, pop the hood why don’t yah.” You spoke casually, having experienced many broken down cars. People didn’t stay in this town but they often passed through and being the curse place it was, problems always occurred.

One of the teenage boys, his name was Carlos, did the honor of popping the hood. You thanked him and walked up to the car, taking a look at the motor. You couldn’t tell what was wrong at first but you eventually found the problem, one of the head gaskets was leaking, a problem that had overheated the engine of the car.

“Ah, I see the problem, your gasket needs replacing. You’re lucky it's an easy fix, all I need are the parts and I can fix it right here.” You explained to which the kids practically cheered. They thanked you and celebrated. You cut them short in their celebratory dances “I hate to be that person but the nearest place that sells gaskets is about three miles up the road.” You explained a guilt slowly trickling into your stomach. You felt bad that you had to ruin their celebrations.

“That’s okay, Carlos and I can go up there and retrieve it and bring it back.” Another kid named Dante spoke up.

You smiled and agreed to watch the girls, Lina and Grace, as they traveled to the nearest store. It didn’t take long for them to leave, waving goodbye to their girlfriends and you.

Once they walked far enough to where you couldn’t see them, you turned to the girls and talked with them. The three of you guys had spoken about a plethora of topics ranging from break up stories, societal morals, and more. They all seemed to be like interesting and nice people on the outside but the more they talked, the more you had begun to realize how different they were from you. You didn’t let this predicament affect you for too long though, always keeping a smile on your face, even when you felt like a complete outsider.

“I just think that the whole Vietnam war is bullshit.” They would say to which you tried your best to control your response. There was a part of you that formed hatred for their laid back words, their carefree attitudes, the way they talked about a war as if it was nothing else but a high school breakup, gossip to go around and around. You hated them and you still do, but you also feel bad for them. After all, they were only kids and they were stuck in the middle of a war.

Hours began to tick by and the boys had yet to return with the gasket. “Where are they? They should be back by now.” Lina had complained, a statement that only added to that trickling guilt. You worried something might have happened to them. A lot of things happened within this small town that no one ever talked about, that everyone was afraid to talk about.

“Do you think we should go find them?” Grace asked, her voice borderline frantic. “What if something happened to them? What if they are hurt or some weirdo snatched them up?” She asked repetitive questions, her mind looping in circles over the boy's case.

You walked over to Grace and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, she immediately jerked away and looked at you with scared eyes. The fear turned to anger and she lashed out at you. “I swear if this weird town of yours hurt my boyfriend, I will behead you. Now, show us where that gas station was, we’re going to find them.” She stated with an authoritative tone that sent shivers down your spine. Her three-sixty in character took you by surprise, She was more than fine merely a minute ago, she was even joking with you, now she’s practically screaming down your throat. Insane.

You backed away from her and pointed down the road. “Fine, but I’ll tell you this. Ain’t no one in this town wants anything to do with you or your little boyfriends. Now stop acting like you own the place and start walking, they ain’t gonna find themselves now are they?” You replied with an annoyed and bitter tone, pissed off that she would even take such a voice with you.

Grace rolled her eyes and mumbled, “whatever” before starting her walk down the road. Lina followed after her with you leading the back.

The three of your walked down the road under the blazing sun, the Texas heat boating down on you like a laser, burning your skin and stinging our eyes. It felt as if the earth was molten lava each time a foot was placed upon that heated asphalt. The heat seeped into the soles of the shoes, reaching up and attacking the foot with a fiery blaze.

It wasn’t until the sun began to set behind the horizon that the three of you made it to the gas station. Grace was the first one to make it inside, barging through the door with haste, not even stopping to say hello to the shop owner. She rampaged through the aisles, calling out the name of the boy’s. When you and Lina made it inside, Grace was already halfway through the store.

“You ain’t gonna find any of them here. Haven’t seen a soul all afternoon I’m afraid.” The lady behind the counter spoke in a calm tone.

Grace turned to face her with an angered look. “What do you mean no one has come in? They were supposed to be here. Are you telling me that they never made it to this shitty gas station?” She asked in a raised voice.

You stepped in front of Grace and held out an apologetic hand to the older lady. “I’m so sorry about that Mrs. Hewitt, her boyfriend is just missing and we’re trying to find him. I’m sorry about her tone, we’ll take her outside, won’t we, Lina.” You shot a pointed look over to the girl who immediately jumped into action and pulled Grace outside.

You didn’t follow them, you stayed behind to talk to Mrs. Hewitt, wanting to further apologize for the attitude Grace had taken up with her. “I apologize about her outburst, Mrs. Hewitt” You started, to which she simply nodded with her eyes closed. “Is there anything I can do to make this up to you, I’m sure it’s given you quite the fright?” You asked with a guilty tone. It was your fault that Grace had come in here, that the boys were now missing, you are the one that sent them down here in the first place.

Mrs. Hewitt opened her eyes and gave a soft smile. “It ain’t your fault, dear. And please, call me Luda Mae. All the formalities make me feel old.”

You nodded and smiled back at her. “Alright. Well, I’ll be back around as always, Luda Mae. See you tomorrow morning.” You took your exit after that.

The second you opened the door of the gas station to exit the building, you instantly noticed that both Grace and Lina were missing. You call out for them and walk around the building multiple times but still, there was no hint of them anywhere. You cursed yourself and kicked a rock on the ground. You had officially lost four teenagers in the span of four hours.

With a defeated sigh, you started walking up the road, heading back to the teenagers car, wondering if they had headed that way, simply leaving you behind. You didn’t get far when the sheriff pulled up, Winston Hoyt, the only officer in his unit here. He had pulled up beside you, driving slow in order to keep pace with you. He rolled down the passenger side window and called out to you.

“Do you need a lift?” He asked, partially yelling to beat the sound of his motor.

You kept walking for a moment before stopping, deciding that it was best that you just get home. Plus, you could hand the case of the missing children off to the sheriff and be free of them for the day.

The car halted to a stop and opened the passenger door, taking a seat inside before closing it. You gave the directions to your house and the Sheriff began driving, heading in the general direction of your house.

“You work at the that butcher place back there, right?” He asks, making small talk.

You nodded and gave a small hum, not in a talkative mood.

“So what are yah doing out here so late? Meeting a boyfriend?” He asked with a tease.

You looked over and visibly rolled your eyes, wanting him to see your expression. He laughed and playfully hit your shoulder.”I’m teasing but seriously, what are you doing out here so late?” He asked again, to which you went in and explained all the details.

You explained everything from the time you got off work to now. You explained how nice they were at first, how willing the boys had been to go get the part, how they never came back, how one of the girls flipped out, how you all went to find the boys, how you lost the girls, and how you ended up walking alongside the road, heading towards the site once more.

“I see. After I drop you off, I’ll go out looking for them. No need to worry about them no more, okay, sweetheart?” He asked, adding on an unnecessary pet name at the end.

You simply nodded and refrained from throwing up at the name he had called you. You always hated being called pet names, they never went well with you. For the rest of the ride, you were silent, not speaking a word, not responding to ending further questions. The only time you talked was to thank the Sheriff when you got out.

You were quick to head inside, your mind spinning and stomach flipped inside out. You felt like you were going to throw up, the guilt of losing those kids eating up at you. You hated leaving the case with the officer but it was the only thing you could do, there isn’t much else you can do, you don’t even have a car.

You went to bed that night with an empty stomach, the contents long since spewed out into the toilet. Your dreams were plagued by their faces and what might have happened to them. You hated it, you hated them, you hated guilt.

The next morning, before heading to work you ran by the site where the car had originally been parked. It was a normal, humid morning, the sky was clear and the earth was dry, despite the wet conditions of the air.

When you arrived at the scene, you were quick to realize that the car was no longer there, not a trace of the kids were left, not even skid marks of them pulling out. It was as if they had passed through the town like ghosts or had come through at all. You could only hope that they were headed out of town safely, that the officer had done his job correctly and handled the case with practiced ease. You could only hope.

After you left the site, you quickly headed over to the factory, not wanting to be late to your shift. Luckily, you arrived a minute before your shift started, just on time. You were quick to throw on an apron and gloves, quickly heading over to your station and preparing for the day.

It was here that you met Thomas, it was here that he walked through the doors with the boss leading him on through, giving him a tour of the place. It was here that he was assigned to share a station with you, and it was here that you would start an odd relationship with the town’s “freak”, as some would like to say.

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Thanks for reading loves 🖤

Part 1/9

[justrainandcoffee]

Against all odds (Alfie Solomons x fem!oc) 2x04

Crossover Peaky Blinders - Hunger Games

• First part masterlist - Second Part masterlist → 2x01 2x02 2x03

Summary: Two months ago, Rose promised Alfie she was going to be with him in District 13, after sabotaging the Quarter Quell, but it wasn't possible. Maybe it took her longer than she expected but she's ready to fulfill her promise no matter how. || The day that Aveline Young, leader of the rebels in District 11, decided to save Rose's life, it was the moment that changed the course of many lives forever. || Cyril, whose journey started way before the rest, plays an important role.|| Allie is here.

Warnings: Descriptions of murder. Mentions of death, sexual abuse. || Fluff... Finally.

Words: 4k.

Two months earlier.

In her nightmares Rose sees the woman she killed. She never thought she would kill someone, but she was wrong. No, she didn't regret it, but that didn't mean her nightmares wouldn't haunt her for the rest of her life.

She knew now what Alfie felt the moment she stepped into the frozen forest. The cold through her shoes, the freezing fingertips, the pain of breathing... And she was only there for an hour, but it was enough to make her never want to be there again. The woman is kneeling in the snow and shivering. More from the cold than from fear because she insists that nothing she did was forcing Alfie. "He wanted to. He loved me." And Rose feels like she wants to vomit. The old woman doesn't know of the psychological damage she caused on him. Of the years she, Rose, and Alfie had to wait until he was ready to be with a woman again.

It was never consensual. It was never love. And just as Alfie had finally accepted that he was the victim of rape, Rose finally screams in the woman's face that she was nothing but a rapist.

The word is not funny to the lady. It is demeaning. She is not one of those because she is a well-educated woman who only sought the company of a few victors because it was a privilege. And she always gave them food and nice clothes. Some even received jewellery.

"He was 17!" Rose yells at her. The whole of Panem is watching, but Rose isn't aware of that. "You were over 50! You bitch! You raped him!"

"You also paid money to be with him!"

"After asking him if he wanted to, because we needed, we deserved more time together! Don't you dare compare me to you when I saw better than anyone the damage you caused him. Don't you dare!"

There is no cornucopia in any of the three Arenas because Rose and the Golds weren't going to allow any of the pedophiles to have anything to get out of there alive, so Rose has no weapon to finish the woman off. But if there's one thing the terrain has, it's sharp rocks polished by snow and ice. And a rock is what Rose grabs. It's amazing how much adrenaline and hatred can do to a person. The victim is over 80 years old but there is no compassion in the younger woman when for the first time the rock hits the old woman's skull. Why should she have compassion for someone who for decades made dozens of young boys and men suffer? But it is especially for Alfie. Rose is crying as the rock hits the woman's head again and again and blood begins to splatter everywhere, even on Rose herself. And she can't stop crying because in her mind is Alfie's look of hatred the first time he looked at Rose, that utter contempt for the empty people of the Capitol who enjoyed watching children kill each other. She cries because she remembers the moment when Alfie confessed to her that he too had been a victim of the upper class, that closed circle that only a handful of people had access to. She cries because of the disgust she felt when she met the woman who now lies limp in a river of blood.

When her mind comes to, she sees the result of her rage. The crushed skull, blood and brains scattered everywhere covering the white snow. Rose doesn't know when she dropped the rock. But she does notice the unmistakable sound of the hovercraft. It's time to go to District 13 and finally meet Alfie.

It's her own scream that wakes her up. That's neither the hovercraft nor District 13. The reality-based nightmare disappears and the fear of the unknown makes her come to her senses and look around. It is what appears to be a humble house with stone walls. There is a yellow curtain that moves in the wind and Rose smells soup. The bed she is lying on has a blanket printed with butterflies. There is a little girl beside her, probably about 10 or 12 years old. She has black skin and curly hair, but Rose doesn't know her. Or worse, Rose has no idea where she is.

"Don't be scared, ma'am," the girl says. "This is a safe place."

"Where am I? Who are you?"

"Welcome to district 11, ma'am! I'm Rue. Aveline, she let me stay. She's out, taking care of other people. We have too many sick people and not enough medicine. We are experimenting with herbs and some men have gone to neighbouring districts on foot to exchange things for medicine. I know it sounds awful because you've just woken up, but on the good news side the sun has finally come out after days of rain and you've finally woken up."

Rue's childish but mischievous smile makes Rose smile.

"District 11. How did I get here? I don't remember anything."

"No wonder," Rue says. "The ship you were on landed in flames. The people who live on the edge of District 11, they saw the whole thing. How the Capitol's hovercraft shot at yours and how it went down like a meteor. Aveline was nearby talking to the rebels living on the borders and it was purely by chance. They didn't expect to see anyone alive, yet when they got there they saw that you were alive. She pulled you out of the flames. Barely alive, but still alive."

"No one else survived?"

"No, sorry."

Rose can't help but think it's her fault Tina and the pilot are dead. The last thing she remembers is getting into the hovercraft that had come back for her and she remembers running away. There are no images in her mind of the crash, let alone the gunshots Rue talks about.

"Thank you, sweetheart," Rose says to the girl with a soft smile. Rue announces that she will go to the kitchen to get food because the woman hasn't eaten for days. And it is exactly the word ‘days’ that catches her attention. Rose thinks she's been there for a couple of hours. Maybe a night, but not days. The answer Rue gives her when she asks how long it's been brings her completely back to reality.

"A week."

_

Aveline arrived at the house where Rose is in the district at dusk. Smelling of fire and looking tired, Aveline yjhhfgcc,found the younger woman sitting on the bed with her back against the wall and Rue at her feet, talking animatedly. That girl was a treasure in the midst of the chaos that was life after the Quarter Quell.

"Finally awake," she said setting the backpack she carried aside and her sword as well.

"Rose has already eaten," Rue announced with a smile.

"You're a good nurse, Rue. Thank you so much for helping me, you can go to sleep now."

"Alright, good night."

And as if she hadn't been awake since dawn, the girl ran out to her house where her mother and younger siblings were waiting for her.

"How are you?" Aveline asked as she closed the bedroom curtains.

"My head hurts, but thanks to the food Rue made me, I feel better."

"That your head only hurts after the accident is a fucking miracle. Do you know how lucky you are?" Aveline sat down in the chair next to the bed. "I'm going to die without understanding how you survived."

"I don't have an answer for that. I don't remember anything about the accident. Rue told me about fire, gunshots, the hovercraft falling... but I don't remember."

"The trauma possibly caused amnesia. Or it's your own brain protecting you from the memory of the accident."

"Well, it doesn't do a very good job of protecting me from nightmares."

Aveline looked at her and snorted with resignation. "You're going to have to learn to live with that. They never go away."

"I know. Not for me, but for him. Aveline, Alfie...him? The games... Alfie survived?"

The black woman nodded. It wasn't worth telling her yet about how an arrow shot by Tommy Shelby ended up sticking in his eye. Aveline watched the sequence on television. From her friend fighting Gloss to the moment Alfie fell to his knees, bleeding.

The sound of the cannon.

But Aveline refused to believe he was dead. The hovercraft had arrived faster than they usually did to rescue the bodies of the fallen. Something told her that this was a rebel ship.

"Really?" asked Rose looking up at her with teary eyes, "Alfie is okay?"

For a lot of years, from the time Rose started working as a stylist to the time Nina won her games when Aveline believed Rose was just having fun with Alfie. Perhaps humiliating him behind his back with Lawrence Evert. No matter that Alfie defended Rose even to the point of jeopardising his friendship with other champions, for Aveline the love Alfie professed for this girl could not be real. Until she saw with her own eyes how she looked at him. There was no way she was faking that. Then she saw them interact two years ago when Rose took her home to the Capitol and they first talked about the rebellion. The two loved each other and Aveline knew she had been wrong all that time and had already apologized for it.

And if there was any doubt left for Aveline Young, that had vanished when it came to the 76th Hunger Games, organised by Rose. The woman had even killed for him, in the most literal sense of the word.

"Of course, it's all right. Alfie's the toughest guy I know. You need to rest, Rose, and get your strength back. Then we'll see what to do and how we get to district 13. But it won't be today."

In other circumstances and with someone else in front of her, maybe she would have argued. But not with Aveline Young in charge of the district where she was stranded. Without any obligation on her part, Young had managed to rescue her from a burning ship and had managed to keep her alive against all expectations. So Rose just nodded and settled back into bed again.

It would be two and a half more weeks before Rose's body would be ready to leave for wherever she wanted to go. There was no way anyone would know she was in that district because Aveline forced everyone to keep it a secret. There was no way the Capitol should know because not only were they harbouring one of the heads of the rebellion, but if they knew, they were going to wipe it all out like what was said to have happened in district 12.

District 11 really put her at ease. She hadn't remembered that friendliness since she was young and lived in the 8th. The people were warm and friendly. Rue and her family were among the first to help her out of bed and get her strength back. By day Rose helped them with the sick and even, in darker moments, she also helped burn the dead that hunger and deadly diseases took from this world. At night, if possible, some villagers would build a fire and gather to eat by the warmth of the fire. Sometimes they would even sing and allow themselves to laugh, forgetting for an hour or two the sorrows that war brought with it.

But Aveline and Rose, now friends and allies, knew it was only a matter of time before it was over.

After a month in the 11th district, Rose could wait no longer and told the other woman she wanted to leave. She still had no memory of the accident, and the nightmares were already a part of her. The image of the old lady's blood haunted her, but she had to move on and there was no way to do it from there.

It was a Thursday at dawn when Aveline Young and Rose Coldwell set out on foot for the 13th. In the 11th district, Aveline's friend and one of her most loyal men, and of course, Rue, were left in charge. They promised to guard that place as well as she did, and Aveline knew it was true.

It was a long journey and they knew it was not easy, but there was no way to cross from one district to another except on foot. Reaching the border between 11 and 12 was the easiest because everyone in the land of agriculture was willing to help their leader. From the point where Aveline lived to the beginning of the next district took less than a week. They received help from the villagers because everyone seemed willing to help Young.

But once they crossed over into 12, both women were alone.

The silence all around was overwhelming. The mockingjays, usually repeating human sounds like a song or words, were either silent or imitating the sounds of animals.

It was still summer, the middle of August, but inevitably the days were getting shorter and that was noticeable as the sun was beginning to set shortly after 6pm. Even further into the forest.

District 12 was enemy land. More than once the two saw Capitol hovercrafts flying overhead, guarding the forest. But in that area, everything was so thick that the trees protected them.

Rose knew the journey was going to be hard, but hard was too mild a word to describe it. Aveline might be about 12 years older than she was, but she was in better physical condition than Rose would ever be. Once they lost two days' progress because Rose simply couldn't go on. They slept against some trees and didn't move from there until she felt better.

They carried food in tins in their packs, but that was getting scarce too, so Aveline was the one who did the hunting. The truth was that if it hadn't been for her, Rose wouldn't have got far.

It would have been so easy and quick to give herself up to death there. It was a simple and painless solution, but if she didn't do it, it was for Alfie. Only for him. In July she promised to see him the following week. It was now six weeks since they had last seen each other.

.

The two women had been walking for 25 days now. Two days earlier they had heard a new hovercraft and the next morning they saw the body of a very young woman lying by a stream. She had clearly been shot while running away.

They had no tools with which to bury her, so the most humane thing they could do was to cover her with leaves and earth. It wasn't a grave, but at least it looked like one. Setting a fire and burning it was out of the question because if the Capitol still had ships there, they would see the smoke and it would be game over for them too.

Past noon on the morning they buried the woman, Aveline was hunting and Rose was tending to their packs when something caught her attention. The mockingjays were repeating the sound of barking. Loud and clear, too clear to come from far away.

If the rumours about the district 12 no longer existing were true, then it was only natural that there would be dogs running loose in the woods looking for food. And that would have been the most logical answer, except that shortly after hearing the mockingjays, Rose saw with her own eyes a large dog barking in her direction, but not in a threatening way. But as if calling for help.

Oh, if only Cyril could talk. He had been walking a lot longer than the women. But he was where he needed to be. At last. Now he just needed her, Rose, to listen to him.

Every bark was a "follow me, please."

The dog's body language was clear and Rose knew that animals somehow always made themselves understood. And this one was urgently calling for someone to follow him.

If Aveline came back before her and saw she was gone, and if, moreover, she knew it had gone after a dog, Rose was going to have to put up with her friend's reprimand. But it was only to see what happened to the dog, that was all.

The distance was short, no less than ten minutes from where she and Aveline had stopped to rest for food and sleep, there was a cave. Rose saw the dog enter and it was then that she saw her for the first time. Wrapped in a blanket and hugging herself, a little girl slept. Rose saw the dog lie down next to her and keep her warm.

"Sweetheart," Rose put a hand on the girl's body and noticed that she wasn't as cold as she thought she would be from sleeping on the stone. "Sweet girl, wake up."

In the middle of a forest muddy from the recent rains, with temperatures dropping faster than they imagined, enemies flying overhead and Cyril as the only witness; Rose and Allie met eyes for the first time.

Convincing the other woman to follow him was not as easy to do as it was with Rose. But Cyril managed to do it, even if he had waited there for more than an hour.

When Aveline returned to the place where Rose was supposed to be, she wasn't there. Neither was her backpack, but there was that brown dog staring at her and begging to go after him. No matter how many times she told him no, he wouldn't leave. Finally she agreed. Perhaps, Aveline thought, Rose had gone after the dog too.

Sure enough, there she was in the shelter of a cave with a little girl sleeping against his body. As Aveline's brain processed the image, she ran to crouch beside her.

"Her name is Allie. She's three years old and she's looking for her mother," Rose said as Aveline put a hand on the girl's head to see if she was real.

"Do you think...?" There was no need to continue the sentence. They both knew that the corpse of the woman they had seen the day before was Allie's mother. "Poor little thing."

Cyril had laid down in front of the two women and not long after, he finally fell asleep as well. His mission was over.

"He kept her warm. But I don't know how much time passed, Avie. The girl ate two of my tin cans before she fell asleep. You should see her when she's awake, she's beautiful. She's really adorable."

"Poor little girl, but so is the mother. They were obviously heading towards 13. They were really close to getting there, Rose. We can't be more than a week away. Five days, maybe."

Only five days and Dorothy Brown would have made it.

.

Allie awoke hours later to the warmth of the fire Aveline had lit. Beside her she saw the woman who had found her and said her name was Rose and another one she didn't know. Both were asleep, but Rose was holding Allie in her arms.

The girl touched Rose's hair and face with her small hands and watched her sleep. She was full of fear when she was left alone. Her mother was gone and she was hungry. She didn't know this place and she didn't know where they were going. She missed her home and her friends. But especially her mother. Then she heard someone calling her. Her mother had warned her not to trust anyone because this world was full of bad people, but something about the woman in front of her told her she could trust her forever. And that's what she did.

Allie snuggled against Rose and when she felt her arms around her body, she fell asleep again.

Rose wasn't her mum, but she felt like one.

.

How could you tell a three-year-old that her mother was never coming back?

Rose knew they had to keep travelling and now it wasn't just the two of them, but Allie and Cyril as well. And to move on, they had to leave the cave and the girl's mother in the past.

Rose chose the best words she could find to speak to the girl as Aveline put everything into the backpacks again.

"She's not coming back?" the teary eyes of Allie broke Rose's heart. She wiped the tears away with her thumb.

"Your mommy is taking care of the forest now. The animals that live here, the plants... She took care of you until Cyril guided me to you and she's going to take care of you for the rest of your life, Allie. But we can't stay here. It's dangerous, even if she takes care of us."

"Why can't she come?"

"Because she has to stay here. It's her job now. Allie, I'm not her, but I promise to take care of you. I swear."

"Like my mommy?"

"Yes, love. Just like her."

Allie was still crying as she clung to Rose's body and they both hugged "I'm going to take care of you and love you like you're my daughter," she whispered.

Aveline, looking at the scene couldn't help but smile. Ever since the hovercraft accident, Aveline wondered how Rose had survived. Why. And now seeing the little girl cuddled up to her, she understood why. Her mission in this life had just begun.

The four travellers set off again. It would take them another week to reach district 13.

September was in full bloom. That week was Alfie's 38th birthday.

The last stand of trees was behind them and the rubble and destroyed buildings greeted them. 62 days after the games began, they had finally arrived.

Rose couldn't help but cry.

Alfie heard knocking on his door and grunted. The clock showed that it was well past midnight. If Tommy, Nina, or any of the others, insisted on disturbing him at that hour they were going to find a very angry Alfie Solomons. He understood wanting him to come out of his shell, but there was no reason to bother at that hour.

"Open up, Solomons!"

Alfie pulled his pillow over his head. He knew that voice. It was Campbell.

"What the fuck do you want?"

"Open the door!"

"You fucking cunt." Cursing silently, Alfie climbed out of bed and headed for the door. Reaching it, he swore he heard a sob.

"There's a surprise for you," Campbell said as soon as he opened it. And Campbell finally stepped aside.

The sob Alfie had heard came from the person he thought he would never see again.

"Al..."

"Rosie?" he asked still not believing his eyes.

"Alfie!"

Campbell moved just in time for Alfie to pull him completely aside to take his wife in his arms who leapt towards him. Seeing fit to leave, the president of district 13 walked away down a corridor, leaving the two lovers alone.

Rose sobbed against his shoulder as Alfie held her in his arms, his face in her neck. The warmth of each other's bodies, the feeling of holding each other again, the fear finally leaving their minds... It was real. Yes, it was real.

Rose couldn't stop crying. She had a million questions to ask him, but not there. Those endless answers she hoped to have, would be in the future.

62 days later than they had promised each other, Alfie and Rose finally kissed.

"I love you. I love you."

"I love you, too," he replied, caressing her face. "You're alive, love. You're alive."

"Yes, of course I am. And so you are."

Alfie took her more firmly in his arms and kissed her again as he stepped into his compartment and closed the door with his foot.

"Yes, I'm fucking alive," he replied as he leaned her back against the mattress.

And to celebrate that they were alive, that not even Snow, the games, a bunch of rapists and miles and miles of country could separate them; Alfie and Rose finally made love. In that small bed, surrounded by nothing but white sterile walls, they loved each other the way they deserved.

Tomorrow, Alfie will know Allie and Rose will know that her brother is alive. But that night, the hours belonged to them.

Dozens of I love you, were repeated until the sun rose again.

NEXT

[goodqueenaly]

If Oberyn could see the fighting in his family after he died, what do you think he would think about their actions and choices regarding his death? It made me mad when Nymeria said Ellaria didn’t understand Oberyn because they really loved each other, but he was pretty dead set on revenge and settling things himself to a really reckless degree. Do you think he would understand Ellaria’s desire for peace (or just not immediate revenge in the case of Doran) and his daughters plans for vengeance? I’m afraid that he’d be disappointed in Ellaria for not wanting revenge.

The major caveat to this question is that we’re not in Oberyn’s head and don’t know exactly what he was thinking at any given point (much less what he would think posthumously).

That being said, I think this question reflects how two characters or groups of characters can each love another character and yet come away with very different interpretations of that other person (or what happened to that person), based on their respective relationships with that individual. The obvious comparison here might be Ned: while Robb and Catelyn both clearly loved him and were devastated by his execution, Robb as his heir reasonably saw politico-military retribution on behalf of the dynasty Ned had raised Robb to inherit as the obvious solution to Ned’s murder, while Catelyn as his wife and the mother of his children (Jon the adopted son excluded) prioritized the safety and security of her and Ned’s family in the wake of his death (unconsciously sharing in Ned’s own desire to protect his daughters via his own (albeit limited) willing self-sacrifice).

The same, I think, may have been true of Oberyn’s memory for his daughters and his paramour. The three eldest daughters of Oberyn were correct in believing that Oberyn wanted vengeance for the wrongs done to House Martell, as Oberyn had very publicly demonstrated in his violent interrogation of Gregor Clegane (and indeed, though the Sand Snakes did not know it, Oberyn had been secretly and not so secretly plotting for the downfall of the Baratheon-Lannister regime for the better part of two decades). Yet it’s very obvious - by his apparent fidelity to her for more than a decade and his open, and openly romantic, regard for her - that Oberyn loved Ellaria, and though we don’t see their interactions I’d be willing to bet he loved their daughters too. The adult Sand Snakes, raised by their father to be fighters themselves, could reasonably believe that Oberyn would have cheered their desire to follow in his footsteps for war and vengeance in the name of House Martell; Ellaria, Oberyn’s spouse in all but name, could reasonably believe that the man who had loved her and their young daughters for so long would not willingly want that family put in harm’s way.

[sadlynotthevoid]

I think we need at least one more bnha x dc crossover in a fusion AU way with bad parent Bruce just so we can have Trained Assassin Teen Jason go to UA in a rehab way (because I doubt bnha proheroes are really against killing in certain cases and Jason would flip that shitty distopia from inside out if given the chance, which he should have) and Stain go after Bruce's ass.

Outside Jason's interrogatory room:

Random diplomat: —and so we decided to consult with yourself, since this is... an exceptional case.

Nedzu: I knew there would be trouble to decide a punishment for the Red Hood, but I wonder what makes everyone so uncomfortable.

Random diplomat, who I'm going to call Jeff: Well, that's— why don't you take a look at him for yourself? *Activates one way mirror function*

Jason, a literal teen: *bored out of his mind, spinning in a swivel chair*

Nedzu, not a human but also in charge of a whole full school of teens: Ah. He's younger than I expected. Though that explains a lot of things.

Jeff: It does?

Nedzu: The decision of making Batman face the Joker to force him to kill him, despite his well known irrational protest against killing in all cases, instead of killing him himself makes more sense coming from a traumatized teenager in seek of safety and certainty.

Jeff: I see. Anyways, his age is one of the three reasons why it's nearly impossible for us to come to a conclusion.

Nedzu: Having in count his young age, I assume his life circumstances is other?

Jeff: Yes. The kid was interrogated by an agent with a range truth-type quirk before and— He was murdered. And resurrected, violently. Then spent a year or so under tha care of assassins.

Nedzu, smiling wide: Oho. So that's the reason.

Jeff: For his last antic, yes. Knowing this, it's hard to judge him because no one has gone under similar events before. Specially because his previous life wasn't exactly a normal one either.

Nedzu: By the way, what is the other reason?

Jeff: ...his fans would burn us alive if they discover we put him, a traumatized teen who almost got killed by his father, in prison for killing people who— under any working system— should end in life sentence or penal death.

["Sir, the crowd outside doubled its size."

"Again Ramírez? This is the third time already!"

"There's nothing I can do bout it. They aren't doing anything illegal."

"Anf onef ovf them gahve me a muffin."

"Johansson! Not eating during guard duty."

"He didn't have breakfast, sir."]

Nedzu: So that's the real reason.

Nedzu, already taking the legal papers: If we agree in a few things, then I'm willing to have him in UA to rehabilitate him.

Jeff: Of course.

Aizawa: *enters to Nedzu's office*

Tsukauchi, Jason and Nedzu already there: *turns heads to him at the same time*

Aizawa, a single father of twenty children: Oh no. What did they do now?

Tsukauchi: As far as I know, nothing yet this time.

Nedzu: Aizawa, take a seat. This is Jason, he's going to be part of your class starting today.

Aizawa: Isn't him a bit old?

Jason who has never been normal for a single day in his life: Apparently, I'm seventeen...ish. You should have seen me a week ago. I looked like 19 years old.

Tsukauchi: The doctor said it could be good for him if he could look at himself and see his real age, so recovery girl made a call.

Jason: It was a therapist. I've never had one of those before. And oh boy, wasn't she right? I only jumpscared myself twice this week.

Aizawa, already resigned to parent this kid: Hahhhhh.

Todoroki, going downstairs after a nightmare: *stops*

Jason, in the middle of a stress-baking session: *looks at him dead in the eyes while whisking cream*

Tokoyami, sitting in the dark for no reason: Revelry in the dark.

Jason, finishing yet another cake: More like a feast. Black forest, you two?

Todoroki: Sure.

Dark Shadow: Me three.

Aizawa: Class, due to recent events, you will have a new classmate joining you.

Jason: Sup.

Aizawa: This is Jason. He is—

Todoroki: An excellent chef. Thanks for the cake.

Aizawa, too used to their bs: —technically a criminal. But there were extreme circumstances and the global government agreed to let him free and give him a hero license if he graduates from Nedzu's hellish rehab program. Good luck.

Jason: Meh. Can't be worse than digging myself out.

The whole class: Hiiiih—

Aizawa: I was talking to them. They have a terrible low terror resistance and you can traumatize anyone who talks with you for more than ten minutes.

By the way, in this AU Jason has a healing quirk. Because he deserves it and I like it how it goes with his name. Plus, the angst of baby Jay trying to heal his mom even after she had already died and it's only her corpse.

I was thinking it seemed like a normal healing quirk, but after he dies, resurrect and is thrown into the pit it evolves. As time pass, Jason finds more and more phoenix resembling features in his quirk.

[quietbluejay]

Prince of Crows

atmospheric so i wonder will i get more of a grasp on Lion from this novella

this is the ultimate showdown of ultimate destiny good guys bad guys and explosions as far as the eye can see anyways looks like ADB is enjoying some purple prose huh how did Curze survive this he's been badly wounded by Lion, many, many times lion externally: fall lion internally: why won't you die???

you know what, considering i was sitting alone in the dark on my computer during my dnd game, i get it so there's 3 sets of red eyes glowing why is this so funny to me so from context we can gather that: -these 3 are night lords -possibly the only three that escaped a battle -battle started with ambush -opponents are dark angels

the other problem is figuring out who is in command of these clowns okay they have Curze and they're trying to treat him also it got mentioned that Sevatar sacrificed himself well surprise he's here

sevatar: well i guess we know how the raven guard felt sevatar: things are looking bad sevatar: i like you three the least dude 1: This is not the time for your sense of humour he's got a fun sense of humour, Sevatar, I see why people like him

so they want to regroup and strike back at the dark angels sevatar calls them idiots dude's also got style honestly i think maybe i just have a disconnect a lot of the time when it comes to ADB's writing like I feel like it should be emotionally affecting me more but it doesn't well the Black Legion books did more, also I should reread them at some point lol but i had the same experience with Betrayer it's still a good read though don't get me wrong as usual when i feel like i should be getting something from a book that I'm not, I go into overanalysis mode "i should be loving this, why don't i" anyways tldr he leaves his spear there, it's got a special effect, one of the three notices and goes for the door and the other two don't sevatar: you noticed so you get to live dude who noticed calls him insane

so Sevatar doesn't feel sorrow when he sees Curze in the apothecarion meanwhile he hears all his brothers, murderers, torturers, flayers etc weeping

yikes also apparently curze talks to the bodies!\ I like this guy Trez

dude hasn't slept in 2 weeks oh it's another chronic pain dude

eyes emoji

time to meet the new night lord command crew interesting bunch

lmao also owo what is up with the Raven Guard dude who switched sides after isstvan v?? gahh i keep wanting to read about isstvan v but it's in a bad book

click click aw man he really does care about curze

is this baby curze??

i think it is baby curze man like were they babies or young children when they came out of their pods i guess it varied??

the night haunter grapples with concupiscence:

owo

oh this is very interesting also another point in favour of the foiling of dorn and curze in that they both deny themselves personhood for the sake of a higher ideal

wow the emperor straight up blinded people lmao and thus Curze and Sevatar meet inside Curze's head

i dunno, I don't think well okay, Angron doesn't hate his legion he just doesn't care one way or the other about them

uh aren't space marine recruits children

ah man

he doesn't get it and there's no way for him to get it

DRAG HIM

i am kissing sevatar on the mouth do you know how long i have waited for SOMEONE, ANYONE in warhammer to give a speech like this and Sevatar is back in the real world and they're about to be attacked by the Dark Angels

XD also very interesting is the focus on servitors as lobotomized slaves in the POV of all the characters in this or well not focus but how it gets brought up multiple times everyone else in other works just sort of treats servitors as things interesting

you know what sevatar is a great character to throw at idw1

ah konrad is up and about

sevatar internally: sigismund doesn't have to deal with this shit

WOW HE CLUNG TO SIDE OF SPACE FIGHTER SHIP TO MAKE IT TO THE DA SHIP

incredible anyways finished it! very interesting

[thebeesareback]

Ding dong, the king is dead: the murder of Joffrey Baratheon.

Nobody felt sad when Joffrey died. Not even his mum, really, she was mostly angry and upset about the prophecy. Here's a hot take, though: I don't think he should have been murdered.

Gasp.

Look, he was a total evil shit and he sucked. I'm not disputing that. I'm not even going to argue that he was, what, 13 or 14 and therefore too young to be given power or really held responsible for his actions.

I just think that killing him was, strategically, a bad idea. Joffrey had an heir, and with him dead, Tommen just hopped up on the throne and asked for a kitten. He'd certainly make a better king than Joffrey, mostly due to the lack of bloodlust, and the Tyrells find him pretty easy to control. He'll listen to their advice, be kind to Margery, and he's so young that the Tyrells can install their allies on the small council before he can do anything.

So, Tommen, fine. But Tommen is going to die. Nobody knows aside from Cersei, admittedly, but it's certainly possible that he could pass in a variety of ways. The incest genes might get him, he could be assassinated, or perhaps he'd be executed. Westeros is a war! Kings die! I mean, in the main series so far, we've lost Robert Baratheon, Renley Baratheon, Viseries Targareon, Rob Stark, Baelon Greyjoy, Oberyn Martell and Quentin Martell. Royal blood doesn't keep you safe. And who is Tommen's heir?

Well. I can think of three answers, and none of them work too well. There's Stannis. Currently in open rebellion, lost up in the North, wildly unpopular because he sucks, he's affiliated with human sacrifice and because his forces killed a bunch of people attacking King's Landing. Not ideal. Next, there's Robert's cousins. I can't think of any, and that lack of name recognition is going to cause some problems. I think there was a female cousin who was a widow and Robert fucked? Oh, Robert. Also, if you're looking for the dead king's cousins, second cousins, and possibly cousins removed, you're stretching too far. Let's give up on that plan. Finally, there's Dany. Last legitimate Targ! Her family was killed and despised. None of the nobility want her. Plus, she's a little girl who is currently incredibly far from Westeros. Nobody wants a woman on the throne, because then other women might start thinking that they are humans who deserve rights and respect. Bleugh.

I guess there's Myrcella. Perhaps the Tyrells could marry her to Willas and compromise by giving their children the Baratheon surname. Cersei would lay an egg. That's probably the most likely, actually! Of course, she may have been swapped on the journey to Dorne, she's far away, she's in obvious danger and she's doomed. We know Tommen and Myrcella are going to die, but we don't know the order yet.

My point is, having a young king with no heirs is simply a bad idea. Ask Rob Stark!

Here's what I think the Tyrells should have done:

Marry Joffrey to Margery. Trust Tywin to keep him in line, make sure there are plenty of Tyrells around. Get Margery to (ew) fuck his brains out. She'll have at least one kid before Joffrey is old enough to rule by himself. Then, a few weeks before he turns 18, murder him. You could even do it at his birthday party, if you want the wow factor. Install Mace as the regent, then maybe Tommen, until little Joffrey junior is old enough to be on the throne. You could even marry Tommen to one of Margery's cousins to keep him in line. That way, there's always an heir and the Tyrell blood is always going to be mixed in and on the throne. It keeps things stable! Joffrey sucks, but he only really has power if Tywin and the small council give it to him.

[reluctantjoe]

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder - author Holly Jackson and the cast on staying true to the books and the big scenes fans will recognise

Filmed in and around Somerset, the series for BBC iPlayer and BBC Three is based on the smash-hit novels

It’s the Summer holidays, but teenager Pip Fitz-Amobi is focused on an unusual school research project. In Little Kilton five years ago, schoolgirl Andie Bell went missing. Her boyfriend Sal Singh sent a text confessing to the murder before being found dead, seemingly taking his own life. Andie’s body was never found. Case closed. However, Pip isn’t so sure and is determined to prove Sal’s innocence.

The six-part series is based on Holly Jackson’s smash hit novels and stars Emma Myers (Wednesday), Anna Maxwell Martin (Motherland, A Spy Among Friends), Gary Beadle (Rye Lane, Small Axe), Mathew Baynton (Ghosts, Wonka) and newcomer Zain Iqbal.

A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder was filmed in and around Somerset, England. Commissioned by the BBC, the series is produced by Moonage Pictures (The Pursuit of Love, The Gentlemen, Bodies) in co-production with ZDFneo and Netflix.

All episodes will be available on BBC iPlayer from Monday 1 July.

Interview with Mathew Baynton

Playing Elliot Ward

Who is Elliot Ward?

Elliot Ward is Pip's English teacher and Cara and Naomi's father. He believes in Pip and wants to help her do well, and he's attempting to be everything to his girls after they lost their mother. He is trying to hold things together for their sake. It is that complexity that drew me to the role.

What is A Good Girls Guide To Murder about?

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder is about an ambitious and curious young student, Pip, who decides to re-open an old case in which Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend Sal Singh, who then killed himself. She suspects the police might have got it wrong. In doing so Pip re-opens old wounds in the community and puts herself in danger in the process. What's cool about it and what really sets it apart is that it's as much a coming of age story as it is a murder investigation. There's this procedural element, but the protagonist is not a professional detective and not even fully an adult yet, she’s someone emerging into adulthood and going through all of the things that you go through at that age. This young woman, Pip, is facing adulthood and all the excitement and terror that comes with it. New relationships, new experiences, both thrilling and scary. It's as much about the realisation that people can hurt you, and that as you go out into the world, you need to be careful who you trust.

How would you describe the dynamic between Elliot and his children, particularly Cara?

You get the feeling that he's really genuinely trying to keep a happy house. He's conscious of the loss that they've all been through, that he loves his daughters and that he wants them to be happy. It doesn't fully delve into how open they are with each other about discussing that grief and so maybe there's more than meets the eye. I feel like he tries to be light with them and there's a bit of humour in the way that they interact with each other.

Had you read the book before you got the role of Elliot?

I hadn’t but as soon as I was on board I started seeing it everywhere and everyone I spoke to who had teenage kids had read it so I quickly realised what a big deal it was. Once I got the part I read the book in order to find out how it ends, because when I was offered the role, there were only scripts for the first few episodes and I was desperate to find out what happened. Does Pip find the truth? Where does my character end up, and where do his daughters end up? I wanted to know more. It was exciting as Holly had written a character with real depth and shades, which Poppy, Dolly and the team translated perfectly to the script and then to screen.

What can we expect from the other casting?

For me I am most interested in Pip, Cara and their group of friends because I think groups of characters can often end up mirroring that. I was watching this bunch of people all become and behave like a really tight group of friends.

What was it like working with Dolly Wells (Director)?

I had worked with Dolly Wells years ago as an actor in Spy and was very excited to work with her as a director. It was a privilege to see her supporting this young cast, and fostering a really positive atmosphere in front of camera, one that ensured we could all do our best work.

What are you most excited for the fans to see?

With a book, it's your own imaginative world, you picture everything in your head and you get really close relationships with those characters. There can be a bit of a process when you get a TV or film version of something where you have to let go of your imagination and then take on the idea, oh, that's what that character looks like. I didn't picture them that way, or whatever. So hopefully there's added dimension to this and people can still go away and enjoy the books and their images in their head, too.

[beardedmrbean]

The three girls who were killed in a "ferocious" knife attack at a children's dance workshop have been named by police.

Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, died after the attack at a Taylor Swift-themed event on Hart Street, Southport, on Monday.

Five children and two adults who were also injured remain in a critical condition.

Bebe’s family said "no words" could describe the "devastation that has hit our family", while Alice's parents said she would always be "our princess and no-one would change that".

Live updates: Five children and two adults remain in a critical condition

What we know about Southport knife attack

Latest audio reports and updates from BBC Radio Merseyside

Merseyside Police said a 17-year-old boy, from Banks in Lancashire, who was arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder remains in custody.

The force said the families of the girls, who were being supported by specialist officers, had asked for their privacy to be "respected at this time".

In a tribute from her "Hero Daddy and Mummy", Alice's parents said: "Keep smiling and dancing like you love to do, our princess.

"Like we said before to you, you're always our princess and no-one would change that."

In a TV interview in Portugal, the country's Communities Minister Jose Cesario said Alice was originally from the Madeira region and her parents were in "a state of shock".

In a statement, Bebe's family said "no words" could describe "the devastation that has hit our family as try to deal with the loss of our little girl".

Head teachers at the schools the three girls attended have paid tribute to them.

Natasha Sandland, of Marshside Primary School, said Bebe was "one of our brightest and most wonderful shining stars".

“Words cannot do justice to describe the grief and upset our Marshside community are feeling today," she said.

“We are deeply saddened by the awful news."

Farnborough Road Infant School's Jennifer Sephton said Elsie was a "caring and charismatic young lady" and the school was "heartbroken and devastated" by her passing.

“Elsie has been a loving and bright member of our wonderful community since first being brought here on her father’s shoulders," she said.

“It is immensely difficult to put into words how amazing Elsie was and the impact she had on those around her."

Jinnie Payne, of Churchtown Primary School, said Alice had been "the happiest of souls" and a "true ray of sunshine".

"She was known and loved by everyone in our school community of 700 children, a testament to her unique ability to connect with others," she said.

She also paid tribute to Bebe, who had previously been a pupil at her school.

“Bebe was a joyful girl, whose kindness radiated through the entire Churchtown community," she said.

"During her time at the school, Bebe’s considerate nature and her love of learning shone through in everything that she did."

She added that a "number of other children from Churchtown were also involved in the attack, along with much-loved colleagues" and the school's "heartfelt wishes" went to "all those families affected".

'Shine bright little ones'

Merseyside Police said it was not looking for anyone else in connection to the attack, which it added was not being "treated as terror-related".

The BBC can report that the teenage suspect, whose parents are from Rwanda, was born in Cardiff and moved to the Southport area in 2013.

It is understood that detectives from Counter Terrorism Policing North West have been actively providing support to the investigation.

A police representative said a name shared online in connection with the suspect was "incorrect" and urged people "not to speculate on details of the incident while the investigation is ongoing".

Help and support can be found at BBC Action Line

How to talk to children about upsetting news stories

Hundreds of people joined a vigil outside the Atkinson building in Southport, which began at 18:00 BST.

Local residents have also left flowers, cards and teddies by the police cordon close to the scene.

Churches have opened to give people a place to gather and several shops and pubs have closed as a mark of respect.

Sefton Council said it had launched a dedicated webpage providing information about help and support and would do "whatever it takes” to support the community as it dealt with the impact of "one of the saddest days in the borough’s history".

Council leader Marion Atkinson said there had been some "truly amazing acts of kindness" since what happened and while it would "take time for us to come to terms with this... we will stay strong together".

She added that the "offers of support" that the council had received "from across the world [were] much appreciated".

Local football side Southport have cancelled their pre-season friendly against Morecambe "out of respect" for those killed and affected by the attack.

In a statement on social media, the club said its lounge would be open to the community and "specialist support staff will be present to offer assistance and comfort".

Staff from Natterjacks Day Nursery laid flowers and a heart-shaped artwork, decorated with children's handprints.

A message said: "The brightest stars are now dancing with the angels in heaven.

"Shine bright little ones, we will never forget your smiles and laughter."

In total, 11 patients with stab injuries were treated by the ambulance service and some were taken to Alder Hey Children's Hospital, which declared a major incident.

Two adults were critically injured "bravely" trying to protect the children from the attack, police have said.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who followed Home Secretary Yvette Cooper in visiting the scene of the attack, said he came to pay his "respects to the families and the victims who are going through raw pain and grief".

"As a father myself, I can't imaging what they're going through," he said.

He said he had also wanted to "personally thank those that responded emergency service yesterday" who were "all back on duty today".

"I wanted to shake their hands and say on behalf of the entire country 'thank you for what you did yesterday', because that was no ordinary challege that they ran towards.

"They have saved lives and sometimes it's very important to come and personally say 'thank you'."

Singer Taylor Swift said she was "completely in shock" after the "horror" of the knife attack.

Her fans have raised more than £80,000 for the families of the victims.

King Charles previously paid tribute to "all those affected by this truly appalling attack".

[gabessquishytum]

Okay so the 🤜 anons addition to the young Dream au is making me go berserk. Hob living three doors down from Dream's parents and sneaking around with their barely legal son is just chef's kiss. 10/10, been thinking about this all day.

But your addition made me think: a/o/b

So, Hob's not rich as in get-away-with-murder rich (aka. Dream's family), but he's doing very well. He made some very smart investments and now his job and the investment's interest earn him enough so he can live in the Endless' posh neighbourhood. He's moved there just a few years ago, and rumours have been going wild between the fine mum's and old money fathers as to why Hob's single and won't show any interest in a relationship.

After all, he's a very handsome alpha in his prime, he's rich, educated, kind. There are no scandals connected to his name, no children out of wedlock - what the fuck is wrong with him?

There are some rumours going around - mainly that he lost his first wife and won't consider marriage again (he'd never been married, so he doesn't know where that's coming from) and/or that he can't get it up (he's not sure about that either) - which eventually at least stop the stream of mamas trying to marry off their omega children to him and/or proposition him themselves.

Hob being Hob did intend to fuck over these upper-class wankers by basically reverse gentrifying the area. He still wants to do that, but a week after he moved into his swanky house the real trouble falls into his lap: Dream Endless.

He's a bratty little attention whore, displacing Hob from his own sun lounger in the backyard, because "he can't sit in the sun for too long or his teint will suffer". Hob's speechless because this is his fucking backyard, but he also moves because he's never seen anything as breathtakingly beautiful as Dream. And the way he smells-

Hob can't decide whether he wants to fuck him or lick him all over first. (spoiler: he get's to do both eventually)

Dream shows up the next day and the next and the day after that, not five minutes after Hob's made it home from uni. His demands are becoming increasingly outrageous considering he does not live with Hob and they actually don't know each other that well. And yet Hob complies, because he wants to give Dream all of his attention and spoil him rotten.

Mama and papa Endless are so fascinated. Dream is usually such a complicated child, always getting himself in trouble, but since he regularly visits the nice professor, debating about whatever, he's so much better behaved. Maybe they should grant him his wish of studying art if that's how well-mannered he becomes then. Hob's future spouse will be so lucky, he's so good with kids, they will all be perfect little angels.

Meanwhile, white they are still praising the positive influence Hob has on their son, Dream finally pushed Hob past his breaking point, causing him to corner Dream in the kitchen. And then eat him out on the kitchen counter. And the fuck him against the door. and then in the shower-

Scene flips to mama Endless: "Dream hasn't thrown a tantrum all week! He actually agreed to a suggestion we made!"

While three houses down, Dream's bouncing up and down on Hob's cock, begging for his knot and his babies and-

This goes on for ages. Dream turns into a model of well behaved high society child in front of his parents and slutty brat for Hob, who will resort to stripping whenever he feels Hob's paying more attention to his research than to Dream. Dream has mastered the art of climbing down the trellis beneath his window to visit Hob at any time of the night. He's sleeping there way more nights than he does in his own bed. His parents have no idea.

Obviously, the whole thing blows when Dream's parents find them fucking in the living room and kick their son out. Only now they spent a year or more praising their new neighbour for how good he is with kids and their son for how much he matured.

They are so livid when the neighbourhood learns that 1) Dream, even though he might be a bit you, managed to console Hob's broken heart and 2) apparently his broken cock too because the entire street can hear, and sometimes see, them fucking like animals and Dream's pregnant within half a year of moving in with Hob (after he finally wore him down and begged for him to fill him up with pups often enough)

respectfully, might I request the 💄 emoji if that's still available?

Oh no I'm deeply obsessed with this!

The best thing is... Hob doesn't want a sweet, obedient, housekeeping omega! He likes his bratty firecracker Dream and he equally loves that Dream is a proper little slut! He wants Dream to have a proper life of his own and do his own thing, and he's not opposed to Dream having a bit of fun (as long as it doesn't go too far).

And the funny thing about all of the above? Dream suddenly wants to be a well behaved omega. He wants to settle down and be married and mated and he very much wants as many pups as Hob in willing to put in him.

Hob is like "are you sure you don't want to go out with your friends?? make silly youthful decisions??" Because he kind of thought (in a sad way) that Dream was using him to rebel against his parents. Well, Dream was. But now he's fallen in love.

Imagine how annoying it is for Mr and Mrs Endless to see their renegade son walking down the street, demure in a pretty white sundress and holding on to Hob’s arm. There's already a little visible bump at the front of his dress where his pregnancy is making itself known. Hob smirks knowingly but Dream ignores his parents - acts like they aren't even there at all. He's got better things to think about. Like the babymoon that Hob has promised to take him on.

Hob is so head over heels in love with his omega its almost sickening for everyone else. Sometimes he thinks he's dreaming, and then he wakes up to find Dream sitting on his dick at 3am cause he was horny... and he's like "ah yes same ole slutty Dream. oh how I love him."

[aita-blorbos]

AITA for avenging my sweet children?

Recently, I lost my young triplets. This would be a harrowing experience under any circumstance, but under mine in particular, it was especially grevious.

Please, allow me to explain.

My children were from a forbidden relationship with the love of my life. We came from two rival households. As such, our intermingling was forbidden, but we didn't care. We were convinced love would win.

I was shocked but joyful when I fell pregnant. I was convinced that my household would come to love my children, and one day accept them when the truth came out.

But the truth came out much sooner than I anticipated. A despicable lout who I'll refer to as RW learned about my children's' parentage after being shown a sign by the heavens. He revealed my misbehavior in front of the entire household, outing me as a iconoclast and my children as bastards.

We were exiled. Even a 'friend' of mine, FW, who claimed to love my children previously, did not support us. She attacked me outright and told me to go.

And so 'go' we did. I hoped to flee to my lover's home. But to get there, I had to cross the river, and just my luck-- there were terrible storms. Even so, though, I knew it was my only hope.

I attempted to cross with my babies in tow.

But we were capsized-- thrust into the waters and drowned. Just barely, I was saved, rescued by my aformentioned lover (Who I'll hereon refer to as AD), but my children were not so fortunate. The tide swept them away, leading them to a watery, incomprehensibly horrific grave.

I expected AD to comfort me, but instead, he was aghast. He asked how I could possibly bring our children into such a dangerous situation. I tried to explain my banishment to him, but he refused to listen to reason, telling me he never wanted to see me again.

...I believe I know why, too. It had nothing to do with the deaths of our children. It turns out AD had another mistress... some reprehensible wench from his household! All this time, he had been having an affair... playing me for a witless fool.

I was not allowed to find refuge in AD's home. He and his people kicked me out, calling my crimes unforgivable.

I was angry. So angry. I had lost everything in a single day. And even worse, there were people to blame! And so I began to plot. Surely there had to be a way to avenge my babies... to lay them to rest and make their murderers pay.

I started with RW-- the revealer. I slit his throat while he was on a religious pilgrimage and left him to bleed out. His companions later attempted to bury his body, but I dug it up, allowing the vultures to consume his flesh.

After that, I killed FW... the person who pretended to be by friend. Apparently, she had seen my children drown. Apparently, she had done nothing to intervene! She had to die for that! I lured her into the territory of extremely venomous snakes and tricked her into being bit. Soon after, she succumbed to a horrifying death.

The final person I intended to kill was AD's mistress. She was pregnant by this point, and I couldn't stand it. I knew that AD was planning to replace my children, and so I decided I'd slaughter her and her unborn babies both! Perhaps then he'd understand how I felt.

However, AD jumped into the trajectory of my attack. I ended up killing him instead of his mistress. I tried to kill her too, but was soon after slain, ending my murder spree with a mere count of three.

I would have liked to kill more, truthfully. There are many others responsible for what happened. Even so, though, I did what I did, and for the most part, I'm content with that.

It seems our ancestors did not understand my actions, however. For my insolence, I've been condemned to hell. Whereas AD-- a heartless, unrepentant adulterer, is allowed to walk among the stars, I've been banished to the fires of Hades. Here, I will wander for eternity.

As such, I suppose I am forced to ask... am I the asshole? Or am I a hero-- a matriarch who made monsters pay for the suffering of three innocent children?