#when she was planning the tour three years ago she was going to marry and have kids with before the dream imploded

[wavesoutbeingtossed]

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[queers-gambit]

The Risk

part one: Match Made in Grey Haven

prompt: after your wedding, you and Elrond embark on your honeymoon touring Middle-earth. your company is attacked on the road by Orcs. help comes from an old friend.

pairing: Elrond x shy!female!wife!reader

fandom masterlist: The Rings of Power

word count: 7.1k+

note: internet researched Elven wedding customs, i don't want to hear it. keep the Elrond requests coming.

warnings: pre events of TROP, the "shyness" more so conveys as inexperience, romance, little bit of fluff, Gil-galad is a girl's girl, and Elven weddings! also cursing! violence! angst! character injury! Orcs! blood! literal hurt and comfort! emotions are hard! abrupt but happy ending, not edited, wonky brain went wonky, and intentionally misspelled words to indicate accent.

You spent a year and a half planning your wedding.

Due to your status amongst the Elves and their court, it was declared the event of the century and the High King himself demanded it be planned to the highest of exquisite detail. Granted, you and Elrond were content to marry in a quicker fashion, leaving it between family, but Gil-galad loved a good party and who were you to refuse your King?

So, you spent about 18 months (on and off) in Lindon, going over details and specifics with Gil-galad while Elrond did the King's actual work. You're positive Elrond was content to escape the wedding planning and honestly, you didn't mind as much as you feared you would because the King was opinionated, decently funny, and decisive. He spared no expense. He encouraged you to branch away from your usual humble taste. He wanted the whole of Elvendom to come together to celebrate. He wanted this occasion to be...his.

You had no objections.

You were honestly relieved someone else wanted to plan such an extraordinary event for you - but were beyond you ready to be married! Several times in the last several months, Elrond actually offered to elope - run away to the Gray Havens and marry before your beloved grandfather, Elrond's old master, Círdan - but the King was putting so much effort into your wedding, you didn't accept. It was nice, though, how mutually anxious Elrond appeared to be to marry you, too.

However, the past three moons, you've been absolutely inconsolable. Your wedding was only days away, Elrond had traveled to Eregion for "business" months ago, and Círdan had yet to arrive! You felt overwhelming panic consume your very being, becoming slightly more irritable as you couldn't help but feel (wrongfully) abandoned - should it not of been for your best mate, fellow Elleth, Bôril. She held your emotions in check, posed as buffer between you and emotional ruin, and was the voice of reason when your rationality vanished.

"What if something happened?" You worried during one of your late night, last minute sessions. "How would we know? What if - while traveling - something went awry?"

Gil-galad sighed gently, "Herald Elrond was sent with some of my most trusted warriors."

"Elrond is warrior enough by himself," Bôril smirked, "you worry for nothing - "

"I am supposed to get married in a matter of days and neither my grandfather nor my intended can be found. I think I have plenty to worry over!" Gil-galad and Bôril shared a knowing look while you wiped your face clear of frustrating fear. "I am not accustomed to not knowing. It's this unknown, the lack of answers that pushes me towards insanity."

"Well," Bôril smirked, her eyes casted towards the hall, "fear no longer, sweet friend, all your answers approach."

In confusion, you turned in the seat you had been slumped in, seeing Elrond and Círdan heading down the hall towards the room you were gathered in. With a gasp, you leapt from your chair and rushed into the causeway towards your dearest loved ones. "Thank the Valar! Elrond!" You gasped first, flinging yourself into his arms; which coiled around you tightly and lifted you, his face burying in your neck. "My love - where were you? What happened - why the delay?" Your voice cracked as your whispered, "You said you'd be only 6 weeks, you were gone twice that! I was so worried!"

"I'm so sorry for worrying you, my star," he whispered back; breath hot in your ear. "I'll explain it all," he promised, lowering you back to your feet to pull back only to instantly take your cheeks in his hands. "I'm sorry it took so long, but I promise, it was for a good reason," he told you softly, thumbs sweeping over the apples of your cheeks; then glancing over pointedly at your grandfather.

"And you!" You scolded playfully. "We expected you weeks ago! Yet you sent no word!"

"We were delayed," Círdan smirked, approaching you as Elrond released his hold; confirming they were together this time. "C'mere, sweet one," he chuckled, bringing you in for a tight embrace. After releasing, he gently tapped the button of your nose, "I am here now, ready to help where I can."

"Oh, please," you chuckled, taking a half-step closer to your betrothed, "there's nothing left to be done, our generous King has planned it all for us. I'm just relieved you are both safe."

Elrond smiled and wrapped his arm around your waist, bringing you in to place a sweet peck on your cheek. "Come," your fiancé encouraged, and when you reentered the planning chambers, you realized others had followed you in.

Evidently, Elrond had gone to Eregion on "business", yes, but it was personal. He had gifted you a ring to symbolize your engagement; modest, silver, simple, gorgeous, and so perfectly "Elrond" - but he wasn't satisfied with it, apparently. As per Elven customs, the engagement rings would be exchanged at the ceremony for wedding bands, and Elrond was determined to give you something extravagant - to prove his adoration. So, he went to Eregion and forged with the Greatest of the Elven Smiths, Lord Celebrimbor, a wedding ring he thought suitable for your finger. Círdan met them to aid in the creation of this gorgeous ring Elrond crafted - insisting you couldn't see it until the ceremony. The trio also crafted Elrond a matching wedding ring that would only accentuate yours; another show of his devotion to you.

Hence their collective delay. Lord Celebrimbor arrived with them, greeting you with mirth; truly excited and honored to have been involved with your wedding band creation.

You were just relieved everyone finally safe and gathered in Lindon. That night, you laid in bed with Elrond; deflated by relief, just staring at him, hand on his cheek, caressing his flesh. "Next time, send word if you're to be late," you requested in a whisper.

"I'm sorry," he repeated, "we were so focused, purely driven by creating something that you'll have forever - we lost track of so much time."

"How many rings did you make?"

"Too many. Though, Celebrimbor will have now options to gift others."

You both snickered, sighing with contentment. Then you whispered, "I fear I might owe a few people an apology..."

"Why? What happened?"

"I was... Operating on a short fuse while worried about you. Might've gotten a little snappy."

"You were rude?" He gasped comically. "I didn't know you even knew how to be."

"Hush," you breathed, leaning closer, "I was worried."

"But I'm here now," he promised, hand to your neck encouraging you to kiss him.

After that, the days passed in a breeze, as if a collective sigh of relief had been heaved by all of Lindon.

And then, the morning of your wedding finally arrived and it was like chaos struck. You never knew, but apparently, outside the chambers you used to prepare in, Gil-galad had everyone rushing around to perfect final details; prepare food, set tables, water and arrange flowers, retrieve whatever was requested by other guests. However, you were none the wiser (as he intended), being fretted over by all types of Elves who were impassioned to make you and your day as flawless as possible.

The High King ensured Elrond was taken care of, the young Herald quiet and seemingly concentrated on his thoughts; lips moving without words, repeating his vows to himself silently. Before it could've been questioned, Círdan arrived with a velveteen jewelry box; appearing ready for the day's events, as if awake for hours.

"Here," Círdan smiled, shooing away the attendants so he could sit beside Elrond, "this is for you, my boy."

"My Lord?" Elrond questioned softly, accepting the gift.

"It's customary."

"What is?" He wondered, opening the lid and revealing a gorgeous, glimmering broach. "Lord Círdan - "

"It's custom for the bride's mother to gift her new son-in-law a gem to be worn as a boastful show of the joining of two families," the craftsman explained. "This... This sapphire belonged to my daughter, and now, I'd like you to have it."

"I don't think I could accept - "

"It is customary," Gil-galad stepped in, seeing the refusal ready on Elrond's tongue.

So, Elrond swallowed his nerves and nodded to Círdan, "Thank you, my Lord. This stone is... Beyond words, surely, only it's previous owner could rival it's beauty."

The tears were bright in Círdan's eyes the rest of the day.

Due to the lack of conventional family, the ceremony was kept between only the High King Gil-galad as officiant and Círdan as witness. The King had designated a private overlook for your ceremony, standing at the cliffside under the golden glow of the Great Tree with Elrond in fine velvet tunics; gorgeous sapphire glittering on his chest, keeping his father's cloak in place as his own special tribute. Just as the sky turned heavenly, sun in position to set, Círdan began to lead you down the pathway - towards your forever.

Elrond choked on air, tears slowly filling his eyes.

You were draped in the finest of silks, a thin veil covering your face; hair in long ringlets, pinned back from your face in an elegant updo. It was like the Light of Valinor itself was shining through you, nearly blinding Elrond with sheer bliss. It was almost as if time slowed, nearly stilling completely; as if your form was moving in slow motion. Even under the sheer veil, Elrond could see your grin and suddenly, he couldn't hear, see, smell, feel anything but your love and light.

With a gentle sniffle, Elrond glanced at Gil-galad, who was beaming with pride already; his own growing, which nobody realized was even possible. Upon approach, Elrond instantly met you at the base of the stone stairs; watching Círdan give a watery smile while hugging you sweetly. He pulled back, gently lifted the veil to flip over your head, and sighed while caressing both cheeks.

In Sindarin, he whispered, "They'd be so proud of the woman you've become... And the man you're marrying. Just as I am."

Now, Elrond choked on his emotion.

"Thank you for everything," you managed to whisper, your grandfather sighing gently before guiding your hand from his into Elrond's. He joined Gil-galad on the platform, both watching proudly as Elrond was at a loss for words - only able to look you up and down.

Finally, he breathed in Sindarin, "Gorgeous."

Before the Elven High King and under your grandfather's loving eye, you and Elrond exchanged vows during sunset. It was intimate and private, either of you slipping your engagement rings off as Círdan presented your wedding bands. You gasped when you saw the ring Elrond crafted for the first time, looking at him with wide eyes, voice gentle as you asked, "You made this?"

"I did."

"For... Me?"

Elrond smiled, "Of course. A wife as beautiful as you deserves a ring that could only strive to embody your shine."

"Don't make me scold you for being so cheesy on our wedding day, my love, please," you giggled, Elrond chuckling while he took your hand to splay before him. He slid the ring onto your index finger, allowing you to do the same with his matching band. Neither of you were able to contain your glee when Gil-galad pronounced you officially as man and wife - Elrond all but lunging forward to hold your cheeks, swooping in to sear your lips with his kiss. You were just as excited, holding onto his biceps to keep him close; feeling warmth swell and burst in your chest as you realized... You were finally married.

After, at the feast Gil-galad had planned, the whole of Lindon was decorated and celebrating your union; hosts of food on long banquet tables, live bands entertaining the crowds, lanterns and candles glowing, conversation turning boisterous as Elves indulged on the castes of wine gifted or collected by the King.

Who, if you were wondering, was hosting the entire affair and having a splendid time as Bôril danced with Camnir - seemingly to Vorohil's chagrin, which Elrond pointed out to you first.

You were just happy to bask in your husband's glory; unable to believe he was yours, that you get to spend your life with him, that you were bound together. He seemed... Youthful in this setting; a young lad that was forced to grow up too quickly, finally able to appreciate the attention directed at him while gracefully accepting words of congratulations everywhere he turned. It was so simple, something decently mundane, but you found it impressive; the way Elrond could accept conversation from just anyone.

It simply intimidated you; content with your written letters and accounts, never truly needing to interact with people on this level. You were better, not quite as shy as before, but old habits die hard and overcoming social anxiety was a lifelong profession. Speaking of, your anxiety spiked from the sheer number of attendants, but Elrond was both sword and shield - intercepting people left and right, saving you from any "on the spot" moments.

The party went deep into the night, and while it was a fun time - complete with Bôril challenging the High King to a silly drinking game, Celebrimbor teaching the steps to an old dance, and Vorohil getting shot down by several Elleths - you were beyond exhausted. Perhaps you didn't hide it as well as you thought because Elrond slid into his empty seat and instantly leaned into your ear to ask, "All right, love?"

"Hmm? Yeah, 'course," you answered, setting the glass of First Age wine (a gift from Celebrimbor) aside to focus on him. Gently caressing his chin, you asked, "You all right?"

"Perfect, actually, just look at my wife," he mused, "though, you look tired, my star."

You hummed, "Can't fool you, can I?"

"It's my job now," he chuckled, letting you lean in gleefully to peck his lips. "How about we slip away? Hm?" He whispered softly, glancing around dramatically - like he was conducting a secret mission.

"Yes, please," you hissed, both snickering lightly. Like a couple of randy youths, you stood with the gifted First Age bottle, hands tangled together, 'sneaking' away to your rooms; thinking you were pulling it off, being so sneaky.

"Oh, bless their hearts, look. Look! I love those idiots," Bôril giggled to the King, "they're so obvious! Look at them go!"

"They're in loooove," Gil-galad teased, refilling his goblet.

"Guess they just can't wait to consummate their marriage, huh? Good for Elrond," Camnir snickered, freezing when Círdan's blank stare registered. "I-I'm so sorry, my Lord, I did not - I misspoke - I didn't think you, uh... I'm sorry."

Círdan just groaned lightly, his friend, Lord Celebrimbor, leaning over to top off his glass and encourage it closer to him; patting his shoulder in sympathy. Bôril and Gil-galad truly tried to hold back, but the scene was truly comical to witness and the two laughed so hard, they ended up leaning on each other and slumping in their chairs.

The party continued without you and Elrond, but it's safe to say, you were engaged in a party of your own.

"You've been quiet, love," you noted softly, one hand held tightly by Elrond's, the other holding your horse's reins; walking to give them a break on this leg of the journey. For weeks, you've been on the road together, touring Middle-earth as part of your honeymoon.

Never having been anywhere other than the Gray Havens and Lindon, you were like a new born fawn in the wilderness - but it was exhilarating to travel.

"Hmm?"

"You're pensive," you amended.

"I am simply in thought, my star, nothing of concern," Elrond assured.

"You're sullen."

"I don't mean to be," he sighed.

"What's troubling you?"

Elrond was quiet for a long moment, stepping carefully as neither of you noticed thick, dark clouds beginning to fill the sky. Finally, he admitted quietly, "We are not far from Khazad-dûm."

You hummed in understanding, then pondered while stepping around overgrown tree roots, "Remind me why we did not extend Prince Durin a wedding invitation?"

"We did," Elrond informed, sighing deeply, "he just... Did not respond..."

"That does not sound like him, based on your account."

"No, it was truly... Odd," Elrond admitted, "perhaps being why I feel strange being close to his kingdom now."

"Do you wish to visit?"

"We don't have the time - "

"We can make time, Elrond," you insisted, squeezing his hand with a grin. "And as far as anyone is concerned, the great Dwarven Kingdom of Khazad-dûm is part of Middle-earth, and therefor, part of our tour. I'd like to meet your friend, my sweet. Now, which direction?"

"We don't have time, starlight, we are expected by Lord - "

But Elrond came to a sudden halt, pulling you into his side as both your horses stamped and whinnied loudly; tossing their heads and snorting, the whites of the eyes flashing as ears flattened as they suddenly stopped in place. You flinched into your husband's side, the horses restless, guards circling around the pair of you quickly. Darkness descended.

"What is it?" You asked in concerned confusion.

"Something is amiss," Elrond rushed, looking confused and concentrated. "I-I do not know what, but the shadow has stretched. C'mere, mount up, my love, quickly, please."

"My Lord," Vorohil, one of your guards and a friend to your husband, directed his horse between yours while Elrond ensured you were safely seated, "there's a darkness to the path ahead, the horses - they are refusing to go forward. It grows darker, my Lord."

You had to reseat yourself as Elrond mounted; the horses backing away as there sounded a ghostly moan from the woods surrounding you.

"This darkness?" Elrond repeated, "Where did it come from? 'Tis midday - "

"Look around us!" Vorohil barked, Elrond sending him a sharp look before looking up - realizing there seemed to be a sort of dark cloud covering the sun, your path, and the woods surrounding you.

You gasped when there came a sudden, horrendous, guttural screech in an echo, making it impossible to locate the origin; and suddenly, a force bodied into your side. It knocked you from your horse, but due to the sudden nature of the attack, also took your beast down with you.

You were lucky your leg didn't shatter on impact.

You heard Elrond scream your name; body hitting the dirt and rolling a few feet before being halting by a boulder. Your sight cleared, evened out, gasping again and shoving yourself against the jagged rock in an attempt to create distance when you saw the horrid, gangly creature made of pure, tangible darkness - pure evil - muddy and growling while surging towards you with gnashing teeth.

A sword decapitated the creature before it could reach you, making you flinch at the show of violence. Your name was spoken in a rush, but you couldn't comprehend hearing words yet; staring at the dead creature, twitching from the severed nervous system at your feet - spewing black blood. Your eyes caught sight of it splattered up your skirt.

Boots hit the ground, a pair of hands caressing both your cheeks and making you gasp in panic. But Elrond's worried face was in front of yours, speaking soothingly in Sindarin, "Easy, easy, be calm, it's me, my love, it's just me. I'm so sorry, but we have to go - now, my love, please, get up for me, come with me - "

"My Lord!"

"Elrond!"

Elrond was forced to stand over you and use his bloody blade to defend you both; choking back tears as you realized this was an ambush by Orcs, creatures of pure hate; something Middle-earth thought extinct after not having been seen in an age. And you were defenseless.

"NO!" You gasped when a hand came around your throat, hoisting back into the boulder; holding you in place as two Orcs ravaged your body for anything of value they could've taken. When they tried taking your wedding ring, you fought back harder - struggling in their putrid arms, sobbing, trying to stave them off. "ELROND!" You begged, gagging when the hand around your throat constricted to close your airway.

"Just cut the bloody thing off!"

You whimpered when you were overpowered, hand flattened to the rock forcefully; fingers spread, the Orcs snarling as a dagger was brandished and stabbed directly into the boulder through your pointer finger.

"Y/N!" Vorohil was heard struggling, your cries muffled from the lack of air and tight hand. The gem-glittering belt you wore was yanked from your waist just as the Orc holding you hostage was ripped away, making the other react by stabbing your lung with his dagger between your ribs.

After Elrond killed the first Orc, he instantly engaged the second; only Vorohil catching sight of you freezing before slowly collapsing against the boulder and sliding down it. He noted the smear of blood you left on the rock before the blade protruding from your ribcage.

You were in shock. The pain was insurmountable, yet you felt nothing at the same time. Numb. Confused. Overwhelmed. Paralyzed.

The fighting lasted several long minutes after that, your dress now properly saturated as you knew enough survival skills to not pull the blade free of an injury; it acted as a plug to keep the blood from pouring OUT of your body. You were left on the ground, slumped, weakly holding your wound and feeling unable to react when an Orc leered closer to you.

Elrond's blade emerged from the Orc's chest and was yanked free, the body dropping to reveal your husband; bloodied, panting, caught off guard, but obviously fairing well enough. He was in the heat of the moment, battle turning his blood hot, eyes catching something glittering in the mud and only thinking how out of place it looked. When he blinked, Elrond realized it was your wedding ring - complete with your severed finger still in it.

Elrond snatched the digit from the mud, eyes raking over you, needing to do a double look when he realized the extent of your injuries. Your finger was lost but your ring was secured in your husband's belt.

"No," he whimpered, rushing forward and dropping his sword to take hold of your cheek; blood gently leaking from your nose at a slow but steady pace. "No, no, no, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, stay with me, stay awake for me," he begged, sniffling emotion as his other hand laid over yours around the dagger's handle, "just let me see, let me see the damage, my love, c'mon, I've got you. I need to see to help."

You were too weak to fight him anyways, letting his muddy hand pry yours away to reveal the weeping wound. His eyes widened, nodding as he assessed the situation; wanting to get you out of here, but the Orcs weren't yet vanquished.

In fact, Elrond was tackled off you by another Orc, crying out when the momentum yanked the dagger free. Ironic timing, perhaps, because an injured Orc was clawing at your legs; biting at your flesh; making you grit your teeth, pick up the dagger, and drive it into the Orc's eye. You were relieved when the creature stopped moving; adrenaline instantly draining and making you slump back once more.

You didn't notice when the Orcs were fully killed off until Elrond was propping you up again, sprayed in blood and mud, tears in his warm brown eyes. "No, my starlight, no, you have to stay awake, you must," he reminded, getting one arm around you, the other first laying to your openly bleeding wound, then shoving the dead Orc off your legs. Elrond cursed in Sindarin when he noted the bite marks, how dirty nails left deep streaks after clawing up your body. "Please, stay awake," he hissed, cradling you into his chest before calling out, "Vorohil!"

"My Lord!"

"We need to get her to a healer - where? Where?" He begged, sniffling as you were shifted into his arms and lifted; few surviving horses being wrangled in.

"I don't - I don't know - "

"You are the cartographer!" Elrond snapped, "Tell me where to take her, where are we closest - !?"

"My Lord," Vorohil sighed, "t-the closest civilization to these parts is-is Khazad-dûm - "

"Hurry!" He barked, situating you sideways on his horse before swiftly mounting; settling you into his chest with a secure hold. The others were left in the dirt as Elrond spurred his steed onward, knowing the way to the Great Dwarven Kingdom of Khazad-dûm.

Upon arriving at the gates, he was a frenzied mess. Elrond doesn't even remember the procession of events; he just knows his men showed up at his flank, he was holding your limp body, begging for aid, and someway, somehow, was then lead into the Kingdom's healing quarters.

"Elrond?" A voice questioned softly, a few nurses and healers checking over the remaining company as you were laid on a surgical table. "Is tha'... You?"

He looked over, eyes void, dead, still splattered in the blood and grime of his enemies. "Durin," Elrond whispered.

"What happened?" The Dwarf Prince asked carefully, taking a slow step forward.

"We... We were..." Elrond looked back at you, hating how many healers surrounded you, "We were attacked - just less than a league from here."

"I see. Who... Who attacked you?"

"A pack of Orcs," he whispered, stumbling back into a wall as his breathing turned ragged, "while we were on the road."

"She's not breathing!" It was announced, Elrond sliding to the floor as horror struck his face. Panic seized his heart, short circuited his brain.

"Elrond?" Durin worried, Disa rushing into the room after him. "Hey? Can yah hear me?" The ginger asked, hand to Elrond's shoulder. "Elrond? Elrond, can yah - "

"I need help! Hold here! She's bleeding!"

"I can't see the wound - cut the corset!"

" - the finger's been lost - "

"She's got bruising on her neck, help me save her windpipe!"

Elrond's breathing became erratic, knees pulling into his chest as his men stood firm in support. Tears were streaming down his cheeks, Durin asking his name again, then, "Who is she?"

"M-My wife - she's my wife, Durin, she's my wife - "

"Okay, okay, okay," Durin comforted, kneeling to the ground at Elrond's side; keeping themselves separate as Disa neared them slowly. Durin shot her a look, silently saying 'close enough', and she stopped - heart aching for the devastation on the Elf's face.

"What's this? An Elf!?" Another Dwarf was heard barking.

"We do not deny aid!" A different Healer Dwarf barked, quickly shedding your dress and revealing your wounds to the room; making a few avert their eyes and hiss as ebony poison had taken to the veins around the wound.

"Do what needs done!" Durin barked, "To save her life! Use any means necessary!"

"You heard your Prince!"

"C'mon," Disa encouraged the Elves, "we should let the Healers work, we do not want to get in their way."

"Is there... Somewhere we can wait, nearby?" Vorohil asked nervously, glancing at you, who was being fussed over as blood splattered onto the ground; wound raging, blood covering your side as they seemed to aggravate the wound in order to clean it of the infection. "What if they need us?" Vorohil whispered.

"We have somewhere close-by for yah's," Disa assured. "Durin?" She asked, "Perhaps Elrond would like t'wait with us?"

"We'll be along," he agreed, knowing Elrond was like a rock in that moment. Disa lead the others away, leaving Durin to sigh and take a seat beside Elrond; just watching the Healers at work. "So, uh, how long yeh been married?"

"We... We sent you, um, a, uh..."

"Oh, right, yeah, yeah, of course. So... Only a couple months, then?"

"Seems like no time at all."

Durin chuckled, "Nah, two months in? You's two are still in that blissful state."

"And when it ends?"

"Oh, yeh'll see, married life becomes all yah know." Durin sighed, hating himself but needing to ask, "What happened to her, Elrond?"

The Elf shook his head, the tears never ending; suffocating him. "The horses," he managed to choke out.

"What of 'em?"

Elrond gulped. "They picked up on it first - that's what I noticed. They didn't want to go down the path, then this sort of darkness came... It was quick... It happened so quick, Durin, I did not - I did not see nor hear them. We were unprepared."

"What else?" Durin was unusually soft.

Elrond shook his head, "I got her on her horse, something didn't feel right. I thought - I just thought to get her out of there, get to safety - you know?"

"Just in case?"

"Yes. But the darkness - it brought them, let them move in the daylight. They tackled her from her horse - I tried to get to her. I swear, Durin, I tried, but it was all so fast - I didn't even see her get hurt. I just found her like that, holding on. What kind of husband can't even defend his own wife? By the end... She was... She wasn't..."

Elrond melted into sobs, folding in on himself, Durin's frown deep and concerning. Despite his own feelings of malcontent towards his old friend, he reached out and let his arm wrap around Elrond's neck. This allowed the Elf to lean into the Dwarf's neck and absolutely lose his shit. Not like anyone heard him, though; the Healers all yelling over one another as they rushed around in an effort to pull the blackened poison from your body.

You don't remember much. Just pain.

Then you remember voices. They were all around you, yet hazy; like you were underwater.

You remember smells - like alcohol and disinfectant.

You remember warmth in your hand; a weight, a constant presence that you squeezed when you felt ready to open your eyes. The twilight had passed, you were awake, a soothing voice cooing and encouraging you back into reality. It was just hard to pull yourself out of the tarpit your mind was seemingly lost in.

Upon regaining consciousness, you were greeted by Elrond's tearful expression of relief. "My love," he spoke clearly, "can you hear me?" You nodded, trying to open your mouth, but he rushed, "No, no, do not - don't do that, don't try to talk. Save your strength, please. You're okay." You nodded again, watching his watery smile warble before dissolving into sobs. "I thought you wouldn't make it," he admitted through his emotional breakdown, hovering close to you if only to feel your warmth and be assured that blood still pumped freely through your body.

"I had reason to come back," you whispered, earning a stony look of reprimand before he sighed and leaned in to kiss your forehead.

"Here, I have something for you," Elrond sniffled, reaching for his belt, "and I cannot keep it any longer." Your brows furrowed when your husband retrieved a bright gem, quickly realizing it was your wedding ring. Elrond saw your confusion, lifting your hand to place the ring on your pointer finger - making you lift the other, finding it bandaged with only four fingers. Your head snapped towards Elrond, but he begged, "Please, just rest, my star, you've been through enough - "

"What happened?" You demanded in a gravely voice.

"Do not - "

"Tell me."

Elrond sighed and situated himself at your side, careful not to jostle your form. "Well, first... We are in the Dwarven Kingdom of Khazad-dûm." He descended into the tale of how you lost your ring and obtained further injury, then rushed to get help, being reunited with Prince Durin, and ending on how you've been asleep for 'too long'.

You croaked, "I'd like to thank our hosts..."

"That can wait until you've rested longer. You've been unconscious for days."

"Then I've rested enough."

"I almost lost you," Elrond growled, "you will not move, not until you are cleared to do so. And I have the best authority to ensure you follow the rules."

You chuckled, "Oh?"

Elrond went to answer, but frowned in a panic when you started coughing from the dry prickle in your mouth and throat; quickly fetching the cup of water from the side stand. "Easy, my star, here, carefully, carefully," he whispered, holding the back of your neck, helping you sit up only slightly as to not irritate your abdomen, and tip the cup to your mouth to fill it with cold, fresh water.

"How's our patient doin' today, Elrond?" A voice asked cheerfully, "I'm tellin' yah, I can feel it, she'll be awake in no time, real soon, and then you'll actually sleep - "

"You have not slept!?" You asked sharply, looking to Elrond and noting the contradiction to his flesh; how pale he appeared with dark circles under his eyes, cheeks sunken.

Yes, Elves didn't need sleep like humans or Dwarves, but still, they needed some - and it was evident Elrond had none.

The Dwarf gasped and whirled around to spy you awake and conscious on the stony bed they had layered with fluff, furs, and blankets for your comfort. She dropped the tray of nutrients to another table, looking like she wanted to rush you. "You're awake!" She squealed.

"Disa - "

"DURIN!" She bellowed, hiking up her skirts and rushing from the room, "SHE'S AWKAE! DURIN! DUUURIN!"

You couldn't help the laughter that burst forth, wincing when your side seared in pain - making you choke on air. Elrond muttered to himself in Sindarin, finding a wet cloth and approaching your injury, carefully lifting the thin sheet covering you and peeling the bandage off. You heard Elrond hiss between his teeth, you trying to glance at the mark - but your husband would not let you. "Just stay still, my love," he whispered, "this won't take long, but it might sting - "

You grunted and whimpered when Elrond began soaking your wound; the cold water feeling nice in the hot infection, but making you squirm from discomfort. "Elrond," you begged, hand slapping to his wrist, "please."

"I know, but it needs cleaned - it won't hurt forever, my love."

"Oi," the Dwarf, Disa, snapped as she reentered the room, "get away from there, Elrond, go, go, go, shoo, let me through."

"Disa - "

"No," She now scolded Elrond, pushing him to stand straight and take the cloth from him, "your only job is to be a husband, not Healer - that's my job. You stand over there, hold her hand, and - DURIN!" She suddenly shouted towards the door, where a ginger Dwarf revealed himself sheepishly.

"Oh," you breathed in interest, trying to sit up a little, "Prince Durin, what an honor - "

"Oh, no, no, you don't, lassie, you lay back - just lay back."

"Listen to Disa, starlight," Elrond worried, both their hands reaching out to try to gently encourage you back down.

"It's customary to greet royalty on your feet - "

"Not in yer state, dearie," Disa comforted softly, patting your shoulder; Elrond gently caressing the top of your head. "Just rest - Durin will come to you," She shot her husband a look, who slowly entered the room.

"I just - I want to thank you, Prince Durin," you stuttered, wincing as Disa started tending to your wound again. "For saving me - or saving us, so I hear."

"Ah," Durin cleared his throat, nodding with pursed lips, "'twas nothing, uh, my Lady, we just... Couldn't say no to the state of things."

"Still. Thank you," you breathed. "And for your friendship to Elrond, it's been - "

"Starlight," Elrond quietly discouraged you with a small head shake, looking just as uncomfortable as the ruddy-faced Dwarf.

"What? What's wrong?" You asked, but neither man could meet your eyes. So, you looked to Disa, "What did I say?"

"Oh, you said nothin', dearie; 's just two stubborn mules refusin' to speak of the boulder in the room," she tisked with a small smirk.

"Do you think this boulder has to do with your absence from our wedding? I must admit, I allowed myself to feel excited, thinking we'd finally meet; and was entirely saddened by your lack of attendance."

"I know, sweetling, me too," she assured with a sigh, "but their boulder is truly suffocatin' - prevents them from speakin'."

"Oh-hhhh," you hitched the word to exaggerate, both your husbands stunned into silence by the quickly casual conversation, "so, like most men?"

"Mhm," she hummed sassily. "Friends for decades, Durin even considers Elrond a brother - "

" - So does Elrond - "

" - And yet, the fools cannot bear t'speak few words t'mend the bond! Oh, it's absolutely pigheaded!"

"What exactly needs mending?" You pondered softly. "I thought..." You looked over to see Elrond's head bowed, both hands resting in your single one; looking ashamed. "Elrond?" You asked, squeezing his hand.

"It's nothin' of note anymore, my Lady," Durin stepped in, making your suspicion grow, "just... A little, uh..."

"Distance," Elrond supplied finally, lifting his head and nodding, "our tension stems from a matter of distance."

"Hm," you noted, turning to Disa - who was already offering you a tired, pointed look. "What do you know of this boulder?"

"Oh, aye, it's distance," she nodded, frowning, "some... 20 years of it? Or just about."

"Has it been only 20?" Elrond questioned softly, looking earnestly to his friend; who stiffly looked away, but you saw the cracks in the ginger's foundation.

"'Only'?" You repeated, Disa sending her husband a look. "Prince Durin, my Princess, you must forgive my husband - he can forget how... Long life is. 20 years is a mere blink to an Elf, but to the other races, Elrond, it's a lifetime."

"I did not mean to offend," Elrond told you.

"I know, love, but you speak to the wrong person - I am not the one who deserves to hear your apologies," you said, pointing at Durin with your wedding ring firmly in place.

Elrond agreed and turned to his friend, admitting, "I'm sorry for the offense I've caused. I did not realize so much time had passed." Durin scoffed, Disa growling his name. "Is there more I've done? I do not understand, I have missed my friend - "

"Missed!? Yah missed my weddin'!" Durin snarled in a shout, your head resting on the pillow under your head and deflating in pain as Disa worked to fix one of the stitches.

"You missed ours - "

"And the birth of my children! Two of 'em!" Durin tacked on. "You cannot barge into my mountain and demand I welcome you with open arms! You cannot claim that which you discarded! I did yah this favor because of the obvious threat to life, and I comforted you in the wake of yer wife's injury! I ignored my own woes and bygones because that was the decent thing t'do! I mean," he chuckled without humor, "even when yeh wrong me and refuse to even take ownership - accountability - for yer wrongdoings, I still comfort yah!"

"'Discarded'? 'Refuse to take'..." Elrond repeated, "Durin, I - "

"It's as yer wife said!" Durin growled, "20 years might be the blink of an eye to an Elf... But I've lived an entire life in that time!" Emotion caked Durin's tone. "A life you missed! So, yeah, yeh know what? We missed yer weddin', yeah... But you've missed the past 20 years..." There came an awkward sort of silence, the group stewing in their tension. The Dwarven Prince scoffed a couple times as Elrond processed his words, asking with attitude, "So what do yah have t'say to that... 'Friend'?"

You smirked gently as Elrond did not respond, instead slowly approaching his friend as if a skittish, injured deer. Slowly, in a fluid movement, Elrond laid his hand to Durin's shoulder, squeezing as he spoke with sincerity, "Congratulations." Disa laid her hand in your bandaged one, both smiling as she paused her cleaning session to watch and listen. "On your wife, your children," Elrond elaborated. He slowly retracted his hand, "And thank you for your help, the aid that saved my wife's life. Thank you for comforting me, too; I hope you can come to forgive me."

You cleared your throat, the two turning to find their wives watching them smugly. "I think you might owe someone else an apology, my love," you whispered.

"Disa - "

"Don't even," she beamed, "yer already forgiven."

"Ah, don't let him off easy," Durin grumbled.

"His wife almost died in front of him, I think that's reparation enough."

Durin paused for a long moment, then nodded, "Yeah, all right, fair enough."

"Now," Disa announced, standing, "I think the Lady's wound is as good as it'll get for now - it's up to you for the rest of the healing," she patted your shoulder.

"On the morrow, we shall - "

"Oh, no, you mistake me," Disa smirked to Elrond, "there's no leavin' yet. She's not ready - she can't sit on a horse, one awkward bump on the road and she'll pop a stitch, start bleeding, risk worse infection - "

"How long?" Elrond worried, magnetized to your side again with one hand in yours, the other caressing the top of your head to stroke your hair in calming motions.

"Just a few days, until the stitches come out," Disa assured. "Yeh'll stay with us!"

"No, they will not," Durin argued.

"They're staying."

"They're leaving."

"They're staying!" Disa scolded her husband, who huffed and shook his head before pacing in a circle. "Now, yeh wanna try t'move around a bit, love?"

"Please," you begged, "losing my mind just sittin' here."

"All right, just be careful - your legs took a beatin', too. Them buggers got you good with their teeth - easy, easy, there's a good girl." Once on your feet and both hands in Disa's, she distracted you from the pain by asking, "So, go on, lass, tell us 'bout yer weddin', hmm?"

You chuckled, stumbling a little into her arms before rightening yourself while answering, "Oh, it was lovely. 'M pretty sure my best friend hooked up with the High King, too."

"No!"

"I know! I knew the King wanted the party of the century, but there's other ways to achieve such status."

Durin snickered, thinking Elrond looked like he was going to have a stroke as Disa helped guide you around the room to earn your bearings. Behind you, Durin's hand held Elrond's shoulder to keep him in place; letting Disa assist you as the two men appreciated the obvious relationship blooming before them.

And years from now, when your daughter rescued the Ring Bearing Hobbit, Frodo Baggins, your husband would heal him; a direct result after nearly losing your life that caused him to study the art.

part one: Match Made in Grey Haven

requesting rules and masterlist

TROP masterlist

[therealcocoshady]

Could you do a request where lily is 5 or 6 and she gets really emotional because her dad is going on tour and he looks at her kinda confused as to why she is upset as she is and she’s like “I don’t want to lose my best friend”🥺

Please don’t go

Author’s Note : Hi ❤️. Thank you for your request ! I hope you enjoy it 🥰.

Side note : this happens before Reader gets pregnant with the twins.

Four weeks. It was one of the shortest tours he’d ever done, with only a few dates planned and a lot of days dedicated to resting but it still seemed too long a time to spend away from home. The last time Marshall had gone on tour was three years ago, when Lily was two. Now, she had just turned five and it was the most time he would spend away from her ever since he’d married you and adopted her. He hated being away from you and you knew it. You spent the couple of days prior to his departure together, enjoying some family time and helping him pack his bags. You were in the bedroom while he was checking his bag for the last time.

- Babe, didn’t I put my jewelry in the bag yesterday ? He asked.

- Yep, you replied. Small wooden box.

- It’s there but there are pieces missing, he groaned. My nugget bracelet ? My rope chain ? They were there weren’t they ?

- I put them in there myself, you said. Have you checked thoroughly ?

- Babe, it’s a small box and I’m not dumb, he sighed. Look !

He showed you the box and you immediately noticed that the pieces were, indeed, missing. He was already an ogre about his departure, stressed out and neurotic about the packing and you knew that this would make things even worse. You spent the day searching the whole house for the jewelry, but to no avail. You tried suggesting that it wasn’t dramatic, that it had to be home, but he insisted he couldn’t perform without them. When it came to performing, he was all about traditions, habits and superstitions.

- Fuck, he groaned. We’ve searched everywhere.

- Not everywhere, you said suddenly.

- Mmmh ? He asked with a raised eyebrow.

- There’s one room we haven’t checked, you explained.

He looked at you and sighed. Indeed, you had not checked Lily’s room. It didn’t make much sense for the jewelry to be in her room, but it had to be somewhere. Marshall went upstairs and knocked on the door before entering.

- hey bug, he said. Are you having fun ?

- Do you want to play with me ? she asked.

- I can’t, sweetie. I’m still packing, he explained. Speaking of which… have you seen my gold jewelry ?

- Which jewelry ? She asked innocently.

- My gold bracelet and my chain, he said patiently.

- No, I haven’t, she said in a small voice.

He looked at his daughter, who was looking away. She was a good kid. Too good, most of the time, which meant that she was a terrible liar. Her gaze focused upon her bed, avoiding his stare.

- Lily, he warned. Are you telling the truth ?

- Yes, she said even though he could see she was lying through her teeth.

- Lily, I’m giving you one last chance, he sighed. Did you take my stuff ?

- Yes, she whispered as she looked down.

- Where did you put it ? He asked.

- Under my pillow…

He looked and, indeed, found his jewelry under her pillow. He grabbed it and looked at her before sighing.

- Do you have an idea of the time Mommy and I lost while we looked all around the house ? He groaned. I’m leaving on Monday, I don’t have time for this !

- I’m sorry, Daddy, she said as tears welled up in her eyes.

- Why did you do this ? He sighed. You know lying and stealing isn’t ok. We raised you better than this !

- Because I’m going to miss you ! She cried.

Before he knew it, his little girl was sobbing and hiccuping, with tears streaming down her face and her voice breaking. She was obviously distressed and it broke his heart. He put the jewelry on the nightstand and kneeled besides her before pulling her to him.

- I’m sorry, Daddy, she hiccuped.

- Shhhh, he said as he stroked her head. Breathe, sweetie.

It took a couple of minutes for her to calm down. When she finally did, he looked at her and wiped her tears with his thumbs.

- Did you really think that stealing my stuff would prevent me from leaving ? He asked with a raised eyebrow.

- You said you couldn’t leave without, she said apologetically. I don’t want you to leave…

- I have no choice, he sighed. I have to work.

- But I’ll miss you, she whined.

- I’ll miss you too, baby, he assured her. I’ll miss Mom and your sisters as well. And Winky too. But I can’t cancel work, you know ?

- Ok, she sniffled. Am I grounded ?

- I should ground you, he nodded. Because I know you know better than to steal and lie. But I understand that you’re sad.

She nodded and he kissed her forehead. She wrapped her small arms around his neck and hugged him as tight as she could.

- I would have been sad if I’d had to leave without my jewelry, you know ? He explained.

- I’m sorry, she mumbled. I won’t do it again. I didn’t want to steal. I just didn’t want you to leave.

- I know, he said softly as he kissed her forehead. I don’t like leaving you either. But this jewelry makes it easier for me when I’m away. Like a good luck charm, you know ?

- Yes ? She asked.

- Yeah, he explained. I wear my wedding ring all the time because it reminds me of Mommy. And I have my bracelet to remind me that I can do a good job.

- And the chains ? She asked.

- A friend gave it to me, he said with a smile. And it remind me of someone really special, too.

- Who ? She asked. Your friend ?

- No, he chuckled as he grabbed the chain to show her. See these ? They’re teeth marks. Yours, actually.

- Mine ? She asked with a raised eyebrow.

- Yeah, he said with a smile. When you were little, you always played with it and, sometimes, you would put it in your mouth. So now, every time I wear it, it makes me think of you. That’s why I need it with me.

- So you don’t forget me ?

- I could never forget you, sweetie, he chuckled. But yes, the chains remind me of you. And that, even when I’m far away, I have a piece of you with me.

- I love you, Daddy, she said emotionally as she hugged him again.

They stayed like this for a minute. He was going to miss his baby girl and he was gutted that he couldn’t take the both of you on tour with him. The two of you had even studied the logistics and envisioned pulling Lily out of preschool, but you simply had too much work to do for Shady Records, especially now that you were trying for a baby. You hoped to get pregnant within the year and, being a workaholic, you were already trying to get work done before going on maternity leave.

Now that he had found his jewelry, his mind was at ease and he allowed himself to spend some time playing with Lily. At dinner, you were joined by his eldest daughters, so that he could spend some time with everyone before leaving the next day. At one point, the conversation shifted to the plans while Marshall would be gone and Lily’s mood started to get grim again. She was looking down at her plate, sulking.

- Are you excited for the sleepover with your friends next weekend, Lily ? Hailie asked.

- No, the little one pouted.

- Come on, it’s going to be fun ! Alaina said as she tried to cheer her up.

- I don’t care, Lily whined.

- What’s up, sweetheart ? Marshall asked. All your friends will be here.

- You won’t be here, Daddy ! She pouted. You’re my best friend, but you’ll be gone…

The comment made his heart melt. He went to her and hugged her tight.

- I’ll miss you so much, he said. But it’s only one month. And then, I’ll be back just in time for summer vacation and we’ll spend plenty of time together, I promise !

- Ok, she sniffled.

- You know, when we were your age, Dad was on the road a lot too, Hailie pointed.

- And I was gone for much, much longer, Marshall recalled. So, you know, one month is not that long. And you’re going to have fun, with Mom and your sisters. I promise I’ll be back before you know it.

Lily nodded and hugged him again, not letting go. Everyone melted at the sight of the embrace and Alaina joked at how good Lily had it. Obviously, being the youngest, she didn’t realize it, but she had it far easier than her eldest sisters. It also helped that Marshall was more mellow. When it was time to go to bed, he swore to her that he’d wake her up to say goodbye. He kept his promise and, around 5AM the next day, he went to her bedroom. She was fast asleep and he stared at her for a minute, thinking of how much he would miss home. Before she woke up, he took off the silver chain necklace he wore almost everyday and placed it under her pillow, so that she’d have something of his, hoping it would make her smile when she’d find it.

- Good morning baby, he whispered as he shook her shoulder.

- Good morning Daddy, she yawned.

Her eyes were still closed, and she sleeplily reached for his hand. He stroked her cheek and smiled.

- I have to go, bug, but I wanted to say goodbye, he said softly. You take care of Winky and Mom for me, alright ?

- Yes, she promised. I’m going to miss you.

- I’m going to miss you too, sweetie, he said. I’ll call tonight, ok ?

- Ok, she said before hugging him.

He held her in his arms for a while, humming some soft lullaby and she fell back asleep. He tucked her in again and went to find you in the kitchen while you prepared coffee for him. You were also sleepy, exhausted by his last attempt to get you pregnant before his tour. He hugged you from behind and you gave in to his touch as he placed a loving hand on your stomach.

- Did you wake her up ? You asked.

- Yeah, I said goodbye, he nodded. She went back to sleep, though. As should you.

- I’m not letting you go until I absolutely have too, you yawned as you nuzzled his neck.

- I’ll miss you girls, he said. And that little guy, too.

- Winky ? You asked.

- Nope, the baby, he said as he stroked your stomach. It worked this time. I know it. I’m sure.

- Oh yeah ? You asked with a raised eyebrow. I guess we’ll know by the time you come home.

[lifeislikeasong]

Imagine Sidney's Reaction to Receiving a Spicy text from You

For @heartof-flies 💛

I rewatched Scream 4 multiple times yesterday, and it's safe to say that Scream 4 Sid has my heart...I had a lot of fun writing this one; so thanks so much for the prompt!

(This is obviously set within that universe 🥹)

Minors - DNI as there are depictions of smut 🚨🛑⛔️ Hope you enjoy this - Kirby and Ellie's will be on their way eventually xx

You and Sidney had recently married about a month ago, and you both returned to work after your two week honeymoon.

You two can barely keep your hands off each other; even though you have been together for years - Ghostface always seemed to put a halt on your plans, and after the events of the third killing spree, you didn’t want to waste anymore time; so, you two married right before Sidney released her book, Out Of Darkness.

You’ve gone at it like bunnies any chance you get, and now that you were finally married, your love for each other only grew stronger and deeper.

You missed her terribly while she was away on her first book tour; the longest you two have gone without sex is 10 days…her tour was three weeks long.

One day, before her third stop, she texted you saying “I really miss you, baby. I wish I was home with you right now. Love you xx”

You smirked, deciding to send her a cheeky text back saying, “I hate that you’re away for this long when you could be home while I do sexy things to you”.

Sidney read your text as she stood at the podium, facing an eager crowd. She felt heat slowly begin to rise up her neck, clearing her throat to refocus on her audience.

A few seconds later, her phone chimed again - against her better judgement, she peaked at your message.

You sent a follow up text or more specifically, a selfie.

But it wasn’t just any old selfie - you were wearing the black lingerie you wore on your wedding night; lying on your bed in a rather provocative position, while donning one of Sidney’s oversized white button-up t-shirts.

Followed by the caption, “I miss you, too, honey. Can’t you tell? Maybe Daddy needs to come home early…since you’re the only one who can feed kitty xx”.

You smirked, knowing that would get under her skin…and it did.

Sidney felt heat pool in her unmentionables as she let out a soft growl, completely forgetting about everyone else in the room. 

“My God, my wife is beautiful”, she mumbled, staring longingly at the photo; her thumb gently stroking your face.

It wasn’t until Rebecca coughed that Sidney remembered where she was. Everyone was looking at her with intent, so she cleared her throat again in an attempt to cover up her burning desire for you.

She shoved her phone in her back pocket, ignoring the throbbing feeling between her legs and low in her belly as she went about reading excerpts from her book before taking the Q&A, trying her hardest not to let herself get distracted by you…again.

I am so going to get her back for this. Sidney thought.

Needless to say, that night was the hottest phone sex you’ve ever had…and she promised it would be better when she is finally home.

[ivy-diaries]

ᝰ MY is the EIGHTH mini album by IVY. It was released on MAY 30, 2023. The mini album has seven tracks, a total of 24 minutes.

IVY performed the track “ drive ” for five weeks. The track “ drive ” won nine music show wins. she performed the b-side “ holo ” for another three weeks. The track “ holo ” won five music show wins.

✦ — ... TRACKLIST !!

# 001 ─── ROSE

# 002 ─── DRIVE [ TITLE ]

# 003 ─── SOFTLY

# 004 ─── TE AMO

# 005 ─── CHARGING [ FEAT. JUNNY ]

# 006 ─── 소나기

# 007 ─── HOLO

✦ — ... STYLING !!

✦ — ... ALBUM CONTENTS !!

photobook ( 80 pages ) ⋆ three random photocards out of twelve ⋆ two random mini poster out of seven ⋆ one lyric book ⋆ one mini fandom keychain ( your choice ) ⋆ two sticker sheets ⋆ one poster out of three

✦ — ... HIGHLIGHTS !!

fans were really excited for this mini album cuz its been a while since ivy had released one. her last mini album was in 2020 to be exact.

fans were really excited to see blonde ivy for the first time! when asked why she suddenly went blonde after all this time, she said it was about time she listed to the fans' requests

fans were really surprised ro know that she spoiled the whole chorus of drive back in 2019. she replied to this saying she's spoiled a lot of things and soleils just doont know about it

previously she mentioned how the album was just a 9/10 and finishing up the promotions would make it a 10, when asked about the rating after promotions ended, she replied it was a 100 because she almost won every single week she was nominated! yeonjun even had the opportunity to hand her the trophy on inkiayo!

for her last stage on inkigayo, soleils were surprised to see yeonjun and her bestfriends join her for the encore stage! fans who were presesnt say that it was one of the best encores of her career

when asked if she'd go on tour after this cb, she says that she wishes that she would but she reassured saying she'd go on tour soon just not now.

when fans asked what was her next plan, she mentioned that she'd be quite busy for the time being with someting! when moas noticed yeonjun saying the same thing a few weeks ago, moas and soleils have been trying to put two and two together.

fans were pretty mad at some articles questioning if ivy and yeonjun were going to get married after being in a relationship for almost being together for 8 years. in reply to this, ivy said if she's getting married anytime soon, she'd tell the reportes the first.

overall fans were really happy to see ivy really satisfied with this comeback! they spotted her parents and siblings in the crowd of some performances and were happy to know that the singer is spending time with her loved ones!

✦ — ... GET YOUR PHOTOCARD HERE !!

ivy taglist: @stealanity @alixnsuperstxr @riikiblr @skz-libby @escapetheash

[because-she-goes]

parental guidance

warnings: none, just some anniversary fluff!

The noise of the crowd was deafening. Nora shook her head quickly, ridding herself of the nerves. Tonight was her and Matty’s 3rd wedding anniversary, they were in her beloved big apple at her favorite venue in the world. Matty had had this tour date circled on the calendar since he found put about it, wanting to plan something extra special for the concert - and ofcourse for Nora.

“Now, ladies and gentlemen before we get into this next bit. We have to bring it back to basics, yeah? I mean c'mon admit it… your life wouldn’t be as dramatic without this song.” Matty’s voice booms out of the overhead speakers as the band begins the intro to Robbers. Nora braces herself for the inevitable hunt Matty goes on trying to find someone in the crowd to pull on stage and kiss. He jumps down to the barricade and feigns his search, already having a surprise planned out in the back of his head. He walks to one side, then the other before jumping back up onto the stage and he struts his way over to the side stage where his wife is absentmindedly watching the crowd still.

“Actually, we have a different plan tonight everyone. As some of you may know, I got married three years ago today, in this exact city! In honor of that, I’d like to invite a special someone to join me for this song in particular.” Nora comes back to her senses once she hears the words married and special someone and her face goes white. He knows how she hates big public romantic gestures like this, always commenting on people who propose at sporting events on the jumbotron and how much pressure that puts on the moment and the person being asked the question.

Her eyes lock onto Matty’s as he walks toward her with a small bouquet of white flowers in his hand, other hand reaching out to her. White tee shirt and dress pants suiting him wonderfully. Matty almost freezes when he sees her outfit. They came separately since he had to soundcheck and she was busy finishing up work for a buyer in her studio so she got changed since he last saw her. Nora had decided to go a bit out of her comfort zone for their anniversary, not thinking she would be pulled out on stage to face a crowd of tens of thousands of people. The sheer lace bralette adorned her body beautifully, black caging framing her ribs and contours of her chest. She also had thrown on the red lipstick she knew he liked and a pair of his black jean she had cut into shorts since they were more comfortable and roomy than normal women’s ones. She also had brought the anniversary present she got the two of them with her, thinking he’d like it for the afterparty.

He gulps, rethinking his plan for half a second. She notices the worry flash across his face and how he was thinking about subjecting her to face a crowd in her current outfit. She holds a finger up to him and pulls out their anniversary gift. With leather being the customary third year wedding gift, she had gotten custom leather jackets made for both him and her. Embroidered with their New York wedding date and the skyline on hers, and the Manchester wedding date and map of the city on his. Pulling them out of the bag and handing over his, she slips hers on. “Happy Anniversary, handsome.” He pulls off his button down and swings on the jacket. She kisses him on the cheek as she walks past him and out onto the stage. Waving a hello to the now mental crowd, she smiles - Matty still bumbling behind her in awe. “And everyone please welcome my wife, the incredibly talented Nora Downey! Now, I have a surprise for you tonight. You, my dear, have always mentioned wanting to get some tattoos of your own… Well, I’d like to also welcome our tattoo artist for the evening.” Nora is practically buzzing with excitement over how she is about to get her skin permanently etched with symbols that remind her of Matty. They had decided ages ago to do matching tattoos and figured out what they’d be, but their schedules never aligned with any of the openings the tattoo parlor in London Matty had gotten all of his at had. The tattoo artist walked out on stage with her kit and in a lab coat like the rest of the crew members. Nora took her seat on the comfy couch and pulled off her jacket. Matty sits next to her, getting comfortable as he tells the tattoo artist what he’d like - the words “i’m a man” scrawled along his ribcage as well as the number 12 on his right collarbone. Nora then follows the idea up with her own. They decided to do the three ideas Nora was most certain on: a MOM tattoo on the top of her wrist, i’m a woman also along her ribcage and then finally a 12 on her thigh.

Matty was first. He peeled off his jacket and leaned back in the couch, letting his abdomen be on full display. While the tattoo artist artist got to work, he began to sing. Head leaning back, “she had a face straight out a magazine, god only knows, but you’ll never leave her. Her balaclava is starting to chafe…” and Nora looks at Matty dead in the eyes as the next bit comes, ink finally piercing his skin.

“And when gets his gun, he’s begging ‘Babe stay, stay, stay, stay, stay. And I’ll give you one more time, we’ll give it one more fight. Said one more line, will I know you?” Matty’s voice rings out over the crowd and Nora can barely look away. Her brown eyes locking onto the tattoo beginning to form, mouth agape at the man in front of her. He has never looked more himself in this moment, he has never looked more like her Matthew. Singing his heart out, skin being decorated with inky blotches she has now memorized, curls going in a million directions around his angular face. In that moment, like every other moment she has ever looked at him, she knows he is the love of her life. The song progresses a bit more and the tattoo begins to form. Matty holds Nora’s hand tightly as the needle dances over the bony part of his ribs, pain starting to seep into his voice a bit. She glances down from his face and to their hands, forgetting the crowd of 20 thousand people staring at them. A blush crawls over her cheeks as she admires their silver rings glinting in the light - like the moon being mirrored off the ocean.

“Now if you never shoot, you’ll never know. And if you never eat, you’ll never grow. You’ve got a pretty kind of dirty face, and when she’s leaving your home she’s begging you to stay, stay, stay, stay, stay.” Nora mouths the words to Matty and he feels his heart soar out of his chest, the emotions of both the song, the moment, the night flooding him. He has never loved anyone more in his entire life, he has never seen a more beautiful human being, he has never known anyone better than Nora. The thought he had when he first saw her all those moons ago in Las Vegas, and every other time he ha ever looked at her, reverberates in his brain… she is the light of his life.

Finally, “I’m a Man” adorns his ribs. The artist cleans the area and wraps it up. Moving up to his clavicle for the 12 he requested.

“We’ll give you one more fight said, one more line. There’ll be a riot cause I know you! Well, now that you’ve got your gun it's much harder now the police have come. And I’ll shoot him if its what you ask…” The tattoo needle quickly draws the number on his shoulder, Matty glances down at his two new pieces and smiles to himself, then to Nora. “Sing it babies!” He commands the crowd before leaning over to her.

The whole of MSG screams: “But if you just take off your mask, you find out everythings gone wrong! Now everybody’s dead!! And they’re driving past my old school.” Nora takes his face in her hands, thumbs rubbing his cheeks as they soak in the moment. Both sets of eyes glassy and overcome with how much they love each other in this moment. As they continue to yell, Matty takes his microphone to his lips and Nora mouths back to him.

“He’s got his gun, he’s got his suit on and she says ‘Babe, you look so cool! You look so cool, you look so cool!” He now forgets everything else and kisses her like he never has before, all the love and admiration in the world being poured into it. The rest of the world evaporates around them and suddenly it is just her and Matty together. That is until Goerge is yelling in his in-ears to move to the next song and get his mind together.

“Right, we have another surprise everyone. In honor of my lovely wife being here, we’d like to play the first song she ever heard from us. Because I can be romantic, thank you very much!”

With that, the boys jump into Settle Down as her and Matty switch spots on the couch. Nora’s face breaks into a mile wide smile as she starts to lightly sway to the music. Her and the tattoo artist agreed on doing her upper body pieces first then moving to the 12 on her thigh.

First, the “I’m a woman” on her own abdomen, right under the bralette. Matty sings beside her while holding her hand as she braced for the needle hitting her own ribs.

“A soft sound, into the way that she wears her hair down covering up her face. And oh what a let down I don't seem to be having any effect now, falling all over the place.” Nora bites her lip as the needle hits her skin, trying her very best to contain herself and the slight, but constant pain. Matty’s thumb brushes over the back of her palm soothingly and she instantly relaxes into the couch. Remembering to take deep breaths so as to not pass out on the stage.

Matty continues to sing, but his eyes never leave her. Worry flashes across his face a few more times during the song but once she is finished with the rib tattoo, he knows the worst pain is over - his wrist one was a walk in the park and so were the ones he had gotten on his legs.

Getting her own abdomen wrapped and sealed, she offered her wrist to the woman beside her. Luckily this one would only be three letters and not a whole phrase like the other one.

“A small town, dictating all the people we get around. What a familiar face, do you know what I mean now? I’m so fixated on the girl with the soft sound, her hair all over the place.” Matty takes another glance in Nora’s direction before getting off the couch and back to walking around and dancing to the music. She gives a thumbs up to him and with that, the worry slides off of him. He blows a kiss and off he goes.

“And you’re sure that I’d learn. I’m pushing through bodies, avoiding me and walking ‘round you. And you’re cold and I burn, I guess I’ll never learn ‘cause I stay another hour or two.” He knew that was one of her favorite lyrics he had ever written and he smiled, glad he could surprise her and give her such a lovely night.

With the mom tattoo now complete, they moved to the 12 on her thigh. She thought about how their hands would now look holding hands - wedding rings, matching tattoos and all. She swooned. She couldn’t have dreamt of a better husband than Matty.

“For crying out loud, settle down! You know I can’t be found with you, we get back to my house. Your arms, my mouth, now I just stop myself around you for crying out loud!” The song finishes as soon as the 12 is done and Nora runs to Matty once she is all finished and jumps into his arms. Like out of a movie, the two kiss in front of Madison Square Garden as it erupts in cheers for the happy couple.

[owl-lover013]

Fic Masterlist

Spider-Man (Tom Holland)

Multichapter

The Ballad of Mona Lisa (Complete): It has been five years since Peter Parker's "death." In those five years, the world has kept turning, causing Peter's world to flip upside down seemingly overnight. Mr. Stark and Miss. Potts got married and have a five-year-old daughter named Morgan--who has grown up on exaggerated stories about the greatness of Spider-Man, stories that Peter can't live up to. May and Happy also married each other during the Blip--the name being used to call the five years half the population missed. Needless to say, Peter is struggling to find where he belongs in this new world. But, he has always persevered through the difficulties life gave him, and he can make it out of this one as well, right? And if he needs the help of an up-and-coming hero named Mysterio…well, no one can fault him for that one, right?

Peter Parker's Europe Trip (Complete): After his junior year of high school--a year filled with chaos because of the Blip--Peter’s science class decide to go to Europe. They spend the weekend touring various places in Europe, including Venice and Paris--where Peter is planning on asking his crush, MJ out. His plan half-works, as he manages to get MJ to agree to go on a date to the Louvre with him, yet it fails when they find themselves involved with a heist that may or may not involve stealing the Mona Lisa… (Part One of "The Many Adventures of Peter Parker, Michelle Jones, and Ned Leeds")

The Mystery of Peter Parker (Complete): Michelle Jones has a normal life where nothing weird has ever happened, besides the lack of knowledge of how she had cut her head or the lack of knowledge of how she had gotten the broken necklace around her neck. But when a stranger walks into the café where she works, a stranger that she can't help but feel like she knows, Michelle gets the feeling like she's missing a major part of her life. And Michelle is nothing but determined to get to the bottom of what's happening with Peter Parker, the boy who she swears is familiar. (Part One of "Remembering Peter Parker")

May Parker's Secret (Complete): It has been a week and a half since May Parker's death and Happy Hogan is still struggling with life after her passing. When he is stopped by two high schoolers at a FEAST shelter, he is struck with the possibility that the woman he had loved had hid a secret from him. And Happy is intent on figuring out the truth behind May's secret and to help the nephew named Peter Parker that he had never heard of before. (Part Two of "Remembering Peter Parker")

Spider-Man's Arrest (Complete): Ever since the city's blizzard a week ago, Spider-Man has not been seen. Rumors are circulating around, but nothing is taken seriously until Midtown School of Science and Technology's Academic Decathlon team, spurred on by Peter Parker, start saying that the police have arrested Queens' beloved hero. Taking matters into their own hands, the people of New York City feel an obligation to help their hero. Peaceful protests quickly turn into a riot as the NYPD continues to deny arresting Spider-Man. (Part Two of "The Many Adventures of Peter Parker, Michelle Jones, and Ned Leeds")

One-Shots

A Birthday Surprise: A day after Peter's birthday, he goes to the Avengers Compound, planning on spending the weekend with his mentor. Little does he know what the Avengers team is planning...

All Mr. Rhodey's Fault: "Let him fight with us and reprimand him later,” Mr. Rhodey said. Mr. Stark sighed. “Fine. But if he gets hurt, it’s your fault, honeybear.” --- Or, Peter skips school to help the Avengers fight aliens, much to the frustration of Mr. Stark. From there, Peter may or may not have gotten injured...

Birthday Shadows: On Peter's eighteenth birthday, he reflects on the people not present for it, grieving for the people not there to celebrate it with him. --- A birthday story written for Peter Parker. (Part Three of "Remembering Peter Parker")

You Remember?: Tony and Pepper need a babysitter for Morgan. Enter Peter Parker, a random teenager Tony trusts to watch Morgan for him. What could go wrong?

Ranger's Apprentice

Left Behind (WIP): Horace heard a cry of pain and he looked up, his heart skipping a beat as he watched Will crumple to the ground, clearly unconscious. “Will!” Horace shouted, stopping to watch as Evanlyn scrambled to pick up Will’s discarded bow off of the ground, watching as Skandians hurried out to where she and Will were. Behind him, he could hear Tug’s distressed whinnies, seemingly upset by the sight of his master being knocked unconscious. “Evanlyn!” he yelled, his voice breaking as the emotions of the current moment caught up to him, as he watched a Skandian grab her, holding her tight, heedless of her struggles. He could hear her cries of frustration from where he stood and he blinked back the tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. --- Or, the story detailing Horace's reaction to that scene in Burning Bridge. **NO update schedule**

Owl_Lover013's Ranger Gathering 2024 (WIP): Welcome to my addition to the Ranger Gathering 2024! I hope to do as many--if not all--of the prompts I can.

Original Work

The Archer's Son (WIP): Tension has been brewing in the continent of Esmaya for seventeen years now. With the Aspayan Empire taking control of three of the four kingdoms, it seems inevitable that a rebellion is about to erupt against the Aspayan Empire… Thomas Hayes has grown up without any knowledge about his family. When he is offered information about his family, he leaps at the chance, heedless of the warnings whispering in the back of his head. Hunter Wright is intent on his quest to avenge his parents’ death. When he finally gets the chance to, he does so, ignoring the feelings that he might be doing something wrong. Braya Moore is looking for her missing brother. When she meets up with two people heading the same direction as she is, she travels with them, holding a secret tight to her chest, a secret that could become the starting flame of the rebellion. Three people with different backgrounds, countries, and desires find themselves thrust together, their fates intertwining together. They carry with them the chance to take down the Aspayan Empire and they find themselves carrying the fate of their kingdoms and the future of the continent of Esmaya. **NO update schedule**

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"TRIED TO KILL ACTRESS WHILE RIDING IN AUTO," Hamilton Spectator. August 30, 1912. Page 1 & 14. --- Mysterious Affair on Highway Near Bronte --- Police Claim to Know Nothing Whatever of the Case ---- Agnes Cartello, a chorus girl, 27 years of age, who recently finished a spring and summer engagement with the Ziekfield Moulin Rouge company at the Moulin Rouge theater, New York city, was shot in the left breast while riding in an automobile on the stone road leading to Toronto between Bronte and Oakville, at 12.45 a.m. this morning. She was not seriously injured, owing to the fact that a steel in the woman's corset deflected the bullet and forced it upwards.

The man who did the shooting was said by her to be Clarence Abenstein, her husband, who is a comedian, and who was riding in another automobile. The woman's companion was a man named David Gillespie, said to he a broker of Chicago, and a chauffeur whose name could not be learned.

The husband, Clarence Abenstein, sped away after the shooting and has not been heard of since, while the woman and her companion made their way for Buffalo, after receiving medical aid from Dr. W. B. Hopkins.

Dr. Hopkins said that at 2 o'clock this morning a man wearing a long automobile linen coat, rang the bell of his surgery door, and said he had a woman friend in the automobile ar the curb who was badly hurt.

Dr. Hopkins said with the assistance of the man, Gillespie, the broker, and his chauffeur, the injured woman was carried into his office in an unconscious condition. Her waist about the breast was soaked with blood.

An examination of her injuries proved that she had been shot, but first the doctor said she refused to tell how she had been hurt, and so did the chauffeur and her male companion.

When the woman revived sufficently to talk, the doctor said he asked her how she had been hurt, but it was only after being advised to do so by Gillespie that she consented.

She said she was employed as a chorus girl for the last nine years. The was born in Kansas City, Mo., and last July finished her engagement at the Moulin Rouge theater in New York city. About two weeks ago she left for Chicago, where her husband, Clarence Abenstein, to whom he had been married for five years, was rehearsing in a new play.

WERE AT EXHIBITION She said her husband and she had never been very happy. They were stopping at the Blackstone hotel in Chicago, and shortly after she arrived there he immediately became abusive to her and accused her of misconduct.

About three weeks ago she said she was introduced to David Gillespie, who was her companion when she was shot. She said he asked her to company him on an auto tour from Chicago to Toronto, where he intended seeing the Toronto exhibition. She consented, and last Tuesday morning she and Gillespie, with his chauffeur, left the windy city. Her husband was unaware that she had gone, but had told her a few days before, she said, that he was tired of her.

WIRED HE WOULD KILL HER. At Terra Haute, Indiana, they received a telegram at the hotel where they had breakfast from her husband, who said he had learned where she had gone and that he was going, to follow her and kill her. Gillespie told her not to worry about the message, she said, as they would give the husband the slip by following the lake shore road from Toledo to Buffalo, and thence to Toronto, thus deluding the pursuing husband.

When Detroit was reached Miss Cartello said these plans were not followed, but that they crossed the Detroit river at Windsor and made their way east through Catario from that point.

They had supper at the Brant House last night, and left there for a spin across the beach about 8:30 o'clock, and then turned about and returned on their way for Toronto.

MYSTERIOUS AUTO APPEARS In a dark spot just beyond Bronte she said their car was passed by another large black car, which had its hood up. It was traveling very rapidly and just as it was abreast of them, a man, whom she said she believed was her husband, leaned over the rail of the canopy from the rear seat and pulled a revolver and fired.

The first bullet whizzed past Gillespie, who was sitting in the rear seat with her. She screamed and realized that death was imminent. Gillespie, she said, ordered the chauffeur to put on all speed and endeavored to out-distance the other machine, but this proved fruitless, as the car still kept abreast of them for probably a distance of 75 yards, then the man fired again, and this was the bullet which struck her. She said she remembered nothing after that until they were on their way back to Hamilton, when she became unconscious again.

Gillespie told Dr. Hopkins, that the man, after hearing Miss Cortello scream, yelled to the chauffeur of his car "to beat it," and in the darkness the car was soon lost to view, racing for Toronto at a maddening pace. Gillespie said his car was stopped at once as soon as he knew his companion was shot, and after reaching Bronte he learned that Hamilton was the nearest point where medical aid could be procured. Why he did not stop at Bronte or Burlington, the man would not say.

At York street Gillespie said he accosted a policeman and asked him where he could find a doctor. The police told him, he said, to go to a Dr. MacCrobie, on Hess street, just below York street on Hess. Gillespie said he could not arouse any person there and was finally told by a wayfarer to go to Dr. Hopkins, on Cannon and Mary street.

Dr. Hopkins said he told both the woman and the man that he wanted to notify the police so they could apprehend the husband of the woman at Toronto, but both of them manifested a strong disinclination to this as they said any notoriety would ruin both their reputations. This was said after the woman learned that she was not seriously injured.

GOING BACK TO NEW YORK She told Dr. Hopkins she was to be In New York by next Thursday, where she was to begin rehearsals for some musical comedy. Gillespie also said he was well known in Chicago and that any publicity would affect him.

Dr. Hopkins said he believed the party gave him fictitious names and left the city for Buffalo, where they said they were going when they departed from his office, after the woman's injuries had been attended to.

The constable who was said to have directed the man Gillesple to Dr. MacRobie's could not be found, and the police said they had received no report of the shooting whatever.

[moonchild-in-blue]

Ohh, this is nice! Brb I'll be wiping my tears 🥺💔 Thank you for this wonderful question!

(tw: depression; implied sh/suicidal thoughts)

Alright, so. I heard about them earlier this year when The Summoning came out. I had seen their name pop-up a few times before (when they toured with Issues back in 2019) but knew absolutely nothing about them and payed no mind (still beating myself up for it).

There is this one account on Instagram (also TT but I don't use/have) that kept popping up on my discover page. I never interacted with his content, nor had any interest, but every few weeks his reels would show up and he often used the Sexy Funky Part™ on them. The comments were always crazy over it, but again, I payed no attention.

Until the 3rd of June (I have the date on my journal). That day I woke up with that section on my head, and I finally decided to look it up. And oh. My. God. I heard it once, twice, three times. Then I listened to TMBTE (the song). Then Chokehold. CHOKEHOLD. Listened to The Summoning again. Decided that, okay, I need to listen to this album, who are these guys?? Listened once, twice. Looked them up. Oh, they're anonymous? Oh, there's lore?? Oh, there's masks??? Oh, oh, oh-

And so it began. About a week later I posted here, saying that I needed someone to talk to me about them, not really expecting to see any replies - I was mostly venting since I had no one else irl to talk about them. To my surprise, so, so many wonder people actually reached out to me. It was so heart warming. For the first time in a very long time, I felt genuinely part of a community. Not just as a spectator, but as someone actively in it. Everybody was (and still are!) so welcoming and friendly, it's great.

(if any of my moots reads this, I'm sending you a billion hugs and kissies and wonky heart signs 🥺💖)

Now, for context. I have been in the metal/emo/alt scene since I was around 11/12. It's always been my main music, and the reason why I'm still alive and standing today. About 7 years ago, when I moved away for uni, I coincidently started to get super into kpop, which then led me to embrace many other genres, like r&b and hip-hop (my 14yo self would call me a normie if she knew I was obsessed with Tyler the Creator).

For several reasons, I stepped back a little on the heavier side of music. I had a really bad depressive episode in 2018, and I was scared I'd go back to old habits. I needed to break my usual "listens to sad music to cope" cycle, because during that particular time, I was in very real danger of hurting myself again. Things got better, and I still listened to my old stuff, but with a much broader range added. I shifted my focus, and what was once an overwhelming presence in my life, became just one more thing. I changed and silenced many parts of myself. Some for the better, some because they were necessary to survive.

Fast forward to late 2021. I moved back home after graduation, as I needed some time to heal. My mental health had been wrecked beyond recognition during the pandemic, and as an art student, I was experiencing extreme burn-out. In a way, I still am. I went to painting and being in a studio everyday, to completely stop creating. Even just simple sketches were a huge task for me. I stopped writing my poetry, my stories. In the last year, I may have picked up a paintbrush twice.

I was glad to be back, but started to feel so left behind, as if time had moved a much slower pace to me than to everyone else. Somehow, three of my closest friends got married within months of each other. Others were finishing degrees, getting Big Jobs, moving in with partners. Me? I was back to living with my parents. I was taking driving lessons - something most of them had been doing for years. I had left 5 years ago, with plans and hopes and expectations, and came back absolutely broken, nothing but a shell of a person that no longer existed.

I was lost. I spent so much time not knowing what to do, or where to go. I had plans post-grad, but everything seemed impossible to achieve. I had 0 motivation, 0 energy. Somehow, somewhere along the way, I had forgotten about who I was.

But when I got into Sleep Token, something inside me clicked. It was as if their music took all the scattered fragments of me and glued them back together. For the first time in a very, very long time, I was so excited for something. The music was so unlike anything I had ever heard. Every cell of my being glowed and vibrated with each new song, each element. The lore was so interesting to study, the people here were wonderful to interact with. The words, his voice, everything - it was like I had woken up from a very long, hazy dream.

Thanks to them, I began writing again. Lore and lyric analysis, fanfiction, my own personal things, you name it. I have just picked up painting and I'm so happy to be creating again. Thanks to them, I've connected and met so many wonderful people here. It may sound silly, but I'm genuinely having so much fun these days in here.

Also thanks to them, I've re-kindled my love for my older music/bands, and I feel like myself again. I can't say I'm 100% okay, as I'm very much not, but I at least have the strength to face and accept that things are not okay, instead of bottling it up. I spent so long trying to adapt and survive the next thing, and the next thing, and the next thing, that I ended up abandoning who I was.

I don't know if this will make much sense or not but, yeah. Listening to Sleep Token has allowed me to connect with parts of me I thought were gone, while still allowing me to confront and make piece with my struggles. I think Euclid is a very fitting description of all the changes ST has brought in me. It's accepting reality for what it is, and knowing that, even though there are still things that linger, there is more to life. To myself. There is more than wallowing in grief or staying stagnant - and I am deserving and capable of that.

Like Vessel once said, "We are here to remember. We are here to forget. We are here to worship". Above all, I think Sleep Token's music is defined by connection, by shared experiences. Be it through the music, the lyrics, the band/Vessel, something about it allows us to connect with ourselves and with each other. And I think that's what I was missing - the ability to make a meaningful connection to something/myself.

By now, the night belongs to you

This bough was broken through

I must be someone new

How did you find out about Sleep Token and how have they changed your life?

Even if it's the smallest of changes,it still matters. I'd love to hear everyone's stories.

[its-vannah]

How Can I Love Again? | Prologue | Eddie Roundtree x Reader

A/N: It’s been a while since I’ve written. I’ve just been so busy that by the time the ideas start forming in my head, I’m passed out from exhaustion. Regardless, here’s a ten part series to make up for it. Well, probably ten parts. I have most of it planned out (in my head), so we’ll see how it goes from there. I hope you guys all enjoy, and as always, feel free to leave a request!

Warnings: Profanities, crying, allusions to sex, break up

Daisy Jones and The Six Masterlist

Taglist: @celestialstar111 @stokzr @scenesofobx

You had never been a fan of the tabloids—the endless gossip and chatter about who slept with who and how much weight so and so had gained. Half of the time, it wasn’t true. And the other half was just plain hurtful. These celebrities had a lives, too—star studded lives filled with private jets and millions of dollars to waste—but lives nonetheless. They deserved privacy, and selfishly, you deserved to be able to go somewhere without seeing your ex-fiancé on the cover of said tabloids.

Waiting in line at Hazelwood Coffee, your sister, Leah, stepped in front of the magazine rack in a failed attempt to spare your feelings, “So, Y/N, you going to go with iced or hot today?”

Although you appreciated her attempt to protect you from the countless photos of Eddie getting handsy with girls on tour, it didn’t take long for your brother-in-law to audibly gasp at the magazine, “He did what?”

Leah glared back at him, rolling her eyes. They had started dating after you and Eddie split, so he hadn’t been around for the countless nights you spent crying into her arms on your mother’s couch. No, he had grown to love The Dunne Brothers, reminding everyone that he had, in fact, gone to hear them play at a bar in town center one night a few years back. Despite his knowledge of your past with him, nothing could cover up the shock on his face whenever he saw their faces on the front cover of The Scoop or whatever tacky magazine he stumbled across.

Despite your efforts to act like you didn’t care about where he was in his life, Leah saw right through you, reassuring you that it was okay to be hurt. You were supposed to be right there with him, backstage as he played in some of the greatest concert venues in the world. But you weren’t, because three years ago, Eddie Roundtree had left you at the alter.

————————————————————————————————————————

3 Years Ago

It was a warm day in June, the perfect amount of clouds in the sky but not enough to block the sun from beaming down on you. Everything was perfect. You were getting married to the love of your life and, to you, nothing could possibly go wrong. But your idea of perfection would come to bite you in the ass when you heard a knock on the door.

Leah looked up from doing your makeup, “You stay here, I don’t want you messing up your hair or brows.”

You smiled up at her, staring at your reflection in the mirror. You had never felt more beautiful.

When you noticed how long Leah had been gone for, you tuned into the conversation she was having at the door, “Eddie, it’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding.”

“I really need to see her, Leah. It’s important.”

“Eddie, don’t start this marriage off on the wrong foot. I’m telling you, it’s bad luck,” She groaned, “Can’t you just wait to screw her until after the ceremony?”

You whipped your head around, “Leah!”

She glanced back at you apologetically, “It’s Eddie. He wants to know if he can come in.”

“Right now? I’m not done getting ready, but he can take a seat while you finish.”

Eddie pushed the door open a bit more, “I need a minute with you—alone.”

Leah raised a brow, looking between the two of you, “Hear that? Alone. Can’t blame a girl for wondering, can you?”

“Out, Leah,” You said, shaking your head, unable to contain your amusement.

She stepped out of the room, letting her soon to be brother-in-law squeeze past her. He shut the door behind him, twisting the lock. It was at this moment that you realized he wasn’t in his suit yet. He was still wearing his bell bottoms and turtleneck.

You swiveled around in your seat, “You’re not dressed yet? The weddings in an hour, Eds.”

He nodded his head, sitting down on an ottoman across from you, trying to think of the words to say.

Watching him struggle in silence, you rose from your seat and moved to sit across his lap, “Everything alright?”

His heartbeat starting picking up as you ran your hands through his hair, undoing the tangles, “You know you can tell me anything right? Including why you aren’t dressed yet.”

You watched as he swallowed hard, pursing his lips, “I’m leaving today.”

Letting out a breathy, confused laugh, you tilt your head, pressing the back of your hand to his forehead to check him for a temperature, “I know, honey. That’s kind of how honeymoons work. Are you feeling alright?”

“We’re not going on a honeymoon.”

“What? Why? We’ve been planning it for months.”

Eddie took a deep breath, “Because we’re not getting married.”

You felt your heart break in an instant, confusion spreading across your face. Enveloping his head in your hands, you shook your head, “What are you talking about?”

He didn’t meet your eyes, instead he just bowed his head.

Sliding off his lap, you took a step back, crossing your arms. You went through a list of reasons as to why this was happening in your head, pacing the room before turning back to him, “You’re a fucking dick if you think this is funny. I love you, Eddie, but doing this on our wedding day is a sick joke.”

He winced before looking up at you, “I’m not laughing. It’s not a joke.”

Tears starting falling down your face and your chest heaved, your voice cracking as you asked the one question he didn’t want to answer, “Why?”

“Honey…”

You shook your head, “Don’t call me that. Don’t you fucking call me that. Is there someone else? Someone who you love enough to run away with on our wedding day?”

“Y/N, it’s not like that, I promise.”

Shaking your head, you narrowed your eyes, “Well you seem to make a lot of promises you can’t keep.”

“The band is moving out to LA, Y/N.”

“So? I’ll go with you.”

He shook his head, “I can’t ask you to do that. You have school.”

“I’ll graduate in two years, Eddie. I can just transfer to a school out there.”

“No, you worked hard to get where you are—and your family is here.”

You took a step towards him, “I can still see them on trips. It’s not like I’ll be gone forever. Besides, you have family here, too.”

“I just have Gran. It’s not like I’m leaving an entire family behind.”

“You’re leaving me behind.”

He bowed his head, “Y/N…”

“Well, it’s true.”

“I’m doing you a favor.”

“No, you’re taking the easy way out.”

A knock on the door stopped him from responding, but you hastily called out, “Hold on!”

“Don’t give up on me, Eddie—on us.”

“We’ll be living paycheck to paycheck, all crammed in a four bedroom apartment. I can’t support you like that.”

You sighed, “Then I’ll get a job, pull some weight. It’ll be enough to float us.”

“No, you have too much to focus on with college—I don’t want you to have to worry about making ends meet.”

That’s when you broke, desperate for him to change his mind, “Please, Eddie. If you change your mind and marry me right now, I’ll pretend none of this ever happened. I’ll forget about it—you’ll never hear a peep from me. I love you, baby. I’ll go anywhere with you—I’ll finish school out here and follow you out there when I’m done. Just please, please marry me.”

“I’ll always love you, Y/N. But if I can’t give you the life you deserve, I don’t deserve to be in your life.”

It was routine for him to kiss you whenever he left, whether he was going in another room or off to an audition. This time was no different, except that the kiss he pressed to your cheek meant goodbye instead of see you soon.

Watching him walk out the door, you stood unable to move.

Leah shuffled back in, eyeing him as he walked down the hallway before closing the door, “Did you two have fun in here?”

Seeing your sister come into view, you fell to your knees, sobs racking through your body. She rushed over to you, cradling you in her arms as she had done the day your parents had bought you home from the hospital. Petting your hair as you cried into her chest, she squeezed you tightly.

“Oh, honey, what happened?”

“The wedding,” You choked, “Is off.”

Leah winced, holding you tighter to her as you cried.

Eddie had left you to make it big—and that was enough for you to crumple. How could you ever love again?

[dflogerzi]

Musings

I don’t know about anyone else, but I truly feel low in how things are currently playing out with the BRF. I suppose it just goes along with the trajectory of the world itself... 

I keep thinking back to this young optimistic girl all those years ago in 1981. Just out of college, a girlfriend and I had planned for almost a year to head across the pond from California and see the dream. Europe. And we were going to be in London for the royal wedding. In those days young people from all over the world would pack their backpacks, purchase various train passes, and tour on very little money all over the UK and the continent. 

The months came, we spent three in total, and had mapped it out carefully to be in London for the wedding day itself. I had for most of my young life been an art and history lover and I was in absolute heaven. Back then the city was not the same as in these times. I did see the changes darken slowly through the years as I traveled often, but there was a golden haze in 1981. Smiles, decorations, flags, and on every corner souvenirs. You felt so safe zipping around on the underground, all were kind, and London felt like my own personal playground. We all fell in love with Diana of course, she was the fairytale. And I became a royal watcher for the first time.

Through the years as I watched through the lens of my own busy life her boys were born, raised, the dramas and traumas ensued, and I can tell you exactly where I was when I heard of the crash and then her death. As I lived in California there was not much I could do to express my sorrow, so I hung flowers on my door. It was a terrible week, and I had not one girlfriend or acquaintance that did not feel exactly the same. 

Time passed, William married, and I got up in the middle of the night to watch and beam at my TV with happiness and pride. And I did the same for Harry. I was one of those that was so happy for him. Finally he met a woman to start a life with who loved serving it seemed, and he could set down roots and continue his role as a huge part of the Monarchy’s future.

Never, ever, ONCE did I ever imagine we would be where we are. What Harry has done has made Edward VIII look almost tame. It is beyond belief to me that a son of Diana would take these despicable actions onto a global stage and work to destroy a legacy spanning over a thousand years. 

I have been feeling depressed. I am in low spirits for these developments, and for our world in general. Gone now are the chances for optimistic youths to travel freely, learn in person, and experience life in different places and cultures. It was not perfect when I came up, but it was golden in my memories... And no one can take them away. I could cry right now in the joy of them. I was so blessed. Thank you God and my angels.

I just had to write. And wander. And grieve. And although William will never see this and that is fine... my thoughts are with him and his family daily. I pray he finds strength as he navigates these terrible days. I hope I am here one day to see the good that will come. May he stay safe and blessed.

Thanks to anyone who got through this. Hug your family. We are promised nothing. 

Done with the writing of it. I suppose I will feel better. But I doubt it. 

[watchmegetobsessed]

BABY MAMA

A/N: woke up and just knew i needed to write about dad Harry, bc lets be honest, he is my fav. this fic is perfectly fine as a oneshot, but if you'd like, it could be a sequel to Grammy Winner Husband and Baby Grammy, i wrote things to line up with them!

PAIRING: Husband!Harry / Dad!Harry x Reader

WORD COUNT: 2k

masterlist

The arena is blowing up, the fans are screaming from the top of their lungs and Harry is putting out a show just as good as the previous ones have been. He is blowing the stage up, singing, dancing, joking around with the fans, enjoying this time he gets to spend with the people who got him to this point in his life. He’ll never be not grateful for what he has, what he is experiencing, no matter how hard this life can get sometimes.

“Dallas, how are you feeling tonight?” he asks in the mic as he walks back to his water bottle to have a few sips. The crowd erupts, the screams almost burst his eardrums, but he just chuckles, easing his thirst with some water before he returns to the microphone stand.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” he teasingly asks, though the reaction is the same. Insane screaming. “Alright, let’s move this show on before you get bored,” he chuckles playfully, the band starts playing the next song and he is back at what he does the best. Performing.

Though not far from the arena, there’s someone who thinks there’s something he is even better at than performing. That person is you, and you’re one hundred percent sure Harry is best at being a father to your five months old son.

Owning the stage, putting out the utter best he can, Harry’s thoughts still wander away from the show he is supposed to be focusing on. He can’t help it, his instincts are just completely drawn to his baby in the hotel suit, dying to know how he is doing. Leaving for the show late afternoon was harder than usually, because baby Theo was having a fever and coughing quite badly. His heart was breaking that he couldn’t help his son, didn’t even know what could be done for such a tiny baby.

“Love, he’ll be alright, okay? The doctor is on the way, it’s gonna be fine,” you told him gently as he was cradling Theo to his naked chest, always so eager to be skin-to-skin with him. Harry kissed his soft little curls on top of his head before nodding, though you knew it was eating him away.

“Call me or Jeff if something happens, okay?” he told you, handing Theo over to you, who was finally asleep after fussing for hours.

“I will,” you nodded, but he cupped your face to make you look at him.

“Y/N, I mean it. I’ll come off the stage if—“

“You won’t come off the stage, Theo is gonna be fine, he just probably got a cold from the aircon at the greenroom in Denver. He’ll be here when you get back, okay?”

He knew this tone, this was your momma bear voice and he would never argue with you when you used it, so he just nodded, kissed you and then Theo’s chubby cheek before heading out.

Now as he is nearing the end of the show he can’t help but think about finally being back at the hotel with his wife and baby, though he won’t let it be seen how eager he is to get off the stage.

The last song passes, the whole arena blows up from the energy and he is throwing kisses everywhere as he heads off the stage, down the aisle that leads him backstage. As he puts on his mask he turns around one last time, throwing some more kisses around to his beloved fans before disappearing behind the curtains.

“Did she call?” he instantly asks Jeff instantly, who hands him his phone over, a text from you already waiting for him.

Doc just left, everything is fine, left some meds for bub. Love you Xx

Even though this is what you told him before too, he feels relieved that the doctor confirmed it, but he still can’t wait to see the two of you.

“Alright, get the car ready, I’m leaving in ten,” he tells Jeff.

“Got it,” he nods, not even daring to argue with him. He knows better than to stand between Harry and his baby.

His legs bounce nervously on his way back to the hotel and he jumps out of the car as if it was on fire, running inside in a rush. He swipes the keycard through the reader on the door and opens it quietly, scanning over the place for you and Theo and there you are, sitting in one of the armchairs with his sleeping son in your arms, your hand gently tapping on his bum. You must have just finished feeding him, because a rag is still thrown over your shoulder and your shirt is all wrinkled around your chest. Theo loves playing with the fabric while you breastfeeding him and Harry loves watching his tiny fingers grab onto it and massaging it aimlessly.

“Hey,” he breathes out, quietly pushing the door closed behind him before he walks over, kneeling in front of you. He kisses Theo’s forehead first, before pressing his lips to yours too. “How is bub feeling?”

“He is doing good. The doc gave him some meds for the fever and we have a syrup for the coughing. He said he’ll be fine in a few days,” you softly explain to him, nodding towards everything the doctor left you on the coffee table.

Harry grabs the bottles, inspecting them as if he knows anything about medicine and you can’t help but smile as he furrows his eyebrows, reading the packaging.

“Want to put him to bed?” you ask him, his head snapping up right away.

“Of course,” he nods eagerly. You both stand up and he carefully takes the little boy from your arms without waking him up. “Hey bubs, I missed you,” he coos at Theo and as you watch him sway with the sleeping baby, your heart could easily burst from just the sight of them.

You didn’t know what life would be like as a family of three. After Harry posted a picture of you with his Grammy award and your belly ready to pop, the whole world went crazy over the fact that Harry Styles is going to be a dad. Despite the buzz, you managed to stay hidden for the rest of your pregnancy and just three weeks after that post, Theodore Styles decided to come to the world. Harry cancelled everything for the first two months, it was just the three of you, showering in the joys of parenthood. You had all the ups and downs, but you wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Then tour got rescheduled and Harry was hesitant whether it was a good idea to go on the road with a five months old.

“Sarah and Mitch are coming too, she gave birth a week after me,” you reasoned when Harry was about to cancel the whole tour. It took you some time to convince him that it’s gonna be fine, though you knew he would be extra cautious with Theo.

Now as you see him gently sway his way to the bassinet next to your bed, knowing that he just performed to thousands of people and now he is here with you and your son, you wouldn’t change it to some peace at home. Besides, you’re convinced tour is gonna do good for Theo, make him get used to people around him, not just the two of you or the grandparents and aunts. During the first night in Vegas, he barely spent an hour in your arms, everyone wanted a piece of him and you gladly let them befriend him, especially because he loves meeting new people, just like his daddy.

As Harry lays him into the bassinet and stands next to it with a lovesick smile on his face, you sneak behind him, wrapping your arms around his waist. He smells so fresh, he surely had a quick shower before heading back to the hotel, but you’re already planning to seduce him to join you for a quick shower as well. He won’t say no.

“Watched a livestream for a bit, you were so good,” you hum, kissing his right shoulder blade and you don’t miss how he leans back against you. “Loved the shimmery outfit.”

“Yeah?” he chuckles softly. Reaching around, he pulls you forwards so he can wrap you in his arms, kissing your forehead gently. “I missed seeing you dance at the side,” he smirks at you and you don’t miss the reference to the old times.

On his first solo tour, when you weren’t even married yet he often caught you dancing like crazy at the side of the stage, it would always make him laugh mid-song and you loved hearing his giggles through the mic, so you often did it on purpose. A few nights ago in Vegas you did the same, but with Theo in your arms, a massive ear protector on his head so the noise didn’t hurt him. When Harry spotted you, he almost started crying, he mouthed I love youand then carried on with the show.

“I’ll be there soon,” you smile at him, cupping his face in your hands to pull him down for a kiss that’s more than just a peck. “Now, I need help with something,” you mumble against his lips.

“Anything, baby.”

“I need you to help me shower,” you tell him cheekily. He pulls back and stares down at you with a playful grin, his hands already wandering under your shirt.

“Oh, is that so?”

“Yeah, I need someone to wash my back and… maybe somewhere else,” you hum seductively and start pulling him towards the bathroom, peeking at Theo one last time, but he is sleeping so deep, the two of you can have some alone time.

“Alright, I could never deny anything from my favorite milf,” he grins, but you smack his chest with a gasp.

“Harry! I told you not to call me that!” you protest, the two of you walking into the bathroom not to bother the sleeping baby in the room. You start running the water right away so it can be nice and hot for you when you walk in.

“Why? You are a milf,” he smirks, so full of himself, already pulling his shirt over his head.

“Then you’re a dilf, just so you know.”

“Baby, my fans have been calling me that for years, even before Theo,” he chuckles softly.

“You were destined to be a dad,” you giggle, getting rid of your own clothes. “Hey, if Theo feels better tomorrow, we could maybe take a walk in that park we saw on the way here,” you suggest, but when no answer comes, you look at Harry and find him just standing there, fully naked, staring at you grinning widely. “What?” you ask, glancing down at your own naked body. Suddenly, you are way too aware of the weight you haven’t been able to lose after giving birth, the stretch marks on your waist and how you’re not at all freshly shaved. Just as you’d move your hands to cover yourself a bit, Harry grabs your wrists and stops you.

“You are so fucking gorgeous, baby,” he hums, dropping his head until his lips could reach yours.

“Stop being such a flirt,” you giggle, feeling your face heating up.

“It’s the truth! I have the prettiest baby mama and that’s a fact.”

He looks at you with so much love and adoration in those beautiful green eyes, it almost makes you cry, knowing that this man is your husband and you get to spend the rest of your life with him.

Wrapping your arms around his neck you kiss him hard, pulling him into the spacious walk in shower.

“Then come and get your baby mama wet,” you giggle against his lips, making him laugh with the ambiguous request as he shuts the glass door behind him, his lips hungrily kissing wherever he can reach and you’re pretty sure the hot water is not the only thing that’s steaming up the glass.

Thank you for reading! Please like/reblog if you enjoyed!

[nientedenada]

Who wanted the Draconis family dead? J'accuse . . .

Originally posted on r/teslore, reposted here on Halloween as an appropriate tale of murder and ghosts.

In Oblivion, the quest Next of Kin has you kill of all the members of the Draconis family: an aged mother and four adult children. You don’t get an answer who asked for the hit in the first place. Sensible answers discussed in the past include a relative who is eliminating other heirs, or someone with a hatred for the entire family.

But let me share my crazy theory of how Perennia Draconis, loving matriarch of her family, arranged for her own death and her childrens’ at the hands of the Dark Brotherhood. It got less crazy the more I looked at it, and I’m now it’s my personal Truth of the matter.

A lot of people remember Perennia as a nice old lady who wanted to send her children gifts, and unfortunately mistook the Dark Brotherhood assassin as the gift-buying and courier service. But if you pay attention to what she’s saying, she isn’t nice. At all. She’s a nasty old piece of work whose children have gone low or non-contact with her. She has outright awful things to say about three of her four children, and her compliments of the fourth may also be passive-agressive condemnation.

She gives the player a list of where to look for each kid, butchering their characters in the process.

Matthias – Imperial City - Talos Plaza District, Imperial City (he has a home there): Matthias always was a rough and tumble lad. The last I’d heard, he’d fallen in with some pretty tough characters there in the Imperial City. I’d feel so much better if I knew he was well protected, so I’d like for you to find him a nice cuirass. Nothing too light – iron or steel should be fine. And, if possible, I’d like it engraved with “To my Dear Matty, I’ll always be here to protect you, love Mum.”

First kid, gone no contact with her: “the last I’d heard”. After he dies, his tombstone, btw, says

Here lies Matthias Draconis. His mother always told him he’d end up dead if he didn’t clean up his life…“

Next:

Sibylla – Muck Valley Cavern. Yes, my daughter lives in a cave, and no, I’m not very happy about it. Sibby has always loved animals (almost as much as Andy loves beer) and a couple of years ago she apparently thought it a good idea to abandon the Empire and live as a savage with the rest of the animals. In that time, I’m afraid Sibby has kind of… cracked. She’s basically as wild as the beasts she lives with. What can I do? I’m Sibby’s mother and I’ll always love her. She obviously doesn’t want or need anything from civilized society, so what I’d like you to do is find a tanner and secure the largest fur blankets you can possibly find. The last time I saw Sibby she was nearly naked, and I can’t imagine there’s much in that cave to keep her warm. When you do bring them to Muck Valley Cavern, be careful! The wild animals are bad enough, but Sibby herself will probably attack anyone on sight.

Again, has ran away from mom, not in contact.

Caelia – Castle Leyawiin (you’ll find her in the barracks): My beautiful Cae! My dearest daughter broke so many hearts when she was younger. But now that she’s an officer in the Imperial Legion I’m afraid she’s let herself go a bit. Not gotten fat! By Mephala, not that! But she’s settled into a more… practical kind of look. Even a bit boyish, I guess you could say. So what I’d like you to do is get my Cae as much pretty "girl” stuff as you can. Flowers, perfume, Nord chocolate, that sort of thing.

This one is absolutely venomous. It’s the most personally nasty of the lot, and the gift suggested isn’t even useful to Caelia, unlike the other gifts on the list ostensibly are.

Caelia says she defied her mother’s plans for her

I came to Leyawiin after a tour in the Legions. Poor Mother. She hoped I’d choose the chapel or civil service, or perhaps even marry well.“

and Caelia says

My mother? Oh, do you know her? She’s such a sweet woman. I’ve been a terrible daughter I’m afraid. I simply must visit more often! Anyway, I have duties to tend to. If you see my mother, tell her I’ll visit soon! I promise!”

“I simply must visit more often”, doesn’t, moved all the way to Leyawiin after retiring from the Legion, I really doubt Caelia wanted to see her mom that much. She’s keeping her mom at a civil distance, even if she keeps up contact.

Andreas – The Drunken Dragon Inn (he owns the place and lives there as well): Andy has been brewing his own beer and spirits since he was six years old. The opening of that inn was the happiest day of his life. I’d like for you to get him some new tavern glasses. I’m sure there are craftsmen in the Imperial City who could make a fancy set from frosted ebony or Altmeri crystal.

This is the only description of a child that seems kind of positive, but I don’t think the bit about brewing his own beer and spirits since he was six is really meant to be.

Perennia complains about living alone when you first disturb her and here’s her dialogue about the list.

My children? Whatever for? Oh! Oh, dear, excuse an old woman’s stupidity! You’re here to pick up my gift list! Using your gift service was the smartest thing I’ve ever done. My children are spread across Cyrodiil, and it’s so hard to shop for them all! So, here’s the list of all my precious little ones, though I dare say they’re not so little anymore! Ha ha ha ha ha! They grow up so fast, I swear! You’ll notice that the list gives each child’s location and some suggestions for gifts. Oh, and here’s the gold I’m supposed to give you. Now please go. Those children are so dear to me, and I’d really like you to get them something special. Thanks again!“

To me, it begins to look like she is paying the Dark Brotherhood fee here and giving the targets of each child. I see her as a hateful old woman who’d lost control over her children, and asserted final control with this murder-suicide.

Now she does come back as a ghost if you activate her tombstone and she attacks you, which shook me when I discovered that. Maybe she was meant to be an innocent lady who is avenging her slaughtered family. But, on reflection, the sort of person who’d undertake family annihilation via Dark Brotherhood would attack you as a ghost too. You were a tool she used, in this scenario, and now don’t have any use to her if you come bothering her grave. So I stand firm in my belief that Perennia is an evil, evil woman who took out her family when they wouldn’t obey her.

[phanfictioncatalogue]

Domestic (7) Masterlist

part one, part two, part three, part four, part five, part six

A Day in the Life of Dan and Phil in Quarantine! (ao3) - silentdescant

Summary: Phil posts a Day in the Life video of a typical day in quarantine.

A Sleepless Night With Phil (ao3) - orphan_account

Summary: A jet-lagged Sleepless Night With Phil

adapt (ao3) - orphan_account

Summary: this is the story of how dan grew to love neon lights

After All These Years (ao3) - jestbee

Summary: They met her after tour. Martyn’s friend’s dog had puppies and Phil fell in love at first sight. Dan did too, but he’ll deny it if you ask.

Dan tries to keep his distance, because she’s Phil’s dog not his, but she isn’t having any of it.

baby blue and bubblegum pink (ao3) - phantasticworks

Summary: Dan paints his nails. Phil wants to try it.

Basically I'm Gay (ao3) - ChainedKura

Summary: Dan is editing his coming out video when a deep sadness takes over his body. Lucky for him, he counts with a Phil Lester on his side that will do everything in his power to make his partner feel better.

blankets, coffees and afternoon naps (ao3) - zsunsetz

Summary: Blankets, coffee and afternoon naps have become the new normal.

celestial (ao3) - sunflowerwitches

Summary: phil wants to help dan love himself a bit more during quarantine

Chocolate swirls (ao3) - Tarredion

Summary: Dan tries to surprise Phil for his 33rd. He fails, as humans do, but ten years later he has luckily got two adorable little helpers at his side. And maybe that makes everything just a little better.

Dan and Phil and DOG (ao3) - nivi_chip

Summary: It’s Phil’s birthday, and Dan gets him a gift that’s long overdue

distracted (ao3) - sunflowerwitches

Summary: phil telling dan a story but dan isn't paying attention at all because he’s too busy thinking about what a cutie phil is.

Or

a fic that I planned to write for BIG anniversary and didn’t finish it until a few days ago

every kiss is a cursive line (ao3) - phantasticworks

Summary: Iydlmp Dan and Phil through the months of trials and tribulations it takes to plan a wedding… and the wedding itself. (Sort of)

Feet in jelly and eyes looking past the camera (ao3) - natigail

Summary: Phil asks Dan to help film him when he is trying out this spa kit with a jelly bath. What could go wrong?

Forever Home (ao3) - possumdnp

Summary: Phil’s wanted a dog for as long as he can remember, and now that he and Dan are moving into their new house, it’s the perfect opportunity. But there’s just one problem: Phil’s allergic to dogs.

Hang In There, Baby (ao3) - elated_witch

Summary: Dan and Phil document their journey to parenthood through videos

Here’s some faves from my camera roll this year (ao3) - natigail

Summary: 1 birthday tweet. 4 photos. 4 domestic memories. 1 smiling Phil. 1 fond Dan.

I can't help falling in love with you (again) (ao3) - Findus26

Summary: "Do you ever miss that feeling of being newly in love? Like, those first date jitters? Butterflies, if you will?"

It's 2020, the world is falling apart and Dan can't help thinking back to October 2009 when everything was new and exciting. Phil finds a way to recreate the feeling

i come undone when you're gone (ao3) - heartbreakordeath

Summary: who knows what the future holds (i don't know)

don't matter if i got you, got you (i got you)

~bastille, 'future holds'

or: the US tour is over. it's time for dan to come home.

I'd marry you (with paper rings) (ao3) - Tarredion

Summary: Maybe learning calligraphy was of greater importance to Phil, and them, than Dan first thought

It’s in the air and it’s all around, can you feel me now? (ao3) - natigail

Summary: After filming Cards Against Humanity PHAN EDITION, Dan gets an idea into his head involving his DDR mat. He is so focused on that that he nearly misses how Phil starts planning another thing related to the video.

If anyone asks, lap dancing is the perfect way to celebrate a high score on DDR.

Kisses Through The Years (ao3) - undertalednp

Summary: Phil wanted this forever.

And so, forever is what he got.

Night In (ao3) - counting2fifteen

Summary: Phil feels bad after a five second fight with his boyfriend. He is extra soft to make up for it.

quarantine date night (ao3) - calvinahobbes

Summary: Exactly what it says on the tin. Dan and Phil have a date-night in during the corona virus lockdown.

Rain (ao3) - Nefertiti1052 (Succubusphan), schnaf

Summary: When their dinner date gets ruined, the boys need to find a way to make it work.

rip the plaster (ao3) - theloveofbees

Summary: dan isn't sure if things are moving too fast or too slow. nothing is going according to plan. he doesn't know what he's doing. but maybe it's time to just rip the plaster.

Since We've No Place to Go (ao3) - tellsfromhale

Summary: Christmas 2020 is unlike any that's come before and (hopefully) any that will come after. Dan and Phil have to learn how to adjust to the year as it comes.

something visual, not too abysmal (ao3) - sierraadeux

Summary: Dan and Phil get ready for the late night, double feature picture show.

Stacks of pancakes as tall as my love for you (ao3) - natigail

Summary: Phil loves pancakes and he loves Pancake Day but he isn't really in his usual mood for it when the day comes around in 2021. It's a pleasant and befuddling surprise when he finds Dan has taken on a surprise pancake project all on his own.

take a break (ao3) - howellesterfics

Summary: It's late and Dan has been working on his book all day; Phil gets him to relax and rest

Take a Break (ao3) - orphan_account

Summary: Phil is too tired to function because of tour, so Dan takes care of him (despite also being quite tired).

they grew up so nicely, didn't they? (ao3) - natigail

Summary: Cornelia doesn’t just get a boyfriend when she starts dating Martyn, she gets a whole second family too. Kath and Nigel welcome her with open arms and she becomes a pseudo older sister to Phil.

She is there watching from the sidelines as a boy bolts right into Phil’s heart and sets up camp. She gets to watch as Dan and Phil build careers and an internet community and all the trials and tribulations, as well as the pride and happiness, it brings along.

tiny hands and lots of love (ao3) - Tarredion

Summary: Phil puts baby Evelyn to bed, so him and Dan can get some alone time. But just like her Da, she has to grab things no matter what - even if it means prying something as important as Phil's glasses from his face.

Lucky she's cute, and that her dads are both too distracted (and in love, with each other and her antics) to properly reprimand her.

waking up in your arms with my mind on you and me (ao3) - natigail

Summary: On October 19th 2021, Phil wakes up first. Twelve years ago he woke up way too early, nervous for their first meeting and now they are waking up in their shared bed in their forever home. Phil allows himself to be a little sappy but it's okay because Dan easily joins him.

[appetite4savage]

Family Ties (Modern Sav)

-

Request from anon: Sav’s wife fights with her parents over her marrying him.

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My parents have not respected Sav since the day they met him. They’ve always claimed he isn’t good enough for me because he’s a rockstar and not a doctor or lawyer. Not to mention, he’s twenty years older than me.

I knew when Sav proposed to me that we would have to do our own wedding and that my parents wouldn’t be involved. So, we got eloped in Hawaii and didn’t tell a soul except his bandmates and their wives.

When my mother found out we did this, she immediately jumped down my throat about it, calling me disrespectful and that she hopes our marriage ends terribly.

Well, this all happened six months ago and we haven’t spoken since. Sav has tried to get me to answer her calls because he values family so heavily but I just can’t do it. I can’t hear the same voice that has been belittling me since the day I was born.

We have since started the next tour with Def Leppard and the three bands that have joined them this time. The last thing on my mind has been her.

A knock on Sav’s dressing room startles me from my thoughts. I open the door, and the person standing in front of me is the person I least expected.

“Mom?”

I look over at her appearance. She’s dressed for perfection as always, not a hair out of place.

“Hi, honey.” She goes in for a hug but I block her.

“What are you doing here?” I narrow my eyes.

“Rick called me. He said you wanted me to come.”

“He would do no such thing. You’re not welcome here.” I scoff. I go to close the door in her face but her pointed heel stops the door.

“Stop with the dramatics. He really did call me. He thinks we need to make amends.”

Why would he betray me like this? My own husband?

Speak of the devil. He walks in with his tail immediately between his legs as he realizes what’s happening. I glare at him and he knows that I’m not very happy at the moment.

“So, I know I should have told you. But with my mother being sick and everything I felt like it was time for you two to make amends before it’s too late. She’s the only mother you have, Y/N.” He explains, putting a hand on my shoulder.

I can’t even be mad at him. I married the biggest hearted person on planet earth. A tinge of guilt runs through me. He’s right, and I know it.

I sigh, taking a seat on the couch and he joins me, my mother taking a seat on the chair in front of us. He puts his hand on my knee for support.

“Your father and I have talked about this a lot. We’re tired of fighting with you. We just want you to be happy, even if all of this wasn’t in our plan for you.” She gestures around the room.

“I promise you, she’s getting taken care of. There’s nothing to worry about.” Sav suggests.

“He’s right, Mom. He would never let me struggle. His bandmates have even become like family.” I smile at him.

“Alright, then. I’m sorry for everything.”

My mother… just apologized? For the first time in my life?

I get up, and she does too. I hug her and a tear slips from my eyes. I’ve waited so long for this day.

“I still think you both need a haircut, though.”

There it is. There’s the Mom I know.

[misterewrites]

What Next Oh Fair Yorrick? (Mirror’s Edge)

Holy shhhhh 3 months? I was gone three months from this story? I am bad at this (actually we were fixing up the house in that time and boi has it been an inconvenience.) But I'm here and so is the next chapter yay! I promise all my writing in general will be more tightly packed and consistent. Unless it's not then you know life got me.

Okay. It's....alot just *gestures to the world* one thing after another and. Just lose yourself here. Disconnect from the world, have fun, read this and other stories. Don't feel guilty if you need to get away from it all. It's okay to just exist and enjoy things. Be safe, keep each other safe, wear masks. I know they're annoying but we're not done yet, the pandemic is still a thing and there's plenty of people who cannot get the vaccine. We need to protect them and each other. Get the vaccine, push for it worldwide cuz we're all in this together. And have fun. Have fun and relax and just let the world be without you for a hot minute.

Also if you are binge reading this, i doubt it but who knows im very modest, here's your break. go stretch, get some water, eat, rest your eyes before you keep going.

Okay that's it for me! have an amazing week, thank you for everyone who reads this story, who gives me likes, and reblogs and views. I know original work is very specific and hit or miss but seriously thank you for reading this. I deeply appreciate it. :) Share with your friends maybe they'll like it! and if you wanna leave me a comment with your favorite bits or how much you like this story I'm always grateful for them. take care and it'll be okay.

If you want to read this story in a more reader friendly place, you can follow the link over here --->

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30599756/chapters/106456251

If you’re curious what the heck all this is about, you can read the story from the beginning over here! ---> https://archiveofourown.org/works/30599756/chapters/75486005

And if you want the list of my complete works which include, but are not limited to, Arcane, Legend of Zelda, Soul Eater, A Percy Jackson you can find that right here ----> https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrE42/pseuds/MrE42

That’s it for me! and the end of the public tour. For those of you leaving us, thank you for your time. Everyone else? Past the do not enter sign below

Summary: Tomorrow has become today and Casey is ready to help the Gravekeeper of Souls stop whatever is threatening the peace of existence but first he needs to know what exactly is the next step in their plan. Surely Yorrick is on it. 

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Grandma Cassie bought the Remington household when she moved to Newton Haven roughly 30 some years ago and while neither her or her beloved spouse were around anymore, they left a loving home with precious memories Casey wouldn’t trade for the world.

That being said, however, Casey hadn’t stepped foot in his house for a while. He was embarrassed to finda fine layer of dust that blanketed everything and that hung in the air like snowfall. Yorrick mentioned she didn’t mind it so much because she slept in less accommodating places but the young cleric still felt the pang of guilt at the sight of his neglected home.

His parents decided to vacation after his mother retired from Willow’s Rook Neighborhood Watch and they spent the last two years abroad. His sister Kay had left a few years before that when she got married and though she still lived in the neighborhood, her visits were far and few in between. Truth was Casey ended up at her place more often than she did his. Simply put Casey was never home which was a bit ironic for a cleric of the hearth.

Two years.

Casey rubbed at his engagement ring absentmindedly as he entered the home under the glow of the rising sun.

The state of the house was actually worse than last night since he could actually see the dust this time.

“Am I working too much?” Casey rubbed his chin quizzically “No it’s the house that needs to clean itself. Yorrick? Good morning! Are you up?”

Only the creaking of the home settling answered him.

Casey frowned, sliding his bat into his hand while he quietly made his way towards the second floor landing. He left her in his old room upstairs but in reality she had run of the place since he slept in his office as usual.

The stairs groaned under his weight but the silence remained, thick and unbroken.

Casey gripped his weapon tightly when he reached the top. He paused, listening in case something was laying in wait.

Out of everything he was expecting to hear, the trill of a flute wasn’t one of them.

It chirped and squeaked but less like it was playing a song and more as if it was speaking.

Now that he was this close to his room he heard the muffled voice of Yorrick speaking to someone though only the flute responded.

“Are you still mad about that? I couldn’t take you yesterday.”

The flute trilled unhappily.

“I don’t care if you could take them on.” Yorrick snickered gently “You are a thousand years old!You need to act your age.”

A sharp note answered her.

Casey could hear Yorrick rising to her feet “Okay but after we’re done saving the world. Again. Did you notice it?”

A curious note played.

“Yeah. I don’t like it.”

The flute did not respond this time.Instead Yorrick’s footsteps grew louder until she opened the door and saw him standing there.

Casey caught sight of an odd shape ducking out of view as Yorrick hurriedly closed the door behind her.

“Hi!” she beamed brightly, giving a cheery wave with her free hand. The other held tight onto the walking staff, rusty lantern swinging lazily back and forth.

Casey gave a polite smile “Good morning. I yelled from the front door but I don’t think you heard me.”

“You did?” Yorrick frowned quizzically, trying to recall “Oh I didn’t hear you! Well, obviously.”

She chuckled joyfully and Casey nodded in agreement “I understand. You were probably still asleep huh?”

“No I was talking to a spirit.”

Yorrick’s tone was casual but her gaze was intense and focused. It was a bit unnerving but luckily this wasn’t the first time she’d done something like that.

He decided to be honest “I know, I heard.”

“Not worried I’m possessed or something like that?”

“Nope.” Casey replied “You’re the Gravekeeper of Souls. The name kinda tells me what to expect.”

Yorrick’s lips broke into a wide grin “Thank the lantern! You have no idea how much spirits spook people. I get people don’t like dealing with death and denial is a powerful tool but come on! If a spirit wanted to hurt you it would’ve done it by now. Oh! That reminds me! Kal! You can come on out now!”

Kal the spirit looked more like a floating pillowcase than the ghost of a person long past: Kal’s upper half was oval shaped with a wavy bottom. He couldn’t have been taller than two feet and he floated through the air effortlessly. Kal passed through the door like it wasn’t there and began circling Casey, clearly curious at his presence.

Kal made a questioning noise.

“Yep!” Yorrick answered eagerly “He’s the one Cassie was telling us about. You remember the nice lady? Casey here is going to help us take down whatever is disrupting the spiritual balance!”

She clapped excitedly though Kal’s only response was to bob up and down.

“Well I am more than happy to….” Casey paused, unsure he heard what he thought he did “Wait. Did you say Cassie?”

Yorrick nodded.

“Cassie? As in Cassiopeia?”

Another nod.

Casey gulped anxiously “As in Cassiopeia Remington?”

Yorrick pointed his way in confirmation “That’s her! She was telling me all about you last night! Like the time you tried to ride the dog like a horse and ended up getting that scar on your knee.”

The Gravekeeper’s face turned deathly serious for a moment “Why haven’t you cleaned the house Casey?”

“E-excuse me?” he could feel chills run down his spine.

“The house.” Yorrick repeated, her voice empty and distant “She wanted to know why her house is so dusty. She did not raise your mother to raise you to keep a dirty house.”

“I…”

Yorrick waved her hand in a panic “Those were her words, not mine! I was just repeating what she said!”

Casey paled as realization dawned on him. He’d always assumed his grandma passed on peacefully but if she was still here, still held here by some regret or sorrow or something he should’ve tried to get her to move on years ago….

“She’s not here.”

Casey snapped out of his stupor to find Yorrick staring intently at him.

“What?”

“She’s not here.” Yorrick repeated firmly with a soft, sympathetic tone “She did pass on.”

“How do you…?”

She grimly motioned to the lantern “Spirits are more complicated than that. Most people always assume souls are trapped in this reality because X, Y or Z but the truth is it’s a choice. It’s always a choice and just because people move on doesn’t mean they can’t come back for awhile. No different than traveling to another city for them.”

Casey’s face must’ve been dumbfounded because Yorrick gave a hearty laugh “Yeah there’s a lot to spirits but you’ll get the hang of it. Or you won’t! That’s okay too.”

“Yorrick….” guilt tugged at his heartstrings

“Okay.” Yorrick bit her lip thoughtfully “What is the best way to….Oh! Here touch this!”

Before he could react, she gripped his wrist and roughly placed his hand upon a nearby wall.

“Sorry.” Yorrick flinched and gave an apologetic smile “But here! Do you feel this?”

“Yes.” Casey nodded, unsure what he was supposed to feeling.

“And the air? How it fills your lungs? The dust tickling your nose?”

Casey winced guiltily “Oh lord, don’t remind me but yeah I do.”

Yorrick pulled away hurriedly, clearly caught up in her explanation “We use our senses to perceive the world around us. Sight, touch, sound, smell, taste if you’re weird. This is how we navigate life right?”

Casey gave a quick nod.

“Now how could you go through life if you didn’t have any of that?”

Casey’s face narrowed, scrunching as he tried to wrap his head around the question. He thought about it. He thought about for a good minute or so but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t figure a way to explain how could he live his life without relying on his senses.

“I...don’t know….” Casey truthfully spoke after a long pause.

“Exactly!” Yorrick cheerfully gestured to Kal “Spirits don’t have senses. They don’t even have bodily functions anymore! They exist in a reality we mortal beings just can’t understand.”

“Okay but what does this have to do with my grandma Cassie?”

“EVERYTHING!” Yorrick cheered.

Silence fell over the two.

Casey looked at Kal then to Yorrick then back to Kal again.

Yorrick blinked “Oh right. The actual point I’m trying to make.”

“Yes please.”

“Okay.” Yorrick scratched her chin absentmindedly “This feels good. Right. So spirits see the world differently than us. While we deal buildings and air and sky and cars and all that real stuff, they….don’t.”

“Right.” Casey agreed.

“For spirits it’s like being trapped in a fog. A fog that has loads of different shapes and colors but fog nevertheless. Since they don’t have bodies to react to the physical world they can get easily lost which is why they usually tethered themselves to something. Places, items, people.”

“A home perhaps?” Casey whispered as guilt ate at his stomach.

“No!” Casey jumped as Yorrick stomped her foot suddenly “None of that! Spirits are either tethered or, the other thing I was about to mentioned, untehtered. Oooo terminology!”

Casey made an uneasy face “So...grandma Casie is….”

“Unethered!” Yorrick bounced happily “When she died she moved from her mortal coil to the afterlife, which of course is the chosen state of existence a spirit has earned based their actions on Earth. She went peacefully so no beating yourself up.”

“Wait hang on. Then how did you talk to her? The lantern?” Casey was admittedly lost at all this.

Yorrick pursed her lips “Well. A little of A and a little of B. Yes the lantern allows me to speak to spirits, even those who have long since passed, but any powerful spirit medium, spiritualist or relic could do that. I still need to know her if I wanted to bring her back for a visit.”

“Things aren’t powerful because they are. Things are powerful because we make them so.” Yorrick touched the wall and ran her finger down it gingerly “This home, her home, her family’s home. It is so filled with love it’s a beacon to her. A lighthouse in the sea of fog that is the living world. Memory is too powerful a force to be bound by a single person. It takes people to make memories. Even when the people who made them aren’t around to share them anymore. Especially when they’re gone.”

She carefully wiped the dust off a nearby picture frame. Casey could fell his heart ache at the sight of him and Jaime, smiles frozen in time.

“Love.” Yorrick murmured quietly before she spoke louder with clarification “Well also hate. Intense emotions really. Unetethered find their way back through the fog via places or people that meant something to them. Good or bad. Us spirit folks are just connecting them from their world to ours for a little while. A telephone line basically. Because no one is really gone.”

Yorrick stared at the large, aged photo that hung in the center of the hall: A young couple, hands clasped tightly with one another as they shared a smile together. They stared, not at the camera, but deeply into each other’s eyes, love evident in every fiber of their being.

His grandparents on the day of their wedding.

She let out an adoring sigh “Not if we remember them.”

There was a peaceful moment that was quickly broken by a sudden clap from the Gravekeeper.

“And of course.” Yorrick went on without warning “Tethered spirits tie themselves down. Most of the time it’s something or someone important but it’s not unheard of for them to latch on whatever happens to be nearby. Hence the tethered part of the term. They use these tethers as ways to hold themselves in place so they don’t get swept up by the massive confusion of the physical world. Think anchors: Nice, consistent, unmovable against the tide but always have the chance to relocate.”

Casey scratched his chin curiously “oh that does feel good. So those tethered spirits, are they trapped here?”

Yorrick shook her head happily “Nope! They can choose to leave any time they wish. There’s loads of reasons spirits would stay beyond love and revenge. Some just aren’t ready to move on yet, others kind of forget to. Some, of course, are avoiding their punishment for the life they led cause they don’t get an option to come back. Heck I meet one who was just curious about how much a place could change in a hundred years.”

“So what do you do exactly as Gravekeeper?”

“Keep graves.” She answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Casey stared at her.

“Right broad blanket term and not at all helpful. Well my job is to check on the spirits.” “Time is irrelevant for the dead. What is one day, a decade, hundreds of years to them? All feels the same when you lack a body to worry about. Some souls are stuck in place because they have no idea how long it’s been. They usually start haunting people or places because of sudden changes most of the time.”

Casey nodded in understanding “That makes sense. If I had no sense of time and my surroundings suddenly changed completely, I’d be pretty disoriented and upset too.”

“Exactly.” Yorrick smiled for a second before it faded into a grim expression “Of course I also protect the souls. Souls are valuable to a lot of creatures and in all kinds of dark magic. Corruption, consumption, even using spirits as fuel for dark purposes is a very real thing in my line of work.”

Casey remembered Finn’s encounter in Litwick forest along the countless other dangerous situations the trio often found themselves in. His best friend’s general advice was to grant funeral rites to the departed and burn their corpses. He always said it was to protect both body and spirit and while Casey was more than happy to do it but it just occurred to him how important it really was.

Her blew a strand of her hair out of her face as she continued “So I check up on cemeteries and other meaningful locations. Help spirits pass on, force them to move on if they’re causing trouble.” she began to count off the rest of her duties on her hand “Cleansing tainted or corrupted places, pass messages along to the living, fight the odd demon or fae on occasion. Find a way to achieve harmony between the dead and living in the cases where there’s conflict between the two. Holy shit do I do a lot, I just realized that.”

“You’re clearly very capable at it.” Casey said with a hint of admiration.

Yorrick rose to full height, towering over the cleric while she shone with pride “I don’t want to brag and I won’t cuz I don’t have to.”

“Of course.” Casey took a deep breath in “Okay, what are we doing?”

She stared at him for a moment before realizing what he was asking “Oh! us. Umm. What are we doing?”

“The reason you’re here.” Casey offered helpfully.

“Oh right! The spirit-pocalypse I’m here to stop.” Yorrick chuckled “Sorry I’m not used to the living. Most people just stare at me with glazed over eyes. It’s a lot I know but thanks for following along!”

A peaceful silence overtook the two but Casey decided to wait patiently this time.

Yorrick smacked her head “Right right. I recommend we eat first, preferably on the way to the nearest cemetery.”

Casey nodded “Straight from the source right?”

Yorrick smiled wide.

“Well.” he scratched his chin thoughtfully “The nearest one is Hope’s Meadow in the middle of town. There’s a really good sandwich shop nearby we can get breakfast at.”

“There isn’t a cute girl there, right?”

Casey shot her a curious look. Her face was flushed with embarrassment.

“I went to a cafe for a drink yesterday.” Yorrick muttered shyly as she twiddled her fingers together “There was a really pretty girl named My-something. I didn’t pay attention, I got really nervous. I don’t think I can handle another cute girl today.”

Casey softened. He patted her arm gently “How about you let me do the ordering, okay?”

Yorrick nodded happily “Deal! Let me get my tombstone and we’ll be on our way!”

And as she disappeared beyond the door frame with an energetic hop, Casey couldn’t help but mutter to himself.

“Okay so she did say it her tombstone. I wasn’t just super tired and hearing things last night.”