#while cordelia trashes the place

[simder-talia-blog]

[novemberhope]

Summary: Cordelia gets her devil fruit. Notes: I figured since I had some time on my hands I might as well put it to good use and come up with another short story. Oh well. Word Count: 2045

On this hot summer evening in Sabaody, the Rip-Off Bar was filled with people drinking and laughing. The crowd was a mix of rough pirates and pirate wannabes, all searching for fun and excitement and most of all, one drink after another. It was a lively place, but Cordelia still didn’t feel at ease here. She had no memory of her parents, no recollection of where she had come from, and had only some days ago started to trust Shakky enough to keep coming to the house to eat some food. Recently, she had even allowed herself to sleep for a few hours curled up on the couch. She never stayed long though. She accepted Shakky coming near her with food but if anyone else so much as tried that, she bolted right through the door.

The first time Shakky realized she was making progress with the little girl was when she was called names by a drunk pirate at the bar which had resulted in Cordelia biting the man’s hand. Both Shakky and Rayleigh had to held back their laughter while Shakky dealt with the angry pirate after Cordelia had ran out.

Tonight, Rayleigh strolled in, looking excited. Cordelia was standing behind the bar with Shakky, watching Rayleigh carefully as he stepped closer.

“What have you got there?” Shakky asked, pointing to the strange looking container he was carrying.

"I found something interesting on one of the pirate shipwrecks down at the shore," Rayleigh exclaimed, placing the container on the bar where currently no one was sitting.

Cordelia looked up with curiosity but didn't say anything. Although she could speak fairly well, she rarely did, except when it was just her and Shakky.

"Looks like Rayleigh brought some treasure," Shakky told her, sounding amused.

Cordelia's blue eyes widened but she was too small to see anything from where she was standing. But she was good at climbing, so she immediately ran around the bar and started to climb on the barstool that was furthest from Rayleigh.

"Let's have a look, shall we?" he said, winking at her. He already knew what was in there but he still made a show of opening the lid of the container for Cordelia's benefit, seeing that the little girl could barely contain her excitement.

Among some silver coins was a peculiar looking fruit that Cordelia had never seen before. But Shakky had.

"Is that…?"

"Looks like it… but I have unfortunately no idea what this one does." "Well, I'm not eating it, that's for sure," Shakky told him. "I like my early morning swims in the ocean too much."

"Nobody's eating it," Rayleigh said. "But that thing will surely bring a lot of money if sold to the right person."

"Yes, more overpowered pirates trashing my bar," Shakky replied, rolling her eyes.

Suddenly, people were shouting at each other in another corner of the bar. A glass was flying through the air, nearly hitting a very tall pirate in the face. He growled and spat at the other guy while the rest of the rough looking crowd at their table was shouting at them. Seconds later, both of them were having a fist fight on the floor, after bringing down the table and everything on it.

"Oh no, not in my bar," Shakky angrily said and ran around the counter. "Hey! Cut it out!"

"Always the same idiots," Rayleigh grinned after realizing who those people were. He got up lazily and followed Shakky, knowing fully well that she was able to handle them on her own.

Within minutes, people stopped shouting at each other. One of them reluctantly handled Shakky the money for the broken glasses and the damaged table.

"Now out, the whole lot of you!" Shakky said, pointing to the door. "I told you last time I don't tolerate shit like this in my bar. You want to fight, you go somewhere else. I'm not buying new furniture every time you come in here."

"Yeah, whatever," they grumbled but in the end they got up and walked towards the door.

"Better not show up around here for a while," Rayleigh warned them. Although he was smiling, there was an edge in his voice that made it clear that he did not like to be crossed.

"And now I'll have to clean up after them again," Shakky grumbled. "And you better get that Devil Fruit away from the counter, Rayleigh, before any of them sees it. I've had enough fighting here tonight." Rayleigh glanced back toward the counter. Cordelia was gone, probably scared away by the fight. But he quickly made his way towards the counter with a suddenly very uneasy feeling - and he found the devil fruit as well as the coins gone.

"Shakky!" he called.

Alarmed by the sudden urgency in his voice, Shakky came back to the counter. She took one look at the empty container and sighed. "Shit… I should have known… after being half-starved, that girl eats everything in sight and runs off with the rest, probably hoarding it somewhere."

"Let's hope she's only hoarding it," Rayleigh said. "You realize she will be our responsibility if she really ate that Devil Fruit? Those powers need to be trained - and used wisely."

"Isn't she already our responsibility?" Shakky sighed.

Looking around the bar, things seemed to have settled down. People already had returned to their drinks and conversations, so Shakky and Rayleigh quickly went outside and started to look around.

“Cordelia!” Shakky called. “Rayleigh, we’ve got to find her!”

"If she's already eaten the damn thing, something tells me she's not far off," Rayleigh said. "Those things taste horrendous."

They ran around the house just in time to see a sickening scene. Cordelia knelt on the ground, retching violently. She was as white as a sheet.

“Oh, dear,” Shakky said. She rushed to the girl’s side, kneeling down beside her. “It’s alright, Cordy. It's very bad food and you were not supposed to eat it."

"I'm amazed you managed to eat it all," Rayleigh said with a chuckle. Yes, the situation wasn't ideal. But what was done was done. At the very least, the Devil Fruit didn't seem to have altered the girl's appearance. That would make it easier to hide that she now had powers. "Most people only take one bite."

"Let's take you back to the house so you can have a glass of water to get that taste out of your mouth," Shakky suggested, gently stroking Cordelia’s hair.

Rayleigh knelt on the girl's other side, concern replacing his usual humor. “Sometimes, things are not yours to take, Cordelia,” he said softly. “That fruit you just ate was definitely not meant for you. And it will have - well, let's call it side effects. You will never be able to swim now and you need to be very careful around water. You understand that?"

Cordelia coughed, frustrated and nauseous. "I can't swim anyway," she muttered.

"Well, now you will never be able to learn," Rayleigh said. "Also, I do believe you have some coins that do not belong to you either."

Panicking, Cordelia scrambled to her feet.

"It's alright, just put the coins back in the container once we're back in the house," Shakky told her.

But Cordelia was in full-on panic mode now. She instinctively raised her hands, projecting a shimmering force field that enveloped her, pushing Shakky and Rayleigh back several feet.

“What the…,” Shakky exclaimed, caught off guard. She tried to step forward, but an invisible wall held her firmly back.

“Stay away!” Cordelia shouted, her voice trembling. She looked like she didn't understand what was going on and was more scared of what was happening right now than of Shakky and Rayleigh.

“Hey, it’s alright!” Rayleigh said, his tone soothing. “We're not mad at you. We'll fix this, ok? You can just put the coins back and we'll deal with your… ability. Just take a deep breath.”

But Cordelia was scared. She felt safe behind the force field but on the other hand, she was scared of the force field - what the hell was happening right now?

“Just stay calm, Cordy,” Shakky added, trying to keep her tone of voice light and friendly. "Don't be scared. The fruit you ate is called a devil fruit - you've seen some pirates doing things they shouldn't have been able to do, right? Remember that strange guy two days ago? He also ate one of those fruits. You have a power now too - and one that is pretty handy, it seems. It protects you - you will be very safe from now on. Nobody can touch you without permission anymore."

The words hung in the air. Cordelia peeked at the two adults through her shimmering shield, her curiosity battling her fear. Shakky stood firmly, smiling at the girl. Rayleigh, too, showed a patient expression. With a deep breath, Cordelia took a few steps back first before slowly lowering her hands. “You’re not… angry I ate the fruit?"

“Not at all,” Rayleigh replied, his voice steady. “Truth be told, if I were your age, I would have taken a bite too. If anything, we should have told you you were not to eat it."

Slowly, the force field dissolved. “It… tasted so horribly," Cordelia whispered.

"They always do," Shakky replied with a smile. "Let's go and get you a glass of water to get rid of the taste."

Cordelia hesitated. Then she slowly put her dirty little hand in Shakkys. "Ok…"

They went back in the bar where some impatient customers were already waiting to get more drinks.

"What do we have to do to get served around here!?"

"You'll get your drinks when you get them," Shakky told them off. "Now sit down and shut up. I'll be right with you."

"I'll get her some water," Rayleigh said and opened the door to the backroom for Cordelia. He did not want the girl in the bar where she might get scared and project a force field in front of all these people. "I'll be with you in a minute," Shakky told them and went to get her customer's orders.

Cordelia had sat down on the couch when Rayleigh approached her with a glass of water. He was walking very slowly and stopped some steps away from her, putting the glass on the table.

"Here you go…"

"Thank you," she muttered, not meeting his eyes.

She gulped down all the water at once.

"That must have been one foul-tasting fruit," Rayleigh grinned.

"I'm never eating one again," the girl said with a shudder.

"Well, that's good news then," Rayleigh chuckled, making sure to sit on a chair opposite of the girl and not directly next to her.

To his surprise, however, she did get up and walked over to him, stopping shortly before she had reached him. Holding out her little hand, she showed him the coins she had taken from the container earlier.

"Well, thank you," he said, gently taking them from her. "If you need some money in the future, just ask first."

She nodded and went back to the couch. When Shakky entered the back room, Cordelia had her hands outstretched, staring with fascination at the force field she had created.

"Someone's having fun," Rayleigh chuckled.

"Looks like it," Shakky said with a grin. "You want to sleep on the couch, Cordy?"

There was a tiny moment of hesitation. Then Cordelia nodded.

"Good," Shakky smiled. "Then you'll need to wash yourself and brush your hair."

Slowly, Cordelia got off the couch and walked up the stairs. Shakky and Rayleigh watched her go.

"Looks like she's slowly starting to feel at home," Rayleigh remarked.

"I was trying to look into where she comes from," Shakky admitted. "But nobody seems to know who the parents are. People have seen her around though and there are a lot of maybe this, maybe that kind of answers, but… nothing concrete. Looks like she was not rescued from a sinking ship - I'm sure that's something people would remember."

"Guess we're her parents now," Rayleigh said with a smile. "I mean, she's only one girl… after raising Shanks and Buggy, how hard can it be?"

"Oh boy," Shakky grinned. "Let's hope you're not in for a surprise…"

[summercreolefanfictioner]

Lady Yui of the House Komori (Game of Thrones AU)

(moodboard + plot headcanons)

Lady Yui of the House Komori. The Mother of Dragons. Khaleesi of the Great Sea. The Queen of the Masses. The Unburnt. The Breaker of Chains. The Lady of Fire. She Who Was Born as Eve.

Yui was an orphan during infancy, a babe in a basket left during war crying for her mother's embrace, her chubby cheeks tarnished with ashes as she fisted for anything that would give her mercy

Seiji was a messenger at the time before he became the head of the Church, and when he found baby Yui bundled up in one corner near the pile of trash, he saved her and raised her as her own daughter

ofc he soon found out that he was destined to have her in his life bcos Yui was the reincarnation of Eve who will become one with Adam and they will conquer the world and destroy the Church with fire and blood

Seiji feared the time when Yui will really bring down everything he worked hard for so he made a huge propaganda that all forms of magic are evil (since the wizards from the North rebelled against Karlheinz before); even lied to Yui that her position as Eve is nothing but mere fiction since dragons ceased to exist

since then, Yui grew up to be a fine lady of the House Komori, easily learning things a housewife will do once she marries her husband (e.g., household chores, sewing clothes, cooking, tending to the place while man goes to war etc)

but sometimes Yui would sneak out and hide in the library, marvelling over romance and fantasy books bcos she kept hearing people talk abt her position as Eve and the dragons and all that stuff

she even had a good dream one night where she was riding a dragon, soaring high as she feels the clouds in her fingertips and her hair dancing with the wind

basically this best girl craved for adventure

her days of fun started when she was finally introduced to the triplets, especially to Ayato since he was the one who was born as Adam

as such, the servants would always make sure they play together despite Seiji's hatred towards the Sakamaki house; but Ayato doesn't get to play with them as often since Cordelia pressured him to be Karl's heir

but nonetheless, Yui would make time for him, would even try to study with him even tho it's unnecessary; even got to a point where they would sneak out and have fun in secret

all changed ofc bcos of war bcos Karl decided to test out the triplets' powers and how they would serve him while Yui was sent to Dragonstone so she could be taught of the ways of the House Komori, leading to Ayato and Yui drifting apart

it wasn't until she turned 17 when she returned to King's Landing and she met a whole new version of Ayato, one marked by war and violence (also found out that the House Sakamaki has been going against everything Seiji stands up for)

nonetheless, she would still approach the triplets, particularly Ayato and try to get everything back to their old times

this led her to gain the "Unburnt" title bcos when Kanato shook her hand one time with fire, she didn't get hurt (well he knew anyways since she is Eve)

Ayato actually pushed her away despite her reluctance and stubbornness, until it was a matter of time before he gave in and they finally got closer

Laito was the one who told them both abt the romantic love between them, which Yui knows is something Seiji would never allow

but Yui is Yui so she still went after her heart, confessing her feelings for Ayato one night in the castle's maze garden while there was an ongoing party

this was the beginning of an end

bcos on Yui's 18th bday, she thought Seiji would finally allow her relationship with Ayato since she was her Adam and she his Eve

only for him to betray her by having her marry Shin from the House Tsukinami

in retaliation and heartbreak, she spent her first night with Ayato in secret and promised him they would find their way back into each other and fulfill their promise; the dream where they will live somewhere far away and have kids and be free

she even kept a locket from him so it would remind her of their love for each other

ofc Yui's marriage with Shin was a disaster since Shin has never treated her as an equal and would beat her up if she doesn't get pregnant soon

Subaru managed to talk some sense into her and gave her a knife, telling her to take her role as Eve and run away

so she hatched her plan, connived with one of the maids and made sure Shin was playing the game she set out before finally stabbing his manhood and feeding him to his pet wolves

afterwards, Yui and her personal maid escaped via a dragon and went to the Dothraki sea where she was to stay and pick one of the Khals to marry

ofc Yui would never allow anyone to treat her again as a brooding mare, so she set them all on fire, watching everyone burn with the living witnesses cheering and kneeling before her

it was the beginning of an end, a time for the Eve to rise

STORY MASTERLIST HERE

[fimproda]

Welcome / Fanfiction Masterlist

(This is a long post. Bear with me: I'm unable to stop the flow of words that come out of my mouth. It's why I love writing.)

Hello there!

As I plan on using this account primarily to advertise my stories, here's a "brief" rundown of my authorial profile. Please note that each and every one of my works is R-Rated, and with good reason. (I like myself some smut.)

@zoyalannister and I are co-authors on AO3, and under our names is the The Last Flowers series, in which we hold back no blows towards Cassandra Clare's truly idiotic plot and characterization in The Last Hours and attempt to write something decent. TLF is comprised of:

Hydrangea, a three-part, Grace-centered minilong which takes place between Chain of Gold and Chain of Iron;

Daisy, a six-part, Cordelia-centered minilong spanning from the Whispering Room scene in Chain of Gold to the end of Chain of Iron;

Chrysanthemum (upcoming), a nine-part fix-it of that trash fire that is Chain of Thorns;

Geranium, an AU stemming from a particular plot point in Hydrangea;

Petals, a collection of missing moments from the series.

Please note that I am zoyalannister's friend, co-author and beta reader for a reason, and any defense of Chain of Thorns will not be tolerated on this blog. (I might be joking, or I might not. Find out at your expense.)

As a solo writer, I've been active for a while in the A Court of Thorns and Roses fandom with the Under the Stars series, posting, as of today:

Constellations, a Nessian-centric minilong which takes place about a year after the events in Silver Flames;

In the shadow of a dream, a Gwynriel one-shot that sets the scene for a future Gwynriel long;

Space dust, a collection of 31 drabbles for Kinktober;

Splendor Solis, a little Elucien worldbuilding piece set in the Day Court.

If you're interested about this fandom, want to know more about my stories (current or future), want to hear me proselitizing about how SJM is a truly great writer and suffers from too much negative publicity, or simply want to chat, I'm here for this very reason.

You can also find me on Wattpad, where my "career" actually started. If there's someone between you who can read Italian and fancies themselves some mediocre The Mortal Instruments fanfiction, you can visit my Wattpad profile and be faced with these ol' things:

Remembering the Past, the first fanfic in a trilogy in which I tried to imagine what life after City of Heavenly Fire might have been like for our beloved heroes;

Living the Present, which is RtP's sequel;

Seeing the Future, which in turn is LtP's sequel and concludes the trilogy, as well as starting a new plotline with a fresh set of characters who star as protagonists in this next story I'm about to cite;

House of Cards, a Watty award-winning first story of a tetralogy I never got to write in its entirety. HoC is pretty sweet tho, if I do say so myself, and you can read it even if you know nothing about the Past, Present and Future trilogy.

The stuff on Wattpad is quite old and I'm not posting there anymore, as I now find AO3 more suitable for the kind of stories I write, and also a more "fanfiction-friendly" and "English-friendly" website. But I still respond to comments and interact with readers, since that's the bare minimum in my opinion.

And... this is all I have to say. Nice meeting you all!

[faeiapalette]

I rarely ever send asks to blogs but I noticed the absolutely shitstorm taking place in your inbox from my OC blog and I'm so confused??? Like why did it escalate to such a heated discussion?? I actually fully agree with you that Ayato's LE route is anything but bad. It was one of my favorites amongst the S boy routes and while I did feel bad for him, I don't think the 'they don't deserve it' argument is valid for any of the DL boys. They've all done horrible things to Yui/the MC so they can't complain about karma biting them in the ass at one point or another. Also this whole 'which boy is the main one/Yui's canon S/O' is so silly imo. (and mind you, I'm a big AyaYui shipper myself) After translating over half of all the games' content, I can confidently say that Rejet is not that serious about the plot of DL and will defy or contradict their previously established lore literally ALL THE TIME. So why can't we - as a fandom - also be a little more chill and laidback about it and enjoy our own interpretations of the story instead of trying to prove other people's opinions wrong? ^^;; In the end, it's just fiction and there's no real right or wrong. Also big disagree on you not being able to voice your dislike for Ayato because he's generally loved by the fandom. :/ So it's okay to bash Cordelia or Karl because most fans agree that they're shitty people, but you can't speak ill of one of the main boys? Oh boy I better go hide now because I've lost count of how many times I've called Kanato a nasty purple gremlin.

I'm a Subaru stan but if I see someone insult Subaru, I don't get upset. I realize he has his flaws too and he won't be everyone's cup of tea. That's totally fine like go and call him a sad piece of emo trash for all I care. He might be my oshi, but in the end he's also just a bunch of pixels on a screen lol.

(😳 wait can i say “senpai noticed me”? Although i’m not too fond of this kind of “notice” and i don’t think it’s something i should be proud of it either, but still 🥹🤣💀🙈💗

Also… i deeply apologize for this massive tornado of… whatever it is 😭)

And 😭💦 I have no problem with Ayato tho? It started when i start wondering why the reasons i heard didn’t came from the inside of Ayato’s route (instead, as you can see, people compare his route to the other S boys’ routes, aka the external. Oh and actually an anon told me that problems lie in bad writing and horrible ending, that’s the first one for me. 🙌) So i just started analyzing things using internal infos in his route and speak it up in the form of an opinion. 🤔 Then people misunderstand what i said and see it as “i’m attacking Ayato”, and all of this happened. So… Thank you, but i’ll pass that 1st sentence in the 2nd paragraph to any other person who couldn’t say “i hate this character” in this fandom. 🥺💗 Sigh…. I do wish people can be chill and understanding like you and some people i know as well. Realizing all of this things isn’t that hard. 😔

[livia-dovehallow]

chot asks and more

only the second part of this ask includes spoilers for chot so i'll include that part under the cut and leave the first part as is :)

I hated the way Edom was portrayed in chain of thorns. In city of heavenly fire (yes I know everyone hates tmi and it's trash, I love it though) it was difficult to go to Edom. The gang had to go through fairy, and then when they got to Edom they got into that illusions bc the demons were trying to kill them. And then Izzy almost died, but Simon saved her. And it was incredible difficult to infiltrate Sebastian's palace, they had to use the clothes of the endarkned. And then they couldn't leave, bc it's Edom not a playground, and they lost Simon. Edom actually felt like they were about to die, in any moment, it's shown the actual dangers of a demonic dimension.

**SPOILER WARNING**

rest of ask:

And in chain of thorns Lucie and Cordelia just get there so easily. And they get out with Matthew so easily. There's not stakes or dangers. Nothing. The only thing I could think about while reading that part was the tmi gang already did this 100 times better.

///

I haven't read TMI in so long but I do remember that Edom was supposed to be this terrible place of dispair and no hope of ever leaving. Hard to enter (like you said, they had to go through faerie) and almost impossible to leave. Izzy was on death's doorstep in Edom and we're supposed to take TLH's Edom as written?

Lucie was as close as we got to a death's-doorstep situation like Izzy but she recovered so easily?? With the cop-out of she's the granddaughter of a Prince of Hell so she can recover from Edom faster?? By that logic, she might as well have been able to go through Edom unscathed.

So, yes, totally agree anon. It was basically two different Edom's and their storylines entirely conflict with each other.

[calpurniatypes]

𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐬; 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞; 𝐬𝐡

𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲

summary; when she’s thrown into a fight with a terrible monster that threatens her new town, Cordelia Silva must run like hell to make it out alive... and maybe find her heart in the mix.

chapter summary; Cordelia and Steve have an encounter with a redheaded menace while babysitting.

warnings; this story may be unsuitable for some audiences. Sexual content, anxiety, self harm, depression, abandonment, violence, blood, death, and cigarettes.

stranger things series masterlist ; calpurnia’s questionable writings

“You’ve opened this gate before, right?” Joyce pointed down at the letters spelled out on the table, looking to the girl. 

“Yes,” Eleven said. 

“Do you think that if we got you back there, that you could close it?” 

The answer of Eleven looking off into space, and her brief nod, was enough to make Cordelia feel some remote sensation of happiness. Standing against the wall, Steve next to her, she made eye contact with him. A gleam in his eyes made her understand that this could be the solution to their problem. 

From what had been explained to Cordelia, the gate determined everything. If she could close it, the rest of the monsters would die. And she’d go back to the junkyard, undisturbed. Alone. That place was where it seemed she best fit in. During the off season, when she wasn’t running or playing volleyball. When she didn’t have anyone wanting to know where she was, what she was doing. When she wanted to light the matches and watch them burn. 

She looked up to see Steve staring at her. He had an expression she couldn’t read upon his face, and Cordelia turned away. Something in the midst of trying to understand her. She nestled into the corduroy of her jacket, flexing her right leg — her bad leg — to see how it felt. 

“Its not like it was before,” Hopper was saying to the group, crowded around the kitchen table. “It’s grown. A lot. And I mean, that’s considering that we can get in there. The place is crawling with those dogs.”

“Demo-dogs,” Dustin interrupted. 

Sighing, Hopper looked at Dustin, “I'm sorry, what?”

“I said, uh,” Dustin spoke, “demo-dogs. Like demogorgon and dogs. You put them together, it sounds pretty badass—”

“How is this important right now?” Hopper questioned, annoyance in his voice. 

“It’s not, I’m sorry.” Dustin said. 

Glancing up, Eleven spoke, “I can do it.”

Hopper shook his head, “You're not hearing me.”

“I’m hearing you, I can do it.” Eleven reiterated. 

“Even if El can, there is still another problem,” Mike added. “If the brain dies, the body dies.” 

“I thought that was the whole point,” Max pointed out.

“It is,” Mike said, “but if we’re really right about this. I mean, if El closes the gate and kills the Mind Flayers army..”

“Will’s a part of that army,” Lucas told the group.

“Closing the gate will kill him, then.” Cordelia said, startling Nancy who stood in front of her. 

“Yes,” Mike responded. 

Cordelia watched Joyce. Her face was a mix of emotions. She couldn’t imagine having to lose a son in this way. Joyce moved into the bedroom, where Will lay.

“He likes it cold,” Joyce mumbled. 

“What?” Said Hopper.

“It's what Will kept saying to me,” Joyce’s face had realization all over it, “he likes it cold.”

She walked to the window and pulled it shut. “We keep giving it what it wants.” 

“If this is a virus, and Will’s the host, then…” Nancy said, trailing off.

“Then we need to make the host uninhabitable,” Jonathan finished. 

Nancy continued, “so if he likes it cold.” 

“We need to burn it out of him,” Joyce said.

“We have to do it somewhere he doesn't know this time.” Mike put in, voice loud. 

“Yeah,” Dustin agreed. “Somewhere far away.”

Outside, Cordelia stood again with Steve and Nancy. They removed pieces of trash from a large pile that Hopper had created when he’d cleared out the shed. In her hands lay a saw, large and rusted. She slammed it down in another pile. This would break under pressure — not a good weapon.

Steve held up a radiator and tossed it to the side, “you should go with him.” 

Nancy stared up at Steve, misunderstanding painting her face, “what?”

“With Jonathon,” Steve said.

“No,” she said, and Cordelia could see her cheeks flush against the pale beam of her flashlight. “I’m not just going to leave Mike.”

“No one’s leaving anyone,” Steve told her, getting up to stand side by side with Nancy across the trash pile. “I may be a pretty shitty boyfriend… but turns out I’m actually a pretty damn good babysitter.” 

Cordelia watched as Nancy absorbed the words. If Cordelia Silva was good at one thing, it was observing. Nancy looked up at Steve with big eyes, glassy eyes, as he held out a radiator to her. 

“Steve.” She said. Cordelia made the decision to leave, walking back to the house. This was not her business. She didn’t want to know about Steve and Nancy. She didn’t need to. She didn’t care. 

“It’s okay, Nance.” Steve told her, watching Cordelia move away and back into the Byer’s home. “It’s okay.”

Nancy waited for the porch door to slam shut. “So Cordelia.” She said, changing the subject. 

Steve stopped moving the trash around. “Yes?” “What’s with Cordelia, why is she here?” Nancy asked, kneeling to the ground. 

“She was in the junkyard and helped fight off the demo-dogs.” Steve told Nancy, who nodded, still staring at Steve. 

“No,” he shook his head, understanding her eyes. “No, we just met. She’s beautiful, yes, but I don’t know her at all.” He reiterated.

“So there is nothing happening? I saw you two leave the bathroom, Steve. The look that you gave her.” 

“The demo-dog got her leg, I was bandaging her up. Nothing is going on. We met four fucking hours ago!” Steve thrust his hands in the air. It wasn’t possible to like someone after four hours together. Even if they had been life or death ones. 

“Okay, Steve.” Nancy said, her voice making her words an obvious lie. “It just looked like you’d known her for a thousand years.”

He didn’t say anything to that, instead rummaging through the pile again. 

Cordelia stood on the front porch ten minutes later, watching as Jonathon, Nancy, Will, Hopper, Eleven and Joyce sped away in two different vehicles. Max was in front of her, and Cordelia could hear Mike sniffling. 

She straightened her jacket and turned to open the door as Steve waited for the kids to enter the Byer’s house. The air was cold and the November night was clear, stars straying through the sky above them. In St. Paul, there were too many lights and Cordelia couldn’t see the stars. Here there were so many above her that Cordelia thought it was overwhelming. 

In the kitchen, Dustin emptied the fridge’s contents out on the ground. The items lay around haphazardly, and Cordelia grabbed a glass of water as Steve shoved the dead creature in the fridge. 

She turned around as Steve rubbed the top of Dustin’s hat, panting slightly. “That was too gooey to be good.” He said.

In the living room, Cordelia heard Lucas speak, “Mike, would you just stop already!” 

“You weren’t in there, okay, Lucas.” Mike responded, tone thin and angry. “That lab is swarming with hundreds of those dogs.” 

“Demo-dogs!” Dustin shouted from his spot in the kitchen, and Cordelia followed the projection of his voice into the living room. 

Ignoring Dustin, Lucas continued, “the chief will take care of her.”

Max rolled her blue eyes, “like she needs protection.” 

Walking in, Steve opened his arms to the group, “listen dude, a coach calls a play in the game, bottom line, you execute it. All right?” 

“Steve’s correct.” Cordelia added. “We are not the starting team.”

“Okay first of all,” Mike said, “this isn’t some stupid sports game.”

“You watch professional volleyball and see who's saying that.” Cordelia spoke under her breath. 

“Yes,” Steve turned to Cordelia, stammering slightly, “right… So my point is…” Steve paused, looking for the words. “Right, yeah, we're on the bench, so, uh, there is nothing we can do.”

“That’s not entirely true,” Dustin said. “I mean, these demo-dogs, they have a hive mind. When they ran away from the bus, they were called away.” Cordeila gave Steve a pouty look, joking, “I thought me and Stevie scared them away.” Steve stared at her large brown eyes and his heart did something he did not want it to do. 

“No,” Dustin shook his head, curls flopping, “no they were called away.”

“So, if we get their attention…” Lucas said. 

“Maybe we can draw them from the lab.” Max added, a look dawning on her freckled face. 

��“And clear a path to the gate,” Mike finished. 

“Yeah, and then we all die.” Steve stated, hands crossed over his chest. 

“That’s one point of view,” Dustin noted. 

Cordelia smirked slightly, the right side of her mouth lifting upward, “yes, the most positive one.” 

“No, that’s not a point of view, man, that’s a fact.” Steve said. 

Pushing through Cordelia and Steve, Mike gasped, “I got it!” 

He led the group to the fridge, pointing at a drawing near the bottom. Scribbled out in large, unruly lines was an image of a tunnel. 

“This is where the chief dug his hole. This is our way into the tunnel, so…” Mike got up again, moving with quick steps back into the living room. 

“Here, right here, this is like a hub,” he motioned his hands at a group of the same style of drawing, the tunnels depicted again. “So you got all the tunnels feeding in here.” The boy kneeled down, and with some pain Cordelia followed suit. “So maybe if we light this on fire…”

“Oh yeah?” Steve asked rhetorically, pointing down, “that’s a no.”

“The mind flayer would call away his army,” Dustin ignored Steve, who stood in the background, eyes wide. 

“They’d all come to stop us,” Lucas realized, excitement riddling his voice. 

“Then we circle back to the exit,” Mike said.

“Hey!” Steve told the group, “guys!” 

“By the time they realize we’re gone,” Mike continues, eyes big and round.

Max nodded, understanding, “El would be at the gate.”

“Hey, hey, hey!” Steve yelled, “this is not happening!” He clapped his hands to prove his point. 

“But—” One of the kids argued. 

“No,no,no,no. No buts. We promised,” he motioned back and forth between him and Cordelia, his hands exaggerated, “we’d keep you shitheads safe, and that’s exactly what we plan on doing. We’re staying here on the bench, and we’re waiting on the starting team to do their job. Does everybody understand that?” Steve reiterated sternly. Mike immediately voiced his anger, “this isn’t some stupid sports game!” 

“I said, does everybody understand that?” Steve motioned to the kids, one by one, driving the point in by waving his hands, “I need a yes.”

Outside, interrupting their conversation, a vehicle revved. Cordelia sprang up, feeling her pocket for the gear shift, which was heavy, pulling the material off of her strong shoulders. 

Before Steve or Cordelia could stop the kids, Max and Lucas were at the window, peering outside to the driveway. “It’s my brother,” Max said, and Cordelia immediately looked to Steve. 

“He can’t know I’m here,” Max’s voice was quickly turning frantic, “he’ll kill me. He’ll kill us.” There was no jolly tone in her voice, only deep and serious truth. 

Dragging his gaze away from Cordelia’s eyes, Steve looked worried. The car outside revved loudly two times, and before Billy could do it again, Cordelia and Steve made a beeline toward the door. Their steps in sync. 

The tires squeaked outside, and Cordelia could tell he’d turned the car off through the window of the door, the headlights disappearing and painting darkness around them in their absence. 

Steve stepped outside of the door, opening it wide so Cordelia could join him under the porch. 

And there Billy was, a cigarette lit in his mouth. Though Cordelia often pretended to smoke, there was something so ugly about someone actually doing it. Actually tainting their lungs. But she supposed Billy was just as tainted already, no need for the cigarette. His voice was dreamy and rough, addressing the two teenagers on the porch, standing side by side. “Am I dreaming or is that you Harrington? And Cordelia Silva. What a surprise!”

Steve stared directly at Billy, not missing a beat, “yeah it’s us, don’t cream your pants.” 

Cordelia bit down on her tongue to hide the laugh that almost escaped. Steve Harrington, the boy not so good with comebacks, had one for the papers.

Billy’s car door slammed shut and he pulled off his jean jacket, exposing a red shirt halfway unbuttoned. The cigarette was loose in his mouth as Billy smirked, watching with ugly eyes as Steve stepped off the porch, nearing Billy.

“What are you doing here, amigo?” Billy asked, the smile still on his face. He walked toward Steve. 

“I could ask you the same thing… amigo.” 

“Looking for my stepsister. A little birdie told me she was here,” Billy said. 

“Huh, that’s weird.” Cordelia responded loudly, still standing on the porch. 

“Yeah. We don’t know her.” Steve added, watching as Billy shook his head. 

Billy waved his hands up, “small, redhead, bit of a bitch.” 

“Doesn’t ring a bell,” Cordelia told him, moving down the porch steps. She could see the anger growing slowly in Billy’s pupils. 

“Sorry.” Said Steve. 

Sighing dramatically, Billy shook his head, “you know, I don’t know, this… this whole situation, you know Harrington. It’s giving me the heebie-jeebies.” 

“Oh yeah?” Steve responded, “why’s that?” Taking the cigarette out of his mouth, Billy explained, “my thirteen year old sister goes missing all day. And then I find her with you and Silva in a stranger's house, and you both lie to me about it.” 

Chuckling, Steve looked away, exasperated, “man, were you dropped too much as a child or what?” Billy ran his tongue along his teeth, smoke billowing from his mouth. “I don’t know what you don’t understand about what I just said.”

“We don’t know your stepsister.” Cordelia insisted. “She’s not here.”

“Most you’ve ever said in your life, Silva,” Billy said, then looked to Steve. “It’s always the quiet ones, ain’t it.” He ran his eyes over her body, pausing to stare at her chest and then down at her leg, where the bloodied jeans were dark against the night.

“What’s going on here, Silva? Got a little too feisty, huh?” Billy pointed with his cigarette to the bottom of her pants, to the blood. He pushed Steve’s shoulder playfully, “good job, Harrington.”

She glared at him roughly, “your sister isn’t here, buddy.” “It’s about time you left,” Steve added, stepping back slightly after Billy touched him.

“Then who’s that,” the redheads eyes made their way to the window, where Cordelia saw Max peering out of the broken glass, along with Mike, Dustin, and Lucas. 

“Ah, shit, listen,” Steve said, turning back to Billy, and as soon as he did, the redhead pushed Steve to the ground roughly. Corelia balled her fists up, ready to attack if Billy did anything more.

“I told you to plant your feet,” leaning over Steve, Cordelia watched ash from Billy’s cigarette land in Steve’s hair. Then, Billy kicked Steve right in the stomach, leaving him groaning on the ground. He stepped over Steve and made a break for the door. 

Cordelia spun on him, racing to block the doorway. She was quick, that was something about her. “Not so fast, Hargove.” She told him, and he eyed her up and down. 

“You know, Harrington didn’t choose a bad one,” he said, a twinkle in his eye. 

Before he could say anything else, she slapped his face, her skin hitting his cheeks loudly. He looked dazed for a moment before rage boiled on his face and he shoved her back against the door, tossing her to the side. 

Cordelia heard the door open and opened her eyes to see Steve getting up. Once he saw her against the porch, hunched over, he sprinted to Cordelia. 

“Are you okay?” He asked quickly, hearing yelling coming from the house. 

“Are you?” She asked, and before he could stop himself he was holding a hand out for her, pulling her up. 

“Yes,” he told her. She was stronger then he’d assumed, and he saw an odd burn mark against the side of her thumb, like someone had melted the skin on her fingers like wax. 

She nodded, and heard a shout coming from inside, and she rushed in front of him, pulling the door open and letting Steve enter. 

She moved to the kitchen, where she could see Lucas being cornered by Billy, who was red with anger. “You are so dead, Sinclair. So dead!” 

“No,” Cordelia said, pulling her fists out of her pockets. “You are.” Her fist contacted the side of his face as he turned, and she could tell Steve was beside her. She could feel his flesh under her knuckles as she beat upon his face, and then nose. Billy bent over with the force of one of Cordelia’s punches, laughing hysterically. 

She felt a hand brush her shoulder, and Steve had pushed her back, standing like a shield in front of Cordelia. 

“Looks like you’ve got some fire in you after all!” He shouted, a playful tone on his face. “I bet that’s what Steve likes the most about you.” He gave them a shit-eating grin. 

Steve’s voice was dark and husky, “get out.” He pushed Billy away with two fingers. 

Before she knew it, Billy’s arms were flying through the air at Steve. She pulled him down and he ducked, missing the punch. The two tripped over themselves and further into the kitchen, punches landing on Billy, who was driven against the countertop. Then, the redhead pulled a plate from the sink and dropped it onto Steve’s head, laughing as the ceramic shattered against his skull.. 

He followed Steve from the kitchen and the kids moved too, into the living room. Billy grabbed Steve’s shoulders and held him up, “no one tells me what to do!” He grunted loudly. Then, with one swift movement of his head, Steve’s own was hit and he landed down on the ground, sliding against the drawings of the tunnels and against the couch. Cordelia gave the kids a look signaling to stay where they were, and silently she approached Billy’s back. Rage boiled inside her. 

Punches fell like hail from Billy’s palms as he beat upon Steve, who lay on the floor, unconscious. Blood gushed from his nose and mouth, and Cordelia didn’t have time to think about what she was doing.

She reached and forcefully pulled Billy’s shoulders back, causing the redhead to lose his balance. He reached and tried to punch the air as he was flung onto his back. Cordelia quickly sat on his stomach, her strong legs pinning him down. He had to be double her weight, but the surprise gave her an extra couple of seconds. She held her hands against his neck, leaning down so that her elbows pushed his arms to the floor. She could almost taste his breath on her tongue, their faces were so close together. Her fingers tightened on his throat.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Max approach. Just as the redhead came into view, there was something jabbing out of Billy’s neck. He looked dazed, and Max pulled Cordelia upright. 

Billy stood slowly and stared at Cordelia, then Max. He reached into his neck, pulling a green tipped syringe out of his flesh. The needle was small, and delicate, and fearing he’d use it as a weapon, Cordelia held her arms out in front of the younger girl.

“The hell is this.” He said, glancing up and down at the syringe and then his sister. He moved several paces forward. “You little shit, what did you do?”

Then, he landed backwards, falling onto the carpeted floorboards with a loud thud. Out cold. 

“Shit,” Mike said. 

Max’s mouth was open as Billy started to laugh, and then Cordelia saw Steve. He was passed out on the ground, his eyes closed and face starting to swell. She moved gracefully over Billy’s body and kneeled next to Steve. 

“Steve?” She asked, watching his chest rise and fall. “Goddamn it.” She whispered, closing her eyes. She was alone now.

“Stay away from my friends, Billy!” Max growled at her brother several feet away, as Cordelia felt for Steve’s pulse, checking for irregularities. 

Cordelia turned around and rose as the hellish-bat hit the ground in between Billy’s legs, all the doing of Max. She pulled it out, the floorboards splintering. “Say you understand! Say it! Say it!” She screamed at her stepbrother. 

He lolled his head to the side, “I understand.”

“What?” Max asked. “I understand,” Billy mumbled again, this time slightly clearer and louder then the last. 

Max dropped the bat and retreated back to where Lucas stood. Looking down at Billy, Cordelia took in a breath when she saw the keys imprinted in his jeans pocket. She leaned down, and shook them in her fingers.

“I’m done with this,” Cordelia said, meaning the creatures and the fighting.“Let’s get the hell out of here and finish those bastards off.” 

taglist; @preciousbabypeter @earthtostory 

[diabolik-boys]

[TW: Death] You already wrote Ruki's reaction to his S/O sacrificing themselves for him here but because I am rurei trash and we already have established the circumstances of their relationship in our roleplays, how would Ruki react if Reiji sacrificed himself for Ruki?? 👀 Like,, say Heinz finally had enough of fucking with them and tried to kill them and Reiji ended up dying while trying to keep Ruki safe?? 🥺

Please bby 💕

TW: DEATH, TRAUMA, SUICIDAL IDEATION

===== RUKI X REIJI SACRIFICE HEADCANON  =====

"You... really did it, didn't you... What, did you think I would be happy you sacrificed yourself for me!? Damn you!" Ruki knelt beside Reiji's body, just holding him upon his lap and holding Reiji to his chest. "I did not wish for you to ever do this. Why? I... I loved you, goddammit."

"Now look at you... I won't be able to hold you anymore. I won't be able to tell you how much I love you. Just look at the state you are in, Reiji. I'm covered in your blood... And yet I feel as though my heart... cannot take anymore. Our connection is severed. I cannot even fathom... how I'm going to move on from this..."

"And now I have to set your body on fire. Why are you making me do this? Why did you put yourself in front of me? I cannot bring myself to set you on fire and watch you burn." Ruki places a kiss upon Reiji's forehead. "Do you wish for me to die, too?" He murmured, pressing his forehead against Reiji's and just holding his limp body closer.

"... What becomes of us now...? What purpose was everything we had up until now? You ripped yourself away from me. Now what am I to do?"

==============================

Seeing as though how close they would be and how deep their relationship and connection would be, Ruki would be understandably distraught.

He would debate on ending his own life so that he would be with Reiji again. But, he would stop himself, not wanting to leave his brothers or have Reiji's death be in even more vain than it already was.

Ruki would do what he needed to: burn Reiji's body before he could be repurposed like Cordelia or anyone else who would want to steal any part of his body.

He wouldn't be able to move on fully, probably ever. As their relationship meant so much to him and he loved Reiji dearly, he wouldn't be able to move on completely. Ruki would still be thinking of Reiji, often, even if it is decades later.

Nobody would be able to affect Ruki as much as Reiji had in his lifetime. It would feel empty, incomplete, like a hole was in his mind, memory, and heart that Reiji was suddenly ripped away from him.

Who could he ever find that would even compare to how much he felt about Reiji?

He would be very depressed following Reiji's death. His brothers would worry about him immensely so, as this would be completely different than the Ruki they knew.

Eventually, he could go to Reiji's grave and kneel beside it. Pour his heart out to him all over again about how much he missed him and loved him, and cursing Reiji for wanting to be a hero.

Ruki would write letters to Reiji and put them along his grave.

[stayevildarling]

Wilhemina Venable x Reader- When the time is right - Pt 1

Part 2, Part 3

word count: 3.8k

warnings: mention of scoliosis, angst + fluff at the end

A/N: This story is kind of an AU. Reader meets Venable when Wilhemina is light Mina (orange hair, adorable, cute, friendly) and they get together. One day Wilhemina breaks it off suddenly and they only reunite years later but Reader is met with a much darker version (dark Mina).

Also, this used to be on my Wattpad but I decided to completely rewrite it and add multiple parts

Taglist:

@lunaticwhittaker, @rainbow-hedgehog, @mrsdeanhoward, @alexajbitar, @in-cordelias-coven, @kenzbro, @loverofallthingssarah, @twistedpoeticjustice, @billiebeanhoward, @minaslittleone, @lilypadscoven, @vintagepaulson, @ninaahs, @whitelotus00, @httpfiftyshadesofgay

-Flashback-

''Are you serious right now after all we have been through?'' you try hard not to scream but it feels like your body is on fire, your lungs are burning, heart racing and your eyes watering. You cannot believe you are having this conversation with your girlfriend Wilhemina right now. After a whole year of knowing each other and eventually giving the relationship a go she is talking about moving on.

'It's for the best'' is all she said in return and then she walked out, cane in her hand hitting the floor hard and not once did she look back, she ignored your cries, you begging her to stay and please turn back around. You keep repeating this is a nightmare and you are gonna wake up any minute to her holding you in her arms. But it was no nightmare and she did walk out of your shared apartment and ever since that day you have tried to move on. But no matter what you did working, moving out of the apartment, meeting friends, getting to know new people it didn't work, Wilhemina was always on your mind, when you are asleep she would visit in your dreams, when you are driving or outside and a song plays, she is there in your memory as if she never left in the first place.

-End of Flashback-

Even right now as you are walking through the streets on your lunch break, coffee in your hand and earphones in your ears listening to music she is here again.

''I never needed you like I do right now....I never hated you like I do right now'' as you hear those lyrics your heart skips a beat and it feels like it is breaking all over again. You tried everything you could think of, start a new job in a new field, you moved to a new city but nothing seems to be able to take your mind off the redhead, clouding your mind, her touch still so present lingering on your skin, her voice still ringing through your ears and the smell of lavender following you wherever you go.

Currently, you are working for a company in California, in the social media department and to promote the brand and their work. It's mostly boring but you do enjoy social media and advertisement so you gladly took the job considering it comes with a higher paycheck and a brand new apartment. There was nothing left in your old city, no friends anymore because you drove them all away as they always talked badly about your ex-girlfriend and the feelings you still have for her. No family because you were kind of always on your own and after quitting your job there, there was nothing holding you back. The woman with red-orange hair and a purple obsession is currently on your mind again and no matter what you do she is stuck in your head, like a catchy record and it hurts. As you think about her a wave of flashbacks hit you, with no way of putting a stop to it and keeping the storm at bay.

''Wilhemina Venable, nice to meet you'' was the first few words that you ever heard her say and for a moment you were so struck that you couldn't even say anything. ''Cat got your tongue hmm?'' was what she said afterward and what got you to snap out of it, introduce yourself, and shake her hand. And when you touched her for the first time you knew you would never ever get tired of feeling her soft hands.

You would also never grow tired of looking into her beautiful brown eyes or the soft smile she would give you whenever she would see you. Back then you just finished college and you took your first job and she was your co-worker. Starting a relationship with a co-worker is sometimes frowned upon and there probably are good reasons for that but you didn't listen, not to your friends telling you not to do it and not to the other co-workers after they noticed the glances you and Wilhemina exchanged at work. But you both never let that stop you and you fell for her and you fell hard.

Although you had some crushes before, mostly on teachers in college or celebrities, you never had been in a relationship before. Every morning before work you would get up so early and make sure to put your best clothes on, you would improve your makeup skills and try different hairstyles to impress Wilhemina and you did. She would notice how often you would come around to her desk and ask her silly questions you both knew the answers to but you pretend you didn't. And eventually, she took all of her confidence and asked you out and that night was the most magical night of your life.

You went to an expensive restaurant and after she took you home and she gave you something that night that was precious and you held onto it till today. Patience. She was your first love and she made sure to not rush, to not hurt you, to be there for you and hold you whenever you needed her. After your first date, you went on some more magical nights together, before you were ready to allow her to love you and to love her in return and she made you feel things you never felt before. She would make your whole body feel beautiful and worthy, all your insecurities left whenever you were around the woman who had many insecurities herself due to her back. And that's probably what you admire most about her, the way she made you feel whenever you were with her.

Thinking about all this, you think back to the many dates you both went on, to restaurants, shopping, the movies, car dates, attending work parties together, going to get drunk together. Life felt so easy with Wilhemina around, although she was a few years older than you she was pure, she was funny, soft, kind, precious and she was innocent. She would always treat people with respect and offer help and you loved her beautiful and kind personality. You never thought that one night after being with each other for almost a year she would randomly walk out of your life and not once turn back around or try and talk about it.

Hearing the lyrics repeat, you sigh and shake your head because it is true, one part of you needed Wilhemina back in your life because no matter what you do you can not get her out of your head or heart for that matter. Part of you does hate her for leaving and walking out, you never cried harder in your life than the night she left and you couldn't function for days. All you did was cry, toss and turn in the bed or curl up on the floor in a little ball until you couldn't cry anymore but the pain never stopped. It took days and in the end, your friends who picked you up again, taught you how to take care of yourself again by eating, showering, getting dressed, and going to work and you hoped that moving and changing jobs would change something.

As you are sitting in a park, only a few blocks away from your new workplace, watching people having picnics, playing with their kids, walking their dogs, or doing exercise you realize that all this wasn't worth it. Moving away, leaving your job, apartment and friends did nothing, you still miss her and she still haunts you. You miss her gentle side, the soft Mina as you used to call her, who would hold you in her arms, who would say soothing words until you would fall asleep, and who would make you feel better after a hard day at work, hold you after a nightmare or would let you ramble about another one of the co-workers annoying you. You miss telling her about your days and how you feel because you could be free with her and be who you are and you haven't been that way in a very long time.

Checking your phone you notice your lunch break is over in five minutes so you toss your empty coffee cup in a nearby trash can and walk back to your office. Today has been particularly boring because all you have to do is answer people's dm's and requests on social media because currently there is no campaign going on. As you walk back to your desk you put your coat and bag away and start logging onto your laptop. That's when you hear your boss on his way to your desk and you can't help but internally roll your eyes. He isn't a bad guy or anything, he is in his fifties, grey hair, always wearing a suit and he treats you with respect and you appreciate him but whenever he would approach you it means a problem, like an advertisement going wrong or a complaint or a new major client and that means longer hours and staying in the office till midnight. Not that you mind considering there is nothing or no one to come back home to.

''Y/N'' he says as he finally reaches your desk. Looking up from your desk, you force a smile and reply ''Yes Mr. Odell what can I do for you?''. By his posture, you can tell he is in some kind of distress.

''Listen we have a potential new client and I want you to come to our first meeting with them'' he says excitedly and you question why he can't just bring his assistant. ''I can't bring Janet she is sick so I need you to get your things'' he explains and you log off your computer, take your coat and bag and follow him outside the building. It is quite chilly, so you are glad that you put a jacket over your blazer.

As the familiar buildings and streets fade into the distance, you try not to zone out like you usually would but these days your mind would often be preoccupied with daydreams or memories as if someone else was entirely in control of your thoughts.

''I have a meeting with a Mr. Pfister and Mr. Nutter'' he says absent-mindedly while looking into his calendar and talking about the company you are headed to. Snapping out of your thoughts, you nod and mumble ''Of course Mr. Odell'' before averting your gaze back to the window looking at the hectic city and people going on about their days. Your thoughts wander back to work and you try to think of a few possibilities to advertise their products, as that might not be as easy as you originally thought when agreeing on accompanying your boss.

The first thing you see as you walk into a large unfamiliar building, following your boss's steps,  is a front desk with some employees sitting there, it seems that this building is home to a few companies and different departments as they guide people into different parts of the building. You watch as your boss approaches the front desk,  ''Hello may I help you?'' a woman with blonde hair asks politely.

''Yes I have a meeting with Kineros Robotics'' he says and she looks at you, then him again, and points towards a sign. ''It's to your right just follow the signs'' she says and you notice how her facial expression changed from nice and friendly to cold and possibly scared? after your boss mentioned the company name. Reading people's expressions and understanding their underlying feelings, has always been something you are good at but you quickly shake the thought away and follow your boss.

As you walk down the corridor you see a young woman with long brown curled hair wearing a blouse with flower prints and a skirt run down the hall with a box in her hand, her heels echoing through the building. ''I'm sorry'' she mumbles hectic and nervous as she zooms past you and you give Mr. Odell a questioning expression before reaching the department.

''I'm so sorry there was a bad accident on the 101'' you hear the woman say and then you hear a sound that sounds both so familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. The cane tapping. For a moment you freeze, knowing this isn't just any cane tap as you are so used to a certain redhead woman expressing her emotions partly through the very device that helps her keep her balance. Despite not having heard the sound in over a year, you know exactly who must be on the other end of the hallway.

Temporarily you freeze, thinking maybe her leaving you and breaking things off with you, has ultimately clouded your senses and affected your brain and maybe you are imagining everything. After all the rational part of yourself, is trying to remind you that there is no explanation right now as to why she would be here of all places.

However, the next thing you hear is a clear confirmation that your brain is not tricking you, it's not your mind so clouded by her absence, she is here, the only thing keeping you from seeing each other is a wall and a few steps apart. As you hear a familiar voice your heart stops beating and your throat goes dry.

''Not as bad as the accident that brought you into the world'' that is all you heard and although her voice sounds more cold, harsh and raspy you are fully aware that Wilhemina is sitting at the end of that corridor. For a moment your body goes into a state of shock, your ears ringing, vision blurring, and your heart beating out of your chest.

Shortly after the girl what you assume now to be an assistant comes running back towards the corridor with tears in her eyes and her heels making the same clicking sound. She zooms past you and Mr. Odell again and all he says is ''Damn she seems feisty'' and you know it's aimed at Wilhemina and for a moment you debate whether to just turn around and pretend to be sick or needing to answer a phone call but you know you can't back out now, after all, you have missed seeing her for too long now.

All you wanna do is see her adorable orange hair, that you used to run your fingers through and untangle some knots after she had a long day, the dorky glasses that you sometimes made fun of, and beautiful pastel purple probably everywhere if this truly was her workplace after all. ''Come on'' your boss says, pulling you out of your thoughts yet again and you walk into the large room.

Eyes instantly wander to the source of purple in the room and the source of darkness in your heart and emptiness ever since she left but not only does your heart stop for a moment as you take a look at her, you blink a few times, now actually sure whether this is real or some kind of nightmare.

Wilhemina's hair is a much darker shape of red now and styled into a tall sharp quiff, no sign of her usual high ponytails anymore or the lighter and orange shape it used to be. You notice she doesn't wear glasses anymore and you are convinced her eyes look an even darker shape than before too. She is wearing a dress and it's also a very dark shade of purple with matching earrings. Even her makeup is darker, and as you see her sitting by her desk you can't deny how intimidating she seems, looking at some files, her cane resting on the desk right beside her. Even the cane is different now, it has a snake shape at the top and it's not the old plain one she used to have.

For a moment you believe you just walked right into your own personal nightmare, the funny, sometimes sassy, and beautiful girl you used to love now seems like a completely different and somewhat evil person. The Wilhemina you once loved and still have feelings for, as they never truly changed, seems gone and it seems like she was replaced by a new one, a colder version.

She would have never spoken to anyone like that or treated someone the way she just treated that girl that seems to be her assistant, by the looks of it. All the staring and observing Wilhemina happened in a matter of seconds although it feels like an eternity, everything is silent for a moment, all that is to be heard is your own heartbeat and the typing on Wilhemina's keyboard.

You watch as your boss approaches her and you follow him and finally, Wilhemina looks up noticing the presence of someone else in the room and her gaze is focused on him, so she hasn't seen you yet. He tries to shake her hand and says ''My name is Mr. Odell I have an appointment with Mr. Nutter and Mr. Pfister'' and she just looks at him and his hand with a slightly disgusted expression but she doesn't bother shaking his hand.

''Very well'' she says and takes a glance at you for a split second, noticing a second person in the room and her eyes wander back to her laptop thinking you are just some assistant but when she realizes who you are she immediately looks back over to you and she doesn't avert her gaze at first.

Wilhemina takes in your features for a moment, the sense of fashion, dressing smartly and formally but at the same time stunning as she always said, your hair, the improved makeup skills, and still the same details she always loved about you. She doesn't look into your eyes yet and you are interrupted when two men walk over.

One of them has brown hair and the other blonde hair and you try hard not to chuckle when you see them because they look hideous. ''Mr. Odell, nice to meet you'' they say and shake hands. ''This is Y/L/N maybe someone could show her around while we finalize the details?'' your boss suggests, taking you by surprise, and one of the two turns to Wilhemina and says ''Miss Venable would you give this beautiful lady a tour please''.

For a split second, you are convinced, she is about to kill him but you aren't sure if it's about the tour or compliment. ''Of course'' she mumbles and your boss and the two men leave and you are left there with your ex-girlfriend and awkward silence filling the room. You haven't looked up or into her eyes yet and it terrifies you, she terrifies you.

Wilhemina has no idea what to do or how to react after not seeing you for two years and the last time she did she walked out of your life and your relationship. The redhead looks at you and without looking into your eyes yet she knows the pain, she can see it and she can tell this is killing you inside, the last thing she ever wanted was to cause you pain.

You take a deep breath with your eyes closed and turn to Wilhemina and your eyes instantly lock and you look into her dark brown eyes and not leave her gaze for one moment. She takes a few slow steps towards you, her cane hitting the floor, and with every tap and echo in the room, it feels like your heart is ripped into more pieces and your past is here confronting you right at this moment.

''Mina'' is everything you can say but it comes out as a whisper while your voice cracks. Your ex-girlfriend's eyes close right away because she has missed hearing you call her that for the past two years but as she opens her eyes she reminds herself internally, who she is and that she is currently at her workplace.

''Follow me'' she instructs and you follow her while she walks down a corridor and into a room with big machines. While you follow her you can't understand what would have happened to her to turn into this cold-hearted person. She used to be the sweetest and kindest person you knew but clearly, something has changed. You cannot take your eyes off her and as she walks you into the room with machines, she explains about the work they do here and how they do it and as much as you try to focus and look at the things she shows you, you can't and Wilhemina notices.

''Do I bore you?'' she suddenly snaps in that cold voice again, her nostrils flaring and your heart feels like a knife was just thrown right into it. ''I'm sorr- sorry I-'' but you can't even think of a good enough excuse so you just look at the floor and try hard to keep your emotions at bay.

''Anyways, these are the machines and devices we use, whenever someone places a custom order we make sure to fulfill that order as efficient and quick as possible'' Wilhemina explains her voice still stern, sounding like she has given this tour so many times, she has memorized every single word.

However, you do notice her looking at you the entire time she explains and it seems like she wants you to say something but there are too many things that you want and wanted to say to her for years but you never imagined one day you would run into her like this. For several minutes the two of you stand in the rooms with machines, Wilhemina explaining and you trying hard to focus on her words intently.

''Y/N'' you hear the voice of your boss coming from the door, the two strange-looking men behind him, and you look at him, noticing the satisfied looks on their faces, indicating the deal worked well, and he says ''I'm finished, thank you, Miss, for giving her the tour'' he adds now focused on Wilhemina. ''Let's go'' he says and you walk in his direction without looking back at her and just as you are about to walk out of the door you look at her and say ''Thank you'' and then you walk out.

As you walk out of the large office building, back through the same long corridor, and past the front desk, you can't hear anything your boss is trying to say and the entire car ride back to the office you try and wrap your head around what just happened, abandoning every single word Mr. Odell is saying.

''This didn't happen wake up Y/N wake-up Y/N'' you keep repeating in your head but it's no use this is no nightmare this is reality.

[dialovers-translations]

DIABOLIK LOVERS DAYLIGHT Vol.6 Sakamaki Laito [TRACK 2]

Original title: 歪み

Source: Diabolik Lovers Daylight Vol. 6 Sakamaki Laito

Audio: Here

Seiyuu: Hirakawa Daisuke

Translator’s note: I do like how they make the direct connection between the MC’s heart and Cordelia here. While in some of the other CDs, her special heart was obviously a factor as well, but there were never any direct references to Cordelia. Of course, Laito has the most ‘history’ with her, so it makes sense they would make it a focal point of his story.

Track 1 ll Track 2 ll Track 3 ll Track 4 ll Track 5 + Epilogue

→  LIKE MY TRANSLATIONS? SUPPORT ME ON KO-FI!

TRACK 2: DISTORTION

The scene starts with Laito taking a shower.

*Pshhhhhh*

[00:12] ( Bitch-chan’s behavior from the other night was...strange. She kept on getting the chills down in the underground waterway, then when I took her to the bathroom to warm up, she suddenly started suffering instead. I’ve never seen her like this before. Her blood tasted different from usual as well. There was something just slightly off about it. Like taking a bite out of a ripe fruit right before it begins to rot. It’s the first time the flavor has changed in this way. This might just not be...your regular old cold. (1) )

[01:00] ...Aha~! Nah, there’s just no way! Bitch-chan’s body has never been ‘normal’ to begin with. She has that woman’s heart inside of her after all! Exactly! She’s special in more than one way. These kinds of oddities are bound to happen. No need to worry about it~! Not about a single thing...Right?

*TIMESKIP*

*Ding・dongー Ding・dongー*

Laito enters the infirmary.

*Rattle*

[01:50] “...Oh~? So you’ve been at the nurse’s office this whole time! Could you be skipping class, perhaps? That’s not something you do every day, is it?”

You explain.

“...Medicine? Hmー What kind of medicine?”

You answer.

“Supplements, huh? Don’t tell me...For you?”

You nod.

[02:24] “Ahaha~ No way! Are you trying to annoy me, perhaps? You’ve become quite cunning, it seems!”

You frown, tilting your head to the side. 

“Eh? You don’t get what I’m trying to say? ...Really?”

You shake your head. 

“I mean, if you take some kind of drug, it’ll ruin the taste of your delicious blood! Are you going to take them regardless?”

You nod.

[03:04] “Huuuh~? Don’t you love me, Bitch-chan?”

You insist that you do love him.

“Then you know what to do, don’t you?”

You hesitate.

“You do, right?”

You look away.

[03:26] “I see. You don’t, huh? Fine. I’ll do it in your place then. Come on, give me the medicine.”

“Hand it over. ーー Quickly.”

He snatches it from your hands and goes to throw it in the trash bin.

*Thud*

[03:52] “...Who knows what will happen to you if you take some weird pills right now…This isn’t a joke after all. ーー Junk goes into the trash bin! What a relief~! ...Listen carefully. I don’t want to have to drink blood which tastes of some kind of drug. Remember that, okay?”

You frown.

[04:18] “Why are you giving me that look? I’m saying all of this for your sake, you know? Don’t you think it’s strange to rely on some medicine when I’m here for you? You really are such an airhead. ーー Or is there something you want to tell me, perhaps? Then fess up already. I’m willing to listen. Come on, hurry.”

You mutter.

“...Say that one more time? Whose sake are you doing this for?”

You repeat yourself.

[05:06] “Oh dear~? Did you say my name just now? Twice, even! When did I ask for you to do this, exactly? I can’t seem to recall~? Don’t you think you’re getting a little ahead of yourself right now, using me to justify your own behavior like that?”

You apologize and correct yourself. 

[05:31] “Nfu~ I’m glad! You seem to have some brain cells left in that head of yours at least! (2) Well then, shall we go home? We can head straight back to the manor today so you can rest up, okay, Bitch-chan?”

The two of you leave the infirmary.

*TIMESKIP*

*Rustle*

[06:08] “You just did it again, huh? Lately you’ve been clutching your chest every now and then. How have you actually been? Your health, I mean.”

You explain.

[06:23] “That’s where your heart is, right? I wonder if that woman is up to no good again? She’s always been the type of person who would come up with some sort of scheme if you gave her an opening. If she’s acting up again, I’m sure it’d be exhausting for you as well...and could cause discomfort as well, don’t you think?”

You admit to not having thought of that possibility yet.

[06:45] “Shouldn’t that be the first thing to come to mind? Your heart isn’t normal after all. If she’s the one behind this, you would only be wasting your time and energy by trying to fix it yourself. You have no other choice but to wait and see.”

You frown.

[07:07] “Anyway, why don’t you hit the hay early tonight? I won’t drink your blood either. I’m such a gentleman, aren’t I? Nfu~”

ーー TO BE CONTINUED ーー

Translation notes

(1) More specifically, he says that it might not be a simple case of the S/O feeling under the weather.

(2) 分別 or ‘funbetsu’ can mean various things from ‘good sense’ to ‘good judgement’ or even ‘wisdom’. In this case, I assume Laito means that she at least knew how to adjust her answer rather than upsetting him further.

[candescentclitoria]

Motherly Comfort

Pairing: Cordelia Goode x Reader

Warnings: Mentions of a lack of a mother.

A/N: I DONT KNOW WHO REQUESTED THIS OR IF I POSTED IT OR NOT, BUT IM SORRY IF IM JUST NOW POSTING IT!! ;-;

You craved it for years. The love of a mother, the bond you never had. The hugs, the talks about future lovers, making food with her. You never had it and thought you’d never crave it, but you did.

So when you showed up at Miss Robichaux’s, bag filled with every single clothing item you own, you found a possible source for that attention. Cordelia Goode, Supreme and Headmistress. You could feel the care radiating off of her the moment she spoke to you.

“Welcome to Miss Robichaux’s, it's a pleasure to finally meet you [Name]. I’m Cordelia Goode, Headmistress and Supreme, I’ve been expecting you for quite a while. I do hope you enjoy it here.” She had said. Her brown eyes glowed with joy in that moment.

Ever since that day, you’ve done your best to help her in any way, the hope that she would return your affectionate help weighed heavy in your mind. The need for her affection continued to grow day after day, until you realized that this was your headmistress, why would she treat you with such maternal affection. She never really recognized the things you did for her, thanking you then going about her day, finishing paperwork and doing whatever Supremes did. You didn’t know.

You stopped your little task of helping her and returned to taking care of yourself.

Soon enough, Cordelia noticed the tasks she had to return to doing herself and wondered what had happened. You had been so kind about it, choosing to take her coffee cup after she’d finished drinking and washed it out, emptying her office trash can, brewing her a hot cup of tea at night so she could settle down. She couldn’t lie to herself and say she didn’t miss it, because she did. She missed her little helper. You missed helping her as well- even if she only thanked you, you missed it.

Cordelia stops you in the hall a few days later, her blonde hair up in a bun, “[Name], may I speak to you?” With a nod, you move to follow her, your hands in front of you. Your fingers fidget with each other, the anxiety in your chest building. Had you done something? Was she mad at you? No, you haven’t done anything that would irritate her.

Cordelia opens her office door and puts her hand on the top of your back, “Just take a seat. If you would like, you can fix yourself some tea.” She says as she points at the flower covered teapot, the glass designs are elegant and beautiful. You nod slowly and approach her desk, she follows and sits in front of you, pouring herself a cup of tea. “Before we start a full conversation, I just want to make sure you know you’re not in trouble. I noticed you fidgeting.”

Sighing gently in relief, you place your hands in your lap, [e/c] eyes glancing up at Cordelia’s brown ones. “I was actually wanting to know why you stopped assisting me. Again, I’m not mad at you, just curious.” She pauses and moves to place two sugar cubes in her cup. “I don’t know if it is a romantic attraction you feel for me, but if it is I’m sorry to tell you it can not happen.” You quickly protest, “It’s nothing like that Miss Goode! It’s just..” You stop and let out a shaky breath, hands clenching at the fabric of your pants. “It’s the fact that I see you as a motherly figure. The minute I met you, I felt so safe and calm. Like perhaps you could provide that type of relationship or affection for me. I’ve never known what having a mother is like, only ever having my father.” Tears begin to trickle down your face, hiccups coming to your throat. “I want that bond and I thought that if I.. helped you with daily tasks, you’d perhaps return that affection. I have no intention of having romantic attraction to you, I just want a motherly bond. I’m sorry if that makes things weird, but you radiate such a calm aura. You just have the type of personality that basically yells, ‘Hello! I’m very caring and would be a wonderful mother!’ I just want that bond, even if it’s just by reading, or helping you.”

Cordelia places her hand on your shoulder, her other hand coming to your chin. She pulls your head up to face her and she smiles when you make eye contact with her. “Wanting a mother figure in your life is not weird. I’ll admit, I’m a little surprised it’s me that you see as that figure, but I’m willing to take on that role for you. [Name], you’re young and it’s perfectly fine for you to want that bond. I’m sorry that you’re just now getting it.” You whimper and gently move to hold her hand, playing with her fingers. “Are you sure you’re okay with that? I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable. I don’t want much, I just want to be able to bond with you. Whether it’s cooking together, reading together, helping in the greenhouse. I can als-”

Cordelia places a hand over your mouth, chuckling at your need for excuses. “I’m willing to do anything for you to have that bond. How about this? I have to run out to town to get groceries. You can come with me and buy some snacks as well and we can have a movie night, just you and me. My schedule is completely clear for the rest of the night.”

You smile and nod gently, sniffing so your nose will clear. “I would love that Miss Goode. I really would.” She giggles and places her hand on your head. “Then what are we waiting for? To the grocery store. Snacks and Movies await us!”

You giggle and stand up, pointing towards the door. “To the grocery store!”

[fumingspice]

All The Things She Said

Pairing: Lana Winters x Reader

Request:  student x teacher au fic with lana, billie or cordelia?

Note: Added in a little sparkle with a soulmate AU. Those who are lucky enough to have a soulmate are assigned a necklace with a small pendant. No one knows where they come from or how they’re decided; they just appear and will match your soulmate’s identically. Also, yes the reader is eighteen, and yes there will probably be a part two.

Requests are open!

Your routine was like clock-work; every morning without fail. 5am you would get out of bed and go on a run. There was no reason, really. You weren't someone who was that interested in athletics, it was just a way to clear your mind and wake up your mind and body before going to school and having the energy sucked out of you.

You adored the way the sky looked this early in the morning as you ran through the country park. The heat gave you an extra kick of gratification as you watched the sky dance in colours of orange and pink, painting everything in shades of gold. The sun crept through the mountain like liquid glory and you couldn't get enough of it.

Realising the time, you made your way back to your neighbourhood, waving at neighbours you often saw at this time of morning.

You saw many of the same people on morning runs that you eventually learned by name while running past them, shouting a greeting and waving as you sped past them. This morning, you noticed that the home a few lots down from your own had been purchased; the new inhabitents were outside, speaking with a contractor.

As you ran, you noticed the woman watching you. Breaking your glance, you made a mental note to introduce yourself later.

The shower couldn't come soon enough as you lathered the cool water on your body. Cold showers after a run provided that little extra adrenaline rush that you needed to get you through the day, and boy would you need it today.

After months of persuasion, you had finally given in to skipping the end of school and heading to a gay bar with your friends Emmett and Heather. Being the model student you were, you had declined the offer time and time again; but after catching your boyfriend with another girl and the subsequent break up of one of the most liked couples in school, you decided that now would be the best time for it.

The school day rushed in and at 12pm on the dot, you and Emmett made your way to Heather's car, where she sat impatiently tapping her foot.

"You two took your sweet time," the blonde muttered, pulling on a pair of sunglasses and revving up the engine.

The plan was simple; Heather's parents were out of town for the week so the three of you planned to stay over. Today would be spent getting ready and having a few drinks before hitting the bar in order for you to have a "drink in celebration" for breaking up with your ex-boyfriend.

The bar was lively, and you could smell the mixture of cheap cigarettes, alcohol and weed and hear the music from the street behind. Emmett compared the similarity of the three of you strutting to the bar to the Sanderson sisters from Hocus Pocus.

Heather nudged you yet again, her elbow hitting a nerve in your ribs and making you bounce.

"Will you quit that?" you snapped, realising your fourth cocktail was making you slightly irritable.

Heather glared at you and pulled you over to whisper in your ear. "The brunette at seven o'clock has looked from her phone to you at least four times," she hissed, releasing you and nodding her head in the direction.

You nodded in understanding and gestured for her to tell you what to do. Picking chicks up at a bar wasn't exactly something you were accustomed to, after all.

"Go up to the bar and order something-" she looked at your outift, "-I don't know. Some business casual-sounding drink. Like an Old Fashioned or something. Make a joke about how much you've drank and if she's warm then ask if she's here with someone. Then go in for the kill and Emmett and I will be your wing-people when you break your seal."

"Break my what?"

Heather practically shoved you off your chair.

You shrugged and walked towards the bar, standing close to the brunette, but not close enough so that she knew what you were up to. The bartender approached and you smiled at her.

"Hey, could I get an Old Fashioned pl-"

"And get me another piña colada while you're making your move!" Heather called, acting more drunk than she was in an effort to hint off to the lady. You glared at her, and in return, for some added effect she lent into full view of the lady, shot her a cheesy grin and gave her a thumbs up.

You spun on your heel to see if the lady had noticed, and to your dismay she had. She looked at you with a raised eyebrow.

At least she didn't look disappointed.

"Was that for me?" She chuckled, taking a tip from her class. You grinned as casually as possible, looking down at your hands. You finished off your order and paid, waiting for Heather to get her drink to no avail.

"You know what, yeah I think it was for you actually," you replied. Keeping it cool was the buzz phrase Heather had been using all day. "I'm sorry but my friend claimed that she had seen you checking me out a few times and was pretty insistant that I come over and talk to you."

You sat in the stool, leaving one between you.

The lady chuckled. "It's fine," she said, taking another sip. "I'd be grateful for the company."

"You're alone? You're more than welcome to sit with my friends and I," you offered.

You cut off immediately by Heather collecting her drink, standing between you and muttering, "don't you fucking dare," into your ear before walking over to the woman and leaning over her shoulder.

"Now, you see, Ms- I'm sorry what's your name? Jesus, Y/N! When you flirt it's basic manners to ask for a name," Heather muttered.

"It's Lana," she replied, smiling at you.

Lana. A pretty name.

"Awh, that's a lovely name actually, I wish my parents liked me enough to call me something like that. Anyways, enough about me. So, anyways, my good friend Y/N here just got two-timed by a piece of human trash that she's way hotter than and everyone warned her against dating but hey- you know our Y/N, she's balls-ier than a dodgey testical. So, all I'm really gonna say is we came here because we really want to get her laid so she doesn't need to feel like she got the short end of the bargain so, you know-"

At this stage Heather was trying to communicate through a series of dramatic gestures. Emmett strod over, took Heather by the shoulders and apologised to Lana before walking your drunk friend back to your table.

You were both a little shell-shocked and you feared that Heather's drunken rant had ruined any sembelance of a chance that you had with getting anywhere with this.

"I- I'm so sorry. She doesn't get out much," you said. Lana's smile returned as she waved it off.

"Has anyone ever told you that you look a lot younger than twenty-one?" she asked. You couldn't tell if she was being genuine or if she was trying to hint that she thought you were younger than your ID said.

You nodded. "All the time," you say, it's not like that's a lie. "How old are you? If you're not offended by my asking."

"I'm twenty-nine. I hit the big three-oh in November," she replied. Lana reached into her bag and pulled out a box of Newport cigarettes. "I'm sorry, I've had a long day and I'm dying for a smoke. Care to join me?"

You sat still for a moment before excepting the offer. The club was absolutely packed and you could barely follow Lana through to the balcony without getting separated from her. She noticed and turned around, taking your hand and keeping you close so that you didn't get lost in the crowd.

Lana lent over the metal fence, cupping her hand over her lighter. You watched how her cheeks sucked in, defining her cheekbones and her jawline. You mirrored her position against the fence.

"Hard day at the office?" You asked, declining the cigarette she offered you. "Thanks but I don't smoke."

Lana smiled down at her cigarette. "I like a smart girl. Stay away from these for as long as possible," she took a long draw. "And to answer your question; I moved into a new house today only to find out that none of the plumbing was actually installed and contractor has no idea why."

"My house was like that too; turns out the pipes are just in really weird places," you replied. You turned to face in the opposite direction, laying your elbows onto the bar and watching the crowd. "What do you do? Career wise?"

Lana blew out a puff. "I'm a teacher. French and English Literature."

Ah great; a French student trying to hit on a French teacher. This was gonna be a fun story to tell the group.

"You're kidding? I'm studying French," you replied. 

Lana laughed. "Damn, Y/N. This just has to be written in the stars," she replied, you could sent the well-meant underlying sarcasm in her voice. "You think I have that chance?" You ask, your eyes dart down to her hand. Her ring finger, although bare had an imprint on it as if she had only recently removed a ring. She noticed you looking and brought her hand into a fist.

"Don't look at me like that, Y/N. We're getting divorced," she said. She bit her lip and looked down into the woods beneath. 

You felt slightly guilty. "Oh, I'm sorry." Lana shook her head in response.

"I'm in a gay bar for Christ's sake. We definetly weren't compatiable," she chuckled, reaching for another draw of her cigarette. She turned around, some noise in the background catching her attention. Her sleeve dropped a little bit, revealing two bruises at the side of her wrist that she had clearly tried to cover with foundation. Lana turned back around and you dropped your eyes before you noticed, unaware if it was your place to ask.

"If I'm honest, I don't really like bars. I know this really nice café a few places down. Do you wanna come with me?" You asked. Lana's head cocked slightly, her eyes scanned you as if they were looking for some alterier motive. "I'm not trying to get laid, Lana. I just don't like clubs and I don't think you do either."

Lana's shoulders relaxed, as if trying to decide. "Sure," she nodded. "I'd love to."

You walked back in through the bar, telling Emmett what you were doing. He made you promise to turn on your location and to call him to pick you up when you were ready to leave.

"It's nice that you have friends to watch your back," Lana said as you walked down the street. The air was now cold, nipping at your cheeks and nose. Lana slid her arm through yours after asking if it was okay to do so.

The café in question was small; dimly lit, decorated with plants. It was warm inside and the candles lit everything in orange. It was peaceful. You heard Lana sigh with relaxation as you asked her what she'd like to drink.

Two lattes later, you and Lana lay on the same old, green, springless couch. You giggled and talked for what could have been hours.

Lana noticed your Soul Necklace. “I have one too,” she said, touching the stone delicately. “I’ve never worn it though.”

She told you stories from high school and college while you sat and listened to her in some new form of fascination. You could listen to her talk forever. Your head rested on her shoulder, and hers rested on your head. There was an echo of peace which bounced around the both of you.

Eventually there came a moment when you had finally plucked up enough courage in a moment of silence between you to lift her chin with your finger and close in for a kiss. It was short and sweet, but you could still rellish the feeling of her lips kissing back against yours in a gentle passion.

She waited on you while Emmett drove back to get you, with an extremely drunk Heather in the backseat. 

"Are you free tomorrow night?" Lana asked before she walked away. You nodded. "Would you like to maybe go out? On a date?"

Her final question was asked with a shyness that you found adorable, and giving her a kiss on the cheek as

The next day you went to school in a good mood. Your run was better than ever. Your breakfast was tastier. The sky was more beautiful. You couldn't contain your giggles as Heather drove you and Emmett to school.

"I cannot believe you've landed yourself a date with a teacher," Emmett said as the three with you walked to your French class. You practically danced down the corridor with happiness. The three of you were slightly late to class.

You pushed the door open harder than you intended, making it crash against the wall with a loud bang. You muttered an apology while your friends laughed at you and the teacher settled them down, chuckling under her breath.

That it until she looked up at you.

And you looked up at her.

Lana muttered a profanity under her breath as she realised that she had asked one of her students on a date.

taglist: @its-soph-xx​

[purplebass-writes]

Hello! You're really gifted, I love your writing! I'm not sure if it works this way, but I'm craving for a combination of Thomastair "You're burning up" and "I can't do anything right" prompts. Thank you! 👉👈

Hi! Sorry for the delay, you sent me this in 2020 and I could just reply now. Hope this one is what you expect! It contains Chain of Iron Spoilers, so I advise you to read it only if you’ve read the book.

Couple/Characters: Thomastair, Thomas Lightwood and Alastair Carstairs Rating: T Words: 1391

Thomas was ecstatic to be alone, but he had to admit that he was a little intimidated. The killer had been caught, that much was true, but it didn’t mean that the streets of London couldn’t harbor more dangers. He still had to keep his guard up, and be vigil. You never knew what you could find around the corner. Thomas was alert. His hand went on the hilt of the knife by his belt when he heard footsteps. It was probably a mundane, despite the hour, but one could never be sure.

The noise disappeared as it came, and he sighed. Thinking about that reminded him about him. He was patrolling because he didn’t want to think about what had happened in the sanctuary. He had loved every second of it, but then Alastair had decided for him and didn’t give them a chance. Thomas was angry, but not at Alastair. His anger was not directed at the beautiful man with eyes the color of opal, but at himself. He wished he had told him then, that he didn’t agree. That he didn’t care what other people thought, he wanted to be with him.

Thomas squeezed his hands, and kicked at a stone nearby. He would gladly punch the wall, but he knew better than to do that. He felt helpless, and he didn’t know what to do. He believed that it was already important that he had been forward with Alastair, but that he had also let too much precious time pass. And now… now he missed him. He never realized that Alastair had been following him in order to keep him safe during his lonely patrol. If things had been different…

He stopped abruptly, and turned. He was sure that someone was behind him. He heard uneven steps, as if whoever was walking behind him was stumbling, and then a cough. Perhaps it was really a demon. People didn’t usually walk around in the dead of the night, unless they were shadowhunters. Or they didn’t have better things to do.

“You,” he said.

Alastair staggered as he walked, keeping his hand to the wall. His face fell when Thomas acknowledged him. “You,” he answered back, coughing. “Never learn.”

Thomas wanted to argue, and say that it wasn’t his business how he decided to conduct his life. He had, after all, decided that he didn’t want to be in it. But he didn’t. He reached Alastair, who was unable to stand still. He barely glanced at Thomas, and he looked like he would faint any minute.

“Alastair joon,” he said with urgence, worry etching his voice. “Are you hurt?”

Alastair gazed up at Thomas, who was towering over him like a marble statue. Imposing, but welcoming. A piece of art to stare at, that you longed to touch but remembered you could not. It wasn’t possible. He was frowning. “I’m completely, utterly,” he whimpered, “fine.”

Thomas couldn’t help but sigh. How long was he going to tell him lies? Because he didn’t believe that he had been honest, the last time they saw each other after the fight at the Institute. He didn’t care what he would think of him. His hand couldn’t help but reach Alastair’s neck, then his cheek. His thumb lingered on the side of his jaw for longer than he had intended, but he couldn’t withdraw his hand. He saw the way Alastair was trying to make him believe all of this didn’t bother him. And he knew better.

“Keep telling that to yourself,” he answered coolly, grabbing Alastair and placing his arm behind his back, his hand secured on his hip so he wouldn’t fall.

Alastair tried to protest and disentangle himself from Thomas’ grasp, but he didn’t let him. And the truth was that he didn’t want to. “Where are we going,” he asked faintly, as Thomas helped him stand as they walked.

“To my flat,” Thomas replied. “It is closer to this street,” he explained casually. “And you need to lie down.”

“You could just drop me home, and don’t bother, Tom.”

“No,” Thomas answered sharply, indicating that he would not argue with him over this. That stunned Alastair to silence.

No one spoke for the rest of the way to Thomas’ flat. He could feel that Alastair wasn’t feeling good, because he hadn’t bitten back any retort after he firmly stated where they were going. Thomas hoped this wasn’t going to be a train wreck, because his heart was already shattered as it was, but he couldn’t help it. I’m only doing it because he’s ill, he told himself.

They crossed the threshold, and he helped Alastair on the armchair by the small grate. He would light up the fire soon, but he wanted to check on him first. He took his coat off and placed it on the other armchair. Alastair had closed his eyes, apparently sleeping. Thomas crossed the room and got to him. He touched his forehead with the back of his hand.

“You’re burning up,” Thomas murmured with concern, and went to the kitchen to fetch a cold towel before the other could say anything, and placed it on his forehead with care.

“Thomas,” Alastair said. “Thomas, stop.”

“You’ll never get someone else help you, won’t you,” Thomas sighed in frustration, touching Alastair’s cheeks with his hand. He wasn’t just trying to make his temperature go down with his cold hands. He had longed to touch Alastair’s face, and would use this occasion to do it. Who knew when –

“Your hands are too cold, by the angel!” Alastair exclaimed, surprising Thomas.

He stopped, realizing that he probably exaggerated. “I’m sorry,” he said honestly, but he could tell Alastair was not mad. He managed a smile.

“What are you sorry for? I’m the one down with,” he coughed. “A fever.”

“Did you know that you got a cold?” Thomas wondered, bewildered. He wouldn’t get mad. He wouldn’t.

Alastair sighed. “I figured as much when I started staggering after you,” he admitted, glancing away.

“You shouldn’t have followed me.”

“I wasn’t following you,” he retorted. Thomas raised an eyebrow. “I can’t do anything right,” he said after a while. He looked defeated. Tired. Guilty. And he didn’t want him to feel like that.

“That’s bollocks, and you know it,” he said gravelly.

“I don’t know anything anymore, Tom,” he replied, and his heart broke again. For him.  

“Then let me remind you,” Thomas offered, barely registering the shock on Alastair face as he knelt down on the carpet and grabbed his face to give him a kiss that was not so chaste.

Alastair was burning. Literally and figuratively. Thomas knew that he shouldn’t do that, that he shouldn’t kiss Alastair with such ferment when he was sick. He was aware that he’d get hotter, but he couldn’t control himself. He couldn’t control his hands as they grabbed Alastair’s silky hair, and then clung to the back of his neck, of his shoulders. He didn’t care that he’d probably come down with the flu too. In that moment, they were the only thing that mattered in his private space.

“Thomas,” Alastair chided, out of breath, their foreheads touching. They were scorching hot.

“You can’t decide for me, Alastair. You can’t,” he muttered softly, desperately. “I don’t care what anybody says about me and you. About us,” he said, staring in Alastair’s black eyes to make the point get to him. “They’ll have to deal with it. Everyone will have to deal with it. And if they don’t,” he paused, “then it’s their problem.”

Alastair’s eyes widened. No one had stood up for him like that before. “Your friends are important for you.”

“And I know that I’m important for them,” he replied confidently. “You are also important to me,” he revealed, his cheeks burning with embarrassment.

“Is that right,” Alastair wondered quietly, meeting Thomas’ eyes.

“Love is never wrong.”

Alastair stared at the man with whom he thought he didn’t have any future anymore, unable to say anything coherent. Thomas waited expectantly, with bright eyes. Alastair realized in that instant that he didn’t have to say anything, that actions spoke louder than words. So, he kissed Thomas, who understood the magnitude of that gesture. Alastair had just given him access to his heart, and he wouldn’t chance to lose it.

Taglist (if you want to be added or removed, send me a PM): @princesslucinda @kit-12 @immortal-enemies @lucian-evander @esa-emery @danieldyers @blackthorn-trash @rinadragomir @fortunesandfables @itsdaughterofthemoon @silvenys@thomastair3 @livvyheronstairs @ holding-infinity-and-a-book @lovelaces @axoloteca @autumnangel20 @cordelia-cardale

[writersarchivex]

Old Friends- Kyle Spencer Oneshot

a/n: this is kind of trash but i thought it was kinda cute.

warnings: adult language, mentions of death.

Y/N has been attending Robichaux's Academy for a while now, and after years of being here she’s seen a lot. Death, mysterious accidents, and lots and lots of stupid witches doing stupid stuff.

When Zoe and and Madison decided to come running to her, asking for help putting a boy back together, she was sure she was high.

“Okay what the fu- what did you guys do?” She asked frantically getting her stuff together.

Y/N was a pretty sophisticated person. She did her best to not get caught up in the drama, but she knew she had to help. They wouldn’t have asked if it wasn’t important.

“There’s no time Y/N. Please just help. He doesn’t deserve what happened to him.” Zoe yelled.

Zoe didn’t exactly look guilty. Y/N felt that Zoe really wanted to help this man due to her own self preservation.

“Fine. Just get me coffee or something after we are done.” Y/N sighed, not really knowing what kind of mess she had gotten herself into.

—

Out of all places to preform a spell, the morgue is not ideal. First of all, it’s stinks. Death and bleach pretty much covers it.

She looked around at the discarded limbs and bodies, it was quite sad actually. They were real people, and whatever Madison did killed them all. Pretty painfully she could assume.

“Oh Christ almighty you guys,” She paused looking around the small room once more.

“Which one is it.” She rolled her eyes, taking out the supplies needed for the spell.

Madison pointed, and to be honest Y/N had already decided she was going to make the other girls do the dirty work. She might be okay with doing the spell, but she sure isn’t going to touch all over these five day old corpses.

“Get what you need and put him on the table.”

—

Y/N finally was ready. The other two witches had grown impatient, and they were ready to leave. At this point Madison had already mentioned ditching Y/N and just leaving to get lunch.

Thankfully, Zoe said no.

Y/N walked over to the body, already noticing a heap of blond hair.

“Oh my God-” Y/N gasped, placing her hand over her mouth.

She had no problem with death usually. To her it’s a part of life. This tough, shook her to her very core.

Kyle Spencer’s lifeless form stared up at her. Her best friend from back at home. She felt sick to her stomach all of a sudden.

“Oh just fix him already bitch. I have places to be.” Madison huffed, looking over her nails.

Y/N resisted the urge to kill her on the spot. That would certainly make waves back at the academy.

“I know him. Knew him. Whatever let’s just get this over with.” Y/N spoke sadly, before her eyes roamed over him once more.

——

After a long an exhausting process, she had done it. The spell was done, and all she had to do was wait for the boy to wake up. Unlike her fellow witches, Y/N was actually quite educated on the spell she had just done.

She knew quite well what was going to become of poor Kyle, and she hoped that she would be able to fix it. She didn’t want him to be cursed to a life like that.

Zoe and Y/N sat side by side. Madison had long since ditched the two of them.

“You can go. I’ll take care of him. I’m sorry, I mean it must suck to see someone you were close to like that.” She stuttered.

Zoe was always a bit intimidated by the other witches, except for Nan of course. Nan was such a sweet person, everyone loves her.

“I’m fine. I’m going to probably go. Good luck with him.” She smiled, standing up.

—-

It had been about a week, and Y/N had done everything she could to learn how to fix Kyles mind.

She was sure by now that she could do it, but she was surprisingly nervous that she would mess him up even more.

Y/N was sitting on her bed when the door opened up harshly, startling her a bit.

Zoe pushed a very much so zombied Kyle into the room, and locked the door behind her.

He was being surprisingly calm toward Zoe, as long as she wasn’t touching him, he wouldn’t get all freaky and try to murder her.

“He just- Just killed his mom. Y/N please I cant do this anymore.”

Y/N’s eyes widened.

She didn’t know very much about his mom, but she knew enough. She wasn’t a very good woman, and although Y/N hated to say this, his mom

deserves what she got.

It was now though, that she locked eyes with Kyle. She could’ve sworn she saw his body relax almost immediately.

“Y/N-” He muttered out before rushing to her feet.

He clung desperately to her jean clad legs, and Y/N dared her hand to move to the top of his head, gently massaging his scalp.

Then she saw the blood. He was covered nearly head to toe in his disgusting mother’s blood. This caused a bit of anger to well up inside her.

“First you kill him. Then you make me bring him back to life. Then you don’t even have the fucking decency to clean the blood off him. Get out please, I’ll take it from here.” Y/N stated sharply.

The mere sight of Zoey was beginning to annoy her deeply, and she knew that if the girl stayed much longer, it wouldn’t end well.

Zoe sighed and stepped slowly out of the room, leaving Y/N alone with Kyle.

He was still a mess. Latched on to her legs and whimpering, the man was completely broken.

Kyle must remember her from their childhood. They had quite a defining friendship, and she understood why he remembered her. She was glad that he could feel safe with someone.

He was probably scared to death. Well he’s already dead, but still.

“Let’s get you cleaned up.” She said softly to the boy in front of her.

She carefully took his arm, and led him to the bathroom. The last thing she wanted was to scare him more than he already was.

—-

She had been successful in cleaning him up, the blood was no longer under his nails and matted in his hair.

She gave him one of her bigger flannels, hoping that and the random pair of jeans she had found would fit him okay.

They are sat on the edge of her bed, internally she was trying to decide on whether or not she would try this spell or not.

She turned to look at him. His soft features resembled the look of a toddler at this point, he was staring into space, and he had been chewing on his fingernail intently.

She made up her mind, and she began to speak slowly.

“Kyle honey, i’m going to help you okay. Don’t be scared.” She said lowly, and he nodded a bit before looking at her.

Curiosity washed over his face as she pulled out the large book full of spells and other ailments.

“Let’s get started then.”

—

It wasn’t perfect, but she had helped. He still stumbled a bit over his words, and his feet but he was pretty much back to normal.

Y/N felt ashamed at how powerful she felt. She never knew that she could accomplish something so big.

She stuffed her feelings down, and did her best to explain everything to him. It was a lot to take in but he just nodded along.

“I’m so sorry this happened to you. I shouldn’t have let Zoe take you.” She said looking at the floor.

Kyle finally had a chance to look at her and really take in the sight. She had grown since last he’d seen her. Her hair was much fuller, and her eyes seemed to be a lot brighter. He had missed her. Every time something cool at school would happen, he desperately would want to tell her. She was gone though, and he had lost his best friend.

He had always loved her, and as the groggy memories came back, he new what he had to do.

He took a very slow and careful step towards the witch and placed his trembling hand on her cheek.

“It’s not your fault. You saved me Y/N.” At this point, he was sure her face was turning a dark shade of pink.

“Kyle I-” Y/N didn’t have time to finish her sentence before Kyle had placed his chapped lips on hers.

Everything she had wanted as a child was finally coming true. She had always loved him. Loved him more than best friends love each other.

They made each other’s lives complete. She was the only one that could rescue him from his mind in their teenage years. He was the one to comfort her when she was scared of the roaring thunder outside.

“I’ve missed you, Kyle. I’m sorry I had to go away.” The witch spoke, feeling tear pool in her eyes.

Her magic was starting to run kind of wild, and the candles in the room lit up, blazing fiercely and causing large shadows to appear on the bedroom walls.

He looked around in amazement, but turned his attention back to the woman when he heard a sniffle.

He wrapped his arms around her, and laid back so they could both look at the ceiling.

The two of them stayed like that, until the next morning. They were woken by a very confused Cordelia Goode.

[theheartsmistakes]

Any Other Name- Chapter 4

Smoke unfurled from the end of the cigarette hanging from James’s mouth as he rested his forearms on the bordering wall that lined the rooftop across the street from the London Institute where he used to call home. Ashes flickered in the placid breeze that drifted in from the North and mixed with the dusting of snow the gray sky had finally decided to release upon the wasteland that was SoHo.

The cold bit at his fingertips, exposed by his fingerless gloves as he took the last drag and then stamped the stub out on the bricks.

It was nearly five in the afternoon when they arrived; he’d been waiting on the roof across the street for nearly an hour when he finally saw the flash of red hair standing out like a beacon in the otherwise gray and dismal world. She stepped out from the cab with a black duffle bag in her hand, in an oversized jumper and bicycle shorts.

She had to be freezing, he thought, as he released the smoke from his lungs. The last time she came to London it was summertime. He remembered the time well. He’d just been expelled from the Academy and kept home from the summer trip to Egypt his friends and sister went on to see the infamous pyramid Institute there. It wasn’t his parent’s intention to keep him behind, but since a number of his academy peers would be attending the trip as well, it wasn’t advised that he be amongst them after the recent series of unfortunate events that led to his unjust expulsion. He wasn’t entirely convinced he wouldn’t purposefully release a demon in the same room as Augustus Pounceby and Alastair Carstairs and their cadre of idiotic sycophants if given even the slightest chance.

Besides, he didn’t mind being left behind. He got to spend the summer catching up on his reading and training in the Institute’s gym. He’d nearly perfected throwing his blade directly into the target without looking when the Carstairs arrived for official Clave business. Their daughter, who was around the same age as Lucie, arrived with them. Cordelia wasn’t able to go on the Egypt trip either because of a training injury that left Cordelia on crutches and in a cast that wouldn’t be healed for several weeks. He couldn’t recall what happened, but he did remember that her ankle snapped in three different places and the Silent Brothers couldn’t mend it fully without her taking some time off of it. So, like him, she had been left behind. While his mother entertained Cordelia’s mother, she volunteered James to entertain Cordelia.

They spent the entire week she was there reading together while Cordelia rested her foot, sharing their favorite stories until hours into the night. She read to him passages of Layla and Majnun and he showed her all of his favorite parts of London from the top of a Mundane tourist bus. When the days would come to their end and they’d go off to their separate rooms, he found himself staying up at night craving the sound of her voice, the pitch of her laugh, the way her smile transformed her whole face and made his insides unfurl. He couldn’t stop his thoughts from finding their way back to her. One moment he would be reading Hemingway and the next he would be highlighting a passage to share with Cordelia. He’d be eating breakfast with his parents and find himself comparing the color to her hair. Each moment he was with her, it became more and more of a challenge not to give in to the overwhelming desire to kiss her.

He cursed himself for the better part of five years for not saying something to her before she left to go back to Tehran.

It may have been nothing more than a childhood crush at the time, but it flickered somewhere deep in his chest at the sight of her loose hair tumbling in the breeze as she looked up at the Institute.

“Daisy,” he whispered, the word curled in white smoke from his lips.

She turned to look over her shoulder towards him as if she’d heard his voice. He resisted the instinct to duck and instead held her gaze. From where he stood on the roof, he couldn’t make out her profile or even see if her lips were moving. There was no possible way that even if she did see a figure on the adjacent roof a few yards away, that she would recognize him. Still, he found himself holding his breath until she looked away again.

He watched as the Carstairs moved their things into his home with help by the very same Shadowhunters that voted him and his family out. Boxes filled with items his parents didn’t have time to collect before they were evicted from the estate were thrown out like trash to the curb.

“I don’t know why you choose to torture yourself in this way, Jamie boy,” said Matthew as he came up behind James and leaned his back against the railing. “It’s fucking freezing up here.”

James hadn’t heard Matthew come in through the roof door. He was still growing accustomed to the absence of intrinsically knowing when Matthew was near since their Parabatai runes had been destroyed.

“What can I say?” said James, leaning onto his forearms. “I’m a glutton for punishment.”

“And what have you done this time to deserve this self-assigned penance?” asked Matthew, kicking an empty beer can across the gravel. “And why was I not involved in the crime?”

“Thoughts of murder,” said James, “and revenge.”

“Nothing a few hail Angels and hours of demon hunting can’t forgive.” Matthew spun around and leaned on the railing beside James. “Ah, it’s move-in day. I should’ve known you be stalking the Institute like a starving crow.”

“Have you talked to her?”

“Who?”

James nodded towards the Institute.

“The Carstairs girl?” Matthew pulled a cigarette out of his coat pocket and stuck it between his lips. After a moment of fighting with his lighter, smoke drifted from the corner of his mouth. “Considering she’s only been here for all of seven minutes, no, I haven’t talked to her. Is she cute?”

James turned to glare at his friend. “How would I know?”

Matthew shrugged. “I just figure if you’re willing to freeze your balls off on the roof of this mundane hotel to watch her move into your old place then she must be cute. Didn’t the two of you have a short fling a few years back?”

“It wasn’t a fling.”

“Sorry,” said Matthew around a puff of smoke. “A relationship.”

“It wasn’t a fling nor was it a relationship,” said James laced with annoyance. “We spent a short summer together when you abandoned me to go to Egypt. We read books and I showed her around London.”

Matthew clutched his chest, right over his heart. “Please, James, spare me the intimate details.”

James gave his shoulder a hard shove. “Come off it. I haven’t seen her since we were children, I was just curious if you spoke to her and could tell me how she... seemed.”

Matthew’s pale eyebrows raised. “How she seemed?”

“Forget I asked.”

“No,” laughed Matthew. “Genuinely, I’m happy to see you pining after someone other than Grace Blackthorn.”

A flash of betrayal coursed through James at the mention of his ex-girlfriend’s name. He’d been in a fairly serious relationship with Grace (serious on his part, but rather noncommittal on her end) that ended abruptly when the Clave sided with Inquisitor Bridgestock in exiling the Herondale family. That very night Grace approached him outside the Institute in Idris and while hugging him, told him that her mother no longer thought it would be appropriate if they saw each other and then left.

He indeed pined for her for some time afterward. He got roaring drunk and sent her a series of fire messages that went unreciprocated and progressively turned to beg until Matthew took away his stele and paper until he was sober and could control himself. Not even a month later, Matthew told him that she started seeing Charles, Matthew’s brother from time to time. James went out and got himself so drunk that he passed out underneath a bridge like a deranged troll.

Grace had been his first real relationship. He’d taken other girls out before, and it was on a date that Grace approached him—or rather stole him—from his date and started snogging him in the back alley of the Devil’s Tavern. That was Grace’s way with him: stolen, secret moments that left him reeling and in desperate need of a cold shower.

But when he tried to hold her hand in public, she’d find a reason to move away from him. If she spoke to her within a group, she barely made eye contact with him. When they attended parties or went out, she insisted they arrive and leave separately. He never asked her why she wanted it that way; perhaps he knew the answer and didn’t want to hear it.

He stayed with her because of tender moments when he felt the real Grace, his Grace, show herself. Like when they snuck out to Richmond Park and spent the night together lying on the grass, looking up at the stars, and talking about plans for their future. It hadn’t occurred to him then that none of her plans included him.

No, he’d long since stopped pining after Grace Blackthorn and wished for her demise with as much sincerity as he wished for the rest of those who exiled his family.

Matthew could be relentless in his teasing, so James made a quick attempt at changing the subject. “Did you bring what I asked for?”

Matthew shoved his hand into his light blue corduroy jacket pocket and brought out a three-toothed brass key about the length of his pinkie finger and handed it over to James. “I need that back before my mother realizes it’s missing which shouldn’t be until Monday morning when she returns to her office, so make sure that you get whatever it is that you need done with it finished by tomorrow night.”

James clutched the key in his fist. “Shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Shouldn’t?” Matthew blanched. “No, no, it won’t be a problem, because if it is a problem then my mother will take the blame for it. James, I need that key back by tomorrow night.”

James placed a hand on Matthew’s shoulder. “I understand, Math. I will leave the key at your flat tomorrow morning underneath the ceramic dog on your porch.”

Matthew’s mouth flattened into a straight line. “I have your word?”

“Of course,” said James and pocketed the key. “Do you not trust me?”

“Yes, of course, I trust you,” insisted Matthew. “My family has just been under a fucking microscope since everything happened. I had to tell the Penhallow boy that I was going to the shops to pick out new underwear and the bastard trailed me all the way to the strip mall and only left when I started picking out briefs. I would be insulted by his assuming that I am lying if I weren’t so goddamn irritated.”

James tensed. “Are you sure no one tracked you here?”

“Yes,” said Matthew as he took another long drag of his cigarette, “I’m sure. In fact, I tracked Penhallow to the Institute where he is one of the volunteers helping to move the Carstairs family in.”

“You didn’t volunteer?” asked James.

A stream of smoke flowed from Matthew's nostrils. “God no, I may have mentioned assisting my mother on official Clave business regarding a demon possessed artifact in an abandoned warehouse on Bleeker Street, so that is where they all expect me to be. Thomas, I believe, volunteered or perhaps he was wrangled into the job by his parents. The boy hasn’t stopped growing since he turned thirteen and his voice dropped. He looks like a linebacker on one of those American football teams. He will come more in handy than I ever could.”

Nearly a month has gone by with no word from Thomas or Christopher since the exile. As hard as James tried to understand the position his closest friends were put in, he couldn’t stop the sharp pang of abandonment, no matter how desperately he tried to convince himself that it was not like that for them. If the tables were reversed and he had to decide whether to risk seeing his friends or protecting his own life and the life of his family, then he could understand the hesitation.

Still, the anger ripped at his logic. He missed his friends— more than anything else he’d been forced to leave behind, he missed his friends.

“Is there really a demon possessed artifact in a warehouse on Bleeker Street?”

Matthew flicked the ashes off the end of his cigarette. “Yes, but it’s being dealt with by Anna and a few others. I told my mother I volunteered to help the Carstairs move. Everyone believes me to be in one place, when in fact, I’m actually here with you. As long as no one speaks to each other about my elegid whereabouts then they’ll all be none the wiser.”

“Clever,” said James, fiddling with the key in his pocket. “Thank you, for risking what you have to bring me what I needed. I know it’s a lot to ask.”

Matthew shook his head and stepped away from the bordering wall. His trainers crunched against the gravel as he spun on his heels to face James. “I may have to appear to be obeying their rules, but that doesn’t mean that I agree with them and it doesn’t mean that I will allow them to win. My life is still very much my own and I still choose to have you in it. You’re more than my friend, you’re my brother, more than my own even. I’ve told you before Jamie, they can erase my rune, but they cannot erase my promise, I will honor our vows as parabatai until I meet my end and not before.”

James embraced his oldest friend, clutching him tight around the shoulders. “I feel the same.”

Matthew returned the embrace. “You’ll take care of yourself, yeah? You haven’t told me yet what you intend to do with that key and I’ve been trying to give you your space and not ask, but if I’m invited to your trial after they catch you, I will deny ever being involved.”

James released him. “But you just said…”

“No where in the vows does it say that I have to stand by you when you do something stupid that I clearly warned you against!”

“It’s implied,” said James.

“I only follow explicit instructions, not implied instructions,” said Matthew throwing his cigarette onto the ground and crushed it under his trainer before glancing at the watch around his wrist. “Shite, I’m going to be late. The Inquisitor saw fit to put a curfew on those of us who were affiliated with you. If I’m home even a minute after seven then I am forced into a meeting with both Bridgestock, Pounceby, and a witness to verify that I am being truthful about my whereabouts. Also, I’m supposed to pick up Christopher to help my father with one of his experiments on weapons infused with holy water.” Matthew’s eyes widened. “That doesn’t effect your demony issue, does it?”

James rolled his eyes. “No more than it effects yours.”

Matthew grinned as he slowly walked back towards the roof door. “My demons have far more expensive taste in poison, I’m afraid.” With that, he opened the roof door and disappeared leaving James staring over the edge as his life once again shifted into something he couldn’t recognize.

___________________________________________________

Whispers of the exiled Shadowhunters crawled through the streets of Hackney, one of London’s most dangerous boroughs and home to most Downworlders that had effectively been pushed out of the bigger, better boroughs by the Clave. Lined with crowded pubs and coffeehouses, and veined with dark and minacious alleys fraught with all manner of salacious activities, the whispers followed James around like his own shadow.

It’d taken him not even a week to develop a reputation in Hackney that allowed him to wander the streets unbothered, though it did involve a significant amount of blood on his hands and a few scars that couldn’t be healed fully with an iratze. Afterward, the whispers turned to warnings and rumors of his ruthlessness; those standing on the streets as he walked back averted their attention or moved out of his path. There were the occasional few that stepped out to challenge him from time to time, but he’d simply have to fling a blade within an inch of their skin and they’d let him pass.

James flipped one of his throwing knives between his fingers as he walked: a silent reminder to those around him of who he was and what he was capable of doing. It was an unnecessary safety measure, but a comfort all the same. The knives were the last remnants of being a Shadowhunter that he has left; now he lived amongst of the shadows he once hunted.

As he approached the great stone arch that marked the entrance to The Hell Ruelle, Hepatia Vex’s nightclub, without uttering a word, the burly guard stepped out his way and allowed James entry.

The place was packed with a mixture of mundanes gifted with the sight, Fae, Warlocks, Witches, Vampires, and Werewolves dancing in the strobing lights that swayed in the exposed rafters to the electronic music that pulsed throughout the building. James dodged dancing bodies until he reached one of the many ladders that went to the second level. The steel bars were warm underneath his palms and littered with glitter amongst other unmentionable things. Once on the second level, he went straight, passed the NO ACCESS signs that flickered above the doorway, and pushed aside the heavy curtain that kept patrons out. Once the curtain closed again, the music went nearly silent except he could still feel the beat of the dancers and music underneath his trainers.

He slipped silently down the hallway, scanning the shadows in the rafters above for any of Hepatia’s spies until he reached the rouge door at the end and knocked three times.

“Who is it?” asked a deep feminine voice.

“James Herondale,” he said and crossed his arms. “I’ve brought what you asked for and I’m ready to trade, that is if you still want to do business with—“

The door swung open and standing on the other side was not Hepatia Vex, as he has expected, but a half-naked girl with star-shaped nipple covers and a skirt that was nothing more than a belt with two long strips of fabric covering her front and back. Long, tanned hips and legs that James had a difficult time ignoring were laid bare and glistening in the dull lamplight. Her opulent eyes reflected like those of a cat as she smiled lasciviously at James.

“Come in, Herondale,” said a voice from within the darkroom.

James shouldered past the courtesan that may or may not have smelled him as he passed and walked towards the plush green sofa where Hepatia stretched out in a black leather skirt and white bralette that nearly glowed against her deep, rich skin tone. The room smelt heavy with magic laced with weed and sex.

Hypatia's eyes wandered lazily over James as she uncurled her hand towards him. “Where is it? Give it to me.”

“No until you give me what I asked for,” answered James and glanced over his shoulder at the courtesan. “And she needs to leave.”

Vex started at James for a moment, the corners of her full, sensuous mouth turned up at the corners until she swung her body into a seated position and crossed one leg over the other knee. “Why the secrecy? Afraid to tarnish your reputation… but wait, hasn’t that been done already?”

“I don’t need all of the boroughs to know my business,” said James, staring at Vex around the ends of the curls that had fallen into his face. He’d been told on countless occasions that a look from him set people on edge. Perhaps it was the color of his eyes or the intensity within them.

Whatever it was, it worked. “Leave us, Femi. Bring us back some refreshments.”

Without a word or much of a sound, Femi left out the door.

Vex bounced the foot resting in the air and drummed her long red-painted fingernails on the couch cushion as she continued to look James up and down. “You look thin. Life in the dirty Hub not treating you so nicely, little angel.”

“Don’t call me that,” snapped James.

“Why not?” grinned Vex, satisfied to have found a wound for which she could press. “Oh, is that not accurate anymore? Should I refer to you as, little demon, instead?”

“Do you want to make the trade or not?” James’s voice dropped into a low, miserable timber. “I have other business to attend to.”

“I’m sure you do,” said Vex as she stood up and walked around the couch towards the minibar at the back of the room. She waved her hand over the ceramic ice holder three times as flecks of red and magenta smoke uncurled from her fingers. The lid to the ice bucket shook until she took it off and removed what was inside.

She sauntered her way back to where James stood. Her cat-shaped eyes slid over him from brow to chest to hips and back up again. Her pupils dilated slightly. “My you’ve grown into a handsome young man, haven’t you?”

James resisted the urge to cross his arms or crumble under her stare.

“But then you’ve always been handsome.” Elongated incisors flashed as she grinned. “Something you inherited from your father.” She reached and grabbed James by the wrist-twisting his arm until his palm was flat and facing up. She dropped three bags of iridescent powder into his hand. “Now for the key.”

James pocketed the powder and retrieved the key. Hypatia snatched it from his hand and held it close to her chest. “Pleasure doing business with you, Herondale. You should go have a dance. You look like you need to unwind and there are other ways to do that without the use of those drugs. I can fall up Fima and show you one of my favorite ways.”

“Thanks for the offer, but I need to be going,” said James, but before he turned to leave he remembered his conversation with Matthew. “I’ll need that key back by tomorrow afternoon and no later. It’s important that I return it.”

Vex dropped the key into the ice bucket and replaced the lid. “That shouldn’t be a problem. I will have someone meet you at Blackfriar bridge.”

James nodded and turned to leave. As he reached for the door handle, Vex’s voice came from behind him.

“And James, if you ever find that you want a real job and not to sell magical drugs on the street, come and see me.”

James didn’t bother to turn around, he turned the handle and stepped out, with absolute surety that a business with Hypatia Vex was not one that he wanted any part in.

Walking out of The Hell Ruelle, James felt as if he could breathe freely again. The warm July night had the streets crowded with miscreants and the company of such, especially in Hackney. He skirted past couples doing more than just making out against the alley walls and avoided the gang of werewolves lighting dumpsters on fire outside of a liquor store and proceeded to howl mockingly at the moon.

He made his way down Briar Street towards the canal where his regular customers would be waiting for him to provide his recently acquired goods under the troll bridge where all manner of questionable deeds went on. He needed to be one of the first ones to get there or all of the most desperate would have bought from someone else.

As he passed an alley towards the end of the busy street, he heard the sound of a female voice coming from the alleyway. He wouldn’t have stopped if it hadn’t sounded so familiar.

He backed up several steps and looked down the alley. Three tall male Fae warriors stood in a row and over the middle one’s shoulder, James could see a flash of red hair, the curve of her face, and the golden hilt of a sword resting over her shoulder.

Something twisted in his gut as recognition overtook him. She looked different, older, beautiful.

“I don’t want to harm any of you.” There was a slight waver in her voice: fear and determination. “I’m here by accident and I’d like to leave without any unnecessary bloodshed. If you would kindly move, I will happily be on my way.”

The Fae warrior in the center removed two blades from the scabbards at his sides and glided them across each other so they made a spark. “I say we remove her clothes piece by piece and allow everyone in the Mill to look their fill of her nakedness.”

“She is a lovely thing,” said the Fae to his right. “Perhaps we could take turns with her and return her back to her people used.”

James’s blood boiled in his veins at the threat and he reached for the throwing knife tucked in his jacket pocket. He hadn’t answered the call in his blood in some time, fighting as a Shadowhunter was too painful. He preferred to get his knuckles bloody and his skin to split, but there wasn’t time for that now and it was far too kind of a punishment for the threat they made towards her.

Cordelia drew Cortana and positioned herself to fight. “You can try.”

“What will you do?” grinned the head Fae. “You’ll cut all three of us down by yourself with that little blade?”

He moved towards her again, but Cordelia stood firm. James couldn’t help but smile at her stony resolve. She would do it, he could see it in her eyes that she would not hesitate, but the bloodshed from either side would surely make waves in the water that his parents and several other Downworlders were trying to still.

James leaned his shoulder against the wall and crossed his arms. “Oh, I wouldn’t doubt her, Bevan. I’ve seen her take down men twice as skilled as you.”

As the three Fae men turned to look behind them, Cordelia lunged.

A/N:

Thanks for reading! Comments, like, and reblog are my primary motivation.

Next update: Fri, 6/25

[dialovers-translations]

Diabolik Lovers DARK FATE ー Subaru Maniac [Prologue]

ー The scene starts in the library of the Sakamaki castle

Laito: ーー Bitch-chan~? It’s me, Laito-kun~ Show yourself~?

Kanato: ...She’s not around.

We searched the whole place yet did not find her, so where could she have gone?

Laito: Now that you mention it, I haven’t seen Subaru-kun around either.

Did the two of them elope together perhaps~?

Kanato: Excuse me? He better not think he can get away with taking her without my permission.

Laito, bring those two back at once.

Laito: Eeh~? Me by myself? Come with me at least!

*Rustle rustle*

Shuu: ...Pwaah.

Kanato: ...!

Shuu...Make your presence known next time. You’re out here giving us heart attacks?

Laito: Nfu~ I did in fact spot him snoozing comfortably over on the couch.

Shuu: ...Then don’t bother me. I’m wide awake thanks to you two making a fuss right next to where I was sleeping.

Laito: Sorry, my bad~ That wasn’t my intention. 

We only came here in search of Bitch-chan...

Ah, right! Do you have any idea where she went?

Shuu: How am I supposed to know? I’ve been sleeping here this whole time since the morning.

ー Reiji approaches them

Reiji: She must be over at the human world with Subaru as we speak.

Kanato: Reiji...!

Shuu: ...Mr. Annoyance makes his arrival...

Reiji: I can hear you.

Shuu. You were still sleeping over here?

If you do not fix that attitude of yours soon, I will throw you out with the trash.

Laito: Anyway, Reiji. what are those two up to in the human world?

Reiji: I told Subaru the following. 

That the Demon World is to blame for her slow recovery.

As well as that her body probably functions optimally in her own world.

I can only assume that he took her back to the human world after hearing those words. 

Laito: Oh, so that’s what happened.

Kanato: However, aren’t those Wolves which attacked Ayato still lurking around over there?

Reiji: Well, I assume she will be okay as long as Subaru is with her.

Laito: Although that might put her in a different kind of danger, nfu~

Shuu: ...Hm?

Reiji: What seems to be the matter?

Shuu: ...No, it’s nothing.

*Rustle rustle*

???: ...

ー The scene shifts to the hallway at the Sakamaki manor

Yui: ...Hey, Subaru-kun. You don’t have to follow me around everywhere I go, you know?

Subaru: Aah? Idiot. Then what if something were to happen?

Yui: ‘Something’?

Subaru: Well...You could have another one of those weird dreams.

Yui: I won’t dream while I’m awake.

Subaru: ...Don’t fuss ‘bout the details!

Anyway, just let me protect you and don’t complain!

Yui: ( ...Subaru-kun really isn’t being himself. )

( Well, he’s always been a worrywart, so maybe I’m just imagining things... )

Subaru: More importantly, how do you feel now?

Yui: Fine. I’m back in tip-top shape. Ever since we came here, I miraculously started feeling better...

Subaru: Just like Reiji said, being in the Demon World might have stumped your recovery. 

Well, anyway, I’m glad you’re feelin’ better.

Yui: Yeah. Thank you, Subaru-kun.

Subaru: I...didn’t do anythin’, really.

Yui: That’s not true. Who knows what would have happened to me if you weren’t there for me...

I truly am grateful you always have my back.

Subaru: ...Stop sayin’ that cringey shit...

Yui: ( Fufu, this side of him never changes. )

Ah, right. When are we heading back to the Demon World? I’m all better now, so don’t you think we should return soon?

Subaru: Ah...?

Yui: We left without a single word, so if we don’t hurry back, the others might start looking for uーー 

Subaru: We’re not goin’ back there.

Yui: Eh...? But you said we’d return once I feel better.

Subaru: Oh, shut up. I just said we’re not goin’ back so suck it up.

Yui: No way...The others are still over there, remember? Christa-san as well...

Aren’t you worried about your mother?

Subaru: She’s got her Familiars, so I’m sure they’ll look after her.

Besides, she’s been by herself this whole time. I’m not gonna start worryin’ ‘bout her now.

Yui: But...

Subaru: She nearly killed you, remember!?

So why are you worried ‘bout her!?

Yui: I mean, Christa-san only attempted to take my life...

Because she believes that I’m Cordelia...

Subaru: So you’ll forgive her? Stop spoutin’ that sorta bullshit!

*THUD*

Yui: Ugh...

Subaru:  We’re not goin’ back there, case closed! No matter what you say, not a chance!

Yui: ( Subaru-kun is certain about not going back... )

( However, I can’t return on my own either... )

( I’m concerned Christa-san might be growing restless soon... )

( ...Is it strange after all? For me to worry about her. )

( But... )

ー A flashback ensues 

Christa: I was always so lonely, but ever since we started talking to each other, every day has been a blast.

ー The flashback ends

Yui: ( Perhaps she really did feel lonely this whole time? )

( She may have had the Familiars around, but perhaps she wished for Subaru-kun to keep her company instead...? )

Subaru: ...By the way, weren’t you headed somewhere just now?

Yui: Ah...Yeah. I figured I’d go grocery shopping for tonight’s dinner.

Ah! I better hurry or the store will shut its doors. Gotta go fast!

ー She runs away

Subaru: Ah, oi...!

...Che. You really think I’m gonna let you go by yourself when you’ve only just recovered!?

ー He chases after her

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to the shopping district

Yui: ーー Um...

( I’ve got carrots, potatoes and milk so there’s nothing I forgot to buy, right? )

Subaru: ...

Yui: ( ...Subaru-kun has been quietly following me this whole time. )

( Should I strike up a conversation? But things are kind of awkward between us since I upset him earlier... )

Subaru: ...Gimme that bag.

Yui: Eh?

Subaru: No buts, give it to me. It’s heavy, no?

*Rustle*

Yui: Ah...

ー He starts walking 

Subaru: ...Whatcha standin’ still for? You’re not goin’ back home?

Come on, let’s go.

*Rustle*

Yui: ...!

( He’s offering his free hand... )

( His hand is so big. When he squeezes mine tightly, it makes my heart race. )

( It makes me feel safe and protected... (1) )

Subaru: ーー Listen. ‘Bout earlier...

Yui: Earlier?

Subaru: Before we left home. I, you knowーー

*Rustle rustle*

Subaru: Wha!?

Yui: Ah!

( The bag ripped open and all of the contents fell out... )

Subaru: ...

Yui: It ripped open...I’ll go get another one from the store!

ー She runs off

Subaru: ...Che. How many times do I have to tell you not to go by yourself!?

ー Subaru follows after her

???: ...

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to the kitchen

Yui: ...Ah, it’s come to a nice boil. I guess it should be ready soon?

( I went with a stew for dinner, but I wonder if it’ll taste good? )

( I hope Subaru-kun will enjoy it as well... )

Subaru: ...Is it ready?

Yui: Yeah. I’ll get everything ready and plated so wait a few more minutes, okay?

Subaru: ...

Yui: ( I wonder what’s wrong? He seems a little restless... )

( Ah, I better turn off the stove soon! )

*Thud*

Yui: Phew...

*Rustle*

Yui: Kyah!

Yui: S-Subaru-kun? What’s the matter?

( I didn’t expect him to suddenly embrace me from behind... )

Subaru: ...I’m sorry.

Yui: Eh...?

Subaru: The thing ‘bout my mom made me yell at you...

I missed my chance to tell you on our way back home, so let me tell you now.

Yui: Subaru-kun...

Subaru: It’s been on my mind ever since. I still can’t understand why you’d be worried ‘bout her.

But...If you weren’t that kinda girl, I don’t think we’d be standin’ here like this right now.

Yui: Eh...?

Subaru: You’re a hopeless goodie-two-shoes who always puts others before her own well-being. 

Sometimes it upsets me seein’ you behave that way...

However, it was that kindness of yours which also saved me.

Whether it’s stuff regardin’ my mom or the Old Man...I’ve got a lot weighin’ down on my heart, but I think I’ve been able to cope with it all, ‘cause you’ve been there for me.

So...

That’s why...I love you.

Yui: ...!

Subaru: ...Fuck, this isn’t my cup of tea...!

Yui: Subaru-kun...?

( ...I’m so happy. )

( I had no idea he looked at me that way. )

Yui: I love you too, Subaru-kun.

You’re a little awkward at times, but the kindest person I know.

You’re always looking out for meーー

That’s what I love about you.

Subaru: ...

*Rustle*

Yui: ...! Subaru-kun...?

Subaru: ...Lemme suck your blood.

Yui: Eh...?

Subaru: Not ‘cause I’m thirsty. But by piercing my fangs through your skin, we can become one...

I can feel you directly...So...

Subaru: ...Nn...

Yui: ( It doesn’t hurt at all. If anything, he’s being so gentle...It feels nice... )

Subaru: Haah...Yui...Nn...Phew...Haah...Nn...

Yui: Subaru...kun...

Subaru: More...I want more of you...

Your everything, all of it...

Nn...

ー The scene shifts to the balcony

Shin: ...Heeh. Look at those lovebirds. 

What separates the strong from the weak...I have to admit, Nii-san might have just hit the nail on the head.

ーー TO BE CONTINUED ーー

Translation notes

(1) Literally she says that it feels as if he’s even covering/engulfing her heart/feelings. However, this sounded a little...awkward in English so I translated it a bit more freely. 

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