#HE'S SO CUTE AND SO HAPPY TO SEE HER ALIVE AND RELATIVELY SAFE

[willel]

"WILL HATES EL AND WANTS TO STEAL HER BF"

Will looking at his sister:

#HE'S SO CUTE AND SO HAPPY TO SEE HER ALIVE AND RELATIVELY SAFE #AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH #I'M WATCHING ON REPEAT AGAIN YEAH I AM #HGNWOEHGNWIPKSEGNWSIPKRGNW

[seasonofthewicth]

Rowaelin Month - Day 3

prompt: a secret relationship

extras: multiple povs

cw: one very brief mention of nsfw topics

word count: 3k

--

Fenrys knows his friends think of him as the joker of the group, and yeah he is hilarious, but there’s more to him than that. He can read the room, can pick up on the subtleties of whichever of his friends might need one of his jokes more than others on any given day. It’s a skill that makes him observant, watchful of people, and he notices things.

He’s not sure if Rowan and Aelin think they’re being subtle, and he’s not sure which of his other friends have picked up on the same things he has, but he’s pretty sure Aelin and Rowan are sleeping together.

He’s not completely sure, he doesn’t have any concrete evidence and they still act normally in the group, but he knows what he saw on the night of Elide’s birthday. He and Rowan have lived together for years and Aelin has crashed at theirs any number of times before but, until that night, she’d never emerged from Rowan’s bedroom the morning after wearing one of his t-shirts.

The material had completely drowned her. The short sleeves had hung to her elbows and the hem had been well down her thighs. She’d seemed somewhat… sneaky as she’d crept into their kitchen in search of coffee.

He knows not to read too much into things, friends share clothes all the time. He’s lost many hoodies to the collective wardrobe owned by their group of friends and he’s still pissed at Lorcan who he knows still has his The Cadre t-shirt from the gig they had attended a few years ago.

What Fenrys also knows is that friends don’t stand at the kitchen counter, holding the neckline of their friend’s shirt to their nose and grinning like an idiot.

He needs to speak to Aedion.

Elide has been friends with Aelin for years and that is more than long enough to know she’s almost always guaranteed to be late to their coffee dates. She’s not bothered, it gives her a few extra minutes to sip away at her own coffee reading her book with the general hum of the coffee shop lulling her into a comfortable rest.

It’s not long before her friend breezes into the coffee shop, the bell above the door ringing and signalling her entrance. It’s very Aelin, her entrance. The wind sweeps in fluffing her golden waves and her steps are full of purpose as she strides towards Elide.

“Sorry I’m late.” Aelin all but throws herself into the seat opposite Elide, smiling a bright smile for the relatively early morning they’re sharing.

“Don’t worry about it,” Elide says, finishing off her final swig of her first coffee. “Want me to go and get our drinks?”

“No, Ellie,” Aelin says, waving her hand. “First one’s on me. I was late, I’ll make it up to you.”

Aelin squeezes her hand before breezing back out of her seat.

She’s back only a couple of minutes later, finally relaxing into the large armchair she occupies. “So, what’s new with you?”

“Nothing much,” Elide shrugs. “Work is tough but nothing I didn’t expect.”

“I’m sure you’re smashing it,” Aelin says with a grin, then places her hand against her chest. “My little Elide, registered nurse taking the world by storm.”

Elide smiles, it feels good to hear those words, after all the sleepless nights and sweat and tears she’s finally where she wants to be.

Aelin continues, “You’re not pushing yourself too hard are you?”

“No,” she says and it’s the truth. “And even if I was, Lorcan is being wonderful.”

Aelin fake gags and Elide shoots her a mostly joking glare. “I find that hard to believe.”

“He is,” she says, thinking of the bath he had drawn her the night before and the massage he’d given her when she complained of her feet aching.

Aelin shifts in her seat as she nods along and the neck of her t-shirt slips down to reveal the ghost of a hickey on her friend’s collarbone. Elide raises an eyebrow.

Aelin looks down before grinning wickedly.

“Anything new with you?”

Aelin’s answer is interrupted by the arrival of their coffees in the hands of a handsome waiter.

“A large mocha,” he says and Elide raises a hand, “and a large cappuccino with cinnamon.”

Aelin raises her own hand. The waiter sets their drinks down, his eyes lingering on Aelin for a minute before he slowly backs away.

“Enjoy,” he says, his eyes still locked on Aelin. “Let me know if you need anything.”

He turns with a wink and Elide raises her other brow at her friend.

“Are you going to get his number?”

Aelin shakes her head. “Not today.”

Elide hums a response before leaning forward in her seat. “Why? You’d usually be all over someone like him, he’s exactly your type. Tall, muscular without being jacked, his curly brown hair, cheeky smile…”

She trails off when Aelin cracks a smile. “I guess I’m just not feeling it today.”

Elide wants to ask why again, she honestly might go over and get the guy’s number for her friend, when Aelin changes the subject rapidly.

“Are you going to Rowan and Fenrys’ later?”

Elide doesn’t process the change of topic until a little later on, once a couple more pieces have slotted into place. Eventually she’s pretty sure she’s worked out why Aelin didn’t want the cute coffee guy’s number.

She needs to speak to Lorcan.

Lorcan Salvaterre doesn’t like Aelin Galathynius.

He tolerates her at best for the sake of the rest of their friends but that said, he still probably wouldn’t want to see her hurt.

When Lysandra puts the message in the group chat-At the hospital with Aelin, dw they think it’s just a sprain-he reads it, absently thinks how he probably hopes she’s okay, and moves on with his day. He’s on his way to meet Rowan at the bar and if anything, Galathynius would want them to raise a toast in her honour.

What Lorcan doesn’t expect is the restless jittering of his best friend’s leg beneath the table, sloshing precious droplets of beer onto the table that his friend doesn’t even seem to notice.

“What’s the matter with you?” he asks as he slides onto his seat opposite the silver haired man.

“Nothing,” Rowan says quickly but his leg keeps up the restless pace.

Lorcan signals to the bartender for his own beer and turns back to Rowan. “Dude, chill out. There’s clearly something up with you and I’m not having you spill my pint.”

Rowan finally notices the state of their table and stills his leg. “Sorry,” Rowan says, using some of the beer mats scattered across their table to mop up the spill.

Now Lorcan really is confused. Usually Whitethorn would cuss him out over apologising. He doesn’t really know what to say.

His phone buzzes in his pocket and he ignores it as Rowan lurches for his own phone. He reads whatever’s on the screen then scowls and locks it again, placing it face up on the table. His knee begins bouncing again.

“You’re being weird,” Lorcan announces.

“Fuck off,” Rowan says and there’s the Whitethorn he knows and loves.

Lorcan opens his mouth to speak again but his phone buzzes and Rowan again lurches for his own. He chews at his lip as he reads whatever’s on the screen and so Lorcan bothers to dig his own phone out of his pocket.

It’s the group chat. He has a couple of unread messages, just Aedion and Elide expressing their concern for Galathynius as expected, nothing exciting. He locks his phone and places it on the table in front of him, watching Rowan for his next move. He’s definitely being weird and Lorcan has no fucking clue why.

His phone buzzes again and the screen lights up with the latest message. It’s Galathynius, he can tell from the stupid crown profile picture she has.

I’m alive, her message reads, just a sprain but I’m gutted bc I wanted a cast so you all could sign it.

Rowan is on his own phone when Lorcan looks back up, he’s tapping away but Lorcan doesn’t see any messages from him in the group chat. His knee has stilled under the table and Lorcan swears there’s something that looks like relief on his face. Relief? As if there was ever any danger of Galathynius not being fine.

Wait.

“Why the fuck are you so worried about Galathynius?”

Rowan’s eyes narrow and he carefully tucks his phone back into his pocket.

“I’m not,” he says but it sounds somewhat like a question and Lorcan isn’t convinced.

Until he decides he doesn’t give a shit enough to ask any more questions, Whitethorn seems back to normal and if Galathynius being fine is the reason for it he can think about it later.

And probably speak to Fenrys.

Aedion is drunk.

Like truly and utterly wasted.

So far a good night.

The rest of the group are somewhere dispersed around the bar but he’s happy here, tucked up in their booth, resting his head against the cushioned velvet while the room spins around him. He’s pretty sure Aelin is still in the booth with him and it might be Rowan with her but he’s too lazy to open his eyes to check.

He can hear the pounding base of a song he doesn’t recognise and he could fall asleep right here, somehow lulled to sleep by the beat and the volume of alcohol he’s consumed.

He doesn’t mean to listen to Aelin and Rowan’s conversation, even though he’s pretty sure it’s not intruding if they know he’s sat right there, but pieces of their conversation spike his attention.

“You don’t want me to stay at yours tonight?” he hears Aelin ask and Aedion is intrigued.

Lysandra is out tonight so Aelin has a safe ride home with her roommate and no need to crash at Rowan and Fenrys’ apartment.

“It’s not that I don’t want you to.” Rowan’s voice is low and hard to hear over the music. “But Fenrys is out with us and if I say I want to leave he’ll join me, then you know he’d ask questions.”

Aedion from tomorrow is screaming at him to pay attention to this conversation and so he keeps his eyes closed to try and listen in. He’s almost holding his breath to try and hear their voices over the noise of the bar.

They’re quiet for a moment and he’s so tempted to crack his eyes open.

“I know,” he finally hears Rowan say. “I’m sorry, Fireheart. We will.”

Hearing the term of endearment drop off Rowan’s lips is too much, it’s weird, he didn’t realise the two of them were close enough for Rowan to know about the nickname his cousin has. He risks opening one of his eyes to just a thin slit.

He’s not ready for what he sees.

Aelin is tucked under Rowan’s arm, resting her cheek on his chest. Rowan’s chin rests on the top of his cousin’s head before he softly presses his lips to her hair.

Aedion has many questions. He immediately closes his eye. He’s drunk, he can’t trust his eyes.

He hears rustling and then definitely his name from his cousin but it doesn’t sound like she’s talking to him.

Then, “Aedion.” Rowan’s voice has him blinking his eyes open and lifting his head from the booth.

They’re separated now, sitting with a couple of inches between them on the seat. Maybe he didn’t see them cuddled up a minute ago, he’s not sure.

“Drink this.” Rowan is holding out a glass of water, his tone leaving no room for protests.

“Hey,” he hears how slurred his voice is and catches Aelin’s laughter. “Thanks bro.”

Aelin puts her face in her hands. Rowan doesn’t crack, just waves the glass of water in front of him. He reaches out to grab it but he can see more than one of his hand reaching for the glass.

“Gods,” Aelin says, looking at Rowan. “Maybe you should take him home.”

“I will,” Rowan agrees quickly, looking at her softly and Aedion has about a million more questions. “I’ll get him to drink this first.”

Aelin nods and he finally manages to take a hold of the water and downs it in about a minute. Rowan slides out of the booth and holds a hand out to Aedion. He lets his friend tug him up and begins his stumble to the exit.

He feels Rowan pause behind him and catches the words, “meet you at yours afterwards.”

He manages to spin and see Aelin smiling as she leaves the booth too. He doesn’t bother to think about it, he probably won’t remember tomorrow.

He’ll ask Lysandra.

Aelin’s hand is clammy where she holds Rowan’s.

It’s the only sign of the nerves she feels, this conversation has been brewing for a while, and regardless of their friends’ reactions she’s happy with Rowan. Honestly, it’s only been about a month in total since that one night for Elide’s birthday that changed everything, but she thinks she might be falling for him.

She can’t believe she thought he was a dick when they first met. Well, she supposes he is a dick. One of the first things he ever said to her was that she was a spoiled brat but, in his defense, she’d just called him a stuck up bastard.

Now though she loves the thrill of his quick mind. Loves the way he can tease and taunt her until she’s trembling beneath him and about a second away from begging. She loves the soft kisses he presses to her hair when he knows she’s had a bad day, she loves when he comes back from work with a slice of chocolate hazelnut cake under his arm because he knows it will make her smile.

What she doesn’t love is keeping this a secret from all of their best friends. It started out as embarrassment, after they slept together on Elide’s birthday she didn’t know what it was, didn’t know if they’d just fucked everything up, didn’t know if their friendships were about to implode.

But then it happened again, and again and again, until it’s four am and she’s pressing her lips to his one last time so she can sneak out without Fenrys noticing and be home before Lysandra wakes up.

The sneaking around was hot at first. His hand over her mouth holding in her whimpers as he fucked her on the couch he shares with Fenrys, when he slid the pillow between her bedframe and the wall when Lysandra had texted asking if she could hear that weird banging noise, all the times they had cut it a little too close. But now, it’s exhausting.

She wants to be able to hold Rowan’s hand and kiss him without the wariness pooling in her stomach and she knows he feels the same.

“Guys,” she says loudly to the room filled with their friends. Rowan squeezes her hand where they’re hidden beneath a couch pillow. “We have something to tell you all.”

Five pairs of eves pivot to her and she swallows.

“Rowan and I are… dating,” she says slowly, as though she’s unsure of how the words will go down.

There’s a beat of silence before their friends erupt.

“I knew it!”

“I fucking told you they were.”

“Pay up you bastard.”

Lorcan scowls, pulling out his wallet and Aelin blinks. She did not expect this.

“Wait.” Lorcan holds up a hand. “Before I hand over any cash we need details. Dating or in a relationship? How long have you been dating? Who asked who? Who started this? Most importantly; when?”

She looks to Rowan who’s green eyes reflect her own bewilderment.

“Um,” he starts unsurely, “we’re in a relationship.” He punctuates this with another squeeze of her hand and she grins. The feeling of his fingers linked through her own spreads warmth up her arm before settling in her chest. “It started a few weeks ago.”

Her friends are all leaning forwards, still waiting.

“When exactly?” Lysandra asks. “Like what was the date?”

“Well, the first time was the night of Elide’s birthday.”

Fenrys launches himself out of his seat. “I fucking told all of you.” He holds his right hand out starkly in front of him. “Pay up all of you, I was right.”

There are complaints and grumbled protests but Fenrys ends up with a handful of twenties and Elide a couple of notes herself.

“Wait,” Aelin says, brushing a hand across her forehead as if this will somehow clear it up. “You guys bet on us?”

That seems to still the commotion coming from the other side of the room.

It’s Aedion who speaks. “Yeah,” he says in a way that sounds like duh. “You didn’t think you were subtle did you?”

“Kind of,” Rowan says eventually, leaning forwards to brace his elbows on his knees. “We weren’t obvious. And none of you ever seemed to let on.”

“Bro, are you serious?” Aedion laughs as Elide and Lysandra snicker.

“You seriously thought we never knew?” Lysandra sounds as baffled as Aelin feels. “All those texts I sent when I knew he was over? All the mysterious unnamed hook-ups on nights you and Rowan both disappeared together? All the times you’d think you were subtle but your lipstick would be on his neck? We have been waiting for this.”

She’s laughing and Aelin feels a bubble of laughter in her own throat. She can’t believe it. It had seemed to reach a point of obviousness but none of them had ever commented.

“I can’t believe you all knew,” she cries burying her face in her hands as Rowan slings an arm around her shoulders and pulls her in close. “Why did none of you say anything?”

“It was against the rules of the bet,” Fenrys says seriously and Rowan uses his other arm to dig his bicep, his laughter rumbling in his chest beneath her.

She smiles into the fabric of his shirt as the group erupts again, bickering over who knew first and who knew the most. Aelin doesn’t care, it’s gone better than she could have imagined and she has Rowan and her friends and she loves them.

A secret relationship no longer. It feels good.

#rowaelin #rowaelinmonth #thank you again to morgan for reassuring me this fic isn't a pile of shit lmao #secret relationship #rowaelin au #rowan whitethorn #aelin galathynius

[lilyharvord]

OKAY WAIT I LOVE YOUR CORIANE THOUGHTS!! i never really put much thought into marecal kids besides reading the epilogue or fanfics and being like okay cute. but your headcannon about the political impact of calore children with red blood is so interesting and i 100% agree with you. if you have any further ideas or writing i would love to hear it! the way the world world and silver succession would adjust/react to cal’s abdication and marecal’s relationship post broken throne is so fascinating to me.

🥺 NONNIE, I AM SO GLAD YOU ASKED.

First of all, Cal's abdication is the biggest slap in the face to the Silver Secession (particularly Larentia who I headcanon leads the whole thing like a shadow puppeteer. Her husband died trying to keep that Calore brat on the throne, you can bet she's got two bones to pick with him even though she wants him on that non-existent throne just so they can go back to the "old ways"). They took him abdicating personally. They send him letters almost weekly, and they are all super passive aggressive comments about his birthright, and how denying it is akin to spitting on his father's grave, and later akin to pissing on it when Cal just burns all the letters and refuses to reply.

Anyway, the political impact of Cal and Mare's marriage. Ho boi, that one is a dousy. There's a reason they have a small wedding with only their very close family and friends. They try to keep it hush hush, for a little while, but of course the Silver Secession finds out because they find out everything. They bother the living hell out of Anabel until she sends one very threatening letter back after which the letters come far and few between (she never tells Cal what she put in that letter but she always gets a wicked gleam in her eye when he asks). But the political impact of their marriage is heard round the continent. Lets be real here: Cal is no longer a prince, but he is still a very high profile figure in the Nortan government (now the States). Mare is both a prominent Scarlet Guard figure and Montfort one. There are very LOUD whispers saying that Montfort forced them to marry to create a permanent bridge between the two countries. That Montfort is using Mare as a leash on Cal and the States to dictate how they function etc. (Which may or may not be the actual truth)

They dont want kids at first. Cal's a little heartbroken about it of course. He wants kids, has always wanted them. But Mare is right, and their children would be in danger from the moment Mare conceives. Then Mare says fuck it, I want a baby. They try and she gets pregnant. The Silver Secession finds out. Those letters that stopped coming for a while come back, but with a fury from hell. It gets so bad (after Mare is actually almost kidnapped at one point) that they have to go underground and hide until the baby is born. Dane and Carmadon offer the cabin in Paradise valley because it's location is actually incredibly secret and isolated and safe. So they go there, and Coriane is born a few months later. Cal cries in relief because her blood is Red. There is no way the Silver Secession will come after her now, but they try and it is the most hellish three years of Mare and Cal's life. It puts them off from having any more children. There are eleven kidnapping attempts before Coriane is even a year old (one for every month she is alive and breathing air)

Then they just stop. The letters stop coming, the kidnappings stop. Mare and Cal walk on egg shells, Coriane toddles along, growing by leaps and bounds and making them proud every second of every day. She's loud and proud and walks around saying: My name is Coriane BARROW Calore. When people try to call her Coriane Calore. They find out that the Silver Secession is not happy with Coriane being Red. And People whisper when they go to the States. Some people who are not exactly part of the Silver Secession but who still whisper "Long Live Tiberias the Seventh" when Cal passes in the street with Coriane on his shoulders and Mare at his side are not happy either. They sneer at the giggling toddler at his side reaching to touch the pretty things in the market. They jeer at her Red blood when she laughs so hard her cheeks burn bright, cherry apple red. They frown when they see Mare nuzzle her neck and press kisses all over her face. They especially dont like when Cal glares at them until they pull back into their stalls or shops or go back to their coffees and newspapers. Around this time, (In my headcanons) Coriane meets Nikolas Samos (second born to Wren and Ptolemus) and they become instant friends. A dangerous thing of course... for obvious dynasty reasons, and this fuels the Silver Secession for a little while.

Then Mare gets pregnant again. Shade is the definition of a Whoopsie! Baby. They immediately go into hiding this time. They take Coriane, Cal takes a leave of absence, Mare takes one too, and they dont tell ANYONE where they are going. The reason? The nurse who did mare's check up told someone it was a boy, and that person had some nefarious connections to a certain Silver Political group that was running on fumes up until that moment. The first letter that arrives at their little house in Ascendant is written in beautiful court handwriting (Larentia's unmistakable tact in every word of that letter) and swears fealty to Tiberias Calore the Eighth who isn't even born yet. Cal torches that letter with his bare hand before Mare can even read it. Coriane doesn't like being taken away from her cousins and her grandma and grandpa and her aunt Farley, but they go in the dead of night and don't look back.

Shade is born in the middle of a storm like Clara, and Sara is the only person to see Mare or Cal in six months. They come back to Ascendant two months after Shade is born with a healthy baby boy, and everyone looses their minds. There are six kidnapping attempts in two months. Mare and Cal dont sleep for weeks, there is one dead Silver Secession member who got halfway down the street before Mare used Brain Lightning for the first time and liquified his insides. She is so horrified by it she cries herself to sleep for three nights because Coriane saw her do it, saw what her mother could do, and won't come near her out of fear.

But that too passes after a few years, because it gets around that Shade is a Red baby that looks more like Mare and her dead brother than Cal. Then it's back to Coriane, who by now is old enough to begin to understand what is going on around her. She starts to notice the whispers, the pointing, the stares when she goes out with her dad to train. (She accidentally set her bedsheet on fire after a nightmare, and that is where the trouble begins again). The letters start coming again, but they're addressed to her instead. She's only ten, so when she gets the first one with her name on it in pretty writing, she opens it before Mare or Cal notice, and is so confused by what is in it that she shows them it for clarification. Mare takes it and rips it to pieces, and Coriane cries about it, because that was HER letter. They have to sit her down with a very young Shade then and tell her a story about brothers, crowns, and mutations, death, war, and pain, and sorrow, and love. Then she understands. She's eleven when she does her first broadcast to denounce a throne that doesn't even exist anymore. She shakes with nerves in front of a camera, and has to hold a notecard with what she has to say on it. She mispronounces five words, and almost cries when she stumbles over a phrase she doesn't even understand, something about ever and always and crowns being broken. Cal stands behind her the whole time, squeezing her shoulders in reassurance. The nightmares begin after that for him, because there is a letter sent telling him of a distant Calore relative who is very interested in Coriane and would like to meet her. When Cal looks into him, he finds out he's 45 years old. And when I tell you he packed a bag the moment he finished that letter and drove to the airfield to take an air jet himself and kill the man, I tell you that Mare stopped him by standing in the middle of the runway and refusing to let him take off without going through her. "You give them what they want if you go after him." she tells him when he breaks down and kneels before her while she sits on their bed holding his head against her stomach. They NEVER tell Coriane about that, but there is two more letters that come like it.

Coriane and Nik becomes very close, dangerously close. There is one fic I will write at some point where both of them are taken and they actually get them away from Montfort and to a secondary location. There is man hunt led by Cal and Ptolemus and they do not keep those children for long. There is no record of what happened at that dilated mansion in the middle of the woods in the upper States, but Cal comes back with Silver blood under his nails and Coriane in his arms four days later.

When she gets older, much much older, into her later twenties, three different people send requests for her hand in marriage. She burns those letters and doesn't even deign them a response. Shade gets similar requests, and he throws the letters away. The Silver Secession goes out with a whimper, and eventually Coriane and Shade are safe. But inbetween their childhood and those years, people start whispering different things. "The word is changing, it's really changing" they whisper, and then say, "A Calore had two children, both Red, and they are kind."

#(*ask lily*) #(*shut up lily*) #red queen #glass sword #kings cage #war storm #broken throne #post broken throne #coriane barrow calore #shade barrow calore #It's a long post I'm sorry!!!! #I just have a lot of thoughts and feelings on them #especially the political implications of their birth #and Mare and Cal's marriage

[star-spangled-steve]

His New Partner

Chapter 46: The Inevitable

Series Masterlist

Previous Chapter

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Reader

Words: 2005

Warnings: Angst, death, tears, some fluff near the end, pregnancy, light cussing.

A/N: Yes, I’m back! I know that it’s been so, so long since I last updated and I’m very sorry for that. To be completely honest, this pandemic has been so draining and I just haven’t had the drive to write. But I finally buckled down and finished this chapter, and I’m hoping to get the rest of this series finished relatively quickly!

All morning Y/N had been worried sick about Steve. Yes, of course she was used to her husband partaking in tons of dangerous battles here and there, but time travel was a whole different ordeal.

She was walking through the halls of the Avengers Compound, having just arrived several minutes prior. She knew that Steve would call her as soon as he got back safely, it had been his promise to her. But Y/N was just too worried about him and decided to meet him face to face. As well as her other Avenger friends.

Y/N turned a corner and saw Steve already walking her way, a huge smile instantly breaking out on her face. She immediately ran as fast as she could, pregnancy belly in mind, to her other half.

“Steve.” She sighed in relief into his shoulder as soon as she embraced him.

He wrapped his arms around her in what he hoped was a comforting manner, but at this point he didn’t exactly know what to do at all.

“Oh, goodness. Thank God you’re okay.” Y/N told him tearfully. “I was worried sick about you.” She sniffled as she slightly pulled away. “Your poor face.”

All Steve could do was shrug as she lightly stroked the red mark on his cheek.

“And... wow, where did you get this?” She said as she patted his green Army uniform. “It’s pretty nice... pretty sexy actua-”

“Y/N.” Steve interrupted her, not being able to ignore the weight of what he had just found out.

His wife looked up at him, noticing how serious he suddenly was. “Yeah?”

Steve internally contemplated what the best way to break the news to her would be, and grabbed her right hand. “Follow me.”

Y/N, more confused than she was before, obediently followed him into one of the nearby office rooms. It was vacant, as everything was these days.

“Sit down.” He told her before doing the same, rolling his chair right up close to hers so that their knees were touching. “Okay, sweetheart, I need to tell you something very important. But I need you to promise me that no matter what, you will stay as calm as possible.” He evenly spoke to her.

“Okay, Steve, you’re really scaring me right now.”

“Y/N, I need you to promise me. Okay? Too much stress on the baby is not good and you know that.” He said, grabbing both of her hands in his.

“Yes, I promise, Steve. And I know.” She insisted, giving his hands a comforting squeeze. “Just tell me, please.”

The man took a deep breath before just letting it out. “Natasha didn’t make it back.”

Y/N shook her head confusedly. “Wait, what? Wha-Where is she? Can you go back and get her?” The woman spoke frantically, her breaths beginning to get laboured. This was her best friend that they were talking about.

Steve could see the tears in Y/N’s eyes, triggering his own.

“Y/N, she’s dead.” He choked out. “She sacrificed herself.”

“What? No. No, no, no, she can’t be dead.” The woman started to bawl, bringing a hand up to cover her mouth. “Steve.”

“I know. I know it’s hard, doll.” He told her as he stood up them up together, his heart breaking even more at how utterly devastated she looked. “C’mere.”

Y/N crashed into his chest, still mindful of her growing stomach. Steve’s arms wrapped around her shaking form as he slowly rocked their bodies back and forth, trying and calm her down in any way he could.

Memories of Natasha swarmed through both of their minds. Memories of how she was always there when they needed her, memories of how genuinely good of a person she was.

Y/N’s heavy sobs were a contrast to Steve’s silent tears.

“Shh, shh. Darling, you have to stay a little bit more calm. For the baby, okay?” The man cooed into her hair.

The man felt her nod against him before he slightly pulled back, cradling Y/N’s face in his hands.

“Nat sacrificed herself for half of the universe. Okay? She did this so we could bring everybody back. She knew exactly what she was doing.” He tried to comfort her.

“She’s a hero.” Y/N stated, sniffling.

“Damn right.” Steve nodded before pulling his wife back into his chest. “And we’re going to make her proud, baby.” He stated while stroking her hair. “I’ll make sure of it.”

*****

Y/N giggled as she looked down at her little boy playing with his blocks, trying to build a little tower out of them. She knew that she was never crazy for keeping all of his things, despite what the people around of her said. She knew that she was never crazy for having faith that baby Anthony James would return.

She was still trying to wrap her head around the fact that he was right there in front of her after all of those years of mourning. So many sleepless nights, bawling her eyes out into her husband’s shoulder as he rocked her back and forth, trying to keep his own tears at bay. And now here A.J. was, as adorable and as comforting to her as ever.

Despite how joyful Y/N was that her son had returned, there still was a looming sadness and a looming worry in the back of her head. Sadness for what had happened to her best friend just two days ago, and how she would never see her again, and worry for her husband who had left for the compound yesterday morning, and still hadn’t returned yet. She knew that the reason Steve had left was for them to finally assemble the new gauntlet, and snap their fingers to bring everybody back. Clearly the snap had worked, so what was taking him so long?

As if he had read her thoughts, Y/N heard the front door open and the familiar thump of combat boots on the floor, alerting her that her husband was finally home. She sighed out in relief before placing a kiss on her son’s head, using the couch behind her as leverage to stand her and her baby bump up, and running... well, waddling to the front door.

“Stevie, you’re home!” The woman grinned, but her expression quickly changed when she realized that he was not only wearing the same clothes from when he left yesterday, but also had tons of bruises all over his face and every other body part that was visible. “Wha-What happened to you?”

The man puffed out a breath, holding out his arms and beckoning his wife closer. “Come on, come give me a hug.” He insisted, desperately needing to feel her touch after what he had just experienced. Seeing Pepper kiss Tony one last time as he was dying really left a mark on him. He didn’t want to loose his partner the way that Pepper lost hers.

Y/N wrapped her arms around Steve’s waist and buried her face in his chest, thankful to have this peaceful moment until: “You stink.”

The man lightly chuckled at his wife’s words, knowing that she was in fact correct. “Yeah. Thanos didn’t let us go without a long fight.”

The woman separated to look him in the eye. “Thanos? But he’s dead.”

Steve sighed. “There was a mishap with the time particles. 2014 Thanos got a hold of them and used our own machinery to come here. We fought for hours; the whole compound is in ruins.” Y/N gasped at his words, and he continued. “I would’ve changed my clothes but any spare belongings we had there are gone. This is what I was wearing under the uniform.”

“Oh my god, Steve. Are you okay?” She asked worriedly, stepping back to give his body a once over.

“There’s a cut on the inside of my leg.” He pointed to his inner thigh. “And the shield is in pieces. But other than that, I’m okay. Alive.” Steve couldn’t help but feel guilty that some of his closest friends weren’t. “But we did it, babydoll.” He spoke, wrapping his arms around her to pull her closer again. “It’s finally over. We brought everyone back.”

The padding of little feet brought the couple’s attention elsewhere as baby A.J. came into view, making a huge smile light up on Y/N’s face. “Yeah.” She said, petting her son’s hair. “I know.”

“Dadda here!” The boy squealed, and Steve felt his heart swell in his chest. Tears instantly sprung into the man’s eyes as he let out a sob, leaning down to pick up his boy and bring him into his arms.

Steve was still amazed that Anthony could recognize him based off the pictures that Y/N had shown him alone, but he probably got his great memory from the serum being passed down through genetics, if Steve had to guess. “Hi, A.J.” The man smiled through his tears, bouncing his baby in his arms. “I missed you so much, little guy.”

“No more beard.” His son spoke, pressing his little palms on his dad’s cheeks. He was referring to the beard that Steve had grown five years ago while on the run, and was still sporting when he had first met A.J.

“Yeah, buddy. I shaved.” The man explained, though he knew that the toddler wouldn’t understand what he was saying anyways.

Little sniffles broke Steve out of his A.J.-infused trance and he looked over to where they came from, seeing his wife with her hands covering her mouth while crying.

“I’m sorry, it’s just...” she sniffled again, “you guys look so alike.” She stated in awe. “It’s so cute!”

Her husband chuckled before beckoning her closer. “C’mere, doll.”

Y/N curled into Steve’s side, bringing one of her hands up to stroke A.J.’s soft, chubby cheek. “My little family.” She spoke, sighing out contentedly. “All together. Finally.” Her voice broke at the last word, all of the pain from the last seven years flashing before her eyes. But that part of her life was over now. From now on it would only be happy memories, with both of her boys, and soon her new baby girl, by her side.

Steve looked down at the two, technically three people that he loved the most in the world all surrounding him, and felt like the luckiest man in the universe. “A.J., did your mama tell you that you have a new baby sister coming?” He questioned, so excited to see his son be the best big brother ever.

“Yes!” Anthony cheered. “Mama said she in her belly!”

Steve nodded, laughing at how cute his kid was. “That’s right.” He pressed a kiss to A.J.’s forehead, and then to Y/N’s, before whispering in her ear: “This is the most incredible moment.”

She looked up at him with a smile and whispered back: “I know.”

The man debated on whether or not this was the right time to tell his wife about Tony’s death. It felt wrong to lie to her, to pretend that everything was okay, but he really didn’t want to spoil the moment. They hadn’t felt this at peace in so many years, and he just wanted to hold onto that a little bit longer.

‘Tonight.’ He told himself. ‘Later tonight I’ll tell her.’

Steve knew that she would scream and cry, just as she did for Natasha, and it was completely justified for her to do so. He wished that he just could’ve tried a bit harder in the battle, and maybe Tony would still be here, but he also knew that-that was a lie.

Everything that had happened up until this moment was inevitable. All that Steve could do now was live with it, and make sure that nothing would ever happen to anyone he cared about again.

Both Tony and Natasha sacrificed themselves so that families all around the universe could reconnect and have a moment just like he was having right now. And Steve was going to bask in this beautiful moment for as long as he could.

Next Chapter

Feedback is always welcome!❤️

#steve rogers x reader #captain america x reader #chris evans x reader #steve rogers x you #steve rogers x y/n

[puffins-incorporated]

All For One is the Father of Nana’s Son and Grandfather to Shigaraki

Before I get into the nitty gritty, I’d like to thank all the people who’s inboxes (and in one case dorm) I burst into to yell about this as I wrote it, and the people who proofread it (often overlapping). Your support has been greatly appreciated.  This has been a theory I’ve been thinking about since chapter 235, and I’m happy to finally write it up.  Based on dialogue, Star Wars, and similar physical features between the characters, I’ve come to believe that it is highly likely that All For One is the Father of Nana’s Son and Grandfather to Shigaraki.  

Edit: it didn’t show up in the tags at first because of an external link for a source but that’s been fixed

Edit2: Added Part about AFO giving Shigaraki his surname!

Dialogue

The more I reread All Might’s final battle with All For One, the more one thing nags at me.  Why (and how) does All For One know Nana’s full name (and also that cute smiling pose?  Where did he learn about it?)?  He doesn’t know the civilian name of All Might, despite saying directly to his face how much he loathes him.  He also doesn’t know Gran Torino’s civilian name even though his surname is in his hero name, and Nana outright says his first name in All Might Rising. 

Hell, he only barely recognizes him as “Shimura’s Friend..?”, despite him pretty much being the guy who grabbed All Might and got out of the fight.  Why remember Nana Shimura’s full name and not the others? 

Star Wars and Koseki/Family Records

It’s no secret that Horikoshi is a huge Star Wars fanboy.  There are so many Star Wars references ranging from obscure to blatant to “the official sub and dub had to change it for copyright reasons”.  Perhaps the most prominent reference to Star Wars is All For One.  His life support mask and revealing of Shigaraki’s relationship to Nana is quite reminiscent of Darth Vader, no?  When a Darth Vader reference appears, it is often in tandem with him.  In the original trilogy, Obi-wan Kenobi tells Luke Skywalker that his father was killed by Darth Vader.  We all know that’s a lie, though one could interpret it as true to a degree.  With the rise of Darth Vader, Anakin Skywalker could be said to have “died”.  Through Gran Torino, we learned that Nana’s husband was killed.  That’s it.  That’s all we know.  It’s possible that Nana lied about her husband dying literally.  For all we know, her husband died the day she found out he was All For One.  Adding on more Star Wars references, when talking over the outline for this with my friend, they noted how Nana and All For One as a couple could potentially mirror Padme and Anakin.  In both examples, the latter (on the “dark side” or moving there pretty swiftly) killed the former.  In any case, how could Nana cover up her husband’s death?  Same way she hid her connection to her son.  In the most recent chapter (281 at the time of this writing), we learned that Nana tinkered with the family records, known as Koseki.  I had a difficult time getting information on these, but from my understanding, while they were relatively easy to get access to at one point, these days only family members are able to.  Good thing, because according to this site (linked through tumblr) they contain “an individual’s full name; gender; birthdate and birthplace; parental relations (names of parents, relations to them, etc.); spousal relations (name of spouse, date of marriage, date of divorce, etc.); data related to the death of an individual (date, time, place of death); name of legal custodian or legal guardian; and data related to inheritance, such as the disinheritance of a presumed heir.” The same site also says “The information recorded in each family register is based on formal declarations made by citizens to their local government (municipality) at the time of a child’s birth, marriage, etc,” and that the information given to the municipalities is “submitted on a pro forma basis -there are cases in which an individual intentionally or negligently makes a false declaration’ that is subsequently incorporated as an entry in a family register,” lining up with Nana’s comment about tinkering with the family register.  

Physical Similarities Between All For One, Kotaro, Shigaraki, and the First User of One For All

This is the part that got me started on this line of thinking.  Over a year ago when chapter 235 was released, I realized that this shot of Kotaro looked… startlingly familiar.

(The anime version’s a little brighter than the scan)

Their angular features and rather defined noses were very similar, an oddity for a series with such a distinct cast of characters.  In fact, the only characters with very similar features are usually related to one another (Mom genes are a joke for a reason).  The BNHA discord I’m in agreed with me.  Around a month later, I considered the possibility that the fact I’ve been drinking Nana/AFO juice practically since I joined the fandom may have influenced my judgement.  So I sent two separate panels of Kotaro and AFO to a friend of mine.  She’s not interested in BNHA, and the only context I gave to the panels was that they were BNHA panels I wanted her to look over.  That was it.  The conversation we had is screencapped below.

If people interested in BNHA and someone uninterested in BNHA could see it, then I was onto something.  Recently, I remembered her response to the panels and that launched me into full theorist mode.  Exceedingly late on August 25, I spent at least thirty minutes scouring the manga for panels of Kotaro and pre-injury All For One. looking for more physical similarities.  And boy, did that search deliver. 

Similar Profiles

Similarly Defined Noses

A friend even pointed out how, though it’s difficult to see with Kotaro due to a limited range of expressions, that All For One and Kotaro share a crinkle around the mouth. They’re correct. 

You could even make a case that they look similarly broad shouldered as well.   

This extends to Shigaraki as well, as in at least one panel in Volume 11, he’s drawn with a similarly defined nose. 

All For One isn’t the only Shigaraki that Tomura Shigaraki bears resemblance too.  It’s been said before that Shigaraki bears quite the resemblance to the first user of One for All, and it’s easy to see why.  

Their hair is drawn in an eerily similar way. Their eyes too.  Looking closely, I’m starting to think their noses look pretty similar too. 

They also kind of look similar to All For One’s eyes (what’s visible of them) and nose too.  While I can’t be certain, I’m willing to bet that if Horikoshi suddenly decided to draw All For One with longer hair (and show more of his face), he’d look quite similar to Shigaraki (and his younger brother) as well.  People have speculated that Shigaraki is related to the first One For All user, and I agree. I believe that he’s his grand uncle, and I believe All For One is his paternal grandfather.

August 29 2020 Addition

I didn’t think to add this to the theory until after I posted so here’s the addition (which I’ll add to the main theory post later).  Why did All For One give Shigaraki his surname?  It could be argued that it’s a power play or something by replacing Nana’s surname with his own, but wouldn’t All For One take that opportunity to rub it in All Might’s face?  Wouldn’t hearing “Oh yeah I also gave your master’s grandson a part of my name” after you found out he was her grandson from your enemy hurt like hell?  You could write it off as a private middle finger but that doesn’t make much sense to me.  All For One has the subtlety of a freight train when being petty.  He could easily say it’s his name to anyone because he’s A) a minimum of a century old and B) known to have been born/raised during the time period when quirks were first sweeping the globe.  Any records on him could have been lost/destroyed in the passing years or during the chaos.  Hell, he could have destroyed them himself.  It’s safe to say that there is no one alive but All For One and Shigaraki who knows the significance of the name “Shigaraki”.  When the UA staff was researching Shigaraki Tomura and Kurogiri after the attack on the USJ, they concluded that both were using aliases. 

While all we’re told outright is that they checked the quirk registry for the two, I’m inclined to believe that’s not all they did.  Villains, for what seems to be the first time in history or awhile, attacked U.A. Highschool with murderous intent towards a teacher and his students.  Said teacher also just so happens to be one of the greatest, if not the greatest hero of all time.  There’s no way they’re just going to do a sweep through the quirk registry and call it a day.  Yet they don’t find anything on the name “Shigaraki”.  No one knows about this name, and he doesn’t say anything about it.  All For One could have given any name to Shigaraki.  So why his own?  I don’t think it’s for one last middle finger to Nana - he’d make a huge show out of doing that to All Might.  To me, I think it’s because they’re grandfather and grandson.  Perhaps it was some twisted form of sentimentality?  A twisted way of acknowledging a family member?  It’s the only thing that makes sense.

#boku no hero academia #all for one #nana shimura #tomura shiragaki #kotaro shimura #tenko shimura #One For All #My Hero Academia #toshinori yagi #gran torino #bnha #theories #bnha theory #all might #torino sorahiko #bnha theories

[popatochisssp]

Undergloom: AU Concept

What if...

Premise

This is a ‘verse where monsters aren’t made of hope--it’s something that they have to get the same way humans do, through positive circumstances and sturdy social support networks.

So...being trapped Underground with no real chance of escape was, in a hilarious bit of understatement, kind of a huge bummer.

In Undergloom, the loss of the Royal Family’s children was pretty much it for monsterkind’s hope.

The Dreemurrs never split—lacking innate internal hope, Asgore was never overcome by anger and never declared war on all of humanity, simply succumbing to his grief. Toriel did the same and so they never argued over war, collecting souls, and falling humans.

Meanwhile, without a goal and the promise of impending freedom to inspire them, monsters have largely given up. Physically, most are very weak and lethargic, on the verge of Falling Down—and Falling Down is a depressingly common occurrence. Monsters are all relatively uninterested in any humans that fall or pass through, making no attempt to capture them. Any Encounters are half-hearted at best.

Not being hunted and killed for their souls, all the humans who have fallen (the six souls Asgore would’ve otherwise collected) are still alive and have made a small community for themselves in the abandoned Ruins. They gradually congregated there upon realizing that there was no way to escape the Underground without killing one of two very sad and polite (if distant) Boss Monsters. Their eventual plan is to wait for seven humans, the amount needed to break the Barrier, clumsily learning what magic they can from disinterested monsters in the meantime. They’re all an assortment of ages now, and mages of varying skill-level, just biding their time until the Seventh Human falls and they can all be free.

Major Characters

Asgore and Toriel: They never officially separated after the death of their children, but the loss caused an emotional rift between them. While they remain married, the passion has gone entirely from their relationship and they stay together mostly as a formality, to best co-rule their kingdom. They perform their duties separately, coming together only for public appearances--or when Asgore is tending to the Golden Flowers and Toriel ghosts in to pick one, leaving just as silently as she came.

Flowey: Doesn’t exist. Asriel’s dust was spread on the Golden Flowers in the palace, but no DT experiments were ever done, so his later incarnation never came to be. He and his adopted sibling Chara are both resting in peace.

Alphys: Without the guilt caused by the DT experiments, the Royal Scientist is actually one of the most hopeful monsters in the Underground. She’s been very inspired by the (ultra-shoujo/shounen) anime she’s found in The Dump and keeps trying to create things that improve the quality of life for monsterkind—if they’re all trapped and can’t get out, they should at least all try to be happy and not give up, shouldn’t they? It’s…it’s hard to believe that sometimes, her hope isn’t unfaltering, but she wants to keep trying anyway. It’s what Mew-Mew would do! She…thinks…?

Undyne: The Captain of the Royal Guard is bitter and frustrated with the whole situation. She thinks that they should be (should’ve been) collecting human souls from the beginning, to break the Barrier—or at least they should’ve harvested one for somebody to absorb and go through to get more! But everybody’s such a bunch of weak sad-sacks that they won’t act, doing nothing at all about the tiny tribe of humans just about everybody knows is living it up in the Ruins. …but she doubts herself too, because it seems like she’s the only one who thinks that way. That’s what bums her out the most, wondering if maybe she’s a bad person for feeling the way she does, but at least… At least all the passion pouring out of a certain (very cute) Royal Scientist makes her feel better, on her worst days.

Mettaton: A discouraged celebrity, once very excited when Alphys built him a new body, thinking that he was finally going to be able to achieve his dreams of stardom, but..well. An Underground of very depressed monsters makes for a pretty cold fish of an audience. He still has a viewership because there’s nothing else on... but his performances just aren’t very passionate these days, getting more and more lackluster by the episode. He wants to inspire monsters to rise up and reach their dreams, but he just doesn’t know how to do that when he’s not even sure he believes in his own dreams anymore...

Papyrus: Another monster who has a little more hope left than most, doing his best to stay optimistic in the face of a really bad situation. He...may be in a little bit of denial, actually? He maintains that somehow, monsterkind is going to be free again! He just! Doesn’t know how! But it’ll definitely happen, just you wait, they’re totally not all going to die down here without ever getting to experience all the neat stuff on the Surface!!! He pretty much has selective hearing about anything related to that kind of hopelessness, tuning it out and not responding to it, mostly because he knows if he dwells on it too long, he’s going to have an existential crisis/breakdown of uncomfortable proportions and noooobody wants to see that mess, hahaha… In the meantime, he’s thrown himself into human studies and analysis, full-on Little Mermaid style because it gives him something good to focus on, and hope that life on the Surface will be good, once they get up there! He’s actually very close friends with Alphys because of their shared interest (though he’s not sure how sold he is on those cartoons…). He’s also trying to befriend Undyne, because she’s Captain of the Guard and seems really cool! And maybe if he could be friends with her, and cheer her up, maybe she could help him spread that cheer a little bit…? Or! Maybe he just makes a cool new friend and at least one person around here a tiny bit happier, which is also good!

Sans: A guy under no illusions that their situation is anything but terrible. He’s very weak and very tired, even for the Supremely Bummed Out monsters he lives amongst. His nihilist sense of humor and his brother are pretty much the only things keeping him from Falling Down at this point—that, and the humans in the Ruins. He’s met a few of them, indirectly, through his knock-knock routine, and he knows that there’s six of them in there now; knows that with just one more, maybe…maybe…? …He tries not to hope too hard, there’s a lot of random chance and timing involved, and humans just aren’t as sturdy as, say, a Boss Monster. Something—illness, injury, old age—could happen to any one of the humans at any time before a Seventh Human can fall… but he still checks on the door every couple of days, thinking that impossible, “maybe…”

Frisk: The long-awaited Seventh Human! They’re greeted after their fall by the six humans who preceded them, and are summarily tutored about Encounters and souls and The General Situation. After that, their quest is to go through the Underground, learning and mastering their magic so that they’ll be able to help break the Barrier. They’re escorted by the other mages, but are mostly on their own, as they want Frisk to learn and strengthen their abilities by themselves. Frisk is pretty safe in Encounters, since monsters aren’t really enthusiastic enough to hurt them, even on accident—but maybe, depending on what they say and do, they could reignite the hopes and dreams of monsterkind…?

Potential Outcomes

No Mercy - Frisk kills all the monsters they can on the way to the Barrier. Once it’s broken, one of the mages (randomly decided each run) will turn on them. They may only be a child, but based on what they’ve just done, they’re dangerous and only bound to get more dangerous as they get older—it had to end here. The last thing Frisk hears is the mages arguing over the morality of it before everything ends… and they have the chance to RESET.

Neutral -  Frisk only kills a few monsters, or doesn’t kill anyone but does not restore everyone’s hope (major characters). When they get to the Barrier, they find that their magic alone isn’t strong enough to help break it…but the other six mages and any befriended monsters will comfort them and assure them that they can just…live down here a little bit longer. They can try again in a couple years, when their magic is stronger, it’s okay, Frisk! That’s fine, they guess, but maybe…maybe they can do better if they RESET?

True Pacifist -  Frisk kills no one and befriends/inspires all main characters. All the monsters show up to cheer them on while they and the mages attempt to break the Barrier. When Frisk’s magic alone isn’t strong enough, the monsters lend their magic too, and all together it’s enough to shatter the Barrier and let monsters and mages finally go free!

Getting the Good Ending

Asgore and Toriel have to be convinced to split--they realize that they don’t fit together anymore, at least not romantically, and after everything that’s happened, it’s time for them to move on from one another and let go of the past.

Alphys and Undyne have to be brought together-- Alphys’ resolve to reach for better things is validated by Undyne’s admiration of her, and Alphys’ belief that she’s not a bad person restores Undyne’s confidence.

Mettaton needs an enthusiastic audience for once. A cheering crowd (even just of one) is enough to make him perform better, which improves his ratings and viewership, which makes him perform better, and so on in a feedback loop of glitz and glamour until he can believe in his dreams and the Underground’s again!

Papyrus is easy-- he just needs to be told of the humans’ quest to break the Barrier. He knew it! He knew monsters were going to be free one day, somehow! And here’s the proof, a band of mages on their way to make it happen as they spoke! Take that, existential nihilist dread, optimism was right!!!

Sans is both the hardest and the easiest-- he needs you to inspire everybody else first, but then it’ll just happen on its own. When he sees all of monsterkind rallying together, having hope for once...it really makes him believe in that ‘maybe,’ more than he ever could before. Ah, hell...he’ll be rootin’ for you, too, kid!

Aesthetic Notes

Mostly muted, washed out colors and plenty of monochrome, big The Neopets Gray Paint Brush vibes.

Monster magic is mostly shades of gray: the default is white but pretty much only children too young to understand everyone’s predicament remain white. The more hopeless a monster has gotten at their worst, the darker and grayer their magic gets. It’s easier for magic to darken than to lighten, so it will take many years of living on the Surface for monster to see their magic work its way back to white, and some may never recover completely--but they can always get just a little bit better! Even if it takes time!

Asgore and Toriel: Very neat and well put together, but overwhelmingly dour--the vibe you’d expect off a very proper and serious Victorian couple. Perfectly respectable black clothing (for mourning), with little to no ostentation. Crowns are pewter instead of gold. Asgore’s hair has faded from gold to more of a dishwater blond, and his beard shows several streaks of gray. Toriel wears Chara’s locket and plucks a fresh Golden Flower every day to place behind her ear, in remembrance of her children.

Alphys: Some of the brightest colors in the Underground--but in comparison to monochrome, even the soft pink and blue pastels she favors look bright. She wears a lot of cute dresses under her lab-coat (sometimes Lolita style), and always has some kind of ribbon tied in her crest or onto her tail-- it makes her feel cute and pretty and she likes the ego boost it gives her.

Undyne: Droopy fins, scales lacking in luster. She wears her hair down, long and loose about her face, but generally has the same fashion and body type as her canon self. Her appearance is one of those things she hasn’t given up on just yet!

Mettaton: A very Apple tech-esque look, clean white and sleek minimalist lines, basically an iPad on wheels. It’s pretty, but...also kinda boring. His Ex form is a lot more fun, still a little bit of a JJ Abrams look, but with a splash of Daft Punk--the Ex form can do rainbow lights and in comparison, it’s mind-blowingly, eye-searingly flashy...and suits him so much more.

Papyrus: No battle body, and not so much of a Strapping Young Lad--he’s a little slimmer in the chest and shoulders, and dresses like the sweet Boy Next Door he is. His magic is a pearly color, almost white but with a faint tinge of gray.

Sans: Not overly different-looking, favors soft and comfy clothes, anything that’s easy to pull on and cozy enough to sleep in. Extra Rounde™, precisely one notch up from however chubby-looking you normally imagine your Sanses to be. Deep shadows beneath his eye-sockets, and eye-lights that match the color of his magic--ash gray.

Not a major character but I had a cool idea for him so

Grillby: Mostly the same, but his flame burns low and rounded, more like a match or a candle wick than a freely flickering fire.

If you made it this far through all of that, thank you for listening to my idea! That’s all I got. :3

-

ETA some other stuff, since I’ve been asked some other stuff! XD

More about Grillby

Muffet and Napstablook

The mages’ powers

Burgerpants and Nice Cream Bunny

More about Frisk and Toriel

Various Skelebros Stuff: I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII

Monsters’ reception on the Surface

#undergloom #meta #Aus #undertale #concept #no projects planned #just a sandbox #hope it's a fun one! #uwu

[dumbfandomdoodles]

This is for the @ninjago-valentine-exchange ! I was Plasma A and this goes with the wonderful work by @excalimar !

Flowers and Electricity

The energy in the air was electric. Everyone in the whole city was out on the streets, dancing, crying, celebrating. They were free, they were alive, everything was over. 

Of course, what Kai was feeling might have just been Jay next to him, bouncing on the balls of his feet, finally normal again. It was entirely possible that Jay was using his powers unconsciously. They were relatively connected to their emotions, after all, and Jay had been a mess, but maybe he was finally happy again. 

Kai hoped so. Hoped that someone could be happy. 

He was just so anxious, watching, waiting for something to go wrong. Even if the celebration was for them, they still had to be on guard. They were the protectors. The people who kept everyone safe. 

And he wasn’t the only one feeling it. Only moments ago, Lloyd had slipped away, and he was certain it wasn’t for any good reasons. 

He bit his lip, scanning over the crowd again. Nothing. They’re safe. 

“Kai?” Jay tugged his sleeve, “Are you okay? You look worried.” Kai sighed, forcing a small smile for the sake of his friend’s comfort. 

“I’m fine. Just got a lot on my mind.” 

“Maybe you should put something else on your mind.” Typical Jay. Still, he had to admit, maybe that wasn’t the worst idea. 

“Like what?”

“Wellllllll….” Jay slowly turned in a circle, taking in all of the options for distraction. Spotting a small florist’s cart, his face lit up. “Get Skylor some flowers! Or, you know, literally any girl here.” His smile dropped slightly, “Any of them would be glad to be the great fire ninja’s latest fling.” 

“Yeah! Yeah. Yeah, that’s a great idea. I’ll find you when I’m done.” Kai dashed off towards the vendor, pushing through the crowd before coming to a halting stop. 

He didn’t want to give Skylor flowers. He didn’t want adoring fangirls swooning and gossiping over a fling. 

Kai turned back to look at Jay, somehow not looking lost at all, even though he was all alone. Happy to be home, he supposed. They all were, but maybe Jay the most. Well, after him, anyway. Missing Lloyd and Nya was horrible, especially knowing that he could return only to find his siblings dead. 

Jay had that too, though, he supposed. Nya was his best friend, (he’d admitted one cold night in the first realm, much to Kai’s shock and… relief.), and Lloyd was just as much his sibling as he was Kai’s. 

The crowd swelled and he lost sight of Jay, so he pulled out his wallet and began examining the flowers for sale. 

“For a special someone?” The florist lent over his bench to get a better look at what Kai was looking at. 

“Yeah, if I can find them.” Kai responded, not even really registering what he’d said. 

“Bit of a crowd, ey?”

“Oh, no, I just don’t know who my special someone is yet.” He said, eyes still firmly on the different bouquets. 

“Might be a bit of a problem. I always advise my customers to buy the bouquet that matches the person.”

“I’ll just take these ones, then.” Kai held up a bunch of small, white flowers. The florist regarded them with a smile. 

“A blank slate. Good choice.” 

And now to work out who to give them to. Kai handed over his money and turned back into the crowd, bouquet shielded by his arms. 

Not Skylor, he didn’t think he really liked her like that, not anymore. Not a fan girl. That left… Pixal. And she was sweet, sure, but not at all his type. There was no flare inside her, no passionate spark. She loved Zane, and she was an amazing Samurai X, but she was lacking the strong emotional energy that Kai craved. 

There was always the boys, of course. He’d been bisexual his whole life, but giving flowers to one of them? In public? Now? After everything had been destroyed and now barely rebuilt, he thought it would be a bit much for everyone to handle. 

Besides, he reasoned, who would he choose? Cole, their first realm leader, their rock and the kindest man he knew. Or Zane, cool and clever, ready to put everyone before himself at any moment. Or...

Or-

Or Jay. Jay who was the most expendable. Jay who repressed his emotions until he was standing in oblivion. Jay who didn’t like Nya like that. Jay with his dumb freckles that he’d given up using concealer on. Jay with his cute frizzy ginger hair. 

Jay with his electric personality to match the fire inside Kai. 

Jay who ticked all of his boxes. 

He pushed through the crowd faster now, not sure if this revelation was good or bad. 

“Kai! Where are you going?” He felt a tap on his shoulder and span around to see Nya. His eyes widened, a blush slowly creeping across his face. He’d been thinking about her boyfriend as if he could give him flowers. 

“Have.. Have you seen Jay?” Her face fell. 

“Yeah. He went to the park. They’re doing the fireworks soon. I was just coming to get you.”

“Is everything okay? You look…”

“I’m fine. Come on, let’s go to the park.” She grabbed his sleeve, dragging him through the crowd at a much faster pace than Kai thought was polite. “Who are the flowers for?”

“Uh..” How was he meant to respond to that? He shrugged. She rolled her eyes, and they continued to make their way to the park in silence. 

The crowd moved around them, everyone going in different directions. It was nice, Kai supposed, to be back among it all. To see normal beings that weren’t Cole and Zane and Jay and Wu. 

But that all fell away as they finally made it into the park, and he could see, in the last rays on sunlight, his team. He broke away from Nya, sprinting with his bundle of flowers, because he understood now. 

What family really meant. 

“Jay!” 

They collided messily, but somehow the bouquet stayed in tact and both boys uninjured. 

“These are for you.” 

And they collided even more messily still, flowers and arms and lips and joy. 

Overhead, the fireworks bloomed.

#ninjago #plasma a

[nuttygalaxysims]

The Goth Family Curse

The Goths have been my favorite family since Sims 1, back when it was just “The Sims” and I’d go grab an afterschool snack while it was reticulating splines. It’s no surprise that I spent a LOT of time with them in the Sims 2 era, including going down the rabbit hole of Bella mythology and doing unnatural things with SimPE to try to reunite the family. 

Finding the family all together again in Sims 4 warmed my cold little heart, and I got a LOT of enjoyment out of watching them interact as a happy family... for a little while.

Then it got weird... 

Bella & Mortimer were very excited to welcome twin daughters, Nada Goth and Visi Goth. As busy professionals and doting parents, they hired a nanny to keep the girls safe during the day. To be honest, she did a lot of overnights there too - money can’t buy happiness, but it CAN buy a night nanny, and sleeping through the night is practically the same thing!

I never saw exactly what happened, but somehow Mortimer, poor misguided Mortimer, wound up making a pass at the nanny. Bella overheard and was rather unimpressed, so the nanny was sent packing. Keeping up with all the kids plus their jobs was quite a strain for the Goth household; both parents often wound up utterly exhausted by the time they got home from work each day. 

Still, relationships were mending and I thought everything was going well. The kids were thriving (and toddlers can climb stairs now!?) They even put in a modest pool, at Bella’s request, so she could unwind by swimming laps without having to get a sitter.

Then one fateful evening, Mortimer returned from work very close to passing out from exhaustion. Between the monster under Alexander’s bed and two toddlers in a sleep regression, he’d been up most of the night. I’m a kind and merciful simmer, so I nudged him towards his bed as soon as he got home, before getting distracted by Alexander aging up to a teen, the toddlers getting into adorable trouble (did I mention they can climb stairs now?!), and all the other general evening chaos of homework, dinner time, and uninvited guests. Then I got THE POPUP.

Dear Old Morty had apparently decided that he knew better than me, and had chosen to unwind in the pool instead of going to bed as instructed. Did you know sims can pass out in the pool? Did you know that if sims pass out in the pool, they drown? I didn’t, but now I do. 😬😥 Level-headed Cassandra tried to plead for his life as everyone else panic-flailed, but she was ultimately unsuccessful. 

So much for the Goths being back together as a happy family...

I know I could have exited without saving to spare him, but I’ve always enjoyed rolling with the game’s surprises. Also, I TOLD him to go to bed. He’s a grown adult with four kids. Love you, Mort, but make better choices!

(Also, I still have no idea why Mortimer & the nanny started smooching - at this point, I was still playing a completely vanilla game with no mods, cc, or expansions, just the base game; he’d never rolled any sort of romantic whims for anyone besides Bella, and it wasn’t something I initiated! To me, these are the most interesting bits of the game: when these little pixel people who you theoretically control from creation to death still find a way to get up to mischief!)

I still have that saved game, minus Mort of course. Bella got over him fairly quickly and switched to a less dangerous career so she could be there for the kids. The girls are delightful, Cassandra is a surprisingly savvy business woman who spends her nights playing piano, and Alexander is a star student with a steady girlfriend. I’ll check back in with them at some point - Nada & Visi are REALLY cute, even if Nada’s preference for pastels stands out like a sore thumb in that house - but I started a new saved game here to install & test City Living.

***

Fast forward a month or two of playing the new game, and I noticed Cassandra waddling around the neighborhood visibly pregnant - SURPRISE! By this point I’d added Deaderpool’s MCCC so that the townies could find love and grow families and all that fun stuff, but I hadn’t quite gotten the hang of all the settings yet. It turns out Cassandra had a chance encounter with none other than James T. Kirk and was left with quite a surprising souvenir (but that’s another story...)

Anyway, I pop in to the as-yet-unplayed Goth family home to see what was going on, and the very first thing that happened was Mort’s bunny slippers catching on fire while he was standing a little too close to the fireplace. What did I say about making better choices, Mort?? Cassandra once again came to his rescue, extinguishing the flames relatively calmly while Bella got as far away as possible.

 A few days later, Cassandra, now a proud mom to a bouncing baby girl, caught on fire herself while making a grilled cheese sandwich. Bella reacted yet again by sprinting out of the house and abandoning everyone - way to keep it real, Bella! Everyone is alive for now, but I’m a little scared to see what happens next...

#ts4 #ts4 screenshots #the sims 4 #premades #goth family #mostly vanilla #sim stories #simblr

[ghostmartyr]

Are you still watching RWBY? What did you think of Volume 8 overall

VOLUME 9 NEVERLAND SAGA WHERE NO ONE CAN HIDE FROM THEIR TRAUMA OR THEIR FRIENDS BY TRYING TO STOP IRONWOOD FROM BLOWING UP HALF THE KINGDOM HE’S SUPPOSEDLY PROTECTING WHILE ALL THEIR OTHER FRIENDS AND ALLIES THINK THEY’RE DEAD.

POGCHAMP.

I enjoyed Volume 8, but I think it stumbles at the end enough to look back at its time management and feel not totally great about it.

Cinder’s development is solid. I’m still not very attached to her, but she has attained my interest at long last. Good for you, Cinder. Solve your emotional problems with murder. Kill Watts. Give Neo a reason to go back to trying to kill you. Make yet another mortal enemy. I support these actions.

Emerald’s flip means she won’t have sad eyes over all the atrocities she’s playing witness to while the timer goes down on her defection anymore, and that’s cool.

Ironwood’s everything is... well. Yeah. Great. Nothing like watch someone destroy themself. Oh, and everything else around them in the process. Once he got started, it was pretty clear where he was going, and that’s just sad. He goes from hugging Qrow and finding relief in his allies to shooting all of them. Shooting Jacques along the way does not even that out.

The Ace-Ops felt too cluttered for the final parts. They’re the cautionary tales, obviously, but I don’t think we get enough time detailing them for them to be on the same stage as Winter coming into her own and RWBY falling into oblivion. Qrow and Robyn get the slow burn and then the panicked call to immediate action, but for the Ace-Ops, Marrow and Harriet are the only ones who the narrative actively does something with. Marrow’s problems are obvious from the start, and Harriet’s emotional heat hints, and then reveals, a depth of trauma that this system has been crap at handling. But Vine and Elm, the critical pieces in talking her down, and centerpieces of keeping Mantle from blowing up, aren’t prominent enough in the narrative for their place in its resolution to feel quite earned. I think if we’d gotten an extra episode it would have worked a little better. As it was, I was left wanting more focus on the central cast.

Which is kind of why I’m so thrilled that RWBY+J are maybe stuck spending some quality time together. The macro plot matters, obviously, but they’ve been moving so fast. Atlas feels like a speedrun of a kingdom falling, and a little more interplay between my faves would be very welcome.

Then there’s the obvious.

Oh, Penny.

I can’t feel good about Penny’s handling in the end.

The Winter Maiden, as soon as we’re introduced, is waiting to die and offer her power to the next one in line. Winter was intended for that, but Penny interrupts.

Two days later, Winter has the power, and Penny’s dead.

This is necessary so that Winter has time to center what she actually believes before she’s upgraded to demigodhood. Winter as the Winter Maiden leading into Volume 8 would have kept her on Ironwood’s script. The disruption of expectations that leaves her vulnerable forces her to respond to what is going on, not what her side believes should be going on.

It makes sense to delay Winter’s ascension, because it gives Winter perspective that she can’t access as long as she’s in her chain of established command.

Making Penny’s value tie entirely back to supporting someone else’s story. She’s allowed to be a real girl, she’s allowed to fight for what she believes in, she’s allowed to have friends, but becoming the Winter Maiden serves Winter’s storyline more than it serves Penny’s.

Which isn’t to say they do nothing with her. Obviously, the virus making the vault look good creates a variety of opportunities. Sure, they could have filled in another domino without Penny specifically, but she’s an instrumental part of getting them inside that vault in how the story goes.

Creating a new body for her is a complicated thing. Penny’s a real girl no matter what her form is, but if you say that while cutting out the nuts and bolts -- it’s a little mixed. In the most benign way I can put my preferences, I like Penny being a robot. I’m thrilled she knows how warm a hug can feel (Pietro, patch notes, get on it), but...

Before Watts causes problems on purpose, Penny shows a little hesitance about not being your standard model of girl, but unless I’ve been worse about my watching comprehension than I thought, she doesn’t have any burning need for flesh. Changing her body is the best solution they can up with in response to her agency being violated.

It’s not my favorite thing in the world. I don’t think it’s entirely good faith to pin all of the possible unfortunate implications on it, but they exist, and they are there. And on the flip side, being granted a body that is created through nothing but who you are is a sentiment that I’m sure resonates with a lot of people. I think there’s a lot to observe in what Penny’s going through, and it’s worth discussion more than angry words.

Except before there’s a chance to collect opinion polls on that, we once again have her asking for death before she hurts her friends.

I believe there’s a post on LotR somewhere that explains why people are okay with it being a mood shift from The Hobbit. People aren’t huge fans of media they consume invalidating media they previously invested in.

Penny dies, then she comes back. Then she dies.

Penny interrupts the inevitability of Winter becoming the Winter Maiden. Then Winter becomes the Winter Maiden.

It feels like a zero sum game, but a zero sum game where our emotions were torqued around for the sake of it, and the object of said torquing is being utilized as a plot object prior to being a character.

Penny obviously has a lot of personality, and a lot of established emotional ties. She’s not just a lamp standing in a corner.

But to use the apt metaphor, you can see the strings. Penny’s trajectory seems to be moving under its own velocity -- but then that ending hits. Despite going through all of the steps to make sure that Penny doesn’t have to sacrifice herself to keep the people she loves safe, despite actually being really creative and clever about doing everything possible to keep her alive --

The plot demands her death.

It isn’t good enough to fix the pressing issue that made sacrifice look good. Sacrifice is still the ultimate answer.

Thematically, that doesn’t jive with the story we’ve been getting.

Emotionally, what the fuck, could we not.

(What’s better than the cute robot girl begging for death? Doing it twice!)

People who are in a more optimistic state about fiction at the moment have noted that Pinocchio does do a lot of dying, and I do like the read of Penny as Jiminy Cricket. Considering the full context of the world, there’s more to justify a return than a lot of characters get. It wouldn’t be the most shocking thing ever.

It’s still kind of fucked up. Penny doesn’t kill herself, but she asks others to kill her, and that’s her being a good girl.

The National Suicide Hotline gets its number placed in the summary of the episode.

Obviously there’s more to it than that, but the implications are there, and a very painful thorn when looking over the rest of her. Creating an environment where it makes sense for this character to kill themself, it’s noble, even --

I don’t think that’s a route of story that the available material handles gracefully.

It’s the “twice” that really hammers the point down into the coffin. It creates a pattern of behavior in Penny. Once, and okay. Heroic sacrifice plays are always a major source of drama, exemplifying how Good the person making the sacrifice is, and how Tragic it is that we’re losing such a good person, all because they have principles and just love these other people so much.

Only if you have a character asking someone to kill them twice in relatively quick succession, the callback isn’t to feats of heroics. It’s suicidal tendencies.

If you’re not prepared to deal with implications of that magnitude, you’ve got to make the link a lot less suggestive. Otherwise you’re telling a new story whether you like it or not, and it’s not one you’re ready for, drastically upping the odds that it’s not going to be the most polished thing ever.

What the issue becomes then, in my personal opinion, is pacing (’hey self why is the answer always pacing’ ‘because shut up’). Penny’s joy of life is a blip in between her asking for death. The heroic nature of her desire for death mixed with the awful despair of her actual death makes this endpoint of her story saturated with a darkness that sours the entire experience.

Complicating it further is the issue of trust.

The writers killed her and brought her back just to kill her again. If they do bring her back again, the faith is kind of broken. Once you show that you’re willing to move a character around like a piece on a chessboard, your audience isn’t going to trust the story enough to invest. They’re going to be looking for the strings. For a complicated special effect that takes a lot of strings, that’s a pain, because the agreement with stories is supposed to be that yes, there are strings, that’s our medium.

If you don’t trust the writers, you are not going to believe in the story.

For my personal taste, if the writers are doing something more with Penny, their presentation has made it difficult for me to see value in the journey, even if the destination happens to be something I ultimately approve of.

Anyway Robyn needs to officially adopt Qrow. He has been a bad guy bandit, now he can be a good guy bandit.

He can be the Happy Huntresses’ cute animal mascot.

That is all that matters.

That is my one, solitary thought on the entire volume.

Thanks for the ask!

#RWBY #fndm asks #why is all my meta about suicide

[starshineandbooks]

Delia sanders and the case of having family

Chapter one, what's sixteen years between family? A disaster.

Word count - 1,613

Pairing - LAMPD

Warnings - implied/referenced child abuse, cursing, threats. Tell me if I missed any

Patton messes up in this one. A lot.

    Patton stands beside his partners and children, eyes wide and searching as he looks about the airport for his boyfriend’s brother- Patton’s pseudo brother and unofficial brother-in-law- and someone who’s supposed to be his daughter.

    He’s shaky, worried, and of course scared.

    What will their daughter think of them? What will she think of her siblings? What if she hates them? 

    What if-

    “Roman! Boys!” Thomas smiles kindly, “You’re here! I sent Remus and Delia to the hotel, I know you wanted to see them here but- They needed to get out of the airport.”

    “Same.” Virgil grunts, “Meet you there?”

    “Of course! See you soon, oh- I’m so glad you get to see her.”

    Time seems frozen and simultaneously fast as they drive to the hotel, Roman and Patton talk, to fill the silence, trying to guess what Remus has been up to, what their daughter likes, if she likes poems and such.

    Janus, Logan, and Virgil listen to a murder podcast or other using headphone splitter, Janus and Logan sharing a set of earbuds.

    The boys talk happily, excited to meet their sister, the girl in the pictures.

    Nico greets them when they arrive, going to Thomas and Nico’s room first, and as if fate does not want them to see Remus and Delia again, the duo have disappeared to get dinner.

    Patton wants to scream.

    Thomas sits leaning against his husband, Nico’s, side, he speaks of Remus and Cordelia, though he’s said he’ll let them hear most of everything from them, “Remus is okay, he’s protective, of course, he always was. But- this is different. And Delia, she’s charming, but she gets the same look Janus does when she meet people, watch her.”

    Logan snorts, “I doubt we wouldn’t.”

    Patton feels rather numb to the world, but then the hotel door is opened- Nico answered it- and all heads turn to look.

    Remus, tall, wild as ever, and mustached like old times, stands beside a teenage girl. His hair has streaks of grey, Patton suspects that they aren’t dye like they used to be, and his clothes are paint splattered, manic grin in place.

    The girl looks foreign, Patton wants so badly to feel some parental tug to her, but he just doesn't, this isn’t his baby. His baby was taken when she was three, here is this strange teenager.

    Her brows knit slightly, barely noticeable, then she tilts her head, “Thomas, Nico?”

    “Delia!” Thomas grins, “Come on, these are your parents, and brothers I told you about.”

    Delia turns her gaze to her parents and brothers, “Nice to meet you,” She looks at her siblings lips quirking upwards, “You three are adorable, you know that?”

    “YEs!” Harley and Brian declare together, Pryce giggles outright in lue of response.

    “Cordy?” Janus asks, eyes meeting hers.

    “I prefer Delia,” She says, “If you don’t mind?”

    “Of course, yes! Delia!” PAtton says, and even he winces internally at the jarring peppiness to his voice, “We’re so glad to meet you- I mean- See you again!”

    She chuckles, soft, polite- Patton can’t help but think it’s an act, a dirty dirty trick- and she smiles sweetly, eyes almost sparkling, “It’s been a long time, I hate to upset you but I don’t remember you, so it is like a first meeting.”

    A dirty trick indeed, Patton thinks to himself. She would make an excellent actor, too bad she has the same tell Janus does, the slight over blinking, though she seems to have learned how to hide even that fairly well.

    No one seems particularly inclined to speak, they all stare at her and Remus.

    Delia stands fairly tall for a woman, Patton would put money that she is about six foot tall, hair that’s not wavy but not quite curly either in a dark shade, and startlingly gold eyes. 

    Remus stands about a head taller than Delia, watching over his shoulder, he never used to do that. It’s starling to see him so jumpy after knowing him to be the reason other people are jumpy.

    “I’m Logan,” Logan says, finally shifting a little, “It’s very good to see you home again.”

    “Thank you, Logan,” Delia smiles.

    Patton just can’t say that this- woman is his daughter. It can’t be the same person. His Cordy had been a vibrant, wild, cheery little toddler with big blue eyes like Logan’s and blonde hair like Janus’. She had been a gleeful singing monster, she’d called her parents variations of dad, not by first name.

    This Delia- this teenager was not his daughter, surly the others knew it too. He wouldn’t kick her out, he would try to love her, but this woman is not the same person his daughter is, they can’t be the same.

    Remus growls lowly, and everyone stares at Patton in varying states of shock, Patton realizes weakly and too late he had said that out loud.

    How on god’s earth did he manage to say that outloud.

    “Kiddo I-”

    “It’s okay,” Delia says, though the way her tone is falsely happy really dosen’t assure Patton, she stares him down, charming on the outside but her gaze is as cold as he’s ever seen, “I didn’t recognize you as my father either.”

    Even if Patton doesn't feel a parental pull towards Delia, the words still hurt.

    “Patton,” Logan says sternly, “You owe Delia an apology.”

    “I’m so sorry kiddo! I didn’t mean to say that I just- It’s so much and- goodness, you must be overwhelmed too.”

    Delai looks at PAtton, then “It’s fine, Patton.”

    The others must have done interactions while he zoned out.

    “Patt,” Logan gentles, “I know it’s hard, and you’re entitled to being upset but this is a scared child, she needs adults.”

    Patton misses the way Delia bristles at the words, but Janus sees the way she does, the settles serenely.

    “Patt,” Virgil sighs, “I get that, okay? But you need to do better.”

    “Delia,” Remus says finally, “Let’s go shower, I know you’re tired.”

    “But,” Logan protests, “We just-

    “Good night, I’ll talk to you later.” Remus says firmly, placing food down for them before stalking out, Delia at his side.

    Nico and Thomas sigh, sharing a look.

    Delia and Remus shower in relative silence then Remus asks finally, “So, what do you think?”

    Delia shrugs, “The boys are cute, they seem like good kids.”

    “Yeah.”

    “Logan and Patton seem- pretentious and I don’t like them at all.” Delia says after a moment, knowing Remus will always be there, he’s proven it time and time again, “I can’t believe Patton was rude enough to say that. I mean- I know I’m not what they wanted.”

    “That’s not true, they just wanted you, you’re you!”

    “They wanted me when I was three, which fine, I don’t mind that. But then Logan backs Patton up?!”

    “Oh little trash baby,” Remus coles gently, “It’ll be okay.”

    “I know.”

    “Good. Now, little mistake, get some sleep.”

    “Go talk to them,” Delia says.

    “What?”

    She sighs then, “I know you missed them, go talk to them, they’re your family.”

    “But-”

    “You’ll be next door. I can protect myself for a few hours, even if I hate them, I want you to be happy. Go on.”

    “I’ll check on you every half hour.”

    “I know.”

    Remus sighs, moving to his niece and ruffling her hair, “We’ll be alright kid.”

    “Good night, cephy.”

    “Good night, kitty.”

    Remus slips out of the hotel room, and Delia is left alone to reflect. An awful decision, really.

    She stares ta the ceiling, and her mind wanders over her day, focusing on the set of boys that supposedly are her brothers.

Her uncle always told her that most people are useless and should be used for her own gain, to keep her ahead of the game. 

But he also said she should never ever use children, or those she cares for. 

Remus also told her that there are good people, and she should protect them, not use or harm them.

Her brothers, she thinks they're adorable, she'd like to try to be there for them at least, like only Remus was for her. Those three boys deserve better than Logan and God forbid Patton.

Delia hums letting her eyes slip closed, letting the silence soothe her troubled mind.

---

Remus sits himself by his parents, glare leveled on Patton, "How dare you, how fuxking- I'll rip your fucking tounge-"

"Remus!" Virgil hisses looking completely scandalized.

"Screw off," Remus snaps, "You heard what he said to my sweet little trash baby!"

Everyone pauses at the endearment, a weird and very Remus sentiment.

"We're not saying he's right," Roman sighs.

"You weren't saying he was wrong!" Remus snaps.

"Remus," Thomas soothes gently, "we are all very glad to see you and Delia safe and alive. But it was a shock for us, imagine being her parent-"

"I am!" Remus snaps, "I raised her as best I could! I am he dad, even if she calls me uncle or cephy, I bandaged her wounds, I tied her tourniquet, hell I preformed half of her abortions!"

He freezes, realizing the others are quiet.

"Abortions?" Janus asks.

Remus scoffs, "Nothing. If you ask her i will destroy you."

"Remus, I-" Patton winces then, "I didn't-"

"You're not her father, you were right, Delia isn't your daughter." Remus sneers, a growl rumbling from his chest. 

"Remus," Nico soothes, "Please."

Remus scoffs, "You don't know what this pike bag did to Delia. I ought to-"

"Remus," Roman says gently, "Patton was out of line, but please, can't we just have a calmer conversation? For the boys? They're next door with Logan, just please don't wake them."

Remus scoffs, but he resigns to crossing his arms and glaring at Patton.

Just like old times.

TAGLIST (let me know if you want to be added or removed)

@battlebunnyteardropsinthesun @fanficloverinthesun

#sanders sides #logan sanders #roman sanders #ssb writes #patton sanders #virgil sanders #janus sanders #sympathetic! remus #remus sanders #SSB writes #Delia Danders #angst #Delia and family corp #Prince (Thomas sanders shorts) #Brain (Thomas Sanders shorts) #Heart (Thomas Sanders shorts) #original character #character!thomas #Character! Nico

[rairaidango]

SEEDS THAT GROW - madasaku, tobisaku, ita(ma)saku, sasusaku

CHAPTER 1 - GOOD THINGS

First chapter of the AU I have in my head. I’m just testing the waters because I’m not sure about continuing this because it’d be pr long? Like long, and maybe slow burn? It’d be a studentxteacher AU bc i’m a sucker for those. Hurt/comfort, but has depressing themes. Angsty? Dont know if its worth writing bc I’m not a writer at all i’m not good at it but I’m giving it a shot !!

TW: Depressing themes, mentions of anxiety, doing drugs and alcohol

It was loud in the house, but at least it was a familiar kind of loud that she could appreciate. People were laughing and yelling and it wasn’t ideal for Sakura, but she was excited to be going out partying. It was rare for her to feel excited about most things but clubbing on freshers week was definitely an opportunity she wanted to take advantage of; she just wanted so badly to have fun again. 

“Sakura! I have more vodka, pass me your cup! I know you’re aiming to get wasted tonight babe!” Ino dragged Sakura to her side of the kitchen counter.

“Honestly, not complaining! I NEED to get drunk, lets go!!” Sakura hollered as Ino poured her a large amount of vodka and mixed it with not enough lemonade. Ino may be an experienced clubber, but she never mixed her drinks right and that’s how Ino always ended up puking by the end of the night.

Not that Ino ever really regretted it though, she lived on the edge. 

More, I want to drink more. Note, get some soju next time to get fucked fast. 4 badly mixed drinks in, she knew she was tipsy and her giggling wasn’t starting to make sense. She was relatively lightweight, but that just meant it was easier for her to get to everyone’s levels. All the girls were laughing, even Hinata was starting to get loud over the music. Sakura was getting more excited by the minute and her smiles were getting wider by the second. This is going to be a fun night. 

“Shall we leave now? If we leave now I think we’ll get in by decent time where we won’t be too late or early.” Tenten spoke loudly over the music. “Plussss I think all of us are on a good level of drunk to dance it out tonight!”

“Oh shit I’ll call an uber now-”

“Wait!! Do it in 5 minutes Temari! I got a present for y’all before our first sem of second year starts..” Ino smiled wickedly. The girls looked at her brows furrowed, unsure of what Ino was leading on to. “Oh come on!! You know! I got some from Shika and for a discount!” Sakura’s eyes widened, she knew exactly what Ino was on about.

“Woah, already? Honestly I forgot we had even tried that in first year!” Sakura smiled as her face fell into her hands, she was even more excited now. “I’ll have just a little okay, because I’m honestly...really tipsy..” Ino grabbed Sakura’s hands and placed the budding joint between her delicate numb fingers. 

“I’ll have me some of that please and thank you! I can’t believe Shikamaru gave it to you for a cheap price! Bitch you’ve been banging him haven’t you?!” Tenten roared across the counter in their kitchen. Wicked was the face Ino plastered on but she simply answered with a zip of her lips. 

“Call the uber!”

It was going to be a night to remember.

--

Lights flashed and Stormzy’s Vossi Bop boomed loudly throughout the club, causing a large roar of students jumping and yelling. Drinks were flying everywhere and the floor was sticky with alcohol, but the girls wouldn’t have preferred it any other way. 

“Oh my god. Ino! Shikamaru is there looking over at you!” Sakura whispered loudly to the blonde’s ears. Ino’s face, already red from alcohol, turned even redder at the mention of the boy’s name. “Go oveerrr come on I know how much you love making out-”

“Shut up forehead!” Ino shouted. She was dancing in the circle of their group squashed by the many other students all jumping and dancing over the loud R&B music. “Okay I’m gonna go over, will you be okay?”

“Of course! I’m not drunk!”

“Yes you are!” Ino laughed. “Finish that drink of yours! That’s like what you’re seventh?” Ino yelled to Sakura’s ear.

“Sakura’s on a mission tonight!” Temari yelled from the centre of their circle and jumped to the music.

Sakura nodded her head grinning as she downed the glass sloppily with the alcohol spilling from her mouth. Sakura was feeling good. Her body was feeling alive with the music, she was having fun, she was with people she loved and trusted, and she couldn’t feel anything but the music on her skin and alcohol on her lips. 

“I’ll be fine!” Sakura reassured her with slurring words, with Hinata and Tenten pulling Sakura closer into their group. Ino nodded and winked at the girls, leaving their tight circle and squeezing her way towards Shikamaru. Sakura wondered how fun it must feel to be chased and wanted the way Ino was. She’d be lying if she said she didn’t miss the feeling of hands over her waist and the broad shoulders of-

No. Nope. Remember that’s a baaaad trigger and we aren’t going there! 

“Girls shall we get more drinks? Temari’s only tipsy!” Tenten shouted. 

“More drinks!?” Hinata squealed, barely able to hide her own drunken state. 

“Me and Temari will get some, you guys can choose if you want to! But I don’t think Sakura should have anymore.” Tenten laughed looking at Sakura’s slanted smile and red face. 

At the bar it was less crowded, but not by much. The girls had to hold hands and squeeze through people otherwise they’d lose each other in the sea of alcoholic students. Sakura was holding on to Hinata for dear life, pushing people away as she tried to get to the bar. She was just almost there with the girls, until suddenly she was seeing the floor and a pair of strong arms caught her.

“Shit, are you alright?” a soothing voice woke Sakura from her heavy eyes. 

She blinked slightly trying to make the image of the man in front of her, but she couldn’t recognise him. Her vision was so misconstrued and she could barely make out where in the club she was. “Hey, hey, don’t worry, just get up slowly.” the voice told her.

Who...what...who is this? Where’s Tenten? Hinata? Her thoughts ran as she stood up and was pushed into the man in front of her. Ugh...Sakura, remember this, you fell..and..soothing voice. Tall man. Is that black hair?? There’s a certain shine to it... She squinted her eyes trying to focus on the man as her vision kept swaying. Her head was pounding and the club was changing, moving, morphing... but the man was steady in front of her, his eyes looking right at her amongst the chaos of the club. It’s so dark…

She moved closer to him to smell the alcohol on his mouth. Her mouth curved into a small slight smile as she giggled in front of him, not sure of what she was doing. 

“Yeah i’m fine, but...so are you.” she giggled over the music, her voice getting higher by the end of her sentences. She couldn’t really see anything and she could barely hear her own thoughts over the loud blasting music but she could feel his hands on her back. It was innocent, but she liked the warm feeling. The touch, the feel, the electricity.

Maybe it was because she was drunk, but she snaked her arms onto his shoulders and drew her face closer. She wanted to feel more. In the club everything was blurry, she could feel him, and his hands snaked a little lower to her waist. 

“I like..the way you look.” She slurred, her face inches away from his. She could barely even see his face in the dark, but handsome was all she could think of. She saw a smile, or maybe it was a smirk, hell she didn’t know. 

“You’re very drunk.” 

“I know.” He laughed.

“Where are your friends?”

“The bar...”

“Okay, let’s get you back safe to them-” He stopped as her lips crashed onto his. Her body was pressed against his and she could hear him grunting. He didn’t push her away, but she could feel he was hesitant. 

That was, until he hugged her tight and let her tongue slip in. He tasted sweet, but poisonous. She could taste the alcohol in his mouth mixed with a sweetness that tasted foreign. Her hands slid behind his neck and into his hair as he pushed his mouth against hers even harder. It felt so good, and there was a rush of adrenaline rising in Sakura’s body on top of every other intoxication that was swirling inside her. 

Sakura remember this, remember this...you made out with this tall man, he smells like…citrus?

She tightened her hold on his hair, desperate to fall in this delightful, hazy and hot moment. She almost forgot what a hot makeout session with someone felt and tasted like; oh how she fucking missed this.

He pulled back with heavy breaths; his eyes and large hands were still on her, and she felt so at large in this fuzzy busy place swamped with other drunks. She was catching her breath as well whilst trying to get a hold of her vision. She looked down and noticed just how close they really were, and how much bigger than her he really was. 

He chuckled, a small goofy grin on his face. 

He was really cute. 

“Sakura! There you are- HEY GET OFF HER!” Sakura whipped her head in a daze to the familiar voice.

“Temari?” The said girl yanked the pink haired student away from the arms of the man. Sakura fell back into Temari’s hold giggling cheekily, glancing at the other girls.

“Sakura are you okay? Sorry I let go, you just fell and then I couldn't find you because of all the people!” Hinata cried out.

“Did the man hurt you?” Tenten asked.

“Nope!” Sakura chuckled. She was clearly drunk, and if her literally hanging onto Temari’s shoulders wasn’t enough indication of her alcoholic state, her red blushed face definitely said ‘drunk’.

“Sorry to trouble you, hope she’s fine.” He turned to the drunk girl he had the pleasure of making out with. “Happy I caught you.” He grinned, and slipped past the dancing crowd.

All she remembered was seeing a glimmer of red before her vision had darkened and faded to black.

--

“Alright, so make sure to study this chapter for next week’s class. And a reminder, all of you should have started your assignment this week even though we’re only two weeks in. I expect good work.” 

Sakura typed out the notes on the projection. This was her last class of the day, and thank god it was because she was exhausted. Second year had started more like a rollercoaster than first year had; she was ready to get into her books and assignments but this was another level of crazy. It sucked to be frank. She was excited to get back to studying and really wanted to do well, she had the motivation to excel like how she would normally be able to. However, she hasn’t been able to locate that person. She wasn’t failing, but she wasn’t working at her usual efficient standards and this was not a Sakura that she wanted to be. 

But it’s the Sakura she has been for over a year now. 

“Haruno Sakura?” a deep voice called. She looked up from her bag and saw her professor. 

“Yes sir?”

“You don’t have to call me sir, just Madara is fine. No need for that, you're in second year.” He said calmly with a slight smile. Sakura nodded and smiled embarrassingly. “About the introductory session you volunteered to help with, are you still doing that?”

Ah fuck. Sakura totally forgot about that. She had signed up to help volunteer with the session for people aspiring to do medicine in University of Konoha. 

“Yes sir- uh Madara.” The name felt weird in her mouth. 

“Okay, good. There’s a meeting later today at 5pm, you should have gotten an email about it?”

“I must have missed it, sorry. It’s been really hectic but I’ll definitely be there.”

“I understand, it’s very different from the first year experience isn’t it?” he chuckled, arms crossed.

“It really is, but I’ll be fine. And I’ll be there today at 5pm.” she repeated, not so much to reassure Madara but more to remind herself. 

“Alright, I’ll see you later. Keep up the work.” He waved off as he walked away. Sakura let out a breath she was holding. She didn’t know Madara very well but had occasionally passed by him in first year. He was a very tall man with a brooding face, but he wasn’t very scary in all honesty. He was actually quite friendly for the serious face he had.

It was just Sakura who was anxious speaking to people.

You’d think at 21, in her second year of university, having done 3 months of an internship with the well known Konoha Hospital shadowing the famous Tsunade, that she would be confident enough to talk to her professor. Even her coursemates. Or really, anyone. That guy who works for the sim card company. The cafeteria people. Honestly, this was a problem for her. She was always so anxious when there was a conversation she hadn’t planned on having; but it wasn’t always like this. At least she doesn’t sound anxious, she could fake the confidence.

She was out of the medical building and on her way to the cafe street where she would meet Ino. She needed to just talk. 

Kokoro Kafe was their meeting spot. She entered the softly illuminated cafe. Smiling to herself, she remembered why this was their meeting spot. It was adorned with gold lined lights hanging from variable lengths, pink and grey walls with pink LED lights; all of it was so very pretty. The serving counter and cashier were situated in the centre of the large cafe, like an island amongst the sea of pink and yellow lights. It had such an urban but almost angelic atmosphere to it, making it very welcoming for the many students and teachers of UoK. 

“Forehead!” a blonde with a high ponytail that could only be Ino, stood up waving. Sakura smiled, jogging to the back of the cafe. “I ordered you your fave, mint chocolate chip ice cream and sprinkles on top. I also got a large hot coco to share because you look like you need it!” Ino exclaimed, pushing the hot coco with frothy whip cream towards Sakura.

“It’s honestly just been such a long day. I had Kakashi from 9 to 12 and then Madara from 12.30 to 3.30? I’m just exhausted. I barely slept last night because I was trying to get through my damn assignment. Honestly I don’t know how you girls are not as stressed out as me..” The pink haired girl let out an exasperated sigh sipping the hot coco.

“I saw your lights on last night, at like...5am? Are you overworking already? Babe I’m really worried about you. You were alright before uni started.”

“I guess yeah I was...I don’t really know Ino it’s just...I don’t know why I’m like this.”

“Have you talked to your therapist yet?” worried features dawned on Ino’s face.

Their usual chatter bounced off each other and was filled with gossip and laughter. But silence ensued between the two friends. 

“I haven’t…”

“When was the last time?”

“I...a while ago. I just, I don’t know if I trust her anymore she’s not very helpful. She validates my feelings but I don’t feel like she’s really wanting to help me figure it out.”

Ino looked at her best friend. Ino’s grown up with Sakura ever since they were little, and she’s seen how bad things can get for her best friend. She’s seen Sakura go through some really hard times, and she knows Sakura had found therapy really tough.

“I don’t want to push you Sakura…just let me know when you’re comfortable, if you’ve started to talk to a new therapist or…” Sakura knew what was coming, closed her eyes, and sucked in a breath. “The student welfare office is actually really good.”

Sakura opened her eyes and looked down at the hot coco. “I know...I’ve been wanting to contact them for a while now…”

“I’ll come with you. And the other girls would love to come and support you as well, you know we got your back babe.” Ino’s hands touched Sakura’s on the table, reassuring her. “We just want the best for you.”

Hearing such supportive words was not uncommon, but it didn’t feel normal for Sakura. It was hard to accept the support, the love and belief that Sakura could get better. Her jaw was tight and there was a very uncomfortable feeling sitting in her stomach.

They just want the best for you...you know they do. They’ve always been there for you and...they won’t leave. Come on Sakura you know they won’t. Sakura looked at the girl in front of her. They...want the best for me. And believing that is okay...because..I deserve support.

“I’ll email student welfare...tonight?” Sakura said, each word coming out slowly as she was unsure of this promise. Her breath was stuck in her throat, like she was being choked as she continued to ponder on the thought of her friends supporting her. She knew this was a trauma response. 

“And we’ll be there. Or just me if you want okay?” Ino smiled with concerned eyes. “You deserve support, and you deserve good things.”

A tear ran down Sakura’s cheek. 

She deserved good things.

“Ah, speaking of good things, your ice cream!” 

--

Shit it’s almost 5pm! 

Sakura jogged her way to the student union past the small garden of flowers on campus. 

Student Union, alright. And 10 minutes to spare!

Small hands pushed the door open to reveal at least 20 other students all chit chatting and lounging in chairs. It was still bright outside, but the union was buzzing like it was 3pm in the afternoon. Sakura looked around, hoping to spot someone she’d recognise.

Are all of these volunteers from my year? I don’t even recognise any of these faces. she huffed as she found an empty seat by the edge of a table that seemed unoccupied. Okay Sakura breathe, nothing to be afraid of. Just talk, be happy, it’s fine, you won’t even see these people again after this week.

“Oh hey, sorry but are these seats taken?” a honeyed voice parroted. 

“Ah, no not at all!” Sakura nervously smiled and gestured for the boy and his friends to sit. The boy smiled. He had odd hair, as in, it looked mismatched. brown hair and white highlights? And Sakura thought her pink hair stood out. 

“I’m Itama by the way. And this is Shisui and Itachi.” Sakura blinked at them. She knew those names.

“Oh! You’re Sasuke’s brother aren’t you?” Sakura said, a bit loudly and excitedly. “I’m Sa-” she stopped herself. “I’m a friend of Sasuke’s.” 

Itachi, the tallest one amongst the three and definitely the oldest looking, smiled in amusement.

“OH what! You know Sasuke?” The Itama boy chirped. 

“I think I have seen you around before..” Itachi thought. “No, I’ve definitely seen you around.” his words weren’t hostile, but Itachi was definitely trying to piece it together in his head.

“Are you on the medical degree?” the one with curly hair, Shisui she noted, asked. 

“Yeah, I’m a second year.” She found it quite easy to continue this conversation, though unexpected. It wasn’t making her as anxious as she usually would feel in these scenarios. She’s also quite good at hiding though. 

“Ah, Madara is our uncle, he asked us to help out with this whole schbang of a taster session.” Shisui rolled his eyes. “But Itama-”

“I’m in my third year doing medicine. Nice to meet you, I definitely recognise you with the pink hair in the medicine building.” Itama mused, ignoring Shisui’s pointed look. Itachi just chuckled. 

“Nice to meet you guys. I won't lie, I was a little nervous sitting all alone.” she sighed.

“Awh, well I promise Itachi, Itama and I aren’t nasty-”

“I think I might even recognise you from a night out?”

Sakura choked. 

#sakura #sakura haruno #sakura haruno fanfiction #fanfiction #sakura fanfiction #sakura fanfic #sakura haruno appreciation #sasusaku #madasaku #tobisaku #tobirama #sasuke #madara #itachi #itama #shisui #itashi #as in itama #multisaku #multiship #multisaku fanfiction #angst sakura #sasusaku angst #madasaku angst #fanfic wip #seeds that grow #seeds that grow fanfic

[rotten-white-rose]

Well well, I will introduce the protagonist of this blog.

Name: Melody Gheata

Age: Apparently 19 (she really is millennia old although she is younger than Karl Heinz)

Gender: Female

Sexuality: Heterosexual

Birthday: December 29

Zodiac: Capricorn

Nicknames: Mesubuta (by Yuma), Yuki-onna (by Laito), Watermelon (by Ayato), Lilith-san (by Azusa).

Blood type: -A

Status: Dead / Alive

Race: Demon (Succubus) / Vampiress

Height: 1'80 cm

Weight: 60 kg

Eye color: Garnet

Hair Color: White

Body type: Voluptuous

Occupation: 3rd year High School Student, Queen of Hell

Appearance: Melody's style ranges from casual to gothic. What she uses the most are dark colors, such as black, gray, maroon or dark purple. You will never see her in pastel colors or white, since for her, wearing white is wearing a funeral dress. She almost always wears cleavage. Also as an accessory, she wears a special necklace for her that is only removed from her when she goes to sleep, where she leaves safely.

Personality: She is an arrogant and broken woman. She has great pride and always boasts of her benefits. She is flirtatious, she likes to play with fire but she knows the limits and she never gets to the point of burning. Although she flirts more to make the person nervous than to get something. Despite covering herself with an arrogant, frivolous and immature attitude, she hides a woman who wants to be loved just as she is. She always hides her true intentions and feelings.

Hobbies: Studying constellations, reading and playing the piano.

Favorite food: Sarmale (Romanian food)

Relatives:

Father: Lucifer (deceased)

Mother: Rosemary (deceased)

Twin sister: Kuroko (deceased)

Good traits:

Loyal

Charismatic

Compassionate

Kind

Bad traits:

Arrogant

Proud

Immature

Liar

Powers:

Immortality: She cannot die, not even if she wishes it with all her soul.

Self-regeneration: If she receives a fatal wound, she will regenerate, regardless of how long it takes.

Power and custody over two dragons: She ended up ruling hell and with it, by her unwanted power from her, she received the blessing and loyalty of two dragons who rule life and death.

Change in shape or appearance: She can turn into a wolf or change her appearance to hers at a different age.

Clone invocation: She can summon a clone of herself, but said clone is a shell that will only repeat what she wants it to say. Pretty useful if she doesn't feel like doing something.

Story:

In a cold winter, on a night where the moon was bathed in blood, two twins were born who were to be immortal human beings, pure and immaculate beings, all according to the plan devised by Lucifer. However, the older twin was born still alive, with no heartbeat or temperature. A being that was not human, if not a monster corrupted by the demonic and vampiric blood of her progenitors. The younger twin, on the other hand, was born everything as Lucifer had planned, an immortal human. It can be assumed that the monarch of hell was not at all happy with the outcome of it. A plan that ended in disaster, all because of "that thing".

Despite everything, both girls were given love and affection, at least, by her mother, who loved her little and adored Melody with all her soul. From the moment she saw her huge maroon eyes watching her, she fell in love with her tenderness. She was sorry that her husband hated her eldest daughter so much, but she was calm when she saw that she paid attention to her youngest.

"Since Kuroko receives affection from my husband, I will give all my affection to my precious and sweet Melody." Those were her thoughts. However, the demonic blood that ran through the veins of the little one of hers did not take long to blossom, unleashing and corrupting her with only 3 millennia. With an incessant thirst for blood, she slaughtered the army guarding hell and this gave Lucifer the perfect excuse to imprison her. Melody spent 12 millennia imprisoned and tortured. She couldn't die, because her body ended up regenerating even if she didn't want to. She wanted the light, she wanted freedom and wanted with all her soul, her death. But not even that was allowed.

At 15 millennia, she got enough strength to be able to escape from her prison, ending the life of the one who had locked her up and getting the power of hell. Unfortunately, her mother had lost her sanity, due to her guilt and sadness at not being able to rescue her from such an ordeal. Melody fulfilled her mother's request and ended her life in the smoothest possible way. As for Kuroko, the relationship of both sisters was always complex. They hated, envied and at the same time, admired each other. They had a confrontation and the winner was the oldest, although it was not by her own hand. To this day, Melody regrets both the death of her mother and that of her younger sister, she regrets not having been able to do anything. As for her powers, she had become so strong that she ended up gaining the loyalty of the two dragons that today channel her powers. Said dragons were the guardians of life and death: Vitae, the blue-eyed white dragon that hated humans and Mortem, the red-eyed black dragon that, unlike its companion, loved humans.

She decided to stay in hell so she could take over both the kingdom and to investigate her father's writings. She was able to understand the objective that she had set herself to achieve and the reason for those visits with that man who called himself Karl Heinz. That plan ... without a doubt, "that man" had no qualms about using anyone to carry it out. She also found "plan B" and was surprised to see that she was precisely the main target of that plan. She burned the papers after reading them and decided that she would live as a human. It was what she wanted. Freedom and light. She wanted to feel humanity in her own flesh, to feel the warmth and to be able to live among humans. She wouldn't be Lilith… she wouldn't allow herself to be part of a stupid experiment.

Years passed when she had come to the human world and settled in a Transylvanian town. That town was the home of her mother when she was human. Melody achieved a few years of happiness, where she had fallen in love and committed to a human. Just on her wedding day, when she was 17 millennia, she learned secretly that her future husband was only going to marry her to get her fortune and status. She could see that he was with another woman. It was then that she understood that humans were selfish, cruel, capricious, and lying beings. She was carried away by her anger and sadness, letting her emotions speak for her. That is why her snow-white wedding ended up being covered in crimson.

"If my feelings cause this ... if my feelings cause me so much pain ... I don't need a heart!"

She decided to return to hell, where she got a coffin full of white roses. Those flowers were her late mother's favorites and they were her favorites too. She lay down among the roses and decided to sleep for two millennia ... until someone woke her up, for her to continue her reign and receive a visit. Apparently her father's great friend, Karl Heinz, had decided to talk to her about business.

"So, will you accept the proposal, dear?"

“Yes, after all, my life is already boring. Living again between humans and vampires ... fufu, I wonder if your children can really bear it ... I'll make you see that both the plan of "that man" and yours, are not going to bear fruit. Just as my birth was a mistake, the plan to get Lilith and Eve to find two Adam and start a new race… will end in error. "

"We will see if it really is as you say. Until then, I will be a spectator. I hope you don't disappoint me. "

Curiosities:

She has died in every possible way.

She is right-handed.

She has two bodies. The first is the real one, without self-regeneration and the second is the regenerated. Her real body is a decomposing corpse, but due to the self-regeneration that her body unconsciously exerts, she always has a young and immaculate body.

She loves cold temperatures as they make her feel "alive".

She hates and adores winter.

Her fangs are much longer, sharper, and larger than those of an ordinary vampire.

Although she doesn't admit it, she fears loneliness.

She has a great knowledge of the constellations and loves to see the starry sky.

Her hair is extremely long, as she reaches above her ankles.

She is lazy and loves to sleep.

She may feel pain, but she's so used to it that she doesn't notice it anymore.

She tends to woo cute girls, even though she's just kidding.

 When there is a red moon, her powers are increased, while in an eclipse she feels completely weak.

She always wears a necklace that her mother gave her before she died. It consists of a silver cross with five diamond-shaped garnet gems. Behind the cross, there is an inscription in Romanian that says: “You are my light. You are my life. Please live and be happy. " Melody feels extremely attached to that necklace and if it were to break, she would end up devastated, since it is the only memory she has of her mother.

#diabolik oc #diabolik lovers #my oc

[yuta-nakamots]

Beautiful Time - h.rj ; Part 4 of 6

Pairing - Vampire!Renjun x Reader

Genre - Fluff i guess?? with some angst in the beginning??

Warnings - Mentions of blood, feeding, general vampire stuff

Summary - Vampires are creatures forced to walk upon the earth for longer than humans could possibly imagine. One would think it gets boring after a while, but not to Renjun, the foreign exchange student who seems to know a little too much about the early twentieth century. 

Word Count - 3.2k

A/N - this is the last calm chapter we’re having haha. sorry it took me so long to update. i just started online summer school but my schedule turned out to be somewhat lighter than expected so i’ll try to update more frequently. feedback is greatly appreciated!

Today was the day that you’d be saying your last farewell to your friends and family. It was a day you dreaded and feared for, a day you never thought you’d ever have to endure. You were at the airport, surrounded by your loved ones as they wished you well in your journey abroad. You wished you could trick yourself into thinking that it was just that simple, that you were only going to be away for four years before being able to return, but you knew it wasn’t that easy.

Renjun was there for you the entire time, he was waiting for you at the check-in gate and came to help you with your luggage as soon as he saw you step out of the car. “Hello, my name is Huang Renjun, I’ll be a transfer student at the same university as y/n this coming school year. Nice to meet you” he said, introducing himself to your parents as he struggled to keep a respectful distance between the two of you.

“Oh, that’s wonderful! It’s nice to know that y/n will already have a friend before school starts. She’s not the best at making friends” your mother jokes, oblivious to the way you rolled your eyes at her.

Despite the fact that Renjun was there, your emotions were just too much. You tried your hardest to not let the tears escape your eyes as you hugged your favorite relatives for what just might be the last time, though your crying would be easily justified anyways.

Once your little party had dispersed, everyone leaving the airport to continue on in their normal lives, you turned to Renjun who immediately pulled you into a hug before the tears could start falling again. You let out a sob, your tears wetting his shirt as he held you in his embrace. “Everything will work out, I promise. You won’t ever be alone as I’m still alive” he whispered, his lips almost grazing your ear as he spoke. “I know it’s not the same but you have a family with me. Whether it includes the other guys or whether it’s just us, I’ll stay with you, I’ll protect you.”

You felt numb the entire plane ride, barely even speaking to Renjun other than asking how to say the name of the airport, which he told you was the ‘Changchun Longjia International Airport’ and even taught you the pronunciation in Mandarin. As soon as the plane had taken off, Renjun was quick to raise the armrest between the two of you and pulled you so that your head rested against his shoulder, his arm wrapped around you with his hand gripping your waist.

Renjun felt your intense overflow of emotions from the sadness and grief of parting from your loved ones to the fear of making such a giant change in your life, the excitement of going somewhere new, but also the smallest amount of happiness and fulfillment. He didn’t know the cause of it, but you did. You knew you loved him even if you weren’t big on vocalizing it towards him, but you always showed it to him whether it be through the way you untangled his hair after he spent an hour messing it up out of frustration, or the way you pressed your face further into the hoodie he was currently wearing. You let his scent calm you and eventually sleep overtook you, your energy spent from dealing with so much within just the past few hours.

By the time Renjun is gently rubbing your shoulder and calling your name to wake you, the plane is already about to land. Once you got off the plane and retrieved your luggage, you didn’t even have to think about finding Jaemin, who was supposed to pick you up because that’s literally what he did. Your mind was blank, just absently staring at the ground when suddenly the monotonous tiled floor was no longer under your feet. You didn’t even have enough energy to flinch as Jaemin’s arms held you as he swung you around cooing, “oh my baby is finally here! Do you know how much I missed you? Did you miss me too? I think you did!”

Renjun had to forcefully grab you out of Jaemin’s hold while lightly scolding him, “can’t you see that she’s tired?”

“My little cutie can fall asleep in my arms any day” Jaemin said, pulling you back into his arms and smashing his cheek into yours as if he were a cat. Renjun could only roll his eyes as he took your bags over to where Haechan was waiting, leaning against an expensive-looking car and as you got closer, you noticed it was a Tesla. You were shocked that they had a Tesla, you were even more shocked to find out that Haechan could drive, as none of them had previously mentioned any driving abilities, not that they really needed it with their superhuman speed.

“Did you guys actually steal a car or what?” Renjun exclaimed, clearly just as shocked as you.

Haechan scoffed as he pushed himself off the car, “‘or what’ is your answer. I’ll have you know that we didn’t steal it and it was fully paid for,” he said as he helped Renjun and Jaemin with your luggage, “not by us though. Chenle paid for it. That kid is loaded, I swear.”

At the mention of the new ‘kid’, Renjun’s face lit up as he let out a noise of surprise. As Renjun helped you into the backseat of the car, you made eye contact with him and asked, “who’s Chenle?”

“Ah! Chenle, he’s-” Renjun began, only to be cut off by Haechan, who was buckling himself into the driver’s seat.

“A pain in the ass.”

“Haechan, please be quiet or so help me, I will remove you from this vehicle.” His statement caused you and Jaemin to laugh, only getting an eye roll from Haechan as he started the car. “Chenle is, I guess what you could say, a younger cousin of mine. He’s a whole lot closer to your age though,” that sentence earning a chuckle from Haechan before Renjun reached over to smack the side of his head before continuing, “so he and I are definitely a ways apart in the family bloodline but I heard he was recently turned and he’s in training to take over some business his family runs.”

“Oh? How old is he?” You asked, excited to possibly meet someone who hasn’t been the same age for over ten years now.

Jaemin abruptly turned around, nearly scaring Haechan as he pulled out from the stall, his toothy smile showing as he spoke to you, “he’s only nineteen though he was turned a few years ago so I think he should be about twenty-three maybe.”

“Anyways,” Renjun began, “I think you’d like Chenle. He’s a lot more modern than I am so he’ll probably get your jokes more often than I do.”

“It’s okay that you’re old,” you interjected, “I think it’s cute when you get all confused and I have to teach you.”

Renjun shook his head, letting out a sigh of embarrassment, “The important thing about Chenle though is that he’s still considered a new vampire and I think you’ll find comfort in him since you’ll be transitioning alongside him. You’ll have him to play around with and talk to so it won’t be as lonely.”

“Yeah, you wouldn’t believe how boring it was to just have Renjun to talk to” Haechan blurted as he navigated his way out of the airport.

“But you two are like old grandpas,” Jaemin complained, “I had no one to play with and talk to, they were both already some thousands of years old when I was turned. It was like being around mummies” he said, clearly exaggerating.

Despite the overly playful bantering, you were actually thinking about this Chenle guy and you were excited to meet him though you immediately associated him with your imminent fate to become one of them. The thought makes you shudder just a little because you had already done your own research and you knew just how painful it could be.

Haechan seems to always drive a little faster than what seems safe but you’re too tired to care, already dozing off, leaning against the window. The next time you open your eyes is due to Jaemin screaming at you to wake up as the car pulls up in front of a small, traditional, yet cute looking house. The aesthetics of the house immediately sparked the architecture major in you and you knew you could spend hours admiring what you assume to be Renjun’s house, but thankfully said boy pulls you inside the front door, not giving you much time to fully root yourself into the driveway.

Renjun himself seemed to pause in awe when he walked through the front door. “Like what we did to the place?” Haechan asked with a smug look on his face. The interior of the house was almost nothing like the exterior. The furniture was modern but minimalistic, mostly white with occasional wooden accents and grey walls. The difference was almost shocking yet you noticed how there were still traditional elements like the dragons carved into the walls and the gold plating around the light switches.

“Chenle paid for it” Jaemin stated. Again, it was that kid being mentioned with money, causing you to wonder just how much of it he had while Haechan complained to Renjun about how much work it was to remodel, only having himself, Jaemin, and Chenle to do the work. Though when Renjun continued to ignore him and wander off down a hallway, he moved onto bothering you, telling you how he plans to enroll in an interior design program in order to be your other half, who was interested in exterior design.

You playfully pushed him away as you followed Renjun, not wanting to be left alone with the most annoying one out of the bunch. You walked down the hallway to find Renjun  and Jaemin already in what you presumed to be you and Renjun’s shared room.

It was a large, spacious room, the walls colored a cute pastel grey-blue mixture, almost the same color as Jaemin’s hair, ironically. Your eyes went from the large closets on opposite sides of the room to the entrance to the bathroom with the beautiful marbled flooring, then finally landing on the large queen-sized bed which was definitely an upgrade from the twin bed that you and Renjun had gotten used to sharing, the other person always half, if not fully, on top of the other.

Haechan quickly joined the three of you and immediately took it upon himself to challenge Jaemin, “I bet I can unpack a suitcase faster than you.” So of course, they both used this opportunity to utilize their enhanced speed to compete against each other in unpacking your suitcases, only slowing down to ask you or Renjun where you wanted a certain item or who it belonged to. You thoroughly enjoyed the show they put on for you, even if it was slightly headache-inducing due to the fact that your eyes couldn’t fully capture them moving so quickly.

By the time you sat down to eat the stew Jaemin had lovingly cooked for you, you were starved. You had barely even taken a single bite when there was a knock at the door. Jaemin left his position in front of the stove to see who it was, exclaiming as he opened the door and letting out a loud “Chenle-yahhhh!”

Your head immediately jerked up at the mention of the name, curious to see what he  looked like after hearing so much about him. You were met by his fox-like smile and darkened red eyes as he introduced himself to you, already seeming to know who you were all the while squirming in Jaemin’s hold. “I’m Chenle, though I suppose you could tell already. Nice to finally meet you, y/n.”

“Oh, I’m so happy! Our Chenle is finally talking to a girl! And I can’t believe my two babies are here together~” Jaemin’s incessant cooing causing Haechan to do his infamous dry heave as Renjun directed your attention back to your stew which was already cooling down.

Once Jaemin had calmed down, he took a seat next to you as Haechan and Renjun were busy talking to Chenle about business-related things. You had slowly lost your appetite, as you still associated Chenle with the fact that you had promised them that you’d let them turn you once you settled down here. Jaemin sensed the drop in your mood and didn’t hesitate to grab your hand, that had balled up without you noticing, and drawing shapes on it while reassuring you that it won’t hurt as much as you think. “Y/n, look at me. As long as Renjun is here, it won’t hurt at all. Don’t worry about it, okay?”

He only continues speaking once you take another mouthful of your food. “You’re lucky you have him, though I was lucky enough to have my sister. She turned me to save me after we got into a car accident with my parents,” he looked at you to gauge your reaction, going on after he sees you still chewing, “my parents didn’t make it and she knew they wouldn’t so instead she chose to save me, not wanting to lose all the people she cared for. Personally though, I only really appreciated her after I made the transition,” he looked at you again and you motioned for him to continue while gathering up another scoop. “She spent her early years as a vampire going back and forth between us and her husband. I didn’t realize how much self-control it took until after I had to experience it myself, the constant thirst, especially when your significant other isn’t around.”

You swallowed the food that was in your mouth before asking, “why do you always refer to relationships as if you’re still human? You never just call people ‘mates.’”

“Ah, I think that’s because I’m still fairly new to the whole vampire thing. I still view relationships the way you would, you know? I could be married by now and had kids if I was still human, I think I’d be turning thirty this year” he mused.

While you were lost in the thought of Jaemin having kids and chasing his own little toddlers around, you didn’t notice Chenle taking the seat across from you until he cleared his throat, a little too obnoxiously for Haechan’s liking, getting a slap to the back of his head. The second you looked up and made eye contact with him, he asked “so when are you turning?”

All eyes went to you and Renjun, who had begun stuttering from the sudden attention. “W-we, uh, we haven’t discussed it yet.” If his ears could turn red, they’d have been burning by now.

“Well hurry up then. I can’t wait to finally have someone to play with. Everyone here is so old and boring, they don’t even know what memes are” Chenle quips, earning himself yet another slap from Haechan along with an eye roll from Jaemin, who claims he’s not that old and knows what memes are too.

You miraculously managed to finish your dinner and stayed to help Jaemin clean up the few dishes he had used to cook for you. Haechan and Renjun had ventured off somewhere while Chenle stayed seated at the table, only turning the chair around so he could face you and ask you questions while you did the dishes. Chenle asked you countless questions ranging from when you were born to what your favorite season was and if you had watched the latest trending shows on Netflix.

You could tell he was much closer to your age, as it soon felt like you were talking to just another friend rather than someone who wasn’t even the species as you. Chenle was very energetic and playful, already having taken to teasing you in the slightest ways while cracking jokes that you doubt Renjun, or even Haechan, would understand.

As you finished with the dishes, Renjun had returned to the kitchen, coming up behind you and wrapping his arms around your waist while resting his head on your shoulder. “My love, there’s something I want to show you” he murmured into your ear, gently pulling you away from the sink. Jaemin and Chenle followed along as Renjun led you downstairs and through the lounge area you only caught a glimpse of earlier.

While your attention was drawn to all the high-tech gaming devices set up, you didn’t notice the solid steel door Renjun was guiding you to, only turning to look at it as he was turning the handle and pushing the door open, revealing Haechan inside a small room painted almost entirely grey. It resembled the look of a hospital room, except instead of the cot, there was a metal table with leather straps hanging loosely from the sides which Haechan was playing with.

You looked at Renjun, having an idea as to what this room is for, as he places an arm around your waist and steps inside. Haechan looks up and clears his throat loudly, almost as annoying as the way Chenle did earlier except this one is filled with pride. “Lady and not-so-gentlemen,” he began, Jaemin whining from behind you, clearly upset at Haechan’s choice of words, “this room is my work of art, which Renjun had commissioned me to construct. It is complete with state of the art noise cancelling walls and sealed ventilation to aid you in your transfer from human to vampire” he said, with a smirk at the end.

You were taken aback at how blunt Haechan was being, but you didn’t have much time to dwell on it due to Jaemin letting out a loud ‘wOW’ and running to the table, dragging Chenle along and asking him to strap him down. You let out a laugh at their childish antics while Haechan let out a sigh before turning back to you and Renjun and stating, “I’ll be ready whenever both of you are.”

Later that night, as you were cuddling in bed with Renjun after letting him feed from you, you turned to face him in your euphoric haze and whined “Renjunnieee~ when are you going to make me into a vampire? I want to be like youuu.”

“When would you like to do it, darling?” He replied, smiling at your current state, your eyes barely even open as you struggled to stay awake.

“I want it a-s-a-p,” you babbled, “as soon as possible.” Renjun only laughed as he placed a hand on your cheek while running his thumb over your lip. “I need to stop aging now or else I’m gonna end up older than youuuu.”

Renjun wheezed at your worry of passing his frozen age of twenty when yet, he was well over a hundred years old. As you were about to start whining again, he leaned in to press a kiss to your lips, effectively silencing you and saying “we’ll turn you as soon as possible then.” He pulled away slowly as your eyelids fluttered shut, smiling to himself as you let yourself drift off to sleep.

A/N - this is the last calm chapter we’re having haha. sorry it took me so long to update. i just started online summer school but my schedule turned out to be somewhat lighter than expected so i’ll try to update more frequently. feedback is greatly appreciated!

@nct-writers​

#NCT WRITERS #NCT imagines #NCT scenarios #NCT fanfic #beautiful time #NCT dream imagines #NCT dream fanfic #NCT dream scenarios #Renjun imagines #Renjun scenarios #Renjun fanfic #kpop imagines #kpop scenarios #kpop fanfic #nct #NCT dream #renjun #huang renjun #NCT renjun #NCT huang renjun #NCT dream huang renjun #NCT dream renjun #NCT fluff #NCT dream fluff #Renjun fluff #kpop fluff #NCT angst #NCT dream angst #Renjun angst #kpop angst

[is0gild]

Ice Cream and Fire Oven Pizza - Chapter 26

Pairing: Elsa x Lea/Axel || Side Pairing: Riku x OC

Summary: Modern AU. She's an introvert ball of nerves who works at Ice Palace, a mall food court ice cream shop. He's the outgoing, sassy goofball who works at the Pizza Planet across the way. Hilarity, snark, and fluffy romcom hijinks ensue.

Word Count: 8,801

FIRST CHAPTER || PREVIOUS CHAPTER || NEXT CHAPTER

Credit for super friggin’ cute and super friggin’ amazing cover art goes to the super friggin’ talented ky-jane here on tumblr!

We stepped into the ballroom together and everything was just as grand and impressive as I'd remembered it. The room was immense, stretching two stories high with giant, elaborate gold and crystal chandeliers hanging from the embellished ceiling. Majestic columns lined the east and west sides of the room, with heavy red velvet curtains draped between each one, currently tied back to reveal the long banquet tables of food behind them. The celebration was already in full swing and the place was just simply packed with family and acquaintances I recognized, each guest dressed more fancy and sophisticated than the last as they all mingled or took a turn about the dance floor.

Or at least, that's what they all had been doing before Lea and I had made our entrance. Maybe it was just my imagination… maybe I was just being paranoid… but I swear the whole place suddenly went very still, all chatter dying down to a muted undertone as it felt like every last eye in the room turned toward me.

My chest seized and I swallowed hard, taking a tiny step back.

This was a mistake. I couldn't do this. I couldn't be here. I couldn't-

"Crabclaw?"

I twitched at Lea's low voice right next to my ear. My eyebrows knit together and I turned a quizzical look towards him. What… Was he asking if I wanted hors d'oeuvres? ...no, I don't think they were even serving crab tonight. I frowned, mulling it over for another second before squinting at him. "...is this you trying to whisper sweet nothings to me again?"

He chuckled, "Please. You'll know when I'm laying some sweet sweet nothings on you. Nah, I was just taking another crack at it."

"Crack at…?" I cocked my head with a frown. Crabclaw…? Come to think of it, something about it was prickling at the back of my brain. Now why did that sound so…"Oh!" Realization struck. "My favorite ice cream?"

"Yup!" he tapped his nose. Then his lips pursed to the left with a small hum before he was shaking his head. "But that's not it either. Seafood in ice cream? Blech! You're adventurous, but that's a lil too out there, even for me."

My brow furrowed. "...you think I'm adventurous?"

Did I miss something? Was today Opposite Day?

"Course!" he grinned. My face scrunched up in pure disbelief and he laughed. "Well let's check the scoreboard here. You ran out on your wedding and everything ya knew to start a new life from nothing. You followed a devilishly handsome stranger," he jerked a thumb into his chest with a smirk, "up a decrepit old clocktower. You jumped last minute into open auditions for a musical with barely any preparation or practice." Lea shrugged, "Seems to me there's at least some small part of you that's attracted to the unknown. Ergo: adventurous!"

I looked away with a tiny scowl. "I think you mean ergo: stupid."

"Eh. To-may-to, to-mah-to. No true adventure is complete without a healthy dose of stupidity thrown into the mix anyhow. Lil pearl o' wisdom for ya there, courtesy of yours truly," he beamed.

"Such sagely advice," I snorted before my face softened. "...thanks, Lea. I… think I'm ready to do this now."

"But you already are."

With a start, I realized we were walking. Had been walking. I hadn't even noticed when we'd begun. Those big double doors were long behind us now as we weaved our way further into the crowd. No one seemed to be looking at us anymore. I suspected they had only gotten more discreet about it.

"Oh, look, there's the birthday boy now," Lea gestured with his chin towards where my grandfather stood not too far off, greeting and shaking hands with a couple that'd arrived just before us. He was looking a lot warmer and friendlier than I'd seen him all weekend. Then again, Grandfather had always been very good at putting on a cordial mask for the public. Lea asked, "Shall we go give the ol' boy our best wishes?"

I gnawed on my lower lip for a second before sighing, "Alright."

Might as well get this over with.

We made our way over just as Grandfather was finishing up with those guests. As if sensing our approach, he turned to face us and immediately went very still. However, his poker face was in top form this evening for it betrayed nothing as he just stared at us impassively and waited.

"Grandfather…" I paused, floundering a bit under his scrutiny. But then I took a deep breath, forced a tremulous smile and simply said, "Happy birthday." Releasing Lea's arm, I stepped forward and got on tiptoes to plant a swift peck to Grandfather's cheek, just as I'd done for all his birthday's before. Just as if everything were normal, even though they were very much not.

He answered with a stiff nod and a polite smile that did not quite reach his eyes. "Thank you, my dear."

Retrieving my hand to once more fold into his elbow, Lea piped up, "Happy birthday, Sir!" I preemptively winced, waiting for the surely inevitable 'Gramps' that always followed. However, it never came. I stared at him in stunned silence. Pretty sure Grandfather was doing the same. Amazing… perhaps Lea actually could take things seriously when he really- "Wow, seventy huh? Keeping it tight, big guy! I mean, hell, it's gotta be more candle than cake at this point! But man oh man, you're still pretty spry for a dude your-"

"Enjoy your evening, Grandfather!" I said quickly, turning to make a hasty exit and yanking Lea along with me. Once we had put a safe distance behind us, I shot a tiny glare up at him.

"What? I was complimenting him!" Lea defended himself. I gave him a flat look and he snerked, "Hey now, I told ya I would be on my best behavior. No one ever said anything about my best being any good."

I huffed quietly, one side of my mouth twitching up. "Fair point."

"So then," he pulled us aside, stopping next to one of the columns as he grinned down at me. "We've put in our appearance. Did what we set out to do. We came, we conquered. Wanna split?"

A small laugh hummed in my throat. "As lovely as that sounds, we can't leave already. We've only been here a few minutes. I appreciate you trying to get us out of here as soon as possible for my sake, but I'm doing okay at the moment. I can last a little while longer."

His grin ticked wider as his hand rose to gently brush a strand of hair off my cheek. "Okay then. Whaddya say to a lil jaunt about the room then?"

"A 'jaunt' you say?" I cracked a smile at that. "My, sounds fancy."

"Babe, ya got me in a tux for this. Damn right I'm gonna be fancy. C'mon, you can point out all your relatives to me as we go, tell me all their deep, dark, icky secrets they don't want anyone to know about." His hand drifted down behind me, slowing to hover over my lower back as he looked to me in silent question.

I hesitated for a heartbeat before giving him a nod. Then I felt his warm hand pressing to the bare skin at the small of my back as he guided us into a walk once more. Suppressing a little shiver as we went, my eyes scanned the crowd for faces of interest.

Everyone was still doing it. Watching Lea and me. I could no longer see them doing it, but I could still feel it. All those eyes following us as we went. And really, I couldn't blame them for it. Hardly six weeks ago I'd broken off my engagement in the most public and humiliating way possible to my ex, his family, and my family… and now here I was, parading my new "boyfriend" around my grandfather's birthday celebration as if everything were fine and dandy and like I didn't have a care in the world. This seemed inappropriate. Callous. I wouldn't have even done it if my parents hadn't all but insisted… why? Why were they putting me through this? They must have had a goal, an objective behind it all, I just had yet to fathom what it could possibly be.

Trying to take my mind off the swirling questions, not to mention off the ever growing numbness in my knees from anxiety, I focused harder on searching the room. "Hm… ah!" I pointed, "See that man over there? In the wheelchair with the wild poofy hair?"

His gaze followed my finger. "Talking 'bout that mummified corpse they wheeled in? Ya mean that thing's alive?"

I pinched his arm. "Be nice, he's very old. Anna and I have called him Grandpabbie ever since we were little. He's Grandfather's father."

"Shit, that's not old, that's ancient. Have ya ever asked him what it was like, growing up in the freaking Stone Age?" He snorted as I swat his shoulder. "Seriously though, how many years we talking here?"

A crease formed between my eyebrows, "...I don't really know actually. Honestly, I'm not sure anyone remembers anymore, possibly not even Grandfather. Certainly not Grandpabbie himself, he's sadly not really all there these days," I grimaced as we moved on before my eyes landed on another pair of people who were peering in our direction. "And there's the Duke by that painting over there."

"Ah yes, the Duke. Still reeling from the pleasure of the last time we met," Lea waggled his fingers in a teeny wave towards my uncle. Even from all the way across the ballroom, we could see him agitatedly puff out his mustache as he stuck his big nose up high into the air and looked away. "I think he likes me."

"Oh yes, he's positively tickled by you," I said dryly. "That woman he's talking to is Yelena."

Recognition flickered in Lea's eyes. "Right, Anna mentioned her showing up with your cousins this morning. She's your aunt?"

"She's Mother's aunt, my great aunt," I corrected as I observed her. She was studying us both currently with a slight frown and a calculating look in her eye. "She's… strict. Solemn. Very stern and proud. But I think she always means well."

Lea scoffed, "Boriiiing! C'mon, where's all the juicy dirt on these people? Looking for the primo, blackmail-worthy shit here."

My feet came to a stop once more as I half chuckled, half sighed. "Sorry, there just isn't any dirt to share. My family is rather unexciting in general."

"Nah," his hand shifted over to my hip now, pulling me in to nestle up against his side, "they're rich. And the rich always got some nasty skeletons hidden away in their closets, just gotta know where to look."

"If you say so," I muttered, face warming slightly as I leaned my cheek against his chest. It just felt natural. I mean, it's what a girlfriend should do, right? Listening to the low, soothing rhythm of his heartbeat, I cast another glance around. "...oh, there's Mattias. See the woman he's dancing with?"

"Ya mean the one he looks all twitterpated over?" Lea murmured as his hand came up to fiddle with a few of my curled locks.

Nodding, I said, "That's his wife Halima. I've known her since before I can even remember. She's very sweet."

"Mm," was his only acknowledgement to that, fingers still twirling the pale strands between them.

I went on, "She always made the best macaroons… Ah! Here's some dirt for you," I whispered conspiratorially. "Her secret ingredient? Baby applesauce."

"...mm-hm," he hummed softly as I felt him press a kiss into my hair.

Pushing away from him now, I narrowed my eyes up at him, "Hey, are you even listening to me right now?"

"Wha-? I-" he stammered, sheepishly scratching a spot behind his ear before laughing. "Course I am!"

I turned my head slightly, giving him some side-eye. "Really? Then what's the last thing I said?"

He shrugged and smirked, "That Halima's the one in the wheelchair."

A traitorous snort escaped me despite myself. "Oh, you think you're funny, don't you?"

"I'm a goddamn riot and you know it. In fact-" his words suddenly cut off as his gaze landed on something past me. "Uh oh. Inbound, six o'clock."

I turned to see what he was talking about. It took me a second before I spotted them: the Duke and Aunt Yelena making their way through the crowd, beelining straight for us.

Oh goodie. This should be fun.

"Ah!" Uncle Weselton declared as they closed the distance to join us. "Here's the young mongrel-" he forced a loud, exaggerated cough into his fist, "ahem, I mean young man now. Elsa's new consort…" he sniffed and glared down his bespectacled nose at Lea. Or at least he tried to but seemed to be having some difficulty, seeing as how Lea towered at least a good foot over him. "...I believe… Lou, was it?"

He flashed a toothy grin back. "Lea, actually, but that's alright. Names can be tough to remember, especially the single syllable ones and especially at your rather… distinguished age." The Duke bristled, huffing under his breath something along the lines of 'the audacity' but remained otherwise mute. Turning his attention to the other person who'd joined us, Lea held out a hand towards her, "And you must be Aunt Yelena. We were just talking about you a sec ago. Pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Yelena's face was unreadable, neither cold nor warm as she considered the hand offered to her for a few seconds. At last she took it with a curt, business-like shake but didn't release it right away. No, instead she turned it slightly so she could have a better look at his fingernails. More specifically, at the black painted to them. Her only visible reaction was to arch one silver brow.

"...charmed, I'm sure," she stated evenly in that flat, no-nonsense voice she always seemed to have as she finally let him go. Then her eyes turned to me and she bowed her head slightly, "Elsa. You're looking well this evening."

I ducked my head quickly to return the greeting. "Yes, as… as do you."

Turning her sharp gaze on Lea once more, Yelena began, "So tell me, young man… how did you and my niece meet?"

Wasting no time, I see. Diving straight on into the interrogation.

Just keep your cool, Elsa. We'd already worked out the details to this story, so everything should be fine.

...so then why was there this uneasy feeling churning in the pit of my stomach?

"It was 'bout a year ago," Lea was saying, his hand reaching for mine and lacing our fingers together. "Met on a train and struck up a delightful lil conversation with her."

"I was on my way back to Traverse Town from Corona," I tacked on. "You remember that trip Anna and I took last summer, Aunt Yelena."

Her eyes flicked slowly back and forth between us and I noticed there was now the barest hint of a downward pull to her lips. Settling her gaze back on Lea, she remarked, "And you thought it would be okay to seduce and corrupt a young, innocent woman in a long-term, committed relationship who was engaged to soon be married?"

It wasn't said like an accusation, merely a dry statement of fact. Still the sheer bluntness of it seemed to catch Lea off guard as he stiffened, stammering, "I- uh, heh… well, ya see-"

"And you," she turned those flinty eyes on me now. "You gave little to no thought as to the impropriety and dangers of a girl of your means and station consorting with some strange man you'd just met on public transport."

Again, there was no harshness to it, no criticism but more just a… curiosity. And again, it struck like a blow to the gut, only this time to me. "Ah… Aunt Yelena, it… it was just a harmless chat on the train…" I said, fidgeting with one of my earrings.

"Outrageous!" barked the Duke, startling a flinch out of me.

Yelena's gaze narrowed on him briefly before returning to me with a harrumph. "Harmless, you say… tell that to the fiancé you left standing at the altar."

Ouch.

Sighing deep in her throat, she looked up at Lea. "Please. Go on."

He blinked and echoed, "Go…?"

"I presume there's more to this than a chance encounter on a railcar. Continue," she insisted dully.

"Oh! Right! Er…" he gave a nervous laugh, scratching the back of his head as his eyes darted about. Interestingly enough, Aunt Yelena was the first and only member of my family so far who seemed to give him pause and think twice about snarking her. "...well, there… may have also been a, heh… romantic, late-night stroll round town?" It came out sounding more like a question, almost as if he'd be willing to change his answer if she didn't like it.

She held him with a long, hard stare. Then she was addressing me, still with that ever-present monotone, "You mean to tell me you took your sister to stay out all hours of the night, wandering an unfamiliar town with some mystery man you'd only just met?"

"Disgraceful!" Uncle Weselton snarled, swishing his bushy mustache to and fro. Yelena shot him another not so subtly veiled glower out of the corner of her eye.

Ignoring him, I squared my shoulders and told her, "No, don't be ridiculous, of course not!" However, I was quick to deflate as I nibbled at my lower lip. "Anna wasn't there. It was just me... alone with the mystery man… roaming the streets and back alleys of a city I was unaccustomed to… all night long… straight through to morning…"

Great. Thanks a lot, mouth. Way to make that all sound so much better.

"Deplorable!" was the Duke's deep and insightful commentary this time. Yelena just remained stoically silent.

Pulse beginning to thud loudly in my ears, I licked my dry lips and tried, "It… it actually wasn't as untoward as it- wait, let me start over… you see, there were these floating lights- lanterns! That's what they… what they're called. That's when- on the train, we... " I screwed my eyes shut. My throat was closing up. I pushed past it, "...let's see… there was a… a park, and… a f-ferris wheel… a café with a belly dancer- wait, no, palm reader! ...or p-poet… was it? Lamppost! Almost forgot! Earlier, there was a lamppost! That Lea, he… just bam! Right into… actually, now that I think about it, that part isn't really… all that important to the-"

"Annnnnd that's enough storytime for now!" Lea suddenly chimed in, interrupting the absolute trainwreck that was spewing forth from my lips. Thank god. "If you'll 'scuse us, I promised my lady fair a spin 'bout the dance floor." I felt his palm at the small of my back once more, steering me away from my aunt and uncle.

The Duke blustered nonsensically for a few breaths before snapping, "Listen, you, you, you- we're in the middle of a discussion here! You can't just walk off, you-"

"Watch us," came Lea's dangerously chipper response as he led me away.

"Well, I never! Of all the rude, abhorrent, insufferable, belligerent-"

"If you don't have anything of substance to add to a conversation, could you please kindly cram a sock in it, Weselton?" I heard Aunt Yelena cut him off dryly. Her eyes remained trained on us as we went, her expression blank as ever. Eventually she turned to walk away, leaving a spluttering and blotchy-faced Duke behind in her wake who eventually stormed off.

...was this why my parents had requested Lea and I attend? Were they purposely putting my shame out in the open and on display so it could be met with censure and rebuke? Were they trying to teach me a lesson of sorts? ...or maybe it was more like a punishment. Disciplining me for disappointing them. For being so thoughtless and selfish. Showing me that there were consequences for my actions.

I pulled myself from my musings, only just now realizing that we'd stopped moving. Lea had come to stand in front of me, taking both my hands in his. Brow furrowing, I glanced about to see that we were surrounded by other couples twirling gracefully in time with the melody of the nearby string quartet. My eyes widened, "Oh, we're really…? That wasn't just an excuse? To get away from…" I trailed off, frowning. I could still feel all those eyes. All that judgement. All that disapproval. My hands pulled free of his and I hugged myself, feeling all my muscles beginning to tighten and lock up. "No. This isn't right, we shouldn't do this. People are staring."

"So?" he said softly as his hands found mine again and held them to his chest, tugging me a step closer. "Let them stare."

I looked down, eyes shifting about frantically. "But-"

"Forget them. Don't even give 'em a second thought. They're not important." He hooked a finger under my chin, gently lifting my gaze to meet his. "Just focus on me, 'kay? You and me. We're all that matter right now."

Part of me still wanted to argue, but the words were getting stuck in my throat. So instead I swallowed hard, gave a small reluctant nod, and did just that. I focused on him. On those mesmerizing green eyes of his. On his winged guyliner that he'd still elected to don in all its swoopy glory, even here, to this ball of all places. On his warm smile that was starting to melt away some of that tension inside of me bit by bit.

He was drawing me closer now, pulling my hands up to clasp together behind his neck. Shaking my head, I managed to find my voice enough to mutter, "This is not how a couple is supposed to waltz, you know."

That infamous dimple of his emerged. "This is how we waltz," came his low reply as his arms encircled my waist, hands coming to rest at the exposed small of my back once more. This time, I couldn't hold back the tiny shiver.

"...this could be considered quite scandalous really," I told him, fighting the impudent little tug I felt at the corner of my lips as Lea started to turn us in slow circles. "I suspect that even now the Duke is watching us, stewing and steaming and this close to blowing his combover sky high."

"All the more reason to be doing it," his eyes crinkled as he lowered his forehead to mine.

He was doing it again. Giving me that look. The soft yet intense look. The look that made my insides a little wobbly. The boyfriend look. He was so good at it. As well he should be, he certainly practiced it enough, even at times when it was just the two of us with no one else around. I suspected he probably had trained and perfected it in front of his mirror at home. It was… potent, to say the least. And just not fair, really. My ex had never looked at me this way, so it wasn't something I was used to. I didn't know how to deal with being the target of such a stare. I didn't know how to process. It was overwhelming… confusing…

...ugh, get a grip, Elsa! It wasn't even real! He was just an actor playing a part for the masses around us.

Still… knowing that didn't exactly make this any easier…

Quick! Distraction time! Find something to talk about!

I gave a weak chuckle, "So… I'm royally awful at the whole talking thing, huh?"

Interesting tactic. Starting a conversation by pointing out how bad you are at conversations. I like it. It's gutsy.

"Dunno 'bout that, you do just fine with me," he grinned, not removing his forehead. "But if ya mean what happened back there with your aunt and uncle, heh… maybe you should just leave the chitchat to me for the rest of the evening."

"Probably for the best," I agreed. "But I had to give it a shot at least once. I have to learn to stand up for myself eventually, you won't always be around to fight my battles for me."

His smile faltered a fraction. "...El, I always got your back. No matter what our fake relationship status is, I'm always gonna be there for you, got it? I'm not going anywhere."

There they were again. The warm fuzzies, marching right on in like a parade with banners waving and trumpets blaring. "Thanks, Lea… I'll probably need it. My family can be quite persistent and stubborn, especially when they think they're only doing what's best for me."

Lea shrugged, "Well, no one ever said the fantabulous emancipation of one Elsa Fryse was gonna be easy."

"Don't I know it," a sigh escaped me. Then a tiny, wistful smile pulled at the edge of my lips. "...we should have ran away when we had the chance. Maybe we still can. It's not too late."

"Mm, don't tempt me," he smirked as his hold around my waist tightened, hugging me closer still. I just hummed a soft laugh at that. His gaze became half-lidded as he continued to watch me. Then he cleared his throat, "So, uh… I've been thinking…"

I wrinkled my nose with a snort. "Uh oh."

"Hey now, hear me out. You wanna send a message to your folks, right? Tell 'em they can't boss you around anymore, that your ex is gone for good and that I'm here to stay, so they can take all their controlling bullshit and shove it up their hoity-toity posteriors, right?"

Biting back a grin, I said, "Not quite how I would have phrased it but… yes, more or less I suppose."

"Well I may have a way to do just that. Send a message, loud and clear, big and bold as a giant, flashing neon sign. All we gotta do is kinda, sorta break one of our guidelines we set up at the beginning of all of this. Not so much break though… more like bend. Nudge it, really, into a nice easy curve," he explained as the ballroom kept gradually spinning around us.

One of my eyebrows quirked. "Oh? And which guideline would that be?"

There was a tiny glimmer dancing in his eyes now. "...let me kiss you."

I snerked and shook my head. Impressively, his forehead still managed to remain connected to mine. "You kiss me all the time."

"No," the tip of his nose tickled mine, his breath warming my lips as he murmured, "I mean let me kiss you."

...oh…

...actually, no, I still wasn't quite sure what he was trying to-

Oh!

Wait, no... I mean, he couldn't be- That wasn't what he- Not that, certainly not! He didn't- He would never… He couldn't possibly mean…

"...as in on the mouth?" suddenly came blurting out of me.

No way. There was just no way. He wouldn't-

"Mm-hm," he nodded with a sly little grin.

Oh. Well then, my mistake. Apparently he would.

...ah! This was a joke! He was just messing with me again! That had to be it! Alright, fine then, let's play along.

I breathed a feeble laugh, "And you really think that would get my parents to back off for good?"

"Well, I think it's at least worth a shot!" His grin twitched wider, "So...?"

"So…" I squinted at him uncertainly. Then I blinked. "...what, you mean right now?"

"No time like the present!" Lea chirped.

"But here? In front of all these people?" This was a joke. A prank. That's all it was. A game of chicken to see who would wimp out and veer away first.

"Exactly! What better way to make a statement. A declaration, one that your whole family wouldn't be able to ignore. We could go all out too," his eyebrows waggled. "Give 'em on hell of a show. I could shove you up against one of those columns over there, or throw you on a table and just really go to town on you."

Now I know he was kidding. He was being absolutely ridiculous. With a little huff of a laugh, I said, "Oh wow, you'd be willing to do all that just for me? You're too kind."

"My generosity knows no bounds," he agreed solemnly before the smirk was back. "So…?"

"So…?" I repeated, stretching the syllable out as I knit my eyebrows together.

"Let me kiss you," those words passed through his lips again, this time in a whisper that made my heart flip-flop.

He… was joking… right? Somehow, I wasn't so sure anymore. And come to think of it… the idea of kissing him didn't seem quite so scary as it had a couple weeks ago when I'd first established that rule. In fact, it now seemed like it might be maybe sort of… nice… One might even say appealing and-

Oh gosh, I wasn't seriously considering this, was I? This was a bad idea! A dangerous idea. The line between crushing on the guy and fake dating the guy had already become perilously blurred enough as is. Throw a kiss into the mix and it could only jumble my already befuddled feelings even further.

...then again… how much harm could one teeny, tiny, insignificant little kiss do? Really? We were professionals, weren't we? I could handle it, couldn't I? And okay sure, did I actually think one small peck at a party would be any sort of deciding factor when it came to whatever my parents had to say to me tomorrow? Not really, no. But you never know, it could, uh… rattle them! Yeah! Or-

Was I seriously trying to rationalize the kiss to myself now?!

That's it. Mouth? As the main involved party that will be most primarily affected in this matter, I leave the choice up to you. You should have zero problems coming to a decision, right? I mean, you speak your mind all the time without consulting me first anyway, so just go for it. I wash my hands of this. Go on, decide away!

Pulse racing and face heated and having zero clue what I was about to say, my lips parted.

"Pardon me."

Both Lea and I froze at the sound of another voice.

My mother's voice.

I watched his eyes close and his shoulders slump, heard a faint exhale escape him. Then he lifted his forehead from mine as he straightened up and plastered on a smile that he directed towards Mother. She was standing just off to our right, beautiful and sophisticated in her purple evening gown accompanied by a shawl draped loosely around her arms. Lea greeted, "Mrs Fryse. You look lovely tonight, Ma'am."

"Thank you," she nodded graciously in return. "And apologies, I don't mean to intrude, but it was dawning on me that I've been neglectful in my duties as your host. Please, come with me and we can make our rounds introducing you to some of the family."

"Oh! Uh…" he frowned, his gaze drifting back towards me.

"It's fine," I said hastily, my hands unfastening from behind his neck and retracting as I took a step back from him. "Please, go on ahead. I'll…" my eyes flicked about before spotting a familiar flash of auburn across the way. "Ah! I think I see Anna over there, so I'll just go join her and you can come find me when you're done."

He still seemed reluctant to leave and I didn't blame him. Some of my relatives made Yelena and Weselton seem like an absolute treat by comparison. Finally he rose a hand towards my face, grazing the curled knuckle of his pinky along my cheek. "See you in a bit," Lea's voice was low as he tenderly pressed his lips to my brow.

Then he turned, offering his arm to Mother in a gentlemanly fashion. She slipped her hand around his elbow and he grinned, "Lead the way, Ma'am."

I watched them disappear into the crowd. This was for the best, really. Now I could avoid a repeat of the minor fiasco I'd experienced in front of Aunt Yelena. Lea was so much better at dealing with people anyhow. Who knew, maybe he'd even have the whole family singing his praises before the night was out.

Wishful thinking, but hey, it could happen. You don't know.

I brought a hand up to rest lightly over my heart, which had yet to fully calm down. I still didn't have the foggiest as to what my answer to Lea would've been if Mother hadn't interrupted us. And luckily for me, I'd probably never have to find out. The moment had passed. Honestly, it was probably for my own good too. Now wasn't the best time to be opening up that particular can of worms.

Sighing, I started making my way towards where I'd seen Anna. It only took navigating the crowd for a few seconds before I located her standing next to one of the banquet tables, chatting and laughing with Maren.

I couldn't help but notice how elegant they both looked - Anna in her slinky yet tasteful green dress and hair done up in a voguish bun, Maren in her stylish, strapless black gown that accentuated the sparkle of her jewelry. Anna looked so at ease here, so natural. She was in her element here, while I very much was not. This world had always been more her domain than mine. I could certainly put on a fancy dress and look the part, but beyond that I was a lost cause. I did try. For the sake of my parents, I really had tried. But the more time I spent away from this life, the more I came to realize just how much I'd never truly belonged in it in the first place.

Maybe after this nerve-wracking weekend was finally and at long last behind me, I could start to figure out where it was that I did belong.

"Sis!" Anna smiled as I approached them. "I was hoping you'd turn up soon!"

I tipped my head to one side. "...you were?" Anna? Not taking one look at me and running from me like the plague? And actually, dare I say it, pleased to see me?

"Uh-huh! Because now I can give you this," she beamed, plucking a glass flute up off the table and offering it to me. It was identical to the one in her other hand and filled with some mystery beverage - guessing champagne, judging by the bubbles.

"...oh," I breathed, trying not to let my disappointment color my voice too much as I gingerly took it from her. "Thanks." Bit of a let down, especially considering I probably wasn't going to be drinking it. But hey, at least it was something. At least she had managed to stay in my presence for longer than ten seconds so far. Maybe this could be seen as her way of making a peace offering. Extending the olive branch. Maybe she was ready to talk about whatever she'd been holding back from me.

"So Anna," I began, but immediately stopped as I watched her blanch and go rigid.

Okay… take that as a no, she wasn't ready. Not at all.

I clamped my mouth shut, eyes darting to the left as my mind scrambled for something safe, something light. "...your dress is very pretty. Both of you look gorgeous this evening."

Anna visibly relaxed, piping up with a, "Thanks, Sis!"

"Back at you," Maren grinned, clinking her own glass to mine before raising it to her lips. "Slipped away from that boyfriend of yours, huh? The way you two were carrying on, I thought you were going to be attached at the hip all night."

I laughed softly, shyly twiddling with one of my earrings, "No, Mother whisked him away so she could introduce him around."

"Brave man," Maren snerked.

Trailing a finger absently along the rim of my flute now, I asked, "And where are your dates tonight?"

"Pft, you kidding?" My cousin shook her head. "As if I'd ever drag my girl into the lion's den. Trust me, she's perfectly content staying out of the Lifestyles of the Rich and Snooty and I am more than happy to let her do that."

"I envy her. Staying out of all this sounds like a dream come true," I nodded before glancing to Anna. "And what about you? Where's your new boyfriend? I was looking forward to meeting him finally."

"Oh, him? He, er… couldn't make it at the last minute! That stinker," she gave a weak chuckle, averting her gaze as she took a swig of her drink. "Yeah, he unfortunately… had a thing to do… with the stuff! And you know how important the, uh… the thing and the stuff can be! But he'll be here tomorrow, I promise! You'll totes get to meet him before you leave! Yup! Yooou betcha! Heh..."

"...I see." Tomorrow? Would that really be wise, given all the family drama that was surely about to explode that very day? Ah well, I suppose there was nothing for it. I forced a small smile, "Can't wait."

"Oh hey! Tomorrow's your big talk with Mom and Dad too, right?" she piped up suddenly and I nodded with a slight grimace. "Aw, chin up, don't look so blue! I'll be there holding your hand through the whole thing! We're in this together, Sis, so you got nothing to worry about, I promise!"

Another smile, this one relieved and a touch more genuine. "Thanks…"

Then there was a pause.

Of the long and uncomfortable variety.

...screw it, I was just going to try and ask her again.

"Anna, I-" There it was once more. That panic flooding her eyes. I hesitated, taking a sip of my drink just because it was there. I hardly even realized I was doing it. Oh well, one sip wasn't going to hurt me. I was too anxious to even taste it. Rallying, I tried again, "Could we please maybe-"

"Oh my god, is that Grandpabbie?! Sis, did you know that Grandpabbie was here?!" Anna squealed. "Lookit him, he's so cute and squishy and small! I'm gonna go attack him with snuggles and smoochies!"

Once again, off she went. I had no choice but to let her go, just hastily calling after her, "Be careful, he's fragile!"

"Please, he's tough as a rock!" Anna shouted back before the crowd swallowed her whole.

My lips pressed into a thin line. Maybe Lea was right. Maybe I had to stop trying to push her and instead just give her space, trusting that she'd open up in her own time.

Still… didn't mean I had to like it.

"Sorry about earlier, by the way."

I gave a tiny jolt as Maren suddenly spoke up. Fudge, I'd forgotten she was here. Not quite sure what she was talking about, I turned a bemused smile towards her, "Oh?"

"Didn't mean to make you uncomfortable by drooling over your man," she grinned and shrugged, swirling the liquid about her flute. "I was only teasing anyhow since I didn't think you two were serious, but I never would have in the first place if I'd known."

"...known what…?" I arched an eyebrow, just now becoming aware of the fact that I'd idly brought the glass up to my lips again. Whatever, two sips weren't going to hurt me.

"That you're in love with him."

I choked and spluttered on my drink.

Sorry, who's in what with huh now?!

Wheezing for breath as my face flared up red, I asked, "In love? Who said anything about-"

"It's okay, nothing to get all bashful over," Maren cooed, free hand flicking a dismissive wave. "Anna told me."

My eyes narrowed. "Told you what exactly?"

"I believe her exact words were true love," she used air quotes with a snigger.

"Ugh, Anna," I grumbled, pinching the bridge of my nose. "You know how she is. Just take everything she says with a grain of salt."

Maren cocked her head, a shrewd glint to her eye now. "So then you're saying it isn't love?"

I twitched, cheeks warming again. "I, er… well I never said... um…" Why did this question make me nervous? With a start, I realized my anxious hand had raised the flute to my mouth yet again. Gah! Someone take this thing away from me, I was turning into a friggin' lush over here! Swiftly depositing the glass onto the tray of a passing-by waiter, I cleared my throat and wrung my hands together. "I, uh… I'd rather not talk about it."

She considered me momentarily. Then a knowing smirk spread across her face and she simply shrugged again, looking past me now. "I'll say this for your boy. He certainly seems to be handling the gauntlet well."

"The gauntlet?" I asked, turning to follow her gaze. There Lea stood, a bit of ways off with Mother still on his arm, the pair of them surrounded by what looked to be a small army of my relatives. I frowned, "...you don't think they're giving him too hard of a time, do you?"

"You kidding? Our family is a bunch of vultures who can smell lower-middle class from a mile away and trust me, they're tearing into him like a fresh carcass. Correction, politely tearing into him," she snorted, downing the last of her beverage before swapping it out with a fresh one from the tray of a different waiter. "Love or no, it's not everyone who'll put up with that BS. He must really care about you."

...they probably were indeed putting him through the wringer over there. You wouldn't know it by looking at him, for he was all big grins and loud laughs and modest hair ruffling. But you could see it in the faces of my relatives. In their smiles that were just a little too plastic and in their eyes flashing with poorly concealed disdain.

Perhaps this was why we had been invited to the ball. My parents had indeed wanted to teach a lesson, only not to me but to Lea. Try and make it clear to him how unsuitable and unacceptable they thought it was for him to be with their daughter. That no matter how he dressed himself up, they'd always consider him unworthy and lesser than. That he would never belong in this world… never belong with me.

And yet, he didn't seem to be fazed by any of the subtle yet nasty snobbery. He was still just as bright and cheerful as ever. He was putting himself through all of this and for what? He was getting nothing in return. He was going out of his way and turning his life upside down, all just out of the goodness of his heart and to help a friend.

I'm not sure what exactly compelled me to do it. Maybe it was this foreign, tingly sensation tugging inside my chest. Or maybe it was just the champagne talking. Either way, I quietly excused myself from Maren as my feet started walking forward, pushing my way through the other guests and heading straight for Lea.

Coming to a stop behind him, I reached for his sleeve with a soft, "Pardon me."

He whipped around at the sound of my voice, eyes lighting up. "Need something, El?"

"Could I borrow you for just one moment?" I smiled up at him, slipping my hand into his.

"Course!" He looked back to my mother and the rest of that little group. "If you'll excuse me, ladies and gents, I'll be back in a jiff!"

Entwining our fingers together, I lead him a few steps away from my relatives, just enough to be out of earshot. When I turned to face him again, he grinned, "So what can I do for ya?"

I didn't say anything, just crooked a finger. Probably assuming I wanted to whisper something in his ear, he ducked his head down next to mine. I then gently cradled one of his cheeks in my hand and pressed a kiss to the other.

Except it wasn't so much his cheek I kissed as the corner of his mouth.

I blame the champagne.

Because really, what other logical explanation was there?

His whole body tensed, his eyes growing round and unblinking. As I started to pull away and take a step back however, one of his hands shot out to snag me around the waist. Pulling me back to him, he nuzzled his nose to mine, gaze hooded as he murmured, "You missed."

Ignoring that little flutter in my chest, the corners of my eyes crinkled as I hitched my chin slightly. "I suppose I did. I was aiming for your cheek."

"Right… cheek… that's what I meant," Lea released a breathy chuckle as he let me go now and straightened back up to his full height. "So, uh… what was that for anyway?"

I gave a low, thoughtful hum. "...just a small thank you for everything you've been doing for me. These last couple of weeks can't have been easy for you... putting up with this silly, harebrained scheme, not to mention juggling it with your school and job too. And now on top of all of that, you have to deal with my haughty and condescending family as well."

"Psh, it's nothing," he brushed off with a laugh, scratching his cheek. "I can handle a lil passive aggressive crap from these pompous old farts easy. Trust me, I've dealt with a way worse, so don't even sweat it, El. If this is what'll help ya out, I'm more than happy to do it!"

"But it's not just that. If it weren't for you, I think I might have gone out of my mind over the past weeks dreading seeing my parents again. But you kept me calm… and actually also kind of made it a bit fun too. And you've also always just been so supportive, which has meant a great deal to me. I don't know if or how I'll ever truly be able to repay you for all of this madness, but just know that I… I'm very grateful for all that you've done." Then a slow, tiny smirk tugged at one side of my lips. "...plus, now maybe you can finally rinse off your nose. It has been getting a bit smelly."

Both his hands shot up to clamp over said nose. "Shit, does it really?"

I gave him a flat look. "I was kidding. Please tell me you weren't actually serious about never washing it again after I kissed it last week."

"Dead serious," he beamed as his hands lowered. "And jokes on you, cuz now neither my nose or this spot are ever gonna know the touch of soap again!" He pointed a finger to the corner of his grin, just now drawing my attention to the fact that my lipstick had left a faint mark there.

A noise emitted from my throat that was part scoff, part snort. "Come here," I sighed, reaching a hand up to wipe it away.

However, he snatched my wrist, stopping my thumb a centimeter short of his skin. "And just what do ya think you're doing, Missy?"

"I got some of my lipstick on you, I was just-"

"Leave it," he winked. "It's a gift from my fair maiden. I'm gonna wear it proudly, like a badge of honor. Now if you'll 'scuse me, a gaggle of your persnickety relatives are still just dying to rip me a new one. I shan't keep them waiting any longer." Planting a quick peck to the back of my hand, he said, "Be back at your side before ya know it. Try not to miss me too much."

I crossed my arms, shaking my head as I watched him go. As he rejoined that group with Mother, I couldn't help but overhear one of my aunts commenting, "Lea dear, you got a little…" Her lips pursed and she swiped a finger at the corner of her mouth, causing my face to warm as I realized she was referring to the lipstick.

It only roasted more when Lea declared boisterously, "Hell yeah I do!"

If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go find a rock to hide under now.

Burying my face in one hand, I spun around and made a fast retreat.

"I saw that."

My step faltered as I heard those words and I glanced over, discovering Anna had appeared practically out of thin air to fall in step beside me, a wide cheshire grin stretching across her features.

A crease emerged between my eyebrows. "Saw…? I'm not sure I-"

"Don't play coy with me," she said smugly as she nudged my shoulder with hers. "You know exactly what I mean."

My head tilted to the right. "...you're referring to the kiss? That was just for show," I averted my gaze, dropping my voice to a whisper so as not to be overhead.

"Sis, please. There's being a couple, and then there's being a couple. I can't help but notice you two have been getting awful cozy this weekend, going a bit above and beyond. Maybe it is just all part of the act, but you do realize that there's no bonus points for any extracurriculars, right?" her eyebrows bounced.

A soft hmph. "Anna, you're reading too much into things. It was nothing. Really. Just… just the champagne bubbles going straight to my head, that's all."

"Champagne?" she blinked and frowned at me. "...didn't I tell you? That was apple cider I handed you earlier. Of the totally non-alcoholic variety. Figured you'd want to keep a sober head tonight."

"Cider?" my head jerked back.

"Yup! What, you didn't realize that when you tasted it?" she giggled.

"No, I… guess I was too distracted…" I mumbled, hugging one arm around my abdomen while I brought the other up to bite down into my thumbnail.

Oh gosh, then… all that back there with Lea hadn't been just the champagne talking?

...oh no. My crush was gaining in power, able to control me without me even realizing it now. Today was just my body, but tomorrow? The world.

But that was a matter for another time. Right now, I just needed to focus on surviving this weekend. Putting a pin in it and shoving it back to the deepest, darkest, furthest recesses of my mind where I tended to put any other emotions I didn't know how to deal with, I glanced back to Anna.

...okay, I knew what Lea had told me. I knew that pushing and prodding at her had gotten me nowhere so far. And I knew I had decided but a few mere moments ago to let her be so that she could talk to me when she was ready. But right now, she seemed so content and carefree, just like she always had been with me. Well, that is, up until yesterday, of course. But maybe… just maybe it wouldn't hurt to try one more time.

I took a deep breath. "Anna, I was hoping-"

"Ahhh! Do you see the size of that chocolate cake?! I'm gonna-"

No. Not again. Not this time.

My sister has barely made it two steps before I'd seized her by the wrist, making her stumble into an awkward stop. With a huff of frustration, I snapped, "Anna! Can we please for one minute just-" However, the words died on my tongue when she looked back at me, eyes wide and face stark white. Feeling a small pang in my chest, I released her, my hands fidgeting together. Tucking in my lower lip, I struggled to find the right thing to say to her. If I only knew what that was. Finally, I just settled on, "Please, just… know that I'm here for you. Whatever's troubling you, you can always come to me about anything. Anything at all."

She didn't say a word. Her expression didn't change. There was just the barest hint of a quiver to her bottom lip. Then she took a small step back before turning and running off.

And I just let her, left at a complete and utter loss in her wake.

Author's Note: Ooooo dRaMa! Haha I can't help but laugh because it's so rare for me to write it xD Anyhoo, Yelena made her appearance this chapter! I know she's not a bad guy in the F2 movie, more just a very stern, no-nonsense character. Carrying THOSE traits over into this story however, it kind of turns her a bit into a sorta bad guy, but really only cuz she's reacting to the facts she's been dealt and those facts? Do NOT look good xD Minor fun fact: The Fryse ballroom here is based off Arendelle's castle ballroom from the first Frozen movie! Minor fun fact 2: The ice cream this chapter, Crabclaw, is named after Atlantica's keyblade and I imagine its description on the menu would look something like: "This butter-infused ice cream topped with sweet cooked crab will have you partying under the sea in no time!" This is based on real ice cream that's sold out there somewhere in the world (for real! google it!), except replace crab with lobster (I figured it would probably work out close enough!)

Next chapter, will Elsa finally get to the bottom of what's bugging Anna? And what's that I see on the horizon? Could it be? Is the dreaded, the feared, The Talk (TM) at last upon us? Will Lea ever correctly guess Elsa's favorite ice cream? And just what IS Gramps secret for keeping it so tight for a man his age? Possibly that "Flower Gleam and Glow" anti-aging cream mentioned back in chapter 21 xD In any case, stay tuned!

Thanks for reading, I super duper appreciate it! And an extra BIG thank you to those of you who’ve liked, reblogged, and followed so far, seeing those lil notifications always brings the biggest, goofiest smile to my face!

FIRST CHAPTER || PREVIOUS CHAPTER || NEXT CHAPTER

#kingdom hearts #frozen #elsa #axel #fanfiction #lea #fanfic #kingdom hearts fanfiction #frozen fanfiction #kh fanfiction #kh fanfic #frozen fanfic #kingdom hearts fanfic #axelsa #fluff #romcom #slow burn #kh3 #my writing #ice cream and fire oven pizza #rare pair #crossover pairing #humor #snark #fake dating au

[dalekofchaos]

Okay but imagine Marshscott

Nathan feels guilty about the video and taking her to Jefferson, so he makes up for it by using the Prescott influence to bury the viral video and threatens anyone that tries to watch it or harasses Kate over

Nathan goes to Kate and apologies for the video and tells her the video is no longer viral. Kate in her forgiving nature would forgive Nathan and they start fresh

Nathan visits Kate every morning and Kate plays her violin for Nathan, it soothes him as much as the whale songs

Kate introduces Nathan to Alice and Nathan loves the bunny and pets and plays with her every chance he gets

Kate helps Nathan make peace between Max, Warren and Chloe

Nathan and Kate bonding over their shitty relatives

Kate is someone who Nathan can truly confide in and Nathan is someone who she truly feels protected by

Nathan invites Kate to the Two Whales for Coffee and Tea. And I think it could go like this. Prompt from this post   "I want to chill because I think you're smart and funny, I guess. Good company to have once in a while," he said, looking out the window, his voice a little dry.    "You... you like me?" She was smiling again, looking down to hide it. She pressed her lips together. Nathan took his eyes off the window and laid them on her, his heart feeling like it was going to come out of his chest.    "Yea, I do," he said softly, not saying much more.

Their first date is at Two Whales and ends with them going to the Boardwalk. At the Sunset, Nathan and Kate hold hands and share their first kiss

Nathan and Kate share their drawings. Nathan mostly likes her “dark” pictures (wont admit he likes the cute ones too) and as few as there are Kate likes his “happy” pictures/photos

They rub off on each other. Kate becomes more assertive and confident, while Nathan becomes kinder and softer

After Kate’s attempt to jump, Nathan was devastated and goes to make things right

After Max and Chloe leaves the hospital  and after being beat by Warren, Nathan visits Kate in the hospital with a bouquet of flowers and breaks down and apologizes. Nathan tells Kate about everything of what Jefferson did and what his hold over him has turned him into. Nathan thinks this will make her hate him, but Kate is there for him and appreciates that he told her the truth. They hug and Nathan just cries and rests his head in Kate’s lap. Kate forgives Nathan and Nathan just stays there with Kate for the rest of the day.

They reassure each other that they’re not hated by everyone, that everything’s going to be okay

After seeing that he has a billion missed texts from Jefferson, ordering him back in the dark room to take care of their little “problem” Kate tells Nathan this is his chance to stand up to him and end this. Kate gives Nathan the strength to finally stand up to his abuser. 

Nathan and David arrive together and save Max. Nathan says he’s sorry for everything and Max thanks him for saving her and that Kate would be so proud.

Sacrifice Chloe ending. Kate doesn’t know why, but something in her tells her that  Nathan needs her, so every day Kate visits Nathan in the mental facility. She brings her violin and Alice. Both still soothes Nathan even in this timeline.

Sacrifice Arcadia Bay ending. Nathan stayed in the bunker, alive. After he’s out searches for Kate. Nathan goes to the hospital and finds her safe and sound. Nathan and Kate have been together ever since.

#Life Is Strange #Marshscott #Nathan Prescott #Kate Marsh

[skelebonecentral]

Hothouse rose chapter 1

a reverse harem with the lust boys

first we gotta meet the basic skeles

words under cut

Frisk was your cousin.

They’d run away, a week after their mom passed away. Your aunt, their other mother, was frantic and your whole family had gone out searching, as well as most of the town. You’re so glad it was your dad’s oldest sister who first caught sight of the monsters and not the sheriff or someone not quite as sensible.

Frisk came back from the mountain that loomed above your town with a whole civilization behind them.

Yeah, they tried to hook their mom up with Toriel, the strong, kind, and welcoming goat woman who was the Queen of the monsters, but Frisk was just a very romantic kid in general. They flirted as a hobby, it was hilarious and you were so glad they were back and safe to continue cracking you up with it.

They hugged everyone and apologized for scaring them, that they figured out that just because they were hurting didn’t mean it was okay to hurt other people, when they finally got the chance to exit the monsters’ camp after the police and government and all kinds of things showed up.

Still, you had to admire them for how much they grew up if that was what they wanted to say right away. Well, sign. Frisk was mute, after all.

Having them home was so nice, and their new friends were awesome.

You met Toriel first, of course, and her ex-husband, Asgore. You felt sorry for the big fluffy guy, he looked so hopeless and sad when Toriel would glare at him. And Frisk called him Dad, that was so cute, cause he just lit up. It was weird, though, feeling so pitying toward a ten foot tall goat man with huge horns and a long golden beard who had been alive for centuries longer than you.

Still, you liked both the goat people, and Monster Kid, Frisk’s new bestie who ran around with them. He was…well, he was a monster kid. Lizardish, with a tail and yellow-orange scales, but no arms to speak of. It made him top heavy, since he was humanoid, so he fell over often. Frisk seemed very fond of him, and you were glad. They hadn’t had a lot of luck making friends with other human kids at school before all of this.

But Frisk, being the eternal matchmaker they were, decided YOU needed to get in on this whole monster friend business.

Of course, you didn’t realize it until Gyftmas. It was a monster holiday from Snowdin, a small town Underground, that centered around gift giving and involved Santa for some reason? Anyway, the monster community was holding a carnival inside the local event center (it was mid-September so there weren’t any OTHER holidays to do) and your little cousin, being the ambassador, was of course invited and they brought you as their plus one.

Did you forget to mention that Frisk was the ambassador for monsters? They are. Well, at least in name. That’s their official title, is Ambassador, but they’re more like a figurehead while Toriel and Asgore handle the actual statecraft. The adults do let them cut ribbons and make speeches, but they’re just not ready for something that complicated. They are only six, after all.

But back to the carnival, Frisk brought you, and took you to a particular booth.

The booth was decorated with several action figures from an old 80’s cartoon that you used to love watching reruns of, and the sign above said, “THE GREAT PAPYRUS’ TRIVIA BOOTH!”

Frisk beamed as they dragged you, and looking in the booth, there was a very tall soldier-looking fellow who seemed to be a skeleton.

“HELLO, DEAR FRISK! I SEE YOU BROUGHT A HUMAN WITH YOU!” he called exuberantly, waving with bright red mittens. He had a black something or other on under the white chest piece of…oh that’s not actually armor. As you got closer, you’re now aware its made of fabric and the lines and emblem on the front are felt pieces sewn to it. The big round shoulder pads are attached, too.

Frisk signs eagerly, “Hi Papyrus! This is my cousin, Y/N! I wanted them to try your trivia!” Their hands are going very fast, and they’re bouncing, so they’re very excited about this.

“OH!” the skeleton stands up, showing his very obvious spine in his black whateverthatis and the odd ultra-short shorts that match his chest piece. “HELLO, HUMAN Y/N! I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS AND IT IS A PLEASURE TO MEET A RELATIVE OF MY DEAR FRIEND, FRISK!”

He holds out his hand, and you shake it, feeling the long fingerbones underneath and finding yourself grinning like an idiot. Holy heck, an actual skeleton was talking to you. Your inner child was screaming with joy in their Jack-skellington slippers. Frisk had to have known…well, how could they not, your room is covered in Halloween and skeleton themed knickknacks.

“H-hey, Papyrus, I’m super glad to meet you, too!” you didn’t mean to stammer but you’re trying not to freak out as your arm is nearly shaken from its socket. He’s so STRONG!

Frisk giggled and signed something too quick for you to parse, and Papyrus let you go, “OH, ALRIGHT! HAVE A GOOD TIME, FRISK! YOUR COUSIN AND I WILL HAVE A BATTLE OF WITS!”

They scampered away and left you with the skeleton, who pulled out a fold out chair, setting it in front of his booth and then sitting in his own behind the counter, “ALRIGHTIE THEN! HUMAN Y/N, YOUR CHALLENGE SHALL BE TO ANSWER TEN QUESTIONS ABOUT MONSTER CULTURE. THE MORE YOU GET CORRECT, THE BETTER YOUR PRIZE! BEING FRISK’S COUSIN, YOU SHOULD DO VERY WELL!”

“Don’t be so sure, Papyrus. I have some wicked test anxiety,” you joke, and he blinks his sockets at you.

“NO NEED TO BE NERVOUS!” His smile seems set in his long jawed skull, but it actually tilts up a bit more, “SOMEONE WHO LOVES OUR FRISK IS BOUND TO BE A GOOD LISTENER AND KIND SOUL, SO I HAVE FAITH IN YOU. FIRST QUESTION!” he whipped out a set of cards, “WHAT IS KING ASGORE’S FAVORITE DRINK?”

You smile, happy it’s one you know, “Golden Flower Tea. He likes tea in general but that’s his favorite.”

“CORRECT! WOWIE, AND SO CONFIDENT!” Papyrus seems just as pleased as you are, “NEXT ONE! WHAT WAS THE FIRST SECTION OF THE UNDERGROUND CALLED?”

“Ah,” you had to think a moment, then said cautiously, “I think it was the Ruins?”

“YOU’RE RIGHT.” Papyrus then set two further action figures from the same set as his decorations, “THESE WILL MARK YOUR SUCCESSES! ALRIGHT, NEXT!” He shifted his sockets in a comical manner that you had to fight your instinct to laugh at, “HOW MANY MOVIES HAS METTATON, OUR BELOVED STAR, PUT OUT AS OF TODAY?”

You blink…and you have to guess because you honestly don’t care for Mettaton’s version of movies, “28?”

Papyrus’ jaw just falls open, and he sets another figure on the counter, “I THOUGHT FOR SURE THAT WOULD STUMP YOU! I’M FLABBERGASTED. YOU MUST BE A VERY DEDICATED FAN OF METTATON, JUST LIKE MYSELF.”

You blush, “N-not really. His music and dancing are great, but the movies go over my head, I guess. I only watched one because Frisk wanted me to…”

He chuckles, “AT LEAST YOU ARE HONEST. I WATCH THEM FOR THE FUN OF SEEING EVERYONE ELSE’S REACTIONS, HONESTLY. AND THE SET DESIGNS! THEY’RE VERY WELL DONE, AFTER ALL.”

“Oh, yeah, I did notice that. I bet a lot of Broadway plays would love to get his input on that front.”

Papyrus perked up, “BROADWAY? I KNOW A STREET BY THAT NAME BUT I GET THE FEELING YOU’RE REFERRING TO A THEATER OR SOMETHING SIMILAR.”

“Kind of?” you quirk your mouth a bit, not really smiling but thinking about it, “It’s a street in New York City with lots of theaters on it that’s famous for having the best in plays and musicals in the country. It’s really a cool place, from what I hear.”

“OOH! I SHOULD LOOK UP MORE ABOUT THAT LATER. ANYWAY!” He gets out a set of note cards, “I WROTE ALL THE QUESTIONS DOWN SO I COULD HAVE LOTS OF CHOICES. YOU’RE DOING A LOT BETTER THAN SOME PEOPLE!”

You were getting excited now, wondering what he could ask.

“OKAY! WHAT WAS THE NAME OF OUR LOST PRINCE?”

You frown. That was a serious question, and you think back to Frisk’s descriptions they would give you now and then of their time under the mountain. “Asriel.” You remembered thinking his name sounded angelic.

“ANOTHER FIGURE FOR YOU!” Papyrus plops the next figure on the desk and…

“Is that the villain? I didn’t know they even made a figure for him.” You can’t help yourself, not when you’d loved his antics as a kid. “Lord Verminator, looking good.”

Papyrus gasped, “YOU LIKE ALIEN WARLORDS OF JUSTICE?! I THOUGHT HUMANITY HAD FORGOTTEN THIS CLASSIC SERIES! I HAVE EVERY FIGURE EVER MADE EXCEPT FOR THREE, AND EVERY EPISODE ON VARIOUS VHS TAPES. I WILL HAVE TO ASK FOR FRISK TO BRING YOU OVER AND HAVE A MARATHON!”

You nod eager, “I know I haven’t been able to see every episode. I only got a few episodes they put on an old cable channel but it was so good. I managed to salvage some merch from antique stores, but it’s never been enough.”

“THERE WAS MORE THAN ACTION FIGURES?!” Papyrus is awestruck, orange sparkles appearing around his skull. “OH THIS HAS TO BE FATE! MY FIRST HUMAN FRIEND HAS A GROWN-UP COUSIN WHO LOVES THE SAME SERIES AS I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS? SERENDIPITOUS!”

You finally laugh and nod, “You’re so peppy! How did Frisk manage to keep you a secret? I wish we’d met sooner now.”

His sparkles increased, and he began pumping his fists up and down eagerly, “DO YOU REALLY MEAN IT? BECAUSE IF SO, I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY! LET’S GET THIS QUIZ OVER WITH SO WE CAN GUSH ABOUT OUR FAVORITE THINGS INSTEAD!”

He takes a notecard and asks, “WHAT IS THE SYMBOL OF OUR KINGDOM CALLED?”

“The one Toriel wears, right? I think…it was the Delta Rune?”

“YES!” the card was set down, a figure was placed, and another card picked up, “WHO IS THE CAPTAIN OF THE ROYAL GUARD?”

“Undyne.” You sigh, “She tried to suplex me the first time I had to go to Toriel’s to pick up Frisk.”

“OH, THAT WAS YOU?” Papyrus tilts his skull, and you notice his sockets are slightly uneven. You also notice you like hearing him talk, even though he’s very loud. “SHE TOLD ME SOME HUMAN CAME AND MANAGED TO DODGE HER GRAB. SHE’S BEEN TRYING TO GET FASTER AFTER THAT.”

You want to comment, but Papyrus gets another card, “WHO CREATED THE CORE?“ he stops, frowns, then tosses the cards behind him, “THAT ONE WAS ACTUALLY A TRICK QUESTION, BECAUSE NOBODY KNOWS WHO DID IT! AND AS MUCH AS I LIKE TRIVIA, I’M MORE EXCITED ABOUT TALKING WITH YOU.”

Smiling, you take his elbow when he offers it, despite him being two feet taller than you, even in his flat bottomed red rain boots, “That’s pretty flattering. What was the prize for the quiz, though? I’m curious.”

“A DATE WITH YOURS TRULY!” Papyrus laughed, “NYEHEHEHE, BUT I HAVE A FEELING HUMANS WOULD BE RATHER INTIMIDATED BY SOMEONE AS HANDSOME AND CAPABLE AS MYSELF, SO GIVING YOU A TOUR SEEMS MUCH NICER.”

Papyrus led you around the event center, pointing at the various booths and explaining them, even sometimes introducing you to the monster manning it. You didn’t see hide nor hair of Frisk for the rest of the evening, but you didn’t really notice. Papyrus’ enthusiastic rambling and genuine glee at showing you around kept you glued to his side gladly.

When the crowds had thinned out considerably, you asked, “Papyrus, this has been the most fun I’ve had at a fair in years. I’d really like to do more cool stuff like this with you, so maybe we could exchange numbers?”

He froze, then turned, big sparkles appearing again, including inside his sockets, “WOWIE, REALLY?! OF COURSE WE CAN! I REALIZE IT IS LATE AND HUMAN BEINGS NEED PLENTY OF SLEEP TO BE HEALTHY, UNLIKE THE GREAT PAPYRUS, SO LET US HURRY!”

He shoved his phone into your hand and you gave him yours, typing in your number and naming yourself with a balloon emoji on the end to remind him of the fun fair you’d shared together. You get your phone back as you hold out his, and it says “THE GREAT PAPYRUS” with a skull emoji and a gold medal one on the end.

“Perfect! Feel free to text me whenever, but I might not answer if I’m busy or sleeping.”

He nodded, “I UNDERSTAND! I WILL PROBABLY BE TEXTING YOU QUITE OFTEN, BUT FEEL FREE TO TAKE YOUR TIME. UNDYNE SAYS I TEND TO RAMBLE WHEN I’M EXCITED. AND I’M ALWAYS EXCITED! ESPECIALLY WHEN I MAKE A NEW FRIEND.”

You nod and bid him goodbye, getting a back-cracking hug, before he rushes off into the fair and you head toward your car. Frisk had texted you earlier to say they were going home with Toriel, so you rode back alone, glad for the break so you could process your night with the personification of optimism that was Papyrus.

--

You got texts from Papyrus every day. Multiple texts in a row, about ten different times a day, and about just about any subject that was on his mind at the time.

“JUST GOT BACK FROM MY MORNING JOG! I HOPE YOU’VE HAD A GOOD MORNING SO FAR!” at 5:30 am.

“IF YOU NEED ANYTHING AT THE STORE TODAY, I WORK AT SMILE MART! MY SHIFT IS FROM SIX TO TWO, SO FEEL FREE TO SWING BY FOR A VISIT.”

“I LOOKED UP BROADWAY FINALLY! THERE’S SO MUCH TO LEARN! IT’S BEAUTIFUL!”

“UNDYNE IS STILL DOING SPEED TRAINING TO TRY AND OUTMATCH YOU. I CAN’T WAIT FOR YOU TWO TO OFFICIALLY MEET ON BETTER TERMS!”

That was the general gist of his messages, just little windows into his day and topics that related back to earlier conversations.

You would answer him between classes, since you were a freshman in the local college, and once you were off around noon, you’d head to Smile Mart and see Papyrus in action.

The first time you actually were able to see him at work, he was meticulously arranging the dairy section, making every gallon of milk have the handle facing the same direction in his white button up, black pants, and bright pink apron.

Hearing you approach, he snapped upward and his face lit up, “HUMAN Y/N! HELLO!” Standing to hi full height and brushing himself down, he posed like a soldier at parade rest, “HOW DO YOU LIKE MY DAPPER WORK ATTIRE?”

You smirk a bit, just in an effort not to laugh out loud at that pose and speech combined, but answer honestly, “You make it look good.”

“THANK YOU! I’M AWARE!” he grinned, then got back to his task, “THANK YOU FOR COMING IN. WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR TODAY?”

That sounded suspiciously like a work script rather than just Papyrus being himself, but you shrug it off, “I don’t need anything in particular at the dorm, so I’m just gonna grab one of those yogurt and fruit smoothie drinks over there when I head out. best breakfast treat.”

He looks at the items you’re pointing at, then nods in approval, “FRUIT AND YOGURT ARE GOOD CHOICES FOR A MORNING BEVERAGE. AND DORMS? ARE YOU PERHAPS A MEMBER OF THE CLERGY?”

You do laugh at that, “No! No, I’m a first semester freshman at the university. You have to spend your first semester on campus if you live more than a certain distance away and unfortunately, my house isn’t in the right range.”

“OH. THAT’S QUITE INTERESTING!” He rubs his chin, “I WAS ACTUALLY CONSIDERING GOING TO THE COLLEGE MYSELF, BUT SANS ISN’T EXACTLY A FAN OF IT.”

“Is that the brother you told me about at the fair? The one who sleeps?” Papyrus had mentioned he had a brother who was lazy and slept a lot, but not the name.

“YES. HE NAPS ALL NIGHT AND FREQUENTLY DURING THE DAY ALSO!”

You grin as he waggles his brows. He had noticed how you didn’t like his wording when he’d said the same line about “napping all night” at the fair, and now he teases you with it. “Still called sleeping, Pap.”

He chuckles good naturedly and shrugs, “WHATEVER IT’S CALLED, THAT’S WHAT SANS DOES. SLEEP, EAT, AND EMIT SLIME.”

“He emits slime?”

“SOMETIMES. FRISK SAYS THAT IS ACTUALLY CALLED DROOL UP HERE. NOW I’M WONDERING IF MY BROTHER IS RELATED TO DOGS BECAUSE THEY’RE THE ONLY ONES I’VE SEEN WHO DROOL QUITE AS MUCH AS HE DOES WHILE SNORING.”

The visits become routine after that first one. When you get a break during his shift, you just go to the store and buy some kind of single serving drink. Yeah, you wish they were in cardboard cartons or glass instead, but all your bottles do go into your recycling bucket at your dorm. It’s more an excuse to talk to Papyrus, anyway.

He asks more about the university, and when you ask him what he’d major in if he did attend, he has a very good answer already, “SPORTS MEDICINE! I’M A VERY GOOD HEALER NATURALLY, AND I LOVE ATHLETICS OF ALL SORTS, SO WHY NOT COMBINE MY TWO PROCLIVITIES INTO ONE CAREER PATH? UNDYNE DOESN’T NEED ME ANYONE ELSE IN THE GUARD NOW THAT WE’RE UP HERE, AND I WANT TO BE HELPFUL.” He scratched his chin a bit before adding to the end, “WELL, MORE HELPFUL THAN I AM CURRENTLY ANYWAY.”

That’s a great idea, you think, and you encourage him to go for it. After all, he’s got so much energy, you’re sure any course of study will be a breeze.

It’s kind of surprising when, a few weeks later, he texts you excitedly, “I GOT MY ACCEPTANCE LETTER! NEXT SEMESTER WE’RE GOING TO BE CLASSMATES! ONCE IT’S TIME, LET’S CHOOSE OUR SCHEDULES TOGETHER!”

Wow, he really does go for what he wants, doesn’t he?

--

Great was definitely the least you could say about Papyrus by the time you two were meeting up on the first day of the semester.

He had already invited you over to his house several times, Frisk had dragged you along on lots of outings with the skeleton, and you had braved a meeting with Undyne and her adorable wife, Alphys, as part of a celebration for Papyrus’ acceptance into college.

So when his unique figure came striding up the sidewalks on campus, you immediately ran to meet him and got scooped into a twirling hug with your mutual giggles echoing off the old gothic revival buildings around the ovular clearing.

“Papyrus!”

“Y/N!”

As you were set down, you beamed up at him, “I’m so glad I didn’t start my gen ed until now. We have all semester together.”

“I KNOW! SURE, I HAVE TO TAKE THAT ONE NUTRITION CLASS WHILE YOU’VE GOT CHEMISTRY, BUT OTHER THAN THAT!” He’s bouncing on his heels and utterly pleased, and noticing his bouncing is what draws your eyes to the shorter figure next to him.

Another skeleton, about your height and blinking at you with white lights in his large, round sockets, stood next to Papyrus and waved lazily at you, “heya.”

“Oh my gosh, you must be Sans!” you were excited to finally meet Papy’s brother. “I dunno how it took this long for us to end up in the same place but I’m so glad to meet you!” You offer your hand and it gets taken with a long “pffffffffffffffffft” sound.

“SANS! I TOLD YOU NOT TO BRING THAT TODAY!” Papyrus sounds equal parts furious and embarrassed, as the bright orange glowing on his cheekbones betrays.

“had to, bro. can’t skip the classic gags,” Sans takes his hand back, revealing a small red whoopie cushion in it.

You stare, surprised, “Oh my gosh? I didn’t know anybody even used oldies like that anymore. Or did actual harmless pranks like that. Consider me impressed; you’ve got better taste in humor than most of MeTube.”

That seems to shock the smaller skeleton before you, making him lower his hand slowly. He was wearing a blue hoodie jacket over a white shirt with small stains on the chest, and black basketball shorts with white socks and pink house shoes. “uh. thanks.”

“DON’T ENCOURAGE HIM,” Papyrus huffed, “HE’LL START PUNNING AND THEN WE’LL BE HERE ALL DAY.” He pulled you forward, away from Sans, and waved at his brother, “HAVE A GOOD DAY DOING WHATEVER ODD JOBS YOU HAVE TODAY, BROTHER! I WILL BE ENJOYING MY TIME LEARNING WITH MY BEST FRIEND!”

“I thought Undyne was your best friend?” you say as he speeds away from a perplexed looking Sans, who you wave to with a helpless expression.

“SHE’S MY BEST FRIEND, TOO. YOU CAN HAVE AS MANY BEST FRIENDS AS YOU LIKE!”

--

Classes go smoothly, but you begin to notice….

Well, you see Sans pretty much everywhere.

Leaving your one class you don’t have with Papyrus, you see him snoozing on a bench outside.

While leaving your part time job sorting all the incoming books for the library on campus, there he is again, at one of the computers looking up jokes.

Even while you’re out getting a haircut, you find him running a little hotdog cart. Finally, you have to ask him what he’s doing.

“Heya, Sans,” you go up to the stand, which is currently empty. “Been seeing you around a lot.”

“why didn’t ya say hi, then, kiddo? my brother sings your praises daily, wouldn’t have minded saying hello.” He’s just got a green apron on over his outfit from before, and you smile.

“I don’t wanna intrude. Just thought I’d ask what was up, y’know? Normally it’s just students at the library. How’d you even get in the computer without a student id?” That had been bothering you for a bit.

“oh, easy. I’m faculty.”

Your brain shorted for a moment, “You…are?”

“yep,” he chuckled, waving you to a seat next to his cart. “turns out a monster phd converts pretty well to a human one. Just consulting with the physics department right now, but once the political climate settles some more, who knows?”

Something bubbles up to the front of your mind, “Oh. Oh! Papyrus said you liked physics once. I guess it’s more of a passion for you than he let on.”

“heh, used to be. might be again. dunno yet.” He looks across the street, away from you. “anyhow, frisk and pap both seem to think you’re the bees’ knees.”

You tilt your head a bit, but then see the little buzzing insects around a flowerbox on the other side of the street. “Oh! hahah, good spot. Yeah, I’m pretty lucky two really cool people decided I’m interesting enough to look after.”

Sans hummed as you both watched the bees, “yeah, they’re both kinda neat folks. My bro’s the coolest though. biased, I know, but it’s true.”

“I can’t argue there,” you feel happy thinking about Papyrus, “He’s taken to school like a fish to water. I really love finally having a friend who’s so positive. Not that my roommate’s not cool, but she’s as tired as I am usually.”

“you got a roomie?” he hums, “then why spend time with my bro? surely you’ve got more in common with her?”

“Hah!” you actually laughed. “I’m a linguistics major, Sans. She’s a botanist. Her side of the room is covered in so many plants I have to take sinus medication 24/7. Nah, she’s a good person but we have nothing in common other than living space and shared love for cheesy family-friendly rom-coms.”

You had gotten so involved with watching a particular bee rolling around a tulip that you didn’t notice when Sans faced you again. “so if she decided to get into a fight, you wouldn’t back her up?”

“Oh, no, I’d pull her out and tell her off for fighting. But she’s always in the greenhouses or labs, so I doubt she’d find anybody to fight with even if she wanted to. More likely to squeak like a dog toy and hide, if we’re being totally honest,” you turn to Sans smiling, but his expression makes you freeze.

His lights were out and the haunting blankness of his huge sockets made you shudder.

“kid, you better be telling the truth. My brother’s the best, but people take advantage of his kindness. If you hurt him, you’re gonna have a bad time.”

Nope, you were not going to stand for that. Getting up, you bolted, and as soon as you made it back to your dorm, you texted Papyrus.

You: Papyrus, we need to talk about your brother.

Papy: WHAT HAS SANS DONE NOW? YOU TWO HAVE BARELY EVEN MET!

You: We talked today and he threatened me.

It takes more than two seconds for an answer. Clearly you’d managed to rattle Papyrus (heh).

Papy: TELL ME EVERYTHING.

You explain yourself, how you kept seeing Sans around when Papyrus wasn’t there, and the incident after your haircut today.

Papyrus doesn’t answer in text, and after a moment or two you get a call from him.

“Papyrus-“

“I AM MORE SORRY THAN WORDS CAN SAY FOR WHAT MY BROTHER DID TODAY.” His voice was hard and serious, something you’d never heard before. “I DON’T BLAME YOU IF YOU’D RATHER NOT TALK ANYMORE AFTER THIS, BUT I ASSURE YOU I WILL HAVE A SERIOUS DISCUSSION WITH HIM ABOUT WHAT HE DID. APPARENTLY, FROM WHAT I GATHER, HE DID THE SAME THING TO FRISK.”

He’d threatened a child?! Not just any child either, your COUSIN! Who saved his people from captivity! You were about to ask about that when Papyrus continued. “FRISK SAYS IT WAS JUSTIFIED, BUT I’M NOT SURE HOW. BUT YOU? YOU HAVE NEVER HARMED ME, NOR ANYONE ELSE, AND HAVE DONE NOTHING TO DESERVE IT. SO, NOW THAT I’VE SAID MY PIECE, WHAT DO YOU THINK?”

You have to turn your brain back on to think for a moment. Papyrus was very dear to you, he was sweet and lifted your spirits no matter what. Still, with a scary protective brother, you weren’t sure if you wanted to be near him anymore.

“Papyrus, I like you. You’re my best friend. But I can’t feel safe around Sans and I’m kind of scared to come to your house ever again. We still have classes together, but I think if we’re going to be friends still, we can only meet out in public or at my place.” Even saying that makes you nervous. Nobody’s ever done this before, threatening you just out of nowhere.

“THAT’S REASONABLE. I CAN HEAR HOW SCARED YOU ARE, Y/N, AND I’M….WELL, INCREDIBLY ASHAMED TO HAVE BEEN PART OF WHY YOU’RE FEELING THAT WAY. THIS WILL NOT GO UNSEEN TO, I SWEAR IT!”

Tears were starting to leak out of your eyes at this point, your adrenaline leaving you tired and scared, but you smile, “I have faith in you, Papyrus. Just…I’m just scared now. I’m gonna try to calm down and I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”

“YES, THAT IS A GOOD PLAN. TRY TO BE KIND TO YOURSELF UNTIL I CAN BE KIND TO YOU INSTEAD…” There was silence, and then a very soft, worried, “I love you.”

That was enough to get you sobbing, “I love you, too. Be safe.” You had to hang up now, and you curled up under your covers to hide from the world.

--

As soon as he hung up the phone, Papyrus quickly wiped his sockets. He, too, was crying at the thought of his dear friend, who he loved fiercely, being terrified and menaced by HIS BROTHER of all people. But he was going to fix this.

Yes, he’d been far too late to fix what happened with Frisk, and Frisk themselves didn’t seem too upset by it, but YOU certainly were. He could feel it in the way you’d spoken, how very close he’d been to losing his best friend. He still might lose them.

But he’s going to make the effort to try not to.

Taking several deep breaths, Papyrus left his room and went down the stairs. Sans was on the couch as he’d expected, flipping channels on their TV.

“hey bro, what’s up?” Sans had his normal expression, and it made Papyrus furious.

“BROTHER. I KNOW WHAT YOU DID.”

Sitting up, Sans looks confused, “what do you mean?”

Papyrus took another breath, feeling his ribs fill to capacity with the cooling air that helped calm him, “SANS, I JUST GOT SEVERAL VERY FRIGHTENED TEXTS FROM Y/N, AND THEY WERE ABOUT YOU.”

Ah, there, the permanent smile on Sans’ face drooped significantly, “oh.”

“YES, OH.” Rubbing his sockets, as they had started burning like he was going to cry again, Papyrus asked, “DID YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT WHAT THIS WOULD DO TO ME BEFORE YOU THREATENED THEM? DO YOU EVER CONSIDER HOW THIS COULD HAVE MADE THEM SO FRIGHTENED THAT THEY NEVER SPOKE TO ME AGAIN? OR IS THAT WHAT YOU WANTED? DO YOU WANT ME TO BE ALONE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE, SANS?”

“n-no, no that’s…I don’t want you lonely, paps, I just want you to be safe.” Sans’ voice and eyelights were both small and shaky. Good, he realized how serious this was.

“I KNOW YOU DID THIS TO FRISK, TOO, AND I’M JUST…SANS, YOU CAN’T THREATEN PEOPLE WHO HAVE DONE NOTHING WRONG!” He wanted to move, to do something dramatic, but Papyrus just couldn’t with the weight of his frustration and disappointment. “I LOVE THEM BOTH, AND YOU…YOU DON’T SEEM TO CARE WHAT YOU BREAK ON YOUR WAY TO WHAT YOU CONSIDER MY SAFETY. I’M AN ADULT, SANS, NO STRIPES ANYWHERE, AND I’D LIKE YOU TO TREAT ME LIKE ONE. I KNOW I’M OPTIMISTIC, I KNOW I’M SILLY, BUT THAT’S HOW I LIKE TO BE. I LIKE BEING A GOOD INFLUENCE FOR PEOPLE, AND IF THAT MEANS SOMETIMES I GET MY HEART BROKEN, THEN I LEARN, DON’T I?”

Sans was just staring at him, but he finally found his voice, “but paps, they aren’t like other folks. They’re humans, they have a lot more power and-“

“I KNOW THAT.”

Closing his mouth that had opened to argue, Sans listened. “SANS, DO YOU THINK I WASN’T SCARED WHEN FRISK CAME? I WAS TERRIFIED! I KNEW THEY COULD DUST US BOTH WITH A MOVE, BUT I HAD TO AT LEAST MAKE THE EFFORT TO SHOW THEM THAT WASN’T WHAT HAD TO HAPPEN. I WANTED TO CAPTURE THEM, YES, BECAUSE THAT WOULD HAVE MADE UNDYNE AND EVERYONE ELSE SO PLEASED WITH ME, GIVEN ME MORE OPPORTUNITES TO MAKE THE FRIENDS I WANTED. BUT…THEY LIKED ME.” Papyrus was at a loss. “THEY PLAYED ALONG WITH MY ACT AND SEEMED HAPPY WITH IT. SO I CHANGED MY MIND. I DIDN’T FORGET WHAT THEY COULD DO, WHICH IS WHY I TRIED TO GET UNDYNE TO BE FRIENDS WITH THEM, TOO. I DIDN’T WANT HER TO GET HURT EITHER, OR FOR HER TO HURT FRISK.”

Oh the tears were back and Papyrus scrubbed them away angrily, “BUT NOW I’M WONDERING IF I SUCCEEDED IN SPITE OF YOU! I’M WONDERING IF YOU DIDN’T THREATEN EVERY PERSON I’VE EVER TRIED TO BEFRIEND JUST OUT OF SOME TWISTED SENSE OF PROTECTION!”

Sans just looked at his hands, bones looking ashen as Papyrus tried to hold back his sobs. Had…had he been hurting Papyrus more than helping him all this time? Yeah, Frisk had posed a threat but the kid had made good. Really good, if he had to be honest. And he had seen nothing to really make Y/n any more dangerous than they were. And now Papyrus was crying.

“SANS, I DON’T BLAME YOU FOR BEING AFRAID OF WHAT HUMANS CAN DO TO US, BUT I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT YOU DON’T TRUST ME ENOUGH TO MAKE MY OWN DECISIONS ABOUT FRIENDS. IT HURTS, AND…AND EVEN THOUGH I’M SURE YOU DID IT OUT OF LOVE FOR ME I JUST CAN’T FORGIVE YOU FOR THAT RIGHT NOW,” sniffling a little, Papyrus couldn’t even look at his brother. “I’M GOING TO STAY WITH UNDYNE FOR A FEW DAYS. I HOPE YOU CAN LEARN HOW TO…WELL, NOT DO THIS AGAIN. THINK ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES MORE. SOMETHING.”

Escaping back up the stairs, Papyrus quickly packed three days’ worth of clothes and essentials, then ran out the door. He just couldn’t believe his older brother had betrayed his trust like this.

--

It was pretty awkward with you and Papyrus after that.

You tried to talk like normal, but he was sad, and you were scared.

Two months after the incident, you got sick of it. “Papy, let’s go to Bungle Land.”

“OH?” he perked a little, “WE HAVEN’T BEEN FOR A LONG TIME. OKAY.”

Grinning, you took his hand and ran to your car, giving him the option to drive if he wanted. He had his license, but just hadn’t gotten around to buying the perfect car for him. But he refused, wanting to save driving for his own dream car, so you let him move the passenger seat back as far as he liked while you drove to the local theme park.

And you had fun. Papyrus was an adrenaline junkie and took you on every ride, while you were a game shark, trying your hand at the carnival games and loving the useless and low quality plushies you won from them. You both had a lovely collection of little birds, though Papyrus had exchanged five of his for a larger plush of a super hero, more to his tastes, from this trip alone. Thank stars for your yearly pass, and the lovely guest vouchers that came with it.

Finally, as the sun was going down and you were hungry, Papyrus guided you toward one of the stands before a familiar voice made your heart freeze, “hey you two. Pretzels and lemonade?”

Papyrus’ expression soured, “SANS, DO YOU REALLY THINK THIS IS THE TIME FOR ONE OF YOUR ODD JOBS? WE WERE HAVING FUN.” He’d gotten an apology from Sans a while back now, and a Promise not to repeat his blunder, but he still wasn’t sure of Sans’ intentions for Y/n.

“I really didn’t think you’d be here today, pap, swear on my bones,” Sans looked exhausted and held up his hands. “but tell me what you want and I’ll make it while I do something I’ve been meaning to.”

You just say you want a pepperoni pretzel and a cherry lemonade, and Papyrus goes for a normal pretzel with a blue raspberry lemonade, but you’re nervous. The skeleton had threatened you, after all, even if your fear of him had mostly shifted to annoyance at his cheek in doing so.

Getting your food, Sans said softly, “I know I’m nobody’s favorite person right now, so I’ll make it short. I realized I’ve been overbearing, stepped over a lot of lines, and need to work on myself. I’m really sorry, y/n, for acting like you were going to hurt papyrus when I don’t even know you. it was wrong, and I’m going to try and see a therapist to get a hold on my…paranoia.”

That…was honestly one of the best and most sincere apologies you’d ever had. You can’t help smiling, and you can almost feel the pride radiating off Papyrus for his brother. “Okay, Sans. That was a proper apology, and you haven’t done any stalking that I’ve noticed so…apology accepted. I hope your therapy goes well.”

He looks so relieved, shoulders sagging noticeably, but his smile turns more genuine and he nods, “okie dokie. Go have fun, and I’ll see you at home, paps.”

“YES YOU WILL! YOU’RE GETTING THE IMPROVED VERSION OF SPAGHETTI TONIGHT FOR THAT!” It’s heartwarming to hear the excitement in his voice, and the brighter smile on his face, “YOU DID A GOOD THING! BYE, SANS!”

“Bye, Sans,” you add, and he waves you both off. Even if he was the one who finally apologized, you felt a weight off of yourself as well, and his gaze no longer made you feel like demons were on your back.

#fic #reader x papyrus