#I feel so horrible. not just for everything I’ve done but for everyone I’ve met. for my friends.

[0rionz-belt]

I don’t know how to explain that I’m not me in a way anyone can fully comprehend. I’m so tired.

#vent #I can’t just keep saying all of this stuff again. but I’m going to. #I look back on my life and it feels like I’m remembering scenes from my favorite movie. #or better yet. you know how if you tell someone something enough they eventually believe it? like in criminal justice shit? #I look back. and it feels like that wasn’t me. but they’re my memories. somehow. #this is the same body. same brain. same voice. #but I can’t remember more than an audience would. I’ll never know what I was thinking. how my brain worked. #and I can’t help but wonder if I’m still seeing my life like that. if I’m exaggerating everything. #if I’m exaggerating how amazing I really was. #I spend every day of my fucking life mourning over what I perceived myself to be. #because back then? back then I was building the skills needed to be a person in this world. #everything feels fucking broken with me. I’m in so much anguish. #I miss being a person more than anything. #I feel so horrible. not just for everything I’ve done but for everyone I’ve met. for my friends. #I feel like I’ve let everyone down. No one understands just how true that actually is. #If you could see the life I lost you would think I let you down too. I guarantee it. #this is the worst death one can have. Everyone loses the you they know. But you still have a body and brain that has to face the aftermath. #I’ve been in agony for so long. so much of me is dead. I just pray that the rest of me goes painlessly. #cant believe I wrote this shit listening to a song from the god damn doll movie

[steviescrystals]

somebody has to be playing a prank on me today like this is not real!

#i had the worst morning ever and couldn’t stop crying for hours and wanted to call out of work but i didn’t #bc i knew another girl in my department was already going to and i didn’t want to screw over the whole team #but work was the last place i wanted to be and then the second i get here who walks in but the actual worst person i’ve ever met #he got fired from here years ago but he still comes in all the fucking time to shop??? #and i could not avoid him the whole time he was here every aisle i had to go down he was fucking there #and then my manager was like ‘hey how’s it going’ and i’ve known everyone here long enough that if they ask me that they’ll get the truth #so i said ‘honestly horrible i really just want to go home”’ #and he said ‘oh… i was gonna ask you to stay late and help close’ #like sorry king but it’s absolutely not happening today i’m barely going to make it through my scheduled shift as is #besides i stayed late constantly at my other job and look where it got me so i’m done with that #i’m doing the bare minimum from now on bc it seems to do better for everyone else than doing extra work ever has for me #basically just feeling miserable and bitter today! thank god i’m on my period on top of everything else going on in my life!!!! #vent #lj.txt

[moonlitluka]

JUST IN CASE I DON’T GET ANOTHER CHANCE

Theatre kiss | Chad Meeks-Martin x Reader | fluff

A shrine. A literal shrine. What the fuck is going on? This wasn’t like last time. What if we didn’t make it out? What if our luck ran out.

“Hey” I felt a hand on my shoulder as a voice interrupted my thoughts. “You okay?” Chad asked while looking into my eyes. It felt like he was trying to read how I was feeling.

“I’m not gonna lie, I’m not feeling great.” I sighed. I knew he was scared too although he would never admit it to anyone but Mindy. I didn’t blame him, after everything he went through last time I didn’t expect him to just get over it.

“I know it’s scary but we have a plan. It’s gonna work, this is gonna be over by morning.” He said almost like he was trying to convince himself. And even if that is true, who knows what’s going to happen from now until morning.

“I’m more worried about all of us making it until the morning.” I whispered. He sighed leaning back on the counter. “Y/N I won’t let anything happen to you.”

He held my gaze for what felt like forever. “I’m not worried about me. I’m worried about you…” I trailed off. “Me?”

“Uh everyone which includes you…I’m worried about all of us..” now was not the time for me to be thinking about him like this. He consumed my all my thoughts but I knew I had to focus.

“No, yeah sure. All of us.” I heard the smile in his voice. How was I supposed to not have a crush on him. The way he always playfully teased me made my heart flutter. I knew this was an inappropriate time but if I was gonna die tonight I had nothing to lose.

“I’m worried about you too y’know, but I won’t let anyone hurt you. Not again.” He reassured me. What did he mean again? He couldn’t possibly mean last year at the party. I’d gotten stabbed by Amber in the middle of a fight with her and Sam. Why would he blame himself for that? He wasn’t even in the house. Little did we all know he was in the backyard bleeding out.

“Chad you don’t have to protect me. We survived once maybe luck is on our side and we’ll survive again.” Now I was the one trying to reassure him. I felt horribly that he felt guilty about my past injuries.

“Y/N if anything does happen I think you should know…” he gulped. I’d never seen him so nervous. This wasn’t like him.

“Know what?” I asked not sure if I even wanted to know the answer. I waited for his response but it never came.

Instead I felt him grab me and crash his lips against mine. The kiss was full of need. We both had been holding back for too long. This kiss caused years of feelings to crash into us. I heard him moan as he grabbed my neck deepening the kiss.

I could stay like this forever. We only pulled away for air. I couldn’t help but giggle as he rested his forehead on mine. “It’s embarrassing how long I’ve wanted to do that” he confessed.

“You should’ve done that a lot sooner” I smiled. “I know,” “but you can also do it like a lot more times” I laughed.

He took this as an invitation as our lips met in the middle. This kiss was soft, tender. I suddenly wasn’t so worried anymore. We are all making it out of here. We have to.

#scream #scream six #scream vi #scream fluff #scream spoilers #chad meeks martin #chad meeks martin x reader #chad meeks x reader

[slickfordain]

How long is waiting?

Aether,- a mere traveler who has been commissioned multiple times by random people; even the Archons; and yet, in return… He got nothing. Until… Well. He met you.

It’s not hard to say that Aether has favorites and that he despises everyone else, he finds comfort in you… When you and Aether first met, you were confused of who he was,— and treated him like a normal person, which was what caught his attention.

Being honest, even if you did commission him he’d still fall heavily for you

Aether was now peacefully cuddling you under the dark blue sky by the beach, the stars being above despite being… Fake, and just an illusion for everyone to see, like how wanderer claimed it as beforehand when he was a Fatui.

“… You know.. I… I never got to be held like this by such a sweet person…” Aether started, holding you close, as you hummed out a “Mhm”, your tired half lidded eyes gazing up slightly.

Aether’s breath hitched lightly, before looking down with flushed rosy cheeks…. It wasn’t… Often, that he’d feel a familiar feeling of… Love, but somehow, you made him the most happiest hero he could ever be…. And that was.. Certainly enough for him.

“… You know… [N]… You’re really… Humble, oddly..” Your ears perked up at this, confused and lost of what the traveler meant. You’ve never really seen him speaking to you like this… He seemed.. Hesitant? “… I am…?” You murmur slightly, in a questioning tone which Aether could understand why.

He just gave a faint smile, before sighing and nodding… He’s trying to recollect his words, finding the right ones to describe how horrible he felt all those times…. But… He’s scared of oversharing; because nobody has ever willingly listened to him.

“Would you… Listen, just once?” Aether asks in hopes you’d understand, and unsurprisingly, you nodded. Aether’s eyes lit up slightly… That was one thing he loved about you, and that was your nature to listen. It was so heartwarming… He wished he didn’t need to do this stupid traveling..

With another deep sigh escaping his throat, he hesitantly tries using his words he’s been thinking about to use. “It’s just… I’ve.. Always wondered, why did I start searching for my sister…?” He began, making you stare rather surprised by his question…

You also started wondering why, but feared he wouldn’t like to share the thoughts of it with you.

“Throughout my adventures, with Paimon, I still found no value in life itself after all those times…”

…

That was very pitiful and saddening to hear… Having a traveler so depressed, you didn’t think it would go so deep as this…

You tried consoling him, even though you absolutely suck at trying to comfort or even cheer someone up; you offered him some food in your hands, catching him off guard slightly.

“… Food..?” You mumbled out, saying one word each time. It wasn’t odd, it was pretty normal for you to do that,— actually. As you see, you use either 3-4 words, or just end up saying nothing. You weren’t much of a talkative person, and Aether respected that full-honestly. It’s like a fresh of breathtaking air… Something that he has always valued in a person, and he loves it. Because it’s you.

“… Thank you..” He smiled warmly, before it fades once he took a bite of your offered gift… “I..” He trails off again. “I haven’t given you anything in return, all this time… After you’ve done so much for me to find my sister…” He shares out, his grip on you becoming tighter, making you shift slightly and tried being in a comfortable cuddling position.

“.. You don’t need to…” You dismissed his worries, brushing it off like a wave that was one to ignore, but to Aether… It meant everything to do something for you. He wanted to do something for you, and it’s ironic because he never offered someone to help… That’s just… What’s special about you.

Aether wanted to offer you something… Perhaps.. Explaining about his old home would be a great value? “You know, I…” But he stopped. Right when you looked at him, he was thinking…

No.

It wouldn’t be enough talking about his old home.

There had to be more about it…

After a moment of silence, Aether continues…

“… I’ve never… Told you my name, have I?” He gave out a soft chuckle, realizing that the greatest gift could be both about his old home and his name. And you instantly got excited, your eyes sparkling just a tiny bit, giving Aether those feelings once more that had his heart pounding— as if it’ll tear out from his chest so much…

“I’d like to know…” You immediately said, getting in a bit too close— that had Aether slightly stammering over his words, his chest beating rapidly. If you kept this up, he might not be able to restrain his feelings.

But, he gave a small laughter, ruffling your hair in a gentle way possible, before he continues. “You’re the first person who’ll… Ever get to know my name, honestly…” Aether sheepishly says, his face becoming more rosy-red than usual. “But, consider this as a thank you gift.”

…

“My name is Aether..” He introduces himself in a gentle way possible, your eyes sparkling in admiration that he even considers you special enough to tell his name. Nobody in Teyvat ever knew his name… He always went by “traveler” or, well, the titles he receives every now and then when saving a nation…

“Ae-ther…” You tried spelling out, like some little baby learning a language. It honestly made Aether want to squish you and kiss you to death— because oh dear heavens, have mercy on him with your soft-spoken voice.

“That’s right…. Aether…” He smiled warmly still, being happy and content that he finally revealed his name to someone he could trust. And that person, was you.

“Aether…” You repeated slowly, smiling gently as you think you could get used to it… “Very lovely…” You complimented, as in return, Aether just softly laughs again. He found pure hope with you… It felt Ethereal… “Lovely, yes? I think yours is the loveliest….” He nuzzled against your cheek with his own, stroking his fingers through your [Hair color] hair, your own cheeks burning up— holding onto him which made you look a little… Clingy. But Aether didn’t mind… By Gods, he didn’t mind at all…

“I wish I could go home…” He utters as a starter… You, looking at him, a bit saddened that he wanted to go home.. Until he added more to his sentence. “I wish I could go home, with you…” He continued on, your eyes gazing, slightly widening. You didn’t expect from the traveler to be… Wanting you near him.. But at this point? You shouldn’t be so surprised anymore…

You’ve always felt loved and safe, when it came to Aether.

“I could’ve shown you so many things my world had in store… We could fly together too.” Aether explains, before looking down at your face, seeing that you were visibly confused by his last sentence.. He must’ve meant the Glider.

Right?

…

“I suppose I could explain that when I finish my journey..” Aether grinned, seeing your pouty face, wanting answers from him now…. But Aether wanted to keep it for the end, because he has a long way before he can get his powers back— to go back home.

“Just wait for me…”

“Alright…?”

I had no WiFi and went insane

#various x reader #various #yandere x reader #Aether #genshin x reader #genshin impact x you #genshin impact x gender neutral reader #aether x reader #aether x you #aether x y/n

[starsomens]

“Where did she go Nick?” Noah was frantic, on the verge of tears and just flipping the room upside down

“Listen even if I wanted to tell you I swore to her I wouldn’t say a word” the drummer raised his hands.

Things between you and Noah were rocky. Time, schedules, petty arguments, even to the point of just ignoring each other and Noah staying over other places. You just couldn’t take more arguments or nights spent alone crying….you left him a note, blocked his number and never looked back.

Noah came home to your things gone, and a cold dark home. He thought you were just trying to get back at him, until the hours grew later into the afternoon. You had blocked him, on everything. Your friends wouldn’t say a word to him, and Nick had apparently known about it. You made him promise you not to crack and tell Noah, and he kept his promise.

He loved both of you. Noah was his close friend and front man, but you had also grown on him like a sister. He saw how unhappy you were becoming, so he kept his promise

“Nick I swear to fucking God, all she leaves is this note and it doesn’t solve shit for me!” Noah begins to become frustrated as he waves the note you left for him in the air.

“What does the note say?” Nick asks, before Noah could argue back “just read it”

“…..on the corner of first and amistad.”

Noah stares at his band mate and friend and it has finally hit him.

“….oh fuck…Fuck!” He grabs his jacket and speeds out of the door.

Where were you? When everything was falling apart…

He races down the street, making every turn possible to get to you as fast as he could. His mind was racing, his hands shook as he zipped through traffic. He had met you on the corner of a train station, and you were listening to The Fray, so it was always a reference you’d make….but this time it was different.

“Come on,come on” his mind races back to the days where he was stubborn, or when you were petty. How stupid those arguments were. How dumb it was to just ignore you, and now he was on the verge of losing everything he loved.

All my days were spent by telephone. That never rang, and all I needed was a call…

He makes it to the train station and park horribly. He’d probably get a ticket but that didn’t matter. What mattered right now was finding you, and stopping you from leaving. He could feel his chest filling with ache, his eye burned, and his head was pounding. He runs through the stations looking for you. Searching for you familiar face in the crowd

Lost and insecure, you found me, you found me, lying on the floor. Surrounded, surrounded, why’d you have to wait?

Once he finds you, he’ll hold you, and apologize and fix every wrong he’d done. He cousins lose you! He refused to let you go. His eyes land on a hat he knew too well. The one he had gives you from his closet to keep you warm. He makes his way through the crowded platform, praying the train wouldn’t arrive before he could reach you.

Well, in the end, everyone ends up alone. But losin her, the only one who’s ever know. Who I am, who I’m not, who I wanna be…

“E-excuse me, sorry. Y/N!” He calls out your name, the sweet beautiful name he adores. Each time he said it he couldn’t help but smile. He regretted every time he’d say it with venom in his tone. Your name deserved to be spoken only with love “Y/N!!”

Now way to know how long she will be next to me…

He finally reached the end of the endless crowd and reaches out to you. His hand lands on your shoulder and you spin around. You pluck the ear buds from your ears and stare at him in shock.

“Y/N…I…I found you…” he said out of breath

“You….did…” was all you responded to him

“Y/N…please don’t do this. Not like this please just come home” he tells you as he looked at your luggage.

I’ve been callin, for years and years and years, and you never left me no messages…

“Noah. I can’t…not anymore” you didn’t look at him. Keeping you eyes down to the ground, or on the recaps waiting on your train “…I…I wasn’t important enough for you to take the time and fix things…so why now?” You asked him still keeping you gaze lowered

“I was stupid Y/N, please believe me I want to fix this I really do. I was….just…..lost and insecure…” he said as he realized exactly where you were

“….so why’d you have to wait?” You finally look at him “….wait until it was broken for you to try and fix it?! I…I loved you Noah…I-i…” it broke his heart to hear you so broken, to hear your voice cracking and breaking, the tears that ran down your blushed cheeks

“And I love you Y/N! I loved you then, now and I will forever please. I love you” you takes a hold of your hands and brings you close to him, resting his forehand against yours, holding your knuckles to his lips “I love you so much….please don’t leave….i found you..”

“You found me…” you reply back “where were you?”

“…just a little late”

“Why’d you have to wait?” You retreat your hands and take a step back from Noah. You take the hat off and hand it to him. You walk toward the edge of the platform as your train pulls in. He watched as you slipped form his fingers, his grip trying to hold on to your hands, before they finally slipped. The doors opened and you take your first step into the train

“Y/N! Please!” He calls out to you gripping the hat in his hand as tears ran down his cheeks. Your heart ached at the sight but you cousins gave him anymore. In fear that both do your tears would bring you both back to where it all started.

“To find me? (To find me..)”

You were gone.

#bad omens #noah sebastian angst #noah sebastian x reader #noah sebastian #bad omens cult #noahsebastian #badomens #bad omens band #bad omens fanfiction #star’s blurbs✨ #Spotify

[dontworrysunflower]

Groom’s Sister | h.s.

a/n: we all know that one video that came out a while ago when harry said he wanted to marry the grooms sister and since then i couldn’t get it out of my head. so here we are. and i’m proud to say that the over 1k came naturally, i didn’t have to force it and thank you @watchmegetobsessed for helping me with the ending i literally couldn’t have done it without you! please be nice it’s been a while since i’ve written.

pairing: harry styles x fem!reader

warnings: alcohol (?), some curse words maybe, horribly written mutual pining

word count: 4.6k

masterlist

enjoy!! reblogs are appreciated!!

If Harry was being honest, he didn’t want to go to this wedding. He had just gotten back from a world tour, and the last thing he wanted was to be around people. He didn’t want to be around drunk people, tired people or happy people. Especially not people in love. 

His last relationship ended a while ago, but he didn’t have the time to grieve over the loss of it because he was in a new city every day. He had a routine: wake up, eat, rehearse, eat again, play, sleep. The relationship didn’t bring him any new inspiration for a new project either, so he was kind of in a slump.

Truly, Harry was going to the wedding for one specific reason, and one reason only.

Her.

He would never admit it outloud, he can barely admit it to himself, but he’s had a crush on her since he first met her all those years ago. 

There was one set back though. She was his friend's sister. 

And he knew it was like a rule, a universal rule that siblings were off limits, no matter how close you are. 

But God, everything about her intrigued him. She always kept him on his toes, and the blush on his cheeks was permanent when he was around her.

So granted, when he got an invitation to his friends–her brother– wedding a couple months back, he checked off the will attend box for the sole reason of seeing her again. 

They got along, but he didn’t have the privilege of calling her his friend. 

He could usually charm a girl with ease, no problem. But she gave him those butterflies everyone talks about. She gives him that cheesy rom-com feeling. He grew nervous every time she would go in for a hug, and he would overanalyze her touch on his shoulder when she pulled away or when she squeezed past him in a crowd. And she was so funny, he full-on belly laughed when he was around her. He was borderline tipsy each time they saw each other, but she was a full time comedian around him. 

He never thought it could go any further than a high school crush, and it still can’t. But he would be damned if he didn’t try. 

The ceremony was at noon, arguably the hottest time of the day and of course they had to get married outside. Regardless, after a slow morning and a shower, he got dressed in a plain black suit. 

Harry grabbed his stuff lazily before heading out the door, unlocking his car and headed towards the dreaded ceremony. He’s doing this for her. 

How pathetic. 

•••

He cleared his throat awkwardly as he leisured around the venue, trying his best to ignore the burning stares and the hushed whispers. He admired the gold embellishments woven into the ivy covered walls of the house. The ceremony was taking place in the patio, where tan chairs were already in rows, facing a gazebo decorated with white tulle and purple tulips. There was a band on one side of the gazebo, and drinks and finger food were set up on the other side. 

He could use a drink.

“Is that Harry Styles?” He heard as he walked past a group to get to the refreshment table. He hung his head low, not wanting to draw attention to himself as he grabbed a flute of mimosa. “He’s friends with the groom, I heard.” The group continued on their not so quiet gossip. 

He stood awkwardly against the wall with overgrown greenery, sipping at his drink, letting his breath fog up the skinny glass. He pulled out his phone, typing away at texts and emails so he doesn’t seem boring to the people around him, even though answering emails is boring. 

He gets even more uncomfortable when the band starts playing a classical rendition of Adore You, his foot tapping anxiously at the foliage under him, pleading for it to swallow him whole. 

This was a mistake. 

He shouldn't have come. He could be comfortable in his own home, in his own bed, but no. He had to have his own plan for this event, a plan that could ultimately blow up in his face. He dressed up in this expensive suit for what? Just because of this stupid crush on-

“Harry?” 

Nevermind. 

All his complaints were thrown out the window when he looked up and saw her. She was more beautiful than he remembered. 

“YN, hi.” He spoke softly, a smile tugging on his bubble gum colored lips as he looked at her. Like really looked at her. 

Her sage colored dress fell at her feet, the silk fabric hugging her hips and flowing down her legs. The best part though, were the straps falling on her biceps, leaving her neck and shoulders bare. He could imagine dancing with her and teasing her skin with his lips, his nose buried in her neck and taking in her scent. He knew she was a bridesmaid, he’s seen other women around wearing the same dress, but God, the dress was made just for her.

“How are you?” She asked excitedly as she wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders. She squeezed him in their embrace, swinging them side to side making his chuckle into her ear. She smelled really good.

Get a grip, Styles.

“It’s been a while, huh?” She spoke as she pulled away, and Harry nearly whined at the loss. 

“Yeah, I guess you could say that.” He nervously tapped his fingernails against his glass. 

There’s a pause between them, his eyes trained on her face and taking in her beauty. She raises her brows expectantly, her smile widening. “Well? I know you’ve been busy! Tell me about the tour.” She exclaims, maneuvering to stand next to him, her arms pressed against his. 

“Oh,” he chuckles nervously and looks down at his feet. “It was good, very fun. I leave for New York in a couple of weeks.” He’s usually excited about his next stops for tour, but when he’s telling her he’s leaving soon it makes him want to cancel everything on his schedule and go into hiding with her. 

“Wow, sounds exciting. Maybe I’ll have to go see you. See what the hype’s all about.” She nudged his shoulder, letting a giggle leave her lips and travel down his spine. 

He laughs along with her. “Just say the word and I’ll get you some seats.” He feels the urge to turn to her and wink, but he stops himself. 

“Good.” Her voice was low and almost sultry, and he could almost feel her get impossibly closer to him. 

He didn’t want to get his hopes up. 

“You excited? For your brother I mean.” He turns to her at his question, his eyes lingering on the shape of her lips before looking into her eyes. 

She inhales before speaking. “Oh yeah, I’m really happy for him. Marinna is great too.” She exhales as she speaks, her shoulders lowering slowly as she lets out the air. 

He nods at her answer. “I’ve only met her a couple of times, but they seem great together. I know Brian’s smitten for her though.” He joked, remembering all the times he hung out with Brian and how he just wouldn’t shut up about his future wife.

Harry was actually the first person to know that Brian was going to propose. Brian had called him in a frantic state, rambling on about rings and Marinna and the color white. Harry could barely understand him, and when he got him to calm down–ten minutes into the call–he smiled with pride when Brian admitted to finding the perfect ring. Harry hoped to find someone that made him act like Brian. He also hoped that someone was the person next to him. 

Brian’s sister. 

She lets out a chuckle. “Oh God yeah, he doesn’t shut up about her. It’s quite annoying actually.”

There’s a small fit of laughter between them, leaning into each other to suppress the noise and to not give people a reason to look at them. Her hand comes up to cover her mouth, the corners of her lips finding their way from being hidden. Her eyes are shut, blinding him with her glowy makeup, happy wrinkles appearing on the sides of her eyes. He wished he could kiss them. 

Someone stands at the entry to the backyard, the white doors open to the inside of the house, giving the ceremony a better flow of the space. “Esteemed guests, please find your seats.”

They catch their breaths at the announcement, her hand falling back to her side. When her arm relaxes next to him, his fingers start to tingle because her hand is right there, touching his. His hand is burning, aching to wrap around hers but he knows he can’t. She’s his friend's sister. But he feels her pinky rub at his, and he could be completely overanalyzing it, but he can feel it in his chest that he just isn’t. 

Before he can fully tug at her finger, she pushes off the wall with a sigh. Her hands smooth over her dress, getting rid of any dirt that could have set into the fabric. “Guess that’s my cue.” She turns to him fully, her neck and cheeks heating up from their fit of laughter.

She gives him a little wave before turning towards the doors, taking careful steps on her strappy heels. He sends her a lazy, lovesick wave (that she can’t even see). He just watches her. He hopes no onlookers think he’s creepy, but how could he not admire her. 

He catches his stare just before she turns back to him, her manicured fingers picking at each other before she opens her mouth. “You’ll be at the reception, right?” She smiled sweetly at him. All he can do is nod. “I’ll see you there.” She turns again, heading farther away from him.

“Hey YN!” He exclaims, a little too loud for his taste, but it gets her attention. She’s at the door, her mouth open slightly, awaiting what he has to say. 

“You look beautiful.” He showcases his dimples at her, hoping he can get some sort of affection across. 

Her breath hitches in her throat, but he doesn’t need to know that. She sends him a small smile, mouthing a thank you before disappearing into the house. 

He chugs the rest of his mimosa. 

•••

He is sitting near the back and right next to the aisle, an older couple taking the seats next to him. He twirls his initial rings in anticipation, waiting for the moment he sees her again. 

Oh yeah, and for the union of two people in love. He’s there for them too. 

He’s zoning out, focusing his eyes on nothing in front of him when the officiant motions for everyone to sit. The band plays at a smooth rhythm as Brian appears at the doorway, his parents on either side of him, their hands in his. They walk slowly down the white path, their intertwined hands squeezing each other as they make it to the gazebo. Brian hugs his parents tightly as they kiss him on the cheek and let him up on the gazebo and take their seats in the front. 

Harry pays more attention now as he watches the bridesmaids and groomsmen walk in, waiting for her to encompass his senses again. Surprisingly enough, she became even more beautiful in the ten minutes they didn’t see each other after their conversation.

She walks slowly on her skinny heels, her right arm locked with the groomsman beside her, her fingers holding the neck of the bouquet. The light colors of the flowers compliment her dress and the overall ambiance of the ceremony, but the beauty of the flowers couldn’t take away from the vision that is her. His cheeks hurt from smiling so wide and he was blinking so slowly as if he’s drunk, but he only had one mimosa. Her eyes catch his when she walks past him and a smile teases her lips. Harry’s sure that the look on his face could be easily deciphered, but when he looks at her, he’s not quite sure what’s behind those eyes. She’s already at the altar by the time he regains composure, and by that time everyone is standing up to welcome the bride.

She looked beautiful, everyone in the crowds had a fond smile on their faces as she made her way past them, but nothing ever compares to the groom's face. Brian was biting his quivering bottom lip, his eyes turning glassy as he went down a step to take Marinna’s hand. She kisses her parents cheeks before letting Brian’s hand to envelop hers. He quickly wipes at his cheeks with other hand and bends down to kiss Marinna’s hand. The maid of honor takes the bouquet, letting Marinna get a hold of her dress and situate herself across Brian.  

There are a lot of tears during the ceremony, Harry sheds a few himself, but he can’t help himself when he pans to YN every once in a while, watching her wipe tears and smile. The band plays upbeat music as everyone claps for the newlyweds as they kiss and strut down the aisle again with big smiles and a pep in their step. 

He continues to clap softly as the rest of the wedding party leaves after them, admiring YN as she walks down with another man but it’s okay. It obviously means nothing, he knows that. That doesn't stop him from hoping it was him she was walking next to.  

People cheered softly as they stepped away from the seats and made their way to the front, watching the newlyweds slide into a black convertible and drive off. 

Harry whistles them off as someone comes up beside him, his spine immediately tingling and his shoulders broadening. 

“So, how’d I do?” Her voice filled his senses. 

He chuckles lightly as he stuffs his hands in his pants packets. “A plus on walking and standing there.”

She let out a giggle and looked down, hiding her smile. His hand aches to reach for her chin and have her showcase her smile, but he stops himself. 

People start to disperse around them, heading to their vehicles. There’s just tree leaves swinging and the chittering of insects around them as she catches her breath. 

“YN!” Someone calls behind them. They both turn to see her parents looking at them, their own hands intertwined. 

“I guess I should go.”

Or don’t, he wants to say.

“I’ll see you at the reception, yeah?�� She says as she steps away from him, a smile adorning her face.

All he could do was meekly nod and he watched her walk away with her parents. 

••

Okay, he doesn’t have a plan. 

The process of charming a potential partner usually comes easier to him, it’s almost second nature. He doesn’t have to think about it. He can smile and say some nice words. Compliment them and boom! Done.

He thought he could just ask her, compliment her–which he did, he pats himself on the back for that– give her a shy smile and that would be it.

But seeing her smile at the happy couple, clapping along with everyone and in that dress. He wished it came easier to him more than ever. He needed it now, but he melted at just the mention of her.

He’s fucked, basically. 

The strobe lights hurt his eyes and the horribly picked music is making his ears bleed. He claps along with the rest of the guests as Brian and Marinna walk in, their hands joined. 

He’s changed into something less formal and less eye-catching. His black suit made him stick out from the soft colored ceremony earlier in the day. A cream colored suit adorns his stature, his blue printed button up living up his look a little more. 

Her seat was directly across from his, farther away in the wedding party tables but he had a great view of her. 

He’s distracted from his view of her as the DJ announces the couple onto the dance floor. A soft ballad is playing behind his words as he introduces them to their first dance as a married couple. 

Brian and Marinna look at each other lovingly as they wrap their arms around the other, her head resting on his shoulder, his on top of hers. They sway leisurely, focusing on each other's presence instead of the audience around them. 

After the meaningful slow dances, the party is in full swing, kids running around while adults drink and dance. 

Harry sits at his table silently, his head leaning to the side as his finger runs over the smooth glass base of his drink, a mundane look on his face as people around him celebrate.

His body shakes with a startle as someone roughly grabs at his shoulder, their fingers digging into his shoulder blade, shaking him out of his misery. His newly married friend pulls the chair out next to him and plops down with a guttural groan. “Styles!” 

Harry gives him a tight lipped smile, his lips rolling into his mouth in a silent greeting. 

Brian’s eyebrows furrow at his friend's attitude. “What’s up with you, mate?”

Harry rests his elbow on the covered table, his chin being supported on his closed fist. He shakes his head and pouts a frown then turns it into a faux smile. “Nothin’” 

Brian’s eyes hold a drunken glassy look as he watches his friend and then around the room, stopping for a second to admire his wife dancing with her friends. “What? Do you wanna sing a song for us?” 

A dry chuckle leaves Harry’s slightly chapped lips. “No, I don’t.” His slow gaze watches Brian take his champagne glass and gulp it down, then violently put the glass down on the table with a dull clink. 

“I’m real happy, y’know?” Brian said after a few seconds of silence, his head turned toward the beautiful bride. 

Harry gives him a small smile. “That's good. Congrats, by the way. I don’t think I said it earlier.” Brian nods in acknowledgment.

There’s a stillness between them again. 

“I know.” Brian blurts out. 

Harry’s face contorts in confusion. “Know what?”

Brian gives him a teasing smile and shoves his shoulder, sending the singer back a bit. “You have the hots for my sister.” 

Harry’s eyes widen, his mouth opening and closing, trying to find the words for an excuse or denial. He stutters, his face flushing, turning red like the strobe lights flashing around the room. 

“It’s okay, mate. If anything, I would rather she picked you than some other bloke who doesn’t deserve her.”

Harry’s eyes scan the room, finding her sitting at her table, diligently sipping at her sparkling drink, her eyes observing the space around them, but they don’t hold the same gleam like when she watched her brother get married, or when she talked to Harry. 

He doesn’t even notice Brian getting up from his seat and joining his wife.

His manicured fingers pinch at his bottom lip in consideration, his other hand flexing and balling into a fist out of nervousness. His mind reels at the thought of getting up and asking her for a dance, or just getting the courage to talk to her again. It’s like his brain turns to mush at the mere thought of her, and he thinks at this point he’s waited too long to even show his interest in her, let alone actually do something about said interest. 

But regardless, he gets up from his seat and picks up his refilled flute of alcohol–thank you, waiters–, taking a long sip of courage before walking around the crowded dance floor to get to her. On his way there though, he made eye contact with Brian, who was on the dance floor with his new wife. He seemed to send the singer a small smile and a curt nod. In those short seconds, Harry’s chest feels lighter and his head isn’t clouded with guilt.

The only reason he never pursued anything with YN–other than the fact that he can barely conjure up a full sentence around her– was because she was his friend's sister. Siblings were off limits, he thought. He knew he wouldn’t like it if one of his friends tried to get with his own sister. And now that he has his subtle approval, there’s a pep in his step. 

He blows out his cheeks as he works up the courage, her figure becoming closer and closer. Before he realizes, he’s standing right behind her, his thumb playing with the rings on his fingers as he slurs out the next words. 

“Hey there.”

Her movements were in slow motion, her shimmery eyes blinking slowly, her hair whipping around, and that same smile that makes him swoon grows on her face as she catches sight of him. 

“I was wondering when you’d get up to talk to me.”

He bounces on the balls of his feet, shifting his weight from his toes to his heels. His head leaned down shyly, his precious locks falling in his face. 

He looks around her, never looking her in the eyes because he’s scared that he’ll say something stupid at their eyes catching. His mouth hangs open, waiting for the thoughts in his brain to register into words. “Would you, uhm,” he takes a deep breath. “Would you like to dance?”

Smooth, Styles. 

She chuckles at his timid request, her hand confidently taking his and dragging him to the dance floor as one song finishes and another begins. 

Harry regains his composure, confidence surging through him as he repositions his hand in hers, taking it firmly while his other hand rests high on her hip. 

His eyes catch hers and his hand squeezes hers as they sway, a blush coloring his cheeks as they just stare at each other. They don’t talk, but it's not uncomfortable, it’s pleasant. Like they can just coexist with each other and they’re satisfied with the touch of each other. 

YN lets out a frustrated sigh with a roll of her eyes, her hand that was on his shoulder moving down to his hand by her waist and dragging down lower. 

Oh.

Harry clears his throat, his eyes concentrating on anywhere but her. 

He doesn’t know if it's because he’s a little tipsy, or because his mind is running with just thoughts of her her her, but his mouth moves faster than he can register and he’s blurting out words that should've been kept in the back of his mind.

“You don't have a boyfriend to dance with?” 

Obviously not if she’s dancing with you, he thought, mentally slapping himself. 

She swipes her tongue over her teeth, the corner of her mouth rising in a smirk because she knew exactly why he was asking. And God, he could fall on his knees and worship her right there in the middle of the dance floor. 

“Well I wouldn’t be dancing with you if I did.” She said sassily, her head leaning to the side, over her shoulder, her lashes fluttering seductively. “Did you want me to have a boyfriend?”

“Depends on who it is.” He said without hesitation.  

She hums and looks off to the side as they dance. 

“I know who you’d like.” She said with a teasing smile playing on her lips. 

Harry furrows his eyebrows. “Who?” His chest aches with a sudden jealousy.

“He’s sweet, kind of shy. He’s tall and has gorgeous hair-”

“Okay.” He says pointedly. “I think I get it.” There’s a silence between them. “You like that guy you walked with-”

He’s interrupted by a firm hit on his shoulder. She looks down to hide her smile and this time he doesn’t hesitate to lift her head up by her chin with his fingers. Her face falls at his action, her eyes softening and her smile relaxing. 

They continue to sway as the song changes. They can’t tell if it's upbeat, but they do not care in the slightest. All they can hear, see, and feel is each other. 

Her hand squeezes his shoulder, willing him to speak up.

A smile tugs at his lips nervously, his tongue pressing up to the roof of his mouth as he tries to conjure up his confession. 

“I…I really, really like you.” He starts off.

And she beams. Her smile is brighter than he could imagine and her eyes glisten. Her finger nails dig into his suit jacket again, encouraging him to continue. 

“I’ve just never done anything ‘cause you’re my friend's sister, and I didn’t want to cause anything between us, or between the two of you. I came because I wanted to finally tell you how I feel, but God you make me nervous.”

They erupt in tipsy giggles, their heads bowing forwards and lightly bumping into each other.

“You only came here for me?” She asked between breaths. 

He just shrugs and looks to the side teasingly, pretending to avoid her gaze. 

“How romantic.” She mocked with sarcasm, but her voice sounded sweet, making his insides turn. 

She rolls her lips into her mouth, trying to suppress a smile. “I really like you too.” 

His eyes linger on her lips, his lashes fluttering over his cheeks languidly. A smile peeks at his lips. “Yeah?”

She chuckles and nods. Her eyes fall to his lips.

“I guess you’re the reason I don’t have a boyfriend.”

Their noses brush as they lean closer to each other, their breaths mixing in between them as their lips linger on the other. 

“Maybe I can change that.”

His lips encapsulate her bottom one, the corner of their lips teasing a smile, making it harder to kiss, but he couldn’t care in the slightest. 

HIs hands leave her body to rest at her jaw, and hers hold him at his waist, his lips leaving hers to only deepen the kiss. Her nose grazes against his and she whimpers into his mouth, almost making his knees almost give out. 

They pull away with lovesick smiles, his warm hands still holding her face close to his so he could absorb this moment a little better.

He pecks her lips one more time just to be sure that this moment was real, that he wasn’t dreaming. He pulls away, his lips splitting into a cheesing smile, his dimples on full display.

He feels her shudder in his hands, the silk fabric of her dress cooling his touch as he moves his hands to the expanse of her back.  

He takes her hand and pushes her away slightly, bringing their intertwined hands above their heads and twirling her around, giggles erupting from both of them.

He squeezes her hip, pulling her back closer to him so their hearts are touching, swaying to the music.

She leans her head on his shoulder, her eyes closing, feeling warm in his embrace. 

The night continues into early morning, strobe lights softening and people retreating. They dance together for the rest of the night–except for the five seconds she stepped away to take off her shoes–ignoring the knowing glances from her family and the dwindling noise around them. 

The music has stopped, the DJ is long gone and the house lights illuminate the entire building. It’s just them wrapped in each other, and Harry can’t help but imagine them dancing just like that at their own wedding someday.

•••

ahhhhh okay please let me know what you think!! and please please reblog!!

#reblogs are appreciated #harry styles #harry styles au #harry edward styles #harry styles blurb #harry styles concepts #harry styles fluff #harry styles angst #harry styles smut #harry styles imagine #harry styles imagines #harry styles x reader #harry styles x you #harry styles x y/n #harry styles fanfiction #harry styles fanfic #harry styles fic #harry styles fan fiction #harry styles oneshot #imagine harry styles #harry styles stories #harry styles writing #harry styles series #my writing

[cock-holliday]

I have a question bc I want to hear different people's opinions and you have good explanations for these. I'm firmly of the belief that dehumanizing anyone, even the ones that are causing great harm only leads to the same kind of violence being enacted over and over again, since everyone will always feel like THEIR reason for calling someone an animal and asking for their death is justified.

But everytime this comes up it's always met with "but what about the Nazis?" as in "they were fascists and did (and still do) horrible things, so wouldn't it be okay to have Them killed"

I'd just like to know what you think of either stance as someone who seems knowledgeable on these things

I’ve talked about this a bit before but:

So I don’t think all phrases that imply a dehumanization of an enemy are signs of a deeper pattern of dehumanizing them, ie calling cops “pigs” or referring to someone committing atrocities as a “monster,” but they should be at farthest the most you dehumanize someone. A phrase said in anger may not reflect that you actually view them as animals, but it should make you question whether or not you do mean it that way.

Because I think actual dehumanization of anyone, regardless of who they are and what they’ve done is bad.

None of this is said with naivety for the danger many groups pose or in an attempt to make everything peace and rainbows. I’ve experienced my own fair share of violence, cruelty, and dehumanization from cops and nazis. It is because of that I understand that it is a dangerous mentality.

When your enemies aren’t people, it is easy to justify anything against them, it removes the possibility that they can change, and it removes our responsibility to tackle what made them that way, since it is simply “inherent.”

Now, I do not think violence ‘has no place’ in resistance—the opposite. But it is crucial to take in the full weight of your opponent being a person like you. I hate nazis, I hate cops. Both paths are choices. Which means someone can choose to not be those things. Any category of existence someone doesn’t get to choose should never be demonized let alone dehumanized, and any rancid choice someone makes for what to be can potentially be undone.

As the sentiment goes, a nazi stops being a nazi when he’s dead or stops being a nazi, and I’d prefer as many people to stop on their own as possible. Not because I give two shits about dead nazis, but because it implies even those “far gone” can stop, so it is extremely possible to stop someone much earlier and not only prevent further harm, but stop someone before they get that chance at all.

#ask #anon ask #dehumanization

[christaspirit]

Notes: I've seen many people do the fic where Marinette gets kicked off the class trip, but how mean her classmates acted bothered me, so I made them as in character as I could.

This takes place after season 3 if Marinette got Master Fu's tablet instead of Gabriel. Uh... that's all I've got to say.

--------------------

Marinette’s entire life changed when Lila joined her class.

Adrien insisted they don’t call Lila out. Gone was her friendship with him, and her crush.

The majority of her class believed Lila about Marinette bullying her. Those friendships were gone.

She lost trust with Mme. Bustier, as Bustier believed Lila’s injuries without any doctors records.

So when the school year was drawing to a close, Marinette’s only friends left in the class were Alya, Nino, Rose, Juleka, and Nathaniel. 

Some of her other classmates were picking on her (slamming the door in her face, tripping her), but most of them just stood by passively.

Marinette had noticed Chloe was annoyed with Lila but assumed that was just because Lila was getting more attention than her.

So when Chloe had walked to Marinette’s desk with a thick binder, Marinette was surprised.

Chloe set the binder down on Marinette’s desk.

“What’s this?” Marinette asked.

“It’s…” Chloe muttered. “It’s a record of everything I’ve ever done to you. From the snide comments to wrecking your work and copying you,”

Marinette blinked, and opened the binder. To her surprise, Chloe was telling the truth. Everything Chloe had done to her in the past four years was written in the binder, in Chloe’s handwriting. However, next to each thing was a number. Most of the records of the snide comments had a single euro written out next to them, but some of the meaner things had even more euros, and anything Chloe had wrecked or copied had a number that matched the price of the object.

“What’s with the euros?” Marinette asked.

Chloe winced.

“I…” Chloe started, her voice cracking. “I thought that maybe I should pay you back. Things cost money, and I know that if I ruined your things or copied them, I had wasted your money… so… I’m going to pay you back,”

“Why are you paying me for things you said though?” Marinette asked.

“Because-” Chloe’s voice broke. “Because… well, I know that you’ve done everything for the class for free in the past. I’ve noticed. You made the banner for that race for free, you’ve made all their outfits for free… I felt like someone should pay you, and if they aren’t, then I will. And I’ve made enough mean comments about you that you’ll make a profit off of this,”

Marinette stared at the binder, then up at Chloe.

“Why are you doing this?” Marinette asked.

Chloe looked to the floor.

“I guess…” Chloe muttered. “I was just mean because I was jealous. You’re talented, you have your parents, and you were friends with everyone. Meanwhile, my mom can’t even keep my name straight, cheated on my dad and I have this half-sister I’ve never met, I make Sabrina do everything, and no one likes me… I thought making you miserable would make me feel better, and I guess I got carried away and didn’t realize that it was wrong. But after seeing how the class has treated you, some of whom have known you for years… I realized just how bad I was being. I realized what I put Sabrina through. And then Adrien… he knows the truth, and refuses to do anything! And Mme. Bustier is horrible!”

Chloe was lucky they were the only people in the classroom because the majority of the class would have glared at her.

“Alya doesn’t really like her either,” Marinette said. 

“So… yeah,” Chloe said. “Can we… start over? As friends?”

Marinette looked at the binder.

“Sure,” Marinette said.

—

Alya was a bit surprised at Marinette’s sudden friendship with Chloe, but seeing how hard Chloe was trying to change, she muttered a comment about how “only Marinette” would give the girl a second chance.

Chloe moved to the back of the classroom after she apologized. Partially so she wouldn’t accidentally make Sabrina take her notes, and partially to give Marinette company after Marinette had been sent to the back of the classroom.

Marinette and Chloe became close in their hatred for Lila. Chloe helped Marinette with some of her responsibilities as class president (mostly funding, but a bit of planning too). Chloe also did pay Marinette back, encouraged Marinette to stop giving people things for free if they were really expensive to make, and helped Marinette set up a website for commissions (with some help from Sabrina and Alya).

And so, Chloe and Sabrina joined Marinette’s group of friends.

—

As the school year drew to a close, Mme. Bustier had an announcement.

“Alright class,” Mme. Bustier said. “As you all know, next year you’ll be the graduating class. Because of this, you’ll be taking a trip at the end of the year, and will have to fundraise the money. However, it’s been brought to my attention that not everyone will be able to go, as not everyone gets along. So Marinette, I’d like you to sit out the trip,”

Marinette stared at Mme. Bustier in horror.

“Mme. Bustier! You can’t do that!” Alya said, abruptly standing up. “We’re all looking forward to this trip!”

“Alya, do you want to be removed as well?” Mme. Bustier asked.

“You don’t have to remove me,” Alya said. “If you don’t let Marinette go, then I won’t go,”

“Me neither,” Nino said.

Marinette friends all agreed to not go if Marinette didn’t.

The whole class looked back at Marinette.

“Fine,” Marinette said. “But if I’m not allowed to go, then I won’t plan it. I won’t be running for student rep next year. Besides, I only ran this year so Chloe wouldn’t win,”

Chloe slouched a bit at those words, but knew they were true.

“Alright then,” Mme. Bustier said. “But you will finish up as student rep this year?”

Marinette nodded.

“It’s too late for a new representative,” Marinette said.

“Alright,” Bustier said. “Now, onto the lesson,”

—

After class, Marinette’s friends questioned her on why she didn’t argue about being removed from the trip.

“For one,” Marinette said. “I don’t want to go on a trip with Lila. But also, I’m not gonna help fundraise it if I’m not going. And seeing them suffer, and their trip fail in the end will be theraputic for me,”

Her friends extchanged glances.

“Why would they suffer?” Alya asked.

Marinette chuckled.

“Because unless Lila is secretly amazing at planning things,” Marinette said. “Which is doubtful considering she can’t keep her lies straight, the fundraisers will fail. No one in this class knows how to run one. I’ve planned every fundraiser for the past four years, and Chloe always supplied funding for major events,”

Her friends stared at her in shock, then they all smiled.

“Man…” Nino said. “Dudette, that is just petty,”

Marinette smirked.

“Call me Pettynette then,” she said.

“What will we do next year instead?” Rose asked.

Marinette smiled.

“How do you guys feel about a club?” Marinette asked. Her friends exchanged confused glances. “We have enough time to ask the school board to approve a club. Then, we can fundraise all year, and go on a club trip together, even better than any of the graduating class trips,”

All of her friends smirked. They liked this plan.

“Then, at the end of the year, we can go on a trip of our choosing over summer break,” Marinette said. “The club can be invite only, so our classmates can’t join. Of coarse, kids from other classes are allowed to join if we let them, and we’ll all go on a trip together,”

“What should we call this club?” Rose asked.

Marinette thought about it for a moment.

“How about the World Travel Club?” a new voice asked. 

Everyone looked over, and saw Aurore and Marc.

“Have you two been listening this whole time?” Chloe asked.

The two nodded.

“We overheard what you were talking about,” Aurore said. “I’d like to join this club. I’ve heard the end of year trips are lame anyway,”

Marc nodded.

“Me too,” Marc said. “And I would like to recommend the name the World Travel Club,”

Marinette and her friends thought about it.

“Sounds great,” Marinette said. “Welcome to the club,”

—

Marinette got the approval she needed. The school board let them know that next year, the World Travel Club would be open. 

Meanwhile, the end of year dance was coming up. It was going to be held in the ballroom of Chloe’s hotel, and everyone knew it would be fantastic.

A couple days before the dance, a few of Marinette’s classmates came up to her, asking her to make their outfits.

“Sorry,” Marinette said. “There isn’t enough time. However, next year, I’ll happily make them if you commission me,”

“But you made Rose, Juleka, Alya, Nino, Nathaniel, Marc, Aurore, Sabrina, and Chloe’s,” Mylene pointed out.

“Yes,” Marinette said. “Because they commisioned me a couple months ago, and they paid. You haven’t. So sorry, but I can’t,”

Her classmates were annoyed, but knew that she was right. There wasn’t enough time.

“I could-” Lila started.

“Lila,” Marinette said, staring her dead in the eye. “There is no designer in the world who could make an outfit from scratch, from the design to the final form, in two days,”

Lila shut her mouth.

When the dance rolled around, Marinette and her friends hung out the entire time, along with Kagami and Luka, who Marinette and Juleka had invited respectivally. The two also joined the World Travel Club. Luka would be one of the chaparones, and Kagami was joining the school next year. The group defenitely had the best outfits.

—

Summer came around, and Marinette was more free to focus on her Ladybug roll. Ladybug made the annoncment on live TV that none of the original temporary holders would be returning, as Hawkmoth knew their identities, and it was too dangerous. Secretly, Marinette knew that most of them would stay, but under new identities. But Ladybug didn’t tell Chat that.

Ladybug wasn’t trusting Chat lately. He’d been way to flirty, and sometimes refused to fight the akuma because she turned him down. Many times, he didn’t even show up. And of course, there was the constant badgering about sharing identities, and Ladybug’s desicsion to replace the old heroes. Mostly Queen Bee.

“You should have talked to me before you made that anoucment!” Chat said. “I thought we were partners! A duo! That it was us against the world!”

“Chat, I couldn’t keep the old heroes,” Ladybug argued. Hawkmoth knows who they are. He could exploit that, like he did Chloe!”

“Chloe should keep her miraculous!” Chat said. “That’s why she was akumatized! Because you wouldn’t give it to her!”

“And I admit I should have given it to her during Heart Hunter,” Ladybug said. “But she was being selfish too,”

“Chloe’s gotten better!” Chat said. “She’s much less selfish now!”

“Everyone knows her identity, Chat!” Ladybug said. “That’s why I stopped giving her the miraculous!”

“Ugh!” Chat Noir said. “You should have talked to me before getting rid of the other heroes!”

“Chat!” Ladybug said. “I don’t need to talk to you about that! I’m the guardian! Who does or doesn’t get a miraculous is completly my choice! Which goes for you too!”

Chat stared at her in shock.

“You aren’t seriously thinking of replacing me, are you?” Chat asked.

“You’ve been being childish!” Ladybug said, annoyence in her voice. “We have one. Job. Protect Paris. Yet you neglect your duties to flirt at the worst possible times! There’s a time to goof off, and a time to be a proffesional! While there’s an akuma going around, it’s time to be proffesional!”

“M’lady!” Chat said. “You and I both know that the Black Cat and Ladybug miraculous are soulmates! Why won’t you see that!”

“Because you made it up!” Ladybug shouted. With that, she stormed off.

Chat stayed on the roof.

“Fine…” he muttered. “You’re being silly. We’re destined for each other. But if you refuse to admit that you like me, then…”

Chat left, a plan brewing.

—

A couple of days later, Chat asked Ladybug out on a date during patrol.

“Sorry, Chat,” Ladybug said. “I’ve got plans,”

“No,” Chat said. “This date should be more important!”

“Ugh!” Ladybug said. She left without another word.

Chat smiled.

“She’ll come,” Chat said. “And she’ll come to her senses,”

—

Ladybug didn’t go on the date, and instead went out with her friends as planned. They found Andre the ice cream man, and got ice creams (Most of them oblivious to who their ice creams represented).

However, at the next akuma fight, Ladybug was losing her pacitence with Chat.

Chat was complaining about how Ladybug stood him up, and refused to fight the akuma, leaving Ladybug to face it on her own. She was already suffering second degree burns (“Why does it need to spit fire?” Ladybug had complained).

“Chat! Help me!” Ladybug said. 

“No!” Chat said, sitting cross legged on the ground. “You stood me up last night,”

“I told you, I had plans!” Ladybug said.

“If you aren’t gonna apologise, then go get a new holder!” Chat said.

“Chat!” Ladybug yelled. “Fine! I’m sorry or whatever! Just help me!”

“Are you really sorry?” Chat said.

“No,” Ladybug said pointedly, then she did her best to muffle a scream as she got hit again. “But I don’t have time to get another hero! You should be helping!”

Chat still refused.

By the time Ladybug managed to defeat the akuma, she had third degree burns, the entire street was in flames, and most of Paris was finding it difficult to breathe. Everyone let out a sigh of relief when the magical ladybugs raced through the streets, healing all the damage (and most importantly, all the burns people had gotten).

Chat still refused to talk to Ladybug, but she was pretty much through with him.

—

A couple of hours later, a video taken by Aurore had gone viral, and people’s opinion on Chat Noir had gone down greatly.

Aurore had posted the video on both her Instagram and her new blog, and had sent it to Alya to post on the Ladyblog as well, as the Ladyblog was pretty popular. She had gotten stuck during the akuma attack, and had recorded the akuma fight, and most importantly, the argument between Ladybug and Chat Noir.

People were furious with Chat Noir for refusing to help Ladybug, and for possibly sexualy assaulting her. People started thinking back to other fights, and remembered how pushy Chat had been, and how he hadn’t been showing up.

Adrien was confused about the backlash. Why were people mad at Chat? Why weren’t they mad at Ladybug? She was the one that stood him up.

Then Alya posted a video she had taken the previous day. It was when Chat had asked Ladybug out on a date, and she turned him down. People were even more upset with Chat. In fact, there were very few people in Paris who liked Chat.

Marinette however, hadn’t seen either of the videos. She hadn’t left her room since the akuma attack.

A couple hours after Alya posted her video, Alya, Kagami, and Chloe showed up at Marinette’s house. The three were let upstairs, and found Marinette in her room, curled up on her bed, shaking. Kagami immediatly recognized it as a panic attack.

“Marinette,” Kagami said. “What-what’s going on?”

Marinette couldn’t find her voice. 

Kagami, Alya, and Chloe all climbed up to her bed, and just comforted her as they waited for the panic attack to subside.

About an hour later, Marinette was finally able to breath normally, and Kagami asked her again.

“I-” Marinette said softly, her voice cracking. “I-”

“You can tell us anything,” Alya said.

Marinette’s hands shook.

“But… this…” Marinette said softly. “This could change everything,”

“Marinette,” Chloe said. “You’ve already changed our lives. What else could you change?”

Marinette couldn’t keep it in anymore, and burst into tears, and spilled. About everything. About being Ladybug.

The girls were shocked that she was Ladybug, and suddenly, it all made sense.

Ladybug had been sexually assaulted by Chat Noir for months. She was now in charge of the miracle box, losing trust in Chat, and had just gotten third degree burns across her entire body. She had lost a large number of her friends to a liar, a liar who claimed to be friends with her.

The three girls comforted Marinette. A couple hours later, Marinette had fallen asleep in Kagami’s lap.

—

A couple of days later, Marinette was finally ready to talk to the girls again. She had spent a lot of time with her parents, and had calmed down enough.

So, she asked what to do with Chat Noir.

“Just take his miraculous,” Kagami said.

Chloe and Alya nodded.

“He needs to go,” Chloe said.

“But what would Paris think?” Marinette asked. “This isn’t like replacing you guys… people expect him!”

“Actually, Paris sorta hates him at the moment,” Alya said. “Me and Aurore uploaded videos of Ladybug and Chat Noir, and Paris knows what’s going on. But if you really want it, I can put a poll up on the Ladyblog,”

Alya didn’t wait for a response.

A poll was soon active on the Ladyblog, and had already gotten 13 votes.

“I feel like you should have a way so that people can express their emotions without getting akumatized,” Kagami said. “Stop an Akuma before it happens,”

“That’s… not a bad idea,” Marinette said.

“Aurore and I can use our blogs to help locate Hawkmoth,” Alya said.

Marinette blinked.

“Wait, since when does Aurore have a blog?” she asked.

“Oh, she made it a couple weeks ago,” Alya said. “She got inspired by me, so made her own blog. Mine focuses more on research and the heroes, while hers is more of a blog to discuss peoples feelings, and a safe place to talk about what’s bothering them. She also uploads videos of the akuma attacks whenever she gets them. Hers would be a good place to start tracking him down, because people often talk about why they were akumatized. She could maybe also have people discuss where they were akumatized, and how long it had been since they got negative,”

“That’s smart,” Chloe said. 

“Alright…” Marinette said. “Alya, get back to me with those poll results tomorrow. As for now…”

Marinette walked over to her sewing kit, and pushed in a combo on the spools of thread. It opened, revealing the miracle box. She reached into it, and grabbed out three miraculous.

The fox, the bee, and the dragon.

“I’ll give you guys your miraculous permanetly,” Marinette said. “All you need to do is create new superhero identities. Try to make them different from your old ones. And maybe… get a good camofluage form?”

The three girls flushed. True, all of their miraculous had just gone through a recolor.

“Wait, but your camofluage form is just your miraculous in black,” Chloe pointed out.

Marinette stared at them.

“And it’s also a pair of earrings,” Marinette said. “Earings aren’t often super fancy or anything. Besides, they can change to match my outfit if I really need them too,”

“Oh,” Chloe said. “Good point,”

The three girls put their miraculous on, and the kwamis came out of them. 

Alya’s necklace changed to a more orange version of her phone charm.

Chloe’s comb changed to what looked to just be a pretty comb that she could slip into her hair, but was technically a pair of bee wings like the ones on the miraculous in charged form.

Kagami’s chocker changed into a simple black bead with her family name on it, like it was on her ring.

“Alright,” Marinette said. “Now you just need new hero identities!”

—

The next day, Ladybug met with Chat for patrol as usual. However, she knew it would be Chat’s last day.

The results of the poll came in. 99% of the Ladyblog readers wanted Chat gone (there were like, two people who didn’t).

Chat Noir hadn’t seen the poll.

He didn’t know what was coming.

“Hello m’lady,” he said.

Ladybug rolled her eyes.

“Hey Chat?” she said. “Can I check your ring real quick?”

“Why?” Chat asked, frowning.

“The grimoire said something about your ring, so I need to check,” Ladybug fibbed.

“Anything for you m’lady,” Chat said, and gave her his hand.

Ladybug pulled the ring off, and slipped it into her yo-yo.

Chat detransformed into Adrien.

“Of coarse…” Ladybug said, staring at him in discust.

“M’lady!” Adrien said.

“Zip it!” Ladybug said. “You’re done,”

“Paris is gonna hate you for this,” Adrien said.

“Really?” Ladybug said. “99% of the readers on the Ladyblog wanted Chat Noir gone,”

“What about the last 1%?” Adrien asked desperatly, trying to turn the tides in his favor.

Ladybug stared at him.

“Two people,” Ladybug said. “Goodbye, Adrien,”

With that, she left.

—

Marinette felt so much more free after getting rid of Chat Noir.

Infact, her ladybug suit changed. She now had a pair of wings, her hair was up in twin buns, and her outfit was better armored, and included more black.

Then there was the  introduction of the new heroes.

First introduced was Chloe, as Beehive. Chloe posted a picture on her Instagram of her with Beehive, doing the peace sign. The picture made it obvious that she was fine with being replaced. 

The true intent of the picture was to distance herself from Beehive. Chloe took the selfie with an illusion created by Alya.

Beehive’s outfit had wings, and a fur like substance around her neck and waist. She also had a stinger like skirt and heels.

Next introduced was Kagami, as Wild Dragon.

Her new suit was blue instead of red, and, while she didn’t have wings, she was able to fly.

Alya was the last to be introduce, as Silver Fox.

Her costume was now silver, and her hair was up in a bun. She had a bow in her hair that resembled fox ears, and flaps of fabric in the back of her costume, resembling fox tails.

Paris loved the new heroes.

—

A little before the start of the school year, Chloe introduced everyone to Zoe, her half-sister. It turned out that Zoe had been having problems at her old boarding school. Zoe also wanted to be an actor one day.

Zoe immediatly joined the friend group, and the World Travel Club.

Then school started up again. Aurore found out Mirele wanted to join the World Travel Club, and the club let her join.

Soon it was then time to decide where they would go.

Both the class, and the club.

—

“Alright,” Mme. Bustier said. “Seeing as no one ran against her, Lila is now class president. So class, where do you think we should go at the end of the year?”

The classmates going began spitballing, before finally landing on a weeklong trip to LA.

“Alright,” Mme. Bustier clapped her hands to get the class’ attention. “We’ll be headed to LA. Now rememer, you have to fundraise this trip yourselves. You can get donations from family members, but mostly need to fundraise the trip. You can come up with ideas after school.

It was after school that the World Travel Club met. After talking for 15 minutes, they still couldn’t decide on one place to go.

“Alright, how about this,”Marinette said. “We can go on a tour. We’ll go everywhere we want,”

The club looked around. It wasn’t a bad idea.

“Nice work Prez,” Chloe said.

“You’re president too,” Marinette pointed out.

The two girls had been made presidents of the club. Marinette because it was her idea, and Chloe because she was good with money.

“Anyway,” Marinette said, and she uncapped a dry-erase marker. “We’ll head to Hawaii, LA, Gotham, Miami, and New York,”

Marinette wrote their destinations on the board.

“We can spend two weeks in each place,” Marinette continued. “Leaving us two weeks at the end of break to spend at home. But how much will it cost?”

The club spent the last 45 minutes of the meeting looking up everything they wanted to do. Where they wanted to go, plane ticket costs, passport costs, hotel costs, and the cost to stay at private resteraunts. At the end, their goal price was around 50,000 euros, just to be on the safe side.

“Alright,” Marinette said. “We’ve got a lot of fundraising to do. Meet here tomorrow, and we can discuss different fundraising plans,”

—

Mme. Bustier class had only stayed after school for about ten minutes. They came up with a couple fundraising ideas. Bake sales, car washes, raffles, that kind of thing. They would also earn money from the different school dances.

No one discussed any further for a couple of months.

—

The next day after school, the World Travel Club got back together to plan some of their fundraisers.

“So we’ve got a lot of money to make,” Marinette said. “So we need to get started soon. So what different kinds of fundraisers do you think we could do?”

Bake sales, car washes, raffles, they all knew the normal ones.

“We could always start a go-fund me page,” Chloe said.

The whole club paused.

“That’s a good idea,” Marinette said. “And we could sell different things too. I could make dolls inspired by the heroes,”

“I could give acting lessons!” Zoe piped in.

“I could DJ,” Nino said.

With that, the club got even more ideas. Marinette wrote them all down. She could do commisions just for the trip, Nathaniel and Marc could be commisioned as well, to have people put into their comics. Alya could give blogging lessons. Sabrina agreed to be a tutor. Luka could teach people how to play different instruments. Juleka could do some modeling. Rose could teach people ways to fight negativity.

At the end of the session, the club had come up with lots of ideas.

“Alright,” Marinette said. “We need to get started as soon as possible. What should we start with?”

“It’s not gonna be warm for much longer,” Mirelle pointed out. “Maybe a car wash, and the bake sale could come first,”

“And we could sell cookies at the carwash!” Rose said, clapping her hands together.

“And we could sell water baloons,” Aurore said.

“Alright,” Marinette said. “This Saturday will be pretty hot. Nino, could you bring your DJ stuff and give us music while we work? We could host this at the park!”

“Sure dudette!” Nino said.

The club was in agreement.

“Alright,” Marinette said. “I’ll set up a go-fund me page. Alya, Aurore, you two wouldn’t mind promoting it on your blogs, would you?”

The two girls shook their heads. Then, all the club memebers agreed to promote it on their social media.

When they left, the club members were figuring out how to set up ways to make money.

—

Marinette managed to set the go-fund-me page up within an hour of the meeting ending and sent the link to the members of the club in a big group chat. Within a few minutes, it was on all of their social media, including hers.

To her surprise, the first few donations were large.

A couple thousand was donated by Chloe’s family.

A couple thousand from multiple different celebrities, such as Jagged Stone, Clara Nightingale, and Audrey (surprisingly, she donated twice).

It was times like these that Marinette forgot she knew so many celebrities.

—

That Saturday, they got set up in the park. Sabrina had gotten them warrants to sell things there, and sure enough, people came.

Marinette had brought with her three dozen dolls. She had Ladybug in both her new and old suit, Beehive, Wild Dragon, Silver Fox, Rena Rouge, Carapace, Queen Bee, Pegasus, Viperion, Ryuko, and one Chat Noir. The dolls were sold for 5 euros a doll.

Marinette had also brought sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies, macaroons, croissants, and lemonade.

Aurore, Mirelle, and Nathaniel were doing face paint.

The water balloons were a big hit, and all of Marinette’s dolls were sold (except for the Chat Noir one). They ran out of food eventually (despite the massive amount they had), and at the end of the day, they had earned 2,372 euros.

“Why’d you make a Chat Noir doll?” Alya asked as they packed up.

“It was just an experiment,” Marinette said. “The dolls are easy. I only made one Chat Noir though, and as I thought, no one wanted it,”

“What’ll you do with it?” Kagami asked.

Marinette shrugged.

“Leave it in my room,” Marinette said. “With all the other cursed things I’ve made in the past. I have a whole drawer dedicated to it,”

“Woah,” Chloe said.

Marinette chuckled.

—

On Monday, the World Travel Club met up again after school.

“Alright,” Marinette said. “The carwash was a success! This next Saturday will be nice again, so Chloe and I were thinking, what about a pool party at her hotel? There could be a small admission fee, and we could sell treats,”

“So a pool party and a bake sale?” Marc asked.

“Mhm,” Marinette said.

“Sounds sweet!” Nino said, pumping his arms into the air.

“So is there any foods you guys are gonna want to bring?” Marinette asked.

“If we’re doing it at the hotel, I could have my mom make stuff,” Alya said.

“My mom has this amazing cupcake recipe!” Aurore said.

The club went on about different sweets they could bring.

“Alright!” Marinette said. “I can bring in a variety of things as well. I’ve also been working on the dolls, and I’ve been selling them off my Instagram,”

“We’ve had a couple of commisions,” Marc said.

“I’ve got a dozen people for lessons,” Luka said.

The rest of the club went on about their success with lessons.

The club meeting ended early that day, and they went off.

—

Halfway through the week, there was an Akuma attack, and Ladybug needed the cat miraculous.

Adrien was sure Ladybug would come to get him but was horrified when a different hero appeared, using his miraculous.

It was a girl, definitely younger than the others, but not by more than a year. She had medium-length messy blond hair with a green streak, wore what looked to be a black leather jacket, and had black boots with green pawprints. She also had a belt tail, and a hood attached to her jacket.

This new superhero went by the name Kitty Noire.

With her help, the heroes defeated the Akuma.

Ladybug met her in an alleyway after the Akuma was defeated.

“Thank you, Ladybug,” Kitty Noire said, and she removed the ring, detransforming into Zoe.

“Thank you,” Ladybug said. “We definitely needed your help defeating this villain. And though you’d make a great permanent member, having both the Ladybug and the Black Cat miraculous out at the same time is risky,”

“I understand,” Zoe said. 

“Whenever I do need you though,” Ladybug said. “I look forward to working with you,”

—

On Saturday, what seemed like half of Paris showed up for the pool party.

The club knew that wasn’t true, but there were more people here than that time the boys threw a party at Adrien’s house.

There were hundreds of people there, including the entire school.

Aurore had brought cupcakes, Alya had brought a variety of muffins, Nathaniel had brought brownies, Mirelle served ice cream, and Marinette had brought a variety of crosspoints, macaroons, and cookies.

Marinette had also brought the dolls again. The single Chat Noir doll wasn’t there, but there were a dozen Kitty Noire dolls.

Kagami was making balloon animals (none of the club members knew she knew how to do that), Nino was playing live music, Nathaniel, Aurore, and Mirele did face paint again, Zoe was performing some skits with Marc, and the group had a bunch of different water toys for the kids.

No one had told people that it was a fundraiser. Chloe had just advertised it as a pool party on her Instagram the previous day. Marinette had told them that the best fundraisers are the ones where people don’t know it’s a fundraiser. Just let people have fun.

The pool party lasted all day. Marinette sold out of dolls again, Kagami ran out of balloons, and they finally ran out of food.

At the end, after everyone left, the club had to clean up. Kagami and Marinette picked up all the balloon pieces that had come from kids accidentally popping the balloon animals, and kids throwing water balloons.

At one point, Marinette tripped, and nearly landed in the pool, but Kagami caught her, and pulled her up, bringing them both a little to close for comfort. Both girls went red.

By the end of the day, they had raised 7,364 euros. 

—

By November, the World Travel Club had had 7 fundraisers, from a couple more bake sales and car washes to a haunted house on Halloween.

It was November when Mme. Bustier’s class hosted their first fundraiser.

They had decided on doing a carwash.

They had set up in the school parking lot (after finding it) and played music off of a set of speakers Max had brought.

They only earned 200 euros.

—

“Alright, it’s December,” Marinette said. “Which means we have a prime opportunity. We can do a raffle for gifts, there’s the winter dance, and it’s cold, which means we can sell winter foods,”

“I saw at the winter dance we hand out flyers for the raffle,” Aurore said.

“We could also sell some food!” Rose said.

“Maybe we could sell hot chocolate and candy canes and other stuff under the Eiffel Tower,” Mirelle said.

“Ooo! For the raffle, we could sell some lessons!” Alya said. “Like, I can teach people how to edit videos, Rose can teach some lessons on how to calm yourself down, Luka can teach some more music lessons, that kind of thing,”

“We can also bring in some other items,” Kagami said. “Like the dolls that you’ve been making,”

“Marinette, what if you made some hats and scarves based on the heroes?” Nathaniel said.

“Great idea!” Marinette said. 

“We can hold the raffle at the hotel,” Chloe said.

“Thanks, Chlo,” Marinette said. “For the raffle, I could probably bring in some of my designs. What about your personal projects guys?”

It turned out that music lessons were doing great, Rose was a bit overworked with how many people needed help with facing negativity. She and Aurore teamed up and made a Patreon together. Sabrina had a dozen different tutoring gigs with some of the younger kids. Alya had gotten into the swing of things with teaching people how to blog. Nathaniel and Marc were a bit behind on the number of people that wanted to be in their comic. Zoe had gotten quite a few people wanting acting lessons. Nino had lots of gigs every week. Marinette was having great luck with commissions, and the dolls were selling like crazy.

The club’s go-fund-me page was doing okay too. They didn’t get as much as the first few donors, but every euro counted.

—

Every couple of days, a few members of the Club would go to the Eiffel Tower and sell hot chocolate, apple cider, candy canes, and warm popcorn. Each trip only earned them a couple of hundred euros, but they made the trip often.

Meanwhile, the club got stuff ready for their raffle. It wouldn’t just be their school, the raffle was also promoted on their social media.

—

During one Akuma attack, Ladybug realized that the only way to get the akumatized object away from the Akuma was to use the dog miraculous. They couldn’t get close to the object for longer than a second, and couldn’t get far enough to break even if they had managed to grab it.

So Sabrina made her debut as Basset Hound. Her costume had a white top and pants, high black boots, an orange jacket, black gloves, and dog ears that somehow stayed on, the same way Chat Noir’s had, the way Kitty Noire’s did.

The villain was quickly defeated after Baset Hound got close enough to touch the item with her ball, then far enough to summon and break it.

She was only a temporary hero but promised that she would get her miraculous back when she was needed.

Marinette made a new doll.

—

The winter dance was a big deal. However, for some reason the decorations were much cheaper than in years past. 

In all honesty, Lila had nearly forgotten to get decorations. 

The World Travel Club were all sporting outfits designed by Marinette, outfits they had commissioned her for months ago. They didn’t end up paying the full price though, as Marinette gave a half off discount to her friends. 

The club handed out flyers and took alternating turns handling the sweets Marinette had brought.

Much of the school was interested in the raffle the club would have in a few days. Of course, no one in Mme. Bustier’s class had been given a flyer. 

It was at this dance that Alya and Nino picked up on all the romantic tension, and the two made bets with Luka on who would get together first, and who would get together last. 

Within half an hour of the dance starting, Rose asked Juleka to dance. They were surprised when the music switched to a slow song (Nino had requested it) and were both bright red when the dance was over. 

Halfway through the dance, Nathaniel and Marc asked each other to dance at the same time, and both went red with embarrassment. They did trance together for a bit, before excusing themselves. 

20 minutes after the Nathaniel/Marc incident, Chloe asked Sabrina to dance. The two danced well together but were both red by the end. 

It was only when there were ten minutes left that Kagami and Marinette danced. Neither of them had asked each other, they had just happened to be dancing near each other when a slow song came on and ended up dancing together, though both were bright red the entire song. The two excused themselves at the end and left the dance. 

At this point, students were starting to leave. The entire World Travel Club was gone. However, with five minutes left, Mme. Bustier’s class mentioned the raffle for the first time. Over half the students had left, and only a few of the students still there had money and were interested. 

At the end, Mme. Bustier’s class made only 200 euros. 

—

A few days later, Chloe’s hotel was busy. There were quite a few celebrities waiting for the raffle, along with countless other Parisians. 

Most of the club had brought cards for lessons with them, though Nathaniel was also selling a painting, and of course, Marinette had brought a complete set of her little dolls, which had been selling great off her Instagram. She had also brought a couple of original hats and scarves (when asked why she didn’t bring any dresses or something like that, she admitted that they needed to be able to be worn by anyone). 

The raffle was a great hit. To no one’s surprise, the stuff Marinette had brought sold the best, with some of her things being a constant back and forth between the celebrities. 

The raffle was the club's best fundraiser yet, bringing in 10,378 euros. 

—

“Guys, we’ve made over half our goal!” Marinette said.

The club cheered.

“Alright,” Marinette said. “We’ll need to have everything paid for by the start of May, which leaves us with five months to earn 20,000 euros. We can do this!”

The club cheered again.

“So what are we gonna do now?” Chloe asked.

“Let’s take a break for a month,” Marinette said. “Just for January, then we’ll fundraise like crazy again come February, alright?”

The club agreed. It had been a crazy couple of months, they could use a break to focus on other things.

—

“We’ve only made 400 euros,” Lila said to the class. “What’re we doing wrong?”

None of the class had an answer for her.

“We just need a really good fundraiser,” Lila said, thinking out loud. “Any ideas?”

“We’ve always been great with bake sales,” Ivan mentioned.

“A bake sale!” Lila said. “That’s perfect! Let’s have it next Saturday! Everyone, make something and we’ll have the bake sale outside the front of the school!”

“Alright, class,” Mme. Bustier said. “All of you need to bring something,”

—

The bake sale was a disaster.

None of the kids were good at making sweets, which resulted in a lot of burnt food. Only some of the food was edible.

However, thanks to one batch of perfect brownies, they managed to make 300 euros. The class was proud of that.

“I don’t understand,” Lila said at the end. “What did we do wrong? Don’t people want to help kids?”

The class surveyed the remaining food.

“There aren’t any pastries,” Alix realized. “Marinette didn’t bring anything. Actually… I don’t think Alya, Chloe, Rose, Juleka, Sabrina, or Nino brought anything. They didn’t even come,”

“I thought I made it clear that everyone needed to bring something,” Mme. Bustier said. “I’ll be talking to them on Monday,”

—

“Were we supposed to bring something?” Marinette quipped.

Mme. Bustier had been fuming when she came into the classroom and had practically yelled at them, questioning why half her class hadn’t brought in treats for the bake sale.

“You kicked me off this trip,” Marinette said, “And they aren’t coming either. Did we not tell you we weren’t fundraising?”

The class hadn’t realized they hadn’t been to any of the fundraisers the entire year.

“It would be the right thing to do to help fundraise either way,” Mme. Bustier said.

“No,” Marinette said. “I’m not helping to fundraise for a trip that I’m not going on,”

“Marinette, please, you’ve always been the best at fundraising!” Alix said.

“No,” Marinette said. “I’m not helping. Besides, I’m busy,”

Marinette’s tone made it perfectly clear.

She wasn’t going to budge on this. And if she wouldn’t, her friends would either.

—

February rolled around, and the World Travel Club decided to host a dance for Valentine's Day. They used a ballroom at Chloe’s hotel, and Marinette convinced Nadja to publicize the event on TV, all she had to do was babysit Manon for free for a few days.

The admission fee was only a couple of euros, and Marinette’s parents provided the catering. Her parents got to keep half of the income that came from the food.

Nino was in charge of the music. He would alternate between slow dances and fast ones.

The majority of the people that came were adults, but there were some kids that came as well, including some of their classmates.

The World Travel Club hadn’t publicized the dance as a fundraiser, but rather a fun event. People came to have fun, and spend time with their spouses.

At one point during the dance, Marinette noticed her parents were looking out at the dance floor longingly.

“I can take over for a bit,” Marinette said. “You two go dance,”

“Are you sure?” her mom asked.

Marinette sighed, grabbed Kagami’s hand, and dragged Kagami back with her.

“Here,” Marinette said. “Kagami can help,”

Her parents still looked skeptical, but they removed their aprons and went out to the floor to dance. Luckily they’d been wearing nice clothes under their aprons that day.

“Here,” Marinette said, handing her mom’s apron to Kagami. “I brought my own, and my dad’s is huge,”

Kagami seemed hesitant to put on the apron.

“Kagami, do you want to get your dress dirty?” Marinette asked.

Kagami flushed and shook her head. She’d commissioned Marinette for the dress three weeks ago when the club came up with the idea to host a dance. A majority of the club was just reusing outfits, but Kagami had wanted another one. Her mother had also insisted.

Kagami pulled the apron on and tied it back.

“Now what do we do?” Kagami asked.

“Whenever people come back for food, we offer them a tray,” Marinette said. She grabbed some stretchy gloves from under the table. The table was covered in a table cloth to hide all the boxes of extra food underneath. “Occasionally, we’ll have to refill the snacks or people drinks,”

Aurore walked over.

“Wait, I thought your parents were handling the treats,” Aurore said, looking at Marinette.

“They wanted to join the dance,” Marinette said.

“Oh,” Aurore chuckled. “Alright. Can you refill my glass? Sparkling apple cider,”

Marinette located the bottle under the table and poured it flawlessly.

“Thanks,” Aurore said, and she walked away.

“Refills are free,” Marinette said.

“Oh, right,” Kagami said.

The two were in charge of the treats for another half hour. At one point, Lila and Adrien walked back and were confused about why they were there.

“Why are you two handling this?” Lila asked. “You didn’t throw this dance, did you?”

“My parents were catering,” Marinette said, “But I took over for a bit so they could dance,”

Lila and Adrien seemed to accept this, not noticing Marinette didn’t answer the second question. The two left.

A few minutes later, Marinette’s parents came back to take over, and shooed the girls away, insisting they dance.

When another slow song came on, the two girls flushed but started to dance together.

“Hi Marinette,” Alya said.

Marinette and Kagami looked over and saw Alya and Nino dancing together.

“Who’s manning the music?” Kagami asked.

“No one,” Nino said. “I’ve got a couple of slow songs lined up, so I can leave for a bit to dance with my girlfriend,”

Marinette laughed.

“Okay you two,” Marinette said. “You can go now,”

Alya and Nino smirked as they danced away.

The dance ended at 3 in the morning. 

The tickets hadn’t cost much, the food hadn’t cost much, but because of the sheer number of people that came, the Club earned 8,903 euros, even after splitting the food money with Marinette’s parents.

—

“Alright guys,” Marinette said. “The dance was super successful,” “We were genuinely surprised,” Chloe said.

“Anyway, we still have 4 months until June,” Marinette said. “We still need to raise about a thousand euros, but we have enough to start placing reservations. Chloe, Alya, Kagami, and I can handle those, but we need to know where you want to go. So…”

Marinette flipped the whiteboard over to the blank side, or what used to be blank. She had written out the five different locations at the very top.

“We’ll write down what we want to do in each location,” Marinette said. “I think the order we should go in should be New York, Gotham City, Miami, LA, and then Hawaii. What do you guys think?”

The club agreed. That order made the most sense, and ending everything with relaxing in Hawaii sounded great.

“Alright,” Marinette said. She gave Chloe a marker as well, though Chloe was confused as Marinette still had hers. “Start talking about everywhere you want to go,”

Chloe figured out quickly why she was there too. There were so many ideas that it was a miracle they got everything down on the board.

After ten minutes of spitballing, the club worked on finalizing everything.

When Marinette and Chloe finally finished organizing everything, they got a question.

“What about permission from the school board?”

Marinette glanced back at Alya.

“Huh?” Marinette asked.

“We need permission from the school board for this trip,” Alya said. “And with the cost of the trip, it’ll take a while to get it,”

Marinette smiled.

“Why do you think I called the club meeting on a Tuesday instead of Monday?” Marinette asked. She pulled up something on her phone and broadcasted it to the screen in the room.

An email with permission.

“When did you get that?” Aurore asked.

“I sent in the request form as soon as we finalized our locations,” Marinette said. “They said they were waiting for proof we could make the money to go first. After the dance, I emailed them again, and they got back to me yesterday after school. The only thing we have left to do is to raise the last thousand euros, get a few chaperones, and book everything,”

The club cheered at its success.

“Anyway, we’ve finalized our schedule,” Marinette said. “And there will still be plenty of free time in case we wind up with other things happening,”

Marinette, Chloe, Kagami, and Alya locked eyes for a split second, then Marinette went back to addressing the club.

“All we need now are a few fundraisers,” Marinette said. “Any ideas?”

“Can we do another bake sale?” Mirelle asked.

“I guess we can later,” Marinette said.

“Wait, a game arcade near my house recently closed because the owners are too old to run it anymore,” Marc said. “Maybe I could convince them to lend it to us for the day?”

“That sounds great Marc!” Marinette said. “Can you text us all as soon as you have info?”

Marc nodded.

“We could do another carwash in May,” Zoe said. “We’ll probably have made all the money we need to, but having a bit extra wouldn’t hurt, especially if it’ll help us get a jump start next year,”

Zoe knew that the majority of the club would be in High School, no, lycée (she kept forgetting the french terms) next year, but Marinette had promised that the club would be for both middle and high school (or collège and lycée). At least, it would be for the school they would all go to, as it was a blend of middle and high school (ugh! Collège and lycée!)

“Good point,” Marinette said. “Anything else?”

The club could only think of more bake sales or raffles. Marinette agreed to the bake sale but said one raffle was enough, even though it had been incredibly successful.

“We’ve been bringing in a lot of money from our personal things,” Marinette pointed out. “Add together the fundraisers, our personal jobs, and the go-fund-me page, and we’ve got less than a thousand euros to make,”

“We all know your dolls are doing the best,” Chloe said, elbowing Marinette.

It was true. Marinette found herself selling thousands of dolls a week, and had employed the help of Kagami, Alya, and Chloe in making them every week, as she couldn’t keep up with the demand herself (it had required a big crash course on how to sew, and she left the girls with the easier dolls to make).

“Regardless, we’ll probably all keep up with these after the summer is done, correct?” Marinette asked.

The entire club nodded.

The person with possibly the second-best business would be Rose. Paris was attacked by Akumas often, and having someone there to help you learn how to move past the negative emotions was fantastic.

Of course, Marinette still hoped to make something so people could express negative emotions freely, as bottling them up made people feel worse. Some of the worst akumas came from people who had bottle up their emotions for too long.

The third best was surprisingly Marc and Nathaniel. 

They wrote new chapters in their comic about different akumas often, and with their business started, people started commissioning them to become the Akuma of the chapter.

After the Chat Noir incident, Marc and Nathaniel had written a chapter solely focusing on Ladybug and Chat Noir, and their relationship. At the end of it, there was Ladybug walking away alone, with the ring in her hand, and Chat Noir at the end of a dark alley, not visible.

Sabrina and Luka got fourth and fifth most popular, working with several people a week.

Of course, the entire club had gotten a boost in their social media following, with people following the progress of their trip.

“Alright,” Marinette said. She took a picture of the whiteboard. “That ends today’s meeting. Chloe, Alya, Kagami, and I will meet at my place to place the reservations. Marc, get back to us on the arcade, and we’ll see you guys this Saturday for the bake sale,”

The club meeting ended, and the four girls headed over to Marinette’s place.

“Hey, how’s that… side project coming?” Chloe asked.

Marinette sighed.

“I still can figure out how to make something to block Akumas,” Marinette said. “Alya, any work on tracking Hawkmoth?”

Alya nodded with a smile.

“He’s rich,” Alya said.

The girls stared at her as they arrived in Marinette’s room.

“What?” Kagami asked.

Alya pulled out her phone, and pulled up a map.

“The general radius of where we assume the Akumas come from is right around the richest neighborhood in Paris,” Alya said. “Not only that, but with the amount of times Hawkmoth has akumatized someone in the middle of a school and working day, he’s either someone really poor and has no job, or someone really rich and can afford to slack off. Aurore and I figured out that he’s definitely rich, as the only Akuma to ever be associated with money was Bob, and the guy just wants money. We also figured out that he seems to either work from home, or have no job, as the location never changes,”

“So he’s a rich idiot who never leaves his house and slacks off at work,” Chloe said.

The four girls locked eyes.

“That sounds like Gabriel Agreste,” Kagami said.

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Chloe said.

“That was Aurore and my conclusion,” Alya said.

The three looked at Marinette, who swallowed.

“The only contradiction is that Gabriel Agreste has been akumatized,” Marinette said. 

“He has?” Chloe asked.

Marinette nodded.

“Last year,” Marinette said. “Me and… Chat, were investigating him. This was when Adrien got pulled from school, right after Volpina,”

“Oh wait, was this about that book of his Adrien lost?” Chloe asked.

Marinette nodded.

“But uh…” Marinette said. “There’s more evidence about him than just what Alya came up with,”

Marinette walked over to her computer and booted it up. Alya noted that the Adrien wallpaper was gone, replaced with her signature and the flowers she always used.

Marinette pulled up multiple pictures from the house.

“One of the Gabriel brand icons is a butterfly,” Marinette said.

The girls leaned in closer, and realized Marinette was right.

“And…” Marinette said. “The book he lost is the miraculous grimoire,”

Kagami, Chloe, and Alya exchanged a glance.

“Gabriel is definitely a suspect,” Alya said. “I’m gonna-”

“Don’t make a post!” Marinette said quickly. “If Hawkmoth finds out, he’ll do everything in his power to try and convince us otherwise. Tikki?”

Tikki flew out of Marinette's purse, holding a cookie.

“Can Hawkmoth akumatize himself?” Marinette asked.

Tikki frowned, and stuffed the rest of her cookie into her mouth.

“I’m not sure,” Tikki said. “I haven’t spoken to Nooroo in so long. But it’s definitely possible,”

“And there’s also Mayura,” Kagami said. “There’s a high chance she knows Hawkmoth’s identity, and could’ve used the miraculous herself,”

Marinette nodded.

“As of right now, Gabriel is our top suspect,” Marinette said.

Alya found the tablet that Marinette had gotten from Master Fu and pulled up the grimoire.

“I think you can probably create something to protect us from negative emotions with sheer will,” Alya said.

Marinette blinked.

“Uh…” Marinette tried to process what she said. “Can we talk about this… after we make reservations?”

Alya laughed.

“Of course girl,” Alya said.

—

Two hours and many confused phone calls later (the girls struggled a bit to place reservations because they were teenagers, but figured out that as long as they promised to have an adult with them at the locations they could place them) the girls had placed all reservations and had most of the plane tickets bought. Now all they needed was the plane tickets for their return flight, and passports needed to be bought.

Marc texted the group chat, saying they had secured the arcade, and it would be available in two weeks.

Marinette reminded everyone to get their passports soon.

The four girls were exhausted.

“Have you had to do this before?” Alya asked Marinette and Chloe.

Chloe shook her head, but Marinette hesitated.

“It was technically Mme. Bustier’s job,” Marinette said. “But that doesn’t mean she didn’t try to push it to me, before I reminded her that, as a minor, I wasn’t able to do it,”

“Goodness,” Alya said, shaking her head. “Yeah, Mme. Bustier sucks. Especailly compared to all my other teachers from past schools. But anyway, back to what I said two hours ago, I think you can make the thing to block Akumas,”

“How?” Marinette asked.

“You have the power of creation,” Alya reminded her. “Just think about what you want to create,”

Marinette sighed.

“Alright, I can try,” Marinette said. “Tikki, spots on,”

She was covered in pink light, and then stood as Ladybug.

Ladybug closed her eyes, and pictured what she needed. She grabbed her yo-yo and opened it. She reached into it, and pulled out a large handful of jewelry.

“Woah,” Kagami said.

Ladybug opened her eyes.

“Spots off,”

Marinette looked at the jewelry she had created from nothing.

“Those look amazing!” Chloe said.

“How many are there?” Alya asked.

Marinette quickly counted them.

“12,” Marinette said. She looked them over. “And they’re all unique,”

“How come?” Kagami asked.

Marinette took a closer look.

“I think they’re for the club,” Marinette said. “They all look like they were hand made by me, but are personalized for each club member. This necklace has an umbrella and an A, this one has a storm cloud and an M, this bracelet has a rose, this ring has a pen and an M-” “We get the picture,” Chloe said. “But why the club?”

Marinette thought about it.

“You guys are my only friends,” Marinette said. “I might be able to make more in the future, but I don’t think they’d be as powerful, because these ones are for my friends,”

The three girls hugged Marinette.

“So when will you give them to the club?” Kagami asked.

“Once we reach our goal,” Marinette said. “It shouldn’t take long. Now, as long as you guys are here, can you help me make some more-” BOOM!

The four looked out the window, nearly snapping their necks.

“Tikki, spots on,”

“Pollen, buzz on,”

“Trixx, let’s pounce,” “Longg, bring the storm,” The four superheroes jumped out the balcony, and hurried toward the akuma, the new jewelry having been slipped into Marinette’s purse.

—

As it turned out, the akuma was ridiculously hard to defeat.

“Ugh, why can’t we knock some sense into this guy?!” Beehive complained, needing to dodge yet again.

“That’s it!” Ladybug said. “You guys keep him busy, I’ll be right back,”

“Keep him busy?!” Wild Dragon said. “That’s what we’ve been doing!”

Ladybug hurriedly flew away, a found Juleka.

Weeks ago, Marinette had drawn up a plan of who she could and couldn’t trust with a miraculous, and which Miraculous they’d be best fit for. Juleka had made that list, with the tiger miraculous. In fact, the who World Travel Club had made the list.

“Juleka!” Ladybug said.

“Ladybug?” Juleka asked softly, turning around.

“I need your help,” Ladybug said, grabbing the tiger miraculous out of her yo-yo.

“Wha-?” “Juleka Couffaine, this is the miraculous of the tiger, which grants the power of exaltation, you will use it for the greater good,” Ladybug said.

Juleka hesitantly picked up the miraculous.

After a couple minutes, Juleka agreed to use the miraculous.

“Roarr! Stripe on!”

—

Ladybug rejoined her tea with a new hero, Purple Tigress.

Purple Tigress was able to punch some sense into the akuma (literally), and the group managed to defeat the akuma.

Juleka returned her miraculous, and Ladybug and her group returned to Marinette’s.

“Time to design a new doll,” Marinette said with a smile.

Her friends laughed.

—

The bake sale had gone well, but they were still just short of their goal.

On that Saturday, they all arrived at the arcade. They had publicized all over Paris, and even on the news, that the arcade would be opening for one last time. 

Somehow, Aurore had gotten Taco Bell to sponsor the event. Mirelle had gotten McDonalds to sponsor them as well.

Young kids and adults alike came in, enjoying time on the old machines that were filled with nostalgia for the adults.

Taco Bell and McDonalds were delivering orders for people, and the club brought them to the people who ordered them.

After having the arcade open for 12 hours, they finally closed up. Taco Bell and McDonalds each gave the club a check for 100 euros, and the club members got to work removing the euros from the machines. Then came the long process of counting them.

“49,997, 49,998, 49,999-” Marinette gasped, “50,000!”

The club erupted into cheers, and Chloe quickly counted the remaining with Kagami.

“And we have over 1,000 extras!” Chloe said.

The club erupted into cheers again.

“We did it,” Zoe said in a daze. “We actually did it,”

“And we’re still gonna do more fundraisers,” Marinette said. “They’re fun,”

The club could agree with her on that. Hard and long to set up? Sometimes. But they had been a blast.

“But anyway, guys,” Marinette said. “I have a gift to celebrate reaching our goal,”

Marinette pulled a dozen small boxes out of her purse. They were all hand decorated, and each had a different name on them. Marinette gave everyone their box, and Chloe, Kagami, and Alya feigned intrest, like they didn’t know what was in the box.

“Open them!” Marinette said, opening hers.

Everyone gasped when they opened theirs.

Aurore and Mirelle had beautifu necklaces. Zoe had a pretty ring. Rose had a bracelet, Juleka had an ornate hair pin, Marc and Nathaniel had bracelets, Nino had a stretcy bracelet, Chloe had a stylish choker, Kagami had a bracelet that matched her choker and ring, Alya had pendant necklace, and Marinette had a choker.

“They’re- they’re beautiful!” Rose said. She rushed forward and hugged Marinette. “Thank you thank you thank you!”

Everyone put on the jewelry, swearing to never take it off. They all noticed the small details that fit them.

“How long have you been working on these?” Zoe asked.

“A few weeks,” Marinette said. “I was waiting until we reached our goal to give them to you guys,”

The club chattered excitedly about their new jewelry as they left the arcade.

“Oh, Marc, I never asked,” Marinette said. “How did you convince the old owners to let us borrow the arcade?”

Marc shrugged.

“I offered to watch their hamster,” Marc said.

Marc left, running to catch up with Nathaniel.

—

Mme. Bustier class was a bit worried. They were significantly short on the amount of money they needed to make for their trip.

“I just don’t understand our bad luck,” Kim said. “Why are we struggling this year?”

“It’s obvious, isn’t it?” Alix said. “Marinette planned all past fundraisers, and Chloe just paid for them with her dad’s money. Without either of them, we’re struggling. And very much doubt Adrien’s dad will pay a hefty price to go on this trip,”

“We just have to fundraiser harder,” Lila said. “Let’s have another bake sale. We’ll tell people we’re fundraising for a school trip. That’ll help, right?”

“But all the food was trash last time,” Kim said.

“We can get store bought stuff and have our parents make it,” Lila said. “And Madam Bustier? Can you bring stuff too?” “Of course,” Mme. Bustier said.

So it was agreed.

—

Marinette, Alya, Kagami, and Chloe finished placing their reservations, a whole 3 months before they were going to leave.

It was agreed upon by the club that, over their break of fundraising, ¼ of the income fro their personal business would go back to funding the club, and the remaining ¾ would be kept for themselves.

Marinette’s dolls were incredibly popular, and she was earning a lot.

Rose was more popular than ever, with akumas attacking more frequently. She had started to live stream sessions.

Luka was finding himself nearly completely booked after school.

Nathaniel and Marc struggled to keep up with commissions, and wound up backed up weeks. They promised their readers that they would do their best, and that the commissions would be drawn, it was just taking a while.

“Goodness, I never thought we’d be so busy,” Marinette said, sketching a commission.

“Espeshily you,” Chloe said. “You’ve got two different commission sites, which include you getting commissions from celebrities, the dolls, being co-president of the World Travel Club, and you’re Ladybug. It’s… honestly a miracle you aren’t dying,”

“Yeah, uh, are you okay girl?” Alya asked.

“A little overworked,” Marinette admitted.

“Marinette? How do your two separate commission sites work?” Kagami asked.

“Oh,” Marinette said. “Technically I only have one, but when people commissioning me finish their meeting, and I show them the sketch, they choose between funding me, or the club. It’s one of the options when they pay. They choose twice. So sometimes, I’ll earn half the money for me personally, and half for the club,”

“That’s cool,” Alya said. “I was wondering what that option meant,”

“Lots of people don’t know the difference,” Marinette admitted. “It defaults on the funding me part,”

The four heard an Akuma in the distance.

“Crud,” Marinette said, looking down at her sketch. “We gotta make this fast, I’m due to meet with this person online in 20 minutes, and I’m not quite done yet,”

The four transformed, and hurried out.

—

“Really? Gigantitan?” Ladybug said, she, Beehive, and Wild Dragon flying around.

The four heroes fought the giant baby for a couple minutes, but quickly realized they couldn’t get very close to the baby without it attempting to grab them.

“I’m sure there’s some really cool complex way to defeat him,” Ladybug said after five minutes. “But we’re in a time crunch. Be right back!”

Ladybug flew away, and it wasn’t hard for the other heroes to distract Gigantitan.

Ladybug located Rose, and after the whole “meet your kwami” thing and miraculous rant, Ladybug and a new pig hero were racing back to the fight.

“Gift!” Pigella said, activating her power.

The false image of baby August eating a lollie-pop distracted the baby long enough for Ladybug to grab and destroy the akumatized object. She fixed Paris, and went to retrieve Pigella’s miraculous.

“You didn’t really need me, did you?” Rose asked, handing the anklet to Ladybug.

“I’m in a time crunch,” Ladybug admitted. “But you did great,”

Ladybug flew off.

The four girls landed in Marinette’s room and their transformations fell. Marinette quickly got to sketching, then asked her friends to leave the room and get treats while she talked to the person.

“Why?” Chloe asked.

“Privacy reasons,” Marinette said sheepishly.

The girls shrugged, and went to get some snacks, closing the trapdoor behind them. Once the meeting was done, Marinette would open it.

—

Five minutes later, Marinette had earned herself 300 euros. The commissioner had been in love with her sketch, and the ideas for the dress.

Marinette leaned back, then opened the trapdoor, and got back to her desk. 

“Working on a Pigella doll?” Alya asked as she, Kagami, and Chloe walked in with a plate full of macaroons,”

Marinette spun around and grabbed 5 macaroons, and nodded.

Her friends laughed as Marinette stuffed all five macaroons into her mouth, and got back to sketching the doll pattern.

—

The class held their bake sale at the park.

The food was definitely better this time around, and holding it in the park meant that there were a lot of kids around that saw the sweets, and convinced their parents to get them food.

In the end, the class earned 912 euros. They were incredibly proud.

—

The class only had one more fundraiser, and brought in 500 euros.

The World Travel Club held a couple more, and with the constant funding coming from their side projects, by the time the end of May rolled around, they had earned 7,000 bonus euros.

One day, the class was discussing their plans for their trip to LA.

“I wanna see the golden gate bridge!” Mylene said.

“I wanna jump off the golden gate bridge,” Kim said.

The class laughed at that.

“Oh, did you guys make enough to go to LA?” Marinette asked.

The class turned to her.

“We’ve earned over 2,000!” Lila said. “What have you done all year?”

Alya, Marinette, Kagami, and Chloe exchanged looks, then burst into laughter.

“Only 2,000?” Marinette asked. “Have you even made any reservations?”

“Or purchased tickets?” Alya asked.

“Or passports?” Chloe asked.

“Or gotten permission from the school board?” Kagami said.

The entire class flushed.

“W-we-!” Lila started. “No, but we will soon,”

“When?” Marinette asked. “Break’s in two weeks,”

“You can’t get a trip to LA approved in that time frame,” Alya added.

“And you can’t even afford plane tickets with that amount of money,” Chloe said, horrifying the class. “At best you can afford, like, a themepark. A cheap one,”

Lila struggled to speak.

“W-well… at least we’re going on a trip!” Lila said. “What are you gonna do?”

Marinette and her friends all stood up straight.

“We’re headed to five different locations with the World Travel Club,” Marinette said.

The class gawked at her, then burst out laughing.

“You can’t afford that!” Lila said.

“And I doubt you have permission,” Kim said.

“Actually, we’ve had permission for months,” Marinette said.

“And we’ve earned over 50,000 euros,” Chloe said.

The following silence was deafening.

“Fi-fifty…” Lila muttered. 

“…thousand?” Mylene squeaked. 

“Mhm,” Marinette nodded. “We’ll be leaving the day after the end of year dance. By the way, Mylene, Ivan, your commissions are done. You can pick them up later,”

Mylene and Ivan nodded, grateful. They had saved up all year to pay for something of Marinette’s to wear to the end of year dance after what happened last year. 

Marinette and her friends sat down. 

“Our trip is ruined,” Alix muttered. 

“Marinette, surely you and your… club can let us join you, right?” Adrien asked. “Let us-”

“No,” Marinette said, pulling out her sketchbook. 

“Marinette, please, be the bigger person,” Mme. Bustier said. 

“No.” Marinette said, glaring at her teacher. “You have dug your grave, and now you must lie in it. You didn’t fundraise, you didn’t have a goal, and you weren’t prepared. You’ll be lucky to get a school trip,”

“You’re a horrible teacher,” Alya said. “Marinette having to plan field trips last year… that’s your job. You’re also supposed to help fundraise, and you don’t make the victims of bullies apologize! I’m glad we’re graduating, because then we won’t have to see you ever again,”

Mme. Bustier was shocked. All her students had loved her, why would Alya say something like that?

“I regret transferring here,” Kagami said. “I only picked this school because Marinette attends it. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone,”

The class fell silent. 

“Well? Are you gonna start class or what?” Chloe complained. 

“O- oh! Right. Yes…” Mme. Bustier said. 

—

The end of year dance wasn’t bad, but probably because every class in the school had to help set it up. 

The next day, the World Travel Club left as planned. 

They first stayed in a prestigious hotel in New York City. The club went all around the city, to all of the typical tourist destinations (somehow Marinette got them onto the torch of the Statue of Liberty). 

Somehow, the club ran into the Avengers, and after Kagami managed to hit it off with Black Widow, the club got invited up to the Avengers Tower. They got a tour around the tower (taking selfies at every possible moment), then came across Thor. 

Thor found the club amusing, and challenged them to try and lift his hammer. 

Marinette started to record with her phone, and watched as her fellow club members tried (and failed) to lift the hammer. It was hilarious to watch. 

Marinette was last, handing her phone off to Alya. Alya, Chloe, Kagami, and Marinette figured that Marinette would probably surprise everyone. Marinette didn’t even attempt to use two hands at first. She grabbed the handle with one hand, and picked it up effortlessly. 

The tower stared at her in shock. 

“It’s terribly balanced,” Marinette said. 

“That’s what Vision said,” Thor recalled. “But I must take you to Asgard with me!”

“No thanks,” Marinette said. 

The entire interaction was caught on video, and Marinette posted it later that night with the caption “I am worthy?!” 

By the end of the visit, the club members had gotten the Avengers phone numbers. 

The club spent two weeks touring even more places, and watching a couple of Broadway shows. 

They then got on their plane headed to Gotham City. 

—

Everyone was talking about the club’s trip. Everyone. 

Mme. Bustier’s former class was jealous. Their former classmates were touring America! All they had gotten was a lousy two hour trip to some theme park no one could care to remember the name of. 

They screamed when they saw all the pictures of the club members hanging out with the Avengers. Some of them cracked their phones when they saw Marinette pick up Thor’s hammer. 

And summer was only just starting. 

—

Gotham City was a crime haven. The club was a bit nervous, but they had gotten a secure hotel. 

I’m their second say in the city, they met the Batfam, who insisted on flaunting meeting them so they wouldn’t be showed up by the Avengers. 

So the club got pictures with every member of the Batfam, and even got to sit in the Batmobile. 

The third day they met Superman, and all got to be flown around in pairs. Alya and Nino had been first, and picked all the pairs. After Alya and Nino was Rose and Juleka, then Marc and Nathaniel, then Chloe and Sabrina, then Marinette and Kagami, then Aurore and Mirelle, then Zoe and Luka. 

There was a lot of blushing. 

At the end of the two weeks, the club had met (and gotten pictures with) all the superheroes and villains. 

The club got on their next plane. 

—

The former class was in horror. The club had met all sorts of heroes, and even villains! Why were they so popular?!

There were multiple akumas, but nothing a little superheroes and horse miraculous couldn’t fix. 

—

Miami was the next tour stop. The club spent the first day just touring, and walking around on the boardwalk.

The second day the spent fishing.

All day.

Marinette was having bad luck and couldn’t seem to catch a fish for ages.

When she finally did, it took her 15 minutes to reel it in. It ended up being a 15 pound Jack Crevall.

They hung out at the ocean the third day, and even went surfing. 

They spent the fourth day souvenir shopping.

Over the next couple of days, they explored Miami, and went on some cool tours (like an alligator tour).

The club then spent a couple days exploring Disney World, Universal Studios, and grabbing every possible souvenir. Marinette had managed to get them passes so they could skip the long lines.

The entire club got sorted into different hogwarts houses when they went to Universal Studios, and they got wands.

Griffindor consisted of: Nino.

Nino was annoyed he was alone.

Ravenclaw consisted of: Marinette (to no ones surprise), Alya (also to no one’s surprise), Juleka, and Marc.

Slytherin consisted of: Chloe (to absolutely no one’s surprise), Kagami (also to no one’s surprise), Nathaniel (everyone was surprised by that), Aurore, and Zoe.

Hufflepuff consisted of: Sabrina (the club was expecting this), Mirelle, Luka (no one was surprised), and Rose (no one was surprised).

The club was surprised that Slytherin had the most people in it.

Everyone got robes and wands, and they spent the rest of the day getting souvenirs and going on rides.

At the end of the two weeks, and after a lot more shopping, the club got on their next flight.

—

Mme. Bustier class was speechless.

Sure, the club hadn’t met any more superheroes, but they still went to Universal Studios! And Disney World!

The classmates would need to talk to the club members when they got back to school.

—

LA was next.

Chloe had gotten them premiere movie tickets, and they got meet several movie stars. At one point in the week, they even got to go to Hollywood!

The club spent a lot of time shopping while in LA, and everyone ended up meeting their favorite actor. 

Zoe got an internship, and wound up getting into a movie.

After the intense weeks were over, with Zoe filming a movie on and off, with the club members being background extras and Chloe playing the roll of the older sister that died at the beginning, the club was excited for their next location.

—

LA.

They went to LA?!

Mme. Bustier’s class was in shock. That was where they wanted to go!

Strangely though, there would be a couple of days of silence on the social meda, then pictures of the club getting souvenirs.

What happened in LA?

—

Hawaii was the most peaceful place on the trip.

Everyone had fun hanging out on the resort, and going scuba diving.

The final two weeks of the trip were the most peaceful.

Well, they would be even more peaceful if Alya and Nino weren’t pushing, trying to get all their ships to get together.

Rose and Juleka were the easiest. They were already super close, and didn’t take much pushing for Rose to finally kiss Juleka and ask her out (Chloe, Alya, and Marinette got a dozen photos).

Nathaniel and Marc were a bit more difficult. Alya and Nino forced them to sit next to eachother at every possible opportunity.

Finally, at the end of the first week, the two kissed (everyone got pictures of that).

Chloe and Sabrina were even harder. Finally, as the two weeks were coming to an end, Alya determined that the only way to get them together was to shut them in the hotel room together.

Four hours later, Chloe and Sabrina had finally kissed.

Luka won the bet (and 50 euros from each Alya and Nino).

By the end of the trip, they still hadn’t gotten Marigami together.

But everyone got on the plane anyway, with tons of souvenirs each from each city they had gone to (though, no one had more stuff than Chloe), and returned home.

—

As soon as Mme. Bustier’s class realized the group was in Hawaii, they thought they were done. Hawaii was much more chill than the other places-

Wait, when did Rose and Juleka become a thing?!

Wait, is that Marc and Nathaniel?!

WAIT, CHLOE AND SABRINA?!

The class waited, but only saw more pictures of scuba diving, Marinette and Kagami fighting sharks at one point, and souvenir shopping.

The class anxiously awaited seeing the club again.

—

The club retrieved their luggage from the baggage claim, and returned to their houses, all intending on sleeping for five days.

However, after only sleeping for a couple hours, Marinette’s phone buzzed. She sleepily opened her texting app.

It was Mylene.

Mylene: Can I talk with you?

Marinette groggily responded.

Marinette: Later

Marinette: Too tired to talk

Marinette shut her phone off, and went back to sleep.

—

Mylene stared at her phone.

“Did you reach Marientte?” her boyfriend asked.

“Yeah…?” Mylene said. “She told me we’d talk later. She’s tired. I guess their flight back landed recently. I’ll contact her later,”

“Oh, yeah,” Ivan said. “Jet lag. They were just in Hawaii,”

Mylene nodded.

“What do you think happened in LA?” Ivan asked. “Their social medias went silent for long stretches of time,”

Mylene scrolled down on the social media.

“My guess,” Mylene said. “They were in LA, near Hollywood, with Zoe, who’s an incredible actress. Maybe she got a roll in a movie and she couldn’t take pictures because of that,”

“Do you think it’s possible for someone her age to get a roll in a movie?” Ivan asked.

Mylene shrugged.

“Emma Watson got the roll of Hermione at 10 or 11,” Mylene pointed out.

“Oh, yeah,” Ivan said.

—

Two days after they got home, Marinette finally was able to walk around. She’d been frustrated with Hawkmoth still sending out Akumas, but that was to be expected.

She finally remembered the text that Mylene had sent.

Marinette: Oh shoot sorry

Marinette: If you want to talk I’ll be at the park

Mylene: I’ll be there!

Mylene: Is it alright if I bring Ivan?

Marinette hesitated. Mylene had been passive, but Ivan had been a cross between passively standing there, and picking on her. 

Then again, the worst he had done was shut the door in front of her.

Marinette: Sure

Marinette slipped her phone into her purse, and pulled her hair back into twin braids. She was headed to lycée, she should wear her hair differently for the first time in ages.

Marinette walked out of the bakery, and into the park. She played with the charm on her necklace, the necklace that protected her from negative emotions.

A couple minutes later, Mylene and Ivan showed up.

“Hey,” Marinette said.

“Marinette, you’re hair is so pretty!” Mylene said.

“Thanks,” Marinette said with a smile. “So what did you want to talk about?”

Mylene and Ivan glanced at eachother.

“We’re sorry,” Mylene said. “We shouldn’t have stood by when you were getting picked on,”

“We just really didn’t want to pick a side,” Ivan said.

Marinette stared at the two.

She had noticed that, among her passive classmates, while the others just ignored her getting tripped, Mylene and Ivan had seemed conflicted. Not wanting to take sides made sense for the two.

“It’s alright,” Marinette said. “I knew you guys weren’t trying to be mean,” “And… sorry for closing the door in your face,” Ivan said. “I realized quickly I shouldn’t be doing that,”

Marinette laughed.

“It’s fine,” Marinette said.

“Hey, Marinette,” Mylene started. “The class was talking about letting you on next years class trip, and insisting you help fundraise. Are you going to?”

Marinette cringed.

“So… uh…” Marinette started. “The entire World Travel Club with transferring schools, to an art school,”

“Wait, you are?!” Mylene said, excited. “That’s awesome! What are the different members studying?!”

“Chloe and I are doing fashion,” Marinette started, “Rose, Juleka, Luka, and Nino are studying music. Nathaniel and Kagami, surprisingly, are studying drawing and painting, Marc is studying writing, Alya, Aurore, Sabrina, and Mirelle are studying photography, and Zoe is studying theatre,”

“That’s cool,” Ivan said. “How long have you known you were going there?”

“We sent in the applications in January,” Marinette said. “Over our trip, some of us got internships, and some pretty good opportunities,”

“So Zoe did get into a movie?” Mylene said.

Marinette blinked.

“Who told you that?” she asked.

“No one,” Mylene said. “I took a guess cause you didn’t update your social medias and you guys were in LA,”

Marinette laughed.

“Yeah, Zoe’s in a movie,” Marinette said. “We all are as background characters at the very least,”

“I’m so jealous,” Mylene said.

“There’s still time to apply to our school,” Marinette said. “I can send in a good word and you could get accepted before school starts,”

“You’d do that for us?” Ivan asked.

Marinette nodded.

“You guys apologized without being asked to, and weren’t that mean in the first place,” Marinette said. “And you also respected my wishes and actually paid for me to make your outfits,”

“Thank you!” Mylene said.

“I’ll help you two make a portfolio, and mail it to the school,” Marinette said. “C’mon!”

—

Like Marinette said, Mylene and Ivan were able to get into the art school, even with a short notice. Marinette talked to the other members of the World Travel Club, and they agreed that Mylene and Ivan would be allowed to join the World Travel Club. The two agreed, adding two more members to the ranks. 

When school started up, the former members of Mme. Bustier’s class were expecting to see Marinette and all her friends at school. They weren’t quite sure if they would be in the same classes, but they had requested it.

However, when the first day of school ended, they still hadn’t seen Marinette, or any of her friends.

The second day of school, they still didn’t show up. A few of the classmates went to the office, and asked about them.

“Where’s Marinette Dupain-Cheng?” Lila asked. Adrien stood next to her. His father had forced them to start dating.

The receptionist looked up the name.

“I’m sorry,” the receptionist said. “There isn’t a student at this school by that name,”

Lila and Adrien stared at her in horror.

“What about Chloe Beurgouis?” Adrien asked.

“Alya Cesaire?” Lila said.

“Kagami Tsurgi?” Adrien said.

The receptionist searched up the names.

“None of those names belong to students at this school,” she said.

Lila and Adrien rambled off the names of Marinette’s friends, each one not being a student.

“What about Ivan Bruel?” Lila asked. 

Ivan and Mylene hadn’t been to school.

“Not a student here,” the receptionist said.

“What?!” Lila said. “But he’s not even friends with Marinette!”

“You two should head back to lunch,” the receptionist said. “You’re wasting my time,”

Adrien and Lila begrudgingly walked back to lunch, and broke the news.

Marinette and her friends weren’t students here.

The class was speculating why they weren’t students.

“Well, at least they won’t sabotage our fundraisers this year,” Lila said.

The class hesitantly agreed. None of them were that mad at Marinette and her friends. They were upset, yes, but didn’t hold it against her. They held it against themselves.

—

Marinette and her friends thrived at the art school.

Marinette was now able to keep up with the demand for her dolls, and could even work on commissions at school. She was fiding even cooler outfits she could make, and her teachers helped her.

Zoe and Mylene were lucky that, as actors, it was understood why they missed a lot of school. Zoe had to keep working on her movie, and had given in a good word for Mylene, so the two were being flown all over working on their movies.

Now that all of Kitty Section was at the same school, and on the same page, they were thriving, writing more songs, and getting even more gigs. They even got to perform with Jagged Stone, thanks to both him being Luka and Juleka’s dad, and also him knowing Marinette, as she was the lead costumer for the groups.

Nino was thriving, and for once wasn’t yelled at for having headphones in class.

Marc and Nathaniel were getting a lot more of their comic done, and were finally catching up on the backlog of work, as there were some more artists and writers that could help with some of the planning.

For the first time, Kagami was able to draw without judgement, and she considered that in its self a win.

With access to even better cameras than their phones, Alya and Aurore’s blogs were more popular than ever. Aurore and Mirelle won weather girls again, and put their new skills to good use. No one knew why Sabrina was studying photography, but she was great at it.

Chloe finally learned how to sew properly, and helped Marinette tackle her workload (and she finally had some respect from her mother).

—

In the second week of school, the World Travel Club got together. Marinette gave Mylene a pendant, and Ivan a cord bracelet. It was the same as the jewelry all the other club members wore, it would protect them from akumatization.

“So where will we go this year?” Marinette asked.

“We’ve got 10,000 euros already,” Chloe said. “From leftovers from last year, and our personal businesses,”

After discussing it for a while, they decided to go to Japan. It wouldn’t cost as much, and it wouldn’t be as long, but it would still be fun.

—

It was months later when they finally ran into their former classmates.

“Oh! Hey guys!” Lila said. “Did you transfer?”

“Yeah,” Marinette.

“And we don’t feel like talking to you,” Chloe said.

“Why not?” Lila asked.

“Because you’re a liar,” Alya said. “Now leave us alone,”

The club left, leaving Lila and party speechless.

—

No one knew how it happened, but somehow, at some point, Marinette and Kagami started dating. When asked, they refused to tell, but smiled at eachother.

Marinette, Kagami, Alya, and Chloe stared at a map in Marinette’s room.

“So, we really need to figure out if Gabriel Agreste is Hawkmoth,” Marinette said. “Maybe… Alya? Can you go to the house hidden in camouflage and follow him around?”

Alya nodded.

The four had figured out how to use their powers the way adults could. Kagami had unlimited uses of her wind, water, and lightning powers, Chloe had unlimited venoms, Marinette had unlimited lucky charms, and Alya had unlimited mirages, that could last for as long as she wanted them to.

“When should we do this?” Chloe asked.

“We have Friday off, so go Friday,” Marinette said. “Hawkmoth attacks every day, so it shouldn’t take long,”

—

Friday couldn’t come soon enough.

But come it finally did.

Early in the morning, Alya told her family she would be hanging out with Marinette. She did meet Marinette, and the two went to Gabriel’s place.

Marinette had been offered a internship with Gabriel. She wasn’t going to do it, but had agreed to at least hear him out. She picked the day.

Silver Fox slipped in silently, her miraculous letting her walk silently. 

Marinette spoke with Gabriel Agreste for only a few minutes, but left annoyed. She turned him down.

Silver Fox continued to follow Gabriel.

At noon, she followed him down to an elevator activated by the portrait. She barely managed to stand on it without getting caught.

“Nooroo, dark wings, rise!”

Silver Fox’s eyes went wide in shock, and she looked to where the Akuma left. Where in the world were they.

Silver Fox got out her flute and texted Marinette, warning her about the oncoming Akuma.

She slinked back and went back down the elevator, using both image and sound illusions to cover he tracks. Luckily, she wasn’t caught.

—

“So we have confirmation,” Marinette said. “Now what do we do?”

Marinette, Alya, Kagami, and Chloe were in Marinette’s room.

“Let’s kidnap Adrien,” Chloe said. “That’ll catch Hawkmoth’s attention,”

“And also paint us as the bad guys,” Marinette pointed out. She fiddled with the charm on her choker.

“What about a sneak attack?” Alya asked. “We can head to Hawkmoth’s lair, and when he comes in we attack,”

“That could work,” Marinette said.

“But he might have an alarm system,” Kagami pointed out. “And when you’ve fought him in the past he over-powered you,”

“Gabriel still as the peacock miraculous and the grimoire,” Marinette muttered. “That’s how he over powered us on heroes day. He used the peacock miraculous,”

“So we should steal them,” Chloe said.

“...yeah,” Marinette said. 

“How?” Kagami asked.

Marinette grabbed the miracle box, and pulled out the horse miraculous.

“Portals,” Marinette said. She slipped the glasses on. “Kaalki, Tikki, unify,”

She transformed into Pegabug.

“Voyage,” Pegabug said, aiming at the ground.

A portal opened on the ground, looking down at from the ceiling into Gabriel’s study. He wasn’t in it.

“So far so good,” Chloe muttered.

“Voyage,” Pegabug said, opening another portal to the location of the peacock miraculous and grimoire. She found a short space. The peacock miraculous was leaning on a picture of Emilie Agreste. The grimoire was on a the shelf.

“Hurry up,” Kagami whispered, as Gabriel walked back into the room.

Pegabug quickly grabbed the miraculous and grimoire, and shut both portals.

Pegabug tapped the miraculous, and the kwami flew out.

“Duusu!”

The kwamis flew out and hugged Dussu.

While the kwamis reconnected, Pegabug looked over the miraculous.

“It’s cracked,” she said.

Kagami, Chloe, and Alya looked to see what she meant. It was true. The back of the miraculous was coated in cracks.

“I thought the miraculous couldn’t be damaged,” Alya said.

“They can under extreme conditions,” Pegabug said. “Tikki, Kaalki, divide,”

Marinette put the miraculous onto her desk.

“Master Fu lost the butterfly and peacock miraculous, and the grimoire, when escaping from a sentimonster. He lost them near lava. The Peacock miraculous must’ve cracked from the heat, but eventually the lava hardened,” Marinette let Duusu fly around for a bit.

“I’ll need to fix the miraculous,” Marinette said. She grabbed Master Fu’s tablet, and looked for the instructions on how to do so.

“Goodness…” she muttered.

“What?” Kagami asked, wrapping her arms around Marinette’s shoulders.

“I need molten gold, meteorite dust, and a part of the animal, in this case, probably a peacock feather,” Marinette said.

“I’ll get that for you,” Chloe said. “I’ll have my daddy get it,”

“Thanks, Chlo,” Marinette said.

Chloe pulled out her phone.

“Daddy?” Chloe said. “I want gold, a meteorite, and a peacock feather!”

Chloe listened, then put the phone on mute for a moment.

“Any particular kind of gold?” Chloe asked.

“A kind I can melt?” Marinette said.

Chloe nodded.

“24 carot,” Chloe said. She nodded as she listened. “Thank you daddy!”

She hung up.

“So what do we do until tomorrow?” Alya asked.

“Me and Chloe can work on the dolls,” Marinette said. “I’m nearly out. Kagami, don’t you have that assignment you need to do?”

Kagami nodded.

“Alright, you can do that,” Marinette said. “And Alya, you can work on your blog,”

The four girls got to work.

—

The next day, they were all in Chloe’s hotel, mostly because it had more privacy than Marinette’s room.

Marinette had looked up how to melt gold, while Kagami pounded the meteorite.

Chloe and Alya were on their phones while they waited.

“Alya?” Marinette asked. “Can you go get me a propane torch?”

Alya stared at her, then stood up.

“And Chloe, I need something called… Flux?” Marinette said. “Also, something that looks like this,”

Marinette showed Chloe the picture on her phone.

Chloe called her dad.

—

Several painstaking hours later, Marinette put a drop of the mixture onto the back of the peacock miraculous, and spoke the magic words. The miraculous flew into the air, and glowed brightly. It dropped into her hand. Duusu flew out.

Marinette and her friends smiled.

—

The next week, Hawkmoth attacked in-person.

This was the moment they had been waiting for.

The four found themselves staring Hawkmoth dead on.

The akumatized victim of his choice was Volpina. Obviously.

The fighting though, didn’t take that long.

Hawkmoth obviously wasn’t expecting an increase in strength, and without more help, the four heroes quickly took him down.

Gabriel Agreste was arrested. Nathalie got off scot free somehow, but both she and Adrien had a bad reputation. After the police searched the house, they found Emilie in the basement. Ladybug was able to easily heal her. After finding out what Gabriel was doing, Emilie divorced him, and took Adrien with her to London.

—

It was at the trial that Gabriel spilled the beans on Lila, saying that she had been willingly akumatized several times.

Lila’s reputation was ruined instantly, and she got sent back to Italy, with a million euro fine, and was sent to military school.

Over time, Marinette forgave her friends, but she never went back to school with them.

And MDC became a house hold name when she joined the fashion industry.

#pettynette #miraculous ladybug #dc x miraculous #marvel x miraculous #marigami #chlobrina #nathaniel x marc #adrien salt

[timaeusterrored]

(Like Father Like Son)

((I feel like I’ve never actually written a father-son moment between Vax and Vik, and what better time than now? Set sometime after he starts healing from the Space Station))

Vax had always loved rooftops, ever since he was a kid. Whenever he sat up there, for once he didn’t feel so small. That maybe being up there could save him from the city trying to swallow him. Even as a kid, V was terrified of the city eating him whole, becoming a no one. Another face in a sea of nobodies.

“Y’know, I’ll never forget the first time I looked up and saw you sitting on a roof. Damn near climbed the building to get you down.”

Vax turned at the sudden voice, not expecting anyone up here. But there stood Vik, arms crossed and leaned again the door way.

“Don’t you have your own roof to go sit on or somethin’? Or did the ol’ Rockerboy finally chase you away?” Vik sat down next to V, their legs dangling over the edge. Vax noted Vik was making an effort to not look down. Not everyone could handle heights.

“Nah, he’s busy with the ‘Saka bullshit still… and his new album.” Vax tried to keep the sad tone out of his voice, but he was struggling to. And he knew Vik heard it.

“Trouble in paradise? He fuck up?”

“He’s been perfect, Vik… it ain’t that.” Vax sighed, rubbing his eyes. “I’m so fuckin’ tired… and lonely. Ker invites me to join him when he goes places… but he doesn’t need me. No one fuckin’ does. No one needs V anymore…”

Vik let that settle in, watching his son for a long moment. Was that what this was? He felt unneeded? Unwanted even?

“You’re right. I don’t need V.” Maybe that was a bad way to start because Vax chuckled like he knew something. “I need Vax. I need that spunky little fifteen year old smart ass I met damn near 15 years ago.” Holy fuck it had been 15 years already.

Vax was staring at him, as if confused by his statement. He never had been a man of words.

“Y’know… when I first brought you in, I was thinking ‘what the fuck am I doing? I can’t raise a kid. Much less a 15 year old.’ And with you glaring at me for like a month straight, I really didn’t think we were getting far. But Vax… you changed my life. When you won your first boxing match, I just yelled ‘That’s my kid! That’s my kid right there!’ I was so fucking proud of you… then that fucker took you when you were 17 and I didn’t know what the fuck to do. All I knew was that my kid was gone and no one had seen him in days… then Rogue comes to my door holding you, you’re shaking and covered in blood and smell like a fucking campfire and I don’t think I’ve ever been more relieved to see you in my life… until Arasaka took you. Losing Jackie felt like losing a son… and I kept just… hoping, praying, I dunno, everything to just get that thing out of you. For you to live.”

When Vik was mostly done because he felt he was talking nonsense, he looked at V… to find him with tears in his eyes. Oh fuck, he hadn’t meant to make him cry.

“And when you brought fucking Kerry Eurodyne home, I was like “oh hell no.” Because I’ve read some shit-“ Vik attempted to joke but Vax let out a sound that he couldn’t tell if the poor man was laughing or crying.

Vik patted his son’s back, letting him get it out. Kerry said Vax had been rather unresponsive to things, and this is probably the first time he’s cried in a while. The ripperdoc couldn’t even begin to understand what this man went through.

“Fuck… I’m sorry.” Vax sniffed, rubbing his eyes. “I’m so… I’m so tired, Vik… I know people are trying to give me space and to let me rest… but I can’t help but feel like everyone has moved on from me… even Ker and Judy don’t feel like they need me anymore… and you and Mama Welles got your own shit goin’ on-“

“Me and Guadalupe have been worried sick about you. So don’t you start pulling that shit onto me… No one has moved on from you. You spend too much time in your own head, you always have.” Vik sighed. Vax had been horrible for getting in his own head, Vik never could get him to stop. “You been talking to your therapist? And taking your meds?”

Vax nodded, and yet Vik didn’t believe him.

“My keeper isn’t letting me forget. Don’t worry.” Vax mumbled, his hands falling into his lap in defeat. Vik had no clue what to do to make this better… he didn’t read any parenting books on how to make your adult kid feel better after dying three times.

The two sat in silence after, sometimes you just needed quiet with a safe person to feel less alone. Until Vax rested his head on Vik’s shoulder.

“Thanks pops…”

Vik wrapped his arm around his son and rubbed his shoulder.

“Anytime kiddo…”

#cyberpunk 2077 #cyberpunk v #male v #male v cyberpunk #vax eurodyne #vax kane #viktor vektor #cyberpunk Vik #cyberpunk Viktor #dad vik #cyberpunk fiction #cyberpunk fanfic #dad Vik here to replace my own pieces of shit dads #needed some dad comfort

[dustyro0m]

Can I make a Jason x reader request

!!CANON DIVERGENT AND MAJOR SPOILERS FOR TITANS!!

Titans Jason Todd x jokers gn child reader. (Not explicitly stated though)

Angst at the start, and ambiguous ending. Can be seen as angst or fluff.

I have changed some things from the request to make it more suited to more audiences. I also didn't really understand the ask so I tried my best! I'm very sorry this took so long, school has been very hard these past few weeks...Thank you very much!

Warnings- mentions of murder, extreme sadness, guilt, anger, abuse, crying, and running away. (LMK if I’ve missed anything!!)

Please excuse any spelling or grammatical errors, this is proofread but if I have made any pronoun mistakes, or any other mistakes let me know and I will fix it! Just please be polite :D

...

Everything is supposed to be different now. Everything was perfect.

No more death, no more suffering, everything was...serene. There was a routine.

You were finally distanced from your father. No more was his name attached to yours. And Jason. With him it felt like the entire city was yours and his. No more pain, no more suffering no more guilt and regret.

But now it feels like how it was before you met Jason. Before everything changed.

You never really liked Hawk. You knew that he and Jason had quarreled in the past, and the way he looked at you when he found out that you and Jason were dating just sealed the deal. But he was a good person. He helped people. That made him good.

Never would you have expected Jason to have killed Hawk.

He remembers everything vividly. The look on his older 'brothers' face. How Dove cried. How everyone looked at him when he sobered up from the gas. He didn't have anyone to turn to but you.

You wiped the blood off of his face, and stayed with him through the long nights. You were mad at him but you sympathised. Cranes recipe was scary, no matter who was under it.

It feels like your whole world came crashing down around you. There wasn't supposed to be any more death. Not from you, and not from Jason.

He's not supposed to kill innocent people. Hank had a life, he helped people.

You werent neccesarily a good person. You fell in love with Jason Todd for example. And trying to take over Gotham would land you the moniker of being a not so good person. But you had one rule and that was to not kill good people. Your father had done that and you hate your father.

You had told Jason not to kill innocent people. He had this anger inside of him. The best way to describe it was a burning rage fuled by loneliness and regret. And he listened to you. He didn't kill anyone innocent. Which makes the recent news even more devastating.

You remember being around your father. Everytime you were around him you would get this feeling, like a deep rooted disgust that could never go away. It was a disgusting ugly feeling felt like liquid anger and revulsion mixing with shame and guilt pooling up to your chest and spilling out of you through your words and actions.

You thought you would never feel it with Jason. But as you look at his mask, discarded on the floor of your shared apartment you feel it again.

Disgust.

Revulsion.

Fear.

Shame.

Ashamed of your boyfriend. What a horrible feeling for a horrible situation. You loved Jason, and you told yourself (and him too) that your love for him was infinite. But why are you feeling shame now?

You pick up his mask silently. Equally as silently, you throw it to the ground.

Again, and again and again.

You hated scarecrow. You hated Hank, you hated Dawn. You hated Dick, Bruce, Gar, Rachel and Donna.

You hated Jason.

The mask lies in pieces at your feet as you feel regret wash over you.

Jason has extra masks, and he would easily forgive you just as you could easily lie about what happened to his mask. But all that anger that you felt subsides.

You pick up all the broken pieces and place them together in vain. Nothing would bring that mask back. Exhausted by your emotions, you throw the pieces away and slump into the couch.

Jason walks into the house as you're watching TV. He doesn't say anything to you and you don't say anything to him. He microwaves some crappy TV dinner and serves it to the both of you.

You study him as he eats. Sharp features that blend together softly. Piercing blue eyes that made your heart skip a beat. Big warm hands with prominent veins and prominent scars.

All features that made you feel giddy. You can feel the giddiness fade away as you look at him now.

After dinner, he goes to take a shower.

It feels like staying in this house with him is sufficating you. It feels like he himself is wrapping his hands around your neck, and squeezing and squeezing.

Is this the life you wanted? Is how you want to spend the rest of your time with Jason? Angry, confused, guilty, shameful?

You decide you’re going to leave. You’ll stay with Dick for a bit, maybe Donna, or even Bruce if worst comes to worst. But just away from here.

Jason passes out at 11.PM on days where he doesn’t patrol. He’s completely wiped out as you pack up your bags. Clothes, burner phones and cables are all tossed into your duffel.

You bought this house with him. It took a long time and you still remember moving in with him. How he held you up to the high ceilings to change the light bulbs, how you and him spend afternoons shopping for furniture. How it felt so surreal that you and him made a house a home.

And now you were leaving it all behind.

You send Dick a quick text asking him to pick you up soon. He responds quickly with no questions. You appreciate that. Just thirty minutes and then you’re going to be gone from here.

Regret swirls in your stomach as you watch Jason sleep. But you push it aside. You know what you want. You’re going to try your hardest to go through with this.

You close the door behind you as softly as you can. It clicks behind you and you let out a sigh. Your heart clenches as you walk to the door.

“Y/N? What are you-”

He wipes wipes the sleep from his eyes, confusedly. His eyes flicker down to your duffel bag and your hand on the door.

“Jason…I’m sorry, I can’t…I don’t…” years start to sting in your eyes and streak down your face. Warm and hot, his face mirrors yours. You drop the bag, and before you know it your face is in his chest. Your arms wrap around each other and you both cry and cry and cry. It’s warm in his arms, and you haven’t hugged him in so, so long. It feels amazing.

“Stay. Please” he whispers.

You look him in the eyes, and you know what you're going to do.

#titans jason todd #jason todd x y/n #jason todd x you #jason todd x reader #jason todd #jason todd fluff #jason todd angst #jason todd fanfiction #jason todd fic #answered #titans x y/n #titans x you #dc comcis #dc comics #dc jason todd #fluff #canon divergence #fanmade #titans imagine #arkham knight x reader #arkham knight #red hood #red hood x you #red hood x reader #red hood x gender neutral reader #jason todd x fem!reader #jason todd x gn!reader #jason todd x gender neutral reader #jason todd x male reader

[my-castles-crumbling]

Btw this is super long so if it’s too much, ignore it 💖

So i think I need some advice. I’m in a friend group of seven. Three of them are christian. People’s religions don’t often bother me, i’ve had my ups and downs with it but mostly I don’t mind what you believe.

But two of them have some opinions that they align with their religion that I disagree with. 

So Friend 1 is pro-life. She strongly believes abortion shouldn’t be an option (in healthcare) and if she was old enough, would vote against the right to have it. For everyone.

Friend 2 believes that abortion is murder, but (I would say) is pro-choice simply because even though she wishes nobody got abortions, she wouldn’t actively vote against their right to have them. 

Say if I got pregnant, I know Friend 2 would still help me get an abortion if that’s what I chose. 

And then there’s the other thing. They are both… let’s just say… not on the side of queer people. And im queer. And they know that. 

I told them back when we became friends. Friend 1 jokingly said “no one here is gay right?” (when she was sat on the lap of Friend 2, pretending they were a couple, they’re both girls) and I didn’t hear the hostility in her tone. And I said I was (well, Pansexual). I was met with an awkward silence. And the announcement that Friend 1 was christian… 

Friend 1 doesn’t agree with queer people. She doesn’t think it’s natural or right. She doesn’t like the idea of queer marriage. Or queer adoption. I don’t know her opinion on trans people explicitly but I think she’s said some classic transphobe things, like the claim the bathroom isn’t safe 🙄 ( which is obviously not true)

Friend 2 is the exact same. I tried explaining how JK Rowling is transphobic once and she brushed me off and said it sounded like she was right (ik a lot more abt that now though so i might go back to that with her soon… to be fair to her, she does listen to me and change her opinions if I make an argument she understands)

But when it comes down to it, Friend 1 thinks that it should all be done her way.

Whereas Friend 2 thinks above all she should not judge. She wouldn’t take away queer peoples rights (and doesn’t really say things like “they’re too loud” and such).

But here’s the thing. They are both good people. Friend 1 is the first person I go to with good or bad news. She is so good at understanding how others are feeling. And she gets me. She’s lovely and sweet and so enthusiastic. And I feel comfortable around her. We don’t talk about religion. She’ll mention something she believes from the bible or quote a verse and i’ll be cool with it. I’ll mention queer rights and she’ll be cool with it. 

And Friend 2 is awesome. She’s funny and kind and we talk about religion a lot. We debate everything and argue (gently, no yelling just talking) and we never end badly. It’s always like… okay. Agree to disagree. Cause she knows I respect her right to believe in god. And I know she respects my right to be who I am. 

They both always ask my permission if they can pray for me. They always invite me to their church youth group but provide me all the timings so I can come after prayers just so i’m comfortable (cause they don’t want me to feel left out when they invite the others).

But sometimes I feel… resentment. Towards them. Because they don’t like people who are like me. 

The whole abortion thing is tough, because I think no matter what you believe you shouldn’t vote against the right to HAVE an abortion. Because that’s taking away a human right (in my opinion). 

It’s not like i’m not used to this attitude. My parents are similar to this. They believe everyone should have the right to an abortion but, unless it’s a horrible (rape) situation, you should still have the child. And they believe in rights for queer people… until they’re being loud about it. Until it’s their kid. 

And I just- I don’t love that attitude and so after leaving it in my house, it’s not easy for it then to be around me and my friends. 

But also I’d hate to lose them over this. They are good people. They’re kind and funny and I get along so well with both of them. 

Friend 2 is a friend I hope i’ll have for a long time. Because she’s like a sister. We argue but we never get mad. Plus at the end of the day she’d have my back. She’d come to my wedding if I married a women (i’m also a girl) and she’d help me if I ever needed it, over all else. She believes the most important part of being a christian is not to judge others. And I think she truly tries not too. 

Friend 1 it’s harder. I love her too, she’s the best person to talk to when something happens. She’s generous and giving and she fucking cares. But she really believes these things in a way I find difficult to accept sometimes. 

I don’t have a great relationship with religion. i’d love to hash it out one day but right now I just don’t have the time to put another difficult and anxiety inducing thought through my brain. 

I don’t know what i’m asking and i’m conscious this was a long fucking message so i’m sorry. And if any of it bothers u or u don’t want it on ur blog then don’t worry at all 💖

 I just… am i wrong? For resenting them a little? It’s hard for me to tell which parts are my rocking relationship with religion that cause these thoughts, or if maybe they’re not good people for me.

Because I know if I asked them not too, they’d never bring up their religions around me. I respect their rights to opinions and they respect mine. But sometimes, it bugs me. And I, I just can’t tell if i’m being unfair. Because i am comfortable around them. And they are both sooooo kind. Well… depending on how you measure "kind" i guess. And trust me, they ever bring this stuff up, i’m always reading with a rebuttal, and they’ll always listen. It’s just not easy sometimes.

Hi! I don't think you're wrong for feeling resentment at all! Being friends with people who have difference in fundamental beliefs is HARD, especially when they have beliefs against your actualy identity. And I'm not judging you at all for it, but I do have to say, some of the things you said do seem like a bit of a red flag to me, especially for friend 1.

I think the thing is, people who different in these kind of beliefs hardly ever change them. At least not usually. And eventually, something is going to happen so that you cannot ignore those differences anymore. Like you said, you might marry a woman. Seems like friend 2 passes the vibe check in that case. but what about friend 1?

Again, I get it. I've been there. Only you can decide whether or not these friendships are worth it. But I worry a bit for you, is all.

#ask #asks #ask cas

[tossawary]

Happy November, everyone! And a belated Happy Halloween! I think that I’m going to keep this icon around for at least another month, because I like it.

Life for me has been busy, busy, busy, as ever! It’s all good stuff, there’s just a lot of it, so I can’t go quite as bananas over SVSSS. I want to say thank you again to everyone who continues to enjoy and show some love for the things I share here, both the fics and the silly little posts here. (NO, TUMBLR, I still don’t want to Blaze my Moshang posts, THANK YOU.)  Thank you for the comments, the replies, the likes and kudos, the asks, and everything else! I carry them with me through the day. I’m replying to them when I can.

We’re slowly coming up on the end of 2022, but there’s still some exciting fic stuff left! I’m in the middle of posting “love to the ones I’ve never met”, which is a dimension travel crossover between SVSSS and “pride is not the word I’m looking for” that I have been so happy to finally be sharing! There are still 7 chapters left in Luo Jiahui’s quest to get home again! And the SVSSS Shang Qinghua POV chapter that I’m going to be posting tomorrow night shows this horrible little rat man at his best!

(And I just wrapped up writing another SVSSS fic that challenged me to bring my best non-canon rarepair game. Any guesses who?)

I won’t be participating in NaNoWriMo or anything this year. Having done it a few times in the past, with good to okay experiences, if anyone reading this is feeling guilty about not participating or not being able to complete it in the past, I just want to say that it’s fine not to do it. And it’s fine to give it a go and then flame out! November is often a hectic month in my house; trying to write when you’re feeling burnt out can be like trying to walk on a broken leg. Writing or trying to write shouldn’t make you feel bad.

I personally try to write at least 200 words a day every day when I have projects going throughout the year, but I sometimes just don’t write at all. I just chill. I personally recommend starting out trying to write 100 words a day for a week or something. Little achievable chunks that I don’t have to perfect on the first try! You have to train when you want to run a marathon!

That said, if you do take up any challenges like NaNoWriMo, good luck! Have fun! May the universe arrange itself to give you the time, energy, and inspiration to tackle your labors of love! <3

#tossawary updates #tossawary art #tossawary svsss

[nyarlathotep-thecrawlingchaos]

Here, have some content no one asked for!!

I got to looking through my old writing folder on my laptop, this is a short story I wrote quite a few years ago, in case anyone is interested in my original bullshit.

Horror with sci-fi elements. About 3.5k words.

No reason, just for the hell of it.

Harriet

Most residents in the lakeside mountain community of Harriet, New Hampshire, are amputees. That’s what my buddy Doug told me. This was at least a year after he initially told me he lost his legs in a car wreck when he was a kid, back when I still thought his name was Douglas J. Smith. You wouldn’t believe the shit he told me when he realized they were onto him up there. Hell, this is probably going to disappear pretty fast, too. Everything about Harriet goes up in flames sooner or later. From what I’ve heard about it, it wouldn’t surprise me if someone decided to send the town itself up in a blazing inferno one day.

Apparently the place has been quarantined for the past decade and a half, and security there is tight. I’m talking Area 51, Dugway Proving Ground tight. The airspace above it is restricted and you’re not going to find it just typing it in on Google Maps. If you’re lucky enough to find an old roadmap detailing the place, it’s not going to be in your possession for long. For all intents and purposes, Harriet, New Hampshire does not exist.

It’s not like you’d want to vacation there, anyway. Trust me.

Doug spent the last weeks I saw him gradually changing from the pretty chill double-amputee I had befriended in college a couple years earlier into some kind of paranoid freak. I tried to understand, I tried to be around for him, but he never wanted to tell me much. He told me he had been lying to me since he met me, that he had been lying to everyone. He went on to reveal that he didn’t transfer from a college up in New England, that I didn’t even know his real name. Of course, I ask him what the hell he’s on and why he isn’t sharing, but he wasn’t in the mood for joking by that point in time. He wasn’t in the mood for much of anything but locking himself away in his apartment and brooding.

The last time I heard from Doug, it was via email. I saved it to my email account and saved a copy to my external hard drive. The copy in my email account was gone when I checked it this morning, so it’s lucky I saved the back-up, because it may be the only written testament of Harriet, New Hampshire left in existence.

Some names and emails will be replaced or deleted for the sake of privacy.

#####

From: Doug <[email protected]> To: "X" <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, April 27, 2012 5:05 AM Subject: [ no subject ]

X,

You’ve been a great friend the past couple years. That’s why you came to mind first. Maybe I’m actually damning you by telling you about this, but it wouldn’t feel right leaving you in the dark. I probably won’t be here after today. You won’t ever be able to find me again, and you sure as hell shouldn’t look for me.

This is about my hometown. My real hometown. Harriet, New Hampshire. I grew up there, lived there my whole life. In fact, I never once left the town, from the age of five until the year we met. Not because I didn’t want to, no, but because I couldn’t. No one who was there at the time of the incident could. The only ones who could were babies, X. Babies. If anyone in Harriet had a kid, they’d be taken and put in foster care somewhere else almost immediately, given new names and identities. They were drug babies, or their single mother died and the father couldn’t be found, or their parents died in some horrible accident. I know, because that was my job. I came up with new identities for these babies that were being taken away from friends and neighbors I had known my whole life. I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t think they were better off never having to know about Harriet. No one needs to know about that hell.

I need to back up. It started back in the nineties. I was only five, but I remember it. It was 1994, mid-July. I was outside with my dad, stargazing. He was telling me about the constellations when he came across a star in Orion that shouldn’t have been there.

Then the star darted to Ursa Minor, next to Canis Major. It moved like you would not believe, X. It wasn’t like a shooting star. It moved with deliberation, stopping and starting, turning angles no aircraft I’ve ever heard of could manage. This had to have gone on for five minutes, this little white dot in the sky just darting back and forth overhead. By the time we realized it was slowly getting bigger, it suddenly increased in size tenfold, and we could see it was not a single light but rather a collection of lights. There was one big light, right in the middle, and six more lights surrounding it. It was still small, and those were the only distinguishable details.

There was a flash of light in front of us, had to be a few miles off from where we were. It was just a flash, didn’t last for any more than a second, and when I looked up again the small collection of lights was gone from overhead. My dad and I were out in a field behind our house, pretty far off from the house itself, and he decided then that it was time to head back.

Almost as soon as I stood up, I was knocked back down by a burst of wind. My dad only barely managed to stay on his feet. It had to have been as strong as a small tornado. The wind dispersed quickly into a gentle breeze, and my dad picked me up and carried me quickly back toward the house. Of course, once we were inside and I was safe and sound in my room, I was asking him ten thousand questions about what had just happened. He just assured me that everything was fine and told me to get some sleep. I snuck out of my room later that night and heard him and my mom discussing what had happened, and knew that everything wasn’t fine. My dad was scared. My dad. When you’re five and you think your parents are invincible, that isn’t something that settles well. I snuck back to my room and spent all night staring at the ceiling, wondering, terrified.

That was back when you could still find Harriet, NH, on a roadmap, no problem. The government is probably still in the process of confiscating older roadmaps of NH and the states in general that list the place. Maybe they’ve got all of them. I don’t know. All I did for those assholes was rename babies. Even that was too much for me.

No one can really explain what happened in Harriet after that night. Maybe some of the government officials that rolled in afterwards could explain, but those tight-lipped bastards didn’t give a damn about us. My dad and I found out that we weren’t the only people in town that had witnessed that light show in the sky, that a barn not two miles from our house had been blown to pieces in the spot that microburst originated from. You don’t even want to know what happened to the animals they were keeping there. I’m just glad I never had to see the aftermath in person. Hearing about it was enough.

Not long after, we started seeing these stones around town. They were flat, almost round but angular, and black in color with white veins, usually a thick white vein running straight down the center, all the way through. They didn’t seem unnatural, just…pretty little rocks. They were great for skipping across the reservoir. Pretty soon they were scattered all over town, and they caught the interest of geologists in colleges around New England. They were the first to be affected, working so closely and deliberately with the stones. The ones who survived were relocated to Harriet after the military came in and quarantined us.

See, most of the residents of Harriet, NH from around that point in time are amputees. The majority of those who aren’t are dead. I’m not sure if you’d consider me one of the luckier ones or not.

My best guess is that the stones were markers, that they held some kind of tracking device. I don’t know the exact details. No one really seems to understand exactly what they were. But once they were activated—that is, once they stopped being these pretty little black marble stones and became something else—they wreaked havoc on us. Maybe something those geologists did set them off, maybe they were set off remotely once they were spread out through the entire town. Whatever the trigger was, you sure as hell didn’t want to touch a single one of them afterwards. It didn’t matter if it touched your clothes or your skin. You were marked as soon as you came in contact with one.

It was maybe a month after the lights in the sky, after we first started seeing the stones, when I stepped on one playing outside one day. I felt a sharp pain shoot up to my left shoulder. Always the left shoulder. It wasn’t unbearable, a little like getting a flu shot, like a small bug was biting you, but it just didn’t go away. You’d find yourself scratching at it for hours on end, but it wasn’t that bad, not bad enough to tell Mom and Dad about and waste a trip to the doctor over. I figured it was probably just a bug bite.

Then my dad started complaining about a little pinprick in his left shoulder. Then a couple of my friends, some of their parents. It went from being a mild annoyance to an epidemic of mild annoyances, but an epidemic of anything at all is enough to draw attention. Doctors couldn’t seem to find anything at all physically wrong, and nothing abnormal showed up on the brain scans. Whatever this was, it seemed to be purely psychological. A psychological epidemic of mild shoulder pain. Nobody knew what the hell was going on.

A week later, we found out.

Out of the six to seven thousand individuals that populated the town, around nine hundred were affected. Out of the nine hundred effected, following the night of July 27, 1994, about five hundred survived, all of them with some degree of handicap. My dad and I were both among this first batch. You’ve seen me. My dad only lost one limb, his right arm. We were lucky compared to some who lost internal organs, had partial lobotomies as they slept that night. Some of them actually survived. This shit, it wasn’t done by some psychopath with a hacksaw. You saw me. No scarring. I may as well not have even been born with legs. That’s how it was for everyone; you couldn’t even tell if there was an incision made to take out the organs by the time they woke up the next morning.

The military rolled in the next day and locked us down. No one could enter, no one could leave, and there wasn’t a single news report about it. There was the occasional independent journalist who caught wind of it, thought they’d get a good story out of it. I saw a few of them get gunned down.

And you know what? It kept fucking happening. It would happen in spells. For a little while after the stones were inert again, just harmless pretty little rocks lying around everywhere. The military picked up quite a few of them, but there just seemed to be one hundred more lying around for every one they found. Then they would activate again, the shoulder pains would start in a new group of people, and about a week later, the same thing. There were fewer victims each time, since everyone was deliberately avoiding the stones, and it seemed like those of us that had already been affected weren’t susceptible anymore; but it wasn’t stopping, by no means was it stopping, and the military wasn’t going anywhere.

They started sending off kids not long after the second wave hit. Kids who couldn’t talk yet, kids who wouldn’t be old enough to remember, kids who hadn’t already been affected. Of course, I wasn’t old enough yet at that time to be of any service to the military, so I had nothing to do with them. The second wave, I was six. It was actually a few years before the next wave, but the military never left, because we couldn’t be allowed to leave the town and spread the word or, God forbid, take any of the stones anywhere else.

It was slow, it went on for years. My mom, she was so careful to avoid the stones, and that kept her safe until I was in my early teens. She wasn’t as lucky as my dad and I were. Her autopsy showed that her brain and spinal cord were gone. Just fucking gone, no signs of how they were removed, just like all the others. And I swear to God, the night it happened, I heard something in the house. Footsteps. Moving quickly, moving with some unknown purpose, down the hall. I managed to get out of bed and hurry to my door, but I was out cold the second I opened it, before I could see anything. I woke up on my bedroom floor, my door still open. I know there was someone in the house that shouldn’t have been there. I don’t know who the fuck it was, whether it was the military or someone else, something else, but something was there.

It was a few years later that I was forced into helping with security measures. Pretty much everybody of age and of sound enough mind was. They found out I had a creative streak, so they set me to writing new identities for children born in the town, so they could be sent off to orphanages and foster care with no questions asked. I hated it. I hated myself for it, friends and neighbors understood the position I was in but I knew they still resented me. They were trying to make us go extinct, getting rid of the youth and letting only the older remain and die there.

It went on for five years before I couldn’t take any more of it. It was either get the hell out of Harriet or die trying. I couldn’t bear to live in that place for any longer. I couldn’t take being their dog.

A few, very few people were allowed out of town in supply trucks, with military accompaniment. My dad was one of them. He had been in the military before I was born, navy, and he was well-trusted. He took that trust very much to heart and it took me a long time to convince him. It wasn’t until I gave him an ultimatum that he agreed to do anything, that I threatened to storm the perimeter with stolen weapons and either escape or die trying if he wasn’t willing to help me. I was desperate to get out of Harriet, even if it was in a body bag.

As it was, I wasn’t the only one that escaped. My dad got out and we decided to separate after the fact to make it harder on the field agents they deployed to find us; and there were a handful of people we gathered in secret as guerilla soldiers, who rode in the back of the truck. It took months of planning in the dark, in the basements and attics of a few different houses of a few of our makeshift militia. It was a stroke of luck that none of them panicked and reported our activities to the military, or a stroke of genius on my dad’s part. He chose everyone, and I guess having lived in Harriet his whole life he knew who was made of tough enough stuff to handle it. It was difficult, but it was manageable in the long run. We kept track of who worked what shift, who would be easiest to take out quietly and swipe weapons. My dad decided we would leave at midday in December, just before a storm was going to hit to make it harder on them to track us. It might be more difficult for us to get out, but he took the risk and it worked. He stole a uniform for me and we stuffed the pant legs and stuck boots in the bottom while I was sitting in the passenger seat; everyone else hid in the back, behind a row of supply boxes.

It went off without a hitch. When we were checked out they waved my dad on through and we drove out. We were supposed to drive five miles down the road and turn right, due north, toward a nearby army base, where supplies were waiting for us. There were two soldiers at the checkpoint. One came to my dad’s window, one to my window. He gunned his down like it was nothing, and I was sincerely afraid of him for one moment in my life. When I hesitated, Dad gunned down the soldier now reaching for his sidearm in a panic at my window, pushing me back against my seat with the long barrel of the rifle. He got out of the truck, put an extra bullet in each of their skulls just to be safe, got back in, and put the car in drive, turning silently to the left, due south.

We didn’t want to draw attention to ourselves by riding into town with a military supply truck, so we ditched it near the next town, a small city called Jasper, and we all parted ways there. That was the last time I ever saw my father or any of my neighbors from Harriet, and I always hoped it would remain that way. I guess it did after all. I guess that’s for the best. It means when they come and get me, it’ll only be me. I’m not putting any of them in danger. I know I’m probably putting you in danger right now. You need to hide, as soon as you read this, because it’s not worth trying to spread the word. Anyone who knows about Harriet is probably going to be doomed.

Someone’s knocking. I’ve got to wrap this up. If you’re going to stay out of this, you need to leave town. You were talking about leaving anyway since we’ve just graduated, so do it. Leave town. Change your name. Lose contact with everyone you know here. And for fuck’s sake, don’t you dare come looking for me.

Have a nice life,

James Douglas McMurray

#####

I didn’t heed his warning. I grabbed my laptop and ran two blocks to his apartment after I got his email and found the door hanging open, I found everything in disarray, I found his fucking wheelchair overturned in front of his computer desk and his computer smashed.

When I came back to my own apartment, it was completely trashed. They had been there. They were looking for me. I grabbed a couple bags of clothes and other essentials and found a cheap motel with wireless internet. That’s where I am right now. I don’t care if they know at this point. I want them to know where I am, because I’m going to fuck them over.

See, I disagree with Doug. I don’t think this is something that needs to be kept quiet, I think the word needs to be spread. If everyone knows it…well, the government can’t kidnap everyone, can they? I’m posting this on every forum I can find before they find me and I hope everyone who reads it will repost it. Everyone needs to know about Harriet. Doug was a great guy, best guy I knew, and the best way I can think of to immortalize him is to spread the word. Tell everyone you know about Harriet, New Hampshire. I’m doomed, I know that, but if this spreads like I hope it will then no one else will have to be, not ever again.

I want you to let these bastards know that we mean business. I want them to know that Harriet isn’t their dirty little secret anymore, that the world knows what they’ve been doing to these people. I want them to know that they have lost.

I hear knocking. I guess I only have time to post this here before I have to go greet them.

Spread the word, and remember Harriet. Remember Doug.

[risukadarlin]

[teikoku star] vol. 3: sanji - track nine

9; a place to go home to

masterpost

                                                                              ✿

[00:14] Have you calmed down?

We ran for quite a long time…

We should be safe here.

They won’t follow us all this way.

They don’t have time for that.

Singing under the stars like that was surprisingly fun.

Holding hands with someone special to me too…

Hey.

It's too dangerous to go back now.

Let’s rest here for a while.

There’s no light as far as the eye can see.

I’ve never seen the capital this dark before.

It was always annoyingly bright.

Even the view from the stage.

Even the streetlights I saw on the way home.

But, look at it now…

There aren’t any lights but the stars are so bright.

I completely forgot.

I haven’t looked at the sky like this since I was young.

I don’t really have that many memories from when I was a child.

Apparently, my real dad was a socialist.

They posed a threat to the country so both of my parents were arrested, had false charges forced onto them and were executed.

I was left behind in the slums.

I’d look up at the stars and think about how I’d be alone forever from now on.

But…

Now…

You’re by my side.

I finally realised something.

This is what loving someone feels like.

You taught me that.

Hey…

Can I kiss you?

Please…

Tell me I can.

It’s kind of embarrassing.

I’ve done it so many times, I should be used to it.

But it’s not the same at all.

I think I can say it properly now.

I love you.

I love you.

Can you say it back?

I love you.

I love you.

I love you a lot.

I never felt like this before.

I feel so fulfilled.

The truth is…

I’ve wanted to do this for a while now.

Why couldn’t I just be honest?

Hey…

Hug me.

You’re so warm.

It’s so warm.

I’ve never… been held like this before.

Why is it making me cry?

I didn’t understand until I met you.

How happy it was to be with someone like this.

I had no clue….

Lift your head up.

Hey.

Look at me.

I want to see you up close.

I want to feel your warmth.

More…

I want to feel…

…every inch of you.

Hey.

That’s okay, right?

I’ll let you feel me too.

It’s okay.

Leave everything to me.

I won’t be cruel to you anymore.

Show me that cut.

I did this to you on that rainy day, didn’t I?

It left a scar…

That day…

I treated you horribly, didn’t I?

Not just then, but always.

And yet you still love me.

You’re unusual.

You’re stupidly kind.

Telling me you couldn’t just leave me alone… 

But I was happy.

This scar isn’t going to heal, is it?

Does that tickle?

I’m sorry.

Looking at it does make me feel bad…

But I feel happy too.

You’re going to have the scars I gave you forever.

That feels good…

I’m joking.

If I was going to leave marks on you, I’d do it somewhere else.

Like this…

Marks like this will disappear really fast, but…

I feel much better giving you these.

You look so shy.

Are you doing it on purpose?

If you look at me like that…

…I’ll forget how to act.

Hey…

Show me your everything.

I won’t hide anything from you anymore.

You’re so beautiful.

I’ve never seen you make that expression before.

Don’t call me a liar.

I told you, didn’t I?

I’m not going to hide anything from you anymore.

I mean it.

You’re beautiful and warm.

Touching you makes me feel warm too.

Run your fingers over my skin more.

Hey…

Can you feel my warmth too?

Doesn’t it make you happy, sharing each other’s warmth like this?

I can feel it.

Touching you like this… I know you mean it when you say you love me.

I’m not alone anymore.

Don’t go anywhere.

Stay with me forever.

I love you.

                                                                               ✿

[13:50] I fell asleep?

Did you just wake up too?

Are you cold?

Good.

It’s so quiet.

I wonder if everyone’s sleeping.

I can see the stars.

I wonder what’ll happen to us from now on.

To the capital.

To the country…

No, I’m not worried at all.

Because…

I have someone very precious to me, right by my side.

I have nothing to be worried about.

I need you, not anyone else.

And I need you to stay with me.

You’re my light.

You’re like a star that guides me through the darkest nights.

You’re right.

I’m the Star, huh?

The third Teikoku Star.

The theatre might be gone, but…

I wonder if I can still be a Star and light up people’s worlds.

If possible, I want to become a light for children, so they don’t end up like I did.

I don’t need to shine too brightly.

Just bright enough so they don’t lose their way on the darkest of nights.

A gentle, quiet star.

I wonder if someone like me can do that.

That’s right.

If you say so, it must be true.

Now I know I can.

Hey.

Can I tell you something?

After this, there are definitely loads of children with no home to go to.

I want to make a home for them, one day.

So that they’ll always feel warmth.

So they have someone to say “I’m home” to.

A warm place like that.

I don’t know if I could build anything like an orphanage.

But I know it’ll be a lively, happy home.

I’ll be a father.

I want you to be the mother…

Or do you not want to?

Thank you.

I’ll definitely make it a happy place.

A place I can go home to.

A happy home, where you’ll be waiting for me.

I promise I’ll build it.

Especially if I’m with you.

                                                                               ✿

[18:59] Oops.

Come on, you guys.

I just got home.

You’ll all get the chance to jump on me if you wait your turn.

I haven’t said hello to your mum yet.

Come on, don’t cling to me like that.

I’m home.

#teikoku star #taishou guuzou roman teikoku star #drama cd #drama cd translation #kaji yuki #yuki kaji #rejet

[hufflepuffwithaslytherinkink]

Tacenda - Chapter 16 Snippet

One morning when the snow had started to stick to the ground Eleanor decided to go for a walk, she loves the snow and enjoys traipsing through it. It was just so beautiful and exciting, snow made everything better.

She’d just gotten by the black lake when she heard someone call her name. She turns around to see Zacharias running after her, waving his arm above his head in greeting.

Eleanor shoots him an irritated look, pressing her lips together. Yet she waits for him to reach her.

“Hi.” He says cheerfully, his cheeks red and his breath billowing around his head from the cold. “I was hoping to catch you.”

“Really?” Eleanor says flatly.

“Yeah, we haven’t spoken in a while.” He tells her. “Should we walk as we talk?” He asks gesturing to the path around the black lake.

Eleanor nods starting to move forward. Zacharias instantly follows keeping pace with her easily.

“How have you been?” He asks her politely.

Eleanor shoots him a sceptical look.

“I’m fine thanks. How about you? Picking on anymore of my friends?” She asks.

Zacharias stops turning to face her fully, his face crumpled in confusion.

“What?” He asks.

“You know what.” She snaps. “You ridiculed my friends during that quidditch match. How could you say such horrible things about them?”

His face melts into realisation before turning somewhat ashamed.

“It’s part of my job as commentator. Jordan used to constantly ridicule everyone other than Gryffindor.” He replies simply before continuing to walk forward.

Eleanor takes a deep breath, the cold hurting her lungs as she hurries after him.

“That doesn’t mean you have to. And you certainly don’t have to be so rude.” She rebukes him.

“I thought you didn’t like them.” Zacharias says with a shrug.

“You thought I didn’t like my friends and brother?” She asks in disbelief.

Zacharias shrugs, shoving his hands into his pockets.

“You weren’t talking to them, every time I saw you, you were alone and on the verge of tears. When I’d try to approach you it was like you were scared and would run away, that was when I could even find you.” He says softly. “I know they did that. Well Dean Thomas did, the others just stood by.”

Eleanor presses her lips together to stop her emotion from bubbling over.

“It wasn’t them.” She defends her friends. “Yeah Dean made me cry, he said some horrid things but the others tried to talk to me but I just… I don’t know, kept hiding. I guess I was scared of being hurt again.”

Zacharias stares at her sadly.

“I’m sorry.” He states. “I wish I could have done something. He’s a prick by the way, Dean Thomas that is, for upsetting you. You’re one of the nicest people I’ve ever met.”

Eleanor blushes at his words, her eyes dart to watch him out of the corner of her eye.

“Thank you but that doesn’t give you the right to make them feel bad. It was horrible, the things you said about them.” She reprimands him.

He looks at the floor as he responds. “I was annoyed they’d hurt you.”

Eleanor’s silent for a moment. She appreciates him trying to look out for her but that still doesn’t make it right.

It makes her feel bad to think he acted like that because of her.

“Zac, I appreciate your concern, but it’s not right. I don’t like how you talked to them, whether it was my friends or not you shouldn’t make people feel bad about themselves. They have feelings, talk about the game, say if their moves are good or bad but don’t ridicule them as people.” Eleanor implores.

Zac turns to watch her, his face full of regret as he listens to her.

“I’m sorry.” He tells her. “If you don’t like it I won’t do it again. I promise.”

Eleanor smiles at him but she’s not quite happy with his answer.

He said he wouldn’t do it again because she didn’t like it, not because it’s wrong.

Still at least he’s understanding it’s wrong… she thinks.

“Thank you.” She tells him sincerely. She hates the idea of anyone being made to feel how she did.

“Anything for you.” Zac tells her with a soft smile.

Eleanor blushes again running her face to watch the snow falling around them. Zac follows her gaze.

“So do you like the Winter too?” He asks, lifting his hand to catch the falling flakes.

Eleanor copies his movement making him smile turning to watch her as he waits for an answer.

“I guess so.” She starts. “I really like hats and jumpers and Christmas. Plus, everything looks beautiful.”

She gestures around them at the snow-covered scenery. Everything sparkles as though coated with glitter, it just makes everything more magical as though dousing all darkness and evil from the world.

Zac nods as he turns to look at her.

“It is rather beautiful.” He says gently his eyes roaming over her face. “I also love sledging.”

Eleanor grimaces making him laugh.

“Not a fan?” He asks obviously amused at her reaction.

“Not particularly.” She responds. “Anything slightly sporty doesn’t tend to end well for me.”

She shudders thinking about the multiple injuries she’s acquired over the years through minor sports attempts. Even going for a family stroll ended badly when she slipped into a ditch and twisted her ankle.

Joe hasn’t let her live that one down yet.

Zac shoots her a huge grin, his eyes alight as he watches her.

“I’d keep you safe.” He promises.

Eleanor mentally freezes, was that a flirt?

She feels her face burning as she faces forward again.

What is she meant to say to that? Is she meant to say thanks?

Thankfully Zac decides to take pity on her and changes the subject again.

“I assume you’re going back home again this year.” He says casually.

Eleanor nods, grateful the conversation is back in a territory she’s comfortable with.

“Yeah. Me and Joe are going home, we can’t wait. It’ been so long since we saw Liv, she grows so quickly.” Eleanor says a hint of sadness in her voice as she thinks how much her little sister will have changed.

“Liv?” Zacharias inquires.

“Oh right yeah, my little sister. She’s 9 months old now.” Eleanor tells him.

Zacharias smiles at her politely. “That’s a great age.”

“You’ve got younger siblings?” She asks curiously. Liv is the youngest child she’s ever met, obviously she grew up with Joe but they’re quite close in age so she doesn’t really remember it.

“No, I’ve got an older brother, but I do have younger cousins. My uncle has 3 kids, they’re 8, 4 and 3.”

“That must be lovely.” Eleanor muses. “There’s always just been me and Joe until Liv was born. Not that I’m complaining, but I wished there was more. I like having people around and when I was younger I really wanted a sister.”

Zac chuckles at that watching her as they walk.

“It is nice. My brother was a bit of an arse in all honesty. He’s 5 years older than me so he always said he was too old to let me play with him and his friends. It broke my heart but looking back now I’m kind of glad, his friends are ridiculous.” He states making Eleanor giggle. He smiles at her before continuing. “Joe was good you know, during the game. He’s a natural.”

Eleanor beams at Zac, she’s not really interested in quidditch but she does try to support Joe. She can tell he’s good too, he flies effortlessly, not even looking when he catches or throws the quaffle.

He’s also big headed with it, posing and grinning at everyone. Especially girls.

Eleanor has to stop herself from rolling her eyes at the thought as she answers Zac.

“Yeah he is.” She says proudly, she’s not even going to pretend to be modest about it. “He’s smart but that’s where his talent lies.”

Zac nods in agreement.

“He could probably play professionally. Has he considered it?”

Eleanor furrows her brow as she thinks about that. Had he ever considered it? She doesn’t know, it seems like such a strange thought to continue it after school, yet it makes sense. They need players and he’s good.

“I don’t know.” She tells him honestly.

“He should.” Zac tells her. “You should suggest it to him, have a look at quidditch teams and getting trials. I think they send scouts into Hogwarts sometimes if students say they want to play professionally.”

Eleanor nods lost in thought as she considers Joe becoming a professional quidditch player. She’s not sure how it all works but Viktor Krum played from a very young age, he was still in school when he played in the world cup.

“Can I write to you?” Zac interrupts her thinking.

Eleanor turns to him still distracted by the thoughts of getting Joe a trial for a professional quidditch team.

“Huh?” She asks distractedly.

Zac smiles at her charmingly, his head dipping down as he lets out a small laugh. He lifts it back up to stare at her with humour filled eyes.

The bright blue mixing perfectly with the snow around them.

“I was asking if I could write to you over the holidays.” He says softly taking a step towards her.

Eleanor freezes once more. “Oh.” She says simply before shaking her head and smiling at him.

“I mean yes, I’d like that.” She answers.

Zac beams at her nodding. “Great, we can swap addresses back at the castle. Do you mind if I continue to walk with you?” He asks nodding at the path ahead.

Eleanor turns to stare at the icy stones of the black lakes edge.

She shakes her head. “Not at all.”

#theo nott fan fic #theo nott fanfiction #theodore nott fanfiction #theodore nott #theo nott #original character #zacharias smith #hogwarts #golden trio era #golden trio era fic #gryffindor x slytherin #slytherin x gryffindor #gryffindor #slytherin #friends to enemies #friends to enemies to lovers #enemies to lovers #ao3 #ao3 writer #ao3fic #chapter snippet #tacenda fic #tacenda chapter 16

[circa-specturgia]

I know it's supposed to be Worldbuilding Wednesday and all...but can you ramble a bit about Cas? Please tell me more about him & his most important relationship dynamics in your wip?

@writingonesdreams

I physically vibrated when I read this ask. Honestly it might be cause I drank caffeine while on my ADHD meds and I might want to check if that’s something that I’m not supposed to do. That or my body is finally shutting down with its last hurrah. But I swear I’ll answer this ask before that happens. Thank you so much @writingonesdreams!!!

Cas! My boy! My sweet child! I intend put him through so many horrible things! ✨ Let’s see…

I’d say Cas’ central trait is loyalty, and care for others, with many of his traits branching off of that central trunk of his personality. His selflessness, sacrifice and charity all stem from his care for his loved ones safety and well-being, as does his empathy for those around him. He’s got a heart like a roaring fire; strong, and bright, and burning hot, but if you tend to those flames and take care, you’ll have a heat that will make you feel safest in the world. He would do anything to protect and help those he loves, any hour, and place, he’s there at their side, through dark or light.

At the same time however, this loyalty can be twisted under certain circumstances into his flaws, his compassion and selflessness can make him neglect his own well-being, bottling up his problems and fears to not burden the others. He can forget that, they cherish him for who he is, not for what he can provide. He feels responsible if anyone gets hurt, as it’s his job to protect them. And, of course: He would do anything to protect his loved ones. Anything. Face anything, fight till he’s bruised and bloodied and then some, sacrifice everything, burn the world to the ground just to warm them in the cold.

More serious stuff aside and focusing on some more lighthearted stuff, and his positive traits! He’s hardworking, sometimes a bit too much so, things he can’t figure out frustrate him, and he will use spite as his fuel to get something done if it irritates him.

He’s surprisingly gentle when he needs to be, despite how loud or passionate he may seem at times, if the moment requires it he can calm down and be quiet, and calm, and his emotional maturity is something that will definitely round out over the course of his arc.

He’s loud, lively, loving, makes the most of his time and prefers to look at life in an optimistic way, believing in the good there is in the world, and enjoying the moments as they come ✨

As to relationships and dynamics! I’d imagine that the whole main cast of my WIP is very tight knit, Found Family Plus, with a very open and trusting familial energy and platonic love between them all, like siblings, LOTS of banter and inside jokes once they get to really know each other and forge those bonds, especially as they meet new people ✨ Note: All the below dynamics are mainly the dynamics they will eventually form, and not the immediate ones as, well, Cas will meet all these people in his story

Cas met Ciro first, and Ciro him. They form a bond that evolves into platonic and familial love that lets them trust each other completely, with their lives. Of everyone of the main cast, Ciro is the one Cas would go to first if anything happened or if he needed to talk about anything, bad dreams, visions, emotional trouble, anything and everything. I picture the two of them often staying up late and just talking about things, or sitting in the silence together.

Alix is like a younger sibling to Cas, someone for whom he’d give his life for without a seconds hesitation, whom he cheers for when they succeed, who he’s eager to see fulfill their goals, someone who he has an admiration for in the same way someone may admire their younger sibling; celebrating every success, helping them overcome struggle, saying “I’ve gone through this alone, let me help you so you have it easier!”

Cyril and Adira are his mentors, at the same time both a mix of a parental figure as well as older sibling, takings sort of role as Cas does with Alix, and simultaneously both treating the whole younger cast like their children. With their experiences however, especially Adira, they feel a need to help prepare them for the world, for all its dangers. They both see parts of themselves in Cas, both those parts good and those parts bad, and hope to be there for him to help root those negatives out.

Tamara is a character I’ve regrettably not thought about much, but, taking this opportunity as with the others to try and form a more concrete idea of their dynamic in my head; They’re very much the duo who crank each other up to 11 when they get into conversation, in a “ok but how about!” energetic, hyper way, not an argument way. Think two people walking side by side, both speeding up as they try to match the others pace before they’re flat out sprinting. Lots of drawing little models and graphs, throwing around ideas, and discussing.

And of course, romantic interest. I’ll leave it at this: Enemies-To-Lovers, a Zuko-style redemption arc, “Be my home to come back to, and I’ll be yours”, and all that good stuff and no I’m not not going into detail because I’m now reflecting on dynamics and the ways in which I should evolve and progress these characters and how any romance would play into this what are you talking about

Some quotes to round this out!

Thank you again so much for this ask!!! It was a lot of fun trying to think all of this stuff over and it gave me a chance to reflect on a few ideas I’ve had in my head for a while now! ✨

#writeblr #writing #writers on tumblr #writing thoughts #circa specturgia #wip.circa specturgia #writing inspiration #writing asks #writing community #wtwcommunity