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ourloveisforthelovely · 3 years

Text

Princess Part 10

Harry Potter Marauders Era AU

Link to Part 9

Pairings: Regulus Black x Reader

Rating: M

_____

“Considering we have been preparing for you to die...I think we deserve five minutes of explanation. You have scared Y/n and your mother to death. I suggest you start talking…”

Regulus frowned at his father’s comment. Orion was right. You did deserve the truth. Regulus knew later he would feel guilty for not caring about his mother knowing the truth or Orion for that matter. His only worry was you. You sat at his side gently stroking his now healed hand.

“Fine, shut the door.”

Regulus replied as James reached out and shut the door with his foot. As much as Regulus didn’t want anything to do with James nor Sirius, they did save his life. Maybe it was time to put some bitter feelings on the back burner for the moment.

“Voldemort is worse than we all feared. He’s insane and we need to stop sympathizing with him. James and Sirius just keep doing whatever it is that you do. That part was directed toward you but...mum and dad...we were so wrong. This guy almost killed Kreacher....yes, that pissed me off but it wasn’t the reason that I…did what I did. Voldemort is out there creating horcruxes...I found one...a locket. I just need to figure out how to destroy it.”

Sirius’ mouth dropped.

“So that explains what you were muttering about. How do we destroy it?”

Regulus shrugged.

“Beats the hell out of me. Kreacher has it right now.”

Sirius frowned.

“You left something that important to Kreacher? The same Kreacher that we grew up with?”

You winced when Regulus’ hand tightened around yours.

“Well, it was either that or it went to the bottom of the lake with me while I was busy being drowned by Inferi. Which would you have preferred?”

Regulus ignored how both Walburga and Orion went completely pale at the mention of “being drowned.” Sirius, meanwhile, was still trying to take in what he was hearing.

“So inferi tried to turn you into a human pretzel?

Regulus was beginning to get annoyed with Sirius. He didn’t like being interrupted as it was now here was Sirius asking questions that would have been answered anyway.

“Yes, Sirius...please keep up. Like I was about to say, Voldemort won’t just leave the prized pieces of his soul just lying around. He will make whoever it is work for what they are getting. Between having to slice my hand open to get into this place, drinking some god fucking awful potion, and almost getting drowned...I had to give the locket to Kreacher. He is probably at home having a panic attack because the last thing that he saw was me going under. Mum, can you send a telegram home and let him know that everything is alright?”

Walburga was fanning herself. None of this was anything that she expected to hear. She had expected to hear some story of Regulus going up against another death eater. Now knowing how close she actually was to losing her baby, everything was beginning to feel fuzzy.

“I don’t think mum is available right now.”

Sirius commented. Orion nodded and gently patted his wife’s shoulder. He wasn't sure what really to do to comfort her when he was trying to control his own pounding heart. Between questioning, if what Regulus was saying was true and the realization that he almost died...Orion didn’t know how to feel.

I knew that I should have never supported letting him get into that.

Orion thought before finally speaking.

“Son, Kreacher is just fine. I told him where we were going before we left.”

Regulus nodded before turning his attention back to you. Your hand was over your mouth as the tears were streaming down your face.

“I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to worry. That’s why I was so short-tempered before we broke up...I was…”

You shook your head. None of this was anything that you wanted to hear. Deep down you knew that there was a reason Regulus had been so grumpy. Regulus losing his temper when you begged Sirius for help all made sense now.

“You’re fine now...that’s what matters.”

Regulus laughed.

“I don’t know about fine. When Voldemort finds out that I figured out his secret, he isn’t going to be thrilled.”

“Sounds like you need to go into hiding a bit.”

James commented. Regulus hated the thought of being trapped in a house but, for once, Potter was probably right on this one. He definitely needed to lay low once Voldemort came back from trying to gather new recruits in Bulgaria.

“Yeah, maybe.”

Regulus commented as Walburga jumped up.

“There is no maybe to it, Regulus! You will go into hiding whether you want to or not.”

Regulus didn’t feel like arguing with his mother at the moment and only nodded. In fact, the only thing that he really wanted to do was to go back to sleep and sleep for a long time. He had to shake the urge to go back to sleep before turning his attention back to you.

When Orion stood and commented that the two of you needed some privacy, you could have been more thankful. The two of you had a lot to talk about and the last thing that either of you wanted was to have this conversation with an audience.

Regulus waited until everyone was out of the room before relaxing back into the pillow. He finally felt like he could relax.

“Do you hurt badly?”

You asked before reaching out and stroking your fingers through his hair. Regulus didn’t open his eyes but was clearly pleased by the physical contact.

“A little. I didn’t want you finding out what happened like that.”

You sat down on the side of the bed and took his hand in yours. It didn’t matter how you found out, you would have been devastated. Knowing how close you were to losing Regulus made everything within you ache. Seeing him banged up was bad enough but knowing that you almost lost him forever...you couldn’t put that thought into words.

“It would be horrible no matter how I found out.”

Regulus’ eyes fluttered open.

“I’m sorry about the past few months. I never meant for any of it to go the way it did. I was a jerk to you and you didn’t deserve it! You were trying to keep me safe...I’m not mad at you for going to Sirius. I guess part of me was jealous.”

“Darling, you don’t have to worry about my feelings toward Sirius. He’s obsessed with Remus and I can’t nor do I have the desire to compete with that.”

Regulus smirked for a moment, however, his face went back to the “sad lost boy” expression that always made your heartache. His face looked as it did the night that Sirius left.

“I always knew that there was something going on there. Anyway, I don’t want to talk about them. I want to talk about us. I love you, Y/n and I want to be with you because you're good for me. The past few months without you...I don’t want to go back to that place. If you want your ring back...I’ll never take it off of your hand again.”

Regulus wrapped his hand around yours and brought it to his mouth. He closed his eyes and inhaled your scent. Regulus wasn’t about to tell you the childish mess that he had been without you. Maybe you should know that he either drank himself to sleep or cried like a baby every night to mourn your loss. Regulus had refused to get out of bed for a few days and had taken to laying with his face shoved into your pillow just to smell your lavender shampoo.

“I love you too, Regulus. You’re right. I was just trying to keep you safe. I didn’t want to see you harmed. Now knowing that you almost died and seeing what you have gone through, I regret ever saying that I was okay with you being a death eater. I’m proud of you for what you have done though. You were so brave, love.”

“It was more desperation than bravery. I also got pissy because that twat hurt my elf.”

You smiled.

“You should rest, darling.”

Regulus didn’t move to let you go.

“Lay with me. I’ll sleep better feeling you against me.”

Regulus scowled at you when you didn’t move fast enough. You, meanwhile, looked down at him with apprehension.

“You won’t hurt me. Just lay on my right side and put your head on my chest. Please.”

You couldn’t say no to those eyes. As gently as possible, you eased yourself against Regulus’ body. Regulus yawned and snuggled his face against your hair.

“See. I’m not hurting now, Princess.”

You smiled against his chest as Regulus slowly began to doze back off leaving you awake.

Everything will be okay this time…

It took another week before the healers would consider letting Regulus go home. You were relieved when the healer finally said that he could go home. Regulus has been getting frustrated with not being able to leave even though he felt fine (so what if he was still walking with a limp). He wanted out of the hospital to heal at home.

Regulus had talked you into agreeing to move back into him. You knew that James wasn’t thrilled with the idea. He had tried to persuade you to “take things slow” with Regulus.

“Y/n, please. You really should take this slow. I don’t want you to get hurt again.”

“I know, James. Regulus needs me though. I want to take care of him.”

Regulus, meanwhile, was thrilled upon hearing that you didn’t do what James wanted but what he wanted instead. It just proved to Regulus that you were loyal to him and that was what he wanted.

The following two weeks were a little more difficult than you expected. Regulus wasn’t thrilled that you didn’t want to give up your job working for Barty Crouch Sr. The day that you were scheduled to return to work, Regulus sat on the bed watching you with a scowl.

“Why do you want to work for that crazy old man? We have plenty enough money for you not to work.”

“Because I actually enjoy my job.”

Regulus crossed his arms over his chest with an impatient frown.

“I don’t like him. He locked up his own son.”

You sighed as you finished putting on your lipstick.

“He kind of had to, love.”

“He’s a creep.”

Regulus muttered before standing and limping toward the door. You quickly walked after him as Regulus sat down on the couch to start reading a book.

“Reggie, please. This job has really taught me a lot. I’m not some spoiled selfish princess who only cared about herself anymore.”

Regulus looked up. He felt guilty about his less than stellar actions. While Regulus was trying to “see things differently” now old habits die hard deaths. He was thankful that you had been beyond patient with him as he would fuss about the order then turn around and say that they were doing the right thing.

“You have never been selfish. Love, you are the least selfish person on this stupid planet. I just worry...I’m also getting frustrated with sitting here day after day. It may be a good thing that you are there. It gets more information that my brother can use. I don’t want anything happening to him.”

You gave Regulus a pleased smile.

“I know, darling. Maybe you should spend some time with Sirius. He would love to see you. I also need to have coffee with Remus. Since I won’t be getting a sister-in-law, Remus gets to do all of that ceremonial activities.”

Regulus smirked.

“I’m sure Remus is looking forward to listening to stories of our sex life.”

You pulled on your coat before moving to kiss Regulus goodbye.

“I return the favor so he doesn’t mind.”

It took all that you had not to laugh at the grossed-out expression on Regulus’ face.

“Gross. I don’t want to think about my brother getting laid. Have a good day. Maybe when you get home, we can work on some new stories to tell Remus.”

Regulus had been ready to rip your clothes off the day that he had come home but you told him no. It didn’t matter how many times that you told him no “for his health” Regulus tried to guilt-trip you into it.

“We’ll see how it goes.”

You had been gone for half an hour when there was a knock at the door. Regulus tossed his book to the couch before getting up and going to answer the door. Emma Rosier stood on the other side with a smile on her face. Regulus hadn’t seen Emma since Evan’s funeral. Other than writing her a few times to make sure that she was okay, Regulus had no urge to speak to her. Sending her a few “hey, are you still alive” letters was more out of due to respect for Evan than anything else.

“Emma.”

Emma smiled.

“Hey, I heard you were out of the hospital. What happened to you?”

Regulus didn’t answer immediately. The last thing that he was about to tell her was the truth.

“Stupid accident where I came off looking bad. You can come in, I have something of Evan’s for you anyway.”

Emma smiled and slid past Regulus. She turned as he closed the door and limped back to the couch.

“I haven’t seen you this banged up since that quidditch game in 5th year. Too bad, Y/n isn’t here to baby you...or is she? I heard that Y/n has moved back in and you two are fixing your little relationship.”

Regulus’ eyes carefully rolled up to meet Emma’s face. He had a feeling as to where this conversation was going to go.

“Mhm.”

Emma’s soured a bit.

“I don’t know how you trust her. She turned her back on you to aid your brother and his lot. Now she’s working for the man who put our friend...his own son in prison.”

Regulus felt the annoyance beginning to build in his stomach. He didn’t care for Emma in the first place and was only nice to her for Evan. Now he didn’t have to fool with her anymore or be nice to her for that matter.

There was also the fact that Emma would be so cold toward you. For someone who claimed to “be your best friend” she sure wasn’t acting like it.

“That’s the thing about people in our stories Emma. They are in prison or dead. Y/n was trying to protect me. I trust her.”

Emma crossed her arms over her chest before easing her shirt down a little lower to show more of her cleavage. She was pleased when Regulus narrowed his eyes at her. He didn’t look thrilled but his eyes were on her and that was what she wanted.

“You shouldn’t. Real soul mates don’t do their lovers the way that she has done you. Say goodbye to her Reggie and be the smart man that you are. Find a woman who will support you...someone like me who knows the pureblood ways.”

______

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carewyncromwell · 3 years

Photo

*exhales heavily* Cinderella AU time again...and yes, I am in just as much pain as you are.

Carewyn’s dress, which she first wore at the Winter Festival several sections back, is once again based on this design. The scene Orion is pictured in above was inspired by a scene from one of my absolute favorite Disney shorts, The Prince and the Pauper. (Yes, turns out a Mickey Mouse cartoon can end up bringing out some real emotions!) The line “have courage and be kind” is also a reference to Disney’s 2015 live action remake of Cinderella.

Trigger warning for grief, depression, thoughts of suicide, and minor character death.

Previous part is here -- whole tag is here -- so let’s begin.

x~x~x~x

Carewyn rode without stopping all the way back to the Cromwell estate. Her mind was so dark and her spirit panged with such emptiness and pain that she could hardly have explained why. Perhaps she’d thought to confront Charles. Perhaps she’d thought to demand that he explain why Talbott was wrong -- where he’d really sent Jacob, if not off to War. Perhaps she’d thought to demand the truth. But for her to do that, she’d have to accept that what Talbott said was really true. And if she did that...

Overhead the clouds gathered and grew darker still in the night, rumbling with thunder. By the time Carewyn had reached the capital again, it had started to pelt sleet and rain.

When Carewyn had arrived at the Cromwell estate, she leapt off her horse in such haste that her foot got caught in the saddle. Loosing her balance and grip, Carewyn fell right off and right into the mud several feet away from the manor’s front stoop. Her horse, startled by the sound of his rider’s cry, gave a whinny, backing up with its hooves padding the muddy earth.

Carewyn shakily eased herself up out of the mud. One of her slightly-too-big shoes had come off when she fell. She tried to gather enough awareness of her surroundings to retrieve it...but in that moment, she found herself unable to move. The cold of the freezing rain was enough to make anyone feel numb, but combined with the paralyzing despair that clung to her blood like ice, she was just too weak to stand.

Jacob...Jacob...

Carewyn tried to get up, but her legs quaked under her and she slumped forward.

I have to get up, she tried to tell herself. I have to be strong. I can’t fall apart...when...

“Jacob needs me. I have to be strong for Jacob.” That was always the thing that kept her from breaking. That was always the thing that helped her stand back up, every time she fell. That was always the thing that convinced her that she could still endure somehow.

I need to make up for my mistake. I need to bring Jacob home. It’s okay if I can never be free -- it’s okay if I can never be happy again. If I’m a slave to Grandfather the rest of my life, that’s fine, as long as Jacob is...

Carewyn’s hands vaguely clutched at the sleeves of her dress, almost trying to simulate the way Jacob had hugged her nine years ago.

The memory of her older brother’s arms squeezing her tight always used to bring Carewyn some warmth in the past, even through the pain of how much she missed him. But now...now even that memory could not shake the shuddering cold off of her shoulders.

A loud crash of lightning overhead spooked Carewyn’s horse. With a scared whinny, it galloped away toward the stable, leaving her alone. Carewyn, however, barely noticed. She was too lost in her own head.

“My Wyn -- my sweet Wyn -- ”

Jacob’s choked, relieved voice echoed in her ear...only to be replaced with Chester’s recollection of Jacob’s final words.

“‘Wyn. I’ve failed you, Wyn.’”

Carewyn’s heart felt like it was being ripped open. A part of her was gone -- torn out with force.

No, Jacob. I failed you. It was me. It’s all because of me.

She was the foolish one, to have ever trusted Charles in anything. She was the ignorant one, to never have questioned his explanation or why she’d never seen a single shred of a letter from Jacob, all those years. She was the stupid one, to not have immediately run after Jacob, rather than stay under Charles’s thumb all that time. She was the pathetic one who’d sold her and Jacob’s souls away...all for nothing.

Jacob did everything he could to try to get away. He must have known he was going to die, but he did everything he could to try to get back to her...while she...she immediately got to work being her family’s servant. She cowardly slunk into the kitchen and obeyed Charles’s will, in the exact moments when Jacob was trying everything he could to reach her. And then, when the spell was broken...he died alone. He died alone, and in chains, bruised and crying...knowing that he’d never see his sister again.

Carewyn had stayed in line hoping to keep Jacob from suffering...but her inaction -- her stupidity -- had made him suffer all the way up until his last breath.

Tears streamed down Carewyn’s face. She felt like claws were tearing at her heart, ripping her apart from the inside. She couldn’t catch her breath. She gritted her teeth, trying to keep herself from sobbing openly, and huddled in on herself. Her soaking hair was coming out of its bun and falling all around her face, but she didn’t even feel it. All she felt was cold and pain and grief and heavy, unnatural gravity.

You deserve this.

The thought was a whisper in her mind, but it was a knife in her brain and her heart at the same time.

Jacob died alone. Jacob suffered and died...all because you didn’t...

She shut her eyes, her shoulders quaking.

You deserve to be alone. You deserve to die alone.

The voice that had always belonged to that “beast” inside of herself had never been stronger than it was in that moment. Its voice rumbled like the thunder that echoed overhead, and yet it was silent poison in her ear, trickling through to her brain and into her icy blood.

She screamed. It was all she could do. She screamed in anguish, clutching her own shoulders as her tears muddled with the raindrops sliding down her cheeks.

Die alone. Die alone.

Time blurred for Carewyn as she sat in the rain alone. Looking back, she could hardly have said whether it was ten minutes or an entire hour later before anyone approached her.

“Carewyn!”

Carewyn barely heard the cry of her name. It was as if it’d come from a mile away, in a voice that was vaguely familiar in how misty it was, but echoing with anxiety.

Someone collapsed to their knees in front of her, grabbing hold of her arms and hoisting her upper half back up. Carewyn stiffened like a cat -- when her eyes shot open, they could just barely make out a man with wet hair messily falling into his black eyes.

“Carewyn,” breathed Orion.

Carewyn tried to speak, but she couldn’t inhale without choking back a sob. She clenched her teeth harder.

Orion had been waiting outside the gates of the Royaumanian camp for her, she recalled. He must’ve seen her ride off and immediately followed after her.

Orion’s face was so pale -- so anxious. It made Carewyn almost ill to see it. Tearing her eyes away, she brought a hand up to his chest and pushed him back away from her.

“Go away,” she whispered.

The words were an arrow in Orion’s heart.

“Carewyn...”

He reestablished his grip on her shoulders. but Carewyn once again pushed at his chest.

“Leave me!” she rasped.

Orion, however, only squeezed her more tightly, his eyes flooding with pain and caring.

“Don’t look at me like that!” she lashed out despite herself, as more tears slid off her lashes. “I told you to leave me! Leave me be...”

Orion amazingly didn’t respond to Carewyn’s temper. Instead he merely steadied his hold on her shoulders, even though his hands were trembling.

“Carewyn,” he whispered, “your brother...”

“DON’T TALK ABOUT JACOB!”

Carewyn brought both of her hands up and finally shoved Orion off of her. She tried to get up, to put more distance between them, but her legs collapsed out from under her and she fell back into the mud.

“Carewyn...” said Orion, reaching out to try to help her again, but Carewyn wrenched herself out of his reach.

“I told you to leave! I don’t want your help -- I don’t want your kindness, or your caring, or your sadness -- ”

"You don’t want them,” said Orion, his voice a bit faster than normal due to the anxiety throbbing through his head and heart, “but I feel them, all the same. Please...won’t you accept them? Accept how sorry I am, that I couldn’t reunite you with him -- that I couldn’t -- ”

“No.”

Carewyn shut her eyes tight, clutching her own shoulders in a vain attempt to make them stop shaking.

The denial made Orion flinch. “...Why?”

“Because I don’t deserve them!” she shot back, her voice choked with pain. “I don’t deserve your concern -- I don’t deserve your worry -- I didn’t deserve it before, and I don’t deserve it now, so stop trying to give jewels to swine! I will not appreciate them!”

Orion’s black eyes welled up with anguish.

“My lady -- ” he whispered.

“NO.”

The title made Carewyn’s eyes flood with fresh tears, her eyebrows knitting tightly over her eyes.

“I’m not your lady -- nor am I anyone’s! I’m not a lady -- I never was! I’m barely even a Cromwell! My mother ran away from home and eloped with a merchant against our family’s wishes -- Grandfather disowned her long before I was born! I’m just as much an outsider to my family as she was -- as Jacob was! I have no dowry, no money, no status -- the only reason I was even at the palace was because Grandfather sent me to work there! I’m a maidservant, a peasant, an orphan...I’m nothing!”

Orion’s eyes were very wide upon Carewyn’s face. He seemed a bit intimidated by her ferocity, but he didn’t recoil. Instead he tried again to reach out.

“You’re not nothing, Carewyn Cromwell -- you’ve never been nothing...”

He didn’t touch her this time, instead clutching his own hands in his lap, but inched as close to her as she’d let him.

“Carewyn, I was a peasant myself, until my half-brother, the first Prince, was killed,” he whispered. Once again, the anxiety that made his heart race and his head pound was making him talk in a faster, tenser, rambling voice. “It doesn’t matter to me what you are -- I know who you are, and you’re the furthest thing from nothing to -- ”

“Who I am!”

Carewyn couldn’t contain her volatile emotions. She clutched at her own face, the nails digging into her skin.

“Who I am is a SLAVE, Orion! A slave to the Devil I stupidly trusted, thinking he would help my brother...the Devil I stupidly followed the bidding of, trying to get him a crown through my cousins, in the misguided thought that it would spare Jacob from further suffering! And instead...instead all I did was stay in line, march lock-step, for no reason at all! My brother died alone, because of me! I gave up our freedom for nothing!”

Her nails left red marks on her face with the effort of trying to force back her tears.

“Everything, all of it -- all of this pain is my own fault! All because I couldn’t save Mum or Jacob -- because I was actually stupid enough to believe Grandfather would help me, pathetic enough to become as much of a liar and a fraud as he is -- ”

Orion impulsively unclasped his hands and grabbed hold of hers gripping her face.

“Carewyn, please,” he choked. His eyes were rippling like turbulent black waves and his voice was strained with anxiety. “This is your inner beast talking, not you. You don’t deserve this pain and grief. You deserve more, so much more -- you deserve to be happy -- you deserve to be free. If I could break your chains, I would -- if I could bring your brother back, I would -- if I could give you the Southern Sea itself for you to sail on, I would -- ”

Orion’s hands were shaking as he tried and failed to peel her hands from her face. He couldn’t bear to see this woman who had always been so strong, who had become an anchor when he’d needed it, so off-balance. He knew he needed to find his center, and try to focus...but how could he, when his center of balance was the cause of his lack of balance? It made it so that all Orion could do was mirror Carewyn, becoming more upset and losing more hope as she did.

His heartrate was spiking. He didn’t know what to do. He didn’t know what to do or say, to fend off the beast assaulting the woman he loved.

“Please...” Orion whispered, “please don’t hurt yourself like this -- please -- let me help you...”

All of a sudden, a lantern was lit inside the manor. A window opened, and the sound of voices came out of it.

“Who’s there?!” bellowed the voice of Blaise Cromwell.

Carewyn and Orion both stiffened. Orion’s hands tightened on Carewyn’s on her face, but she tore out of his grip again.

“Go,” she said very coldly.

Orion faltered, his face desperate. “Carewyn -- ”

“Now. Before you’re caught trespassing.”

Despite the coldness of her voice, it was not cruel. It was very quiet and strained, despite its lack of light -- an opaque shadow of her usual voice.

Orion’s hands were trembling as he impulsively grabbed her hand, bringing it up to his lips.

“Come with -- ”

But she withdrew her hand.

“I said go now!”

Orion closed his eyes, trying to hold in the wounded, miserable flinch that passed over his face.

It was the first time she’d refused to accept his help at all. When they’d first met, he’d said that if she did refuse his help when it was offered willingly, it would only serve to make her all the more wonderful of a contradiction...but now that she had...it only served to make his heart break.

She’s in so much pain, he thought. She’s in so much pain, and yet still, even now, she cannot place her well-being over someone else’s. Even now, she sacrifices, and endures, and suffers...even now, she’s so...

Orion was breathing heavily, shakily. His thoughts were racing as fast as his heart, making his brain throb just as badly.

He was in no state to help her fight her beast in that moment, while fighting his own...especially when she had already surrendered to it.

And so, Orion did as Carewyn asked. He turned away and ran back to his horse. He climbed back onto its back, flicked the reins, and charged back off into the rain, just as the door of the Cromwell estate opened.

Orion returned to the Florentine capital. He was so off-balance that he didn’t have the heart to try to go look for Andre, KC, Erika, and the Weasleys, to tell them where Carewyn had gone. He didn’t have the heart to face them, knowing that Carewyn’s brother had been killed in a conflict with his own father’s men. (For, as one might recall, Orion never learned the circumstances behind the spell cast to stall Jacob’s death.)

Orion arrived at the palace soaking wet nearly three hours later, just before midnight. It was fortunate he did, for as soon as he rode in through the gates, a pretty woman with braided blond hair rushed out to him. It was Penny Haywood -- the chief medic from the war front.

“Orion! Thank God you’re back!”

Orion was too emotionally overwhelmed to give her a proper greeting. Instead he tried to detach himself, climbing off his horse and immediately moving toward the stable to tie her up. Penny, however, seized the horse’s reins out of his hand and stepped in front of him.

“You must go to your father at once,” she said urgently. “He’s up in his chambers -- ”

“I shall speak with him in the morning,” said Orion lowly. He let Penny take his horse -- he couldn’t focus on fighting with her about it. He just had to get somewhere quiet, away from the thunder and pounding thoughts in his head...

“No,” said Penny, her voice very strained. “You must see him now, Orion -- ”

She held onto his horse’s reins as she pursued him and grabbed his shoulder.

“Orion...the King is dying.”

It seemed that General Parkin hadn’t just been blustering back at the battlefield, when he was trying to coax Orion to return with him to camp. The battle King Cosimo V had prematurely waged against the Royaumanian army had stolen many lives and injured many...the most prominent of which was the King himself. He had been shot several times in the heart, an injury too traumatic to the human body for any of Penny’s potions to heal -- and so all that could be done was stall his death through a spell that temporarily gave him the heart of a pig the army had co-opted from a local farm. Severus Snape, the court magician, had stood by the King in his chambers maintaining the spell, in the hopes that Orion would return in time to say his proper goodbyes.

Orion found Skye and McNully waiting outside the King’s bedchambers. Skye offered Orion a towel to dry off, but Orion silently shook his head and, with a trembling hand, pushed open the door.

Snape was sitting at the King’s bedside, his concentration fixed on his spell, but was talented enough of a magician that his focus wasn’t broken when Orion entered the room.

“Your Highness,” said Snape lowly. “At last.”

Orion clasped his hands in front of him. “Master Snape.”

The court magician’s expression was very stony, but he nonetheless rose to his feet and moved to Orion, his eyes boring into his face solemnly.

“I shall leave you alone, to speak with him,” he murmured. “Be quick. His time is short.”

Orion closed his eyes, his head falling in something of a half-hearted nod. Snape swept past him, his outer robes billowing behind him like a bat’s wings, and he closed the large door behind him with a soft, but resounding boom.

Orion’s hands were very clammy. He squeezed them tightly, breathing in through his nose and out through his mouth in a vain attempt to calm his racing heart.

“Cosimo...?”

His father’s voice came out very hushed. Orion’s eyes shot open, startled and dismayed.

“Be quick,” the memory of Snape’s voice urged him again.

Taking a deep breath, Orion swept over to his father’s bedside, sitting down in the chair that Snape had been sitting in before.

The King of Florence lay limply in bed, his green eyes half-mast upon Orion’s face. When his son approached, something in them softened.

“Cosimo,” he murmured. “You’re safe...”

Orion nodded. “Yes.”

The King closed his eyes, his expression breaking into a relieved smile. Orion swallowed back the lump in his throat.

“Father,” he said quietly, “I didn’t know you were injured -- if I had, I would’ve come to the camp straightaway...”

“I’m grateful for that,” said the King. “Under the circumstances...I’m afraid I did wonder.”

Orion’s black eyes grew a little smaller. “You believed I wouldn’t care, if you died?”

The King’s face grew very somber as he slowly opened his eyes again. “Not believed. Simply wondered. And...perhaps understood the logic of it.”

Orion’s eyebrows knit together over his eyes with confusion and upset. “Well, I’m afraid I fail to.”

The King sighed.

"...You have never had an easy life, Cosimo,” he said lowly. “I knew it long before you became Prince, and yet I did nothing to mitigate it. I was never a father to you, when you were young. I never gave you anything but a paltry allowance, to make sure you were clothed and fed. All because I chose my duty to our people and country over my love for your mother.”

Orion squeezed his own hands tightly.

“I do not resent you for that,” he murmured. “You couldn’t abandon your responsibility...nor your first son. If you’d done what Mother had intended, and cast aside your wife and my half-brother so that I would be sole prince and heir, I’m certain you would’ve had just as many regrets. My half-brother would’ve been the one in my place...and after having actually known you as a father, that would’ve been far more crippling to his sense of balance -- to his identity and his life.”

His black eyes softened sadly.

“I’m not foolish enough to think that Mother was right, to expect you to choose her ambitions over your duty. She should never have put you in the position to make such a choice...least of all by giving me your name, so that everyone would know I was meant to be a replacement for your first son...who I know you loved more than anyone else. I’ll always love and miss my mother...but she never learned that one can’t love another person by forcing them to choose between two sides of their heart.”

The memory of Carewyn crumpled over in grief in response to her brother’s death rippled over his mind again.

I couldn’t tell her not to grieve for him. I couldn’t disrespect her, by refusing to leave, when she told me to...by forcing her onto my horse and stealing her away...

His heart clenched.

Even so...I wish I did. I wish I wasn’t such a coward that I didn’t just refuse to leave her side, no matter what she or her family said...no matter what happened...

But Royaume and Florence were still at war, despite everything. If he’d stayed and been arrested or gotten into a physical altercation with Carewyn’s family, what would that have helped? Who would it have helped?

The King’s green eyes trailed over Orion’s face, slightly awed. Then they melted, rippling like emeralds under candlelight, and he reached out a hand through the bed curtains toward Orion.

“...You truly have become so wise, Cosimo,” he whispered, his eyes sliding closed. “So wise...”

After a brief hesitation, Orion shakily detached his hands and took his father’s in both of them.

“You...will be a great king, my son.”

Orion’s eyes fell down to his father’s hand.

“I’m not ready,” he confessed.

“No prince is.”

King Cosimo squeezed his son’s hands, the tension flooding out of his shoulders.

“Tell me about her,” he murmured.

“About Mother?” asked Orion.

The King shook his head. “No. The lady you wrote of, in your letter. The Royaumanian.”

Orion’s heart felt like it had been dunked in water. It sparked some adrenaline and made his heart race, yes...but it was still so cold...

“She’s...”

Orion closed his eyes. He inhaled and exhaled several times to try to steady his heartrate.

“...a robin in a cage, Father.”

The King didn’t respond. Orion pressed on.

“She has a frame so small and fragile that anyone could underestimate her...but her soul has wings strong enough to take flight, if she so chose. Her feathers sheen with light and color, yet they pale in the face of the brilliance of her eyes. She flits about with courage and agility. She has a heart too large for her red breast to contain...and so she sings. Oh, how she sings! Her song could soothe the most savage beasts...and they have, in the hearts of men. It can bring people together -- inspire hope for a future that had seemed impossible. And...”

He swallowed.

“...she’s selfless. The bravest, kindest, most selfless person I’ve ever met in my life. Nothing frightens her. Nothing intimidates her. No pain is one she won’t endure...so long as the people she loves thrive. As long as she can bring others happiness...she’ll take every bit of pain onto her own shoulders, take the brunt of the whole world’s ire...just so that no one else has to. She’ll help a complete stranger simply because they need help...and yet never demand a single thing for herself. All because, even with how wonderful and good of a person she is...she still somehow sees herself as unworthy.”

His voice had become very hushed.

“Her standards...are higher than I could ever fathom.”

“I can imagine.”

The King’s hand squeezed Orion’s hands lightly.

“She truly has inspired you, Cosimo. I realize now that you never wished to be a King of War, as I have been...but she was the one who encouraged you to fight for that wish, regardless of the risk. When I first read your letter...I was so blinded by my own fears...of losing you, as I had your brother...that I could only read your words as evidence that an infatuation had caused you to recklessly put yourself in danger...just as I might have, as a young man. But now...now I only regret that I won’t get to meet Lady Cromwell myself.”

He opened his eyes, and to Orion’s surprise, they’d started to flood with tears.

“I understand the pain of loving someone who you’re not free to be with,” said the King. “I lament that you must know it too...but from the sound of things...your lady knows love better than either I or your mother did.”

He actually gave a choked laugh.

“Please consider courting her -- I’d love knowing my son had a queen like that, by his side.”

Orion wanted to smile in return, but he just couldn’t.

Somewhere far away, a clock began to toll the hour. The sound made Orion’s heart clench with anxiety.

“No...”

He looked at his father. As the second toll gonged, the King clutched his chest. The third and fourth tolls prompted the wounds in his chest to start reopening.

“My time is up, Cosimo,” the King said solemnly.

“No,” said Orion again, “no...not yet...”

“It’s all right.”

The sixth gong made the blood blossom up out of the wounds in his chest. Despite the pain he was clearly in, King Cosimo faced Orion with a very brave, firm expression.

“You must promise,” he told him, and his voice came out as a rasp, “promise me you’ll rule Florence from your heart...justly...and wisely.”

Orion felt like his racing heart was stuck in his throat.

“...I promise,” he said at last.

“Follow...your lady’s example. Have courage...and be kind.”

“I will. I promise.”

The tenth toll of the clock made blood spill out the side of the King’s mouth, but he forced a smile all the same, even as tears streamed from his eyes.

“...I’ve...never been more proud...to be your father.”

He kept his eyes on Orion’s face all the way up until the last stroke of midnight. His eyes remained there even after all of the light had left them and he had taken his final breath.

Orion’s hands were shaking as he held his father’s limp hand. He bowed his head, closing his eyes, and sat there in silence. He breathed in through his nose, out through his mouth, for a very long moment.

Florence...its people, its land, was solely his responsibility now.

His shoulders suddenly felt so heavy -- as if he were suddenly Atlas, with the weight of the world resting upon him. It was suffocating, but it was also devastating...for no man could hope to run free, carrying such a heavy burden. He wouldn’t be able to leave Florence as he pleased any longer. He wouldn’t be able to escape from his duties for a day, or make believe he was anything other than what he was.

Carewyn couldn’t fly because she was in a cage. And now...Orion couldn’t fly because he bore a weight too heavy for him to carry.

It was only when the door of the chambers opened several minutes later and Skye, McNully, Penny, and Snape all reentered that Orion raised his head. He looked over his shoulder at them, his face very restrained and calm, even though his black eyes were shining with unshed tears.

Skye immediately ran over to Orion and threw her arms around his shoulders, burying her face in his shoulder and squeezing tight. McNully wheeled right up beside Orion too, his own eyes full of tears. For once, he didn’t seem to know what to say.

The door inched a bit more open, and Orion caught sight of Lord Malfoy coming to stand in the door frame. Although he was dressed in black and tried to appear solemn, however, his cold gray eyes were glinting with an odd kind of satisfaction.

Lord Malfoy had certainly not planned for things to unfold as they did...but the wealthy businessman wasn’t unhappy at the thought of the King who’d been too noble for his own good being replaced with an ignorant bastard peasant.

Orion released King Cosimo’s hand at last to hug Skye in return. Then, detaching himself from her, he rose from the chair and moved over to the bed so he could bring up a hand and gently close his father’s eyes.

“The King is dead,” Snape said solemnly, his eyes locked solidly on Orion as the Crown Prince faced him. “Long live the King.”

#hphm #hogwarts mystery #cinderella au #orion amari #carewyn cromwell #my art #my writing #penny haywood #skye parkin #murphy mcnully #severus snape #*exhales heavily*#out of the frying pan and into the fire #but hey...can't expect to get a happy ending without a little trouble along the way

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padfootspuppy · 3 years

Text

A letter from Regulus Arcturus Black to Sirius Orion Black

⚠️Trigger Warning: Mention of self harm and harmful thoughts⚠️

Dearest Big Brother,

It has been four years since you have so much as looked at me and it makes me wonder if you hate me. I would not blame you for it. I hate myself too. No I do not hate myself. I detest myself. I detest myself for being a coward and staying while you were brave enough to run. I detest myself for standing by mother and father’s beliefs while you were strong enough to defy them. I detest myself for getting the mark of the dark lord. A mark which shall forever be burnt into my flesh even once I die. Since that day two years ago, the mark has been a constant reminder of every way I have fucked up. It is fine. I deserve it.

I have managed to slightly cover the mark. In its place are several scars which I created. I have turned my skin into paper and knife into a pen. Much how standard art distracts the mind from unwanted thoughts, so does my form of art. I deserve it. Every little scar. Every deep cut. The temptation to cut deeper, growing as I grow, however I can’t. Well couldn’t in fear of mother and father finding out. I have now found a solution much better which has rid me of that temptation. A solution to look forwards to.

By now you must have heard of the news of me joining the dark lord and while I shall not deny it, I have also left him. One year ago, I left the dark lord for his work was not what I had thought it to be. Hundreds of newspaper clippings, images, and years of following him from the comfort of my bedroom and I hadn’t the slightest idea of his deeds. I finally gained the courage to leave him once I had found two things. Firstly, he was going to use Kreacher our house elf to experiment on. I know Kreacher was never your favorite however he cared for me much much more than our parents and when you left, he was all I had. The second reason, however, is I have discovered something. Something the dark lord never intended anyone to find. The dark lord is immortal of sorts. He used dark, dark magic to preserve parts of his soul into mundane items. One of which I have recently found. The slytherin locket. This brings me to both the point of this letter and the solution I have found to my temptations. I know how to find the locket and I know the magic which prevents one from reaching it. I wrote this letter as a final goodbye to you.

The day you left me was the worst day of my life. I waited everyday for even a simple letter from you. However it never came. I spent the summer convincing myself that you were busy. Maybe you were on the run. Maybe you were trying to find a place to stay. That was until I came back to school and saw you with him. James Fleamont Potter. When I came back, rumors had spread already. Sirius Orion Black had moved in with James Fleamont Potter. His parents had adopted Sirius over the summer. That was the moment I broke because as much as I had tried to deny it, I knew. James Potter was your brother. Not me. Not only had James slowly taken my place as your brother, but he had always been a better brother than I had. Somewhere, deep inside, I always knew it was bound to happen, yet that didn’t stop it from killing me. That was the night I started. Started treating my flesh as paper. Started treating smoke as a air. Started treating alcohol as water. Started treating my life as a sewage system. I don’t blame you for any of it, however. Recently, I’ve realized that life is too short to be jealous and there is a reason for everything. I was almost as awful of a brother as I am a person and for that I am sorry. I am now glad you found James. I am now glad you found a group of friends as loyal as the marauders. I am glad you found yourself such a sweet boyfriend and had the courage to come out. I am glad you left because in the end, you were always better off away than had you decided to stay.

Tonight I am going to retrieve the locket with Kreacher. This time, however, Kreacher won’t be the one subjected to the potion which the dark lord has created. I cannot possibly put him through that again. Instead Kreacher has been instructed to force me to drink it. I have instructed Kreacher to give you this letter in the probable case that I die. If you are receiving this letter that means I have died. I’ve had it coming for me and not even I deserve death. The luxury of finally being at peace and never having to wake up to the real world alone. You found your happiness when you ran away from home, and I have found mine. A coward like me doesn’t deserve neither life nor death, however I have finally gotten my wish. I am out of misery. If you read the letter, I love you Siri. You may not have batted an eye in my direction, you may hate me, you may not even care, however I do. I noticed everything about you. I love you. I used to blame you for never sending me a letter once you left, however now I realize it was as much my fault. I was too scared to send you a letter as well. To disrupt your perfect new life without me. I finally have gained the courage to do so. My last request may be a bit much to ask, but please, please don’t hate me. I know I have made so many unforgivable mistakes and died a coward, but please. I don’t want to leave this world knowing my only brother, the only person to truly care for me, hates me.

Sincerely,

Your Youngest Blood Brother

Regulus Arcturus Black

#james potter #marauders #sirius black #remus lupin #siriusblack #james fleamont potter #jamespotter #sirius orion black #harry potter #peter pettigrew #regulus headcanon #sirius and regulus #regulus deserved better #regulus black headcanons #regulus black

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wickedmilo · 3 years

Photo

HYPOTHETICALLY | MILO & MORGAN

PLACE: Outside White Crest University TIMING: 10:05 PM SUMMARY: Milo approaches his old professor to ask her some suspiciously specific but definitely ‘hypothetical’ questions WRITING PARTNER: @mor-beck-more-problems CONTENT WARNINGS: Drug mentions, addiction mentions, mild references to PTSD

Milo felt a little ridiculous. It was beyond stupid to assume any professor had knowledge of the supernatural beyond what was taught on the curriculum, but he had been spending a lot of time around the university building due to his newfound friendship with Orion. And so many memories were resurfacing, memories of lectures on vampires, and discussions on werewolves. Presentations on witches, and how their representation in mainstream media was problematic. It was highly unlikely this focus meant anything more than Professor Beck had a secret love of Twilight. Honestly, absolutely nothing would surprise him at this point. But he had to try, he needed to try. Every day his control was growing stronger, albeit in incredibly small increments. But the work had to count for something, and settling into his new life was leaving him with far too much time to think. He still couldn’t remember very much of his death, and certainly no incriminating details that might lead him to discover the identity of his killer. But he did know the club had been crowded, he did know the nightlife was often frequented by students.

It had been burning at the back of his mind, leaving him restless, and uncomfortable. With no culprit, with no sire to name, he couldn’t blame anybody but himself for his situation. Maybe if he could look into the eyes of the person who had taken his life, if he could ask them why they had decided to turn him, he could lift the weight from his shoulders, he could finally stop feeling responsible in some twisted, and soul destroying way. Sure, he had made a dumb, and reckless decision. His entire life had been composed of them for years. But that didn’t mean he deserved to die. That didn’t mean he deserved to be broken, and abandoned. Left to figure things out on his own. Night had only just fallen, and he didn’t trust himself to slip into the school building unnoticed when there were still so many people around. So he waited outside like some crazy stalker. He probably counted as one, who was he kidding? He had looked up the schedule for Beck’s classes online in the hope of catching her on her way to the parking lot. She had technically finished her final lecture but part of him was worried she might end up working overtime. Wasn’t that something professors liked to do? The last thing he wanted was to stand for hours, staring at the patch of grass where Dani had last attacked him.

But for the first time in a long time, something seemed to go right. Dropping his cigarette to the floor, he recognised Beck as she hurried down the stone steps, and immediately began to make his way towards her. He wasn’t sure whether she would recognise him from her classes. He had graduated a year ago, and even then his attendance had been unreliable. When he did decide to make an appearance it was always smelling of pot, or coming down from the previous night’s substance of choice. “Professor Beck!” He called. “Uh, Morgan Beck?” Could he call her that? It felt weird, even though he was no longer one of her students. “Hey- I’m sorry, it’s- it’s Milo… Summers. You probably don’t remember me, but I was in your class a while back and I was wondering if I could maybe ask you some questions?”

Morgan didn’t like to stay late on campus anymore. She thanked the mother of earth for longer days, but time still got away from her now and then. When Morgan noticed the darkening sky this time, she thought she heard the hunter child stepping out of a room, knife raised. Quickly, she threw her things into her bag and started hurrying out the building. She couldn’t figure out if she would be safer going down the service stairs or trying to chase some straggler students to walk with for safety and so zig zagged through each. As she came out on the main floor, she saw a group of boys outside the big lecture hall. They looked like they were about to leave, and maybe she could walk close enough behind them but it would only be safe if they really were just students. Hunters didn’t go in packs on campus, did they? If she found any like that, would she even stand a chance? How far would she get before they pinned her down? How loud would she have to scream for anyone to come running? Morgan tripped on the stone steps out the building as she rushed past them.

She was moving so fast she didn’t see the other boy loitering nearby and when he called her name she screamed, backing away. But she knew this face. “M-milo,” she wheezed, trying to force air back into her lungs. “You startled me. I’m sorry.” She winced. “It’s good to see you again. I thought you graduated, though?” That wasn’t relevant. Morgan waved away the rest with her hand. “What is it that I can help you with, exactly? I’m heading home right now, to my family. They’re already expecting me. So, we can walk and talk, huh?” She looked briefly at the walkways that cut through the arts quad and set her sights on the one crowded with the most people. Not closest to the parking lot, but she could worry about that part later. “Scenic route sound good?”

Milo flinched, almost stumbling backwards at the sheer force of the sound. Morgan’s scream seemed to echo in his ears and for a moment he took the time to curse his new heightened senses. “Fuck-” He breathed, staring at his old professor with a look of shock of his face. If he still needed oxygen he knew he would be catching his breath right about now. He shouldn’t judge really, there could be any number of reasons she was so easily scared. But it was the last reaction he had been expecting from her, and therefore the last reaction he had been prepared for. “No shit, I startled you.” He laughed, calming down after such a jarring response to his presence. In a way, it almost worked out. The distraction was making it far too easy not to dwell on why he was here, on what he was about to ask. “Yeah, last year.” He agreed, weirdly flattered that she remembered him although he doubted she didn’t have fond memories.

At the mention of her family, he felt an unexpected pang of guilt. Maybe it wasn’t fair to approach her after work. If there had been any other way to do this, he liked to think he would have made the effort to find it. “I’m sorry,” he insisted. “We can walk and talk, it won’t take long.” He wasn’t sure why he was promising that when he couldn’t possibly know, but it felt like the right thing to say. “Uh…” A frown creased his brow as he eyed the route she was choosing to the parking lot. Something was definitely bothering her, but it wasn’t exactly his place to try and figure out what. “Sure?” He said, unable to hide the fact that he was a little confused by her behaviour. Brushing off any concern, he pushed down every part of himself not entirely convinced this was a good idea. He needed to find who had done this to him. Letting it go simply wasn’t an option, and Morgan Beck was his first lead. “I have some questions about- well, about the supernatural.”

Morgan tried to cover her fright with a knowing laugh. This is fine! I’m definitely not freshly traumatized! The important thing was that Milo had agreed to walk with her along a nice, busy, public route with lots of witnesses. She made a point of waving to a faculty member as they walked. She didn’t know the woman, but she waved back awkwardly, trying to place Morgan in her head, and would therefore maybe remember her and who she was last seen with. She was so busy looking for someone else to spot her, someone she actually knew who might care a little bit, she almost missed Milo’s question. “The--supernatural? Like, um, one of the texts we studied? Or a project you’re doing on your own? Or--” Or the real thing. Including who and what she was. “Maybe if you could, uh, be more specific, I’ll know if I can help.”

Unable to tear his gaze away from Morgan, her odd behaviour was becoming increasingly obvious to Milo. But he wasn’t sure pushing her to explain what was wrong would help either of them. If anything, it would probably result in her running from him, and he was so desperate for answers to his questions he couldn’t bring himself to risk it. If she continued to look so genuinely frightened, he would ask her before he left. Until then, he decided he would do his best to ignore the waves, the long routes, and the stumbling over her words. “Uh, no… not really.” He admitted, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. “More like… whether you believe in it?” He mentally prepared himself for any number of reactions, namely laughter, or claims of his insanity. If there was a more subtle way of asking, one that didn’t make him sound like a conspiracy theorist, he would jump on it. But as far as he could tell, this was the only real way of being direct. “Look, I know it sounds…” Crazy, ridiculous, insane, like a terrible fucking joke. “I know it does- I’m only curious. You focused on it a lot in your lectures, you know?”

He didn’t sound like he was goading her, Morgan had to admit. If he was a hunter, he sounded a lot more nervous than he had any reason to be. At last she slowed and turned to look at him beside her. She had killed too many people to believe she could tell what a murderer looked like. But he didn’t look like he was cutting her open in his mind. He looked sad, maybe even desperate.

“I did, yeah,” she admitted quietly. “I believe in a lot of things most people don’t. Including a lot of the things I talked about in class. Not in the way, exactly, they’re portrayed in books. But those...ideas, those figures, those people…” She looked sidelong at Milo again. “I know of a lot more resources than novels written by humans. What is it that you’re afraid of telling me, Milo?”

Slowing to Morgan’s pace, Milo continued to watch her, almost analysing her to determine what was causing her so much stress. It was impossible to know, not without her telling him, but this town had thrown an impossible amount of shit his way, and he was beginning to realise he wasn’t the only person to fall victim to the Weird of White Crest. Was Morgan Beck stressed? Or had she seen something? Maybe something she wasn’t supposed to see? Surprised by her sudden shift in demeanour, her voice was quiet when she spoke again, and it forced him to focus. The panic of before seemed to fade away, replaced by a genuine softness that he remembered from her lectures. He hadn’t been expecting an immediate yes, and he couldn’t hide the fact that it had taken him by surprise, but he was immensely relieved to realise they might be on the same page... sort of. “Wait- you do?” He echoed, as though he needed confirmation before being able to accept what he was hearing. “You believe in the supernatural? You’re not fucking with me?” If he had been unsure of this meeting before, he was finally convinced he had approached the right person. She clearly wasn’t going to judge him, and she was willing to answer him honestly. That was good.

People. The word was emphasised in a way that only furthered his suspicion. It almost sounded as though she had argued with others in the past, debated whether supernatural creatures counted as people, or whether they should be written off as monsters. Nearly getting lost in thought, it took him a few seconds to register Morgan’s own question, and he came to a sudden halt, eyes wide as he was hit by the implications of what she was asking him. How did she know there was more to this conversation? How did she know there was more to who he was now? Reaching absentmindedly to rub at the base of his neck, the scars there were incredibly faint, barely noticeable to anybody who wouldn’t be able to recognise them for what they were. They were evidence of his struggle, of his change, a reminder of everything he had lost. Feeling them beneath his fingertips encouraged him to stay. If he left then he wasn’t going to learn anything, and he would be no closer to finding the person responsible for taking his life. “Nothing.” He insisted, a breathless laugh escaping him as he did everything he could to sound casual. “I mean- I just wanted to ask, you know? It doesn’t- it doesn’t mean anything. I don’t have anything to hide- I mean, I’m not hiding anything. This is all… strictly hypothetical.”

Morgan didn’t miss the way Milo changed as soon as he heard her answer. She winced with guilt, remembering how upset Bex had been when she’d tried to deny the whole zombie regeneration thing. “I...do. Yes. I’m not fucking with you.” In a fairer world, this wouldn’t have to be such a fraught conversation, or a secret one. She wouldn’t have to wonder if one of her students was about to hurt her, or if she was walking into some sort of normie joke, or something else equally dangerous and stupid.

Milo must have been making the same calculations in his head, because no sooner did she do that than did he backpedal away from her follow up questions.

“I appreciate the whole ‘hypothetical’ thing, Milo, I do. But if you know something or saw something, if something happened to you…” She let out a long, stiff breath. “I’m not going to give you any shit if it happens to be something I’ve never heard of before. But I’ve had a year into the weird side of this town, so I’m pretty hard to surprise. Actually, you know what, I dare you to surprise me, hypothetically or not.”

Milo fell silent, too curious to know what his old professor wanted to say, but also too anxious to trust himself to speak without taking any time to filter his thoughts. It was uncomfortable, navigating such a strange conversation. He felt a little like he was walking on a tightrope. If he fell too far one way, he might never get the answer he was looking for. If he fell too far the other way, he might out himself as a vampire and potentially put himself in danger. A smile tugging at his lips, despite everything, he couldn’t help feeling amused by hearing a member of staff swear so openly. The humour very rapidly faded though, when he was reminded of why they were talking. If something happened to you… He wanted to ask whether something had happened to her, but he couldn’t seem to form the words. That wasn’t why he was here. He didn’t want to talk about what he was, he didn’t want to be asked about what he was. “Nothing happened to me.” He insisted, sounding more confident in the statement than he previously had, but answering too quickly to be convincing. “I told you, it’s hypothetical.”

He wasn’t sure his company was going to believe him, but so long as he didn’t prove anything, so long as he didn’t outright admit anything to Morgan, then he was safe, right? She would write him off as weird, or overly curious, and nothing more. At least, that’s what he told himself in order to force out what he really wanted to discuss. “Okay… hypothetically,” he started, his voice slow as he attempted to gauge her reaction to his words. “Do you think there might be vampires at this college, and hypothetically, do you think these vampires maybe sometimes go to the bars and clubs downtown?”

Whatever lingering fears Morgan had about Milo being a hunter or hunter-adjacent fell away as he stumbled through his question. When he finally came out with it, she had to stop herself from smirking with how banal it turned out to be. “Hypothetically, yes,” she said. “Easily. I would be more surprised if there weren’t any, with how reckless and vulnerable undergrads are. And, hypothetically, vampires would just be people with an unfortunately limited appetite and sunlight aversion, so of course they’d do all the normal things people do. Maybe even be a part of night life even more. I mean, unless, you know, they hypothetically popped out of the grave as grr-argh spawn-y times. Because that’s, you know...possibly a thing.” Stars above, she hated this.

At last Morgan stopped and turned to face Milo head on. “Milo, are you trying to say you maybe met a vampire at a club? Because if you met a vampire at a club and you like them and want to keep talking to them, there’s nothing wrong with that, you just need to have really clear communication and honesty to make you’re being careful with each other.”

The sense of satisfaction Milo felt when Morgan said yes was short lived. He had somebody who was telling him it was very possible the vampire who attacked him was attending the uni, or otherwise, might be an alumni. But he had been so focused on this step, he wasn’t sure how to move forward. What did he do with this now? Where did he go from here? Spawn-y. Huh. It wasn’t a term he had stumbled across and he was itching to ask what she meant, but sounding too eager would be counterproductive. He made a mental note to ask Harsh instead, adding it to the list already forming in his head. He really should start writing down his questions. No doubt the older vampire wouldn’t mind taking the time to answer them. Glancing up at the stars too, he frowned, unable to help himself. ‘Normal people’ because he was no longer normal. Because being supernatural wasn’t normal.

It was only when she spoke again that he was pulled back out of his thoughts, and he turned to look at Morgan with outright disbelief. She was being so casual, she didn’t seem worried about sounding insane, or obsessed like some desperate Twilight fangirl. She was talking about vampires like she knew they existed, like they were unquestionably real, a part of every day life, and it was just that simple. She seemed to be relaxing somewhat, which was why he allowed a laugh to escape him. Jeez, how much easier would his life be right now if she was right? If his biggest problem was knowing a vampire... “Why do you talk like that?” He asked finally, unable to help himself. “Like you’re so sure it all exists? I haven’t met a vampire, because they aren’t real… right? Like, nobody has met a vampire.” She wasn’t going to agree with him after so readily admitting she believed in their existence, but he was trying to avoid any further suspicion. “I’m just… I just wanted to know what you thought. So, hypothetically… and not for- not for like, malicious reasons, if somebody wanted to find a vampire, do you know how would they go about doing that?”

Morgan looked at Milo, unimpressed with his two steps forward, one step back pace. “You asked me what I thought and I told you I believe in a lot of weird shit. Why are you so surprised when I follow up with the truth? And I know it’s a struggle, working through your pride and your fear on one side and how much you want this information on the other side. Because people are rude and awful and having what you know about the world turned upside down is one heck of a process. But I don’t like talking about this stuff in detail until I know what it’s for. Or if, you know, hypothetically, it’s someone’s elaborate attempt to get something for their Tiktok feed. But, hypothetically, continuing from the premise that vampires are like people but dead and with blood and sun problems, finding one would probably depend on the vampire, wouldn’t it?” She looked at him archly, daring him to come clean.

Milo frowned, realising his bullshit was apparently transparent. He had never been a terrible liar, usually his lack of sobriety depended on being able to lie. But maybe things were different now, maybe too much was riding on this particular conversation. “I don’t have any pride.” He countered. “Or fear.” He added hurriedly, not wanting Morgan to assume he might be afraid. He wasn’t afraid, he refused to be afraid. As far as he was concerned, the person he was trying to find had already done their worst. Setting his jaw, he listened to her assurances, too frustrated by the fact that she was onto him to really appreciate her words.

“Why would you care what it’s for?” He asked, wondering whether she knew more than he had first assumed. For a while, he had been under the impression she had seen something. Something to make her suspect, something to make her believe. Nothing more than that. But what if it was more than that? What if she knew someone? Or what if she wasn’t human herself? He had so many burning questions, but he knew it would be stupid to ask them. “Can we hypothetically say it’s for a book I’m writing?”

Morgan’s eyes narrowed. “Because the right information in the wrong hands can get people killed,” she replied evenly. “And no, a book isn’t good enough. I’m sorry. I get that you’re not ready to trust me. You weren’t exactly up in my office hours all the time. But I can’t talk about something like this in detail on a hypothetical that vague and tired. I’ve even used that one before.” She came close and squeezed his shoulder gently, softening again. “When you’re ready to talk, know I’m going to probably believe you, or at least listen attentively in good faith to what you have to say.” She winced, another obvious idea coming to her. “Unless you really are writing a book. In which case I fully support your writing endeavours, but I can’t ethically disclose certain information for your research. But I’ll read your drafts or whatever else you might want my help with!” She looked into his eyes, searching. She had no idea what was wrong with this kid, why he was so worked up about this that he’d come back to campus to find her, but she had a feeling it wasn’t anything nice or happy. “Are you taking good care of yourself, this stuff aside?”

Realistically, Milo knew he should appreciate Morgan’s discretion. In withholding the information, she was stopping people from getting to it who might genuinely be trying to harm vampires, to seek them out and hurt them. She was essentially protecting him, although hopefully she didn’t know that. Still, all he could feel was annoyance, and anger. He was so close to somebody who might be able to help him, who probably could help him, but he couldn’t tell her what he was. It didn’t feel right to be so outwardly open. The few people who knew had found out through means of their own. They were supernatural themselves, or they were Hunters, and Slayers. He had yet to volunteer the information, and doing so with somebody he barely knew felt like a ridiculous risk to take. It went against everything Harsh had told him about how to stay out of trouble. Glaring at her when she rested a hand on his shoulder, he begrudgingly took a breath so that she wouldn’t be able to feel the unnatural stillness of his chest.

“I know you’re going to believe me, that’s the fucking problem.” He muttered, shrugging off her contact. “Fuck the ethics.” He continued, growing more frustrated with each passing second. “I already told you this isn’t malicious, what more do you want from me? It isn’t like I’m asking for a step by step guide on how to kill vampires, that isn’t why I’m here.” A bitter laugh escaping him when she asked him if he was taking care of himself, he wasn’t sure why it mattered. She wasn’t willing to help him, why should she give a shit about his wellbeing? “No.” He admitted, a petulant edge to his voice. “Self care isn’t really my thing.”

“The fucking ethics are how we survive!” Morgan hissed. Then, realizing what she’d done, she added quickly, “All of us. Normie, not-normie, living, undead, everyone. And other people’s lives aren’t fodder for morbid fascination, just because they’re undead. There’s lots of ways to hurt people, Milo. I’d rather have the truth. I’ll take some proof that you aren’t being reckless, with yourself or this vampire person you’re looking for.” And Milo’s admission of not doing self care wasn’t helping her worry. Stars above, was this kid looking to get turned? On purpose?

“That’s not really encouraging, Milo,” she said softly. “This world you’re asking about isn’t Teen Wolf and Vampire Diaries bullshit. It’s not a game. Where are you staying right now, do you need a ride home?”

Milo stared at Morgan, stunned into silence by her words before she hurriedly corrected herself, adding to her statement in an attempt to alter the meaning. Surely, he was being paranoid. Surely, he was imagining things. It didn’t make any sense. “Uh huh…” He said, his voice slow, and deliberate. Making it clear he didn’t believe she was saying what she really meant. She had done the very same thing to him. If they were going to incessantly dance around the subject, he was going to make her work equally as hard. “Sure.” He continued to glare, his annoyance incredibly evident in his expression. I’d rather have the truth. He wanted to bite back, to tell her she hadn’t earned it, he wasn’t going to give it away quite so easily. But he forced himself to hold his tongue. “Reckless how?” He demanded. “Honestly, look at me.” He gestured to his slim frame, knowing his body appeared far weaker than it actually was. “What do you think I’m going to do? Go on some mad vampire killing spree? I don’t get it, I’m not exactly asking for sensitive information.” He didn’t care about how to kill, or how to trap. He only wanted to find someone. That felt innocent enough.

He let a bitter laugh escape him, feigning derision at the mention of the two CW shows. “I don’t know whether to be more offended by the fact that you think I watch those shows, or the fact that you think I take them as fucking truth.” He snapped. Half being serious as he realised she clearly did think he believed those shows were accurate representations of supernatural life. Jeez, he must have given a really bad impression during the time he spent in her classes. “Don’t pretend you care.” He let out a huff of breath, pushing his hair back away from his face. He was already desperate for another cigarette, for a way to dispel the anger settling in his chest. “If you gave a shit you’d help me, I don’t need a ride home.”

“There are lots of ways to be reckless, Milo!” Morgan said. “If you really think vampire-murder is the only stupid thing you could try to do, you are way too human for what you are looking into. The fact that you think there’s some generic catch-all method for finding one, that you don’t see how telling you how to stalk them without any context--” She shook her head, baffled, then took a breath. Milo was in over his head. He didn’t know what he was doing, and he had to be horribly, painfully desperate to be going after something like this so hard.

After a slow exhale, she said more softly, “I do give a shit. Many, actually. But I am not going to help you destroy yourself. Whatever is really making you this miserable and desperate, yes, I will help you with, however I can. But there is nothing good down this road. I can promise you that much. I know this isn’t what you were hoping for, and I’m sorry for that. I’m sorry it hurts. I know it has to hurt so badly right now, but going after this isn’t the way.” She reached into her bag and wrote her number and social media info on a post-it. “Will you take this, please? I really do want to help, Milo. Just not in a way that will make things worse for you later.”

Milo allowed a bitter laugh to escape him, unable to believe he was being called too human. He played off his amusement, directing it towards the former half of Morgan’s statement. “I’ve been plenty stupid in the past, and I’m still here.” He countered. “I don’t think there’s some generic method, that’s literally why I’m asking you for help. But whatever- it’s pretty clear I’m not about to get any.” Continuing to glare at his old professor, raising his eyebrows to show her he didn’t believe a word she was telling him, he crossed his arms over his chest. It felt good to put a barrier between them both, as though he could protect himself from the hurt and frustration of getting absolutely nowhere. But it also allowed him to hide his clenched fists, hide just how angry he actually was. “Why does everybody think I’m out to destroy myself?” He demanded, although he already knew the answer. It was painfully obvious, after all. He had given people so many reasons to be concerned for his well being, obviously they were going to take notice.

Setting his jaw as Morgan attempted to assure him, the speech was dangerously close to the one his mom used to give him when she found him curled up on the bathroom floor, or shivering in his bed after a difficult comedown. The sentiment hadn’t worked back then, and it wasn’t about to work now. “You don’t know shit.” He snapped, annoyed she was presuming to understand what he was going through. “But thanks,” he snatched the number, resisting the urge to tear it to shreds. It might be useful in the future, he had no way of knowing, and he didn’t want to take that kind of risk. “I guess I’ll call you if I ever need someone to make me feel like an idiot.” He muttered, crumpling the paper, forcing it into the pocket of his hoodie. “Have a good night- or don’t. I’m not going to pretend to care.” Turning on his heel before Morgan could comment, he found a spiteful sense of satisfaction in leaving her alone when she was so obviously feeling nervous. Maybe later that satisfaction would turn to guilt, but for now he allowed himself to revel in it. He was going to find this vampire, with or without her help. And if he got himself into trouble doing so, well, she would just have to deal with being partially responsible.

#milo and morgan #c:morgan #addiction tw #drug mention tw #drug manipulation tw #ptsd mention tw

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lovehatecomics · 3 years

Note

Thanks for the kind comment on my art of Suli, Kalibak, and my OC!

I kinda want to do more character designs in the same vein in the future. I might do Orion, Barda and Scott next, although for Scott I'd have to figure out how New Genesis folks would look in that style, and right now I don't really have a lot of ideas. Maybe they're more glowy / less crusty looking / have shiny scales.

I like the more alien looking design Snyder cut went with for Steppenwolf and Desaad (there's also concept art of Darkseid with the same traits - the extra fingers and the legs and chin spikes, you can find it on artstation) but I definitely miss the more colorful original Kirby designs.

Also like, I hope someone at some point discovers Suli and does something with her as a character, I just think she's really neat and deserves more development beyond "dead gf for sad backstory". Like, would Darkseid still become what he did if she stayed alive? Would she leave him if it were the case? How'd Kalibak fare in such a scenario?

Hello! I'm sorry I didn't reply asap bc this gave me a lot of Thoughts & Ideas racing in my head all day. I haven't read all of the new gods comics, basically take all of this with a grain of salt.

****

Yes yes yes please do designs for Scott, Barda and Orion. Visually, it would be good to have Scott and Orion looking out of place since neither of them are on their home planet.

Personally I hc New Genesis gods as being vain and all about appearances. They'd likely have a glow/shimmer to them, pleasing to the senses etc. I say this based on how Orion acts about his "true face", which could easily be seen as a dead give away of where he came from/his heritage.

It would be so interesting if Suli were still alive, there's so many possibilities! Like Darkseid obviously loved her and his mom Heggra didn't like that bc she felt like Suli made him soft. I can still see her forcing Darkseid to have a kid with Tiggra, who Darkseid never loved and vice versa. I can even see her disowning Kalibak altogether and rejecting him as Darkseid's heir bc of Suli.

NOW, imagine if Queen Heggra still tried to poison Suli and she lived? Imagine Suli turning the tables on Heggra and having her killed instead, leading Darkseid to rule and her son to take his rightful place as Darkseid's heir. I want Suli to still be kind, but also sharp and capable of defending herself. She's a scientist and sorceress, I refuse to believe she would have died by poison.

Does no harm and takes no shit, shouldn't be underestimated bc of her "soft" nature etc. Suli can be frighteningly cold and calculative towards those who wrong her and those she love. Hmm…. I imagine Suli and Tiggra would know of each other bc of Heggra. They wouldn't be friends, buuuuuuuuuuuuuut i can see Suli ensuring Tiggra is healthy since she's carrying Darkseid's son (moreso bc Suli loves Darkseid than anything)

Once Darkseid takes over, Suli would likely prefer staying out of the spotlight. I like to believe that she (like other scientists/ sorcerers and sorceresses) is highly respected for her work in Apokolips. While she isn't a ferocious warrior like Tiggra, Suli uses her mind for the improvement of Apokolips. Brains over Brawn.

The Pact could still happen, Darkseid using Orion instead of Kalibak. Suli would probably hear of this after the fact and try to comfort Tiggra, who would likely drive her away in anger. I imagine Kalibak and Darkseid's relationship would be better if Suli were alive. I mean, I also headcanon that Kalibak had gotten his kindness (however little and fleeting) from Suli. The first thing that came to mind was how Kalibak let that little girl live, something that would clearly be frowned upon.

Suli.... might leave Darkseid in the end or as he delves deeper and deeper in his pursuit for the Anti-Life equation. But I could also see her standing at his side to the end. Either way, I wouldn't want Suli to die.

#new gods #suli #Kalibak #Darkseid #Ahhhhhh i hope this makes sense

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write-your-story-among-the-stars · 3 years

Text

blackinnon fluff instead of studying-

___________________________________

There was a girl beside him. She had the softest blonde hair, the deepest blue eyes and he loved her. She leaned against his shoulder soaking up his warmth and he felt like the luckiest man in the world. This gorgeous star had bestowed her grace upon him and he didn’t know what he’d done to deserve it. She hummed softly and he smiled the smallest of smiles. It was just perfect. He could stay like this forever. She shifted and his heart stopped. Was she leaving? Would his heart be broken that easily? Only she leaned in, closing the inch of distance between them. Bringing her lips-

“Oi! Oi Sirius!”

“Yeah?”, he blinked.

“Where’d you fly off to?”

“Eh? Nowhere, don’t be daft Prongs”

James shrugged and went back to wolfing down his meal. Sirius didn’t know what just happened. But it couldn’t be anything good. He heard the clicking of heels down the halls and stood up quickly which raised a few brows. He had to leave. He had to leave now. If he saw Marlene right about now, he might actually die.

“Sirius… you okay?” inquired Moony, incredibly concerned.

“Yeah, don’t worry. Just going out for some fresh air”

“Be right back” and he rushed out of the room just as the woman he dreamed about entered.

“Sirius love you alright? You look like you’ve seen a ghost” came Marlene’s honeyed voice

“Of course, I’m alright. Why wouldn’t I be? I have to go”

“I..” she began to speak but he was already gone.

____________________________________

Sirius was losing his mind. That was the only reasonable explanation. Why else would he be dreaming about being in loveespecially with Marlene McKinnon? This wasn’t normal and he didn’t know what to do. He banged his head against his knees letting out a terrifying groan.

“Oh God. Sirius are you okay?” snuck up Lily

“You know what, No. I’m not okay and I’m thinking something I shouldn’t be thinking at all because it would ruin everything” he panicked

“Ok love, calm down” Lily comforted, “Let’s take this one step at a time”

“Start from the beginning”

“I had a daydream. There was this girl and- and she was in my arms and I was hugging her. You know I’m not a hugger especially with girls, I’m a womanizer you know it.”

Lily gave him a worried look but he powered on.

“And well, I was in love with this girl and I was incredibly happy and then she was leaning in to kiss me when your oaf of a boyfriend shook me out of it”

Lily held back an eye roll at James’ idiocy and said,

“Did you see what she looked like?”

Sirius wouldn’t meet her eyes, looking anywhere but at her. Her stomach sank, assuming the worst.

“Sirius I-

“No, Lily it wasn’t you don’t worry. Not that you’re not jaw droppingly gorgeous but you’re more my sister”

“Oh, thank God. I didn’t want to break your heart”

“Bahahaha- well good then”

“Who is it? I know you know so just come right out and say it”

“I- well… she was blonde” he said, messing up his hair because he knew Lily was smart enough to connect the dots.

“OH GODS. SIRIUS ORION BLACK YOU’RE IN LOVE WITH MARLENE”

“Say it a little louder why don’t you”

“Sirius this is wonderful. Oh, you would be adorable together. Oh, you have to tell her”

“Excuse me???”

“What…”

“She can’t know, she’ll hate me forever”

“Sirius that is not true- “

“Yes, it is end of discussion. I’m not saying anything and neither are you. Especially to James or Marlene. You have to promise me”

“I- of course but just for the record I think you’re wrong.”

“Darling, even if I was wrong and she did like me that way. Your boyfriend, my best mate also known as the man who’s practically her brother would slaughter me if he knew what was going on in my head”

“I know him Sirius and he’d be thrilled for you. It’s not often you feel like this you know”

“Agree to disagree”, he shrugged.

“Fine, I have DADA. I’ll see you later”

“See ya”

____________________________________

Lily couldn’t believe how ridiculous Sirius was being. How could he not know how Marlene felt?

How exactly did he miss all the times she stared at him with so much desire on her face, when she thought no one was looking? Marlene McKinnon was smitten and there was no questioning it.

She couldn’t take it any longer. She had to talk to Marlene. She wouldn’t betray Sirius of course not. She’d just get Marlene to confess. She was already acing Defence. Cutting one class wouldn’t kill her.

And so, Lily Evans began her search for her best friend, ready to play matchmaker for two people she loved incredibly much. As she searched through the halls someone ran up and hugged her from behind. She froze instantly thinking it was Mulciber, only relaxing when she saw well-manicured hands and incredibly tanned arms.

“Ms. McKinnon you nearly gave me a heart attack”

“I’m sorry but I needed a hug”

“Hon, what’s wrong?”

“Sirius…”

Lily nearly squealed

“Oh? What happened?” trying and failing to be as nonchalant as possible

“Nothing- Wait why are you looking at me like that?”

“Like what” Lily said, feigning innocence

“Like you know some things I don’t and that I would appreciate knowing”

“Oh you have no idea”

Marlene began to speak but she cut her off,

“I can’t. I’d be breaking a promise, even if it was for a good cause”

“Uhuh…” Marlene was suspicious and that wasn’t good. At all.

“Okay come on I need to talk to you somewhere private”

She took her friend’s hand and dragged her to the dorms.

“Alright just answer me. No games.”

Marlene just stared at her, mouth slightly open, confused to say the least.

“Do you like Sirius Black?”

“What???!! No of course not” she tried for disgust but failed. Epically.

“Right. I definitely asked the wrong question”

“Do you, Marlene Leigh McKinnon, love Sirius Orion Black?”

Marlene was silent and she had her answer.

“OH, GODS MARLENE THIS IS AMAZING”

“Hush!! Someone will hear you”

“Marlene this is wonderful. You need to tell him”

“WHAT??!! Are you insane? Why would I tell an absolutely hot womanizer that I’m in love with him? I love him too much and I couldn’t bear just a shag and for it to be done.”

“Oh, trust me. That is definitely not what would happen. Trust me”

“Lil, you know I love you but how the fuck do I just go up to him and just tell him that I love him when we haven’t even everthought about going out- at least not me, not before now.”

“Marlene please listen to me. Do it. Tell him. Don’t do it randomly. Sit him down, talk, be you and then you tell him. I promise it’ll be worth it.”

“Lily, I- I can’t”

“Yes, you can and trust me when I say you’ll love what happens after”

“Why don’t you just tell me?”

“Because I want you to see for yourself”

“Ugh, how long have you known by the way?”

“Too long”

“And you never said anything?”

“It wasn’t my place but it is now because I know something good”

“Ok ok, you don’t have to sell me any longer I said I’d do it”

____________________________________

Sirius let out a smoke ring as Remus finished his Arithmancy paper. Remus looked up at the ring, his mind turning. Sirius only made rings when he was really truly pre-occupied and he had a feeling he knew what was on his mate’s mind.

“Hey Sirius?” he said closing his books.

“Hmm”

“I have a question”

“Fire away”

“What would you do if Marlene McKinnon came in through that door and told you she loved you?”

“I- what? Why are you asking that? What did Lily tell you?”

“Aha! Suspicions confirmed”

“Fuck, you know”

“It’s clear as day anytime she’s in the same bloody room as you. And this morning? When you nearly had a panic attack when she called you ‘love’ and you ran out like a dog was chasing you? Kinda hard to miss the signs man. Don’t know how she hasn’t seen it yet, being the smartest witch our age”

“Fuck fuck fuck. Does James know?”

“No, he’s blind as a bat that one” Remus snorted

“Mate you can’t tell anyone. Least of all James, he’ll pummel me into the ground”

“I won’t, don’t worry. But just for the record, she loves you too”

“Yeah right. How could she love someone like me? I’m a Black and a disowned one at that and not to mention, I’m also a complete fucking mess”

“Mate you have no idea”, he stood up going to stretch his legs.

“Where the fuck do you think you’re going??”

“A walk” he shrugged.

“I- after you just did that you’re going for a bloody walk”

“I didn’t do anything. Besides you need to be alone with your thoughts for a while.”

Sirius gave up and fell back.

The door clicked as Remus went out and he was all alone. Or so he thought. Because at that very moment Marlene McKinnon was climbing down the stairs when she saw him and froze in place. Staring at him and him doing the same.

____________________________________

“Uh- hi” attempted Marlene

“Heyyy, what’re you doing up here?”

“Cutting Defence because it’s a pain in the ass”

Sirius chuckled and the hair on her neck rose. How could one man be so attractive that Marlene felt she couldn’t breathe if she looked at him any longer? This was her moment, she knew it, but looking at him, in all his rebellious glory. She couldn’t. So, she tried to run but Sirius grabbed on.

“Marl, do you mind if I talk to you for a second?”

Her heart pounded so fast it was a wonder he couldn’t hear it. She nodded and followed him to the fireplace. It was one of her favourite places, always giving her a sense of peace when she couldn’t breathe but not right now. All she could think of was that Sirius had never been that serious (yes, she saw the pun, no, she didn’t give a fuck).

“Everything ok?”

“Yeah- well… no”

Marlene was practically shaking. This was too much. This was too intimate. She would crumble and have her heart broken if she didn’t leave but no matter how much she wanted to her body wouldn’t listen, forcing her to sit in her panic.

“Marl I have to tell you something and you have to promise not to kill me once you hear it”

Marlene swallowed,

“I’ll try not to”

“I love you”

Her world stopped. This couldn’t really be happening. She was just having a dream that seemed very very real.

“Marlene for Merlin’s sake say something or I’m gonna go mad over here”

She turned suddenly, crashing her lips onto his. All her words going into the movement of her tongue against his. It was fire. It was oblivion. It was Armageddon. It was everything she had dreamed it to be. They sunk right into the kiss. Years of desire and yearning coming out in a single moment. They were the only two people in the world and each other’s lips was the only thing that mattered. They broke apart. Gasping for air.

Marlene looked at Sirius and pinched her arm.

“You’re not dreaming, you know,” he smiled

“I had to check. You truly love me?”

“Truly, madly, deeply I’m afraid”

“You know I love you, too right?”

“I do now”

“Sirius, I love you so much. You need to know. There aren’t enough words in the world to describe how I feel about you”

Sirius bowed his head, hiding the tears in his eyes that inched down his face. She lifted his face and brought her lips to his. Slow, soft, full of the pure tender love she had for him. She pulled away, whispering

“You’re my eternal star”

He grabbed onto her and kissed her like it was the last kiss of his life. They were a flame together and they would never stop burning. He pulled away, their faces touching and there she was. His Marlene.

His sea.

He kissed her head as she held onto him, silently swearing never to let go.

“This doesn’t feel real”

“I know love”

“How long?”

“One minute in on the Express”

“NO, really?” she would die of shock today

“Really”

“It’s always been you Marl”

She held back her tears, leaning up, catching his lips with hers. They were locked onto each other when they heard it. Sniffles and barely held back sobs. They pulled back and saw James hugging Lily as they looked at the two stars.

“So? Is this happening?”

“Yeah”

“Yeah, it is”

Sirius and Marlene looked at each other. Knowing the other was theirs and crashed together again as James, Lily and god knows who cheered on.

#sirius x marlene #blackinnon #marauders #sirius black #marlene mckinnon #otp things #fanfic #marauders fanfiction #marauders fluff #marauders era #marauders fic #sirius orion black

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wallyaxiom · 3 years

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𝚆𝙰𝙻𝚃𝙼𝙴𝙼𝙴: 𝙵𝙰𝚅𝙾𝚁𝙸𝚃𝙴 𝙲𝙷𝙰𝚁𝙰𝙲𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝚂𝙾𝙼𝙴𝙾𝙽𝙴 𝙴𝙻𝚂𝙴 𝙿𝙻𝙰𝚈𝚂

hey besties it’s me coming to do the waltmeme thing. I couldn’t just pick one character to call my favorite. it also felt unfair to do that as well when there’s so many amazing characters here. so grab a snack, put on your favorite tangled song in my honor and buckle up as i go through the list of my fave characters here at walt each person plays. present gen only. sorry to my next gen faves. maybe one day i’ll write a list for you. or not. i’ll keep you on your toes.

𝕔𝕒𝕤𝕤𝕒𝕟𝕕𝕣𝕒 𝕛𝕒𝕘𝕖𝕣

cassandra is a character i love so much. tangled is a movie that means everything to me. kiara is the person who understands my tangled feels. the way you play cassandra...like how you said i have a grasp on reagan, you have such a perfect grasp on who cassandra is as a character. her voice is so clear. you understand who the character is and have transformed her into something more than what was given in the bio i wrote and also in the show that’s used for inspo. she’s a spectacular character and i love her so much. it’s an honor to be one half of elssandra but also cassunzel. she’s such an amazing character. you should be so proud of what you’ve brought to life, kiara.

𝕝𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕞𝕔𝕢𝕦𝕖𝕖𝕟

listen i told you every day how much i love monty. i literally scream it to you in your living room sometimes. i’ve seen every iteration of monty but i think this one is my favorite. i didn’t even know lightning’s real name was montgomery that was all you. so much of yourself is in monty. it reminds me of myself with wally and i think that’s the biggest reason why i love monty is because he’s bits and pieces of you and i love you very much. as much as i love cocky era lightning i love dad lightning even more. i wish i had a dad like him i’m not gonna lie but we’re not gonna unpack that on the man lmfao. i’m glad i’m more enveloped in his story now because he’s such a good character dude. like such a good written and played character. he’s second in my heart to sulley but is inching closer to number one by the day.

𝕗𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖𝕤𝕔𝕠 𝕓𝕖𝕣𝕟𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕝𝕚

fran !!! my bestie !!! my fave !!! i would die for them !!! like bee, i love talking to you about fran and all the tomfoolery they get into. you’ve played them for so long and each time you transform them into something better than the last. they age like a fine wine. in the past almost two years i’ve been able to be part of their story more & i’m so happy for that opportunity. you’ve put so much love, care and devotion into fran. you’ve added so much to their story. like they’re so fleshed out, how does your beautiful brain come up with all this backstory ??? lemme know i need some of those brain cells. they’re amazing. you’re amazing. i want fran to buy me and island and make me pasta but i’ll just them do that for caspian the favorite child.

𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕓𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕝𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕨

hands down i had to put orion my future father in law. i’ve had the honor of watching you develop orion into something incredible over these past six years. ( holy cow !!! six ??? insane. ily ). he was a big bad, misunderstood boy and you’ve humanized orion. you’ve brought life into him and created such a beautifully crafted character. he has a heart now. perhaps a tiny one but it’s there. the backstory you’ve created for him and the future he has - all stunning and wonderful. i love this man. he deserves so much after the shit he’s been through. i’ve had the privilege of being in his orbit for a bit when i played logan. I still get to watch him and enjoy the light chaos he brings. i’m ready for the new era of casino owner orion and what trouble he’ll bring now.

𝕤𝕙𝕒𝕘𝕘𝕪 𝕣𝕠𝕘𝕖𝕣𝕤

the boy !!! the legend !!! i love shaggy so much. first of all, the future you planned for him. how dare you ?? do you like to see me cry ?? is that it ??? i’m glad he hit his happy arc now because WOW. pain. shaggy is just a nice guy, man. he’s so nice to everyone he meets. i want to be friends with shaggy and scoob. i love mystery inc. i can’t imagine anyone else playing shaggy but you. to me, you are him. he’s the heart of the group. it’s not mystery inc without him. therefore, you’re the heart also. it’s not the same without you.

𝕤𝕒𝕕𝕚𝕖 𝕥𝕖𝕒𝕘𝕦𝕖

i could easily write an essay about how i love all your characters and how you play them all so well but i had to give this spot to sadie. the teagues are my og loves. every time i see sadie the part of my brain where logan resides lights up. she’s such a good character. she’s a little devil and it’s exactly what we need. we need someone to stir up the pot and throw eggs at kids. sadie is a product of her environment. she’s so tough and had to be so young. no one her age should have to grow up so fast the way she did. i would like to wrap sadie in a blanket give her some coco with bat marshmallows and tell her to take a break. hug her. maybe give her some therapy to. i love her. you’ve brought her to life in such an amazing way. i hope her brothers join her soon so we can have that sibling goodness.

𝕟𝕒𝕝𝕒 𝕠𝕞𝕚𝕥𝕒

i was tempted to put ian here because ian lightfoot is joel and we already know how much i love al and wendy but i decided to show the og love so i put nala. from the get go you knew who nala was going to be and where you wanted to go with her. you always bring so much to your characters. you develop them in ways that amazes me each time. go bestie go you’re so talented. i love how devoted she. how fierce she is but also the vulnerability you bring to her. she was thrown into a world at a young age fighting a war she wasn’t meant to and THAT’S a lot on someone. and we see that. i love the way you play her and i’m so happy you decided to take her up. sorry you have to deal with simba tho. pour one out.

𝕘𝕖𝕠𝕣𝕘𝕖𝕥𝕥𝕖 𝕗𝕠𝕩𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕥𝕙

everyone and their grandmother knows the oliver and co cast means everything to me. i’m so glad that you decided to join them ! you’re a wonderful addition. i love miss george. she’s fabulous in every sense of the word. sharpay evans is shaking in her lil boots. i just love divas. i love them. i am one. she’s perfect. and we know that’s not easy for her. i know your beautiful mind works wonders so i know there’s a lot of growing that georgette will be going through in the future and i’m excited for it. prayer circle for a jenny and oliver.

𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕔𝕜𝕖𝕣𝕪 𝕓𝕚𝕟𝕩

when you auditioned for thackery you already had an idea of where you wanted to take him and how you wanted to add to his character while staying true to the bio. that is the kind of stuff i like to see. this man has seen some shit and also has been through some shit. i do hope one day his soul can be at ease. he needs a long cat nap. you care a lot for thackery and it’s lovely to see. he may be a hamilton hoe but we have to respect the drip & love him for it anyways.

𝕥𝕚𝕞𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕪 𝕝𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕪𝕖𝕒𝕣

timmy boy deserves a hug. a hug and a nice space movie to take the edge off. you always put so much of your heart and yourself into your characters. you care so much for them and that’s evident in buzz. he’s goofy, he’s cool and he’s just so wonderful. i’m excited to see where buzz will go from here and how he’ll develop over time. i’m hoping some happiness. maybe some resolution with woodrow just to spice things up. that metal arm is still cool too.

𝕕𝕒𝕡𝕙𝕟𝕖 𝕓𝕝𝕒𝕜𝕖

hey bestie !!! wow !!! daphne ??? gives me so much pain. I am so glad to be going on this angst journey of mystery inc and fred/daph with you. your love for her and the gang makes my heart so happy. i will happily spend hours talking about them and sending tiktoks to each other that remind us of them. you went beyond the assignment. you were just born to play daphne. you write her so well and understand her past the bio, past the inspirations of the live actions and mystery inc. you get her. you see her. she’s in good hands. i’m ready for all the pain she’s about to cause me.

𝕡𝕖𝕟𝕖𝕝𝕠𝕡𝕖 𝕙𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕖

i love penelope. i really do. i am penelope’s number one stan. it was discussed before but it’s so easy to play miss piggy as unlikeable since she is such a brash character but you bring so much light and love to penny. it’s hard not to be in love with her and want her to succeed in everything she does. she’s the miss piggy we all grew up with but she’s also special because you’ve added your own personal touches to her. she’s an amazing character. i would punch anyone who’s wronged penelope. i’m excited for the layers to start peeling back and we see more of penny - especially her badass ways. i just love the way you play her and i love penelope hainline okay. i lovoe divas as stated above what can i say.

𝕒𝕦𝕣𝕠𝕣𝕒 𝕔𝕒𝕡𝕦𝕝𝕖𝕥

ANNIE !!!! WOW AURORA ??? genuinely she is the love of my life. I love her so, so much. she’s so sweet and wonderful and deserve to be tucked in ??? read a bed time story ??? and not be cursed ??? why’d i do that. she deserves the world and so do you. in the short amount of time you’ve had her you’ve added so much depth to her story. which is not always easy the first few months you have a character but you’ve put in a lot of love into aurora already. you understood the assignment and & went beyond. i’m so excited to see where she goes on her journey and what will happen when he hopefully get a maleficent one day. also is it an aurora shoutout without me saying philip loves her ??? bc he does.

#waltmeme #me: already has two mascots why not throw in a third ???#take a shot everytime i say wonderful amazing andexcited

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