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#althea had to try to help calm her down
a-random-nerd · 2 years
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An actual thought that just went through my mind is “You reblogged from me!! You don’t hate me!!”
And like I understand how that could appear dependent and like I’m seeking validation from reblogs and likes but what you’ve got to understand is that I accidentally commented an opinion on a post they reblogged and then wondered if they would disagree and think I was an idiot. So you see, the problem here is not that I am dependent (although that could be argued) it is simply that I am in fact an idiot who overthinks. Thank you.
#Sorry to that mutual if they see this#i am really trying to stop sharing my opinions it just seems to make my life more stressful#Doing my best to simply exist and have fun on the internet but it’s hard when I see people in my opinion being overly harsh/critical or#Just downright mean to someone who I don’t think deserves it#But I didn’t know everything about the situation so maybe it would have been best to just shut up#still I do know quite a bit about the person so i guess I felt justified in asking for people to maybe calm down a bit about it#Since the situation appeared to be just people really hating someone without much of a reason#So sorry about the essay in the tags I just didn’t want to put all of this in the main text#On the upside I planted new plants in the garden with my mother today :)#We now have some Esperanza and Althea (like 4 colors too!) and something else I can’t quite remember#And I found a good quality pot that was just lying around so I wanna put something in it#Also I have this tiny little starter pot that’s kinda shitty and there’s no drainage holes so that sucks but there was#Nothing in it so I’m going to start some tomato seeds in it!#Also I had some little glass colored pebbles lying around so I put them in my potted plants#And also added a small stake to a hanging succulent I have to help it put a bit :)#Today was lovely for the most part#Tomorrow me and my mother are going to go pick up a trellis for her wisteria and coral honeysuckle#It’s gonna be huge and so cool the garden looks amazing#Anyways I know y’all aren’t gonna read all this I just wanted to talk about my day because it was really great#Happy Good Friday everyone
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meraxesmoon · 7 months
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Scgrios
《Chapter Three: The Iron Throne》
┍━━━━━━━ ˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗━━━━━━━┑
     Lying in bed with Aegon, (Name) can feel the dread rising up in her stomach. Aegon was bare, and while he was being quiet, she knew he wasn't asleep. He'd been that way since her family arrived in Kings Landing and had hardly had a reaction to his father's death. His wife, on the other hand, was devastated. She had been close with her grandfather, and they had a sort of bond over missing Rhaenyra and (Name)'s brothers. Viserys' death had hit her hard, but she had closed herself off about it. "We should get ready, Aegon," (Name) whispers. The morning was still quite early, the sky outside still dark. "My mother will be crowned queen in mere hours." she immediately felt herself still as Aegon grips onto her body. His cool fingers are wrapped around the flesh of her arm as he tries to stop her from moving. 
"... we should leave this place, wife," Aegon says, his voice unusually calm as he stares at her. He had this feral look in his eyes as he pulls her closer, resting his head on her chest. "She wishes to annul our marriage; you heard her that night. I do not wish to lose you, or our son." Aegon sounded desperate now, holding her down on the bed with his weight. His worry was not unwarranted, (Name) knew that. Her mother had been furious that night on Driftmark. Rhaenyra hadn't wanted (Name) to marry her half-brother, even the young princess knew that. "My mother was angry, Aegon, but I do not believe that she will do such a thing to us. She seems calmer now, and I think she realizes that we are happy." she tries her best to comfort him, but it's for naught. "She would have married you to your brother, you know this," Aegon seethes, his eyes teary as he leans up in their shared bed. 
"Aegon-" "I am not the husband that you deserve, and Rhaenyra knows that she always has. Once she is queen she will annul our marriage," he's desperately trying to get this through his wife's head, but she refuses to listen. "I remember, Aegon. Her fury was something vicious, but that was years ago, and we have a son together now, I do not believe my mother could dissolve our marriage even if she wanted to," (Name) takes a deep breath before taking Aegon's face into her hands, her lips pressing against his forehead tenderly. "I would not allow it, Lord Husband." 
.  . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆
     The throne room was filled with people, (Name) and the rest of the royal family standing just below the steps walking towards that cursed chair. (Name) had arrived with Aegon following behind her, all of them dressed accordingly. The princess rarely wore her house colors, and this was hardly a conscious choice. She usually wore mazarine gowns to match her dragon, with the occasional purple dress in her wardrobe. However, her mother was being crowned queen today, so she wore black. The velveteen fabric was sweet against her skin, and she revels in seeing her younger brothers wearing the same color. Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey stood with their father, who stood awkwardly at the steps awaiting Rhaenyra's entrance to the throne room. 
"Good Sister," Aemond greets (Name), standing by Helaena and his mother. She nods at him, a slight smile on her face. The former queen had a worried look on her face, and (Name) couldn't help but feel worried. She knew that her mother and Alicent had their fair share of issues, but she hoped they would be able to work through them now that her mother would be ruling. They seemed to find some semblance of peace during that fated dinner, and that was a good sign, (Name) thought. Laenor and the twins had been left in the nursery with Althea, and (Name) finds herself yearning to be with her son. 
Seeing her mother walk towards the throne and being crowned had brought (Name) such satisfaction, despite the sadness in her heart from losing her beloved grandfather. She had no doubt that her mother would be a good queen, and her father a wise King Consort. The peace of the crowning ceremony was so refreshing, causing her nerves to calm. Grabbing Aegon's hand, (Name) smiles as Queen Rhaenyra sits the Iron Throne, as she was always meant to do. This was a good thing. 
The peace, their family, and perhaps the rebuilding of Rhaenyra and Alicent's old friendship. 
They all sit for dinner once again that night, (Name)'s mood light as she embraces her family in a way she hadn't been able to in years. There was no tenseness this time, and everyone had a smile on their face. She was so happy that she didn't see Aegon and her mother sharing looks across the table. Helaena and Jacaerys were talking with the new heir, Jace discussing who she thinks their mother's hand would be. "I suspect it may be grandsire Corlys, but I cannot say for sure," (Name) smiled at her younger brother as he takes a swig of whatever he had in his cup. The older sister mindset was starting to come out, because she almost knocked the alcohol out of his hand. "Or perhaps it will be her Grace, Alicent." she looks towards the auburn-haired woman, and Helaena claps her hands happily. "You would make a fine hand, though the decision lays with my mother, of course." 
Alicent smiles, fiddling with her necklace as she gazes at (Name). "That's kind of you to say, my dear, but I think now would be a good time to relax finally," she laughs, genuinely, which wasn't something she did very often. "I have more time to spend with the children, now that Rhaenyra is queen." Alicent looks happy, and this surprises Rhaenyra, her eyebrows raising as Otto sends his daughter a look. "I have no worry that you will do a fine job as queen, Rhaenyra," she said, raising her goblet to a toast, one (Name) eagerly joins in on. The princess was never an avid drinker. 'A consequence of being married to Aegon' as Aemond often said, but tonight she had drunk quite a bit. The honied wine in her cup had been refilled several times that night, and she was obviously intoxicated. 
Aegon, on the other hand, was incredibly sober. 
By the end of the night, Helaena and (Name) ended up drunk together, looking for spiders and crying about their babies. 
"Aeg, Aeg, I want to see Laenor!" (Name) grabs onto her husband's arm, begging him to see their son. He laughs hysterically, which he had been doing ever since she'd started to get drunk. He'd never really seen her like that before, not even on their wedding night. Her drink of choice was not usually alcoholic. "I do not think that is wise, love," Aegon says after his stomach starts to hurt from laughing. "It wouldn't be appropriate for our son to see you like this, I'm afraid." "Ah. You're right... I should go to bed..." (Name) rises from her seat, still holding onto Aegon's arm as she gathers her bearings. "I'll take her, I'll be retiring myself," Alicent says, wrapping an arm around (Name)'s shoulder, leading the drunk princess towards the large wooden door. 
Aegon stayed at the table for a little while longer, downing a goblet of wine as Rhaenyra rises from her seat. Just as he starts to get up to leave, Rhaenyra clears her throat before addressing him. 
"You have my thanks, Aegon," she says, her violet eyes taking his form in. His silence is a testament to his confusion, and she sighs before raising her cup to him. "Thank you, all of you, for taking care of my daughter. I know that I said things that night on Driftmark, but I believe that you are a faithful and good husband to her." 
For the first time in three days, Aegon can feel himself relax. 
.  . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆
     "That happened? I hardly remember," (Name) has her head propped up against the headboard as Aegon laid his head on her lap. He nods his head, pressing his wife's hand to his bare chest as they rested in bed together. Aegon knew that his wife had a low tolerance for alcohol, due to the fact that she never drank, so he had requested that they not be bothered until later in the day. 
"I'm glad," she says, happily smiling as she holds Aegon. "Our families are coming together, and that is a good sign, I believe." Their marriage had been one of advantage. They had been children, but Aegon loved her dearly. Sometimes, he doubted that she loved him in the same capacity, (Name)'s yearning for peace in their family may have overshadowed any distaste she had for him. For Aegon, their marriage had saved him, it had been a miracle of sorts. For (Name), it had meant her being separated from her parents and brothers. 
There was a clear difference, even Aegon knew that. 
Their son was something Aegon had to do, he had to have a child before his father died, or his marriage to his wife would be annulled by her mother. Aegon knew this to be true, Rhaenyra had said it herself that night on Driftmark. Aegon had barely caught her words, as he was too busy reeling from everything that had happened. His brother had lost an eye, he'd gotten physically and verbally attacked, and he had been betrothed to the girl he'd been infatuated with for years. He had just heard something being shouted by his half-sister as he looked at (Name), shivering in the corner like a leaf close to her younger brothers. 
"When I succeed my father, I will annul that marriage as my first act of being queen!" 
It hadn't happened, though. 
Rhaenyra was now exiling Larys Strong from Kings Landing. 'For the murder of Lyonel and Harwin Strong six years prior', she had said. This was not a farfetched claim, either, as Aegon had learned. Someone had found out about Larys' misdeeds and reported them to the new queen last night before she retired to bed. 
"Aegon... I feel I may be with child again," (Name) says this quietly as she runs fingers through his messy hair. He freezes, his violet eyes wide as he shoots up from her lap. "What?" It had been three years since Laenor had been born, and his fourth name day was arriving, Aegon shouldn't have been so surprised. 
He was utterly insatiable when it came to his wife. 
"I should have it confirmed by a maester... but I know my body," she mumbles this out as she starts to look at Aegon with worried eyes. He was good with Laenor, even if he wasn't the perfect father, and (Name) was thankful for that. However, she knew that Aegon had never wanted children of his own. He had agreed to having their first son when he learned of how dreadful his fathers sickness had become, and something about that irked (Name)'s soul. 
But... he loved Laenor all the same, and that gave her hope. 
Little Laenor would be happy to have a younger sibling, though, (Name) knew this. 
"If you were not so insatiable this would not be a problem, Valzȳrys," she says, trying to lighten his mood. Aegon collapses into the bed once more, showing his face into his pillow as he groans. "I am not fond of sharing you." She can hear him mumble this into his pillow, and she chokes out a laugh. 
"I know~"
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I'm going as Alicent to a con, very excited <3
masterlist ☆
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sparrowrye · 2 hours
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Demi Demon || Alastor x Reader, A2 part 21
Synopsis: It’s been over a year since we were brought under Alastor’s watchful eye. We’ve unlocked our Demonic powers, discovered our own talents, and began building the Safe Haven with Charlie and co. Alastor seems increasingly interested in the power we hold as one and intends to use it properly.
Previous part
Part 21: new things
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Winter came and with it lots of new things.
For starters, Lucifer and I found out how to let the shadow souls move on. I had to give them my own energy and hand them off to him. While he wasn't the one who made judgement on a soul, he had the power to send the soul to those who did.
The only problem with this was that it required Lucifer's presence and left me utterly exhausted. I had killed hundreds of opponents as a ring fighter so letting them all pass would take a long time.
Another new thing was our Demon seamstress and architect, Arleen. She had lived on the surface for most of her life with her single mother, who taught her everything she knows of thread work. She helped her mother run her store while attending a big university for architecture. After the big Demon reveal, she and her mother ran for Hell, quickly realizing it wasn't that much better. There was no debate when she saw our posters.
She instantly became a celebrity in the haven. Not only did her Demon side stand out, beautiful red butterfly wings and a long, thin matching tail, but her charming personality caught all men, women, and children. She walked and spoke with an air of elegance and never turned away a sad soul. Althea was grateful for her since everyone had deemed the healer as also a therapist. She now had more time to herself.
Arleen was always making something. She had dozens of requests for certain types of clothes or outfits since everyone pretty much wore the same thing. Husker was in charge of a group that would go out to get the materials she needed.
She liked to spend time outside and thus, people would sit around her like children listening to a bedtime story while she worked on her current project. Althea and I both noticed a sense of overwhelment from her after the first month. I spoke to Vivian, our teacher, and she agreed to convince some of the older teenagers to start learning how to sew. Arleen worked well with the teenagers who felt like they were finally giving something back to their community.
Alastor and I had come up with the idea to keep the haven wrapped in a warm greenhouse during the day. Snow turned to rain as soon as it touched the 'shield' and the temperature was kept nice and warm. The responsibility switched between me, Alastor, Husker, and Charlie.
My relationship with Alastor was...increasing? Getting better? I felt a combination of nervousness and excitement whenever I was around him. I noticed he had a tendency to leave a rose nearby, whether that was in my room or on the side table when I was reading. He also initiated fleeting touches like our shoulders bumping or hands 'accidentally' brushing.
It soon became a habit for me to spend time in his room in the evening. I had grown comfortable enough that I laid on the window seat to read while he sat at the table to do his writing. I enjoyed seeing him in such a calm state. His glasses sat on the edge of his nose, eyes focused and jumping slightly to read the words and copy them down, his claws gripping the pen and moving it smoothly across the paper, and his long, elegant legs shifting every so often.
We had decided not to reinstate the deals. I didn't think it was necessary to try to keep him out of my head since he had been doing well with respecting my boundaries.
He didn't think it was necessary to keep our second deal since we usually started our evenings drinking each other's blood. He had found a way to use his magic to make it less painful and my style of magic could heal the wounds perfectly.
My decision to keep our first deal void was reinforced when nightmares started to plague me again. These were normal nightmares but they weren't any less terrifying. I dreamt of Reagan being killed by Blackwater or turning on me and driving a knife into my heart. I dreamt of Blackwater trapping both Alastor and I and killing him in front of me.
After most of the nightmare had happened, Alastor's presence would seep into my mind and push the fear out. He couldn't nix it altogether, but it was better to feel the after-comfort.
Blackwater had gone underground again. His factories had been abandoned, minus all the inventions and everything, and remained hidden from everyone's radar. I somehow always managed to bring him up, Alastor patiently trying to tell me everything would be fine.
"We will know if he even comes close to the haven," he answered one night.
"But we won't. I didn't even feel his presence in the forest before he hit me. He can hide himself somehow."
"We have a large group, dare I say close to an army, of Demons who are constantly watching out for danger on our borders. He will be found."
"What about the ocean? He could come...from...there..." My words slowed as Alastor stood up to remove his jacket, revealing a red button up underneath. He had straps over his shoulders from his waistband and a single one over his chest to connect them. He draped the jacket over the back of the chair and returned to his seat. His eyes found mine.
"I do enjoy making you speechless," he mused, face in his palm.
My face reddened. I wanted to make a retort but failed, the words dying on my tongue. I let out a huff and returned to my book. I was lounging comfortably on the window seat, wind softly whistling against the glass.
I'm not sure when, but Alastor had begun signing along to the radio. Not humming. Singing. It took one song to have my book on my stomach and eyes closed. I felt his mind brush mine and let him push through. My entire body felt comfortably warm, as if he was embracing me, something I doubt he's done since his mother and sister passed.
No words could describe the state I was in. Content, happy, and safe are all good words, but they still couldn't capture it. I was practically in a trance from the sound of his radio filtered voice singing the soft tunes. I didn't want it to stop. I could stay like this for all of eternity.
Smoke, like a bonfire, reached my noise a second before it was replaced by a rainy, earthy scent. I pushed further, wanting to surround myself with nature where I belonged. I felt like I was in a patch of tall, soft grass and rolling around in it on a summer afternoon.
My dreams continued. I found myself flying through the sky and through the soft clouds, or down in a stream enjoying the cool running water over my face. Nature was beautiful. Nature was safe. I wanted to meld myself and become one with it.
I stretched out my arms and legs, lazily pulling myself out of the sweet dream. It was the best I had slept in...ever. I felt refreshed and warm, perfectly comfortable and unwilling to get out my bed.
But it wasn't my bed.
My heart skipped a beat as I realized the sheets were not mine. I slowly lifted my head to find Alastor asleep beside me, head turned away and a single hand underneath the pillow.
I forced my claws to retract so I wouldn't puncture the soft sheets. I ran a hand over my body to feel my clothes still on me. I didn't believe he would do something like that but it was an innate fear.
The room was dark, save the single day of sunlight managing to poke through the heavy red curtains. The air felt thick and heavy, not in a suffocating way, but in a way that said nothing and no one had moved in hours. The fire was dead and his papers were still scattered on the table, pen and glasses sitting atop.
I turned back to look at him, half expecting him to be smiling at me, but he remained asleep. His chest rose and fell with every breath he took. He wore a black long sleeve of some kind but the rest of him was hidden under the covers.
I used my magic to stay as quiet as possible as I climbed out of bed. He stirred and I froze. When his eyes didn't open, I continued. I had backed all the way to the door, hand on the handle, when his voice suddenly sliced through the silence, "I'm awake, you know."
My breath caught in my throat. My hand tightened around the handle as he moved to sit up. His hair was a little messy and his eyes were half open as he fought off sleep.
"I-I was trying to be quiet," I stuttered. "I'm s--I'm sorry. I'll leave." Before he could say anything, I slipped out of his room and closed the door behind me. I looked at my own door but froze. Standing in the hallway, at the top of the stairs, was Angel Dust. Husker's old, small room neighbored mine.
We just stared at each other for a moment. Our minds were trying to register what the other was doing. Angel recovered the fastest and had a wide grin on his face.
"Doing more than kissing?" he teased.
My face turned bright red. I ran for my door but before closing it I said, "Guess the haven doesn't have a lot of privacy."
I stayed in my room until I felt Husker's presence go down the stairs. In my usual attire, I made breakfast with him in the kitchen. We were both comfortably silent as we cooked and moved expertly around the counter.
Once we sat down, my ears picked up Alastor's movement. I heard his shadow going through the walls and picked up conversation to avoid any with him.
"So, how's Angel?" I asked.
He was pouring alcohol into his coffee. He looked at me sideways. "How should I know?"
"Because he was coming out of your room this morning."
All his fur stood up and he choked on his coffee, earning a laugh from me. "It's not what you think. We were just..."
"Sleeping together?" Alastor manifested behind us, making us jump. He was back in his usual attire.
"We weren't having sex if that's what you're trying to get at." An angry cat growl murmured in the back of his throat.
"Just sleeping next to each other?" I offered, using all my effort not to look at Alastor and keep my voice casual.
"Exactly. Now shut up and eat." He shoved the plate closer to me.
"You know," I said next, trying to avoid any silence with Alastor around, "maybe you should request something from Arleen. Get you a top to match these." I gently tugged on the straps over his shoulders.
"Maybe I'll go back to the color orange." He made a pointed look at Alastor who was staring out the window over the sink.
"Go back?"
"I used to wear orange a lot before I came under Alastor. Apparently he thought I looked better in red."
"Indeed you do," Alastor agreed, not yet looking over at us. It made me nervous not to see his face, but I wasn't sure I could handle meeting his eyes either.
We ate in silence for the most part. Once we had finished, Husker noticed the time on the wall and panicked. He had to run out to get more materials and resources with his group. I told him not to worry about the dishes and he nuzzled his nose to the side of my head as a thank you. It felt good to have a brother figure.
The hair on the back of my neck stood up as I moved to the sink to wash the dishes. Alastor moved to stand by the backdoor, arms folded behind his back and eyes on me. I was too nervous to see if he had his cane or not.
I took my time cleaning the dishes since it was just plates and silverware for two. He remained dead silent until I inevitably finished, dried, and put them away.
I dried my hands and finally met his eyes. "What is it?"
"Did I overstep?" His radio filter was off.
I looked at him for a moment, hands mindlessly drying nothing on my skin. I touched our minds and felt a small pulse of nervousness that wasn't my own. He was genuinely concerned.
"I don't...I don't think so." I hung the towel on the cabinet handle and slid my hands in my pants pocket. "I mean...I think that was the best sleep I've ever had."
The bottom of his eyes scrunched a little and his eyebrows lifted, telling me the smooth smile was genuine now. He crossed the kitchen to stand in front of me, hand out and waiting.
"I had a restful sleep myself. Perhaps we can make it more frequent?"
His forwardness was making my face warm and my heart run twice its speed. It caught in my throat and I had to swallow before I answered, placing my hand on top of his and watching each claw slowly enclose around it. He turned it over and placed a light kiss on the back of my hand.
"That would be nice."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Author's Note:
Touch starved, my little devils? I've had this scene stuck in my head since like A1 part 17
Also, welcome new OC Arleen!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Taglist:
@wendigonamecaller @saccharine-nectarine @thesimpybitch
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thelov3lybookworm · 8 months
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You Deserve Better (epilogue)
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7
a/n: Thanks to everyone who followed along with this series. It has been a journey. Anyways, this one is pure fluff. And azzie got his happy ending too, what more could I ask for.
•○🌑○•
3½ years later.
As Althea entered the living room, she wondered what the kids and her husband were doing. Hopefully not getting into any trouble. But by the sounds of their screams and squeals, she wasn't really sure about that. Silas, her cat, was nowhere to be seen as well.
She smiled. Silas had become somewhat of a mother hen the moment Althea's sons were born, always keeping an eye on them, even though he was really young himself.
As she stepped out onto the porch, she found the source of all the squealing.
Aidan, the older of the two, and Kaden, the younger one, were stumbling around in the snow, Casteel chasing after them and pretending to lag behind. They looked absolutely adorable, with the kids' faces barely visible through their heavy jacket that came up to their jaws, a knitted hat on their head and gloves on their hand. She wanted to just pick them up and squeeze them.
Then Casteel glanced at Thea and grinned, before picking the kids up, their legs kicking around. Casteel murmured something in their ears, making them look at Althea and giggle. She knew why. She had told them to not play in the snow, because they could get sick. But of course no one listened.
They began running towards her as soon as Cas set them down. She settled on the edge of the porch next to Silas, who was lazily staring at the boys. Aidan reached her first, throwing his tiny hands around her neck, nearly making her tumble back from the force.
"Sorry mama! We wanted to play with daddy."
She just pecked his nose when he pulled away, before running back towards his father. Kaden was a little less enthusiastic in his endeavours. Walking up to her and smiling.
"Mama? Can we make a snowman? You promised me." He asked, standing between her legs, a hopeful look in his eyes.
He was the the calm one, where Aidan was the talkative one. Both of them were talkative when alone with their parents, but when out, they would only talk when spoken to. But even then, Kaden would try to hide behind his parents when Aidan would blabbering about anything he could think of.
And despite being the complete opposite in everything, they were the best of friends.
"Hmm. We could make one... but don't you want to wait for Nyxie?"
"He's coming?!"
"Yes." She smiled. "Uncle Rhysie told me they were coming here today."
He gasped and ran off to where Aidan was trying to throw snowballs on Casteel which were disintegrating before they were even out of his tiny hand. He paused, turning to Kaden, and a yay was heard.
The three of them continued playing there, Althea occasionally chiming in to help the kids attack their father, but otherwise just running her fingers through Silas's fur, who purred.
Soon, the Inner Circle started appearing outside the barrier, and, as predicted the kids started running towards their cousin Nyx. As Rhys picked up Aidan who had run upto him, Cassian grabbed Kaden, who was lingering back by Nyx's side. He laughed, walking up to Althea with the child squirming in his arms, giggling.
Althea hugged her Cassie before turning to Rhys, and then, Azriel. He hugged her as well, smiling. Then, Gwyn, his wife, also hugged Althea. As the family finished their reunion, Kaden again started begging to build a snowman.
"Ask uncle Cassie. He is the best at making a snowman." She crouched next to him.
"How do you know?" Rhys narrowed his eyes. Althea and Cassian shared a knowing grin, beginning to gather snow for the snowman along with the kids.
•○🌑○•
"Hey, psst, Thea!" Thea looked up from the paper that she was drawing on. Cassie stood in the doorway to his room. He motioned for her to come in, which she did, though suspicious. It was nighttime, and soon her mother would come to tell her to go to bed.
"What?" She asked as he closed the door behind her. He crouched in front of her, whispering.
"I want you to listen and only speak when I'm done, okay?" When she nodded, he continued, "So you know how Rhysie, Azzie and I do a snowball fight right? We're going to be doing that in a few hours. Okay? And i want you to help me by hiding and making snow balls for me. I'll give you candies."
"Candies are not enough."
"Then what do you want?" When she shrugged, he sighed. He thought for a few moments before speaking."I will take you on a trip to the biggest mountain nearby."
Althea pretended to think, even though inside she was giddy. She had wanted to go to a mountain, but her mother wouldn't allow it. There was one more thing that she wasn't allowed to do though. "That, and you'll also have to play with me in the snow as well as build a snowman. Only then will I agree."
Cassian frowned. She shrugged and turned around. When he caught her shoulder to stop her from leaving, she grinned as she knew she had won. "Your mother is going to kill me, but fine. But you can't tell anyone about this, though." She nodded eagerly, Cassian sighing and opening the door for her.
The next morning she was woken up by Cassian shaking her. He had an hour atleast till the other boys woke and came down to play. They would start in advance.
Soon enough, they started playing, and, as expected, Cassian won. A few hours later, after lunch, Cassian took Althea to the mountain, making the excuse that they'll 'just be flying around the place' when Althea's mother asked about it.
The whole day they played in snow and made snowmen on the mountain. Sliding around on the ice and laughing like maniacs. Cassie even built a makeshift castle for Althea and gave her a stick to attack him with, him being the monster that was trying to conquer her kingdom.
When they returned, they didn't answer any questions asked.
It's safe to say that Cassian won for over a decade with Althea's help and then flew her to a secluded place, letting her do anything she wanted to do and the things that her mother wouldn't allow her to.
•○🌑○•
Althea grinned as the kids jumped around in happiness, now declaring they wanted their own different snowman.
Cassian and Althea made their way back to the front porch where the Inner Circle was sitting Rhys and Azriel fuming, Gwyn and Feyre shaking their heads. Nesta had Silas lounging on her lap, right next to her swollen belly.
"I always wondered how he improved from being a shitty player so much that he won for straight fifteen years." Azriel muttered.
"Hey!" Cassian shoved his shoulder.
They soon went into the warmth of the house to drink some hot chocolate and rest.
•○🌑○•
Taglist: @bubybubsters @act1839 @we-were-beautiful
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velunaryn · 1 year
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Hello, could you please tell RO's orientations? It will be really sad if I accidentally make a mistake choosing a non possible romance. And briefly describe their appearance, please.
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Sure, here is some of the RO orientation and their description.
Leon [M, Straight] A man who held the title of Royal Guardian Elite, fifth division leader. He always had a mysterious air around him. Always found in his oversized cape almost everywhere besides his quarters. He has long silver hair with deep blue eyes to complete his honey-dark skin. No one had caught him showing his affection to anyone, but he was more kind to women than he was to men.
Caerulus [M, BI] A man with a fun personality contrasting his fifth division leader. He has medium-long chestnut layer hair with platinum blond highlight strands on the right side. His gaze looks sharp with a pair of dark amethyst eyes that complement his medium-tone skin. Many women chased him but he only sparked the fire with his mischievous smile many claims they never advanced further than that. Some even said he would also do the same for the man who caught his gaze.
Willham [M, BI] A polite man, some claim to be unfit amongst the fifth division. His black eyes are like a calm spring at midnight, while his short pale brown hair keeps his appearance clean and the most professional of them all. No one is really sure about what he is into, but many women and men alike try to approach him, yet he never turns down any gift or advances.
Nyx [F, Straight] She is the most alluring woman everyone claims to be, between the fifth division and even the elites. Rumor has it she is always wearing revealing clothes for her self-esteem. With a whip of her brown hair, she would catch any man's attention. At the same time, her green eyes would lure many into her trap. Some have tried to shut down the rumor but never try to find the one who sparks the fire.
Maraelyn [F, BI] The quiet girl in the fifth division. Some say her light blue eyes look cold and distant, while others said she is just shy. With her grayish shoulder-length hair on her porcelain, rounded face, she could be mistaken for a doll. No one knows what’s inside her head most of the time, but she never differentiates anyone regarding status, age, or gender.
Althea [F, BI] Some called her eccentric, erratic, cheerful, or playful, but they all agreed that she was the most troublesome member of the fifth division. Everything about her is as loud as the pink and purple color of her hair and eyes. Nothing about her is dull from what she wears to how she talks. The victim of her prank varies and is never distinct from any woman, man, or even age.
Skye [M, Straight] A man with some degree of grace within every action, despite having the most generic black hair and black eyes. But that never stops him from being the way he is now, a friendly guy who is ready to help at any moment. A gossip has it that he once had a lady as his fiance but he is the one who broke that promise for unknown reasons.
Onyx [M, BI] A kid with an attitude and sharp tongue without distinguishing his target. Nothing stands out from his appearance with his messy black hair and mechanic goggles around his neck. His red garnet eyes are the only thing distinguishing him from others. One of his close friends claims to have caught him once staring at the kids playing from far away. Whether he is staring at the game, the boys, the girls, or the atmosphere is still unknown.
Niles [M, BI] A flirt and lady killer is what they associate with his name. Mainly, it was his honey-colored eyes that did all the work in luring curious eyes. With casual clothes and blonde hair, he kept some hair clips, and this is another thing that made him more approachable than any average man. Although lady killer is the title, that never stops him from flirting with a man, too. Or being friendly with everyone is what he claims.
Valkina [F, straight] A quaint elf who was found almost everywhere at her sister's side. Peering into her ivy green eyes when the platinum blond strands of her hair fluttering under the soft wind could transport anyone deep into the pine forest to anyone who wasn't aware. She is collected like still water in the winter, and that charm is what made many men approach her, but she would never fail to ignore them.
Faylan [F, BI] A cheery tiny girl with loose curly brown hair. Everyone kept saying they like her orange topaz eyes that shine over her brown skin. Never seen sharing her opinion, but she never pushes anyone away in the public.
Wyire [F, BI] An honest, bright, and optimistic girl. She had pine-colored eyes under her long purple hair. Many flocks around her because of her personality, but many men and women were intimidated by her sister, who was occasionally around where Wyrie is.
That is all the RO and a bit of description of their appearance. All their orientation is also put up there. Thanks for the question~
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kenshomin · 11 months
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Manjushage | Chapter 4 | A tokyo revengers fanfic
Intro | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3
Disclaimer : Takemichi as a female, Yuzuha as a male.
Synopsis : it's the manila timeline.
Warnings : mentions of blood, obscenity, angst, death
Jasmine's POV
"Whoa, that necklace. That's a really beautiful necklace, Thea. Where'd you get it? It really does match your eyes, it suits you."
"Wait, really? You're kidding me. Right? You got me this a couple of years ago!" Althea giggled, while adjusting her postion.
"Huh. You don't say." I replied, feeling a sense of deja vu wash over me.
I looked around, the cafe seemed like it has been recently renovated. Certainly, the cafe had some fine touches to it. The entire environment had a cosy feel to it, one could say it might've been comfortable.
I stared at the necklace for too long, not being able to look away. It seemed awfully familiar to the point, negligence betrayed me.
The feeling of deja vu floating around my stomach wouldn't just go away.
I gulped down the bitter coffee like there was no tomorrow. The awful gut feeling got a bit stronger, I couldn't help but ignore it.
For a minute, I mistook the necklace with blood on it. I shook my head, not knowing what's happening.
I blinked twice, realising that the necklace didn't have any blood on it.
What is going on?
The thumping in my heart quickened its pace, I slowly got up from my seat and rushed to the bathroom.
I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath in order to calm down. I clasped my chest, trying to regain my composure.
It's like my body wasn't under my control. My vision started to get more cloudier than expected, my head went blank for a minute.
My hands shivered, I cowered in pain. Moving my body back and forth, I reached out to one of the taps in order to splash water in my face.
I hated feeling powerless, or you could say - I despise it.
It's all about control.
Not being in control of a situation can be one of the most excruciating feeling ever.
Rinnng! I heard someone's phone buzzing, snapping me back to reality. I checked my pockets, realising that it was my phone's ringing echoing throughout the empty bathroom.
I sighed in relief, taking a glance at the caller ID. Mai Furukuwa.
I hit the accept button without any hesitation, answering with a "Mai?", I cleared my throat so it wouldn't be noticeable.
"Jasmine! I'm glad you answered. I got a favor to ask, I know you're busy with the paperwork but hear me out."
"Well..It depends. We'll see what you got to say."
"I told you about my business where people hire my venue and buy the coffins to hold funerals. Right?"
"Uh-huh..what about it? Listen, if you're gonna ask me to buy you more coffins-"
"No no. Jas, listen. Someone recently rented my venue to hold a funeral, one of my colleagues got the flu and I need someone to help me with bringing in more benches and assist me, you can come in as a volunteer. I'll seriously pay you for it, too!-"
"Okay, stop talking. I'll help you on one condition."
"Oh my god, that's great! It can be anything, what is it?"
"..just don't pay me, seriously. We've been friends for a long time, that'd be weird."
"I keep forgetting you're rich, but alright! I'll let you know when the funeral will take place."
Before I could answer, Mai hung up on me. I put my phone back in my pocket, I took a look at myself and fixed my hair, before I walked out of the bathroom like nothing happened.
"Hey, are you okay? You were in there for a long time.." Althea sighed, a worrisome expression on her face.
"I'm alright. Mai called, she wants me to help her with one of her clients." I replied, before I left a tip on the table, exiting the premises with her.
Right after a couple of days, I couldn't stop thinking about that image in my head. It kept replaying in my head, over and over again.
Surrounded by paperwork, I rested my head against the table, deciding to take a short nap. Before I could close my eyes, my phone started buzzing.
"You've got to be kidding me, someone better be dead." I muttered, picking up my phone.
I took a look at the notifications, it read -
"Hi Jas! The funeral is today..it starts by 2 pm, just thought to let you know ^-^"
I groaned, keeping my phone down. I took a glance at the giant-sized clock, next to my door. 1:30 PM.
I fixed my position, immediately sitting back up, what's ironic is that I had an all-black attire by coincidence. I straightened up my black blazer, patting myself before I left the building instantly.
What really happens after death? Nobody knows the real answer to that question. What actually happens?
If you really ask me, there's no such thing as 'the afterlife'. There's no scientific proof of it.
Before I could realise it, I arrived at the venue where the funeral was being held. I took a step into the area, there were benches lying around. I noticed Mai talking to someone who had peach-colored puffy hair, until her eyes landed on me.
"Jas! You're finally here. I need you to bring some benches which are outside. Can you do that for me, please?" Mai pleaded, hoping that I'd say yes.
I didn't utter a single word, I walked outside of the venue to bring the benches in. The coral head took a glance at me, it seemed like he didn't know who I was.
Time passed by in a blur, just like that. It was almost time for the coffin to be delivered, I managed to arrange everything in the area.
I stood beside Mai, watching some people bring in the coffin. There were familiar faces everywhere, i finally took a look at the frame of the person who recently passed away.
It was a picture of a man with a odd haircut, a weird pattern on the left side of his head. He had the shade of violet blue, showing his toothy smile.
He sure looked jolly for someone who just died. What a peculiar choice of photos.
Just right when the people set down the coffin, strangers entered the hall, occupying the space.
A famous designer walked into the hall, taking a seat. Paying his respects until he was interrupted by the same coral-head. Rage written all over his face, his jaw clenched while he glared at the designer.
"You fucking imbecile! You've got some nerve coming here!" The peach-haired man hollered, his eyes narrowed.
"Yuzuha, I can explain. It's not what you think. Please, we're at Hakkai's funeral. Let's not fight about this." The designer with short, curly mauve colored hair exasperated.
"Exactly, you're at my brother's funeral. What makes you think YOU have the right to come here? You've got some guts to come here, Mitsuya." Yuzuha snapped, he was not having it.
"Yuzuha, please. Really, out of all the places..you want to do it here?" Mitsuya questioned, his eyes seemed more watery than usual, he tried to blink it away.
"You're shitting me right now. You're playing the victim now, that's just great. Do you realise how disrespectful it is for you to be here?" Yuzuha interrogated Mitsuya, folding his arms while he continued glaring at the designer.
"Yuzuha, I have got the right to be here just as much as you do. You have no idea-" Mitsuya was interrupted by an infuriated Yuzuha.
"No idea about what? Hm? Where the fuck were you when he got killed? You son of a bitch! You don't know jackshit!" Yuzuha yelled, my fists clenched at the hem of his shirt.
"I fucking loved him, you asshole! Did anyone know that? I loved him. LOVED! You have any idea how it feels when you lose the love of your life, knowing you could've done something about it?" Mitsuya screamed, tears rolling down his cheek while he got up from his seat, meeting eye to eye with Yuzuha.
This provoked Yuzuha, causing him to grab Mitsuya's collar in anger. "You might've been his lover but he was my brother, the only person I fucking trusted!" Yuzuha threw a punch, resulting in the entire crowd uproaring.
I heard someone rush in with a familiar man in glasses. It was Takemichi with..Kisaki?!
Author's note : im finally done w this shit, there's more ideas brimming but I've been so busy TvT, but anyways, pls lmk if there are any grammatical mistakes. Show some love by liking and commenting under this post, thank you!
Chapter 5
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lis-likes-fics · 2 years
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A Witch Life | Chapter 12
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November turned into December, and closer did that confrontation inch with each passing day. The only thing that helped to even begin to soothe their nerves was the coming of Yuletide...witch style.
Christmas was not a holiday witches typically celebrated-they came from pagan roots, which influenced their celebration in more pagan holidays like Yule. But even with the traditions of that holiday, witches did not celebrate exactly how it was meant to be.
Y/N, in an effort to calm the nerves of the witch community, invited her allies (and even those who chose to side against them) to Forks to celebrate. It was supposed to be celebrated with large communities of witches, gatherings and festivals of honor and fun. As expected, only her allies showed up and took residence in the ever-growing witch home in the woods. She was just happy some of her efforts worked.
Zyana, Alaric, and Jia were more than happy to see her again. They and those who had been chosen to stand with them came with glad tidings to celebrate Witch Yule.
During the twelve days of Yule, as Forks became unbelievably cold, the witches remained true to the Yule Log, which is burned first by the leaders of their covens to celebrate the first night.
The first night of Yule was known as Mother and Father's Night, celebrated to honor the leaders of the covens. On this day, they were given gifts and praise for simply being. Witches gathered around the Yule Log (which fire was maintained and kept protected by magic. They were in a forest, after all). They sang and danced and feasted around the fire, sharing stories and tales around the very large group. The vampires and werewolves, those who felt like it, even joined in the festivities. It was a nice distraction from the constant stress of war.
The second night of Yule was the Winter Solstice, the honoring of the coming of winter. It was cold and they were either wrapped in magic, coats, or blankets as they huddled and continued to burn the Yule Log for the second night.
The third night was a night to honor witches who protect and preserve tradition. Divination, tradition, harmony, historical witches and more were celebrated with gift giving and were given the honor of burning the third chunk of the Log. Y/N had hoped Veda would accept her invitation, it was her night after all. Romina was the one to take the honor since she was one of the oldest witches at the celebration with years just as long as Carlisle's.
The fourth night was known as Family Night and was celebrated just as you would think. Everyone was given gifts, a grand gift exchange between friends, family, and even strangers who had just met that night. Jasper's absence was felt with each passing second. He was family, of course he was family. He was Althea and Emrys' father, Y/N's husband, the Cullens' brother and son.
Althea kept trying to crunch down on her gift that night to lift her mother's mood, which she kept telling her not to do, distracting her with more quick spells to learn in celebration of that night. Althea was chosen, by unanimous vote, to add the next addition to the Yule Log that night. She decided to have Renesmee join in, and they all erupted in cheers in celebration.
The five night, Christmas Eve, was Nature's Night, celebrated to honor witches who worked with nature and earth. It was mostly an elemental night, which meant that a lot of witches were honored that night. The most common witch groups were nature, earth, water, and fire elements. The Yule Log that night was burned by the creature witches. Their connection with animals gave them a lot of connection with nature. They were honored to partake in the festivities.
The sixth night, the night of Christmas Day, was the night to honor the water element. Seth, Leah, Charlie, and Levi were away with Bella, Edward, and Renesmee at Chief Swan's that night. Bella had insisted they go see him, or he would have come down to the Cullen's house to be surrounded by vampires, werewolves, and witches. Of course, he would have been surrounded by them anyway since a considerable amount of them went there. Eileen and two other water witches were given the Yule Log honor that night, along with plenty of gifts from those around them.
The seventh night, too close to the end of Yule in Y/N's opinion. The last day of Yule would be the last day of the year...and there's a chance it could be the last time they get to celebrate the holiday. But they tried to rid themselves of those thoughts and enjoy the night of the fire element. Anthony and a few other witches got to add to the Yule fire. It was his first time in a long time that he got to properly celebrate Yuletide, so he was very excited to join.
The eighth night, in older Norse traditions, was the night of the Wild Hunt. Seeing as the Wild Hunt would not celebrate Yule the witch-way, it was changed centuries ago to the night to honor the sacrificed. Since sacrificial magic was already considered dangerous and was forbidden for a very long time until certain circumstances had changed that law, a night to honor creatures (humans, animals, and more) that had been sacrificed in the name of magic was more than imperative.
This night was not as energetic as the others, more solemn and down to earth as they honored and remembered those creatures. There were two traditions that celebrated this night. The youngest witch present had the honor of burning the eighth bit of the Yule Log. Emrys, although he needed help, was given that honor. The second was that a familiar was supposed to be given to a witch or warlock to give back after life had been taken. Someone outside of Y/N's coven was given that honor, an older warlock who had lost his familiar about a century prior who regained one after being without for so long.
It was heartwarming, the look in his eyes as the man reappeared from the Familiar World after a couple of hours of being away with a ferret in his hands. It reminded Y/N of when she got Freya, the little red thing who had so much sass and so many words to say. She was still just as sassy with fewer words. Life had made her mature alongside Y/N a little faster in the many months that they had been together, but they were still just as young as they'd been in the beginning.
The ninth night was the night to honor witches and warlocks who worked with health. Healing, aid, herbal witches, and others were celebrated. Since it was also a very common domain, three witches were chosen to burn more of the Yule Log that night.
The tenth night, and their last night at home, was Ancestral Night. It was as one would think, a night to celebrate and honor the ancestors, the grandmothers and grandfathers. This night was sometimes trickier to celebrate with the Log burning, but when you have an aethereal witch in your company, it became easier.
As everyone watched for the burning of the Log, Jia stood in front of the fire with the next chunk in her hands. With her own magic, she was able to find a connection with the ancestral plane where their older magic resided and used that to set fire to the next Log, adding it to the bigger one. Cheers erupted as more stories passed, gifts for the ancestor's being given at the foot of the fire, surrounding it like a barrier.
In the morning, the gifts to the ancestors were gone, accepted and passed on. In the morning, all the witches, warlocks, and werewolves gathered around and left. The snow had stuck to the ground and the fight would be coming soon. Y/N held Emrys in her arms for what felt like only a moment before she left him behind with Emily to protect him while they were gone. He was far too young to come with, and Althea was only joining out of necessity. If Y/N had her way, she would be staying back as well.
Y/N gave the girl her bag as she checked in with her. For the millionth time, she went over the plan with Althea, and for the millionth time, Althea told her that she understood. She then went to go check up with everyone else in the coven. Did the healers have their healing supplies? Was everyone fully charged with magic and ready to defend themselves? Were the familiars ready and well rested like their witches?
Althea, as always, tried to overload herself with her gift. She would say that she was using her magic to balance everything out, but it was an obvious lie. Y/N had to use her own magic to cleanse her so she was not taking on so many emotions at one time. Ferra helped as well, balancing out the girl's magic as she stayed perched on her shoulders.
The long trek to the field began as they ventured to where the fight would be taking place. When the sun rose the next day, they would be confronted with the Volturi, and no one was overly enthused to do that.
Nightfall came and Y/N set Althea to bed, magic surrounding both hers and Renesmee's tents as they slept soundly. They were both so young, they should not have to live these lives already. They should not have had to sleep surrounded by layers and layers of shields out in the cold because their friends and family were about to fight for their lives.
Her nerves were getting the better of her, but she was able to do what she could to calm them so she could sit with her daughter. Althea's heavy eyelids were weighing down on her as she mumbled, "Momma?" Y/N looked at her, brushing some hair from the little girl's face as she hummed gently. "Is Daddy coming back?"
Y/N's heart stopped as she looked at her daughter before kicking up with a maddening thump. She hid her nerves as well as she could from an empath who sensed everything and shook her head. "Of course," she told her, trying to hide the lump in her throat. "Of course, sweetheart. He's not leaving his best girl."
"When is he coming back?" she wondered.
Y/N's lashes fluttered and she sighed, swiping her thumb over her cheek, "Soon. Very soon." She took in a large breath before opening her palm. Purple magic swirled in her hand for a moment before disappearing to reveal two smaller rings. One was a version of her father's daylight ring and the other was a version of her mother's wedding ring, and Althea knew that immediately. Attached to the rings was a long silver chain, a silver necklace.
She put the necklace around Althea's neck, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "These rings both have some of our magic in them, so that no matter what happens—no matter what—you will always have a piece of us with you."
Althea looked at them and then back up to her mother, a deep frown on her face. "Are you going to die?"
This was hurting more than it should have.
Y/N shook her head quickly, kissing her forehead, "No, no, no. Of course not. I'm not leaving my best girl... Do you remember the words for our coven?"
She nodded, "Forever we stand, even if we fall."
"You know what it means?" She did not answer, waiting for Y/N to explain more than she had only guessed on her own. She pulled the girl closer, "It means...no matter what happens, even if we end up being beaten, we will always be together. United. We'll always be a team."
"A family?" she suggested, her golden eyes staring into Y/N's. She nodded with a smile and set a hand behind the girl's head, bringing her in to kiss her temple. "Yeah, a family."
Althea cozied up to her, laying her head on her chest as she muttered under her breath, "I love you, Momma."
Y/N swallowed hard, "I love you, too, Thea." The little girl fell asleep moment's later, exhaustion from using her magic winning over her.
Cole came to check up on the two a little while later. "Come warm up. She'll be fine here." Y/N nodded with a heavy sigh as she left the tent, careful not to wake her daughter. Cole took her hand as she stepped out, before going to rejoin the group.
Y/N stayed a little behind the rest of the group as she sat on a log. She was soon joined by Carlisle and she offered him a weak smile. "Are you alright?" he asked.
Y/N shrugged, swallowing thickly as she spoke, her eyes trained on the fire burning away as the vampires and witches gathered around it. "Second guessing," she answered simply, a heavy sigh escaping her lips.
Carlisle nodded in understanding, "We're doing the right thing."
She nodded but couldn't help but doubt his words. Slowly, she spoke as the words poured from her mouth like syrup, "Althea...she asked me if Jasper was ever coming back... and then she asked me if we were going to die."
Carlisle's eyes found her as she looked over. "This is all too much, I'm beginning to think we should have just run instead," she licked her lips and shook her head.
Carlisle pulled her into a side hug, his head leaning over hers as he told her, "If we run, she will never be safe. This kind of stuff is always hard, but we are doing the right thing here—believe me, we are. This is family."
She nodded, taking in his words and accepting them for what they were. She glanced up at him and gave a smaller smile, a more genuine one this time. "I've said it before, and I'll keep saying it...thank you. I wouldn't have all of this-" she gestured to the crowd around her, her gaze settling on the tent her daughter was sleeping in, "-if you hadn't taken me in."
He smiled and nodded, rubbing her side before he spoke, "We'd be missing a lot if we hadn't taken you in. I'm glad to have you." He sighed before moving to stand with her, "Go on, it's warmer by the fire."
She gave him another quick hug before she joined the hoard of vampires and witches around the fire, both for warmth and to try and celebrate the eleventh night of Yule before tomorrow's fight. Y/N took a seat in the space between Cole and Esme. They welcomed her with smiles, Esme's arm thrown over her shoulder in a side hug.
"Finally come to join us?" Alaric asked his hand to rest on Alanis' head.
Y/N nodded and gave a smile, "Yeah, guess so." Freya hopped in her lap next, enjoying the pets she was given as you warmed up.
"It's the eleventh night of Yule. What's tonight?" Eleazar asked.
Mariah spoke up, Merida's head in her hand as she stroked her head with her thumb, "These little buggers. It's Familiar Night, we really just give them gifts and coven leaders have their familiars add to the fire."
Y/N smiled and bent over, picking up a stick in her hands before tossing it to Zyana. "What do you say, Zion? Tomorrow's Dragon's Night anyway, might as well do the honors tonight."
The dragon chittered, flapping his wings a little as he crawled from Zyana's shoulder to her lap. She chuckled and handed him the stick, which he took in his mouth. Everyone's eyes were on Zion as his wings carried him into the air, tossing up the stick and blowing a puff of fire its way before it added to the pile. They clapped and cheered a little as he returned to Zyana's shoulder. She scratched his neck and he smiled.
Jacob sighed and smiled, "Now what? We got a little pre-battle bonfire. We telling war stories?" His eyes looked up at Senna and Zafrina, their hands joined as they stared at one another. "Or just standing there like frickin' statues."
Benjamin smiled, a slight chuckle passing through his lips as he looked at them. Garrett joined, sitting down quicker than you could blink. "Name any American battle...I was there."
"Little Bighorn," Jacob suggested.
Garrett looked at the fire and smirked a little, "I came this close to biting Custer...but the Indians got him first."
Y/N laughed a little, licking her lips before she looked at him with a testing grin. "Civil War," she said.
There was a prideful smirk on his face as he nodded, shrugging his shoulders, "Battle of Antietam was so much fun..." Y/N chuckled a little bit before she nodded and looked back at the fire.
Kate moved to Garrett's lap, "Try Oleg's assault on Constantinople. He didn't win that one on his own."
Liam, one of the Irish vampires, joined in. "If you're talking battles, you're talking the Eleven Years' War. No one does rebellion like the Irish." The other Irish vampires nodded and smirked in agreement.
Garrett looked at him with furrowed brows, "You lost the Eleven Years' War."
"Aye," Liam smiled. "But it was one hell of a rebellion." Garrett pointed at him in agreement, a smirk passing between the two of them.
At some point, the Romanians joined as they sat, eyes focused on the flames as Vladimir spoke. "When we ruled, everything came to us. Prey, diplomats, favor seekers... Such was our power. But we never put on white hats and called ourselves saints."
"We were honest about what we were," Stefan said.
Vladimir continued, "We sat still for a very long time... we didn't notice we were beginning to petrify."
Stefan nodded, "Perhaps the Volturi did us a favor when...they burned out castles."
Vladimir's face almost twisted into something more sour, a bitter feeling settling over him as he looked up, "We have been waiting 1,500 years to return that favor. We have been ready to do battle for ages."
Y/N rested her head on Cole's shoulder as they kept talking. At some point, the mic was handed to her to share some crazy story from her past. "Oh, no—you don't want to hear anything from me." She shook her head as she looked at the fire with a chuckle.
"Come on. Just a little one. You're bound to have something. Just tell us about some witch things," Garrett tried, a kind smile on his lips to show no pressure.
Y/N let out a heavy sigh, shaking her head as she thought of one. Romina caught her attention with the click of her tongue as she looked up. "Tell him our history."
She rolled her eyes with a chuckle and then nodded, licking her lips as she began to recount the story she had told her family a couple of times before. "Many, many years ago, people lived in a world of magic and wonder. Witches spread our gifts of magic throughout the world. We defended the humans, animals, and all of nature's gifts. People accepted us as a part of the world that was pure and beautiful..."
They all listened to her storytelling, her voice carrying each word like every little thing had its own special meaning. They became quickly engrossed with the story, older vampires who'd lived even longer than Carlisle recognized some things and some were entirely new to the concept. Even the witches, who knew the tale by heart, listened to her speak. It was almost like a burden had been lifted from her soul as she retold the story, carried away by her own words.
Long after she'd finished talking, she had not realized she'd fallen asleep as conversation continued to spread throughout the group. Carlisle, who had joined them long before, moved her back to the tent where Althea was still sleeping. He sighed as he looked at them. She had taken on so much lately, her exhaustion took over so heavily as she slept—she was usually a really light sleeper.
He left them to sleep and, sooner rather than later, the other witches went to their own tents to sleep as well.
Tomorrow was a big day...
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hogwartslegacyrp · 7 months
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QotD 4: How quick is your character to anger?
Feel free to answer these with your own OCs even if you're not on our server :)
Opal:
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Not at all, Opal is usually always looking for the positives even in the worst cases. Given the fact she deals with customers all day at Honeydukes, she's used to the customer service life, and takes a lot to actually get angry. Even when she is angry, she is usually a master of hiding it, though she does have a breaking point it's very hard to push her that far.
Sebastian: It doesn't take him much to get angry, though this can mostly come through in showing him being annoyed or jealous pretty quickly. My boy is trying to work on it, but it definitely doesn't take much to set him off. Althea: I didn't initially write her with a short temper in mind, but having written her out a lot now and coming more into her own I think she is a bit... quick to anger. It's most often justified, but she'll definitely exhibit the cliché signs of anger by stiffening up, pacing, cursing, getting red in the face. Samuel: Not an angry guy, but not a pushover. Okay, maybe a bit of a pushover when it comes to himself, but he'd be very quick to anger if he feels like someone he cares about is the one threatened. I can imagine him taking a punch for someone with no question about it.
Ominis: He's kind of lowkey angry 24/7 at the general state his life is in tbh but he rarely lets it show. He's mostly decided it was useless to express it since obviously it doesn't do shit, right? Trying to focus on more positive things and helping himself not be stuck in a constant negativity loop. Anemone: A true hippie, doesn't need to smoke to be chill man. She does get angry once in a while about certain things, like if you bring up poachers she can rant about them for a while, but most of the time she's rather easy to calm down. Also- she cries when really angry. She cries whenever she feels anything strongly to be fair but... Yeah she might cry and yell at you when pissed off for good. Weasley: If she was quick to anger she'd change job. She can get a bit riled up, and can scold students, but most of the time it's out of concern for them. She rarely gets truly angry. She does get very annoyed at her boss though, but it doesn't usually show. Maybe a snide comment here and there when he's away.
Aodh: “What is Anger? does it involve crying?” In all seriousness, Aodh is sooner to cry and avoid a situation if it brings him emotional distress. If he was unable to leave an upsetting circumstance, and it continued to elevate, he might respond in anger, but it would be slow to build and quick to apologize.
Bjorn: In his youth, he certainly had a bit of a temper. (Holding an unjust grudge on his father after his mother had passed.) However, in his later years, he appears more grumpy and disgruntled, before becoming actually angry by anything. More than naught, he uses his grumpy demeanor with the students to maintain a sense of authority, but with his peers he’s much more complacent and easy going. If he does get angry, he would be hot and loud, and likely hold a grudge.
𝐑𝐚𝐟𝐚𝐞𝐥: He gets annoyed more quick. Anyone could see in his eyes that he’s upset but he always kept a smile so he doesn’t completely lose his cool. He tends to take walks by himself if he gets to the point of anger to cool off and oddly doesn’t really talk to anyone until he’s okay.
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italian-shitstorm · 3 years
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Just kinda random after how badly I ran my own session this past weekend... But i was running out of npcs so i used my regular ocs
My players met Freddie and Cass and i made freddie so gnc and used their they/them pronouns. One of my players was like wow cass is a stick in the mud (even tho she was struggling to keep freddie under control and not drunk) and my players got so confused I think they kept calling Freddie him. Which isnt bad!! Tbh freddie would have been so happy that they confused everyone.
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one-shot-plus-size · 3 years
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Forced new life
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Imagine : That the world of Sons of Anarchy and The Punisher are one. Chibs' old lady catches him cheating on her with Althea. In a fit of excitement she leaves, the road leads her straight to Hell's Kitchen. Where she meets Frank Castle.
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I stared at the pictures lying in front of me. I couldn't believe my eyes, that bastard.
- Fucking prick - I hit the table with my hand, breaking the glass top. 
The glass shattered and so did my life. I stared at the blood dripping from my hand, staining the carpet. I got up from the couch, patted my hand and then headed to our shared bedroom. I packed all my things into three sports bags, taking only the most important things. I needed to disappear but not before taking out my frustration on him. I tucked all the pictures back into the envelope, packed the bags into my pickup and headed for TM. At the square I was greeted by the sight of all the motorcycles lined up perfectly. My brother, Jax, was hovering among them. I parked the car in my spot, sat behind the wheel staring at the envelope for a long moment. My life had been thrown in the trash because of those few pictures. I wonder how long it all lasted, I wonder how long I was the other one. I got out of the car and slammed the door.
- What's wrong sis? - Jax furrowed his eyebrows. 
- Yes - I snarled at him, - I need to talk to my fiancé.
My brother stared at me with his eyebrows furrowed. I headed into the club without waiting for any more questions.
- Why don't you calm down first? - Tig stood in the doorway.
- Or maybe you want a punch in the mouth? - I pushed him inside. 
- What happened to you being so mad? - Jax stood next to him. 
- It'll all be explained soon - I muttered - but some of you probably already know that. 
I stared at Trager, I was sure he knew and hadn't said anything to anyone. I pushed past them and entered the club, taking a deep breath. I had to control my emotions now. I looked around the interior, I saw him sitting comfortably on the couch. 
- Filip Telford we have to talk - I growled. 
His body tensed, he raised his gaze from the book.
- I do not remember that I did anything to make you call me that. - He closed the book. 
- Are you sure? - I supported myself on the sides.
- After a quick examination of conscience I am sure of it. - He nodded.
- Great - I took out an envelope from my pocket - maybe the name Althea means something to you?
At that moment the smile disappeared from his face, he wrinkled his eyebrows and leaned forward. 
- Would you like to tell me something about her? 
- What would you like me to tell you? - he propped his elbows on his knees. 
- The truth? - I threw the envelope at him - why don't you tell me why you sucked her face off ? 
Chibs opened the envelope and pulled out several photos. He looked through them, his fingers tightening on them. He clenched his jaw, then lifted his head and looked at me. Tears appeared in his eyes.
- You want to explain it to me? - I crossed my arms over my chest. 
- Darling it's not what you think - he breathed.
- Well, now I know why you didn't have time for me. - I snorted under my breath.
I was furious with him, I wanted to tear him apart.
- Olivia it was all wrong, it was just one kiss. One fucking kiss, I didn't even initiate it. You think it wasn't gnawing at me inside that I didn't want to tell you - there were tears in Chibs' eyes - I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. 
- So it was just one kiss, just one kiss? - I furrowed my eyebrows. 
- Yes darling - he came closer to me - I'm sorry, it never happened again. After all, it is you I love and no other. 
- So explain to me what is in these pictures? - I took out three pieces from my pocket.
- Fuck - he muttered under his breath.
- You are lying to me and you don't have the courage to admit it? - I snarled at him - and I stupidly wondered what I had done wrong that you moved away from me. But now things are clear, you have someone on the side. 
- Honey, it's all wrong, I was doing it for the club. 
- And the club destroyed our relationship - I slipped the ring off my finger.
I walked up to him, grabbed his hand and put it there. I tightened my fingers around it, held his fist in my hands for a moment. I will miss his hands on my body, I will miss him.
- You know we don't have to separate - he put his free hand on my cheek - it was just sex. 
- No Chibs - I shook my head - at the beginning of our relationship I asked you that whenever you got tired of me you would tell me. That you would never do that shit, that you wouldn't jump into bed with another woman. It doesn't excuse you that you did it for the club. 
I took a deep breath, slipped the bundle out of my pocket. 
- I thought we would enjoy this together, but it turned out as usual. I feel like I'm the one who attracts this kind of dick. 
He unrolled the material, froze for a long moment, during which time I managed to leave the club. Another minute in this place and I would have cried like a baby.
- Olivia wait - I heard my brother's voice. 
- What for? - I opened the car door.
- You're going to be a mom? - He came closer to me.
- I'm going to be a single mom - I muttered. 
- I will help you with everything - he breathed.
- No - I shook my head - I can't stay in this place, I don't want to see Chibs with my eyes. I still don't believe that he did it for the club, did you know that?
- No - he snarled - I had nothing to do with it, I swear I didn't know anything. 
- So now you know, I'm sorry, Jax, but I'm gonna have to step back for a while. Put myself back together. 
- I'm sorry - my brother hugged me.
- You don't have the right to stop me from seeing my baby, she's mine too - I heard his voice. 
I clenched my hands on Jackson's sweatshirt, breathed deeply and pulled away from him. 
- I swear to God you will never see him or her, I will make sure of that - I snarled at him. 
- You have no right to prevent me from seeing my child - Chibs growled.
- You lost your right to this child the moment you stuck your cock in that whore. 
- I'm going to fight - he came closer to me. 
- Try and I will make your life hell - I looked him in the eye - I am Teller and I will not hesitate to use all means to protect this child from being hurt by an irresponsible father. A father who fucked with the Charming authorities to get information for a motorcycle club. The same club that got Opie, Piney, Kozik and a few others dead. I'm not gonna let this kid grow up with a toxic father. She'll never find out about you, ever.
- If she can't handle it, I'll ban you. You hurt my sister, and this is my nephew or niece. I will protect them even if it means keeping you away from them. 
- Lass please - he groaned.
- No - I shook my head - Tomorrow at 12 I'm leaving the house for two hours in which time you are to take all your things. I do not want to see you, not yet.  
I got into my car and just drove out of the parking lot. I looked at the Charming sign saying goodbye to those leaving. I wiped the tears from my cheeks and pulled out my cell phone. I dialed the one number that came to mind.
- Hallo ? 
- Hey, Curtis -  I tightened my grip on the steering wheel.
- Olivia? - The voice on the other end was surprised.
- I need your help - I muttered. 
- Is something wrong? Who am I supposed to kill? - He laughed. 
- Can you keep me here for a while?
- What happened that you want to come to me?
- I'll tell you everything when I get there, okay?
- Yes, of course you can. 
- I'll be there in a couple of hours, see you later. 
I hung up, opened the window and threw the phone away. 
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mamadoe · 2 years
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🍁 The Forgotten Sister - Chapter 4
Eris goes over the outcome of the dinner and some character revelations.
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Complete Masterlist
Also on AO3
Warning || honestly not much, mostly plot dialogue; brief discussion of parental abuse of a child but nothing graphic
Word Count || 4256
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The morning comes too soon when a resounding knock on the large door drags me from the depths of deep sleep. For a moment I lay there in my sleepy haze before my eyes fly open upon remembering the night’s events. I bolt upright, hair flying and gown still disheveled, and immediately recognize I’m not alone. My hand finds Galena still in bed with me, and when I turn to her, she is also wide eyed and looking up at me in terror, her hand meeting mine for a squeeze. Another loud knock and a familiar voice calls from behind the door, muffled by the old wood. The only thing stopping him from coming in is the chair I jammed under the doorknob. I don’t even know if it will actually hold on these stone floors.
“Althea, are you up? We need to discuss this.” The voice is the one and only Eris. Of course, Father sent him to handle this. Silently, I gesture for Galena to get up and grab her things, and then I point toward the bathroom. As I address Eris, she quickly slips from the bed to scoop all her clothes including her shoes into her arms, making sure to keep her steps as silent as a mouse.
“Well, I was asleep, but not anymore because of you,” my voice is heavy from sleep, making it low and gravelly, and I can’t help but let my disdain ooze off my words. I rub my eyes, my vision still blurred from sleep in the dark of the room, much thanks to the still-drawn curtains, but I can see the sun must have just risen from the light that seeps from beneath their hems. I can hear him try to turn the handle, but the door doesn’t give. Thank the Gods, I heave a sigh of relief.
“Althea?” his tone turns more serious. “Open the door. You can’t hide from this.”
“I’m not.” I spit as I force myself up from the warm comfort of my bed, pulling my nightgown down to drape over my frame instead of being bunched around my waist. “Just give me a minute. I’m not dressed.” As I look around for my robe, I hear him almost laugh on the other side of the door.
“Didn’t think you slept in the nude.”
“I don’t. Shut it.” With a hiss and an eye roll, I find my robe hung from a hook on the side of the wardrobe. I make quick work to drape it around me, tying the sash securely. As I head for the door, I pass the vanity and barely see my silhouette in the dark, but I can easily see my hair is absolutely wild from sleeping while it was still wet. I can't be bothered to pull a comb through it at this point. I stand before the door, my hand on the chair, and I take a deep breath.
“This won’t take long, if you cooperate,” he says on the other side as if he’s talking to a child. I remain standing there, letting my mind still. I must face this. I can face this, I comfort myself as I slowly remove the chair from beneath the doorknob and set it aside. My hand finds the semi-ornate knob, and it's ridges give me something to ground myself with. I grip it for just a breath longer, cherishing this moment before the storm. Another deep breath helps rouse my senses and calms me before I twist it, opening the door slightly to permit him to come in. I don’t even look at him as I step away and cross the room to open one of the curtains to give us some adequate light.
“Let’s get this over with,” the words come out harsher than I intend as I plant myself in my chair by the window, crossing my legs in the process. My hands rest in my lap, and I can’t keep them from twiddling with the tail of my robe sash. “Sit.” I gesture to the wooden chair across from me that had just had Galena’s clothing draped over it. I hope her scent is mixed with the other maidens enough, so he won’t think twice about her scent lingering in here. The door shuts softly after he enters, and his steps are slow. I don’t look at him, but his slow pace must mean he’s taking in my room. My room is pretty dull and empty compared to the lavish appeal of the castle below. Only the overloaded bookshelf by the bed shows how much I read, and a simple desk against the wall by the door is where I sit to write and scribble when I tire of reading. He’s never been up here, so his curiosity isn’t a surprise and seeing where his little sister has been living all this time might be a reality check. After a few moments of his steps drawing closer, the creak of the chair as he settles onto it draws my attention, and I’m surprised to see him so casually dressed. I realize, I’ve never seen him in less than his best dress, so seeing him in simple day pants and a loose long sleeve undershirt, hair disheveled but not unkempt, is unexpected. Then again, I guess this is the first time he is seeing me like this, too. He must not be a morning person either, I think, but that’s not what has my full attention. In his hand is an envelope. I look down my nose at it as if it is a cursed object, and my eyes narrow on it. “Is that my warrant?” I say deadpan. His slight smirk and accompanying chuckle catches me a little off guard.
“Depends how you look at it,” his voice is the most relaxed I have ever heard it. No façade of formality; no cunning tone to counter my cold exterior. For the life of me, after last night and what he said, I can’t understand this drastic change from him. I pause, contemplating how to go about handling this. He waits for me to respond and looks out the window. He almost looks like a completely different male now with his entire demeanor relaxed. “You have a lovely view,” is all he says softly in the interim. So many questions cloud my thoughts. The things he said last night ring in my ears, making my jaw tighten. He had described me as no more than a piece of meat or a challenge to conquer to these males, and the Eris I have known for as long as I can remember is calculating, practical, and cunning, but now he is… different, almost uncanny in contrast. I can’t recall a single time he spoke to me with anything less than a command like our father. This goes around and around in my mind for a moment and makes my chest tighten, so I stare at the envelope and sit with this feeling. What is the plan here? What do I not know that he does? Surely there is a reason for his change of demeanor. I glance back into the room that is still cast in shadow since the rest of the curtains are still drawn. No one came in with him, and I didn’t hear guards outside, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t standing post right outside the door.
“I’m alone,” he says gently, “No one knows I came up, not even Father.” My eyes widen as he speaks. Interesting, I think. Not once have I ever seen Eris alone, at least a guard or two almost in his tow. He came all the way up here on his own. As much as I have a chip on my shoulder from the night before, I need answers, and giving him the silent treatment won’t do me any favors.
“So the decision has been made?” I finally ask, the initial harshness in my tone softening. I can’t look at him and instead glance down at my hands as I pick at a loose thread on the end of my robe belt.
“Yes,” he says softly, and I can feel him turn to look at me. I don’t dare to meet his gaze. I let myself sit with that, a shiver washing over me, but I don’t try to hide it. I let him see how vulnerable I feel. After a few quiet moments, I swallow hard to clear the forming knot in my throat
“Who is it?” my voice is meek as a mouse, a strong contrast from my harshness before.
“I assume you remember the male from the Dawn Court, Farren?” I glance up at him, keeping my head tilted down.
“Him?” my brow furrows slightly. Upon first impression, he seemed kinder than the rest, but what can you really tell from that anyway?
“Well, yes, but it’s more complicated than that,” he says as he extends the envelope to me. For a brief moment I hesitate, but my curiosity gets the better of me, so I quickly take it and open it, pulling forth a few different pieces of paper, all with different handwriting, but the small note on top catches my immediate attention. The paper is different from the rest, feeling smoother against my fingertips than any paper I’ve ever felt. It’s almost supple even, and I can only imagine how drawing on it would feel. I don’t recognize the script, and what it reads brings more questions than answers.
Lady Althea,
I am sorry this is how we had to meet, but I promise, I will give you all the answers I have once we are in the Dawn Court. Until then, keep your head down. I will see you soon, dove. Safe travels.
Yours,
Magister Farren
My eyes narrow at his writing, my brow furrowed with confusion. When I look up at Eris, he shrugs in response.
“I deal with fae of all sorts and their ulterior motives nearly every day, so I see through filth fairly quickly. He seems alright.” His shoulders slump a bit as he leans forward to point at the note. “I don’t know what exactly he’s referring to, but he asked I give that to you with the rest.” Setting aside the note, my eyes meet the next page, a more official document, which looks to be the paper my father had Farren sign. As much as I want to read every word, I skim over to find the most important information - what did my father get from Farren? When I find a small list in the middle, my eyes widen.
“Are you serious?” I whisper and look up at him incredulously. Surely I’m missing something because this is… considerable. Much more than I expected my father to accept to get me off his hands. “Why?”
“I don’t know, and to be honest, Farren’s deal wasn’t even the highest offer,” Eris grumbles, a bit of disgust pulling the corner of his mouth. I nearly choke on my own disbelief.
“You’re kidding,” I barely breathe, a blush warming my cheeks. He nods, eyebrows raising as if he’s also surprised by that.
“Right?! I’m sure you know Father; this is odd. Really, most of what happened last night was a surprise,” he grunts, sitting back in the old chair, making it groan.
“What do you mean?” I finally make eye contact with him, and for once Eris looks like he’s in pain.
“Well, sort of. I knew about the bartering for your hand because it was my idea,” he pauses when he sees my face scrunch with anger, “I know, it wasn’t ideal, but I figured anywhere would be better than here! I had to come up with something Father would back,” he remarks before continuing, not giving me a chance to counter him, “but just about everything else came from the dark.” He strokes his creased forehead as if to ease the tension forming there. “I haven’t even slept because I couldn’t stop thinking about it. From the other guests, Farren’s seating, how he interacted with Father - it was all different.” His words take me aback. He wants to get me out of here? Apparently my intuition of Farren’s seating was warranted, but who is he? Why did our father get along with him so well that he accepted a lower offer when he could have just as easily pocketed a better deal? None of this is making any sense. It’s official - this whole situation is completely out of the Cauldron’s water at this point. I relax back in my chair, letting my mind mull over his words. What does any of this even mean? After another few quiet moments, I break the silence.
“Farren’s a magister, right? A scholar? Do we know what kind of scholar or who he’s studying under?” I tap the note he left me. “How does that compare to the others?”
“I haven’t been able to find much. I don’t recognize him, so he must be fairly new to his studies, but he could have also come in place of someone else. I don’t know that yet. I’m waiting for information from a friend, but it could take a few days.” He strokes his jaw contemplatively with the backs of his fingers, a self soothing gesture. “Otherwise, he seems pretty middle of the road. He must have bigger bait to catch Father’s attention, more than gold,” he notes. I can feel my face warm more, and my cheeks burn slightly, still sensitive from the night before. I flip to the next page. This time it’s from Eris himself, his signature at the bottom of the page.
“What’s this?” I glance up at him again.
“Don’t read that yet. It’s for when you arrive at the Dawn Court,” he dismisses it quickly and pulls the bottom page from my hand and places it on top. Immediately my breath catches. Before me in her beautiful cursive is our mother’s handwriting. Before I can even read it, tears pool in the corners of my eyes. Setting the pages aside to keep them safe, I use the hem of my robe sleeve to wipe my tears.
“I found that among her belongings. I didn’t know about it until a few days ago when I was looking for anything that might point us in the right direction to find her. I found it between the pages of one of her books. I figured you would like to have it since it’s addressed to you,” he speaks softly, almost gentle as I cry and wipe my tears as they come. Only his light touch on my knee pulls my eyes back to him. “I’m sorry we didn’t tell you sooner, about Mother…” his words trail off. What else could he say? I nod as I start to compose myself, wiping my cheeks one more time.
“It’s… It’s okay... Well, it’s not, but I get it. With me up here, I had no idea. No one told me,” I rasp. His face contracts with pained empathy, an expression which feels so out of character for him, but he wears it well.
“I’m sorry. Most people don’t know, not even most of the servants,” he confirms before pulling his hand away. “Father has kept it hush hush, at least, until last night when you demanded to know where she is in front of a room of guests. He will be paying the price of that for weeks to come over this if we don’t find her soon.” He chuckles softly, trying to lighten the mood. “You really put on a show. They will be talking about it for years.”
“I had to do something,” I whisper, and it draws him back in after his light-hearted laugh, bringing him back down to a softer tone.
“I know you did,” is all he says before continuing. “We have been looking, but so far, we don’t have any leads, none that have gone anywhere anyway.” My stomach tightens with that realization. I had hoped that maybe Father had just had her held somewhere to not intervene last night, but Eris’ words confirm the worst. She is truly missing. Taking the pages back in my hands, my eyes glide over her elegant cursive. Eris shifts his weight in his chair while he waits, bringing one leg to be crossed over the other. I quickly realize this is a letter she wrote for me a long time ago, maybe even before I was moved up to the tower. She references something about the days in the garden where we would spend our afternoons when I was just a small child. I pause to breathe and calm my emotions before continuing. Her words conjure my memories, images of our days playing in the garden and evenings reading in the study wash through my mind as if I were reading a book, pulling a few more tears from me. I remember the feeling of her fingers in my hair and her holding me close as she would read to me in her bed. Back then she rarely slept in her and Beron’s master room since I would insist on sleeping with her most nights. I recall her teaching me to dance and love music as she did. I can still hear the music box that sat atop her dresser that she would let play on loop for me to twirl around to. Gods, the days of being her littlest child were soft and warm, and the memories make me just as soft. Some of the references she makes are lost on me, though, memories failing to come forth, but I read and reread whole sentences to drink in her words. By the Cauldron, the ache in my chest as I realize this is only a one-page, front-only letter threatens to pull a sob from me as my eyes near the end of the page. However, her final words confuse me in the same way Farren’s note did.
“‘One day, you will be free as a bird, flying far, far away from here. My only wish is to survive long enough to see it.’” I glance up to Eris to gauge his thoughts, but he portrays nothing on his tired face. “‘I wish I could give you all the answers you already beg for, but one day, you will understand.’” Her letter ends with a swirl of her signature. “Answers I already beg for? What did she mean?”
“I don’t know. I was hoping you would,” Eris sighs and rests his head back on the chair. “I have so many questions with no answers. It’s frustrating; I feel stuck. All us boys were kept far away from Mother by the time we were old enough to form our own thoughts, so by the time you came around, none of us had a clue what was going on with her.” We sit in silence as I stare at the letter. He has a point - that would explain why I didn’t see them aside from the big gatherings and dinners with leaders from our lands. We had to put on a front of being unified, so we had to be together, if only for those times. I try hard to reflect back. If my assumption is correct, she wrote this when I was only about twenty or so. What was I asking her that prompted this letter? I don’t have the slightest clue. The sound of Eris sniffing and adjusting in his chair draws my attention back to him. “The maidens usually bring you breakfast in the morning, right?” Eris looks at me with tired eyes. Just the mention of the maidens makes my ears turn red. Gods, please don’t notice Galena’s scent. Hopefully she’s doing okay hiding in the bathroom, but she doesn’t dare peek from behind the door frame.
“Yes, I rarely leave this room. They come up for the three meals, but last night was an exception. It was the first time in I can’t tell you how long that I left the tower,” my voice steadies as I speak. “I can’t even tell you when the last time I saw outsiders was.” The disgruntled groan that leaves his chest almost makes me jump.
“By the Gods, he’s pathetic, isn’t he?” his voice raises as he rubs his face. “I knew he treated you awful, but I didn’t see the half of it.” I stare wide eyed, dumbfounded. “If I had just come up here sooner-”
“You didn’t know?!” my voice goes shrill as I cut him off, leaning forward and losing all abandon. “How could you not know? You practically live by his side as you vye for his spot for High Lord!” My sudden shift in demeanor startles him, and he manages a laugh, a genuine one.
“I only ever saw what he wanted me to see,” he lets out another chuckle, “or what he did when we were all together, which was mostly just disgusted looks and a snide comment here and there. He almost never spoke of you to any of us unless it was necessary, so we didn’t know just how bad it was. We assumed it wasn’t good, but it was only after Mother went missing that I finally started to question it because I started finding her hidden letters talking about how he was treating you.” He pauses to take a breath, looking more refreshed and like a weight had been lifted. “We knew about Lucien, sure. Father practically made it a show of how much he hates him, but you? No, I didn’t realize how bad it was. If I knew, I would have done something sooner.” I can’t look away, my eyes wide. My entire world feels as if the axis has shifted.
“I… I didn’t realize none of you knew…” I barely whisper. “I thought everyone knew I was up here.” His sad, empathetic look breaks my heart.
“No, no! Of course, if I had known, I would have orchestrated something to get you down to the main part of the castle, at least. Being all the way up here is…,” he glances around my room, and the look on his face is of pure disdain. “I wouldn’t leave a dog up here for any extended period of time, let alone my little sister.” The pang in my chest from those words alone are nearly too much for me to take. My mind is swirling yet still all at once. He waits for me, but it takes a few long moments for me to compose myself enough to even speak.
“Of course, the bastard kept us apart. If we were close, he knew he wouldn't get away with it,” I growl softly, breathing harshly through my nose but compose myself again. “As much as I want to talk to you about this more, I must be honest. This is too much alongside this,” I gesture to the document of my ownership and the letters. He nods understandably.
“I know this is more than anything that’s ever been thrown at you. You won’t be leaving for a while yet, though. One of Farren’s conditions upon signing was that you needed to stay here for a couple more weeks, so he can prepare your stead in the Dawn Court. It sounds to me like he didn’t expect for you to fall into his hands, so we have that time to work through some of this.” He smiles slightly, and I can see his tiredness is getting to him now that some of the pressure has been eased.
“That helps,” I acknowledge with my own nod. Satisfied, Eris goes to stand.
“Well, I’m finally ready for some sleep,” he says with a yawn. “Now to tackle those Gods-forsaken stairs. How do the maidens handle them every day?” He stretches completely as I stand before him and counter his tired playfulness with my own.
“Well, to be fair, they take shifts, so they don’t have to come up more than once a day.” He laughs lightly, a warm sound, but as his laugh trails off, his tone changes.
“I know your stay here is short, relatively speaking, but…,” he glances around my room once more. “We can move you down to the main castle, if only for your remaining days. Father won’t know if we keep you on the west side.” I don’t know what to say. I can see the olive branch, and I hesitantly accept it.
“Eris… Thank you. I… I can’t tell you how much I would appreciate that,” my words almost choke as I can feel my tears welling up. He smiles and gives my arm a gentle touch before starting for the door.
“We will figure the rest out another day. For now, try to remember anything that sticks out in your mind, and if something comes up, we can discuss it tomorrow after we move you,” he continues to speak as he walks across the room. Holding the letters in hand, I flip through the pages once more, only stopping when Eris stops at the door. “Oh, and you can tell your little bunny maiden she can come out now.” I can almost hear Galena squeak in the bathroom as my face goes completely red. He laughs and makes his exit, closing the door behind him as he makes his way back down the hall. ~~~ Previous Chapter --- Next Chapter
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fillingthescrapbook · 3 years
Text
Rewriting The CW's Kung Fu, Part 6: Act II
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We're nearly to the end, but if you're somehow seeing this before any of the previous posts, you can find them here:
Part 1: The Characters
Part 2: The Pilot
Part 3: The Mythology
Part 4: The Story Map
Part 5: Act I
If you've read all that, I am hoping that you've gotten to know Nicky enough that you're willing to ride along for the next part of her journey. Because we're going to the territory that the show actually covered (with a few rewrites, of course): the hunt for the mystical weapons.
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Episode 6: Bond
We start this episode with Nicky reeling over two revelations: one, that Althea is a survivor of sexual harassment, and two, that Zhi-Lan is her dead mentor's sister. But she's going to focus first on what's more important: her own family. Nicky tells Althea that she will be there to support her whatever Althea decides to do. Althea admits that she doesn't know yet--
When Dennis tells Althea that his family's been invited to a gala at the museum for a loaned Chinese exhibit, Althea also finds out that her former boss at Cloudrush Capital will be in attendance--as a donor. Althea asks Nicky and Ryan to come with her for support--but Ryan has hospital duties. So Nicky asks Henry to accompany them instead.
At the house, Ryan can feel that there's tension between him and Mei-Li. He thinks it's because he's gay--until he realizes that his parents don't actually know that he had come out when he stood with Joe (in the last episode). Ryan explains to Jin and Mei-Li that the reason he only had one girlfriend, who quickly dumped him, is because he is gay. Jin and Mei-Li are speechless. Mei-Li walks out, uncertain of how to act. Jin, trying and failing to be supportive, just taps Ryan on the shoulder.
At the museum, Henry recognizes one of the weapons on display. It's one of the eight mystical weapons. But when he is about to point it out to Nicky, the latter had already left him. Because Nicky spotted Zhi-Lan at the gala. She is about to follow Zhi-Lan when she sees Althea having a panic attack upon seeing her former boss. Nicky weighs her options, but chooses to stay with Althea instead.
With Althea calmed down, Nicky tells Henry that Zhi-Lan is at the gala. Henry figures out that Zhi-Lan is there for the weapon, explaining to Nicky that one of the eight fabled weapons that he mentioned to her before is part of the loaned exhibit. He takes her to the still-closed exhibit--and they catch two crooks trying to steal the weapon. They get into a fight with the crooks. They win. But when they turn to the display case, the weapon is gone.
Nicky sees Zhi-Lan making her way out of the museum. In a hurry. Nicky chases after her. The get into a fight and Nicky is holding her own against Zhi-Lan, thanks to her different training with Henry. But something is holding her back: her need to understand how Zhi-Lan could kill Pei-Ling. Which she asks Zhi-Lan point blank during a stand-off. Zhi-Lan is taken aback for a second before quickly recovering, saying she lost her sister when she was a kid. That the woman she killed at the monastery was of no relation to her. Zhi-Lan manages to knock Nicky down before getting away. Henry and Althea find Nicky and get her home.
Althea and Henry bring Nicky to the community center where Ryan is cleaning her wounds. Nicky explains that the woman she fought with was the woman who killed her mentor at the monastery. Henry explains that the woman, Zhi-Lan, is probably collecting the eight mystical weapons from folklore. According to legend, bringing the eight together and taking them back to where they were forged would grant the collector untold power. Nicky whispers, "Bian-Ge." Althea frowns. "Change?" Ryan is concerned. "Transformation." But Nicky doubts that that Zhi-Lan can find all eight weapons soon. It took her three years before she found the longsword, and she probably only lucked out with her second weapon because it was included in the exhibit advertisement. Nicky is more worried about Althea.
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Nicky remembers a memory of her time at the monastery, when Pei-Ling told her about important decisions having a lot of weight. How she lost people she loved because she chose to honor what she believed is right. In the memory, Pei-Ling tells Nicky that time has a way of giving them clarity on what they should've done. But during a moment of crisis, all they can do is trust that their heart is in the right place.
In the present time, Althea tells Nicky that she doesn't think she has the courage to speak up. Not yet. Nicky understands. They all have their own pace when it comes to dealing with problems. She ran away for three years. Althea notes that Nicky is back now, that she's facing her problems now. Nicky hugs her sister, saying: "and you will face your problems too. When you're ready."
Nicky and Henry are targeted by the goons they fought at the museum. They think the two have the weapon that was stolen from the museum. Nicky and Henry get into another fight with the goons. This time, when they defeat the goons, Nicky calls Evan for police help.
Althea talks to her former colleague who wants to speak up against their ex-boss. Althea apologizes and says she cannot come out. Not right now. But she is willing to talk to whoever she needs to talk to. Under anonymity. To save those they can still save. The woman thanks Althea.
At the house, Ryan tells Nicky that he's moving out of the house. Nicky apologizes for not being there when he came out to their parents. Ryan tells Nicky that he didn't need her there after all. But he will need her moving forward. To watch over their parents with him out of the house, to keep him updated, and to still be there for him when he calls. Nicky promises. They hug. Ryan leaves.
Jin sees Mei-Li pulling out an old shoe box. Something he hasn't seen in years. It contains an old photo of Mei-Li...with her sister Mei-Xue. She tells Jin that she swore she wouldn't be like her mother. But why does it feel like she's doing what her mother had done too? Pushing her own children away?
Evan visits Nicky at Happy Dumplings to talk about the goons she and Henry stopped at the museum. Nicky tells Evan that she knows who the goons are working for "Zhang Zhi-Lan." Nicky reminds Evan that he was the one with the info on her connection with the Triad. Evan shakes his head, telling Nicky that they were bailed out by a business owned by a Raymond Tan. This makes Nicky think. Is there another party interested in the weapons?
We will have a mini-reveal here of Henry's apartment. It has a map of the world with markings. Photos of the eight weapons that have strings tying them to locations where they have been sighted. It seems that Henry is keeping a secret from Nicky.
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Episode 7: Rage
In this episode, Nicky and Henry work together when one of Henry's students at the community center ask for their help. A friend of his has gotten involved with a dojo that cons their trainees into taking part in an underground fight club. The student shows them footage of the fight, which is a bloody affair, and Henry spots a pair of deer-horn knives in the decor that he tells Nicky later are among the mystical weapons.
Henry's first course of action is to go straight for the source--only to get injured by the guy in charge of the dojo. This leaves Nicky as their only viable way to get into the fight club.
Throughout the course of the story, Nicky remembers moments from the monastery where Pei-Ling teaches her how to use an opponent's emotions against them. Even sharing a story where a loved one got the better of her because she felt overwhelming concern while they were sparring. This is what Nicky will use to win the fight.
To get into the fight club, Nicky borrows money from Althea--which Dennis finds out about. When Nicky explains what's going on, Dennis is all in with helping out, saying he believes in helping the helpless--even when they look like they can take him down. Which gives Althea the idea that Dennis might be okay knowing her secret too. Ryan's in charge of putting first aid on Nicky afterwards, to keep her crime-fighting life a secret from their parents.
Meanwhile, Evan tries to investigate Raymond Tan, wanting to know why a business of his is employing thugs and goons. He gets caught by Raymond's son, Kerwin, who becomes curious about his father's non-business affairs.
Jin tries to reach out to Ryan, apologizing for his and Mei-Li's non-reactions to his coming out. While Ryan is appreciative, he doesn't want to move back in. He's better now, living with Joe.
At Althea's apartment, Ryan and Dennis have set up a laptop to find out what's going on at the fight club. They root for Nicky to go through a tournament so she could face off with the underground operation's main boss.
While Nicky is fighting, Henry goes about a second operation--to take the deer-horn knives from the dojo. In the ring, Nicky imagines Pei-Ling beside her. Cheering her on while she faces different people with different strengths. Telling her that the strengths and weaknesses are both important--because one person's weakness can also be used as their own strength, like how Nicky's small build can allow her to hit lower or drive more power in her hits.
At Althea's apartment, Mei-Li visits wanting her daughter to help with getting Ryan to move back in. Only to catch the livestream of Nicky's fight. Seeing Nicky in action. This makes Mei-Li back away and run. Althea and Ryan become worried.
When Althea and Dennis are left alone, Althea decides to tell Dennis about her experience at Cloudrush. At first Dennis is angry, he wants to strangle Althea's ex-boss himself. But after calming down, Dennis tells Althea that her secret doesn't change the way he feels about her.
The episode ends with Nicky winning the tournament. Henry getting the knives--and evidence that would help shut down the dojo front of the fight ring, preventing them from recruiting more fighters. But when Nicky gets home, Mei-Li is waiting for her. "I saw what you did. At that martial arts tournament." Nicky is perturbed. "That's not the life I wanted for you. But I feel like I pushed you into doing that. Like I pushed your brother into leaving our house. I don't want to push my children away, Nicky. So I'm no longer going to meddle in your lives. Go back to who you wanted to be before I sent you on that arranged-marriage trip three years ago. Get back together with Evan. Go back to law school. Just, please: stop fighting." This leaves Nicky speechless.
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Episode 8: Silence
Happy Dumplings is in trouble. A lawsuit has been filed against the restaurant for discriminating against disabled people. Nicky is immediately able to prove that it's a fraudulent lawsuit designed to shakedown store owners who can't speak in English fluently--but unlike Happy Dumplings, other Chinese businesses in the neighborhood don't have former law school students under their roofs.
Mei-Li encourages Nicky to work with Evan to find out out what's going on with the fraudulent lawsuits, hoping that it will keep Nicky out of the warrior way. Jin confronts his wife with regards to her pushing Nicky towards Evan, when Henry is already helping their daughter move on. Mei-Li tells Jin the truth: she saw Nicky fighting people to save someone. She's scared for their daughter. Jin is confused. What's wrong with having a daughter who knows and is willing to defend others? Mei-Li decides to tell Jin the truth. (Off-screen, because there's a revelation--and it helps story-wise if we find out about it with the main character.)
While Nicky and Evan are busy canvassing the businesses in Chinatown that have received a lawsuit, they get assistance from Ryan and Joe--the latter of whom is working with the San Francisco Disability and Aging Services. None of the lawsuits can stand in court, but some of the business owners have already paid up, wanting to keep their head down and not rock the boat. Nicky and Evan trace the lawsuits back to Triad connections. Evan tells Nicky they need to get the police involved. Nicky, angry at Asians knocking down other Asians, thinks it's time to take measures into their own hands.
With Nicky busy with the fraudulent lawsuits, Henry heads back to Professor Chau's office to find out why he hasn't heard back. He learns that the professor still hasn't returned--so he breaks into the office to take a manuscript that was on loan to the professor. While inside the office, he finds a puzzle box that has a connection to the mystical weapons. He takes it too.
Meanwhile, Althea is roped into a family dinner night with Dennis's family. The dinner gets awkward when Dennis's father brings up the news about Althea's co-worker speaking up about sexual harassment in Cloudrush. Dennis is about to stand up for Althea's co-worker when his mother says the woman is probably just trying to shakedown the boss into giving her money or a higher position. Althea defends her co-worker. Dennis and his sister Chloe sides with Althea. But Mr and Mrs Soong tell them that they're just idealistic. They've had experience with people who use social justice just to get a leg up in the business. That not every victim is a real victim. This forces Althea to speak her truth. That she was a victim too. She just didn't want to say anything because she feared people won't believe her. And she feared right. She walks out. Dennis follows her against his parents' wishes.
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Nicky almost gets in trouble with the Triad, but Evan is there to back her up. He tells her that he will lose his job if they find out what he's doing, and Nicky says that they're helping people--what's wrong with that? They discover that the Triad is now being run by the former boss's son, with the previous head still being in prison. Nicky wants to know why they're shaking down the Asian business owners. The new boss reasons that those business owners benefited from his father's protection for many years--and they turn their back on him when he needed them the most. Nicky tells him that his dad is a jerk who took advantage of people. "And you're worse because you're using important fights to your own gains--which makes it harder for people who are legitimately fighting for their rights to be heard." Nicky lays the smack down on the new boss of the Triad and his men. Evan points to Nicky everything the police will need to shut down the new Triad operations because he has to leave before the cavalry arrives.
Nicky, Althea, and Ryan get together to compare their days. Althea tells her siblings that Dennis's family now knows about her secret. And Dennis is standing by her. But she doesn't know if she has the courage to actually go public with the truth. Ryan breaks the news that he's going to be living on his own for the first time ever, as Joe has accepted a gig that would take him out of San Francisco for a month, because of the work they had done against the fraudulent lawsuits. And Nicky tells them how easy it was for her and Evan to return to their groove. Which makes her a little torn now, because she thinks she has feelings for Henry...but she still has feelings for Evan too.
At the district attorney's office, Evan gets a visit from Sabine. She shows him CCTV footage of Henry breaking into Professor Chau's office. She tells Evan that she's worried that Nicky might have fallen in with the wrong crowd.
And at the end of the episode, Henry brings the puzzle box he stole to Nicky. Nicky recognizes it as having the same puzzle as Pei-Ling's safe at the monastery. She opens the box. There's a jade key inside. And this is when Mei-Li and Jin arrive. Jin tells Nicky that Mei-Li has something important to tell her. Mei-Li sees the jade key in Henry's hand and tells him that he might as well hear what she has to say too. Their family comes from a lineage believed to be descended from a great warrior called Liang Dai-Yu. Mei-Li turns to Nicky: this belief already cost her a sister. She doesn't want to lose a daughter too. She pleads with Nicky; "you can build the life you want, and I won't argue. But please don't follow in my sister's footsteps. Please don't follow the warrior's destiny."
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Episode 9: Isolation
In the last episode of this arc, Nicky wants to find out what happened to the aunt she never knew about. Mei-Li gives her all of Mei-Xue's letters and postcards, and notes that the last postcard came twenty-one years ago. Looking at the postcard, Nicky sees an odd red panda mascot. She searches for it on the internet with Althea's help, and they find out that it's in Canada. In a small town near Vancouver. Nicky invites Henry to go with her to look for Mei-Xue. Mei-Li wants to stop Nicky, but Jin tells her that they have to let Nicky see this through. Maybe meeting Mei-Xue will give her the clarity she needs.
Evan meets with Ryan at the community center, looking for Nicky. Ryan tells him that Nicky and Henry went on a road trip to Canada. Evan is alarmed. Ryan asks if Evan's jealous of Henry. Evan says it's more than that. He believes that Nicky is in jeopardy with Henry. This worries Ryan, so he calls in favors to cover his hospital shifts--as well as his shifts at the community center. He and Evan leave to follow Nicky to Canada.
While on the road, Henry takes Nicky to an old friend--who turns out to be a very sketchy person. Nicky begins to see Henry in a new light, and not a good one. When the old friend sells them out to someone who has it in for Henry, he and Nicky have to fight to get out of there. Henry apologizes to Nicky, and he starts to open up about his past.
Meanwhile, Althea gets targeted by the lawyers of Cloudrush Capital. They want her to sign a non-disclosure agreement for everything that happened to her at the company. Althea refuses. They threaten her career. Althea refuses to sign. This makes her want to stand up against her former boss even more. But first she needs to talk to her parents.
In Vancouver, Evan and Ryan are searching for Nicky. Mei-Li tells them that Nicky was looking for a small town with a red racoon mascot. Evan and Ryan drive towards the only town they could find on Google with red panda mascot and sees that Nicky and Henry have just arrived. Evan is about to accost Henry when Nicky sees the red panda statue from her aunt's last postcard.
After a bit of asking around, Nicky finds Duke--the artist who sculpted the Red Panda--and finds out that he knows Mei-Xue. Duke invites Nicky and Ryan out back to talk about Mei-Xue, leaving Evan and Henry alone. Evan quickly accuses Henry of not being true to Nicky. He shows Henry photos from the cctv footage that caught Henry stealing from Professor Chau's office. Henry tells Evan he can explain. When Nicky returns. But when they realize that they can't hear Nicky, Ryan, or Duke anymore, the two quickly head to the back of the Duke's house--but there's no one there.
Nicky and Ryan are following Duke on a trail. When they reach a certain area, Duke turns against them. He says that Mei-Xue told him that there would be people after her. Duke promised Mei-Xue that he will keep her safe. Nicky and Ryan explain that they really are Mei-Xue's niece and nephew. Nicky even shows the postcard. But Duke doesn't want to believe them. Until Nicky calls Mei-Li, to asks her to talk to Duke. Which finally makes Duke believe. He tells Nicky that he's no longer welcome at Mei-Xue's house, but if they follows his map--they will find what they're looking for.
At home, Althea has already told her parents about what she had gone through Cloudrush Capital. Mei-Li wants to know what Althea wants them to do. She tells them that there's nothing they can do, that they have already done everything she could ever want or need: because they love her and believe her. She just wanted them to know what she had gone through before she goes public. Jin and Mei-Li hug their daughter.
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Nicky and Ryan reach Mei-Xue's house, but it's abandoned. There are clear signs of someone recently fleeing the scene though. Nicky finds journals in the house. She takes photos of the pages. She is about to leave when Ryan finds a photo of Mei-Xue and Mei-Li with their own parents. Ryan recognizes their Wai-gong and Wai-po. Nicky hears something from the back and exits through the kitchen--to find that there's a grave in the yard. A grave with Mei-Xue's face. Nicky calls Mei-Li. "Mom, I've got bad news." Inside the house, Ryan finds a long box that has inscription. "Duke, send this to Mei-Li if something happens to me."
At the end of the episode, Nicky and Ryan reunite with Evan and Henry, apologizing for setting off on their own. Evan then tells them that Henry has something important to say. Henry sighs and comes clean to Nicky: His father was a guardian of one of the eight weapons. He's been helping Nicky because it is his duty to keep the weapons, at least the one that his family was supposed to keep safe, separate from the others.
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goddessofeternity · 3 years
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Love Amidst the Darkness
Chapter 4: Dragleic 
Althea excitedly poked her head out of the carriage as it got closer to the kingdom of Dragleic. Her parents chuckled to themselves watching her excited behavior. It had been quite some time since the royal family had been to Dragleic, frankly they were all excited to be back. Althea sat back in her seat with a giddy smile as she thought about seeing Evelyn again. Her parents were conversing with Marina, who tried to stay calm, but Althea could see her nervously playing with her fingers. Althea sat back in her seat and looked out the window, but couldn’t help but look at Marina from her peripheral vision.
 Althea thought she looked more gorgeous than ever. Marina’s hair was in beautiful red curls today cascading down her back and over her shoulders. Her bright blue eyes were shining beautifully as she talked to the king and queen. Her dress was a pretty blue just a tad bit lighter than her eyes. Her small waist and figure in general were on display and Althea couldn't help but stare. Althea just couldn’t wait to get to the palace and talk to Evelyn about how she was feeling. Honestly it was confusing her a lot. Although, she silently hoped the ride would take longer, so she could look at Marina some more. The ride to Dragleic took three days and they only had a few more hours left, so for Althea that was more than enough time to look.
 “So your family is well Marina?” Queen Hestia asked kindly.
 “Yes very well Your Majesty. I always miss them terribly,” she smiled sadly. “But I don’t know anyone else who would be able to handle our clumsy princess.”
 “M-Marina! I am n-not that clumsy!” Althea cried out, her face turning a deep red. Her parents smiled at her red face as she and Marina engaged in playful banter. Marina just smiled as she continued conversing with the royals. Althea continued to pout the entire way there.
 Dragleic was always a sight to see any time of year. The mountainous kingdom was...majestic. The lush deep forests of the outer areas gave it a mysterious allure. Although, the real reason Dragleic was so majestic was because of the inhabitants. The people were friendly but the real residents were the dragons. Dragleic was the only place in all of Edrion where you could find the beautiful creatures. Althea loved to visit Dragleic because it was always so warm. Althea peeked her head out the carriage window and stared in awe at the giant spire in the square. Most of the dragons nested in the spire, others just flew around the kingdom. Most of the dragons were friendly, although some were not always in the best moods. Althea tried her best to stay away from the ones that were always angry. The marketplace was very crowded today, Althea could only guess because of the arrival of her family. Seeing two royal families together must be quite an amazing sight to the common people, even if it was only for a social visit.
 Althea sat back in her seat as the carriage finally arrived at the bottom of the stairs of the palace. Althea smiled excitedly as her mother and father walked out of the carriage, with her and Marina close by. Althea looked to the stairs at the king and queen and their children and smiled happily. Evelyn was joyfully jumping in place at seeing Althea and Althea practically ran up to hug her.  Althea hugged Evelyn tightly and their parents smiled at their joyous reunion. 
 “Evelyn! I’m so glad to see you again! It’s been months!”
 “We mustn't be apart this long again.”
 Althea smiled happily as she started to converse with Evelyn, they turned away from their parents and started walking into the castle. The girls walked arm and arm together as they caught up with each other.
 “So Evelyn...are you excited about- ow!” Althea stopped walking as her hair was yanked and she stumbled back.
 “Oh...I’m so sorry Althea, but you know how he loves to be mischievous.” Evelyn chuckled as she walked behind Althea. Althea just huffed angrily and crossed her arms.
 “Yes well my hair won’t be able to take much more of it.”
 “Of course,” Evelyn giggled. Althea looked over her shoulder and watched as Evelyn carefully detached her hair from the mouth of a tiny golden dragon. Evelyn lifted the dragon up into her arms and nuzzled his face and kissed his nose. 
 “Come now Perseus….you shouldn't be so mean to Althea all of the time, she is very sensitive.”
 “Thanks Evelyn.”
 “So Althea...I know you have something you wish to discuss with me.” Evelyn smirked petting Perseus on his back.
 “I sometimes forget you are psychic Evelyn,” Althea sighs and rubs her hands together. “C-Can we go somewhere more….um private?”
 “Sure of course,” Evelyn replied, raising an eyebrow. Evelyn held Perseus tighter to her body as he started squirming in her arms. Althea nervously walked behind Evelyn as they walked up the stairs to Evelyn’s room. Althea bit her lip in anticipation as her nerves were getting the best of her. Although, she needn't be worried about what Evelyn would think about her after this. 
 Really, it was her parents she was worried about the most.
 Upon opening Evelyn’s door, both girls were greeted with the sight of Fiona, Evelyn’s younger sister in a bed of feathers. Althea and Evelyn just stared in silence as she squirmed around the bed. Althea snickered a little while Evelyn looked a bit annoyed. Evelyn sighed and cleared her throat and Fiona sat up quickly, her brown hair sticking up everywhere.
 “O-Oh! U-um hello sister….Althea….what are you d-doing here?” Fiona nervously asked, smiling nervously.
 “Well little sister...considering this is my room...I believe my reasonings for coming in here are obvious,” Evelyn sighed as she walked over to pull the feathers out of Fiona's hair. “I think the real question is why are you here in the first place?”
 “Oh well….I um...I left one of my combs in here,” she explained looking down at her hands. “I found it but I tripped over the rugs and onto your bed...and before I knew it...there were feathers everywhere.”
 Evelyn sighed deeply as Althea laughed and Fiona blushed deeply. Althea walked over to Fiona and helped dust the feathers off of her. 
 “Just try to be careful next time Fiona, and try not to trip on any more carpets...you could hurt yourself.” Althea gently chastised as Fiona stood in the doorway.
 “O-Oh yes of course!” Fiona stammered. “I-I have to go now...I will see you both at dinner.”
 Fiona curtsied and scurried out of the room as Althea fell back against Evelyn’s bed. Evelyn carried Perseus over to the window where he curled up under the sunlight. Althea sighed heavily as she stared at the ceiling and her mind wandered off. ‘I should just get this over with’ Althea thought to herself. ‘I only pray to the gods that Evelyn will have some type of council-’
 “So Althea...have you finally realized your attraction to Marina?” Althea sat up sharply with a red face as she looked over at the window. Evelyn sat at the window with a smug look on her face as she stroked Perseus’s scales. Althea frowned deeply as her face got redder when Evelyn started to giggle under her breath. 
 “S-Stop laughing Evelyn! H-How d-do you know that’s what I wanted to discuss?”
 “Oh Althea I’ve known for quite some time that you’ve been having these feelings,” Evelyn smiled. “You have been eyeing women a lot these last few years. I was just paying attention is all. Also...I am psychic.” Althea let out a frustrated sound and threw her face in the pillows. 
 “Not a very ladylike sound for a princess Althea.” Althea just ignored her and did it again. Evelyn giggled again as she crawled into the bed next to Althea and played in her hair.
 “Well?”
 “Well what?”
 “You don’t have anything to say about it?” Althea asked, suddenly getting very embarrassed, feeling Evelyn play in her hair. 
 “No.”
 “Why not?”
 “Because I don’t care.” Evelyn replied honestly looking down at Althea.
 “Y-You don't...care?” Althea asked, feeling like her heart was going to burst.
 “Oh! No Althea not in that way! I mean...um well it was a bit obvious that you felt some type of way about Marina.” Althea sat up in the bed and pouted.
 “N-No it's not! I...I don't even know if these feelings mean anything!”
 “Althea….you've always had a wandering eye when it came to females….myself included.” Evelyn smiled.
 Althea grew incredibly quiet as she thought about it. There were times where she did wonder about girls. Evelyn was very beautiful and smart, and she had known her for quite a long time . Although, Evelyn had been nothing more than a good friend to her. Marina….Marina was different she was kind, beautiful, smart and Althea couldn't stop thinking about her most days. Marina was special, that much was certain.
 “W-What should I do?” Althea asked. “I don't know what would happen if someone found out I have these feelings. I don't know what my parents will say or do.”
 “Althea...you should at least try...it won't hurt to try.” Althea bit her bottom lip in deep thought as she contemplated telling her parents. The prospect was scary enough, but how would Marina take it? Would she resent her? Or would she laugh and tell her she was being silly? Or worst of all...leave her all alone in the palace without a friend? Same sex marriages were allowed in Melodia, but as the princess it would be immediately frowned upon. If the entire kingdom found out she’d be shunned as an embarrassment to her family. She couldn’t take the throw with a wife. An heir was necessary for the line of succession. There were too many risks and she wasn’t sure if she was willing to take them. Marina leaving would devastate her.
 “I...I don’t think I will...at least not now.”
 “Hmm that’s fine...there really is no rush.”
 Althea smiled sadly at her and twirls her hair around her finger nervously. Evelyn sighs and sits back in her bed.
 “Is there something else Althea?”
 “U-Um well...it’s...it’s about my birthday next year…” Althea sighs deeply. “A few days ago...my mother told me that...she and my father will be announcing my fiancé at the ball.”
“Oh...that’s why you look like you’re going to have a breakdown…” Evelyn smiled a bit, as Althea bit her bottom lip. “Althea….”
 “Evelyn please! I already know what you will say! You will tell me what everyone does!” Althea cried out tears in her eyes. “That I have a duty to my kingdom and my people! That I must uphold the laws of Melodia! I want to do what I wish! I want to fall in love and be as happy as my parents! I-It’s not f-fair Evelyn...I-I just want to find my own happiness…”
 “.....”
 “I-I’m sorry Evelyn...I-I just….I-I’m sorry.” Althea cries out, rubbing the tears from her eyes. Evelyn reaches out and gently caresses Althea’s cheek and wipes away her tears. Althea leans into her arms and cries into her chest. Evelyn silently comforts her and pats her head.
 “You will make the right choice Althea...I believe in you.”
 “I-I hope so...I really do….”
Althea absentmindedly picked at her food with her fork. Her eyes were still a little bit red, and her mother picked up on it and her behavior right away. Queen Hestia narrowed her eyes as she watched Althea drift off into her own world. Of course King Kyros didn’t notice because he was too consumed in his conversation with King Zacharias. Queen Hestia took notice that she wasn’t the only one who noticed her daughter's distress. Althea’s handmaiden was also looking at Althea in deep concern. Marina was such a sweet girl to Althea, and Althea would talk about her constantly. Queen Hestia would have to speak to Althea after dinner...she was being very rude, although Queen Hestia figured she probably wasn’t trying to on purpose...it still didn’t change the-
 “Right Your Majesty?”
 “Huh? I...yes?”
 Queen Ophelia smiled kindly at her and giggled quietly. Queen Ophelia could clearly see that Queen Hestia was distracted and worried about her daughter. Queen Ophelia often felt that way about her daughters. Queen Ophelia looked over at their husbands and sighed but looked back at her friend.
 “I said that I have a feeling that this pregnancy will be a struggle but you know what I mean right?” Queen Ophelia smiled kindly as she rubbed her still growing stomach. Queen Ophelia was heavily pregnant with the couple's fourth child. Queen Hestia suspected this one would be their last one.
 “Yes I know exactly what you mean...Althea just didn’t want to make it easy for me at all,” Queen Hestia laughed as she sipped her drink. “It was a very long night...but it was all worth it in the end. To see her beautiful little face.”
 “Yes, the birth of one's child always is the world's greatest joy.” Queen Ophelia smiled down at her stomach and looked down the table at her husband and daughters. Her daughters of course were a wonderful mix of different personalities. 
 Princess Evelyn the oldest at 15 with her blonde hair and calm blue eyes was calm and collected and a bit spacey at times, but her psychic abilities made up for her spaciness. Princess Fiona the middle child at 12 with her brown hair and blue eyes was exceptionally beautiful, but exceptionally shy and quiet. Her affinity with dragons is widely talked about around the kingdom. Princess Aileen, the youngest currently at 5 with her bouncy pale blonde curls and cheerful blue eyes was a struggle for her parents as she was very hyperactive and could not sit still for long. Queen Ophelia would have her fourth child in at least another two months, and she was starting to look very restless.
 Queen Hestia looked over at her own daughter and smiled sadly. Althea had finally gotten out of her little stupor and was in a quiet conversation with Marina and Princess Evelyn and Fiona. Althea had lost her usual cheerfulness and had become quite quiet and she looked a bit sad. Queen Hestia knew it was about her birthday celebration and the duties that would come with it. She knew that her daughter was passionate and had the same girlish dreams that every teenage girl would have, of a happy life wearing beautiful gowns and dancing her nights away waiting for her Prince Charming and falling in love. To live happily ever after and be in so much love. 
 She wanted nothing more than to bring her only child happiness. Although, weren't she and Kyros unintentionally driving their daughter into a deep sadness? Would this mean Althea was beginning to resent her parents for their decision? The laws of Melodia were very clear and she had to marry when she became of age. Queen Hestia felt sadder and sadder as she watched the dejected look on her daughter's face.
 King Kyros, as if sensing his wife's distress tore his eyes away from King Zacharias and stared into his wife's purple eyes. She looked at him deeply troubled and he gave her a gentle look. She hesitantly smiled back but she couldn’t shake the feeling that she had failed.
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angelicdestieldemon · 3 years
Text
Yours
SHIP: Barson
Request: Soulmate AU
Rafael Barba’s daemon settled on a Tiger out of the blue when he was thirteen. Luna had never turned into an animal bigger than a husky her entire life until one morning Rafael woke up with a tiger trying to curl up on his chest. To say he had nearly screamed the house down would be the understatement of the year. Rafael expected her to change back into something smaller, but she never did, his father had been proud for the first time in Rafael’s life; telling Rafael that at least his daemon wasn’t such a softie like him.
At first, Rafael couldn’t figure out why the perfect representation of his should was a tiger but as he got older, he began to understand. He found himself almost fearless in the eye of danger and although he never had to fight physically (he had Eddie to protect him) he did learn to challenge those bigger than him and be able to win. He learned to remain calm and pounce at the right moment when to turn away and lick his wounds until he rose through the ranks and became the man his grandmother always knew he could be.
Luna bickered with him all the time, sometimes he swore he looked mad if everyone else around him wasn’t doing the exact same thing. The thing with daemons was everyone could see them but only you and your soulmate could speak to them. No one had ever spoken with Luna but him, sometimes he thinks that’s for the best when she tells him off for acting to rashly or being too rude, or for letting someone hurt him she never trusted.
Luna understood his distaste for soulmates, his mother and father were soulmates and all that man ever did was hurt her. But even still, she always told him not to give up, that he would find someone someday that would treat him right. But as he got older and Luna had still never been able to have a conversation with anyone but him, even she was beginning to doubt the whole thing.
Until one day, Captain Harris introduced Rafael to Olivia Benson. Luna was standing by Rafael’s side, remaining quiet, watching as Rafael flirted with the two women he was introduced to before he was then rude to them both, interrupting them, acting cocky as he always defaulted to when meeting new people. But Luna was Rafael’s soul, and she could see that flare of something when he looked at Olivia Benson.
Luna had a feeling she knew what this meant, but she also knew that if she told Rafael he would run as far as possible in the other direction. So, she said nothing, the lion by Olivia’s side circled Luna their feline eyes meeting, and Luna felt like the lion knew what she was thinking because the lion did the same and stayed completely silent during the exchange. So, Rafael’s soulmate was as skittish as he was, no wonder they were meant to be.
--
Luna and Althea wait for their humans to bond, remaining silent around the other, allowing them to grow closer and closer until regardless of soulmates, Olivia and Rafael begin to fall for each other. Once it starts though, the two are like a snowball on a hill, their falling in love, that love growing every moment until it's undeniable to everyone around them.
Except them of course.
Rafael and Olivia are in love with each other and neither of them knows it and if their daemons weren’t so invested on letting them find out on their own, they would just scream at their humans to open their eyes.
--
Rafael got shot on a Tuesday, a fairly ordinary Tuesday, he woke up to a text from Liv wishing him luck in court, he got coffee at the little café around the corner that knew his order and had it ready for him when he came in. Carmen sent him his schedule for the day, and he went to court. He won the trial, sent a rapist to jail and was on his way out the courthouse to meet Liv for a celebratory lunch.
And then there was pain, then he felt cold, people were standing over him and then there was darkness.
Before he passed out, only one thing was on his mind, a regret… he should have told her.
--
Liv hears the gunshot, but couldn’t tell which direction it came from, the sound bouncing off the buildings until it could have come from anywhere. Her first thought is Rafael, she calls him, but he doesn’t answer, she tries not to worry, he always forgets to turn his phone back on after court.
“Courthouse,” Althea tells her and Liv feels her heart lurch.
They run to the courthouse, a few blocks away just in time to see an ambulance race away in the direction of the nearest hospital. There is blood on the steps, and Liv looks for his face in the crowd but doesn’t find it.
Olivia runs to the top of the steps and asks a security guard what happened.
“Gunman came out of nowhere and just shot this guy on his way down the steps,” the guard responds, his face pale and she can see clear as day that he is shaken by the whole ordeal, Althea not doing much to put him at ease, his own dog cowering away from the big cat.
“Do you know who was shot?” She asks praying that it’s not Rafael, she feels guilty for saying it, but she couldn’t bear to lose him without telling him how she feels.
She’s wasted so much time.
“It was of the ADA’s; you know the one in the snappy suits.”
Liv almost collapses there and then; her knees struggling to hold her up but somehow, she remains standing. She asks him which hospital he was taken to and before he can even finish his sentence she and Althea are rushing back to her car and driving to the hospital.
Liv lies to the receptionist, telling her that Rafael is her unbonded soulmate, she doesn’t believe it will work but after a few moments, the receptionist shows her through to the waiting room. She’s told Rafael is in surgery and they don’t know if he will make it but she sits there and waits.
Althea reminds her to text Lucy to hold on to Noah, explaining that she doesn’t know when she will get home. Lucy understands and tells her not to worry about Noah and focus on Rafael.
The second's tick by, every minute feeling like an hour until the worry made her fall asleep, Althea staying awake sitting in front of her human.  Eventually, Liv is woken by Althea as a doctor walks into the waiting room, she can’t see his expression behind the mask, and she walks over to meet him.
“How is he?”
“Resting, the surgery went well, he lost a lot of blood, but he will pull through. You can go through to see him shortly.”
Olivia almost collapsed in relief; he was ok. When Rafael was settled in his room, Olivia was shown through by a nurse, he looked so small lying in the bed, Luna lying at the foot of the bed, her head raising but when she sees Liv and Althea she lowers is back on to her paws.
Liv takes the seat beside Rafael and finds herself taking his hand between her own, when he wakes an hour or so later, he’s groggy and in pain so she gets the nurse to help ease his discomfort. Luna places a paw on his thigh, and he reaches down trying not to pull his stitches to stroke softly along her paw, the tiger purring softly.
“How are you feeling?” Rafael tilts his head towards where she is sitting, the medication making his expression so much softer and carefree.
“Like I’ve been shot,” the snark was still there at least, and she finds herself smiling despite her worry.
“I thought I was going to lose you,” she confides, her hands gripping his tighter.
He smiles, looking at her with tired green eyes that still manage to sparkle like emeralds in the harsh hospital light.
“I’m not going anywhere, Liv. I’m afraid you’re stuck with me…” she doesn’t respond verbally, instead of standing and cupping his jaw to him softly.
She breaks away long enough to see the expression of happiness on his face before kissing him again.
“I love you, Rafael Barba, don’t ever do this to me again.”
“She says that like it’s his fault he got shot,” Luna can’t help herself and doesn’t realise what she’s done until Althea nudges her paw with her head.
“Well done, genius,” Althea scolds, Luna looks confused before looking back to the two humans who are staring at them, before looking back at each other.
“Did you-” They said at the same time, cutting each other off.
“Soulmates?” Rafael asks, struggling to come up with any more words than that.
“Soulmates.” Olivia nods, grin matching his before kissing him again.
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theycallmequeenie · 4 years
Text
Lexie And Happy
Master List
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
Part Six
Part Seven
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WARNING: Explicit language is used in this part and may not be suitable for some readers.
Lexie didn’t know where she was going, just that she was going. She simply allowed her feet to take her wherever they saw fit to take her, and before she realized it she was outside the town’s cemetery. Shrugging she thought to herself that this would be the best place to collect her thoughts and that she could finally pay her respects to Opie and Jax. She missed those two something fierce and now would be as good a time as any to go talk with her ‘boys’ as she jokingly called them growing up.
Finding the two headstones wasn’t hard for her. It seemed as if her heart lead her right to them. They were, of course, buried side by side. Something that made complete sense to Lex since those boys were all but inseparable when they were alive. Kneeling down between the two stones she started a one-sided conversation with her two friends that were like older brothers to her.
She filled them in on all the things she had did and dealt with over the years that she hadn’t really told anyone other than Tig. She set there and just talked to her ‘boys’ and tried to center herself in doing so. She made sure to tell them how much she missed them both and how she wished they were still here that she really needed them right now because she wasn’t sure how to comprehend what she had just done.
Meanwhile, back at Happy’s house the three men were still mid argument when Rat called from TM wondering where everybody was. This prompted a string of curses from all three men. Happy went to his room to get Lex and go to the garage for work only to realize she was missing. Yelling for Tig the two men quickly tried to figure out where she had gone.
Tig had called Venus, Chibs had called Althea, and Happy had simply took off to look for her, determined to find her quickly. He scoured the little town of Charming but to no avail. He hadn’t found Lex anywhere, so he decided to go back to the club house and let her uncle take a crack at looking for her.
Tig had been making frantic calls hoping Lex hadn’t bolted on them again, doing his best to figure out where she went, then it dawned on him like someone whispered in his ear where she might be. Tig took off to check without really saying anything to anyone. Leaving his brothers very confused.
 Tig jumped into the TM tow truck and drove off hoping he still knew his niece like he once had. When she was younger and she need to center herself, she would turn to Jax and Opie. ‘With any luck that was still that case’, he thought as he sped off toward the town’s cemetery.
Pulling up he could see Lex at the stones with her back toward the small roadway that wound its way around the cemetery. He stopped the truck and simply watched his niece as she talked to the two headstones and brushed off the dirt that was on them. After waiting a few minutes, he decided to get out of the truck and slowly make his way over to Lex. He placed a had gently on her shoulder once he had gotten to her to let her know he was there waiting her to speak first.  
She had jumped slightly, not expecting anyone to come up behind her. She looked up at her uncle with a tear stained face. Tig nodded and helped her off the ground. He had wanted her to speak first but he knew now that if she tried all that would come out was a sob, so he wrapped her up in a hug and whisper in her ear, “I know, Sweetheart. I miss them too.” He held her there and did his best to help her collect her composure before suggesting that they needed to head to the garage. He also mentioned something about Hap being in a minor panic about her just disappearing. To that Lex shook her head and agreed that it was time for her visit to come to an end.
Tig walked his niece to the tow truck with his arm around her shoulders knowing that she needed him, and the contact comforted her. Climbing into the truck with him behind her making her she didn’t slip. The ride to TM was a quiet one, Lex was lost in her thoughts and Tig was trying to keep an eye on her and drive both.
Tig let the ride be quiet for the first few minutes before speaking, “Can I ask why you bolted earlier, Lex? You scared the hell out of all of us, Kid.” As Tig spoke they had come to a stop at a red light and he looked over at her searching for an answer.
Lex sighed and frowned as she spoke to her Uncle, “ You three were fighting and I couldn’t handle it because I knew you were fighting because of me and what I had done, even if it was in self defense. I think Chibs was on to something. I come home and all hell breaks loose. Maybe… maybe I should just go back east after I get the shop back to its former glory.” Lex looked down at her hands in her lap knowing the expression on Tig’s face would be one of hurt.
And she was right. They were moving again, and he went silent and finished the ride that way. They finally arrived at the lot and Lex had barely let Tig park the truck before jumping out and heading into the garage’s office. Completely bypassing Happy who had jumped up form his seat and was heading for her but stopped short as she slammed the office door.
Happy and Chibs both met Tig in the middle of the lot and they proceeded to start arguing again, but this time Tig was the one to start it. Shoving Chibs back a step or two and laying into him about what Lex had said in the truck.
“I told you Asshole! I told you what you said got into her head! It took me over ten years to get her back home and she’s already talking about leaving again because of what you fucking said to her this morning!” Tig screamed at his president not out of anger at the man but because the fact that his niece wanted to leave her home again and it hurt him. Happy looked at his brothers alarmed and grunted out a “what?”, before turning and running to the office to talk to Lex in the hopes of convincing her to stay. He couldn’t let her leave him again.
Lex could hear the two men yelling outside even with the office door shut, though it didn’t stay that way for long. Happy stormed in and all but cornered Lex in the office demanding to know exactly what she had said and where the hell she had been.
Lex, wide eyed from him storming in, “Well from what I could hear you already know what I told my uncle, Hap.” She was not okay with the fact Happy had her cornered but did her best to focus on the argument at hand.
Happy Huffed in frustration, “So what? You were just going to bail on me again?” He had a wild look in his eyes he was upset and was letting it show. “Do you have any idea of the hell I went through after you bailed the first time?! Damn Alexandra! Why the hell did you even come back if you were just to leave me again? Why let me get my damn hopes, of having a life with the woman I love, up? If you hadn’t planed on staying what the hell did you come back for?” His voice finally cracked with his last question. Lex was always one he was able to let his guard down around and let his emotions show through the rough heartless exterior.
“When I came back Hap, I hadn’t planned on things going bat shit the moment I set foot inside the town limits, Hap! Christ, the last 48 hours have been insane even for SAMCRO standards! I was attack by some crazed Mayan. Who decided it was a good idea to shred my clothes I had on and probably do worse, that my fearless hero’s were suppose to keep contained but couldn’t? The bastard got away and tried to fucking kill you, to which I ended up,” she paused and whispered the next part, “killing him…” She was shaking at this point finally overwhelmed by it all. “What the hell else am I supposed to think. Shit was finally calm for you boys. I come home and look…” She gently nudged Hap out of the way as she headed for the office chair to sit down. “I’m sorry Happy. I don’t possess the ware with all to deal with all of this anymore.”
He was angry at the whole situation, “Little Girl, I don’t know why the shit storm picked up when you came home but I sure as hell know you aren’t responsible for it. Just our craptastic luck letting us know its still lingering.” He reached for her hand and pulled her back up out of the chair and pulled her into a tight embrace. “Please don’t leave me again, Little Girl.” His voice was soft and shaky. He knew the possibility was real and his heart ached knowing it. Feel her hold onto him just as tightly eased the fear slightly. He gently pulled back to look into her eyes, “So where exactly did you end up Lex? I looked everywhere I could think of for you.”
She gave him sheepish smile, “Guess it was the one place you hadn’t thought to look.” She paused just long enough for him to give her an annoyed look before speaking again in a serious tone, “I went to see my boys and try to clear my head, Hap.”
Happy nodded. She wasn’t home when they had lost Opie and Jax and he knew that those calls from Tig had to break her. She loved those two like they were brothers and they loved and protected her like she was their sister. Happy kissed her forehead, “You want to go with me to stop those two outside from killing each other or you want me to go handle it?”
She smiled at the sign of affection and shook her head, “Can you? I really need to get this place opened up for the day.” She paused and watched him nod and start to turn to go handle Tig and Chibs, “Hap.” He paused at hearing his name and looked at her eyebrows raised in a questioning manner, she smiled softly, looking him in the eye and spoke from the heart, “I love you.”
He grinned at her, “Love you too, Little Girl.” He murmured as he gave her another quick kiss, this time one the cheek and walked out to break up the two arguing men. As he exited the office, he purposely left the door open so that Lex was able to see what was going on and she did watch the three men interact as Happy separated the two men, who were still arguing, but now it over little random things. Which made her chuckle to herself and think that was exactly why Tig was driving the argument that direction.
She leaned in the doorway and continued to watch as Tig and Happy walked toward the club house and Chibs was walking toward her. She sighed and knew that he was going to gun for her sooner or later. Guess it was going to be sooner. She stepped away from the door and sat down in the chair and waited for the seemingly rabid Scotsman to get to her. She had just picked up her pen when he stepped into the office and cleared his throat. Without even looking up from the paperwork she spoke, “Yes, Mister Telford? What can I do for you this time?” She didn’t try to hide her annoyance with the man. “Let me guess I’m causing more problems…”
Chibs all but growled in his own annoyance toward the woman. Speaking in his thick Scottish brogue, “No, I was actually here to apologize for earlier, I was an arse to you. I was taking the stress of the situation out on you.”
Lex turned around and the look on the man’s face was comparable to that of a petulant child being forced to apologize for acting out at a family gathering. She placed her pen on the desk and devoted her full attention to the man, “So was that my uncle pulling those strings or Happy? ‘Cause you would never do that of your own doing Telford. You are far too proud a man for that, you and I both know it.”
He grunted and sat on the couch that was against the opposite wall. “Ya know, you were always way too smart for your own good, Girlie.” She spoke with a chuckle. He paused for a moment before continuing, “It was both of them, actually, but I truly was out of line earlier. Can ya forgive me, Darlin’?”
Lexie rolled her eyes at the man and nodded. “Though we never really got along all that great, you were always easy to read. At least for me. I get the stress levels are high because of the chaos of the last couple days. I’ve never really taken kindly to shit out of my control being taken out on me. Can we try to avoid that in the future?” She spoke matter-of-factly and honestly.
Chibs grumbled but nodded. Standing he held out his arm and asked Lex to accompany him to the club house to show the other two they had made up and are being civil with each other. She agreed but wouldn’t take his hand but followed him instead.
To Be Continued….
Part Nine
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Text
An Ephemeral Eternity in Seven Parts - Steve Rogers x Reader.
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I cannot even begin to apologize for my absence but life happens when you least expect it to. I don’t know if this piece of writing is that good but it has been itching my head so... here it goes. I can’t promise to be more active but I can promise that I will never really leave this community because some stories are worth to be told.  Warnings: Gifs as always are not mine. My English should also be a warning. Sorry people. That’s about it.  MASTERLIST Word Count ~ 3k. 
PART I
It had always been pretty simple. One, two, kill, calm down, repeat. She had learnt that fighting back only meant more pain and she couldn't take any more. They had been using her as a weapon, she knew it. They had been treating her like a soulless machine - that was what they wanted to see, that was exactly what she let them believe. Despite her twenty two years, she had been their most valuable asset - the world's best assassin with a hint of seductiveness in her full lips, a lethal combination for a spy. All it took was a mission gone wrong and she ended up in one of Strucker's cells being experimented on. HYDRA had wiped her memory more than once to ensure she had no idea of her past. Instead of knowing her real name, she was led to believe that she had none. Instead of remembering that she had been taken away from her mother when she was five, she just knew she had no mother - which, for the record, was true, since they had erased everything when they killed her. Instead of seeing a friend in James face, she once had seen a mission. They had messed up with her mind and that was something she could never forgive.  All the pain had come rushing back when she looked into his eyes. They had sent her to trigger the Winter Soldier but once she saw him, she remembered all the times she had done the same before. They had used her because he trusted her the most, even after all the wipes of both of their memories. Ending up where she ended up was to be expected. And she had made her choice. She had helped him escape.  She didn't know what day it was, time was meaningless because she simply waited for the next experiment, the next day, the last one even. But that wasn't what the Fates had planned for her. With a loud thud, one of the walls came crushing down, barely missing her body. She would have jumped away if it wasn't for the pair of handcuffs keeping her trapped and still.  "You said two" someone was yelling to... no one. Out of the blue, he appeared next to her as she tried to remain silent. She knew him, of course she did. Everyone did. His eyes fell upon the handcuffs but with one swift move he cut them off using his shield. He scanned her and while he saw all the signs of an assassin, he also saw the bruises and the blood, the fear in her eyes. She would have thought that this was a trap but he wasn't her. He was better.  "We got one more. Enhanced?" he asked her all of the sudden and for the first time she actually looked at his eyes. She had been in a haze for way too long to be able to answer what she didn't know.  "I don't know" she echoed indeed like a soulless machine. Maybe they had been successful with her. Maybe she had become that weapon. He saw her distress and felt deeply sorry for whatever she had been through.  "Fire up the Jet, people" he said to whatever gear connected him to his team. Without any warnings, he picked her up and carried her out until she passed out in his arms, feeling a bit safer- maybe for the first time.
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She felt the exhaustion claiming her essence but she refused to give in this time. Feeling the burning sensation in her arm, the cold surface she was laying on top and hearing soft whispers she abruptly opened her eyes. She expected a white room that would resemble a hospital but she was surprised when she realized she was in big room with the heavy dark curtains closed and just enough light to see but not to blind her. Her first instinct was to run but she forced herself to remain calm and give away nothing. Six pair of eyes were looking at her with many questions as she understood. She was in no place to argue with what they wanted. "I have the results, sir" an otherworldly voice startled her. It did not belong to any of them, she noticed. She slowly realized that those six people were the infamous Avengers. As she got up, she ripped off the tubes and needles of her arm without even flinching, which scared them.  "So, who is the nutcase, Jarvis?" Tony asked. If she didn't know any better she would have disagreed like Steve tried to. She remained silent, eager to know who she really was. "Your biological daughter, sir". It had always been more difficult when the silence was absolute - it was ringing, echoing in her mind. The air stood still and her breath had been caught in the back of her throat. It fell heavy upon her shoulders, like the night's wings upon the world. She had been robbed of her memories. She thought it would hurt less, exactly because she didn't know but she was wrong. She had been many things in her life but it had never been for long, always playing roles. She had chose to mutilate her emotions to survive and all those years were coming back to haunt her. Perhaps the saddest part of all, was how she had denied herself the feeling of carelessly falling into love, because she always felt, deep within her heart, that no one would never come to love her for what she was. "Her mother?" Tony suddenly asked his A.I. with a hint of acceptance in his voice. "All I could find was a name, sir. Althea" Jarvis informed the room and her eyes opened wide. Fractured pictures were flooding her head, making her dizzy and unable to stand. A strong arm stabilized her, supporting her by her waist. In all honesty, she expected Steve - or she hoped, she wasn't sure - just to be surprised when Tony helped her sit down. "A one-night-stand mistake huh?" she weakly joked causing a small smile to appear on Tony's face. What she hadn't notice was his blue eyes watching her carefully, trying to figure out what kind of trouble she would cause him. The greatest one of all, he thought. After many, many talks with Tony, they had both realized that they were indeed related. She still couldn't remember many things but he tried his best to help her. Maybe they weren't in the father-daughter relationship yet, but they were good. He had even renovated an entire wing for her to feel more comfortable and peaceful. A capacious bedroom, that was painted in a soft lilac color which she found soothing with a double bed covered with a silver duvet and her wooden, a big desk that was placed right beneath a window, with a cutting-edge technology computer resting on top of it. The wall she loved the most was the one her eyes fell upon when she laid on the bed. It was entirely made of glass and she could see the night sky and the city lights that spread like lava. He had always been extra, but this time he went full on; she was his daughter after all.  Bruce had been helping her with her memory and vitals while still trying to unlock her powers that came with all the exposure she had to something beyond his understanding, Natasha and Clint had tried to train her but they ended up trying to keep up with her, Thor was flirting with her in an innocent way and Steve... well, he was difficult to decode. Sometime he would train with her, sometimes he would talk to her and other he would ignore her completely. She didn't judge him. They all had fallen into a routine that worked. She had even met Pepper who had assured her many times that she wasn't an obstacle between her and Tony.  When things seemingly settled down for a while, Tony decide that a get-together party would be beneficial for all. Besides never having her own room, she had never been to a party before, something that didn't come as a surprise to the Avengers. However, the fact that she had studied and even gotten a PhD did shock them but it had an easy explanation. The more a spy knew, the better. After a long day in the gym, she finally entered her room, noticing the dress bag that sat on her bed but made a bee-line to the bathroom which had a bathtub that sunk lower than the floor level, creating the ever so relaxing illusion of a small hammam. The three out of the four walls were painted in a pastel gray color and the fourth was made out of wood, recreating a more natural environment along with many indoors plants.  Taking her time, she filled the bathtub with water and even threw in a bath bomb. Being a Stark had started growing on her and she liked that. Maybe it wasn't all about materialism but it was nice to know that for once in her life food, water and warmth were a given. She had never been able to enjoy bath time before. James's face haunted her, a quiet but strong voice urging her to remember. Until she did and for a solid minute she didn't move. She knew she had to talk to Steve. Later.
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Trusting Pepper and Natasha, she swallowed her awkwardness and walked down the stairs in a floor-length, black dress with a daring slit revealing her right leg up to her thigh, a dangerously low cut back and a very tempting v-line. Her hair was up in a bun and she wore the necklace Tony had picked up for a her. Nothing was entirely new - she had been an enchantress before. This time, however, was different. She wasn't a spy, she was a friend and a daughter. Her eyes immediately fell upon Steve, who was breathtaking. An itchy bitchy crush? Yeah, that was exactly what it was... He gave her a smile but his eyes roamed her figure. Sure, he knew she was beautiful since he found her in that cell.. what he saw now, that wasn't just beauty.  "Hey Nat. Make me something strong?" she pleaded her friend making the red-haired woman laugh while complying to her wish. She was oblivious to Steve's look - he couldn't take his eyes off of her, something that didn't go unnoticed by Thor.  "If you don't go to her, I will" he simply commented, causing Steve to blush. He tried to brush it off but the Asgardian God was serious. He went to talk to her. Was that feeling jealousy Steve wondered.  "Lady Y/N. You look magnificent as always" he flirted with her. She was not used to it but before she could answer, Steve was cockblocking them, making Natasha snort.  "You look nice" he said stuttered. Smooth, he thought and mentally slapped himself. "You look... alive, for a man your age" she informed him, casually sipping her drink. That earned her a loud applause from Tony and a remark for everyone to hear. "Yup. Right there, she is my kid. Runs in the family" said with a smirk. "Thanks" she whispered and made her way out to the balcony. Not a moment later, Steve joined her in a perfectly serene scene. At least, it was quiet. She lighted a cigarette, a new found habit that he condemned. He was taking notice of how exactly she smoked, the long drags, the rich smoke coming out of her mouth whenever she exhaled. Oh, that mouth.  "Sorry about that. I am not good with dames-ladies" his soft, kind of apologetic voice informed her. She chuckled lightly. Both of them leaned on the metal railway, she was looking at the sky, he was looking at her. "You are not. Definitely not good with women, Rogers. But you're definitely good with people" she assured him in a confident tone. "But Thor is, right? Good with women?" he shyly asked. She had heard that type of jealousy before. She thought that Steve wasn't capable of such a feeling. But, alas. "You are fierce in the softest way possible; brave in the sense that you are so unapologetically human. Overflowing with love like a pair of eyes at a funeral; so much to give, turning corner after corner waiting for someone to take. You could easily belong in Paris; the city brimming with delicate beauty, a place where it’s safe to be as full of uncontrollable love as you are. You could sit outside tiny cafes and watch the sunrise over the Eiffel Tower, with a serene smile. That fucking smile; I could sketch a hundred times your face when you see something worth looking at. You are  dangerous. Like a painting come to life" he though but the words never came out. "I have always preferred monsters to Gods. Monsters don’t hide their ugly behind a veneer of perfection. They don’t pretend piety and benevolence when their intention is to devour. You can see a monster for who he is. I have never been able to say that about a God" she naturally told him, eyes harvesting the sights of the night sky.  "So do you know yet?" he went on, trying to stay in tune with her soft but fierce tone.  "Know what?" she asked him, momentarily forgetting everything else but his eyes. "If you are the monster…or the God" he deadpanned, locking his eyes with hers, wanting to find that spark of promise he had seen the first time he met her. He was also looking for that lie she had been telling herself over and over again. "I am a monstrous God" she told him with a sinful smile while her eyes made that thin line between them so blur. He chuckled but it was dark and promising. "And I think you're lying" he said in a hushed tone as he stepped closer to her. She was staring away again. He was staring at her. His eyes grew softer but there was something in them that screamed in agony. "Friends don't lie to each other" she commented, slightly hinting at her first word. He thought about it for a moment, but who was he trying to fool if not himself. "So you are lying" he easily suggested as his breath hit her face and her heart jumped at the realization. She could feel the tension growing because she was aware of her feelings. Which she hid. For so damn long. "You and I.. are we friends?" he asked her, not knowing where exactly they stood. The line had been crossed too many times and he could never tell. They both knew the answer. "What else could we be, Steve?" she was starting to question everything. "I am tired of the hide and seek game. You're not my friend Steve. I don't want you to be. But these emotions I feel, are fractions scattered across my mind. I try to pick up pieces, make them all fit together, but I don’t know how to make them whole again" but she swallowed them.  He chose not to answer. He didn't want to lie. She was fighting herself in that one. She wanted to be free. "Wanna go for a ride?" she breathed out before she backed down. He didn't believe his ears. He chuckled but his smile only grew bigger. "Only if I drive" he insisted. She rolled her eyes but smiled too, nodding her head in agreement. Making their way through the crowd, they did not leave unnoticed. Natasha smiled and turned to Bruce, Tony was not liking it but Pepper grabbed him away.She was craving this, one night as a normal person, enjoying life with someone quite enjoyable as well. She had never had a day off, she never had a chance to be free. And he needed it too.  He hopped into his motorcycle, offering her the helmet just to have her reject it. He didn't push it. She climbed behind him and he caught with the corner of his eye, her now naked leg. "Where to?" he softly asked her. She leaned forward and whispered to his ear, sending shivers down his spine. "Does it matter?". No it didn't. They both enjoyed running around the city, aimlessly with the wind against their faces and their worries not fast enough to catch up with them. She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her palms on his chest, her head in the crook of his neck. His heart was beating out of its cavity, he knew that. But he couldn't care at all.
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[Since it had been a while, anyone who wants to be tagged is welcome to tell me so! Taglist: @accio-rogers​ @coffee-with-orion​ ]
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