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bklynmusicnerd · 6 months

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"Yeah, but in a relationship, any relationship. It's important to let the other person know you appreciate them so that you don't create barriers that delay any hope for reciprocation" - Jess Mariano (Gilmore Girls)

I originally wrote this GG quote down because I thought it'd be good for an analysis of Spencer's daddy issues but I feel like there's probably endless discussions about Spencer's trauma going on right now, so I'm repurposing it for some analysis on Trina's repressed trauma and how that coincides with her character archetype of classical heroine.

I think it's important to discuss that Trina's perspective in that argument (possible precursor breakup lol), while far more logical than Spencer, was also just as shaped by her trauma as Spencer's pov was.

I landed on classical heroine as Trina's archetype because it felt the closest to how she's perceived and treated by the characters around her. Trina is characterized as wise beyond her years, deeply empathetic, intelligent, selfless, and brave/proactive.

Whenever characters in Trina's orbit describe her as "special" or "extraordinary", they're typically referring to one of these classical heroine elements she exhibits. It keeps coming back to what Taggert said, she's the daughter of a healer and a strategist but at her core, Trina is a rescuer who leads with her heart and wants to save the world.

Trina's desire (or maybe even compulsion 👀) to save shapes every single one of her relationships. All classical heroine descriptions come down to the core elements of bravery and sacrifice. First thing about Trina that Spencer falls in love with? Her bravery when she chases him out of the gallery. What Trina was actually doing at the gallery? Prioritizing checking on Ava over her graduation party because she wanted to make sure she was okay. Sacrifice. I'm zeroing in on these two qualities for Trina's archetype because they speak to how Spencer perceives Trina (both the good and the bad of that) and they speak to what Trina convinces herself she's obligated to do for the people she cares about. Trina's idea of love is rooted in sacrifice. It's something that keeps coming up for her. She always goes back to utilitarianism, the greater good.

She puts her desires/needs last, especially if she thinks doing so will make the people she loves happy. She absolutely views that as a method of saving people. It also often becomes a method of avoiding the reality that the trauma she experiences impacts her. For Trina, her trauma is an inconvenience, a nuisance, a burden. Her default is to be the steady and stable presence for others.

The second Spencer framed this entire demon spawn situation as "protecting his baby brother" and started flipping out over his inability to do so, Trina went into sacrifice mode for him. She decided that she could endure retriggering herself with the entire Esme situation and how helpless she felt during her drugging and framing, if it meant "saving" Spencer and his demon spawn brother. She told Spencer she was "fine" and she convinced herself the hurt was "worth it" for Spencer's happiness.

This is the part of Trina's perspective that Spencer still can't see. Their relationship just devolved into the similar dynamics of their friendship, where Trina compromised herself to make Spencer happy again and again while she felt increasingly vulnerable and unprotected. The pedestal of heroine is a dangerous thing, and this is often the consequence of embracing the "rescuer" role in a relationship. One's vulnerability/fallibility over time is not considered or remembered.

Trina's slip of "finally" that set Spencer off wasn't just an insensitive mess up, it was a culmination of her biting her tongue until it bled for months about how Spencer's coparenting obsession was hurting her. Spencer is, in general, terrible at recognizing Trina's trauma because he's so myopic about his own but also because Trina has a tendency to push this narrative that it doesn't affect her. She is always "fine" because the people around her need her to be "fine."

Trina is going through her own arc of learning to come to terms with her vulnerability, her fallibility, in accordance with her strength. That it's okay to not always be the steady one, that it's okay to follow her heart, make mistakes and need people. And Spencer was supposed to help her with that.

He was supposed to be one of the few people that she could fall apart around and count on to stay by her side. So as much as Spencer feels betrayed by Trina not being the perfect support system and listening ear in that moment, Trina also felt betrayed by Spencer implying that he would discard her if he needed to.

He once again made her question her faith in him and probably regret every moment she was vulnerable around him. She grew to a point where she admitted she needed him in her life and Spencer turned around and tried to weaponize that in a moment of anger. Spencer lashing out basically sent the message to Trina that she can't count on reciprocity from him. That she can't trust him with her heart after all. She still loves him, but you could see the walls go up again by the end of that conversation.

And this is all coming at a time when Cyrus is also back and retriggering her as well. Her recurring, visceral refusal to be positioned as a "victim" again likely also applies to anything regarding the sociopathic mooch. She will never just be Spencer's ex to Trina. She will always be the girl who drugged her and tried to destroy her life. I think that, plus Trina's concerns about defending herself against Cyrus, have led to Trina reaching her emotional limits on sacrificing for her relationship.

All her triggers coming at her at once forced Trina into self-preservation mode. As much as we love that Spencer genuinely looks up to and respects Trina when she's in classical heroine mode, it's a catch-22 because that same reverence leads Spencer to not process her vulnerability and need for support seriously.

He's been sending a message to her that he's not a consistent safe space for her, he's volatile, he doesn't live up to his words to her, and Trina is reacting to that as much as Spencer is reacting to his own grievances with Nik. Yes, she has classical heroine tendencies, but she's still vulnerable and affected by her traumas. Right now, she is in a moment where she wants to feel safe, and unfortunately, Spencer is not making her feel safe in their relationship.

#general hospital #trina robinson #this is going under a cut because it's a lot #i slept on it and this is where i landed #but i wanted to get out that trina is also having a trauma response and how that's shaped by her archetype #spencer cassadine #i think spencer absolutely ignited trina's trust issues in that convo #and when the portia stuff comes out it's only going to get worse #prayer circle for our classical heroine 🥲

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atyd1960 · 7 months

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When it’s Lily Evans but she always felt weird and out of place as a child so she associated it with her magical powers but then when she got to Hogwarts and finally met more people like her she learned that she’s not magical enough because she came from a non-magical home. Lily staying up at night with her head swirling with anxiety because everyday the distance between her and the muggle world grew and she had no connections and no family to back her up in the wizarding world so her future depended solely on her, Lily Evans but she she was beating herself up every time she gave a wrong answer in class, every time she didn’t get the highest score, every time she forgot an assignment. Lily Evans but she saw school as her only getaway to a good stable future so she stayed up studying while her friends were being teenagers and developed their personalities and strengthened their friendships, Lily Evans but she cared too much about everything and people didn’t really know how to talk to her because they were scared she’d splash out at them for saying the wrong thing, Lily Evans but she stayed friends with a terrible guy because he was the only one she trusted not to walk away, Lily Evans but she cried every time she saw a picture of her and Petunia before Hogwarts, Lily Evans but she locked herself up inside her room when she was home for the summer while her parents yelled at Petunia for being a bad sister and not rising up to their expectations and not doing well enough in school, Lily Evans but she was so scared to end up like her sister that she cried every time she said the wrong thing and was unkind, that she bottled up her emotions because she was so ashamed of them but ended up splashing out anyway and hating herself even more, Lily Evans but she never forgave herself for her mistakes, Lily Evans but she always missed her sister, Lily Evans but she lost her sister, parents and childhood best friend before the war even began and her life fell apart in the span of three years, Lily Evans but she thought James and his friends were playing some big joke on her every time he asked her out because she didn’t believe a popular guy like him could ever be interested in a plus sized girl like her, Lily Evans but she spent the majority of her life thinking she’s ugly so she sharpened her brain because it was the only good thing about her, Lily Evans but she loved Mary so much and had her heart broken so hard at such a young age, and she never got over the guilt of not being strong enough to carry her and Mary’s love and essentially giving up on them after everything they’ve gone through to get together in the first place , Lily Evans but when she was 16 when the force of her love began to feel like a burden, Lily Evans but she wanted to feel normal and loved so badly that she convinced herself she loved James as more than a friend even tho she wasn’t even into guys, Lily evans but she lost her parents before she even graduated and then had a baby at 20 in the middle of a war with a guy she only began understand what he truly meant to her, Lily but she tried so hard and fought so fiercely for a life she never got to live, Lily Evans but she wasn’t even fully an adult when she gave up her life to save the only thing she had left in this world- her son, whom she never got to hear speaking, never got to see growing.

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notyour-valentine · 2 years

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I remember you answering an ask about if Mrs Hale (from TBIW if that’s not obvious) would ride a horse or not and you said she would. I was wondering if you could do a HC or a blurb (whatever suits you best) about her first time on a horse and how she was convinced to get on one

🍷Join me for a Drink 🍷 - TBITW: Horse Riding

[Celebration] [Celebration Masterlist] [Masterlist]

This was written as part of my Series The Boy in the Window and contains spoilers

Warning: Pregnancy, childbirth (18/21+). I do not consent to my work being translated, copied or posted elsewhere on this platform or any other.

This may come as a surprise, but she is not half bad around horses, at least in time. Emma’s father worked on a farm and so she was around animals already and knew the basic rules (approach from the front, don’t startle them) and then of course Emma and Charlie spent a great deal of time in the stables at Charlie’s yard and then later at Arrow House. So she has become quite familiar to them and picked up on things

The children enjoy their rides with Tommy but they keep asking why she doesn’t join them (or while she would be driven in a cart to a point on the estate and would set up a picnic before they would join her during their riding session)

Tommy would also tease her about it, slipping in suggestions about wanting to teach her, buying her a horse (or a pony if it were more to her preference). While he is joking, the children don’t pick up on that and get all giddy

In the end, she is worn down, but she is a bit scared of making a fool of herself (and of being a disappointment so she originally plans to ask one of the riding instructors behind Tommy’s back, not directly, but to get a feel if he would be open to teaching her.

Of course, Tommy finds out immediately and gets excited (in his mind he is already planning family horse riding excursions, while thinking of which horse to buy her, oh and he would have to order a new set of saddles, reins or at least saddlecloths and he’d have to get her measured out for riding boots), which backs her into a corner and so she abandons her plan of avoiding him until she knew if she was going to be any good. But she also severely cuts down his grand plans. (“We have horses, we have boots and we have saddles”)

She finally agrees but only under the conditions that the children shouldn’t know and would have to be away. She doesn’t want them to get their hopes up if it doesn’t work out. Choosing him as her teacher also meant that she would have to learn to ride ‘like a man’ after all, he knew much about horses but nothing about riding side saddle.

Tommy is trying to keep his excitement hidden. But he is a good teacher and she’s not half bad when it comes to all the theoretical groundwork as of course, she had watched more than her share of riding lessons, and heard them being explained back again and again but Tommy is very strict and insists on walking her through all the basics at least once. “For safety, Love”

He had first thought of choosing the horse he had gotten for Emma to teach her, knowing she had already been around the animal but in this he was an optimist and so he produced a different animal from somewhere, a docile, calm and steady horse, who wasn’t fazed by much.

It is a bit bumpy at first, and she is as stiff as a board when sitting on a horse’s back. It’s the height, the unusual movement and just the overall feeling of such a large animal moving against her legs. He teaches her much like he taught Emma, first by leading her in circles until she grew accustomed to what it felt like. All this guiding a horse with your legs doesn’t feel very right to her

But Tommy is so encouraging and eager for her to learn, it makes her look past this little (societal imposed) discomfort. And he is always so proud of her very minor accomplishments

Unlike the children, she doesn’t have to tend to the horse afterwards, probably because she let slip she felt a bit sore. Instead, he makes her take a warm bath and rubs her legs.

It takes her far longer to learn than it did the children (obviously). She’s older, more cautious and not really a natural, but Tommy surprises her with his patience and constant encouragement, but she does learn, even if she will never ever attempt a full gallop.

I want to thank you for participating in my celebration and for expanding on this. I hope you like this little headcanon.

Taglist

Overall

@lilyrachelcassidy @jyessaminereads @chlorrox @watercolorskyy @books-livre @quarterpastmidnight @lilyevanswhore @polishcrazyone @zablife @just-a-harmless-patato @stevie75 @flyingjosephine-blog @runnning-outof-time @babayaga67 @shelbydelrey @mrkdvidal1989

Tommy

@knowledgefulbutterfly @signorellisantichrist

@lespendy @geeksareunique @look-at-the-soul @thats-what-cill-said @lothbrokcore

#valentines1k #valentineswritings #valentinesheadcanons #join me for a drink #the boy in the window #tbitw #tommy shelby #thomas shelby #tommy shelby x reader #thomas shelby x reader #tommy shelby imagine #thomas shelby imagine #tommy shelby fluff #thomas shelby fluff #tommy shelby family fluff #thomas shelby family fluff #tommy horse girl #horse girl! tommy #horse!girl tommy

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hadesknockedupintheunderworld · 7 months

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(Sharing an au a friend and I explored a bit that I just need to be out there)

ㅤ

So. Surge and Kit share the same place. Now they don't have stable housing (as if they could afford that). No, they just sort of jump from place to place, living any place with some sort of roof. Right now they've been living in an abandoned cabin. The cabin is a bit run down, and the roof leaks a bit when it rains. There's no food. But the location isn't bad! It's close enough to civilization that the two could walk to the nearest city/town, but far enough away that no one'll bother them (much less care that they're squatting in abandoned property)

Now Surge has decided (for a reason we have not yet decided upon) that she wants to spend some time away from Kit (perhaps to prove for herself whether their relationship means anything more than the roles forced upon the two of them or the fact that having someone devoted to you can be a helpful tool, or if this all even matters. Or perhaps she just needs some alone time to think, to figure some stuff out). So, Surge (knowing that Kit can take care of himself) sends him out of the cabin for a while (doesn't give him an end date), tells him to go have fun or do whatever it is he wants to do for the time being.

Reluctantly, Kit obeys. He takes the front door out, closes it behind him.

As for Surge, she spends the better part of a week doing whatever. Leaves the cabin to get food, sleeps in, steals from window shops at different stores. She tries some things she's always wanted to out in the city. And in the end...she (although she won't admit it) finds it's a bit lonely without Kit there. She finds that she doesn't much mind her life as it is, nor does she really care if their relationship was forced upon them (because if Kit wants to go against it, that's for him to decide), and she finds out some things about herself (as she is now) and what she likes. So when week 2 begins, she waits inside. Sure, she still goes out to get food at first, but she just waits for Kit to come back.

Because he will, right? There's no way he can leave her alone for any longer, not with how close he sticks to her most of the time, can he?

Meanwhile, Kit hadn't gone very far. After obeying Surge, he'd circled the cabin and decided to stand at the back door. Day and night, rain or snow, he stands behind the cabin, just waiting for Surge to come back.

After about two weeks (Surge hasn't left the cabin for a couple days at least), she finally concedes, talking into the empty cabin.

"...Guess he's not coming back."

And she's...obviously not sad about it (definite lie), because this was always a possibility after they took their time alone. And if Kit decided he didn't want to wreak some havoc with her anymore, that he was no longer devoted, then she doesn't need him. She doesn't need flimsy "bonds". To be honest, in a few days she should probably gather her stuff and–

Amy walks through the front door of the cabin unannounced, doesn't even bother to knock or announce her presence.

And Surge, instead of going on the offensive, assuming Amy meant to fight, or instead of wondering how Amy found their current hideout, takes a brief minute to pretend that she is in no way even slightly depressed or living like shit (that she's totally taking care of herself and she just loves the sound of the rain drops hitting the wood floors).

But Amy, even if it takes a little bit, manages to pull the problem out of her. She's not convinced that Surge is right (that Kit abandoned the place and decided he doesn't need her), about as much as she's not convinced that Surge is completely fine over the prospect of Kit abandoning her.

"Okay, okay. It's fine if you're worried about him, you know. And I don't think it's like you say!"

"I'm not worried about him. He can take care of himself, and his choices are none of my business. He can do what he wants."

Amy sighs, shaking her head. "If he's lost out there in all that heavy rain, I'll find him." And if Surge says anything after that, Amy doesn't hear her. She tunes out everything else for a moment as she turns her head, happening to glance out the back window.

When Amy spots a glimpse of Kit, standing out back in the heavy rain, she isn't sure whether she's sadder about the implications of this, or angrier at Surge for not looking out her own window. Heedless of anything Surge could be doing or saying at the moment, Amy opens the back door, fully intending to drag Kit inside.

"How long have you been standing out here?!"

Kit only shrugs, looks at Surge just past her. "Waiting for you to come back."

Surge grits her teeth, anger and relief rushing her heart at once. "You idiot." She stomps out of sight, looking around for a dry cloth, while Amy pulls Kit inside and tries to start a fire in the old fireplace.

And while Amy is still angry at Surge (all she had to do was look behind the cabin!), she can't help but smile when Surge drapes the dry blanket over him.

Now, as for Surge, at some point she informs Kit that she'll be leaving this place soon, as the enemy (she gestures to Amy) has found them. So, she'll be leaving before sunrise.

The statement isn't very direct, but Amy gets the point. Surge's statement is code for "If you want to go with me, you better be there".

And Kit, perhaps he smiles just slightly, so relieved that Surge does want him (not that he requires this. Of course, if Surge left for good, he'd most likely trail her from afar. He doesn't even require appreciation or genuine want. But that doesn't mean he can't feel happy when she proves she does care, even a little).

And I'd like to think that after finding out for sure that he'd just waited in the same place for two weeks, she takes him to do some of the things she'd done during that first week (under the guise of giving him some enjoyment, since he didn't do anything those two weeks, even though she'd ordered him to. Although deep down, she'd also wanted to do these things with him, so as to enjoy them without feeling lonely, to share this with him) and treats him a little before they find their new temporary sleeping place.

#For the record while this is a Kiturge idea Surgamy is implied as well. so I'll tag it just know it's mostly Kiturge #kiturge #surgamy #kit the fennec #kitsunami the fennec #surge the tenrec #amy rose #amy the hedgehog #sonic the hedgehog #sonic idw comic #kit x surge #surge x kit #I should mention that I haven't read the idw comics so I know I'm not 100% solid on Kit and Surge or their situation but I do know a little #I just think their inherently complicated relationship is just so neat #Also since I couldn't find any kiturge content on tumblr and can't currently write fic for them I just *really*#needed to make the tag a thing #i just be ramblin #Gotta love a fucked up (but also power couple) of little buddy and character they're devoted to 'we're the strongest relationship either of #us have' relationship

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polarisgreenley · 22 days

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A Bouquet of New Beginnings: Chapter 25 "Purple Vervain"

Summary: The Scriptorium (Before & During)

Floriography: I weep for you

Full Chapter: [AO3]//7.2k words

Trigger Warnings: Endangerment of a minor, pureblood supremacist times, past abuse mentions, suicide.

The below excerpt does not contain the above trigger warning items.

Excerpt below:

Artie,

Ominis accepted my apology, but he still won’t discuss the Scriptorium with me.

Could you try and talk to him?

Also on your other mystery – I think I got it. I’ll give my guess soon.

Sebastian

The Undercroft wafted of crushed alihotsy and peppermint as Artemis watched the liquid change from a murky pink to blue.

“Bind now.”

Ominis nodded as he performed the binding spell, sealing the potion’s properties into the Invigoration Draught as Artemis jotted down the brew time. The cauldron fire was quelled as Ominis silently poured the potion into vials.

A droplet landed on the testing strip – purple vervain appeared as the purple hued into blue vapours. Success.

Artemis smiled. “You did good, Ominis.”

The blond gave a small smile as he touched the vial. “Thank you. Never thought I’d ever be told I did good on a potion.”

“It’s true. I wouldn’t lie to you about the quality of a potion,” said Artemis. “Besides, these potion instructions don’t exactly help. ‘Dissolve alihotsy leaves when potion is orange.’ Really.”

“Shame, orange is such a lovely colour,” said Ominis sarcastically.

Artemis chuckled softly. “As long as you can time between each step and have the ingredients prepared beforehand, I don’t see why you couldn’t score high on the O.W.L.s.”

“Now you’re just buttering me up.”

“Just an observation. We’ll keep practising; repetition is key. But I think we had enough for tonight – three hours on an invigoration draught is a long time.”

“I agree.”

They started to clean up the makeshift preparation station, carefully transferring the remaining crushed ingredients into their respective containers. All the while, the letter from Sebastian burned a figurative hole through her legside bag.

She did say that she would talk to Ominis about it after he apologised, though she herself wasn’t wholly convinced. There could be something in the Scriptorium to help Anne or Henry, but it wasn’t a guarantee, and Ominis didn’t seem the type to withhold information without reason.

“I’m sorry.”

Ominis’ hands stopped as he lifted his head. “Whatever for?” He moved his wand from right to left as if to scan the Undercroft. “Did you two make some weird alcove on accident again?”

Artemis blinked twice before she shook her head.

“No, nothing of the sort,” said Artemis. “Though, I am sorry about that as well. I meant about… well, the Scriptorium.”

Ominis’ shoulders stiffened. “That wasn’t your fault.”

“Still.”

Ominis sighed. “Is this because of what happened at the Bickle’s?”

“Did Sebastian tell you?”

“He didn’t give me specifics, but he mentioned you four were instrumental in preventing a child from being kidnapped and said child not becoming fatherless.”

“We were lucky,” muttered Artemis.

“It seems the Bickles were the lucky ones.”

Artemis didn’t respond. Mr. Bickle was stable, but he had been placed into a coma to recover from the blade’s curse according to Mrs. Bickle’s latest letter. The relief she’d felt initially fizzled away; if she knew how to break curses, if she knew –

“Artemis?”

“Hm?” She lifted her head as her thumb let go of the pressure against her scarred palm. “Sorry, I was just, thinking.”

“I see.”

“How’s the view?”

Ominis laughed once. “Not bad, actually.”

The tip of his wand blinked its usual red. Curiosity got the better of her.

“If you don’t mind me asking, what do you see when your wand blinks? Or… pulses, rather.”

Ominis’ eyes widened slightly as his fingers smoothed over his wand.

“I don’t mind. But…” Ominis shook his head. “Never mind. Yes, I can answer that for you, though I’d be borrowing some of Aunt Noctua’s words.”

Artemis leaned against the now cleared up desk as Ominis started.

“Without my wand, I don’t see anything. Aunt Noctua said it’s like you’re in total darkness. But with my wand, I can ‘see’ the outlines of magic against objects or people. When you say my wand ‘pulses,’ that’s when my wand is communicating to me.”

“I can imagine the first time must’ve been a shock.”

“It was.” Ominis’ smile softened. “Aunt Noctua took me to Ollivander’s, and when I held my wand, it was like a whole world opened. I knew how tall Aunt Noctua was from approximately where her voice was, but it was the first time I could see her outline and exactly where she was. There were so many wand boxes on the shelves, I could see how many fingers I held up…”

“So, the pulses bounce out, hit the latent magic on objects and creatures, and then come back to translate through your wand to you,” summarised Artemis.

It sounded vaguely like how ancient magic existed latently before mixing with her active spellcasting.

“Exactly,” continued Ominis. “It’s not a spell, but it took quite a while to understand what my wand was communicating.”

“Is there a limitation to what you can see?”

“To a degree. For one, I don’t see colours. Sebastian and Anne suggested our first year that I stick my wand inside an Antidote to Common Poisons to see if I can ‘sense teal’.”

“Did you? ‘Sense teal’?”

“All I got was a wet wand for my troubles.” Ominis huffed slightly. “And like I mentioned earlier, I can only see the outlines. I can’t see paintings, nor can I see anyone’s features. Not unless someone decides to, effectively, glow with magic from the inside.”

Artemis hummed. No wonder he never asked about the painting in front of the Undercroft or about the triptych canvas. Rather, he was understandably distracted with the sheer fact an alcove with a triptych had appeared suddenly. Sebastian was rather smooth in convincing him they had stepped on some unknown magical switch while practising spells and it suddenly appeared.

“Ms. Noctua sounded like a lovely woman.”

“She was,” agreed Ominis readily. “She was different than the rest of my family. She thought like I do. Didn’t agree on the family’s use of Dark Magic.”

The blond gently bit his lower lip as he furrowed his eyebrows. Artemis waited patiently as Ominis shifted his weight on his feet.

“Aunt Noctua was a magical researcher. I – when I went back to the manor this summer, I looked for any of her research that could help Anne. Though it’s not like my family would let me take anything. Even her research was mostly hidden away.”

“The meeting last month –”

“– I managed to convince Mimsy, Aunt Noctua’s favourite house-elf that was always kind to me, to continue in my stead. To the degree that she wouldn’t get in trouble with Father. What she delivered to me was the copy of the journal about the Scriptorium and copies of letters Aunt Noctua wrote to my father. Aunt Noctua wanted to convince the rest of my family that there was more to my unfortunate ancestor than just worshipping pureblood status. She even found the entrance in the school but…suddenly she vanished.”

“Vanished?”

“Yes. The last one she wrote said that she was going to try and enter the Scriptorium and would bring back what she found.”

She blanched as a pit dropped into her stomach; the image of Dad’s gravestone without the death date flitted across her mind. Richard’s bones in that cave, abandoned for forty years.

She swallowed silently. “I’m not sure how to say this but, how did your family know Ms. Noctua passed away?”

“Family tree.”

“Family tree?”

“Yes. Many pureblood families have their family tree painted magically upon their ancestral home’s walls or inside their family grimoires. The Gaunt family tree is in a grimoire, represented by coloured portraits. The day she died, my brother so kindly informed me her portrait lost its colour.”

The way his eyes flashed as they stared just slightly toward the ground was proof enough it was anything but kind. But beyond that...

“Ominis.”

“Yes?”

“I think we should go to the Scriptorium.”

Ominis whipped his head up. “Absolutely not! Weren’t you listening to what I just said?!”

“Yes.”

“Then why?! My aunt died going there and –”

“– that’s why, Ominis,” interrupted Artemis as she walked around the table. His shoulders tensed as she came closer. “If Ms. Noctua died within the Scriptorium, then she deserves more than being trapped alone. If she died beyond there, then there’d be clues as to where she is. She should be found and buried where she could be visited by her favourite nephew.”

Ominis’ eyes widened a fraction.

“I won’t force you to go,” continued Artemis. “You’re clearly, and understandably, uncomfortable about the Scriptorium. But let me do this for you, Ominis. Give you closure.”

“You don’t think there’s anything in there that could help Anne,” said Ominis simply.

Artemis shook her head. “I don’t know, there might be. But that’s not a certainty. But what we do know is Ms. Noctua went down there. Sebastian would go for Anne, and I can go for you.”

Ominis’ fist pulsed gently against his side as his eyebrows furrowed and he remained silent.

“No.”

Artemis opened her mouth before he continued.

“We will go for Aunt Noctua,” clarified Ominis as he sighed. “I’m not going to let you two just go down somewhere concocted by Slytherin by yourselves. And if there is something … I’d like to see through her work.”

Artemis blinked twice before she smiled. “Alright. Though, I think we should do it tomorrow.”

“I agree; if we tell Sebastian now he’d want to go right after.”

“Right. Plus I’d like to ask him about the shed. It’s… concerning.”

Ominis hummed. “Of course. It might be prudent if I don’t partake in that conversation.”

“Why? You’re just as concerned.”

“Because he might be more forthcoming if it was just you, and you’d tell me.” Ominis gestured toward the gate. “We should get back; it’s almost curfew.”

“Right,” said Artemis even though she wasn’t exactly satisfied with the answer. She instinctively reached for his robe as she took another Calming Draught. He allowed it as he stood in front of the lifting gate, though he didn’t move.

“Ominis?”

“I am sorry, for not coming back last time.”

She shrugged. “It’s alright. You were upset and, frankly, I don’t fault you. I managed to take another Calming Draught without him noticing.”

“It’s no excuse. I gave you my word I’d come with you every time until you’re fine – that meant I would leave with you.”

“I – oh.” She gripped his robe slightly tighter. “Thank you.”

The corner of Ominis’ lips lifted. “See. You’re consistent.”

“Are you going to ever clarify that?” Artemis asked.

Ominis chuckled.

“No.”

#hogwarts legacy #hogwarts legacy fanfiction #a bouquet of new beginnings #sebastian sallow #ominis gaunt #artemis loreley

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mitch-the-silly · 5 months

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“A Terrible Man” Pt.1

A William Afton introspective narrative inspired by (the narrative accuracy of) the song “TERRIBLE THINGS” (also slightly by “Stuck Inside” they’re the best 2 FNAF songs lore-wise imo).

This does include an OC and is based on my ao3 fic “The Tragedy of The Afton Family”.

The rubble on the floor of the abandoned Freddy’s was of no consolation to her. The search for Mr. Afton had her exhausted and honestly, Catherine had no idea why she was even looking for him here. Or rather, she had a vague idea as to why. A stupid personality trait as a lead.

She’d known Mr. Afton for almost two decades. If there was anything she’d picked up about him was that he was a man of loyalties to himself. The few times she’d seen him severely affected by something, whatever it may be, he always returned to his firstborn.

Not his ACTUAL first born. If there was anyone he’d rather not return to, it was Michael. He disposed the boy. He simply put up with him because he was kin of his own. He tolerated him at best.

So if not Michael, then what was she referring to? The creation that he loved the most. His ever-so-empowering Spring Bonnie suit. If it was here, it meant he would be back soon. But if it wasn’t it meant she was in for a world of troubles. Best case scenario: they were both here and Catherine could beg him to return to the Afton Robotics facility. She was convinced she wouldn’t be able to take care of it on her own anymore. They were starting to turn against her.

She stepped through the pieces of metal. They all felt a bit too familiar to her. She leaned down to touch it. Its texture felt far from foreign. Not far from the scraps of metal, she found a piece of red fabric. This she recognized immediately, and how couldn’t she? She’d tended to them with her bare hands.

“Foxy…?” She mumbled, traces of pain in her voice. They were similar to that of an anguished mother. She looked a bit above it to find the mangled shell of Foxy’s head. She gasped in slight shock, picking it up as if it were made of porcelain. She ran her petite fingers down the wanton dents on the material.

“Who would do such a thing to you… oh my poor baby…” She felt foolish when she spoke to these animatronics as if they were her own children, but truth is that she built them, rebuilt them, and repaired them for years. She knew them better than some of her family members. Foxy was her favorite, not just because the little guy (ironic since they all towered over her by almost two feet) was always broken, but also because it was Michael’s favorite. To her, spending time in the workshop fixing Foxy, was like spending time patching Michael’s bruises and patches from when they were kids.

She took Foxy’s head in her arms and continued forward. She decided to not look down. The pain of seeing another one of her friends destroyed on the floor would send her into tears. She was in no stable mood and she couldn’t afford to cry break down and cry at the moment.

She flashed her flashlight at arbitrary corridors. She knew exactly where everything was because how couldn’t she? She practically raised herself at Freddy’s. But she almost didn’t recognize it. It was as if she was peering into the casket of a once cheerful, now dead family member. Its organs hallowed out and blood drained and replaced by preserving chemicals. It was a horrific sight to see from the inside. Freddy’s, that is…

She rounded the corner, flashing her light at the one door she’d yet to check: the employee safe-room. She placed Foxy’s head down on the floor leaning it against the wall, facing it away from the door’s direction. Her hand trembled as she reached for the handle. A feeling of overwhelming doom filled her body as she even considered entering that room.

She ignored it and opened the door. After which she begun coughing. She covered her mouth and nose with the collar of her shirt; the stench of death emanated from that room. She flashed her light directly at the back of the safe-room, her eyes widened in surprise at the sight before her.

Why was Spring Bonnie in this condition? She thought she’d left him in a better position than this. One that would preserve him better. To her, Spring Bonnie was Mr. Afton. Plain and clear. At times she didn’t mean it metaphorically. So seeing him in this condition was like seeing Mr. Afton in the same place.

She got closer, inspecting and poking at it with an arbitrary piece of metal she’d found in the room. Only then did she notice the stain on the floor. A black, putrid stain that revolted her from the very depths of her stomach.

“Goodness!” She jumped slightly. “Ugh! What happened here?” She sighed, upset as she flashed the light right into the suit’s face.

The suit suddenly twitched in response, groaning as its mechanical parts ticked causing her to fall back in fear. A realization dawned upon her, one that made her chest heavy.

There was someone in that suit. Someone long gone, body tattered by a spring lock failure. But the twitch means that there was a spark of life left in there, but it was way too late for them. The floor was already stained with their blood and their (seemingly living) body was rotting.

She reached to touch it out of morbid curiosity. She was absolutely afraid of it, but something didn’t allow her to stop. She tried to touch the face of it. Her plan was to lift the head and identify the victim, but before she could, it grabbed her arm.

She screamed at the top of her lungs, trying to get away, but its grip was too strong.

She looked at it dead in its eyes. Eyes she expected to be blue, as they’ve always been. But these eyes were silver, and they reminded her of the man she was searching for. A friend, a teacher, a coworker.

“Save….me….Star….” The old voice box of the animatronic groaned. Its glitched out, deep voice was not its original. It was someone else’s entirely, and that’s when it clicked.

She knew exactly who was in that suit. Tears streamed down her eyes, her body flailing in an attempt to escape his grip. She tried her best to process everything that she’s just realized, scared down to her marrow. However, he wasn’t going to let go of her arm until he got his blessing.

Out of the suit emerged a spirit of darkness. A shadow-like being that resembled a man. Upon its head were rabbit ears, and its eyes were that damned silver color that made her tremble in fear. It was dressed with a bow tie and its finger resembled claws.

Catherine stood still, freezing like a deer staring at the headlights of a car. The shadowy figure reached for her like one would expect a damned soul to reach for its savior. Perhaps because that’s what it believed was the situation.

“I’ve committed unbearable sins… Sins against you and humanity… Please… I’ve prayed you return to me, my Star, my pupil.” It pleaded desperately. Anguish pouring out from its words.

“M-Mr. Afton… what… what are the extra tracking systems in the Funtimes for…?” She mumbled. She refused to have this question unanswered. It was her priority. Mr. Afton was dead, there was nothing she could to about his situation. She had to know, she had to know if it was really true. If she’d been wrong all her life.

The figure immediately changed its stance and demeanor. Standing straight with a shocked glare. “How much have you seen?”

Now there was the Mr. Afton she knew. Stern and sure of himself, calculating and cold.

“Enough to want to know more.” She responded as she always did. With patience and giving him the benefit of the doubt. He was a misunderstood man. She had to appeal to him in order to get the truth out of him.

“I’d have to, explain, dear.”

“Then explain it, please. It IS what I’m asking of you.”

#five nights at freddy's #fnaf #william afton #fnaf 3 #fnaf oc #fnaf au #fnaf fan character #fnaf sb #fnaf fic #William Afton is a mid father #NOT OCxWilliam

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starry-eyed-steve · 2 years

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Every time I'm on Twitter, I'm surprised at the amount of Stancy shippers. I'm convinced if you ship Stancy you don't care about Steve and Nancy as individual characters, you only ship it for of aesthetic reasons. Stancy in my mind doesn't make sense and is terrible for the characters involved.

Stancy was and always will be one-sided

In s2, Nancy admitted that she only was with Steve because Jonathan didn't make a move, she essentially dragged Steve along for a year while pining after Jonathan

Nancy used Steve as a form of security, he was a stable present in her life before everything went to shit

She maybe even stayed because of Barbs's death, her being together with Steve meant Barb didn't die for nothing despite Nancy not loving Steve. She punished herself by staying instead of pursuing the guy she actually liked

Meanwhile Steve was fully invested in the relationship and totally in love, he left his friends and was trying. Yes he wasn't perfect, but he wanted to make the relationship work (s2 Steve was not like s1 Steve, even in the begining of the second season as one year had passed)

No person, not even asshole s1 Steve, deserves to be in a relatonship that serves as a placeholder.

Both Steve and Nancy have different plans for the future

Nancy is a career-driven person, her biggest nightmare is Steve's dream. She wants to see the world, go to college and be independent.

I'm not saying kids and careers don't match but Nancy doesn't strike me as a person who wants kids, and if she does, only like one or two max.

Steve's dream is having a huge family, something he didn't have growing up and found along the way with the Party

You could argue with yeah he will be a stay at home dad, but in the long run I don't think it would be enough for him. He clearly longs for a person who shares the same values, who is ready to settle

Both dreams are completely valid and no character should sacrifice their dream in order to have a relationship, which was pretty toxic to begin with. It would only end with them resenting each other

Steve talking to Nancy about his dream, trying to eventually get her back because his friends told him so, is also a sign they don't know each other.

Like I mentioned before, Nancy played along for the relationship, she was never honest with her feelings for Steve. Steve has a romanticized version of her in his head while thinking about his future because Nancy lied to him the entire time they were together.

Barb's death will always overshadow the relationship

Nancy's guilt about Barb was the deciding factor for her to stop pretending to love Steve in s2

To this day, she feels guilty about what happend to her best friend and will always blame herself and Steve for it

In my opinion, she also kinda resents Steve for it, this isn't a good basis for a relationship

Furthermore, her encounter with Vecna, and seeing her best friend dead, probably reminded her even more why she ended things in s2

Both characters deal with this trauma differently, Nancy blames herself and Steve, meanwhile Steve wants to ignore it happened because it's easier for him to deal with things that way.

Steve bottles up his trauma pretending everything is normal, Nancy wants to confront it, which leads to both of them not understanding the other.

For those reasons, I think Stancy is a doomed ship and shouldn't be endgame.

I also hated how things ended in s2 with Nancy cheating on Steve and him taking the entire blame for the relationship not working out. Again, Stancy needed to break up, because Nancy wasn't happy but her treating Steve in such a way was unnecessary. I wouldn't have such a huge problem if she had been honest with Steve at the end of s2. To this day, Steve believes the relationship ended because he was a shitty boyfriend, even though he was the person who was actively trying. If Steve knew about Nancy's true feelings, how she never loved him he probably wouldn't try to win her back in the first place and could move on sooner. However, he doesn't know, because he still thinks him being unable to be there for Nancy was the major reason for the breakup.

I want both characters to be happy because both deserve better than what they would get by being in a relationship with each other.

Nancy deserves her college career and being a girlboss. The best outcome for her in s5 would be to dump both guys and be single. She needs time to reflect on her actions, and get therapy before she starts dating again. Sorry to the Ronance and Jancy shippers, but right now she doesn't make a good girlfriend.

Steve deserves to find someone who actually loves him, who isn't constantly belittling his intelligence and who isn't afraid to show him love. Still, I think it's best for him to stay single for a while as well, he obviously struggles with self worth. I want him to realize first that he doesn't need romantic love in order to be worthy as a human being. Steve's platonic relationships should be more important than finding a girlfriend. His best outcome for s5 would be leaving Hawkins with Robin to share an apartment in a big city, having fun and get some therapy.

#anti stancy #nancy wheeler #steve harrington #stranger things #stranger things four #st4 #stranger things discussion #long post

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milady-pink · 8 months

Text

Waitress AU

Warnings: Food/baking, domestic abuse, unplanned pregnancy, cheating

Summary: Working at a dead end job, waitress Christine soon finds herself with a new problem: an unplanned pregnancy. Life is all about trying to find the sweet spots and luckily this pie genius has a new (and pretty adorkably sexy) OBGYN, who isn’t too happy at home either.

TL;DR Quirky cute and sexy Erik as a doctor, lab coat and all.

Word Count: 1979 || Graphics: @firefly-graphics

"I Love You Like A Table & Take It From An Old Man "

Recipe Book

AO3

“Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today in celebration of the union between one Nadir Farhad Khan and Megan Anne Giry—“

“Wait! I’ve got some wedding poetry happenin’ right now!”

They were an odd couple, to say the least. But after seven months of being together, many of those moments spent doing the horizontal tango, Nadir proposed. After a successful meeting of his mother over dinner he knew that she was the one he wanted to spend the rest of his Revolutionary War reenactments with. So one night he snuck into her apartment early and arranged a very romantic candle lit dinner for the two of them where he popped the question. Meg of course said ‘yes’ and showed her fiancé just how much she loved him by riding him faster than Paul Revere could ever dream. They started planning for their wedding right away, Meg already knew she wanted to hold the reception at the diner which took some convincing on Piangi’s part since he didn’t want to lose revenue for a whole day when the ceremony would only take a few hours at most. So they agreed to hold the small wedding between the lunch rush and dinner.

The happy couple also knew they wanted to decorate sparsely, and approached Christine to make a wedding pie instead of cake, since the two love her baking so much. A few weeks later and here they stood, under a white- lace covered arch, friends and family surrounding them, and the delicious smell of pie swirling around them. For her part, Christine went above and beyond when they asked her to make a wedding pie; she made not one, but five pies, increasing in size to mimic a cake sitting on a custom made platter from Piangi. He told them that using the diner and the pie platter are his gifts from him.

They may have moved faster than others, but the newlyweds knew they wouldn’t want to be with anybody else.

“Your white dress

sparks words spontaneous,

I’ll sing from mountain tops

I am in love and I don’t care who knows it!”

“That’s beautiful, Nadir!” Meg complimented her husband, whose dress resembled that of the Civil War era. Bonnet and all.

“Oh, I’m not done.” He told her, much to the disappointment of the awaiting, and hungry, guests.

“Lucky me that I was ordi-nary,

But your love has made me see

That I am a po…poem writer.

I will express this is I am able,

Meg, I love you like a table!”

The bizarre statement caused many guests to look at one another in confusion for his simile. Nadir must have caught wind of the sideways glances because he quickly recanted and explained why he felt what he said.

“N-no no, ya see, my legs were carved for only you; I’m the wood,you are the glue! You can cover me in… stuff, an-and I’ll hold it for you, for however long you need it.” He added flailing arms to help visualize for everyone what he meant as he continued his strange sonnet. “Meg, you make strong and stable, so I love you like a table.” He ended by taking both of her hands within his own.

Even if the sentiment was lost on most people sitting in the folding chairs, it was not lost on Meg,the only woman who could make sense of Nadir’s poetry.

“I love you too. In fact, I tried my own hand at writing vows but I couldn’t find the right words like you.” Then, turning to the audience, “It’s art! You people wouldn’t get it!” Returning her attention to the tuxedo clad man in front of her she continued. “Nadir, I wrote 29 drafts for vows but not one of them rhymed! I don’t know how you do it so… eloquently.”

With his dark eyes filled to the brim with love for the blonde woman before him, he willed himself not to cry, again, and said to her. “How about we simply promise to do the best we can? I can’t ask you for more than that.”

His sweet words cut through her heart like a hot knife through butter. “And I promise that every time I see your handsome face, I will always want to see it again. I will never get enough of you, Nadir!”

After they finished their vows the minister continued with the typical words of ceremony for this atypical couple in love.

Finally, the moment had come for Christine to bring in the beautiful creation she made just for today.

“I present to you all, the wedding pie!” Called Carlotta, who wore a sexy yet dignified black pencil skirt, cheetah print top, and a fashionable red neck scarf.

Many gasps and surprised voices came from the guests as they saw the multi-tiered chocolate wedding pie(s). One such voice came from Nadir himself who couldn’t stop exclaiming, “Oh my god!”, over and over again from his enthusiasm.

Not much one for attention, Chistine let Carlotta cut and serve out slices while she stayed behind, watching the various people fall in love with her baking for the first time. It never failed to make her smile.

“You’ve really outdone yourself, Christine. I bet you’re gonna win that contest next week.” Commented Piangi as he came sauntering over in his formal cowboy boots.

She smiled at him. “Thanks for lettin’ me go, Piangi.”

“Well, maybe I’m not such a bad guy…” he trailed off.

“Yeah, maybe…” She said, giving him a knowing look.

“And look at them, happiest day of their lives. They haven’t got a clue the ride they’re in for.” Declared the chef about the newlywed couple.

There was a thought that kept bugging Christine, and she figured she might as well ask, seeing as how he’s right here. “…Piangi, could I ask you a question?”

“Shoot it.”

She took a deep breath before speaking. “Are you happy? Wou-would you call yourself a happy man?” She asked, worrying her thumb between her teeth.

A moment of silence surrounds the pair before he answers her. “Because you’re askin’ a serious question I’ll give you an equal answer. I’m happy enough. I don’t give that much, I don’t get that much, but when somethin’ comes up I try to enjoy it. So, that’s my truth, and you can do whatch ya want with your feminine judgment. I am happy enough.”

His honest answer gave Christine a lot to think about. She doesn’t really know where the question came from, but it must have come from the fact that he was in a somewhat similar position as herself. They were both cheating on their spouse, but Christine wasn’t sure if she wanted to continue,even if it meant giving up her happiness.

Carlotta conveniently disturbed her thoughts by walking up to the awkward pair of the waitress and the chef. “May I have this dance?” She asked, sticking her hand out. Piangi let out a loud sigh before taking her hand, only to be swatted away as if he carried a disease. “Not you! The pretty pregnant lady.”

Christine smiled and took her friend's hand, letting her guide her through the makeshift dance floor of the diner. They danced slowly along with the other couples swinging in time to the music. “I had some big wig spenders yesterday.” Carlotta began, reaching into her bra for a small wad of money. “You can add this to the pot— to help fund your entrance fee—“

“Carlotta! I’m not gonna take your money, not with what you’re dealin’ with at home—“ Christine tried to interrupt, but her stubborn friend would hear none of it.

“Please, just this once! Let me feel a little philanthropic for a second. I don’t want to worryin’ about anythin’ but bakin’ yourself a better life.” Reluctantly, Christine took the money from the redhead, feeling more than blessed to have her in this life. “Hey, do ya think they’ll give you one of those giant checks that are the size of a small couch? Man, I’ve always wondered how you cash one of those..”

Her statement caused both girls to laugh. “Maybe me and you should have an affair.” Christine told her, after their laughter died off.

“Uh uh, no ma’am. I’m in this for a lifetime.” The older woman responded.

Unfortunately their dance was cut short as Old Joe Valerius came hobbling over to the two and effectively shoo’ed off Carlotta. Replacing her, Joe took over as Christine’s new dance partner.

“This reminds me of my third wedding to Anna-Marie Caputo. Now she was a screamer in bed.” His gravelly voice told her.

“I’m gonna make a pie just for you, I’ll call it ‘Old Joe’s Horney Past Pie’.” Replied Christine, shocked by his brazenness.

“I might have to wait on that one.” Christine noticed his eyes suddenly filled with a seriousness she hadn't seen before in his eyes. “My doctor says I shouldn’t be eatin’ that sweet stuff, got my liver actin’ up. They gotta remove a piece of it.”

“Oh Joe…” She sympathized.

“You gotta promise me you’re gonna bake to win, Pie-lady…why’re ya shakin’?”

“Sometimes I just feel like I just settle for a happy enough life, like my mama did. I’m scared of winnin’—but I’m terrified of losin’. Make peace with it, ya know?” She asked him, speaking her truth and in desperate need of some wisdomly words.

“Take it from an old man, there’s never enough time, when you think you have enough, you don’t. It just slips right past ya. I’ve made a lotta mistakes, regrets up the ass, but trust me when I say this; there’s somethin’ special in you. It’s like a light tryna break out, anyone with a pair of eyes can see it. Call it what ya want, a passion or talent, but it shines every time you smile or share a new idea for a pie. I reckon that soon enough, you’ll be seein’ that shining light for yourself because honey, it gets stronger everyday.”

A few tears rolled out of Christine’s eyes, which Joe wiped away in a fatherly manner, causing her to give him a watery smile in thanks. “Last thing I’ll say is this: when you feel like you lack the strength to stand on your own, you don’t have to stand alone. You’ve got a whole diner of people tryna help you, people who believe in you. Should start believein’ in yourself.”

The incredibly heartfelt talk that he gave her was everything and more that Christine needed. She reached her arms around his slightly taller neck and gave him a grateful hug, which he tried to return with one hand on his cane.

Disaster struck as Christine was torn away from the older gentleman by Raoul, who had a dangerous look in his eyes. “Excuse me but I gotta borrow my wife.” He said to Joe. Then mush softer for only her to hear, “Say your goodbyes, we’re goin’ home.”

Joe tried to intervene, but got called out by Raoul and his angry words, causing a scene for the wedding guests to watch. Piangi made his way over to him, trying to escalate the situation. “Hey man, c’mon.”

“Don’t,” Christine told him, “it’ll only make it worse.”

As she was dragged by the elbow through the diner to the car, she tried her best to tell her friends she would be okay.

“Christine, please stay—“ begged Meg.

“I’m sorry, bye sweetheart—“

“Don’t leave!” Exclaimed Carlotta.

“I love you, congratulations!” She tried to shout as she was pulled through the front doors.

Raoul was silent the entire ride home. Something really bad must have happened, but she couldn’t begin to think of what. Christine kept her hands on her stomach to remind herself that she wasn’t going to go through whatever happens alone.

#phantom of the opera #christine daae #raoul de chagny #erik destler #musical fanfic #sara bareilles #waitress musical #pies

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imamxdel · 1 year

Note

Harper somehow convinced Daehyun to let her meet his parents one last time. And they’re there now.

"Do you trust me, oppa?" Harper needed that assurance. She knew how protective Daehyun was of her, and she loved that he was willing to protect her from his own family since they'd been nothing but rude to her and found ways to make both of them feel bad about their relationship. The tipping point had been when his mother had intentionally sought her out just to insult Daehyun behind his back.

Harper didn't have the strongest voice. She also wasn't the slightest bit intimidating, but determined enough that she'd managed to talk him back in to setting up a meeting with his family.

"Eomma..." She cleared her throat and stood up straighter. "Mrs Yoon." Seated back in their home once again, Harper held Daehyun's hand in her lap, uncaring if the small yet public display of affection upset them. She'd at least taken the time to put together a more professional looking outfit that wouldn't have his mother staring for their conversation.

"This isn't right. I know that I'm just some girl--" Her grip on Daehyun's hand tightened, the small bit of fear coming through even though she was pushing through it. "I come from a very well known family. You both know my father is the best cardiac surgeon in the country and we've travelled the world together so he can teach other surgeons his practice. My mother isn't exactly a a surgeon, but back in Hong Kong she was known for her kindness. My family raised me to love other people and treat them with that same kindness because it was the right thing to do."

She swallowed and straightened out her shoulders. Harper wouldn't let his mother or father interrupt her.

"You should be proud of your son. He's successful in the company your family has set up through the generations. He's well liked and respected. He's the hardest working man I know and he still takes the time to take care of me because if you haven't noticed, I'm not...the most mature woman." She cleared her throat, not meaning to make it sound like she was degrading herself. "I work hard, I mean. I've worked very hard to get at a point in my career where it's stable. But it's a tough industry. Daehyun has been there for me from the very beginning."

Just how much did his family know about his girlfriend? Did they know he'd suffered even more abuse then what they'd already done to him...did they even care?

"He's a wonderful man and no matter what you two think, I'm proud of him. My parents are proud of him, too. They love him probably more than you two ever did and if you aren't going to say one nice thing about your son, then you two are hateful, evil people." Harper's voice hardened. It was probably the meanest thing she'd ever said to someone before, but she meant every word.

"Aren't you two tired? Don't you miss him?" she asked. "This is supposed to be a family! Family deserves to love each other...and if you don't, then you two don't deserve him." The offer from her own parents, regardless of where his relationship with Harper stood in the future, was there to take him in. They already saw Daehyun as their son.

@dencesin

#meme (dencesin)

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sparatus · 2 years

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Aediteia for the OC ask 3,5 ,15 ,33, 40

AAAAAA MY WIFE thank you!!! <3

93 OC Questions

Aediteia "Teia" Epirian: Senior reporter for Citadel NewsNet and award-winning investigative journalist. Wife of Councilor Ierian Sparatus, mother of his three children, and the reason he failed Econ a second time (too busy thinking about pretty girl he was too shy to ask out).

(putting under a readmore after the first question cause hahaha oopsie this got long as hell i just love teia so much)

3. What is the meaning behind their name? Do they have any nicknames?

eh no particular meaning, she actually wasn't supposed to grow into as big of a character as she has so i just pulled a nice one out of a generator, lol. as for nicknames she's most commonly called teia, and sometimes also gets tei-tei, tenderheart, rolzön (from her husband's native language of tiirtiak, basically "kitten," a rolzu is a smaller domestic edition of the local ice shatha variety), and starlight (specifically by her husband). also various words for mom and grandma, of course, those are her favorites <3

5. What’s their relationship with their parents like? What about other relatives?

AHAHAHAAHA WELL. so funny story,

incuria and algidus epirian are both very traditional turians and very focused on appearances. when they had kids, this translated into being very strict with their kids, and a love that was fairly conditional on the kids (four of them! galactian the eldest and only son, then daughters culpitia, merea, and teia herself) being Good Respectable Turians™: don't do anything that would make the aliens think differently from our reputation, get "real" (read: traditional, stable, well-paying) jobs, settle down with a (parent-approved) spouse, basically do everything their parents wanted for them because their parents knew what was best for them better than they did themselves. you know, the fun insidious kind of emotional abuse <3 they not only allowed but sometimes even encouraged the kids to turn on each other, resulting in a lot of bullying, especially from golden child merea who's responsible for a lot of teia's hangups later in life.

the entire reason teia ended up choosing tiirtias, a frozen wasteland at palaven's north pole, to study and do her internship was because she figured it was the one place her family wouldn't try to follow her for visits or anything, and it ended up being the right choice for her, because she met ierian and was welcomed into his family. her in-laws ended up being everything she'd wanted her own parents to be, loving her unconditionally and supporting her without judgement. ierian's grandparents calvetana and virian, his [checks notes] so fucking many cousins but especially ziphian who's only a couple months younger than him and everyone used to joke they were supposed to be twins but there was a mixup because they were so close as kids, his sister coracia, his aunts lisia and corinn, so on and so forth - they all made her feel welcome and loved, and she still counts them as her real family.

and then they moved back to the citadel for work :) and they tried to find a place on a separate ward far enough away they wouldn't have to interact because ierian Did Not Fucking Like teia's parents (fun fact neither did the rest of the sparatus-sylidros clan, there was almost a fight at the wedding) and he'd been trying to convince her to cut them off for actual years for her own health but she wanted to try to be nice and be a mature adult about it and hadn't fully accepted that yes she was abused and yes her parents did love her but that didn't make how they treated her okay, and the abuse continued whenever they encountered each other, until one night it happened where their son areus (9 years old at the time) overheard and asked his father what it meant, at which point ierian very explosively cut contact for her, and within the week finally convinced her to obtain a restraining order to protect herself and her children.

so things are uhhhhh tense to say the least, lol. but it's fine she has a whole clan back on tiirtias who adore her, and also the two older siblings (galactian and culpitia) figured out they were being abused shortly after they'd left home and the three of them are decently close now <3

15. What was something their parents taught them?

algidus is a cop, high-ranking c-sec, and a fairly traditionally-minded turian, so he taught his children that the law is a good and necessary thing and there to protect you. instructions unclear, married a prosecutor her daddy hated and got a restraining order, oopsie :3c

on the slightly more positive side, the whole ordeal did teach her to stand up for herself and not be too afraid of hurting others that she just lets them walk all over her and hurt her in turn. granted, she needed her lawyer husband and his lawyer buddies to convince her this was the correct lesson to learn, but it's okay, abuse is an insidious thing, she's doing her best.

33. What is their biggest fear? How would they react to having to face it?

ierian or any of her children, and eventually grandchildren, dying. she loves her family, she sees them as the happy ending she'd been convinced she didn't deserve, she's worked so hard to build her nest, nothing keeps her up at night quite like the fear that any one piece of it could be taken away. with her husband being literally the most important turian in xenopolitics and her middle child verres choosing to stay in the military as a lifer, she's well aware that she's at pretty high risk of it coming true.

unfortunately, she's also already had to face it, or at least the very real possibility of it. her youngest child, their only daughter calvetorin, came very close to dying in infancy due to complications from eezo exposure, and remained frail and sickly for the first few years of her life to the point that the slightest problem had them utterly terrified they were about to lose her. she very nearly shut down entirely from the fear, and still has nightmares about it decades later (cal was born in 2152, for reference). she and ierian had actually planned to have more than three children, but callie's harrowing start to life put them off having any more children out of fear that it might happen again. callie announcing her own pregnancy with her wife carinnia in 2183 is both incredibly exciting and utterly terrifying, worried that her daughter might now go through the exact same heartbreak and all-consuming fear she did years ago. (cal's fine, her kids are fine, all 3 of her children have healthy pregnancies and come out perfectly fine. it's verres who has a child almost die!)

and we're not gonna talk about what happens if the council is killed in me1, we simply Are Not, because it does not happen i can't make myself do that to her literally every time i'm like "this time i'll kill the council" i chicken out cause i think about teia having to grieve ierian--

40. Who do they trust most? Is that trust mutual?

ierian, 100%, and it's definitely mutual. he's who helped her through her own growth of trying to recover from abuse, and she helped him with his own demons in return. beyond that, they're best friends, they're old college study buddies, they're a sun-moon pair, they're bisexual man/bisexual woman solidarity, they're the little older couple joined at the hip everybody knows at least one or two of. by me1 they've been together for 42 years and going strong, there's nobody else in the entire galaxy they'd trust more than each other.

#press conference #snizabelle #ierian's ocs #aediteia epirian #whOOPS this turned into the spirian power hour sORRY

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itgirlification · 3 years

Text

supermodel (2) | jjk

your story with jungkook never seems to end, yet you’re still worried about how it’s gonna end.

pairing: ex-bf!jk x thick!reader

warnings: TOXIC (i cannot stress this enough shit is hella toxic), yn is kinda (very) dumb, jungkook is an actual asshole, borderline mental abuse, infidelity, more insecuritiiiies, mentions/hints of sex, etc.

part one part three

There you were in his arms again, with only your panties and his shirt on.

At this point, you couldn’t even explain yourself. You were guilty, but you know what they say; love hurts.

With his arms wrapped around you and you clinging to him like that, you couldn’t care less about what was gonna happen next. You knew you were probably gonna have a mental breakdown when you go back to the dorms but for now, you were okay.

After he came over that night, he contacted you again. He said he didn’t want this to be serious, he wanted it to be a solely sexual relationship.

“You know, you’re the first girl I’ve been with, who seems to like getting hurt and degraded”, he sighs against your hair. “Sometimes I feel like you can’t get enough of it.”

You stayed silent. What were you supposed to do anyway? Tell him he’s right and stay like this for a while or react defensively and start an endless argument? You chose the first one.

“You’re the only woman that’d let me do all this stuff and still love me. Maybe that’s why I came back to you.”

Holding back the tears, you cling closer to his larger body, as if you were using him as some kind of shield. He thought you were an easy target and forgiving. What else would a man want from a woman he was only interested in fucking, a side piece? Even if she’s in love with him, she was gonna ignore that just to spend as much time with him as possible.

“It’s not like you actually came back.”, you responded, keeping your voice as stable as you could. “We’re just fucking.”

Jungkook sighed deeply, most likely noticing your petty undertone. “Don’t be like that. We aren’t fucking right now.”

You weren’t sure what point exactly he was trying to prove, you agreed to be his side chick. Did he think you didn’t know what a side chick was supposed to do? Because you did know, you just secretly thought you guys were meant to be, you weren’t just some side piece.

Looking around the motel room, your stomach began feeling weird. He wasn’t usually cheap, but you guessed he thought a side chick didn’t deserve a better environment than a cheap motel room rent for a night.

“Because we literally just did.”, you calmly said. You weren’t trying to piss him off.

But Jungkook wasn’t having it. Out of nowhere, he shoved you aside and put his hands over his face, noticeably frustrated.

“What happened?”, you weren't sure if asking that was the best option.

Jungkook turns his body to you. “What happened?? You keep on fucking me up and being a bitch about all this and you ask me what happened?”

He was so furious, his eyes were dark and his face was screwed up. You were now both standing, his tall figure towering over yours.

You saw his hand forming a fist and it would’ve been a lie if you said you weren’t terrified. He hasn’t touched you once throughout your relationship, but you never know.

“I didn’t even say anything. Maybe you’re just a little too sensitive.”, you were pouring salt on a wound at this point, but you didn’t want to be weak and let him talk to you like that.

“Me, sensitive?”, his tone was dangerously serene, as he leaned closer to your face. “If I wasn’t here with you, you'd probably still be crying over me. And you know where I’d be? Laying in bed with the beautiful model I have the privilege to call my girlfriend. Yn, I don’t need you. Don’t get bold with me, ‘cause we both know who’s gonna be heartbroken in the end.”

You couldn’t look him in the eyes, what did you get yourself into again? This wasn’t Jungkook’s fault, this wasn’t anybody’s fault but yours. You should’ve never opened up, you should’ve never said yes to being his side piece, you should’ve never been his girlfriend, to begin with. You stayed silent, but your loud sniffs and your uneven breathing said more than you could at the moment.

“I’m leaving.”, he announced coldly before throwing his black leather jacket over his broad shoulders, leaving you half-naked, crying on the poor-quality motel bed you just had sex on. When he got out of the motel room, you looked outside of the small window, watching him leave in the car he drove you here with.

Now, you had no other option than to call Jane to pick you up since your dorm was a half an hour walk away from the motel and you didn’t have the energy to walk for even a minute.

You weren’t sure if you had the energy for all the questions Jane was gonna ask you when she sees your mascara smeared face and your messy hair. Not to mention the motel. You weren’t a motel type of girl and she knew that.

Still, you called her and she answered almost immediately. “Yn? What happened? I thought you were gonna sleepover at your parents’?”

Sleepover at your parents’ house? You had almost forgotten the bad lie you told Jane just to have sex with Jungkook in this cheap-ass motel. And to think you were convinced you two were gonna stay the whole night.

“Uh”, you quickly coughed to cover up the voice cracks you got from crying. “Yeah, it’s a long story, please pick me up. I’ll text you the address.”

About 10 minutes later, Jane arrived and looked at you like you were out of your mind when you got into the car. “Yn, what the fuck? I was so worried about you. And this isn’t your parents’ house, this is a fucking motel. Did you meet a guy? Did he do something to you? Should I call the cops?”

“No, no, no, oh my god, please don’t”, you knew she was gonna ask a lot of questions. “I lied to you. So what actually happened was me and Jungkook reconnected an-“

She rolled her eyes. “Of course it was Jungkook. So I’m guessing he left you here?”

You hesitantly nodded.

“So when were you gonna tell me you ‘reconnected’ with him? When did you even ‘reconnect’ with him?”, she mockingly asked you. You weren’t blaming her for being pissed off, you’d have been too in this situation.

“A month ago? I think..”, you muttered.

“Hm”, Jane nodded, sighing at your naivety. “And when did he even break up with his model chick?”

You awkwardly looked away and Jane was hoping it wasn’t because of what she thought.

“He didn’t break up with her??”, Jane was beyond frustrated. “So.. you’re like his side chick now? Are we gonna stoop that low for men, yn?”

Jane always wanted the best for you and you knew she knew what was the best for you too, you were just too foolish. And too in love with a man you can’t force into loving you again.

“I know but please can we not talk about this right now? I just don’t feel like it.”, you asked, looking down on your fingers, ashamed of yourself.

“Alright, I’m sorry, babe.”, Jane hugged your side quickly, before starting the engine and heading back to the dorm. “You know I just want what’s best for you.”

You nodded, looking out of the window with your head full.

“Bella just texted me and said her birthday party will be 90s themed? Can’t she be a little more specific?”, Jane barged into the room, looking down on her phone in disbelief.

Bella was a person you two met at college in one of your shared classes. She was a sweetheart, but she was a little spoiled too. The only reason why she got into the college was that her rich daddy bribed them, but you couldn’t be mad, your parents would’ve done the same if they had the money.

She was extremely extroverted, a people person. She probably never had a boring day in her life with all the parties she threw whenever her dad and his 20 something-year-old girlfriend were on vacation or business trips. She even had some celebrity friends and would just casually post selfies with them on her Instagram story like it was a normal thing to do. She was basically living the dream, clueless about what real life for others really was about.

Jane had a love-hate relationship with Bella ever since they met. She thought Bella was a nice girl, but it was ‘unbearable’ to have a conversation with her because she was too self-centered to talk about anything else than herself.

You shrugged. “Just wear something Aaliyah would’ve worn.”

“Hm. Fair enough. It’s really not all that deep, actually.”, She said. “So what are you gonna wear?”

“I don’t even know if I’m going, Bella’s parties are boring.”, you answered honestly.

You really weren’t sure if you’d go. You did feel like seeing people and having a little fun but it wasn’t like you ever had fun at any of Bella’s parties. One time, a guy puked all over a new dress you bought just for the party, and another time, you were forced to drink 4 beer bottles. You hated beer.

“Why not? It’s gonna be fun and you’re coming.”, she decided for you, making you playfully roll your eyes. “And wear that black latex dress, I haven’t seen it on you in forever.”

To say that Jane was a fashionista would be an understatement. She was too invested in fashion to be bothered with anything else.

“Alright, but only if we don’t stay for long.”, you tried to compromise with her.

She nodded. “We gotta buy her presents though. Is there even anything she doesn’t have?”

You sighed, annoyed. “C’mon, there’s gonna be at least 200 people at that party, it’s not like she’ll notice if we just don’t get her anything. Besides, she’s rich as fuck.”

Jane snickered at your comment. “Girl, you must not know her, she checks every damn person and probably throws them out if they don’t buy her a Chanel bag or something. Bitch is a little crazy.”

It was amusing because you both knew that was exaggerated. Bella wasn't that serious about gifts. But let’s just say, for the money that her dad had, she was a little too greedy.

But you were too bothered with your own life than to worry about other's.

As soon as you arrived at Bella’s mansion, two security guards were standing in front of the door. They let you in as you showed them your invitations. It was a little bit extra, but that’s just how Bella was.

The first thing you noticed when you entered the house was the smell of sweat and weed. Already? You weren’t really surprised though.

Bella was standing there, wearing a skintight red dress that, ironically, didn’t really fit her own party’s theme. But she did look absolutely beautiful greeting her guests with the biggest smile on her glowing face. She had her strawberry blonde hair down in elegant beach curls and there were some cute butterfly clips placed in them.

You could recognize that it was her birthday from miles away. She was basically shining.

“Oh my god, Jane, Yn!! I’m so happy to see you guys!”, an overly keen Bella came, hugging you both with strength. “Oh, I see you got me something, girls you know you shouldn’t have!”

She tried hiding her smile at the bags in your hands, freeing the two of you from them immediately.

“It’s your birthday, Bella. We can’t just come here without any gifts, girl.”, Jane smiled. “Happy birthday.”

You looked to your side, admiring Jane’s acting skills. “Happy birthday, Bella! I can’t believe you’re 23 now.”

“I know right, if you were a year younger, you’d be as old as your dad’s girlfriend.”, Jane joked around, making Bella hysterically laugh.

“C’mon, almost everybody’s here already”, Bella excitedly pushed you towards the living room.

The room’s stench was even more unbearable than the one at the entrance, leaving you covering your nose for a second leaving out an ‘oof’.

The 90s trap music was heard extremely loudly through the whole house and there were people dancing and grinding. There were some couples that sat on one of the many couches, acting like they were in their own little world. It wasn’t very pleasant to watch, but you just chose to ignore it. The stench was something you couldn’t ignore though.

You were already bored out of your mind.

A few minutes of pure boredom and dry conversations passed then the music stopped playing and you could hear Bella’s voice calling for everybody’s attention. “I’m gonna open the presents now, so everybody come here and Daphne, please bring the gifts here so I can open them.”

Daphne was Bella’s personal maid. She never really talked, but she did everything she needed to. She brought all the bags to Bella one by one and you could’ve sworn she was trying not to cry out of happiness.

“Oh my god, Jackson”, She cried out as she pulled a pair of Saint Laurent shoes out of a box. “These are so beautiful. You even got the right size. Thank you so mu-“

“Bella, I’m so sorry we’re late, we had to run some errands”, a soft-spoken voice interrupted, making everybody in the room turn her way, just to see the charming model with none other than Jeon Jungkook by her side. Wow.

As soon as you turned your head to see who it was, you turned back around, looking at Jane to make sure she saw what you saw. You sent her a questioning, almost panicking look just for her to shrug.

“Yuki! It’s fine, girl. Come here, I’m opening my presents right now.”, The birthday girl exclaimed, making Yuki immediately hand her her gift.

Jungkook was just walking behind his girlfriend, making no type of noise whatsoever and you prayed he wouldn’t see you.

They sat down at an angle where you couldn’t help but look at them though and you were sure he looked at you for a split second as well. They looked beautiful together.

Bella just continued opening gifts and thanking everybody dearly, but you weren’t paying attention to that. You just zoned out for most of it. Those were a lot of gifts she got.

You couldn’t help but steal another glance at your ex-boyfriend and the girl besides him.

She looked even cuter in real life. Her cheeks had a natural blush to them and her hair was long and healthy. She was thin and her skin tone was warm and even.

You’ve always been insecure about your hyperpigmentation, but she didn’t seem to have any problems with how she looked. She was near damn perfect. Perfect wasn’t real, but if it was, it’d be her.

Jungkook probably never had a problem introducing her to his parents or his friends. You always felt like he had difficulties with that while he was dating you. He just wasn’t confrontational enough to tell you he was ashamed to have you as his girlfriend.

You seemed to be stuck in your place while everybody else was either dancing or making conversation.

Jane was sitting next to you, talking to a girl with blond box braids about a new movie that recently came out. You heard what they were saying, but it sounded like a foreign language to you since you weren’t focused.

“Yn? Are you okay?”, Jane whispered in your ear, hugging your shoulder. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know they were invited.”

You shook your head. “It’s fine, Jane. It’s not your fault, I just kind of wanna go home.”

She looked at you apologetically. “Can’t we stay for a little while? I promise it won’t take long, I’m just actually having fun here.”

You had to admit you were being selfish, not just in that moment, but whenever it came to Jungkook. You’ve dragged Jane through all of your shit and never really thought about how she must feel like.

Nodding in response to her. “I’m gonna get myself something to drink.”

You finally stood up from your place, looking around unsure, feeling like you’re taking up so much space wherever you go, even when you were doing absolutely nothing.

You wore the latex dress, but only because Jane insisted and made sure you knew you looked good. She convinced you for maybe a second, but all those insecurities were coming back. You tried sucking in your stomach the whole night, but it just wasn’t enough.

You were asking yourself all kinds of questions. If your arms looked too fat and if your cellulite was visible, if your hip-dips were as noticeable to others as they were to you. You felt like everybody was looking and they were judging really hard.

All you wanted was to fade into oblivion.

You were feeling his eyes on your back and god, you wanted to look too but you fought the urge, just continued walking to the bathroom. You weren’t in the mood to drink after all.

Your gut feeling was telling you he was following, but you ignored it.

Until you were about to close the bathroom door and you saw black timberlands stepping between the door and the doorframe to stop you from closing it.

You sighed, opening the door, resulting in him getting in the bathroom with you.

“Why are you avoiding me?”, the handsome man facing you asked, brown eyes looking deep inside of yours.

“How can I avoid you when you didn’t even try talking to me?”, you asked back, looking away immediately.

You hated how your relationship was just a cycle of him hurting you and coming back, acting like he hadn’t done anything wrong. And he was so good at it too.

He chuckled darkly, letting his eyes glide down your body for a second just to look back into your eyes. “You know exactly what I mean, yn. Don’t play dumb.”

You did know what he meant.

“And? It’s not like I have anything to say to you.”

Jungkook came closer to you, softly wrapping one arm around your waist, whispering in your ear. “You don’t?”

You couldn’t believe how shameless he was, being so close to you while his girlfriend was a few meters away, outside of this door, probably thinking he’s getting her a drink or something. You wondered if he did the same thing to you when you were dating.

“Jungkook, stop. Your girlfriend is here.”, you tried to convince yourself you didn’t want it. “How can you even do this?”

“It’s nothing we haven’t done before, princess.”, He kissed your earlobe. “You can’t possibly think it’s okay when she’s not around, but not okay when she is. It’s the same thing.”

You knew he was right, besides, you were just as guilty as he was. You were messing around with a taken guy and the worst part was, you knew he was taken and you still did it.

“I know, but I wanna end whatever this is”, you hesitated to say. “It’s unhealthy and you already have a girlfriend, why don’t you go and kiss her, why me?”

You were avoiding this conversation ever since this started. Sometimes it’s hard talking about things you don’t actually want to hear about.

“What do you mean?”, Jungkook feigned confusion, but you knew better than to believe him. “It’s easier said than done, yn. We have a history together, you know that.”

“I do, but that’s all we are. History. And we should both get over it.”, you responded.

“But what if I don’t want to?”, it was more of a statement than a question, really. “What if I told you, you’re special to me?”

You were gonna have a meltdown if he continued with this. Why was he so fucking complicated? You knew he didn’t love you so what was it?

“But I’m not. The only reason why you come back is because you think I’m easy material. It’s because you were my first everything and it’s because you know exactly how much you mean to me.”, you cry out, tears coming up to ruin your makeup again. You wished you wouldn’t cry as much as you did. “You know I’ll always let you in, no matter what. I know I’m at fault too here and I’m not blaming you, but please for god’s sake, don’t make it worse on me.”

You looked in the mirror, almost not recognizing yourself. You felt detached from reality, but not in a good way at all.

Jungkook scoffed, looking down at you. “I know I shouldn’t have tried talking to you. It’s like you can’t even appreciate anybody showing you affection. I’m trying to prove to you, that you aren’t nothing to me and that’s the response that I get. Not everybody’s against you, yn, you’re just too insecure to notice. That’s why you haven’t ever had anybody showing you interest. It’s because you lack confidence and think the world revolves around you. But I did show you interest. In the past and now. But look at you. You haven’t changed at all, still the little yn who compares herself to other girls and thrives off of male attention, because you can’t believe that somebody could love you just for you when there’s skinnier, prettier girls walking around. So what if there are skinnier, prettier girls around? That’s reality, yn.”

You didn’t know what exactly you expected him to say, but that wasn’t it. Looking at him with big, teary eyes, is that really what he thought of you? Of course, it was. Because it was the truth. The cold, hard truth. Not sugarcoated. He knew you better than you wanted him to.

Without a single word leaving your dry lips, you open the door and run out, ignoring him calling your name and the weird stares people were giving you. You needed to find Jane.

Once you found her joking around with a bunch of random people, you go up to her. You most likely looked like you came out of a horror movie.

“Yn? What the fuck happened?”, she lightly took your face in her warm hands and caressed your cheek worriedly.

“Pl- please, can we just go home?”, you whimpered, thankful that everybody was respectful enough to turn around and focus on their stuff instead of ogling at you.

“Sure, sure. Come here”, she took you in her arms and walked you out of the mansion, not caring to say goodbye to anybody.

people who wanted to get tagged in pt. 2:

@1-in-abillion @sarcasmflowsinmyveins @chieftoadturkeynickel @madygswich @kb-bangtanenthusiast

thank you for the support love yall!! 💗

a/n: so i know most of yall probably wanted a happy ending but first of all this probably isn’t the ending:) and i wanted to portray it as realistically as possible. It’s really hard to get out of a toxic relationship especially when you’re so in love with them but i’ll see what i can do to make yn happy cuz girly’s going thru it. Btw this wasn’t proofread so there’s probably so many mistakes and i thought this was very underwhelming but i hope you guys like it thank you!

459 notes · View notes

lubdubsworld · 3 years

Text

Blackberry Winters.

Part 1

Check part one for warnings 💔

Part 2.

Namjoon stared at his mother, her words registering but not quite sinking in. He blinked, a couple of times and swallowed dryly, trying to gather his wits that felt like they'd been scattered to the four winds. There was a dull ringing in his ear, a feeling of impending horror and he had to fight to bring himself back to the present.

"She is...?" He couldn't even say it. Somewhere in the back of his mind he realised the irony of it. It wasn't supposed to makes him feel that way. The reason he had taken her to bed was for this : a heir to take over the duties of the head alpha after him. And yet, he knew that he couldn't just ignore all the things that would come with having a pregnant mate. All the added responsibility.

At the heart of it , Namjoon was exhausted.

He had been trained for this position but it didn't make it any easier. His wolf yearned for solitude and serenity, peaceful quiet where he could contemplate life and all its mysteries but the duties and responsibilities kept piling up. He had no time to indulge in such whimsical fantasies. From daybreak to sundown, he drowned in problems that demanded solutions, issues that required his intervention and he was always giving so much of himself to so many.

It was as taking a toll.

And now here was the promise of another new soul. A pup. Fully dependant on him for survival. It was hard to be ecstatic.

" Why do you look so surprised? Have you not been sleeping with her?" She frowned, moving closer to the small wooden bench in the corner of the room. She sat down, primly adjusting the large swathes of her skirt. Even at her age, she was a beauty and despite being a widow, she was treated with great respect by all the wolves in the clan.

" I have... Of course...I just didn't expect her to ...so soon. " He muttered hesitantly. He made a quick calculation, Conceived at the end of autumn meant the child would be born at the end of summer. Rains and more rains. He would have to commission the weavers to make a lot of warm blankets and thick bedding for the babe. And make sure that all the birthing huts had their roofs mended. He felt an ache in his chest. He knew he had to have a heir. It was part of what he was responsible for. But he wasn't ready to be a father yet. Especially not with someone like her.

" You haven't been very subtle in your disdain for her, Joon. It makes me wonder of perhaps I have failed in teaching you the ways of a husband." His mother's sharp voice made him wince.

His parents had been deeply in love with each other. His mother had been an equal contributor in running the clan, his father's most trusted confidante. He couldn't imagine having something like that with the woman he had rather recklessly chained himself to for life. But he couldn't be openly defiant in front of his mother.

So he bowed.

" I've tried to talk to her mother. She looks at me like I'm some marauding villain."

Lady Kim scoffed.

" Because, for all she knows, you may as well be one. Think of who she is, how she was raised. Her mother died when she was eight and she has been keeping house for her father since then. It Is a miracle she knows how to read a few words and to write her own name. Old man Gong is unkind and cruel and I've only ever watched him treat her like an unruly dog that needed discipline and never like his own flesh and blood. She knows men to be cruel and powerful and capable of doing her great harm. Add to it your status as the head of the clan, of course she thinks you're dangerous. "

" am I to be blamed for her childhood now?"

" Don't be obtuse. That is not what I'm saying. I just want you to consider her upbringing, before you write her off as dramatic or hysterical. "

Namjoon sighed deeply.

" Alright, mother. I'll try to talk to her again. "

And he knew that he had to. If he wanted some semblance of peace in his life, he would have to make an effort with his wife.

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

Jiah sat by the haybale near the barn, cross-legged on the dirty floor as she watched Misu and Loshim, two of the stable boys tend to the horses. She stared at the careful way they brushed the large beasts, their tone gentle and soothing as they murmured reassurance to the agitated animals. She found it fascinating, how even an animal that powerful could feel fear and anxiety. It made her feel better about her own shortcomings.

From a very young age, she had known of her flaws. She was jittery, prone to cold sweats and breathing problems, easily frightened and absolutely terrified of confrontation of any kind. Her parents had been, to put it lightly, unkind. They had seen her as a burden, as something broken and useless and cumbersome and that had done nothing for her self esteem.

To make matters worse, they didn't let her attend lessons with the other omega girls, her education limited to scribbled writing on granite with chalk when her father was feeling bored or charitable. She could read a few words with difficulty . Could write her name out if you gave her some time and patience.

At first, her ignorance had been embarassing but over time she realised her education wouldn't serve her much purpose.

She thought of herself as something temporary and fleeting. Not meant to leave any lasting impression on the world. So it was alright if she didn't know what every other girl her age did. She was going to live and die in that hut near the boundary walls..... She would have no use for fancy words or exotic dances.

Or so she hd always believed.

So when the head alpha had asked for her hand in marriage, she had nearly passed out from her heart giving out.

Namjoon was seven years older, almost thirty winters old and she had only ever caught glimpses of him when he came to check on her father's watchpost occasionally. He was a tall man, strapping and intimidating with dragon eyes that glowed red. And one evening he had stopped by her side when she had been tending the beets and potatoes in the small vegetable garden out back.

He had stared at her for a few long minutes while she had sweated in nervousness and then he had promptly asked for her father. When the man had Stepped in and told her father that he was looking to make her his bride, the old man had been jubilant while Jiah had been confounded.

She hadn't wanted to say yes but she had been too much of a coward to say no. Besides, she didn't know if saying no would have any repurcussions....she didn't want to risk offending the literal head of the entire clan. What if they banished her? What would become of her then?

And so she had said yes. And here she was.

Mated to the man for life, her wolf connected to his and his mark on her neck and now....his child in her womb.

She felt the familiar stirring of panic, digging her nails into her palm to ground herself .

Jiah had long come to terms with the fact that her mind was not her friend. It sometimes tried to attack her , tried to make her feel irrational things. It convinced her that she was a bother, that she was useless, that she was a burden. It also tried to tell her that she was in danger, that she had to run and avoid and get away, even when she was perfectly safe.

When she had first come here as the head Alphas new wife, her brain had wrecked havoc on her senses. Had made her feel like a hunted animal, always cowering and hiding and trying to disappear . Namjoon had tried to be friendly, tried to be courteous and all she had done was hide and recoil, skin ice cold and words practically non existent. She hadn't said a word to him those first few days and even the bedding had been a nightmare, her entire body stiff as a board and she knew that he had probably felt like he was making love to a corpse.

She regretted it. Deeply. But there was not much she could do about it now. Besides she wasn't sure she even wanted to. It was obvious her husband's affections lay elsewhere. She had seen the way he looked at that courtesan. Had seen him sneak out for walks with her, had seen them huddled together in the room with all the scrolls and leather bound books.

Jisoo was a beautiful omega, well read and trained in musical arts. She played the gayageum and the flute, knew how to entertain guests with a perfect ceremonial dance and she was always at the helm of every festivity, dressed in vibrant fabrics and full of life.

She was also madly in love with Namjoon.

Jiah sighed, watching the horses paw at the dirty stable floor. She wanted to get to know her husband, yes. But she knew that even if she did, he would only find her wanting and inadequate in all ways.

And that was just not acceptable .

She maybe self aware when it came to her short comings but she also had her pride.

She would rather live like this. Tucked away like an embarassment, hidden like a dirty secret because then there would be no piercing gaze weighing her against her peers and declaring her broken.

Yes.

Pregnant or not, she wanted nothing to do with her husband.

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

" Are you feeling well now?" Namjoon's voice startled her, eyes going wide as she looked around the resting quarters , gaze finally falling on the man standing near the large table on the side. Namjoon was bent over the rough oak surface , papers spread out in front of him, an oil lamp burning bright nearby, casting a sepia shadow on the man himself and she hesitated, debating the pros and cons of excusing herself to go see his mother instead. Maybe claiming a headache?

In the end she did neither, resolving to at least make an effort with this.

" I'm well, alpha. " She swallowed the lump in her throat. " I'm sorry for inconveniencing you. "

He straightened, turning around to look at her finally.

" Do you wish to move into another room?" He said briskly and she startled.

" Another room?"

" Now that you are with pup, there's no reason for us to keep sleeping together. I prefer having my own space. "

Jiah felt the blood rush through her ears. This shouldn't hurt but it did and she could feel the self loathing flood her senses. She stared down at herself, the lack of beauty and the utter lack of any kind of elegant upbringing. Of course he didn't want to stay with her any longer. What had she been thinking , agreeing to this farce of a mating?

" I... Alright. "

Namjoon turned away from her.

" Good. I've already arranged for all your things to be moved to the west wing , next to the gardens."

Far away from his rooms, Jiah thought bitterly. The sudden realization that Namjoon had been looking for some sort of brood mare and not a mate hit her . And it suddenly made sense that he hd picked her.

Someone easy to boss around.

Someone who wouldn't demand anything from him, loyalty or affection or attention .

And it irked her for some reason.

Why did he get to treat her that way? Why must she put up with it?

But she stayed quiet because she wasn't sure what to say.

" You can leave now, Jiah. " He said dismissively and she hesitated before stepping out of the room.

And she wondered if with her departure, someone else would be taking her place in his bed.

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

Authors Note : would you guys like first person narrative or should I continue in third person? 👀

#namjoon Werewolf drabble

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mysoftboybensolo · 3 years

Text

The Alienist and the Soprano

Chapter 12: The Courtship

A/N: This was inspired by Laszlo’s love of opera and my thought on what if he fell for an opera singer. Multi chapter. Canon divergence, there is no Mary Palmer here (I loved Mary and Laszlo, so I don’t feel like I could have her here and have him be with another woman). A mix of show and book canons. No Y/N, OC named Evelina Lind.

A03: https://archiveofourown.org/works/32029150

Pairing: Laszlo Kreizler x Fem OC!

Summary: The last thing Laszlo Kreizler ever expected while investigating the death of children was to fall in love, and with an opera singer no less!

Warnings: Age gap, questioning of a relationship, but it gets resolved, hints of John x Sara (more of them will come in later chapters).

Laszlo didn’t quite know what to do when it came to courting. He himself had been so inexperienced in love and more so with social interactions that he feared that he’ll make one wrong move and ruin everything. It was one of those moments where he had to admit he knew nothing about the subject and must turn to someone who did.

John would never have thought in a million years that Laszlo would ever some to him for advice, and certainly not of the romantic kind. To see Laszlo looking rather on edge and uncertain gave John a small feeling of enjoyment as the roles have now been reversed, but he did not keep his friend suffering for long and entered the den.

“Thank you for meeting with me,” Laszlo spoke, “Especially on short notice.”

“That is probably the first time you had ever said that to me in all the years we’ve known each other. You must need my help badly.”

“I fear that I do. I-I have asked Evelina if I may officially court her.”

John’s eyes brightened with joy. “Laszlo, that is wonderful! She is indeed a remarkable woman.”

Laszlo smiled and nodded in agreement. “I have never felt this way about anyone, and I am afraid. I am afraid that I shall say or do something wrong and after everything that had happened in the previous days, the last thing I would want to do is cause any further scandal.”

John chuckled and teased, “If you want her to be scandal free, then she picked the wrong man.” John quickly realized what a mistake his choice of words was as he saw the visible hurt in his friend’s eyes. “I am sorry, I was only joking. It is amusing to see you like this though, because last I recall you had some choice words about love. Dull, no more than a mystery than cholera.”

He watched as Laszlo’s mood lightened as he recalled back on his own words and shook his head. “And I did believe them. Or at least, I wanted to believe them. She changed my mind. John,” he asked in a somber tone, “Do you think I am wrong to do this?”

John stared at him perplexed. “What do you mean?”

“It’s just, I am forty and she is just shy of her twenty-fifth birthday, a whole life ahead of her full of possibilities, and I feel like I am taking something away from her, especially with…” He doesn’t say the words, but his habitual gesture of left hand gripping the right wrist finished the sentence.

“Laszlo,” John sighed, “You two are not the first couple to have a difference in age, and many more have had even larger gaps then you do. And I resent the idea of you being too old, because it means I am as well, and I should like to think I am not too old for love!”

Laszlo offered a small smile, but a part of him knew that his relationship did mirror a bit with John’s feelings towards Sara, even though John was with Violet. That was something that Laszlo felt grateful in, not to be a situation where he is tied to one but loves another.

“And by now, she knows about your arm,” John continued, “I am sure that if she had thought less of you because of it, she would have left. Let us be honest, if she hadn’t left after her first meeting of you, then I am certain she is never going to leave. And I shall now share with you a lesson that I had learned a rather difficult way; never tell a woman what to feel, even if you do think she ought to feel differently.” John reached over and placed a friendly hand on Laszlo’s shoulder and grinned. “No one deserves to be happier than you, after everything that has happened, you deserve it. Take it, my friend, and enjoy it.”

Laszlo was touched by these words and knew John meant it. “Thank you. It means a lot to me that you’d say that.”

“My god, Laszlo,” John chuckled, “If being in love placates you, then you must do it more often.”

“I intend to. But what do I do? I mean, what is it that people do when they court?”

John explained the socially proper rules of courting, such as never be alone with her without someone being there, places where they be together, gifts you can and cannot give, etc. Many of these rules made Laszlo roll his eyes, for they were built on patriarchal beliefs that did more harm than good, but overall, when he left John’s place, he felt comfortable to move forward in the relationship.

Evelina had felt herself on cloud nine, for it felt that everything was falling into place at last. The feeling of his kiss still lingered on her lips and it was like a drug that had prolonged effects, for even the stares and whispers that people made when she passed them hadn’t even bothered her. The party at the Roosevelt’s tonight should be able to help with that, especially with Edith Roosevelt in your corner, who had happily accepted Evelina into the party as soon as she saw her.

“Oh, my dear, you are just the loveliest creature ever, love suits you very well.”

Evelina blushed and asked, “Is it obvious?”

“Beautifully so. He’s over by the fireplace, his usual spot in events such as this,” Edith said, giving her a coy smile, knowing she’d want to go to him.

Because of how late the rehearsals went, Evelina had told Laszlo to go on ahead and she’ll meet him there, so this was the first they would see each other after the kiss, and they came together sweetly and shyly. “Good evening, Laszlo, did you sleep well?”

“Quite well, I had the most pleasant dream,” he softly spoke, looking down at her with such a tender love that he could see reflected in her eyes.

“A result from a rather wonderful moment from the previous night?” she asked, knowing full well that was the reason why, she just wanted to hear him say it.

“There can be no other reason.”

The party went extremely well, and Evelina had to say that Laszlo was a good sport, she knew how uncomfortable he can get at social events, which was partially the reason why he stuck close to Evelina. The other reason was because he just adored her so. It was quite apparent to everyone in the room by the end of the night, and many thought it a good match; economically, she will be married to a man who is one of the wealthiest people in New York, socially, he is less irritable when around her. Personally, they loved each other so much.

Laszlo was indeed right, people would move on from one scandal to another, as a week later it was revealed that a prominent society lady was having an affair with her stable hand, and everyone went mad over it. People still looked down at her for her profession, but she brought up a good point during one of their meetings, of how despite people looking down at the profession, they still come to her to hear the music they love.

“It comes from a need to control and a deeper level of jealously,” Laszlo said, “If they see someone that they can put down, then they will as it will make themselves feel important. But they also know that they need that person to provide a need they cannot get themselves, which can cause a sense of jealously and hostility and make them react in such a way. They try to convince themselves that the ones lesser than them need the higher class to survive, but the truth is, the society needs the workers more than the workers need them.” Laszlo opened his mouth to continue, but he noticed how Evelina looked at him and wondered if he spoke too much. “I’m sorry. I tend to go on rambling about such things.”

“Don’t apologize, it was fascinating. I like hearing you speak about such things; it only teaches me something new, but to see you go on about something that you enjoy, it makes me happy.”

Often people have told Laszlo that they didn’t care about his work, that his ramblings about facts, big or small, were not so interesting, and to hear that she not only enjoys it, but likes how it makes him happy, well, that made him even happier.

What made their courtship so different from everyone else’s was how open they were with one another. Laszlo certainly made it no secret that he did not approve of the standard norms of society, which is why he did things so differently, and while to some it would be an improper error, Evelina felt that they should not have to hide how they felt. Most unions were made for the sole purpose of advancement in society, but this one was an affair of the heart. But despite how they felt about these rules, they also knew that there were some rules that could not be breeched. Laszlo visited her when he knew Sara was home to “keep watch” over the pair, which meant she’d be in the next room typing away at her machine while Laszlo and Evelina had the freedom of being alone.

Mrs. Vidal had also played chaperone at the opera, watching with a careful but affectionate eye as Laszlo visited after the show. The first time he came by was after the premiere of Roméo and Juliette, having watched her fall in love, despair and die, all so tragically and beautifully. He looked down at her from his box with incredible pride and adoration, and what he couldn’t believe was that at the end of the show, when she was giving her final curtain call, she looked up at him and gave a small but noticeable gesture of blowing a kiss to him. No one else caught it, between the gesture being subtle and they so enraptured, but Laszlo noticed, and it warmed his heart.

He went down to her dressing room after the show, pushing through the usual crowd of admirers and was allowed the privilege of a private audience with the prima donna.

“Laszlo!” she happily exclaimed, rushing to wrap her arms around him, which caused him to gasp but chuckle as he returned the hug. “Did you like the show?” she asked with her face pressed against his chest.

“Oh, meine liebe, you were perfection itself.”

She pulled back enough to look up at him, with a look of pleasant surprise. “Laszlo, do you realize that you just called me by a term of endearment?”

He thought back and then apologized. “Oh, I hadn’t realized. I am sorry if you don’t like it.”

“Oh no!” she disagreed cheerfully, “I love it. I like to be called your love. But what shall I call you?”

Laszlo chuckled at her sweetness, “Whatever you like, I suppose.”

“It’ll come to me. Such a thing must come naturally, as it did with you. The company is having a party, Delmonico’s, your favorite. Please be my escort?”

He kissed her hand and declared it to be a pleasure and left her to get ready as he waited in the hall. Evelina watched as Laszlo pushed through the crowd and couldn’t help but to laugh at the thought of him getting lost in the crowd.

Maria, still in her nurse costume, was pushing through the crowd of men when she bumped into Dr. Kreizler was confused as to why he was down here. Managing to get through, she entered the room and quickly went to Evelina who was laying on the couch with her eyes closed. “Evelina, are you alright?”

Evelina opened her eyes and sat up with a smile. “Yes, shouldn’t I be?”

“Well, no, of course not, but I saw the doctor leave and I was worried.”

Evelina got up and went to her vanity with a smile. “No, I am perfectly well. Better than well, actually.”

“Good. Listen, I was thinking of us entering Delmonico’s in style. Be fashionably late and-”

Evelina gently interrupted and said, “I am sorry, Maria. But I am going with someone else.”

Maria was at first disappointed, then she perked up when a thought came to her. “Is it the same man of whom you have feelings for?”

Evelina began to wipe the stage makeup off as she nodded. “Yes. We managed to finally express our feelings for each other and he’ll be taking me tonight.”

“Well, don’t leave me in suspense, who is it?”

She opened her mouth to answer, but then closed it. “No, you’ll laugh.”

“Laugh, why would I laugh? Evie,” Maria placed both hands on her friend’s shoulders, making her look at her, “I promise, if I laugh, I’ll lend you my ruby and pearl earrings for the evening. Now, please, tell me?”

Evelina sighed, then said, “It’s Dr. Kreizler.”

Maria paused for a moment, her hands slipped from Evelina’s shoulders and a quizzical look came over her features. “Dr. Kreizler. The alienist?” Maria watched as Evelina nodded. “Huh.”

“Oh, stop it, I know you want to laugh,” Evelina muttered, standing as she tossed her towel on the vanity.

“No, not at all. I am perplexed, to say the least. He is indeed quite good looking and is more well off than Mr. Moore could ever hope to be, and he is older, but so is Moore. It’s just, well, Dr. Kreizler always just seems so…distant and harsh, and you two seem so different from one another. What on earth do you see in the man?”

Evelina’s face softened and an almost dreamy haze overcame her. “Oh, if you only knew. He puts on the air of being steely strong and mean, yet, if you could see him with the children, he’s remarkable, tender, loving. He suffered but only wants to help others avoid what he went through. He’s witty, humorous, brave. And his thinking is so modern, so unlike most men I have known. He believes in women having just as much rights as men, including holding their own jobs and casting votes. He’s wonderful.”

Maria whistled. “Well, in that case, I may just fall in love with him myself.”

“Hands off, I saw him first,” Evelina teased, smiling back at Maria.

“Oh, all right. I suppose I’ll have to settle for Ramon, the tenor,” Maria teased back. Then her smiled turned tender and asked, “But, you are happy with him? Truly?”

Evelina nodded. “Yes, incredibly so. We may not be so similar, but we are similar in where is counts.”

“And that is all that matters,” chimed in Mrs. Vidal. “It’s rather best you do not end up with someone who is completely like you, otherwise, neither of you will push the other to do better, and on the bad days, you’ll hate the flaws of yourself that you see reflected in the other. Dr. Kreizler is a fine man and any man who would risk his life the way he did for you, that is a man worth keeping.” Giving her a kiss on the cheek, Mrs. Vidal said, “You are very lucky, some of us never find the right one, enjoy him while you can.”

Maria smiled, seeing her friend looking so happy was wonderful, especially after the horror she had to endure, and if it was a man like Kreizler, who not only came to her aid but also made Evelina smile, then it was worth it. “Hear, hear! And speaking of, I should leave you to get dressed, can’t keep him waiting.” Maria stood and bopped the end of Evelina’s nose. “I am very happy for you. I’ll, see you at the party,” she called out from over her shoulder.

As Evelina got ready, all she could think of was how lucky she was that not only did she find a good man to love, but that the dearest people in her life liked him too. She almost wept to think that her parents could not be alive to have met him, but she knew that they would have liked him and would have wanted her to be happy. And she knew that she’ll never stop having her heart skip a beat, for when she stepped out after changing and saw him standing there, waiting for her, it was like falling in love all over again.

If people had not known that Laszlo and Evelina were a couple, then tonight had put everything to rest. People stared amazed at the sight of Laszlo walking Evelina into Delmonico’s, especially the opera company, who never saw this coming. It was of course not an unusual practice of a singer taking on the patronage of a wealthy person, but they of all the months that they had spent working alongside Evelina, she never seemed to be the kind to do this sort of thing. The highbrows of society had simply nodded their heads and declared that they had fully expected this of her.

But what changed it from being simply seen as an arrangement to an honest to goodness courtship was seeing that the pair had matched in their flowers; in his lapel, was a lovely boutonniere of violets which matched the same corsage she wore pinned to the front of her dress. It was a spur of the moment decision, as they had passed a flower seller on their way and picked matching flowers that had a very strong and important meaning “faithfulness”.

At this point, they both decided that society could look at them with judgmental glares and harsh whispers all they want, but nothing was going to stop this miraculous feeling of being in love. And if anyone did, Sara would happily get into a fisticuff with the person, as she strongly vowed to the pair. As much as she was very happy to see them together, it did make her feel a little left out, and her gaze fell to John, with a sense of longing that she never could allow herself to admit. It was hard not to see herself reflected in Evelina and her relationship with Laszlo, after all, it was what Sara had imagined being with John might be like.

But it was too late.

Tagging: @monsieurbruhl, @cazzyimagines @scuttle-buttle @violetmuses @flutterskies @sokoviandelights @rumblelibrary @fictionlandslanddreams @somethingthatsaysbubbles @alindeluce and @barnesxnobles

#the alienist #laszlo kreizler #daniel bruhl #daniel brühl #fanfiction

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in-my-feels-probably · 3 years

Text

INEFFABLE - Kaz Brekker

Chapter Eleven

If you would like to read this on Wattpad, it’s on there as well, my @ is in_my_feels_probably and there’s a few visuals and better descriptions and stuff on there. otherwise, enjoy, let me know what you think, and you can check out my masterlist for updates and more. don’t forget to read the prologue, it’s important to the story!

INEFFABLE – Kaz Brekker

ineffable (adj.) too great to be expressed in words, utterly indescribable; too sacred to speak of.

Chapter Eleven

It was early that morning, and the Crows had stopped the carriage. Elham had quickly changed back into her regular clothes, glad to be out of the dress. The Crows piled out and moved to stand behind the trunk Alina was stowed away in. They stood ready to defend themselves, Jesper with his hand on his pistol.

Elham put her hand on top of Jesper’s, reholstering his pistol. “Saints Jesper, we didn’t go through all that trouble just for you to shoot her.” “Relax, love, it’s just a precaution. Besides, I don’t think a bullet is going to do much damage against the literal sun.”

Noises came from inside the trunk, and the lid popped open, Alina slowly emerging. She cautiously climbed out and jumped down in front of the Crows, holding her hands up in surrender.

“We don’t want any trouble.”

Alina’s voice was shaky. “Neither do I, so I’ll just be on my way.”

Kaz swiftly drew up his cane, blocking her from getting away on his side. Jesper stepped forward hesitantly. “Clearly, you want out of East Ravka. We can help you. We have a secure route through the Fold.”

Inej was gripping Elham’s hand tightly, and Elham was almost having to hold Inej up to keep her from collapsing. She knew this must have been a lot for a believer. Hell, it was a lot for her too.

Alina glanced at them warily, and Inej nodded at her, Elham offering a reassuring smile.

“I prefer to travel alone.”

Elham quipped up. “Baghra wouldn’t want you to. She told me about you. You’re safe with us, I promise. He’s not going to get you, not while I’m still standing.”

Elham knew her attempt was futile, but it was worth a shot. Alina’s face contorted with hesitation, like she wanted to trust her, but she knew she couldn’t.

“No, I can’t. Like I said, I prefer travelling alone.”

Jesper raised a hand towards her, signalling he meant no harm. “Don’t be rash. You stick with us, and everybody gets what they want.”

“I’m not being anyone’s captive ever again. So step aside, and let me pass.”

Elham almost felt guilty. She remembered the fear she felt escaping the Little Palace, and she knew there was nothing she could say or do to ease Alina. She looked to Kaz, who still hadn’t moved his cane, blocking Alina in.

Kaz relented. “I’m afraid we can’t let that happen.”

Jesper put his hand back on his pistol, and Alina’s eyes caught it. She moved her hands together, and Elham quickly dropped Inej’s hand, raising hers. She sparked a flame, ready to defend the Crows, when she was blinded by a searing light.

Inej had blocked it, and Elham had turned away before she got the full force of it, so she recovered quickly enough to see Jesper and Kaz ducked away, groaning, and Inej’s hands raised in surrender.

Elham had two options. Raise her hands and fight, cornerining Alina, or, she could let her go. She could get her kruge, ensure the safety of the Crow Club and Inej’s indenture, or, she could betray Kaz, and end up indentured to Heleen at the Menagerie.

But when she saw Alina’s hands raised in defense, the look in her eye matching a scared and defenseless animal, she dropped her hands to her side, stepping back towards Inej.

She’d accepted her fate the second she offered herself up in Inej’s place, and she knew she’d do anything to ensure the safety and security of the Crows, her family. There was no point in capturing Alina, not when she had been in the exact same position all those years ago.

Alina was scanning her eyes between Inej and Elham, slowly lowering her hands when Inej had slightly bowed her head to her. She looked at Elham, who just gave her a quick nod. Alina nodded her head back in thanks, and dashed around the side of the carriage and away from the Crows.

Jesper and Kaz had recovered now, slightly rubbing at their eyes, looking around. Elham sighed. She was in for it, and she knew it.

---

The Crows had trudged into one of the bars in the city, and were all seated around a table, silent. Jesper was scouting, and Inej had come in and taken a seat next to Elham, who had already downed a shot or two, and was still eyeing Kaz’s drink.

“There’s no horses missing at the stable, so…”

Kaz was slumped in his seat, gripping his cane. “So? What? Are you two going to tell me how the target got away?”

At that question, Elham had seemed to sober up a bit, now sitting up straighter.

Inej tilted her head, taking a deep breath. “I let her go.”

“You let her go? Elham, what were you doing during all of this? Fiddling with your thumbs?”

Elham stared Kaz down. “Well first, I was making sure my retinas were still intact. When I finally recovered, I sparked a flame, but then I realized the Sun Summoner would do us no good if I burnt her to a crisp...and I also realized Inej was right. So I surrendered, and she ran.”

Kaz leaned closer, and his tone was menacing, one of the worst he had ever used to speak to her.

“You both were hired to do a job.”

Elham scoffed. “Oh, is that right? I’m an employee, now? Not the one person who’s made sure your ass didn’t end up dumped in the harbour every night for the past few years? Got it.”

She slumped in her chair, turning away from him, missing how his face fell. Inej cut Kaz off before he could speak.

“The job was to pick up a fake for an easy million kruge. We found a living Saint who can summon the sun.”

Kaz pulled a coin from his pocket, twirling it between his gloved fingers. “A good magician is a good con artist. The trick is to make it look real.”

He opened his palms to reveal the coin was missing. Elham, slightly more intoxicated than she needed to be, almost laughed, muttering. “That was a good one, Kaz, you should do parties.”

Inej ignored her. “This is different. You saw her summon with your own eyes.”

“The best illusions are the most convincing. That’s the game.”

“You can hide behind your cynicism, but I believe she’s the real thing.”

Kaz turned to Elham, who was watching him with glazed eyes. “Do you?”

She took a breath, and nodded. “I do.”

He turned back to Inej, his words bitter. “I don’t see you falling to your knees to worship every Heartrender or Squaller we meet.”

Elham had heard enough. “Saints, Kaz, that’s enough. Don’t mock and belittle her faith just because you have none.”

He scoffed. “And you do?”

She hesitated. “I didn’t. Maybe I do now, I don’t know what I believe in, I’ve never found any comfort in the Saints, but I trust Inej.”

Inej was unrelenting. “This is different. Her power is a miracle. I won’t betray my faith.”

“Pious as that may be, we cannot work effectively as a crew if you’re making decisions based on religious zeal!”

Inej was seething. “Is that a threat to return me to Heleen?”

Kaz didn’t waver, leaning in, voice desperate.

“Either we get the target, or Heleen gets the Crow Club and Pekka gets whatever’s left. And if we do somehow manage to make it back, but empty handed, I’ll get to keep what’s mine, and you’ll be safe. But what does it matter if she gets my Valkyrie?”

Elham stilled in her chair, and Kaz’s eyes widened as he realized what he said. Inej’s face contorted in confusion.

“Wait. Why would Heleen get the Crow Club? Or Elham? What’s going on?”

Kaz’s jaw was clenched as he glanced at Elham, who was already staring, eyes glassy, tears threatening to spill over. He abruptly stood from the table, grabbing his cane and scampering off.

“Kaz! What did you do?”

She turned to Elham who was sunk in her seat, not meeting her gaze. “What did you do?”

Elham quickly wiped under her eyes, clearing her throat. “I, uh...something pretty stupid, I guess. But it was worth it.”

Inej gripped Elham’s hand. “Come on, you’ll have to do better than that. Please tell me.”

Elham hesitated, but finally gave in. “Well. We needed you for the heist, and Kaz knew he couldn’t pay off your indenture, which is what it would have taken for Heleen to release you. So...he gave her the deed to the Crow Club.”

Inej’s eyes widened, panicked. Elham quickly recountered.

“I didn’t let him do it! I could never let him give up something like that, it’s too big a risk. But I knew we had to free you, and I swore to myself that once we got you out of there, I wouldn’t let you go back.”

“Saints, El, what did you do?”

The tears were falling now. “Before I joined the Dregs, I off and on worked for a small place down by the harbour. I was desperate, and the owner hired me on a nightly basis. I wasn’t indentured, I did it all out of my own free will, I was lucky enough to at least have that. So, I guess you can say I have experience.”

Realization hit Inej, and she leaned her forehead against Elham’s. “You didn’t. Tell me you didn’t.”

A sob caught in Elham’s throat. “I did. I couldn’t let you go back there, and I couldn’t let Kaz give up something he worked so hard for. So, if we don’t make it back, Heleen gets the Crow Club. If we do, and we’re empty handed...she gets me. I’ll be her little fawn.”

“Saints, Elham, why did you let me let Alina go, why would you do all that for me? I could never ask it of you.”

Elham let out a chuckle, but there was no humour in it.

“You would never have to. I would do it again a thousand times over for you, for you and for him. But Saint’s Inej, I’m scared. I don’t want to go back to that.”

Inej’s voice was determined now, as she pulled Elham into a hug. “You won’t, ok? I promise. She’s not going to take either of us.”

It was Inej’s turn to let out a watery chuckle, her hold on Elham tightening.

“You’re crazy if you think Kaz is going to let you go, you know that right? I think he’d tear down the Barrel brick by brick before he let his Valkyrie go.”

Elham hummed into Inej’s shoulder, before pulling back, wiping under her eyes.

“I hope that’s true.”

“Of course it is.”

Elham scanned the room, spotting Kaz and Jesper.

“Will you go settle our tab? I’ll go see what the plan from here is.”

Inej nodded and stood heading for the bar as Elham headed to take a seat next to Jesper.

---

A/N - hi everyone! i should have a new chapter up soon, but we're getting really close to some of the stuff i've been really excited about writing in. also, the google doc i have for this book is literally 75 pages? like huh? it's well over 20-25K words, like what? and wattpad says it takes over 2 hours to read, that's crazy, y'all are dedicated for those of you reading it all in one go. anyways, let me know what you thought, feel free to reach out, and thanks for the support?

#wattpad #kaz brekker x reader #kaz brekker #six of crows imagine #six of crows #shadow and bone #grishaverse #in my feels probably #ineffable #oc #x reader

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