#pretend the face looks like a skeleton shhh

[wren-kitchens]

this here is not makeup; it’s a porcelain tomb

silly sketch of lizzie from the au that is 90% in my own head but 10% is in this fic, inspired by @stiffyck’s amazing design that I have not stopped thinking about ever <3

#my best art of people is when they’re in cloaks have you guys noticed #pretend the face looks like a skeleton shhh #hi stiff i’m still obsessed with your lizzie she is wonderful i love her #ldshadowlady #lizzie ldshadowlady #I don’t have a name for this au yet uh #i’ll figure it out later #skeleton lizzie #that’s good enough for tagging purposes for now I think #secret life #secret life lizzie #trafficblr

[iliumheightnights]

Let Me Make You Proud [3] | Tony Stark x Son!Reader

Fandom: Marvel

Pairing: Tony Stark x Son!Reader

Summary: (M/N) is forced to face his past to save his friends and family. However, sometimes the skeletons in the closet are too much to face.

A/N: The Final part of the let me make you proud series. A long time coming too. I’ve been writing this for months and yet it still feels like I rushed it. So I’m not TOO happy with it but I hope you all enjoy it. Lots of Stark Reader stories in the future, cause I’m a ho for dad Tony and son.

Read from the start

...

“So let me get this straight- or as straight as I can with you here. The Kree general Hala came and kidnapped all the avengers, plus Kamala and Doreen and now you’re here asking for my help?”

“Yeah that’s pretty much it.” (M/N) sat on Gwen’s beat up couch in her garage, his father next to him. The two still very much in an awkward stage. 

“Also the zoo was destroyed.” Everyone looked towards PRYSM. “What? I figured that was big news too.”

“I did like that zoo. So what’s the plan? We can’t just go without a plan.”

Tony stood up. “Woah woah woah. Plan? No, there is no plan for the two of you. I’ll get with shield and we’ll save the avengers. You-” He points at (M/N) “Will go back to the tower and wait for us to come back.”

(M/N) let out a chuckle before standing up. “Tough shit. She took my friends and family. I’m coming and putting her in her place. Gwen get your things, We’ll think of a plan on the way..first we have to find the ship.”

“Oh! Oh! I scanned the ship's heat signatures during the fight. I can try my best to track it!” PRYSM spoke up, bouncing a little as they said it. “Good. We’ll need that to find it...now we just need a way to get to it…” (M/N) looked at his dad. “I KNOW the avengers have a space ship. We’ll need that.”

Tony sighed and pinched his nose before looking back at the other three. “The avengers don’t have a space ship.” The three seemed to be at a loss. “I have a spaceship. I just let them borrow it.” That immediately made the other three perk up. “I guess if I can’t stop you...I better help get us there in one piece.” (M/N) patted his shoulder. “It’s the least you could do. Alright, let’s get going then shall we?”  (M/N), Tony and PRYSM moved to the garage door. “You guys go ahead. I’ll meet you at the tower. I need to get suited up.” (M/N) only nodded understanding and Tony looked confused. “Who exactly are you again?” His son quickly pushed him out of the garage. “Later, later. Let her do her thing.”

Exiting the garage the two were greeted by the sight of Happy, who seemed genuinely surprised to see (M/N). “Hey happy. Love what you’ve done to the hair.” Happy stuttered before smiling and opening the door for the boy he had known since he was born. “It’s good to see ya kid.” (Y/N) helped PRYSM into the car and hopped in. The car ride back to the tower was...intense to be sure. Tony looked like he wanted to talk to (M/N), but the boy was looking everywhere but him. PRSYM was the only one in the car really saying anything and that’s because they kept saying “oo’s and ah’s”. Happy was the one to break the silence. “So...kid. Where’ve ya been?” (M/N) smiled at him. “All over. I’ve only been back here for a couple months. My favorite place I went was Alaska. Might go back there someday.” After that the ride was quiet again. The car pulled into the tower's garage and everyone got out. Happy gave (M/N) a hug before going back to his normal routine. Tony, (M/N) and PRYSM entered the elevator and returned to the common area. Once the elevator opened Tony watched as (M/N) slowly took in the tower after the years he had been away. “I’m...I’m going to prep the ship.” Tony said before taking the elevator down a few floors to the hangar. (M/N) chuckled as the elevator doors closed. “It’s been years PRYSM and yet...he still can’t talk to me like I’m his son.” The little robot rolled up next to him. “It’s just awkward. Like you said it’s been years and he’s trying to figure out how to find the words.” The boy nodded and walked to his room.

His room was just like how he remembered it. However he noticed that dust was collecting on lots of things and it seemed like someone had been in it recently based on his journals left on his bed. He sat down on the bed and began looking through his notebooks. He looked at his old drawings and smiled, ever since he left he’s returned to drawing for himself instead of blueprints. He got lost in the books he didn’t notice when Tony entered the room. “Hey. The ships getting ready for take off we still have a bit.” He looked around the room and smiled at his son. “The rooms just like you left it. I didn’t want to mess anything up. It’s ready for whenever you’re ready to move back in.” (M/N) squinted at this. “What is this?” Tony looked at him with a confused look. “What’s what?” (M/N) stood up from the bed. “This! All of this! Are you just going to pretend like everything’s okay? That somehow after two years I’d just magically forgive you for the lifetime of neglect you put me through?” Tony was about to say something but (M/N) stopped him. “You know...I thought about what I’d say if I ever saw you again. I tried to put the words to how you made me feel...but I can’t. When I see you all I can see is how much I love you, but that I was never enough for you. When I see you, I see myself as a failure. All I ever wanted...was for you to love me like I loved you.” Tears began to form in (M/N)’s eyes. Tony closed his eyes and when he opened them he looked his son in the eyes, his own also glittering with tears. “(M/N) I know it doesn’t mean anything but-” At that moment he was interrupted by the voice of the A.I. “Sir. The ship is ready for launch.” (M/N) shook his head and pushed past his dad. “Later. We’ll talk about this after we rescue everyone.” Tony only nodded. “Yeah. you’re right.”

Walking into the hangar, (M/N) smirked at the ship. “Well, that’ll do. Now…” (M/N) typed into his phone and not long after the sound of webshooters could be heard. With a flip, Gwen landed on the hangar deck through the door wearing her spider gwen suit. “Hey guys. Ooohhh shit! Look at that!” She started freaking out over the ship. Tony was at a loss for words. “What...uh? Who are you?” (M/N) smirked. “Remember how I said I wanted one? This is Gwen, you met earlier. She has the same powers as Peter. Maybe a couple different things.” Gwen waved at him before turning back to the ship. “Well let’s GOOOO! I want to see space!” PRSYM grabbed (M/N)’s hand and pulled him toward the ship.

The ship was more like a modified quinjet able to travel space. (M/N) took the co-pilot's seat while Tony took the pilots' seat. PRYSM and Gwen got situated and Tony began the launch sequence. “You sure you want to do this?” He looked at everyone who only nodded. “Absolutely. Let’s go.” Tony let out a sigh and flew the ship out of the hangar. It wasn’t long before the ship had broke the atmosphere and the group starred out into space. “Alright PRYSM. Tell us where we need to go.” PRYSM was staring out into space. “Oh! OF COURSE!”  PRYSM’s eyes lit up and a holographic map appeared. “That way!”

Tony did exactly as PRYSM instructed and it wasn’t long before Hala’s ship came into view. “Ladies, Gentlemen, and PRYSM. We’re here.” Their small ship was slowly approaching the massive one. “Okay so what’s the plan exactly?” Gwen asked. “Easy. Board the ship, rescue the avengers, Kamala and Doreen, Then blow the ship to hell and back.” (M/N) said. “As for Hala. We’ll deal with her if we have to.” His dad looked at him with concern. “That’s not much of a plan.” (M/N) crossed his arms. “Well there really isn’t anything we can plan for this. Unless you have any ideas?” Tony was about to say something but stopped when he couldn’t think of anything. “Exactly. So let’s just do our best and be careful.”

Boarding the ship was surprisingly easy. All they did was connect their to the hull and cut their way through. Once on board the group made their way towards anything that seemed like a prison ward. The hallways of the ship were...eerie to say the least. It was like any generic ship you see in scifi movies with the creepy hum of engines. “I’m detecting lot’s of life signs from not far ahead.” PRYSM said. They followed the little robot until they found themselves in a large room with many cages. They found the prison, however there was something off. “Something’s not right. Where’s all the guards at?”

“HELLLLLOOOO!? IS ANYONE HERE!?” PRYSM yelled out. “Prysm shhh!” (M/N) tried to shush them. However nothing came after they expected some retaliation, instead they heard. “Hello? Who’s there?” That was Steve! “Steve!?” (M/N) ran towards the voice and found Steve and the other avengers. “(M/N)! Tony! What are you doing here?” Prysm hacked into their cell and shut off the energy door. “Rescuing you.” Peter got off his seat and smirked. “Aren’t you a little short to be a stormtrooper?”  (M/N) smirked at him. “I don’t know where you get your delusions laser brain.” Peter let out a laugh at the star wars quote. Of course Peter and (M/N) had started off rocky, but travelling made (M/N) realize it wasn’t the boy’s fault. He was tackled by someone. “(M/NNNNNNNNNNNNN!), I’m so glad to see you!” Doreen. She pulled back and (M/N) saw the look in her eyes, the worry. “They took Kamala.”

There wasn’t any time to waste. No hesitation. Once he heard Kamala was taken (M/N) started making his way towards the command center. Gwen, Doreen and Prysm followed close behind. Tony and the other avengers hadn’t even noticed they left. Typical. It really wasn’t hard to find the Command Bridge. The one with the big door on the end of the ship. “You guys ready?” Everyone got into fighting stances. “Yep.” “Yes.” “LET’S DO THIS!”

The door of the bridge was blasted open and the group rushed in. Rushing inside they found Kamala already in her own fight with Hala. “Guys!” Hala looked over and became distracted enough for Kamala to land a punch and knocked her out. “Ugh...that was a pain.” She shook out her hand and ran to her friends. “Guys! (M/N)! Gwen! You’re here!” The sound of footsteps brought the group out of their small victory. Tony and the other avengers ran in. “Oh god. You’re alright. Don’t EVER run off like that again.” Tony panicked. “It’s alright, we’re alright.” (M/N) laughed. “We’re alright for now. But Earth isn’t.” Kamala said, everyone listening to her. “She said she’s ordered the ship to head to Earth and to begin destroying anything it sees. She’s ordered it to raise the planet!” Everyone looked absolutely horrified. “How do we stop it?” Gwen asked. “What about the self destruct? There has to be one on here?” Peter asked. “IT’S BEEN TAMPERED! THE AUTO SELF DESTRUCT HAS BEEN ERASED!” Prysm shouted as they looked through the ship's computer. “There isn’t anything we can do.” (M/N) looked over the computer with Prysm. “That’s not true. The engines. We can set off a detonation and this whole place will blow. Kaboom.” Everyone agreed that sounded like the best plan. “You all get back to the ship and get out of here. I’ll set off the detonation.” (M/N) said making everyone look at him. “No. Absolutely not. I can’t lose you. I just got you back.” (M/N) shook his head. “There’s no time to argue. You all get out of here, I’ll blow this candle stick and escape on one of their ships.” (M/N) began walking towards the engine room but was stopped by Tony. “No. We’ll find another way. It’s too risky. I can send the su-” “DAD!” Tony stopped talking. “Just this once...let me make you proud.” It was then that (M/N) saw it. The love, the worry, everything he ever wanted, in Tony’s eyes. Not looking at Peter...looking at him. Tony relaxed his grip. “Okay...just come back to me. I love you.” (M/N) smiled, tears running down his face. “I love you too. Don’t worry. I don’t plan on dying.”

(M/N) made his way to the engine room, however he was stopped by a group of Kree guards. “Of course you come AFTER.” He didn’t slow down. Using his powers he lifted them up, slamming them into the ceiling then slamming them to the ground. “Welcome to Earth.” He passed them and continued to the engine room. The engine room was large and VERY loud. “Alright...explosion. That’s easy.” (M/N) ran to one of the computers that helped control the reactor. “If I set this to full power and overload that… There. That should do it.” He didn’t need to check anything because as soon as it was locked an explosion from a lower deck shook everything. “Shit. Gotta go...get off the ship, get off the ship!”

Luckily he had checked that the hangar was nearby. Arriving there he discovered all of the ships had been taken. “Great!” Another explosion shook the ship. Was this it? Was this the end? At least he stopped the ship before it could do anything to Earth. He thought of his friends. Gwen, Doreen, Kamala. The avengers, Clint. His dad. At least they were safe. Then the sound of a ship pulling into the hangar brought him out of his thoughts. The ship he arrived on was turning around and Peter and Gwen were on the ramp. “(M/N)! Come on!” Peter called out to him. He didn’t need to be told twice. He began running and used his powers to launch himself up. Peter and Gwen used their webs to to pull him in. They closed the ramp. “He’s in! Get us out of here!” Gwen shouted.

As the ship got safely away from the Kree ship, they watched as the reactor overloaded and the ship exploded into a ball of fire. “You did it. Good job...even if I wasn’t needed.” Gwen said to him. “Hey. To be fair, I thought it would be more of a fight then it actually was.” Gwen lightly punched his shoulder and went to talk to the others. (M/N) was left with Peter. “Hey…” (M/N) spoke. “Hey. Look (M/N) I just wanted to apologize. I didn’t realize tha-” (M/N) stopped him. “Pete. You’ve got nothing to apologize for. I know you weren’t trying to do anything to hurt me. In fact I should probably apologize for smashing your lego death star.” Peter grimaced at the thought. “It’s alright. I got to rebuild it so that was alright. If you’re sticking around I’d love to hang out...maybe be friends?” (M/N) smirked and patted his shoulder. “I’d like that.” Continuing through the ship. He was greeted by the avengers, each embracing him after all of these years for the first time. Clint walked up to him. (M/N) could feel his heart skip a beat. He hadn’t kept in good contact with Clint in a while and he felt bad for it, after all it was him that helped him. “H-hey Clint. It’s good to see you.” Clint glared at him making (M/N) sweat before he broke into a smile and pulled him into a hug. “Oh god...it’s so good to see you kid. You’ve grown up. It suits you.” (M/N) hugged him back. “Thanks dad.” He said in a sarcastic voice. “But for real, thank you. You really helped me discover who I am.” Clint rubbed his head. “Anytime kiddo. Now...I think someone wants to talk to you.” Clint pulled back and turned him towards Tony who was waiting for him. “Dad.” Tony didn’t say anything just quickly pulled him into a hug and held onto him tightly. After the shock wore off, (M/N) held on just as tight. “I really thought that was it. I was going to die there.” Tony let out a laugh, but there was no humor behind it. “I wasn’t about to let that happen.” He pulled back and looked his son in the eyes. “I promise you kid. I’m going to do everything I can to show you how much I love you. I can’t change the past, but I can give us a future. Please let me-” He didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence as (M/N) pulled him into another crushing hug. 

“Let’s go home.”

#marvel #avengers #tony stark #tony stark x male reader #tony stark x male!reader #tony stark x son reader #tony stark x son!reader #tony stark x stark reader #tony stark x stark!reader

[rigonelli]

If you’re still doing writing prompts can you do one where the boys go to a haunted house or something. Like maybe He Tian And Mo Guan Shan get separated from Jian and Zhan

„Where the hell did they go?”

Mo Guan Shan’s voice was little more than a squeak. Just a minute ago, he had held on to Jian Yi’s hand, but then a skeleton falling out of the ceiling had scared them apart and they had both run in different directions – Guan Shan pulling He Tian along with him.

“I don’t know. Maybe we’re the ones taking the wrong route,” He Tian shrugged. Haunted houses couldn’t really scare him. And he wasn’t that sad about having gotten separated from Jian Yi and Zhan Zheng Xi, especially since he had it all planned beforehand with Jian Yi.

“Stop grinning like that!” Guan Shan bellowed. “You’re scarier than most of the monsters in here!”

For a moment He Tian had had doubts that their plan would work. He just wanted to spend some alone-time with Guan Shan, hold his hand throughout it all and play the hero. But then it had looked like Guan Shan wasn’t afraid of the poorly costumed monsters and the flickering lights. Luckily that mask had fallen pretty quickly. The first jump scare had him almost wet his pants and He Tian’s ears were still ringing from all the shrieking.

“Yet I don’t hear you squeak, dear little Mo!”

“I don’t do that!” Guan Shan insisted. “Jian Yi’s voice… echoes.”

“I can practically see your heart trying to jump out of your chest,” He Tian said. They were nearing the next door – everything had been quiet in the room they were in, so the next one surely had some kind of surprise.

“I’m just steeling myself for what’s to come,” said Guan Shan. “Don’t tell me you’re not even a little bit nervous!”

“Chill as a bottle of champagne in a bucket of ice, my dear,” He Tian said and breezily opened the door. He was ready for everything.

Everything except Freddy Krueger standing right in the doorway, giving a cheery, “Hello!” while his knife-hand stretched out to claw him open.

He Tian must have blanked out for a second, because the next time he blinked, the figure was gone and instead, Guan Shan next to him was screaming.

“Are you fucking crazy?” Guan Shan yelled. “That’s not ‘chill’! Your bottle of champagne just exploded!”

Only then did He Tian realize that his hand hurt. He looked down to where the flickering lights exposed an unconscious body on the floor, knives strewn everywhere.

He had punched Freddy Krueger right in the face.

“We’re in so much trouble!” Guan Shan moaned. “They clearly instructed us not to hurt the actors!”

“Well, they know what they’re getting themselves into!” He Tian objected. “And why was he standing right in the door? Punching is a natural reaction for many people.”

“He may be dead!”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“He looks dead!”

He Tian carefully stepped over the figure on the floor to look around the room. There did not seem to be anyone else stationed here, luckily.

“Let’s get him out of the way. Quick, before anyone else comes this way,” he said, reaching for Freddy’s arms. Guan Shan looked at him as if He Tian had asked him to get rid of a body. He clearly wanted to protest. But in the end, he didn’t say a word, just bent down to take Freddy’s legs and help carry him over to a door in the wall that looked like it could belong to a broom closet.

Guan Shan probably would help getting rid of a body, He Tian realized. He was kind of a loyal soul. So romantic.

The doors actually turned out to belong to a built-in closet, although it was completely empty. Even better.

“I’m sure he’ll come around quickly,” He Tian said. “Probably gets punched once a day. Who knows – maybe he likes it.”

“We can’t just leave him here! We should at least make sure he’s okay!” Guan Shan insisted. They propped Freddy up against a corner and He Tian was just about to shake him when they heard a sound from the next door.

“Shit!” Guan Shan panicked. “Someone’s going to come in here!”

“Shhh! Just be quiet. I doubt they’ll look in here.”

He Tian quickly pulled the closet doors closed – just in time. They could hear a group of people entering from where they themselves had just come from. Nervous whispers and little shrieks sounded through the room. They had obviously expected to be scared and didn’t trust the quiet. He Tian was almost tempted to jump out of the closet. He managed to hold back, though – Guan Shan holding on to his jacket from behind and their general closeness was too good to give up on. Soon enough, the group in the room had gathered the courage to move on.

“That was close!” Guan Shan whispered shakily. “Let’s just get out of here. We can send an anonymous ambulance to get Freddy.”

“I doubt that will be necessary,” said He Tian, reaching for the doorknob. “Besides, we have bigger problems than that right now.”

“What? What kind of problems?”

He Tian gave the knob another good shake.

“We seem to have locked ourselves in,” he said.

Guan Shan punched him right in the gut.

“Stop joking around!” he screeched again. “It’s not funny!”

“I’m serious!” He Tian gasped. “Why the fuck did you punch me?”

“I don’t know! Why don’t you ask poor Freddy what that feels like?” Guan Shan yelled. If He Tian thought he was being too loud, Guan Shan quickly demonstrated that he had been wrong. With no warning whatsoever, he started to scream like he was being skinned alive.

The screech was echoed from outside the closet. Another group must have just walked through the room.

“It’s a shrieking closet!” a panicked voice yelled from the other side, then the sound of scurrying feet could be heard and it was quiet again.

He Tian couldn’t have cared less that they had just announced their presence. Guan Shan had thrown himself into his arms, pushing him against the far end of the closet wall. He was shivering.

“Freddy… he just moved! I swear, I just felt his knife at my legs!” Guan Shan whined. “Punch him again! Or he’ll cut us open in revenge!”

“I’m sure you just imagined it,” whispered He Tian. His voice didn’t go any louder than a whisper anymore. Guan Shan was so close, He Tian was talking into his hair. He could feel Guan Shan’s breath on his skin – even his lips were pressed against He Tian’s neck. Everything was dark and his whole world consisted of nothing but Guan Shan.

“I’ll protect you,” He Tian promised, putting his arms around Guan Shan’s shivering body. This was just like the time when He Tian had taken him out to that fancy restaurant. He still didn’t know what had happened for Guan Shan to have that kind of reaction, but it was clearly some sort of trauma. And He Tian, with his stupid plan, had awakened that trauma for the second time now. Why did he always have to be such an asshole?

“Shhhh, I’m here,” he whispered, unsure of what to do. He hated himself a little for enjoying the feeling of having Guan Shan pressed against him so closely. This was not a good moment for him. Guan Shan was genuinely upset and afraid. His body wouldn’t stop shivering and he seemed to be hyperventilating.

“I’m here… I’m here,” He Tian repeated helplessly. There was nothing he could do except hold him tight and draw soothing circles across Guan Shan’s back.

It took a while, but it seemed to work in the end. Guan Shan’s breath calmed down, his body relaxed in He Tian’s arms. They stayed like that for what felt like an eternity. Outside of the closet, groups of people continuously went through, shrieking and crying at nothing. He Tian didn’t care about them. Or the unconscious actor lying next to them. Or the fact that they were locked in a small, pitch-black closet.

All he could think about was Guan Shan’s arms holding him close. The scent of his hair, the rhythm of his breath finally relaxing, the touch of his lips still brushing He Tian’s neck.

There was a hitch in Guan Shan’s breathing, barely noticeable, but since it was all that He Tian could concentrate on right now, it wasn’t missed. Then another one. He Tian started to panic. What if there was a second panic attack coming? What if it was worse?

Guan Shan’s head moved a little. At least he wasn’t shivering – in fact, he seemed to stiffen. Then his face pressed into He Tian’s neck again. Lips moving. Away. Then back, right under his jaw.

It was almost embarrassing how long it took He Tian to realize that those weren’t spastic reactions of fear. That they were purposeful. Caresses. Kisses.

Guan Shan was… they were…

He Tian couldn’t help a sound escaping his throat. It was simply too much. First, they had hugged so close for so long. For longer than He Tian had ever dared to dream. But it had been wrong nonetheless, not the kind of connection he had looked for all those years. He would take what he could get, of course – he always had. But this… this was…

“Mo,” he gasped, suddenly feeling like he was about to have a panic attack of his own. A good one, if something like that even existed. An attack of absolute ecstasy.

Guan Shan obviously didn’t plan for him to speak, though. He Tian’s mouth was closed by a pair of lips. Not just closed – practically locked shut. He Tian didn’t feel like ever letting go again. Heat coiled in his stomach. His hands slipped under Guan Shan’s sweater. He needed more of it; the heat, the touch, the feeling.

Every time he had touched Guan Shan, every arm around the shoulders, every lean against him, every mock-fight, every rare hug – he had always thought that just a little more of it would bring him some kind of release. But now he realized that it would never have been enough. Even now, all he could think was more, more!

And he knew that Guan Shan would always have something to give, even if he didn’t give it easily. He Tian was happy to play by his rules. If Guan Shan needed to not hear and not see to give this much – if he needed to be able to ascribe it all to a weak moment, to not having been himself – if he needed to walk out of this closet and pretend like it had never happened – then He Tian was glad about it, because getting more would have driven him crazy anyway. He had never known it was possible to feel this much. He was lucky Guan Shan was pressing him against the wall, because his knees had given up a long time ago. He would have sunk to the floor right then and there. And he was lucky Guan Shan kept his mouth occupied, because he didn’t know what kind of words would have come out of it, but a marriage proposal would have probably been the least pathetic thing.

There was no way this moment could ever end. Nothing could have come between them right now. But there was also no way this could go any further, because He Tian already felt like exploding.

He was saved, in a way, when a voice piped up right next to them, saying, “That’s fucking gross!”

Suddenly, the world was empty. Guan Shan was gone. He had whipped around with a drawn-out scream and, from the sounds of it, roundhouse-kicked the freshly awakened Freddy Krueger right in the head.

He Tian was too soon to be impressed, because next, Guan Shan kicked the closet door open. It wasn’t a clean exit. The closet door was made of some very thin and somewhat damp wood and his foot just kicked a hole in it. From there, he started to tear pieces of wood away, emerging from the closet like an alien out of someone’s intestines, scaring a bunch of hapless teenagers for life.

They all ran away in different directions, hopefully not resulting in a repeat of what He Tian and Guan Shan had just gone through.

Guan Shan crawled out of the closet hole and simply collapsed on the floor, screaming so long and loud that the room would probably stay empty for a while. It sounded like he screamed out all the bottled-up feelings from what had just happened in the closet.

He Tian carefully followed out of the hole and sat down next to him. It was hard to keep from touching him – even just a hand on the shoulder.

Finally, Guan Shan stopped screaming. His chest raised and sank in heavy breaths, until he suddenly shot up into a sitting position. For some reason he seemed furious.

“I know that voice!” he growled, getting up on his feet.

He Tian was about to ask what he meant, but Guan Shan was already pulling the closet door open and looking down at the sorry heap of Krueger on the floor.

“I better be wrong!”

He wrenched the mask off Krueger’s face. Immediately, a crown of white curls fell over Freddy’s face, as if trying to hide it, but there was no doubt about Freddy’s true identity.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” He Tian spat, getting up to stand next to Guan Shan and look down at She Li’s purple face in disgust.

“No wonder your first instinct was to punch,” said Guan Shan.

“I can’t believe you felt sorry for him.”

“Well, you didn’t punch hard enough. I corrected that mistake.”

He Tian threw him a proud look. “And to think that they would let someone like him work here…,” he said.

“Knowing She Li, he probably sneaked in here himself. Those knives looked awfully real.”

He Tian agreed. “I guess we don’t have to worry about getting scolded anymore.”

“Right,” said Guan Shan and closed the closet door. “Especially since no one will find him for a while.”

And then, to He Tian’s great surprise, Guan Shan took his hand and nodded towards the exit door, acting like nothing weird had happened at all.

“The others are probably gonna call a search and rescue team if we don’t find them soon. Ready?”

“How can I be ready if I haven’t even made a joke about your way of coming out of the closet yet?” He Tian said.

He was pulled out of the room by a red-faced and fuming Guan Shan, but he couldn’t stop laughing.

And Guan Shan never let go of his hand.

(Somehow these fics always turn into them bonding over being mean to She Li :’D Sorry to anyone who likes him…)

#19 days #old xian #he tian #mo guan shan #he tian x mo guan shan #fanfiction #tianshan fic #tianshan #my fics

[rainbows-fanfics]

Two Dearest Friends (Chapter 22)

Summary:

Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, meets Sally, a ragdoll created by Dr. Finklestein. A friendship blossoms between them as he introduces her to the world outside of her tower. Sally is falling for him as their relationship grows into something more, and Jack finds the same is happening to him.

A story where the Christmas incident never happens, and Jack and Sally find their happiness on their own.

Pairings: Jack Skellington/Sally

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The Doctor's aroused suspicions are even further confirmed when he finds his ragdoll chipper about absolutely everything he gives her. Whether it'd be scrubbing the tower's toilet or sweeping the bedrooms, Sally is very willing to do anything he says. And from the few times he watches her, secretly from the side, he finds her smiling and humming...at one point, he even found her singing! Something certainly has her attention, and it gnaws at his brain that he doesn't know what it is. He is very certain it is something from outside - something she drugged him for to see, or something to do.... Now he is sending her off to do some homework, all of which seems to be have been completed these past few days. He had the hardest of times getting any actual work from her before, but now everything seems to be completed on time, and very accurately...everything about this situation keeps him on his toes, and as he looks at Sally up-and-down while she stands in front of the ramps, waiting for his final word to release her into her room, where he wouldn't see her figure for hours beyond her room's door....Finklestein actually hesitates. Wonders to himself if he should ask, to pry, to demand this information out of her -- so he could know what has finally made her happy, after trying all this time, to have her content at home... "Doctor?" She asks. He is drawn from his thoughts as her voice curiously interrupts him. "Can I go, now?" "What? Oh, yes. Yes, you may leave, now." Her figure starts to leave and he taps the armrest of his wheelchair in thought. "-Sally?" She stops and turns around. "Yes?" "I'd like to have a talk with you tonight. In my Laboratory. Just you and me." "....Okay, Doctor." She doesn't sound pleased nor interested. In fact, he finds her speeding up the ramps so he can't stop her again. And that is exactly Sally's intention, as she rushes into her room and shuts the door behind her tightly. She feels the weight pressing against her back lift the moment she's in the solitude of her own confinement, and releases the breath she'd been holding in. She had been breathing through her teeth...as she always does around the Doctor. But when she sits in her chair and looks at the mansion far across the tower, it's as if she's breathing fresh air. She turns to open her textbook and begins working through math problems, tapping her finger against her leg and humming while she works diligently. She progresses through the problems at a good rate, and stops to take a break. She wishes she could be answering questions about Halloween. Questions about the outside world, of her friends, or the man she loves...Sally sighs as she stands from her chair and stares out of the window. Her eyes lock on the only interesting thing outside at that moment, at the study where he's usually in. She tries to picture Jack in there at this moment - looking through his own window, and staring at her own figure. Her body longs for him again, and her phantom heart aches knowing how far they're separated. She walks over to her bed and rests her head in her hand, daydreaming of this better world. She sits there until a noise interrupts her thoughts. It's the sound of a dog barking -- somewhere near the tower. Jumping up, she heads towards her window and looks outside to see. She recognizes that sound anywhere - the bark of her good friend, Zero! But where can he be? She doesn't see him anywhere. As Sally shifts her gaze around, she hears the barking getting louder. "Ruff!" "AH!" The ragdoll jumps in surprise when the sound of yapping erupts from beside her. She quickly turns her head and finds Zero in her room, looking up at her with attentive little eye sockets. She places a hand on her chest as she tries to get her breath back, calming her nerves as she squeezes her eyes shut. It's only Zero... She assures herself. It's your good friend, Zero...it's Jack's dog....Jack... "Arf!" "Shhh! Zero! Dr. Finklestein will know you're here..." She goes down on her knees to look at him better. Once she's close enough, she sees that an envelope is tucked in his mouth. "-Huh?" The ghost dog nudges his snoot closer to her face. She realizes what he's doing and takes it from his mouth, turning it over in her hands. In neat writing, from the man she loves and has thought about endlessly for these past couple of days, reads: TO SALLY. Her leaves do several flips inside her body as she opens it with eager hands, and finds a folded sheet of paper inside. As she unfolds it, she finds the same writing inside, written largely and legibly so she could read. Meet me in the pumpkin patch. -Your secret admirer

Sally giggles as she holds the note close to her chest. An invitation...from Jack again! She can't wait to meet him there, to see him once more, to speak with him again....she wonders what this is about, but it matters very little to her. All she wants is more time with the skeleton man she loves, and she knows for certain that this is from him. She looks up from the paper and pets Zero on the head, giving him very good pats for delivering this message to her. "Thank you, Zero! Who's a good boy?" He pants excitedly as she runs her hand along his ghostly form. He gives her one final yap, to which she tells him to keep quiet. He then disappears through her window and flies back to his master's home. Sally watches as the dog's form disappears, then grins brightly at the note held in her hand. She should be leaving soon - she can't have Jack waiting too long! Quickly, she skips over to her closet and goes through some of her completed dresses, wondering which to wear for this occasion. She goes with one of her newer ones, a simple green dress. She likes the trim, and ensures it fits snugly on her figure as she twirls around in her mirror. As she opens her window and gets ready to jump out, she suddenly remembers the Doctor's request. To meet with her that night in his laboratory -- will she be back before then? He'll truly be upset with her this time if she doesn't make it before sundown, but...oh, she just has to go! She'll have to be very aware of her time outside. She did make a promise to him, and as unfair as she's been treating him lately...he deserves a little of her attention. But Sally's going to make sure Jack has the majority of it, as she throws herself out the window with nothing more but the intention of seeing him again. -------------------------- She rushes past the Graveyard gates looking in every direction, trying to spot Jack's skull right off the bat. He isn't on the Spiral Hill nor is he anywhere near the entrance, so Sally continues looking by following the implanted trail and skimming through the graves. At the end of the trail, she'll soon find, is where he is - situated on a tall piece of stone, resting one leg on the other and twirling a black rose in his left hand. When he hears the crunching of leaves, he turns on the tombstone and finds Sally approaching him, modestly brushing her hair behind her shoulders and clasping her hands down at her waistline. He notes her dress right away, taking a moment to admire her in the new attire. "Why, Sally! You look beautiful." He compliments. He helps himself off the grave and offers her the rose in his hand. "-This is for you." She takes it and admires it. "It's very lovely. Thank you." "A lovely rose for a lovely lady. I thought of you the moment I saw it." Her cheeks grow hotter as she looks back at the flower in her hand. She gets an idea and pretends she's searching around, coyly eying Jack from the corner of her eye. "My secret admirer said he'd meet me here...do you know where he is?" "Hmm. Quite the question." The skeleton places a finger on his lip. "Would he happen to be the King of Halloween? The demon of light? The master of fright?" He moves until he's back in her peripheral vision. "...Or would he happen to be the one standing in front of you right now?" She smiles coquettishly. "I don't know. Is he?" He closes his eye sockets and grins. "Did my little messenger send you the letter? I had him send it to you on the account that it was a last-minute invitation. I would've delivered it personally, but, well, I was already here..." "Zero did bring it to me. I slipped out without the Doctor even noticing." She states proudly before her face changes. "-Why did you invite me out here, Jack?" He comes forward to hold her hands, squeezing them excitedly as he asks, "Sally, would you like to go on another date with me?" Is the sky orange? She wonders, and nods right away. "Well, of course! But when-" "-Right now." His grip tightens. "Today is when everyone begins carving pumpkins, and I was just wondering if you wanted to join me? Traditionally, I'm always there for the first day, but...I just don't think I'll enjoy it without you there." "I'd love to, but..." She knits her eyebrows together. "I've never carved one before. I wouldn't know where to begin-"" "I can teach you! It all works out perfectly." His grin is so cute, she has a hard time keeping her eyes off of it. "What do you say?" What else can she say to the Pumpkin King's invitation of a date? She nods firmly, allowing him to take her hand and lead her out of the Graveyard. He seems excited as he pulls her along on the way into town, occasionally glancing back at her just to give her an excited smile. She can tell he's looking forward to this date - and she most certainly is as well. She can't imagine a better afternoon than one with Jack. And now they're going to do something together...something that involves Halloween. Something she'd never done and he is going to teach her - something she is sure to be wonderful, because everything is whenever she's with him. ----------------------------------------------- They both arrive in the plaza at the heart of the celebration, where the long table running through the square is filled with residents and pumpkins. Sally can make out only a few available spaces as her and Jack pass by. She can hear everyone calling out to him, and listens as he greets them back. She notices the puzzled looks from the few who realize the ragdoll is with him, as well as the shocked looks from some of his admirers. It causes Sally to hold her head up high and grin with confidence, her heart doing several imaginative flips at the fact that he is with her and no one else. "Would you like a small pumpkin or a bigger one?" She notices he is reaching into the crate filled with them, and replies politely, "A smaller one, please." His skull nods as he leans down further. Then he shows her a quaint pumpkin, perfectly her size. She takes it from him and finds it light to carry. Then she watches as Jack takes a much bigger one. One she'd assume he'd have trouble carrying, but he acts as if it's the lightest thing in the world. He stands up straight and glances around, presumably searching for a spot they can sit down at. This is confirmed when he motions in a direction with his skull. "Let's sit at that table in the corner, shall we?" She follows his direction and finds a table near the walls. It's purposely separated from the long one where everyone else is at. They both arrive and Sally gently places her pumpkin down, taking a seat on the bench closest to her while flattening down her dress. Jack follows suit - carefully bringing his own pumpkin down and sitting right beside her. They're close enough that their knees are touching underneath the table, and Sally is very thankful that this is concealed by the blood-colored tablecloth. "It feels like it's been ages since I've carved one of these," He confesses. He sets down some tools, including a big spoon, a couple of knives, and a few other instruments she doesn't recognize. "-I know it hasn't been that long, but...well, you know what I mean." "I've never carved one myself, so I guess I know how that feels." She finally glances away from the table and notices the eyes aimed at them. They are all intently gazing at Jack, but she notices the few that are in her direction. The skeleton seems completely oblivious to the stares while the ragdoll sinks into her shoulders. It feels...odd to be the center of attention. She tried desperately to avoid such a thing before, but now it's inevitable. She just hopes no one suspects anything... "Jack?" She whispers to him. He seems so unaware; she feels as if he should know. "Everyone is looking at us." He doesn't bother looking from the table. "Is it bothering you?" Her look turns troubled. "Well, I-" The skeleton finally looks up from their pumpkins and meets with the gaze of his citizens. Seeing as his attention is now on them, they all turn away at once - minding their own businesses and resuming what they had been doing before. The conversations pick back up, replacing the tense silence that was once there before. Sally gawks as the skeleton returns to his work, side glancing at her and smiling. "It's that easy. You just have to let me know," He informs her. "But why did they stop looking?" "They just wanted my attention, is all." He shrugs. "But I would much rather give that to you. Now, watch. This is the first step..." He makes sure he has her attention before grabbing one of the knives. He begins to cut a circle around the top of the pumpkin. Her stare is attentive, and she takes many notes as she watches him do this. He eventually revolves around the pumpkin until he successfully cuts the top off, lifting it and revealing the seeds hanging from the inside. She is amazed at how easily he completed such a task, as well as looking at the insides of a pumpkin. She's never seen it before...and she is very fascinated with what she sees. "Wow." "Try cutting yours. And a little tip of advice - don't do it straight down because you'll never get it back on. Try doing it at an angle." She notices the knife left right beside her own pumpkin. She grabs it and picks a spot to cut. She finds out that the pumpkin is extremely harder than it looks. She makes a few grunting noises as she attempts to puncture its surface. She tries to follow his advice and enter the knife in at an angle, but when her arms begin to wobble and her grip loses its strength, she only manages to make a small cut. Her hand fumbles and she drops it altogether, slapping the side of her head in frustration. His voice consoles her from the side. "Hey. Come on. It's nothing to be upset about. I'll help you." She peeks through her fingers and finds him giving her a warm smile. The same one that lets her know things are going to be okay. She perks up as she slowly removes her hands, and he takes this opportunity to take the knife from her hands and finish cutting for her. His large hands look funny working with such a small pumpkin like hers. She giggles to herself as he finishes, lifting the top up and setting it back into place perfectly. "What I do is I make a little indent." He points to a small 'V'-shaped cut made on her top. "That way, you'll know which direction to put the top back on. I can't tell you how many monsters will cut down directly and make a hole that the top can't rest on anymore. And if they get lucky, getting it on just right is a challenge. So, the indent makes that a lot easier." She admires its placement, pulling the top off for herself and setting it back down. It fits right into place. She looks back at him and giggles. "I suppose it makes sense you'd know all this stuff...being the Pumpkin King and all..." "They say I'm the best carver in town." He boasts proudly. "They also say you're the best at everything." He smiles coyly, as if taken a little off guard. "You flatter me, Sally....truly." Then he clears his throat and removes the top off of his pumpkin. "The next step is to remove all the fibrous strands and the seeds from inside. To make it clean and have room for your candle inside. Usually, monsters use their claws, but I like using these." He picks up some of the spoons and other things from the table, then begins to scoop out the insides. She watches him intently and mentally takes notes on what to do. When she goes to remove her top and peek inside the pumpkin, she finds herself distracted with what's inside. These strands look....very peculiar. She goes to touch it and cringes slightly. It's very cold and wet. It also feels sticky...like some sort of orange goop...not to mention it makes very moist sounds, like when the Doctor scratches his brain. "It looks funny," She says aloud. He glances over and notices her shivering the moment her hand clenches a handful of the stuff. She discards it right away and hesitates to grab anymore. The way she's biting her lip is very cute, but even he can tell she's having difficulties. "Do you want me to do it for you?" He offers. "Oh, could you?" She nudges her pumpkin closer to him. He pauses with his work to empty out hers, scraping the insides. It takes only a few minutes until he's finished, where the inside of hers looks completely clean. He empties his own then cleans off his hands with a napkin. Sally inspects his work and claps in excitement, relieved and looking forward to continue on with the process. She's having a lot of fun with him - it feels very natural to her, to participate with these things and doing something she'd never thought of doing before. She's very glad he invited her to do this. "What's the next step?" She asks. "Now, we pick out the designs." He throws the napkin to the side. "This year's plan is to carve an eyeball...but between you and me, anyone can take creative liberties. So, go with any design you want." "Whatever I want?" She echoes, tapping her chin uncertainly. "Well...what are you going to carve?" "I think I'm going to carve a bat. It's fairly simple, and easy to do." "Really? Then...then I think I want to make a cat." "Do you need help drawing the design? I can do that for you real quick." "Will you?" He sees her perk up and nods, moving himself closer to her and grabbing a marker off the table. He turns the pumpkin out of her view and works on the design. It takes him only a couple of minutes until he's done, where he sits back and returns the cap back on the pen. Sally learns over to look at it and finds a simplistic cat drawn on the pumpkin. But she notices the style about it, its thin body reminding her of her own alley cat. "Now, see, you're actually going to carve the lines outside of the cat." He points at it. "Except its eyes, of course - cats have wonderful, glowing eyes...but the figure you leave as it is. It'll look like a shadow. Or a black cat." "I want it to be a black cat," She decides. "Alright. Just make sure there's enough room for the candle, since you picked a small one and all." He suddenly holds up his knife. "Watch this." She does. And she very well may have witnessed what might be the most interesting thing she'd seen in her life. He cuts the lines perfectly in only a matter of seconds, maneuvering his hands carefully and keeping a watchful eye to follow the lines rhythmically. It doesn't take long until he pops the cut parts out, leaving a large figure of a bat in its absence. She can see where the light of the candle will shine through. It looks perfect. She can't fathom how quickly he had made it. Pointing at it, she notices a similarity. "It looks like the one on your bow tie." "You think so?" He takes a quick glance down at his bow tie and back to his pumpkin. "Hm. You're right. I didn't realize that." She gets busy attempting to carve her pumpkin. She does her best while Jack goes on about something in the background. She tries to listen to him as she works, his voice calming her every time she feels overwhelmed. But her clumsiness is inevitable - her hand begins to slip and shake every time she follows a line. What was once a perfectly-symmetrical moon now has jagged lines. Even the figure of the cat looks like roadkill. She sets down her knife to stare at it sadly. The eyes look far too much like triangles... Her love, meanwhile, applauds. "I like it." "I ruined your design." She lowers her head in defeat. "No! Just look at the lines you made on the cat." He points at them. "It looks like it's scared out of its wits! That's a very good job, if you ask me." She tilts her head. She can see it now...it looks like a cat when its back is hunched and hissing. She looks back at the skeleton and smiles. He always knows how to make her feel better. "I think you're right..." She feels prouder of her creation the longer she stares at it. He gave her confidence that she didn't know she needed. It looks perfectly fine for a first try...it must be exceptional if Jack likes it. But, then again, maybe he's a little biased...no, his opinion is always sincere! She glances over at him and notices he's adding a few finishing touches to his own, sharpening some areas and dulling others. She can't help but follow the movement of his hands with her eyes. It's as if he's done this hundreds of times before... "So," He begins, finally tearing away his gaze from his work. "How is someone enjoying their first time carving a pumpkin?" "I like it. The insides feel very...wet...and it's a little hard moving the knife, but it's very enjoyable." She waits before adding, "I think that's because I'm with you." "Mm. Am I that good of a teacher, Miss Sally?" She holds in a giggle at the new term. It sounds so...classy. And it makes her feel very good. "-The best I've ever had, Mr. Skellington." He pauses in his process to give her a meaningful smile, finding something endearing hearing that name out of her mouth, then sets down his knife to wipe down his hands once more. "Would you like to do this again?" She recalls something very similar from before -- his invitation from their first date, insisting they'd have a repeat of their wonderful evening that time. It makes her wonder if he really means it when he wants to do these things again, and wishes for nothing more herself. "--Why, Jack...I'd want to do anything with you." "You know, Sally, I feel the same way." His hand grips hers from under the table, then returns his gaze to their pumpkins. "I think we're just about done here. Would you like to know the final step?" "What is it?" "We display it!" He grabs his pumpkin then places it on a nearby mantel proudly. "Horrible! Don't you think so?" "It looks even better from a distance." She picks up her own pumpkin and hesitates before sitting it next to his. She notes right away the difference in detail - hers very much looks like a child had made it, while Jack's was more than incredible...Despite this, he admires them both from beside her, turning and speaking with usual enthusiasm. "What do you know? It's look better when it's in a pair." She fiddles with her hands timidly. "I think so, too..." He looks at her for a moment or two before glancing around them again, smiling and leaning down, quietly asking, "...Would you like to take a stroll, now? Just the two of us?" She was hoping he'd ask. With her nod of encouragement, he begins leading her out of Town, through the gates, and into the more secluded alleyways - holding her hand once they are out of sight, and never letting go. The two talk more of what had just happened, and in the midst of their conversation, find themselves naturally heading on the path towards their favorite hill... ---------------- Dr. Finklestein, coincidentally, is on a very similar route. But this isn't a merry trip nor is he on a casual errand to the grocery store. No, he's absolutely seething as he guides his small hand on the controls of his chair. After a restless hour of fighting with his thoughts, struggling with his insecurities accompanied by the endless curiosity of what has exactly happened to his ragdoll, he decided to ask her himself. But that plan hadn't gone as predicted, as the moment he opened up her door, he found the window open and Sally gone yet again. Not that he was surprised, of course, but it enraged him after their promise they had made an hours prior. What an unfaithful, wretched girl... He scowls inwardly, lips twitching as they always do when he's agitated. He can feel a little of his drool finding its way down his neck, which he promptly wipes away. She's probably out in the town...or with Skellington....who knows? I can't bother with these details anymore... Ordering his assistant to oversee everything while he was gone, Finklestein decided to go with a...new approach while searching for his missing ragdoll. He was not to yell for her, nor exclaim her name while out in public. That just draws more attention to himself, he finds, and from that, Sally hides before he can even find her! So a more quiet approach is necessary, and he must make himself as invisible as possible so she won't bail the moment he's in her sight. Being one of the palest residents in the town, he knows how difficult this task is, as he covered himself with an old jacket he found in one of his closets. The wheelchair might be a giveaway, but moving himself through the shadows has made him unnoticed thus far. "When I see that Sally..." He mutters to himself before feeling a sudden pain in his chest. He clenches at it with his free fist. "Augh... That woman's torturing me without even trying! Does that girl know how much trouble she IS?" Enduring these sudden chest pains and shortness of breath, the Doctor continues on his way until he hears voices from afar. He stops his wheelchair entirely and lifts his large head, trying to find the source of the noise. He eventually realizes it's several yards in front of him, and sticks himself to the walls while creeping forward. He eventually comes upon two figures - both tall, and situated almost too comfortably among themselves. His fingers twitch as he recognizes the two of them, his glasses shimmering in realization as Jack Skellington's voice coos to his ragdoll, who is pressed gently against the wall with the skeleton's arms pinned against her sides. From his position, he can see his chest barely grazing against her own, evoking a growl-like noise from his own throat. No doubt an inviting gesture, The Doctor thinks, fingernails pressing against his gloved palm. What does that boy think he's doing? Encouraging her rebellious behavior! I should come forward and stop this-- His body stiffens as the two lean in and lock lips. His jaw falls open as his hands release themselves. He can't even think of a word at this moment! Seeing his beloved King perch himself on his creation...the beautiful woman he made promised to himself, in the hands of another man - a man much more attractive, suave, and talented than himself...The embodiment of his insecurities, all formed into a skeleton he once believed to respect -- kissing a woman knowing who she is promised to...An act of such indecency... As Jack pulls away, Finklestein finds her giggling and smiling. Batting her eyelashes at him. He notices the way her shoulders bunched up and the leg that lifts when the Pumpkin King trails a finger along her chin. He feels like a dirty old man who has stumbled upon an innocent young romance -- but that's not the case, he reminds himself...this is his woman, HIS supposed-fiancée! He wandered into something most unpleasant for himself...a situation he knew he was bound to see, but the sight of it just makes him repulsed. A man he once respected has taken something that was rightfully his...he is angry, and he has every right to storm up and break whatever it is that is happening here. But why isn't he doing it? The man takes several moments to consider this. He's trying to be hidden. Absorbing the scene with only his eyes. But that itself is questionable...he is finding no pleasure from this. It is the exact opposite. He's filled with hate and resentment, but he finds no urge to bring that upon either of them. Which is very odd...he made it very clear to Sally that she was made for him, where she belongs, and what she is to do...but something different comes when he has this feeling. When he finds that smile on her face - one he has never seen himself, yet only exists because she is around that boy. She is happy right now. And he has never seen that himself. He's never given her that feeling. And now, he realizes, how horrible this realization feels... A tear finds its way out from his glasses, and he wipes it away without thinking. He feels more of them fall. His eyes are fixated on the figures as his mouth pulls into a low frown. But the anger has faded from his eyes, and in its absence are the gray pupils of a man who has lost something. Not something -- but someone. More thoughts are pouring in, revelations that have been hidden from his eyes for so long now, are causing the tears to grow. They fall until his cheeks are completely moist, and by that time, Jack and Sally have already left. They're continuing on their way, but Finklestein remains where he is. Even a genius like him knows this is obvious. He is stuck in a position of naiveté and stubbornness. Everything he hoped for, the future he envisioned for this girl...it was no more. They are no more. He has fought and struggled through his process, this process of losing her...he has rejected it for as long as he has known. He's spent such little time believing he was to marry her and instead spent longer denying her feelings for another man. He moves his hand to his chest and gently places it over his heart. His heart that no longer beats, but the pain it feels is unfathomable. Sally has done something to him he didn't deem possible within himself-- He is heartbroken. As the tears find their way onto his lips, he recognizes the taste. It's salty. The dead fish that was so prominent is gone now. He received his answers - but not all of them.  But the rest will all have to wait. For now, all he wants to do is soak in these feelings of neglect and distress. He turns his wheelchair slowly in the opposite direction, retreating back to his tower in defeat. He thinks nothing more of Sally or even Jack. He instead thinks of his dinner, and how the poison will taste tomorrow. ------------------------- "I love you, Jack." How she adores these words. She has wanted to say them for so long now that they feel almost foreign slipping off of her tongue. She even still has this little fear of his reaction. But this is suppressed as the skeleton easily replies, merely moments after the words left her own lips, does she hear the answer she has dreamed of hearing for so long. "I love you too, Sally." There. She melts again. He leaves a kiss on her forehead and her eyes gleam dreamily at him. They are sitting in their rightful spot on their favorite hill as they always have. They had a very long talk on the way over here, and exchanged some...new things during their slight detour. Hearing the words he said to her in those moments, being pinned against the wall, with no escape and no options but to face the man who had her trapped between his arms...Oh, God...Sally is head over heels for this skeleton man. He excites her. He always has. But now she's truly feeling it -- her heart racing in her chest, the exhilaration she can feel in her fingertips... She wants this feeling to never end. "It's very strange, being in love like this," He confesses to her, snapping her out of her daze. "But not a bad strange. It's a good strange. If you understand what I mean?" "I believe I do." She comes forward to nestle her head on the side of his neck. "It's very new. The Doctor never taught me about love." He turns his head slightly, interested. "Really, now?" "I didn't even know what marriage was until you explained it to me. Then you said something about being in love, and I only read about that in books. The Doctor...I've never felt like this around him. It's because of those stories I knew what it's like to feel this way..." She closes her eyes. "But it's one thing reading it and another experiencing it..." "Oh. You have no idea." He laughs slightly, gripping her hair gently in his hand. "I read those books about a man falling in love with a beautiful woman...to think about her in the mornings and wanting to be by her side...I thought it was hopeless for myself, but here I am feeling the exact same things." Her ruby lips curl into a smile. Her hand clutches at his suit. She still can't fathom how real this all is. "-You said something about doing things you wouldn't think of before...well, because of you, I feel happier back at home. Like I have nothing to worry about. I can do things without feeling scared anymore." He perks up. "Re-Really?" "I ate breakfast with the Doctor and Igor. I never did that before." She laughs. "And then, I realized...it's because I was thinking of you. I felt so happy. I didn't have a reason to worry about what they'd say or what I'd be punished for...Just thinking of you kept me strong, I-I guess is what I'm saying..." His hand slithers its way into her own, which she happily squeezes. She takes another inhale of his cologne. This feels almost too real. "You give me confidence, too, Sally...Why, I finished all my work the other night because I moved my desk closer to my window. Every time I looked at your place, it gave me this...good feeling. Knowing you were somewhere there." "You mean it?" "Yes. I do. And that good feeling is what I need to continue working. I haven't been this invested in my work for a long time." She becomes tense hearing that last part, and turns her head to look at him in wonder. It's been some time since he last hinted to his feelings with Halloween...the time he found her in the Graveyard, she could pick up on his mixed feelings with the holiday. And she recalls asking him about it. What could've been troubling him like with her and the Doctor. But he told me it doesn't matter... She thinks to herself. But...did he really mean that? "Jack..." She begins slowly, taking herself off of him and looking at him seriously. "Can you be honest with me, for a moment?" "I'm always honest with you." He affirms. "Well, yes, but....I'd really appreciate it." She holds her breath, fearing this will finally overstep a boundary of his. "D-Do you really....love Halloween?" "What do you mean?" "You've told me how you love it, but at other times, you tell me how troubling it is for you. How much work it is and how that causes you to come here...how i-it's troubling you. But...you've never told me that honestly. Or why that is. And I just want-" "--I do." He realizes he interrupted her and waves a hand apologetically. "I-I mean, I do love Halloween...but it's --- complicated." He notices her look of concern and sighs. "I suppose honesty wouldn't hurt now...hell, you're the only one who might understand." She flutters her eyelashes worriedly. No one understands? What can he mean by that? She watches as he shifts uncomfortably, and she feels her chest turn cold when he averts his gaze. At least he is opening up about this...she's always wanted to know. He's always been the kind man who dealt with her problems, but never has she heard of his own or helped him...and that's what she'd like to do. As his love, after all. That's what partners are for, aren't they? "What I mean by it's complicated is that I've...lost my passion for scaring. But just a little bit! Not entirely. I still feel all kinds of thrills and chills when I get someone to scream, but it just doesn't feel the same anymore. Like I've done the same thing before. And I realized that, after repeating the same plans year after year...doing the same routines, hearing the same old screams...I really am in this sort of loophole. Nothing seemed to change, and I was finding less meaning in what I was doing." She holds her hands together, feeling nothing but sorrow for her dearest friend. She can feel the emptiness he must be experiencing. As if his problems were her own. She comes forward to lay a comforting hand on his shoulder, and he looks at her to smile. But then, when his gaze shifts again, it falls and he's left to dwell more on the matter. "Being the Pumpkin King is wonderful to me. It really is. I get to take care of my people and give them something to look forward to, but...I never had a choice. I didn't choose to become the King nor did anyone pick me. But they love me anyway. And I appreciate them. But as excruciating as Halloween has become...I couldn't find the right change. Sure, the Mayor and I would come up with new ideas and they'd be exciting, but they just became a routine like everything else. The passion doesn't stay as long as I want it to. And at one point, I wanted to give it all up. I didn't want to keep doing this if it meant I had to repeat the same things every year. But I can't. I can't give up my crown or step down. I'd leave my people in the dark, and I want nothing more but for them to be happy, even if it meant I wasn't. I was stuck doing this, and for the longest time, I just dealt with it. But it took a toll on me through the years, and by this point the planning all just feels like one big chore. A 364-day responsibility left in my hands even if I never asked for it." She rubs her hand along his arm, her eyes filled with sadness from this information. "Jack...why didn't you tell anyone about this before?" He almost laughs. "They wouldn't understand. Why would they? This is all they know. Halloween is our purpose, our fun, our connection we share. Why would anyone question something they've done all their death? Who would get tired of this custom we love? I'm their King, and in their eyes, I'm this perfect embodiment of Halloween...no one understands what it's like to dream of something more than what you already have. They can't relate to what I'm going through - not when everything is perfect to them." "Well, I-I'm sure you could've found someone who related to you...someone who wasn't as happy with where they were or what they were doing. Someone who-" "--Someone like you." He finishes, ending her rambling. "Sally, do you realize what you've done for me?" She shakes her head. "You've given me a reason. A purpose. I wanted something new in my afterlife after going through this for so long, and...you're it. I've never fallen in love like this. I've never felt this way about somebody, and it feels so...new. I'm having new experiences with you, and I'm...happy. I'm content. I'm finally finding something to enjoy with Halloween now that you're in my death. And I-I don't know if you know that." "I do, now..." She grows breathless, desperately trying to find more words. "I...I do....I feel-" "Can I kiss you? Please?" The yearning in his voice makes her grow very warm. "Ye-yes, you can always kiss me, Ja-" Her words are interrupted when his lips press against hers, and that's all that is needed to make Sally turn into jelly again. The kiss is intimate and leaves her grasping at his lapels to get leverage. She has felt desire in their previous kisses, but there's something...new in this one. She can feel the longing in his body, and the passion igniting in her own. But she only truly feels this effect once he manages to gently press her body closer to the ground, resting himself above her. She grasps at his suit to keep herself involved with the kiss, until they both eventually break away. Then, her head is left to rest on the ground, where she can look at nothing but his face. "I-I need you..." He confesses, lowering his skull until it's next to her ear. "I've always needed you, Sally. It took me so long to find you. When we met, there was something so...different about you...I honestly couldn't believe you wanted to know about me. And ever since then, I...I felt a lot of things about you." Her cheeks feel hot, but she's unsure if it's because of their closeness or what he's saying. "Jack, I felt the same way when you said you wanted to-to be my...friend...even though you didn't know anything about me." "Are you kidding?" He lifts himself up to look at her. "A beautiful woman who saw me as more than the Pumpkin King? Who wanted to know what I did in my free time and what I thought of Romeo and Juliet? Just what did I do to deserve you, Sally?" Her jaw begins to tingle as she pulls his skull forward to her, brushing her nose against his nasal bone. "How about taking me away from the Doctor?" "-You did most of that yourself, you know-" "Kiss me, Jack..." She waits no moment further to press her lips against his, and he happily returns it by pressing his against her own. His hand finds it way to the back of her head, bringing her closer as they momentarily switch positions on the ground. As Sally continues to kiss the man who has confessed to her changing his own death for the better, she feels a sense of purpose as well as her growing love for Jack Skellington.        

#long post #long #the nightmare before christmas #jack skellington #jack and sally #disney #tim burton #fanfiction #two dearest friends #tnbc #jack x sally

[operation-hbd]

Always With You

Of Ladybugs, Past and Present

Section 1: Akumatization

Catrina lost her parents only a few months prior and is now staying with aunt and grandma

Elena was ready to go off on the little brat. Nothing she did was good enough for Catrina. Taking her in and pretending like she was ready to be a mom just so Trina would stay with family? ‘I don’t want you – I want my parents!’ Getting a more expensive, family-friendly apartment in Paris? ‘I miss Guadalajara – I hate this place!’ Making fresh soup for dinner despite being fucking exhausted after work? ‘I don’t want it – I only like the way Mami makes it.’ She took it all in stride. It was fine, Catrina’s just a kid being how kids are, she’d tell herself. But not today. No, today she’d come home to find glass on the floor. That snot-nosed little monster had broken all the picture frames she kept at the entrance. The pictures were left lying around carelessly. She remembered Catrina calling them ‘tacky’ before, but this was Elena’s house and, goddamnit, if she wanted to have a wall full of family photos then she was going to have her damn wall with family photos and no six-year-old would change that. Elena marched to her niece’s preferred hiding spot and shoved the coat closet’s sliding door aside, ready to take out all her pent-up frustrations on the girl. She glared down at the usually hostile child but her fury died out as she looked into those big brown eyes. Her sister’s eyes. She looked so... small. Huddled in the corner of the closet, eyes brimming with tears, and a scrunched photograph held tightly to her chest. Elena’s heart shattered at the sight; she knew that photograph. I was of Monica and Fernando back when they’d first announced their engagement. Fernando hugged Moca tightly to him with a big stupid grin spread over his face; her smile was adorned by a blush as she held up her left hand to display an elegant diamond ring. In the corner sat Orejas, Fernando’s shaggy mutt with ears too long, too wide, and too floppy to have any right to be on a dog. Elena wasn’t sure what hurt more, the picture of Monica or the way Catrina clutched it like a lifeline.

“Trina?” At that, the little one’s tears finally broke free. “Shhh, shhhh,” she murmured as she dropped to pull Catrina into her arms, “no llores, amor. You just need to give it a little bit more time. You’ll see. The wounds will heal, you just–”

“Stop it! You know that’s not true!”

“What’s not true?” Elena asked the small girl in front of her.

“Time! You say time will make it stop hurting, but the more time that passes the more I miss them. And when I think about all the time that’s still left– all the years I’ll go through without them... I just- I really miss them,” she rubbed at the tears spilling down her cheeks, “and time won’t make it better because it won’t bring them back. It won’t let me be with them.” Her small shoulders started to shake as her lungs filled with sobs. “I j-just –– w-wa-nn-nt –– t-t-to b-be –– w-i-thh th-them!”

“Oh honey, but you are! They’re always with–”

“Th-at-t’s –– n-not ––  wh-at-t I –– m-meant!”

 She sighed; of course that’s not what she’d meant. Elena had known what she meant because she wanted it too. Because she missed her big sister too and no amount of time would change that. She missed Monica and her stupid jokes and her stupid nagging and even her stupid husband, who could always bring out Monica’s stupid smile after her and Elena had gotten in some stupid argument. But what the hell else was she supposed to say? ‘You’re right, kid, time won’t bring them back and nothing will ever get better. You’ll be filled with grief for the rest of your life because my sister is a rotting corpse underneath some dirt back in Mexico and all she left you with was me.’ Psh, yea right. She doubted Monica would approve of that response. Elena groaned, rubbing her temples as she tried to think of some way to comfort her crying niece. She wasn’t ready to take care of a kid. She wasn’t ready for any of this. But she had to at least try.

“Listen–  shhh, Trina, just–  just listen for a sec, okay?” she pleaded with the child, stroking her hair until she’d calmed down a bit. 

SOME STUFF ABOUT DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS AND SETTING UP OFRENDAS TO BRING MONICA AND FERNANDO TO PARIS. 

Catrina, who is taking all of Elena’s words very seriously, says the graves are in Mexico and how will they possibly know to come here

Elena, happy that Trina finally stopped sobbing and taking victory in the small amount of hope sparkling in her eyes, tells her they’ll just need to put up a whole bunch of marigolds because those are what guides the spirits when they cross over.

...

Happy for a few weeks, Trina is excited about setting up the ofrenda with her aunt and wants to make it the best one ever. 

Elena begins to suspect this whole thing may be going a bit too far and finally realizes Catrina thinks they’ll really appear when she mentions being excited for her dad’s big squishy hugs again and her mom’s gentle singing when she put her to bed... but Elena can’t bring herself to tell Trina that it’s all just symbolic when the little one is finally happy.

Elena puts it off too long and it’s November 2nd and no parents have appeared.

Catrina refuses to accept that she’s really never seeing them again after having built up so much hope; instead she convinces herself it’s because they could only get pot marigolds instead of the big Mexican marigolds.

Catrina runs away, getting into random metro before Elena can get to her; it’s night and the trains are more sparse so she ends up alone and scared and very very sad. 

Cue: Hawk Moth. 

TRINA IS AKUMATIZED INTO CEMPASÚCHIL, A VILLAIN NAMED AFTER THE MEXICAN MARIGOLDS PUT ON OFRENDAS WHO LOOKS LIKE A MARIGOLD-THEMED CALAVERA CATRINA  (yes... the skeleton ladies are called Catrinas... and yes... that’s why I named the kid Catrina) WITH THE POWER TO BRING FORTH THE SPIRITS OF DECEASED LOVED ONES BY BLOWING PETALS FROM HER BOUQUET OF MARIGOLDS/WHOOSHING THEM OUT. 

Her tears are marigold petals; when the tears fall any ghosts that have been summoned get glowy orange eyes and do her bidding.

TRINA’S GOAL IS TO FIND ELENA AND HIT HER W THE PETALS SO SHE CAN SEE HER PARENTS.

THE GHOSTS ARE MORE LIKE MEMORIES THAN SOULS THOUGH BECAUSE "it would take a lot more than Hawk Moth to bring back the dead, even if it were just temporary” so THEY ARE EMOTIONALLY NUMBED - WHICH IS WHY THEY’D ALL ACTED AS CEMPASÚCHIL’S MINIONS.

THE GHOSTS CAN RECALL SOME THINGS BUT MOSTLY LIMITED TO THEIR SHARED EXPERIENCES WITH THE PERSON HIT. 

The ladybugs will be present in full because they’re brought about when Tikki is hit & Tikki is a deity that had fused with their souls before (+ Kwagatama stuff)

...

Tikki’s POV: Mari’s out coming back from doing some more designs for Kitty Section. Tikki scolds her for being out so late because it’s dangerous and she’s gonna miss her curfew. Mari is trying to shove stuff into her purse, while holding other stuff, while trying to keep the stuff inside the purse from falling out (while tikki floats and judges but like loving judgment). She’s walking back when Cempasúchil sends a wave of glowing petals her way. Marinette jumps out of the way and manages to dodge it all but her stuff falls. When Cempasúchil is out of sight Mari hurries back to the pile of petals, which are no longer glowing, covering her purse / papers / notes / TIKKI / pencils / phone. Tikki says she’s fine but has a bit of a headache. They hurry after Cempasúchil. Tikki starts to get brief flashes of memories of her past Bugs, but tried to ignore it. When they find Cempasúchil, Mari asks if Tikki’s sure she’s ready to transform. Tikki says yes. “Alright then, Spots On!” Last comment is Tikki getting flooded with the presence of her past Ladybugs, feeling all of their memories from all their lifetimes in a single moment as Marinette transforms. Once inside the earrings, Tikki blacks out ... too much “interference” for her to be consciously present during the fight despite her growing bond with Mari; though she has been fusing much more harmoniously with Marinette recently, this time it feels like she’s being pulled in too many different directions and can’t focus on Marinette. 

Section 2: Akuma Fight

Marinette feels the transformation is different. She can’t feel Tikki’s familiar presence but she can feel power. Her head starts hurting too when she tries to mentally reach out to Tikki so she stops trying. Lucky Charm still works though and she’s stronger/has more energy. 

It’s not a long fight. Though that’s entirely because of Mari. Chat seems distracted... he moves slowly. She has to pull him out of the way a few times and he apologizes for being in a daze. After he basically reaches out for the glowing petals and she has to lasso him back with a yoyo, she snaps and asks if he wants to get hit or something. He admits that he’s tempted... Says he just needs to know... Ladybug asks what it is he needs to know but he won’t meet her eyes.

*** hitch, switch, or ditch? He admits he needs to know if his mo- if someone important to him is dead or not. Ladybug tells him that she can’t have him even more distracted and that if the person did appear it would only be a shadow of them, not the real them. He’d just end up even more emotionally compromised. Also, if the person did die does he really want to learn about it like this?? He basically just stays in the spot for the rest of the fight, looking at the petals with longing. Without needing to be watching out for him, LB finished off the akuma pretty fast cuz she has enhanced energy. 

*** hitch, switch, or ditch? When she casts the cure the ladybugs seem to linger near her, as if confused. They don’t try to fix her cuz she didnt get hurt, but they’re clearly trying to fix something. They keep bumping into each other as they circle about and then finally one lands on her hand and fades into pink light. The others fly off to take care of all the damage from Cempasúchil.

*** hitch, switch, or ditch? For some reason her earrings aren’t beeping after summoning Lucky Charm or after casting the cure? Chat points it out and says that they can hang out for once. Since he didn’t have to use cataclysm and her powers didn’t start the countdown for whatever reason. This just puts Mari on edge cuz she remembers Tikki got hit and is worried something is wrong. 

She hurries back so she can detransform, to Chat’s displeasure cuz “you’re not even out of time though!”, and check on Tikki. 

When she asks Tikki what was up the little kwami shrugs. “It was weird... I got a flash of memories and then I think I slept through the fight? I feel fine now though!” 

*** hitch, switch, or ditch? When Mari tells Tikki about the weird way the ladybugs acted, Tikki says her head doesn’t hurt anymore so maybe that’s what the ladybugs were doing. Clearly the cure must have worked - but she’s still starving.

Marinette laughs and hands her a cookie, giving Tikki a kiss on the forehead and promising her an entire box of macarons when they get back home.

Section 3

Section 4

Section 5:

Section 6: Closing* the Portal

Written in: 3, 4, 5, or 6 parts because @frostymoon11 and I have a lot of thoughts... also depends on whether @ozmav still wants to write for this and, if so, how much. Otherwise it’s how much Frosty and I can undertake on our own. Sectioning it into 6 above but we can combine sections if we wanna have less parts.

Part Titles (with alliteration)

Liars and Lessons // Liars and Legends // Liars and Loopholes

Marigolds and Memories // Mourning and Memories

Partings and Promises // Payback and Promises // Promises and Perseverance // Punishments and Promises // Bonds and Balance 

Revenge and Revelations

Spirits and Stories

Vengeance and Vows

Feel free to edit this post directly.

[thedargonden]

[10] PHOENIX’S SECRET

October 31st, XX19

8:00 PM.

Halloween night.

Tafla is out in the loungeroom while Orie's in the bathroom shapeshifting into her spooky Halloween costume.

TAFLA "Orie, you have 30 more seconds to shapeshift! You better come out soon!"

Tafla sips her tea on the sofa next to a large jack o' lantern basket of candy, looking ahead and to her right where the new blue bathroom door is.

ORIE "Okay, okay! I'm almost done! Just give me a second!"

TAFLA "I'm going to have to start reducing your candy if you don't hurry up!"

Orie and Tafla's Halloween traditions are different than others. Whereas other younger dragons would have gone "trick or treating," since they're more isolated, Tafla likes to get a bunch of candy, and Orie has 5 minutes to shapeshift into a scary form. Tafla would then rate her scariness using candy.

ORIE "Okay! I'm done, don't peek yet!"

Orie exits the bathroom as a silver skeleton dragon with glowy dots for all her four eyes as Tafla closes her eyes.

Her purple horns are still visible and her teeth (usually hidden by her scales) sweep across her mouth into a large and creepy smile. Her mane however is not present in this form.

Orie clears her throat and opens her mouth wide, her blue and pink dot eyes shrinking to be more frightening.

Orie tries not to move her mouth when talking...

ORIE "Okah loohkh!"

Tafla eyes open and she doesn't even flinch.

TAFLA "Oh, Orie... You did this two years ago!"

Orie closes her mouth.

ORIE "You're not scared this time?"

TAFLA "Sweetie, opening your mouth isn't going to make it any more scary. I've also seen it before so it's even less scary... I'll give you all the candy for effort though."

ORIE "No! I don't want your pity candy!!!"

Orie skeleton looks to the ground with her finally healed left arm fiddling with her jaw thoughtfully.

ORIE "Ooh, you know what's even better than one Orie skeleton?

I don't even know if this would work, but I'll try!"

Orie shapeshifts her form outward on the left and right of her.

Her form stretches out until... suddenly her form splits in half.

One skeleton Orie has her two blue eye dots, and the other one has her two pink eye dots. They're both half as big as Orie was.

PINK EYED ORIE "Uh??"

Tafla stares at both of the Ories in surprise. The pink eyed one looks sad and scared. The blue eyed one is surprised but generally happy looking.

TAFLA "Orie...? Are you... okay?"

BLUE EYED ORIE "I'm fine!"

PINK EYED ORIE "I'm not... what is this? What's happening???"

Tafla stares in complete bewilderment.

TAFLA "I... didn't even know this was possible..."

PINK EYED ORIE "Neither did I..."

BLUE EYED ORIE "... But i'm glad it happened!" :p

TAFLA "... Can you two please... uh... merge back or something?"

BLUE EYED ORIE "Sure!"

PINK EYED ORIE "I... guess."

Both Ories grab each others left hands and start to try to shapeshift into one... and they just... pop back into normal Orie.

Orie's now back to her non skeleton self, extremely confused and holding her head in her left hand.

ORIE "I... what?"

Orie looks to Tafla for an answer, who's staring in disbelief.

TAFLA "Don't look at me! I don't know either!"

ORIE "Well uh... do I win at least some candy?"

TAFLA "Oh, definitely. You scared the absolute shit out of me!"

Tafla throws the whole basket of candy to Orie.

ORIE "Woah, Tafla! I've never heard you say that word. Haha!"

TAFLA "I know. I'm sorry, just... give me about 15 minutes to think about what just happened..."

Tafla gets up with her tea and speed walks out of the silver front door.

ORIE "Oh, okay."

Orie suddenly has an urge to go to Phoenix's room. Her prophetic visions only tell her that Arakados and Phoenix are there... and something about tomatoes.

She walks through the doorway, through the hall, and into Phoenix's room.

Arakados is there on Phoenix's laptop again.

ORIE "Hey Dakka!"

Arakados puts their finger on Orie's snoot and makes a shhh sound.

ARAKADOS "Gimme ooooonnnnneee second."

ORIE "Oka-"

ARAKADOS "ShhhShSh!!"

Orie ShhhShSh-es and Arakados puts their fingers back to the laptop.

Orie looks around the room at Phoenix's empty walls. She feels like she should get Phoenix actual decorations.

ARAKADOS "Oh my derg, I found it!"

Orie looks back to Arakados.

ORIE "Found what?"

ARAKADOS "Phoenix's secret!"

ORIE "Oh?"

ARAKADOS "I found it inside a hidden folder in the recycling bin!"

On the screen shows a cooking book PDF file.

ORIE "No way! She-"

ARAKADOS "Yis! She's learning how to cook! I wonder why she hid it from us?"

ORIE "It makes sense. She'd be embarrassed about having a normal hobby like that."

Orie thinks about the red stained bandage Phoenix had the past couple of weeks, and the dried red liquid on the knife she was holding before...

ORIE "It was tomatoes! She was cutting tomatoes! It all makes sense now!"

Suddenly a loud shriek sounds from outside of the den, behind the new purple door across the hallway.

Both Arakados and Orie's ears perk up as they look out the hallway.

ORIE "Was that Phoenix?"

Out of the purple door, Phoenix quickly shuts it behind her frightened and clutches her other newly bandaged wrist while her body is covered in tons of bloody scratches.

PHOENIX "Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck!!!"

She notices Orie and Arakados standing in her doorway.

PHOENIX "OH GOOD! ORIE DO YOU HAVE A SPARE KNIFE!"

Seeing the blood on her new bandage, Orie closes her eyes and then looks at Phoenix.

ORIE "It wasn't tomatoes... was it..."

Arakados notices scratching coming from behind the door and runs into the loungeroom.

PHOENIX "WHAT?!?!?"

ORIE "Phoenix... what are you going to do with the knife...?"

Phoenix's eyes widen even more in realization.

PHOENIX "NO! I'M NOT DOING THAT WITH IT! JUST GIVE ME A KNIFE OR SOME OTHER WEAPON, QUICK!"

ORIE "Why do you need one...?"

PHOENIX "IT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN! I JUST NEED ONE! WHY DO I NEED TO ANSWER????"

ORIE "Phoenix! I don't want you to hurt yourself! I don't even want to be responsible for giving you something that you'd hurt yourself with! I'm not going to give you anything until you tell me what's wrong!"

Phoenix notices Orie's tears dripping from her snout.

She sighs.

PHOENIX "FINE! But it's going to sound like I'm fucking crazy!

I was practicing the fine art of...

Mincing... with tomatoes...

I was getting frustrated and decided 'Hey, what if i enchanted these tomatoes to come alive and possibly help me mince them properly...'

But... apparently cutting a sentient tomato with a bunch of its friends around made them... angry...

Now they're all out for MY BLOOD after carving themselves RAZOR SHARP TEETH!"

Phoenix winces in pain from all the scratches over her body.

PHOENIX "Oh my god I sound insane!"

Orie sighs, realizing Phoenix is telling the truth from her mind reading abilities.

ORIE "No, you're not crazy... I'm just worried...

And what about the bandages...?"

Phoenix looks at her bloodied bandages on both wrists.

PHOENIX "Mincing is fucking hard, especially when you're teaching yourself. I accidentally nip myself with the knife sometimes. Is that a crime?"

ORIE "Oh... I guess I just assumed..."

Phoenix closes her eyes and tilts her head down to the ground as Arakados runs back in with a knife.

ARAKADOS "Phoenix. Step aside. I got this."

PHOENIX "No! I'm already injured from them! I should do it!"

ARAKADOS "Exactly. I should deal with them."

ORIE "No. Neither of you."

;I enchant every single vicious tomato around to pop and not bother us anymore.;

Behind the door, they all hear about seven tomatoes combusting.

Phoenix slowly opens the door and immediately see the exploded remains of the tomatoes staining the wooden deck inside the cave.

In the middle of the deck sits a table with a cutting board, a knife, and one more tomato.

The carved eyes and mouth of the tomato face toward the three dragons.

It makes a noise and then jumps off the table and runs at the dragons with tiny stubby stem looking legs.

PHOENIX "ORIE! YOU MISSED ONE!"

Arakados steps between the tomato and Phoenix with the knife, and the Tomato creature stops and tilts its head at them.

ARAKADOS "Don’t come any closer, you... strange fruity monster weirdo!"

Orie peeks over Arakados's wings as the Tomato creature just smiles and runs around in a circle. It then faceplants on the wood after a moment.

ORIE "I... don't think that one is vicious."

Orie steps past Arakados and Phoenix to get really close to the tomato creature.

She puts her left hand in front of it.

PHOENIX "ORIE! GET AWAY FROM IT!"

ARAKADOS "Watch out! It might just be pretending to be stupid!"

The tomato creature slowly walks up to Orie's hand and stares at it, intrigued. Orie sees a big slit on top of its head.

ORIE "I think this is the one you cut, Phoenix."

PHOENIX "Oh NO! THAT PROBABLY MEANS IT'S EVEN MORE MAD!"

With an interested face, the tomato creature looks up to Orie's snout, which is close by too, and then back to her hand.

After a moment, the Tomato creature smiles at Orie and lightly bites her hand. Orie jumps, surprised, as the tomato creature latches on her pinkie finger happily.

PHOENIX "AAAAHHH ORIE WHAT DID I TELL YOU!"

Arakados runs over with the knife and Orie holds her hand that's not latched onto by a sentient tomato in Arakados's way.

ORIE "No! Stop! It's harmless!"

Arakados pulls the knife away from the tomato creature skeptically.

Phoenix walks over as well.

PHOENIX "IT JUST BIT YOU! WHAT DO YOU MEAN!"

ORIE "Her carved teeth aren't really sharp. She must have made them duller when she faceplanted a second ago.

Besides, she's not even biting hard. Only enough to stay on my finger!"

PHOENIX "You're calling it a 'she' now? And a bite's a bite! It's literally biting you right now!"

ORIE "It's more of a nibble. And yes. I want to keep her as a pet!"

PHOENIX "Are you crazy?!?!?"

Arakados's face lights up with an idea.

ARAKADOS "Tom. Tom the tomato."

ORIE "Ohmygod YES! That's the PERFECT name for her!"

PHOENIX "But... the name Tom is usually used for males. Why would you name 'her' a male name like Tom?!?"

ORIE "She must be a tomboy."

Phoenix throws her head up with her right hand.

PHOENIX "That's it! I'm going to sleep! Good. Night"

Phoenix walks away to her lair in frustration.

ORIE "Goonoight Phoenix."

Phoenix tries to slam her door, but realizes she doesn't have one.

PHOENIX "HEY, WAIT! WHY DON'T I STILL HAVE A DOOR YET?!?"

Arakados looks towards Phoenix's room.

ARAKADOS "She's a lazy derg!"

PHOENIX "UUUGHHHHH!"

She jumps into her bed and buries her face into her pillows.

Tafla runs out of the den and onto the cave deck.

TAFLA "What was all the commotion about...?"

Orie holds up Tom to Tafla with her left hand.

ORIE "Oh, we've got a new pet!"

After introducing Tafla to Tom the friendly tomato, Orie and Arakados say their farewells to Tafla as she departs from the den.

Orie also has distant visions of Tafla next time she sees her, along with a shadowy figure she'll probably meet at some point.

Phoenix cries herself to sleep as usual, hating herself for something which happened in the past...

But as soon as the clock hits 12AM, her restless sleep turns to a silent fever dream.

Everything seems to be fine, now that it's the 11th month of the year... although, why wouldn't she be fine?

This is how it has always been for Phoenix, and will always be:

No negative thoughts... no hatred... little to no sadness...

Just happiness... smiles... and peace...

[The Dargon Den Arc 1: "Tomato Mystery" Completed.]

#storyupdate #The Dargon Den #dragon #dragons #story #Orie #Phoenix #Tafla #Arakados #Dakka #Tom #Tomato #Halloween #Skeleton #Shapeshifting #unmerge #merge #blood #candy #tomatoes #derg #depression #magic #sorcery #Tomato Mystery

[themaleficperformers-blog]

Chapter XXIV: Leopold / Stella

Rot led Stella Burke through the hallways, passageways and corridors of the Regal Constellation Hotel, winding and weaving through open doors. The deeper Rot went into the vampire nest, the worse it got. The smell thickened, pungent odours of death and decay, of blood and bone, that rolled over Rot with every new turn. The mould grew thicker on the walls invading the spaces between the paper and the wooden batons beneath, releasing spores which floated in the air seeking out new surfaces. Dust rose from the ground with every single step they took and sparkled in the fire-light.

Rot had put his witchlight back in his pocket once the fires had started. He did not need the blood-red light when the dancing flames cast a warm and fiery golden glow. The fire had jumped from his hand, dancing around Rot before springing forward to the walls. The decrepit wallpaper, once flowery and full of splendour, caught with ease erupting into life. Some say the world will end in fire, Rot recited, smirking as the raging flames devoured the hotel’s wood and plaster skeleton.

The hallways began to fill with black smoke, smoke that stuck to the roof of the mouth and made one cough and splutter. The bright red flames, burning with a sharp intensity, crackled and spat loudly as they greedily engulfed everything in their path; the flames spared nothing. The wood began to creak and groan, splinting under the pressure of the roaring blaze. The conflagration climbed - all from a single spark in a warlock’s hands.

Rot looked back at Burke, smiling softly: “Come along, stay close.” Burke had fallen slightly behind, no doubt bewildered by the magic Rot was casting. Her hands were still tightly wrapped around the stake, clutching it close. She could not see the fire, nor the flames, nor the smoke. She could see nothing. All Stella Burke would see was the warm glow of a little ball of fire guiding their way.

Rot had summoned forth a powerful illusion, one which would draw almost every single vampire out of hiding. Vampires hated fire. It would not work on every vampire in the nest, but it would confuse, disorientate and panic enough of the stupider ones to get the job done. When the sun rose, the Regal Constellation Hotel would be completely untouched.

Rot could have, if he felt so inclined, lit a match and bid the nest to blow. He could have burned the nest to the ground. But that, that would be of no help at all.

“So, my dear,” Rot said, “What does it feel like to have the curtain’s pulled away? The wall before your eyes brought crashing down? You have seen a world that no other Mundane will ever see - it must be exhilarating?”

Rot tried to distant Burke’s mind, keep her occupied with conversation. He could sense the vampires beginning to run. Growling. Rumbling. Scratching. The baring of fangs. It would not be long before they came for Rot and Burke. For every stupid fool and fletchling there was a smarter one lurking in the shadows. They knew better than to fall for Rot’s trickery. Rot needed to think of a way to get Stella Burke away from the hotel as soon as possible.

After he called to her, Stella made sure to stay close to Rot’s side. As they journeyed further into the hotel, she figured it was more dangerous, that they were getting closer and closer to the vampires.

The brunette had to think for a moment before she actually answered his question, as there was just so much to it, and her feelings were so conflicted. “Well…It’s fascinating, but…I miss my friends and family, and my job…It’s as if I’ve gone into the Witness Protection Program, except, I’m in an alternate reality where creatures from storybooks actually exist.” She sighed. “Although, I suppose it isn’t much of an alternate reality, considering you’re a warlock, and we’re in a vampire’s nest. Now I feel much more ordinary, considering you call people like me “Mundanes.” I’ll have you know, I am very far from mundane. In fact, my friends say I am very interesting.” She paused after she realized she was rambling, and laughed a bit. “Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. Nobody else has asked me how I feel about all of this.”

Rot smiled softly at the rambling young lady at his side, pleased to hear her ramble. If she was rambling to Rot, she was not paying as much attention to the gang of vampires stalking their movements. “Well, you most certainly are far from ‘mundane’, my dear” Rot said, “Moved to Toronto from New York, and found yourself a job as a journalist at a good newspaper. Correct me if I’m wrong but you were writing the by-lines, were you not? I know it must be hard at the moment, away from everything you love, but, it will not be long before we get everything back to normal. That’s why we are here.” He turned to the right abruptly, dragging Stella with him, cautious of slight whispers up ahead.

“Why, thank you. I was actually writing a few columns of my own, and occasionally doing line-editing, grammar, spelling, etcetera. It was very fun. Hopefully I don’t get too attached to your world. I’d hate to get interested and then have to pretend it doesn’t exist. When I was a kid, I wished vampires and werewolves were re–”

She shut up when she was pulled to the right by Leopold, and looked around, before whispering to him. “What’s going on? Are they nearby?”

Rot brought his finger slowly to his lips as he pulled Burke towards the wall. He pushed Burke behind him as his eyes focused on the dimly lit corridor he had decided on. Rot did not have much choice. “Shhh,” Rot whispered, “We have company.” A tall, thin creature, hunched over and sniffing at the ground, came down slowly the corridor as Rot extinguished the flame. The pale skin glistened in the moonlight, muscle and sinew twisting beneath the thin overcoat of flesh. It growled and hissed, taking deep breaths. The vampire slowly walked towards them. Rot could tell that the vampire did not know precisely where they were. But, it would not take long.

Her eyes widened at his words, and she decided at that moment to be as quiet as she could. She watched quietly as what looked like a misshapen monster ambled over to the two of them, grateful that Rot had put himself in front of her, as she’d probably be much more scared if she felt the thing could see her. As she got a good look at the vampire, she realized that storybooks painted them in a much more friendly way.

The vampire turned suddenly baring its teeth and screamed. The vampire lunged at Burke, letting loose a bloodcurdling shriek, as it raised its arms to scratch and claw. Rot however saw it coming. He anticipated the attack, ready the instant the creature turned. He flung his arms out and the vampire flew backwards, colliding with the wall. There was a loud crack as the wooden splintered on impact. The vampire hissed, clambering to his knees, “Filthy, half-blooded bastard!” Rot waved his hands in intricate and complex motions. The wallpaper tore free from the wall, wrapping around the vampire. The paper coiled and twisted until the vampire was restrained in a cocoon, the wooden supports growing around his chest. Rot turned on his heels, looking Stella in the eyes, “Breathe, my dear. Just breathe, breathe with me. You’re perfectly safe.”

Stella shut her eyes tightly and ducked down when the vampire suddenly attacked, bracing herself to be bitten and scratched. After a moment, she realized that the vampire hadn’t gotten to her, and she slowly got back up.

The vampire was attached to the wall by Rot’s magic. She started to tremble with fear when she looked back at the vampire, one hand covering her mouth, the other’s knuckles white from gripping the stake so tightly. When Rot turned around and looked at her, she didn’t even realize that she had started to tear up. “It was going to kill me. It wants to kill me.”

Rot gripped Burke’s shoulders, holding her softly. She was shaking, trembling like a lost leaf in a violent thunderstorm. He held her softly, looking into her teary eyes. He smiled gently, trying to calm her with soothing whispers. He did not trust people - but, he was protective of those in his city. Especially those who had no way of protecting themselves. She was playing a game with giants, a game she was not at all prepared play. “It did nothing, did it?” He asked, glancing over his shoulder at the vampire. It was struggling against the paper and the wood to no avail; Rot’s magic was powerful. “You’re safe, my dear. Now, take a deep breathe. We will need to keep moving, okay?” He wrapped an arm around Burke’s shoulders, gently pulling the stake from her hand. The knuckles were blanched white, staunched and shaking. “I will keep you safe, just stay with me. Can you walk?”

Stella tried her best to keep from crying, quickly wiping her face when she realized she was crying. She sniffled, and wiped her nose. Even after, though, her breathing was shaky. Even though she could see it wasn’t going anywhere, she couldn’t help but feel fear. She wanted nothing more than to get away from the beast. “Okay…okay.”

She nodded, not protesting when the stake was taken from her. She looked into his eyes. “Don’t let them hurt me.”

It had been many, many moons since Rot had seen such fear and terror in someone’s eyes. Stella Burke was terrified. One vampire had terrified her. One. Rot could understand her emotions - he just did not know how to truly help her. “I won’t, my dear. I promise, I won’t,” Rot gently pulled Burke close to him, wrapping his arms around her. A hug is the best way to solve a problem. Amandine had always told him that. He never listened. She hugged him a lot. But, Rot could not think of anything else. “You are safe, my dear,” Rot whispered, glancing past her at the vampire. He would be freed, eventually. But, there was no blood. Yet. “Stella, I need to tell you something. And I need you to listen to me. This is so very important.”

She was still shaking a bit when he pulled her into a hug, something she definitely wasn’t expecting, but didn’t pull away from. “…Thank you.” The young woman reached around him and held on tightly.

She calmed down pretty quickly after that, and when he spoke again, she looked up at him, giving him her full attention. “What is it?”

“Just down this corridor, there is a balcony. It will overlook Lady Simone’s little hive. I can sense her, alongside a shit tonne of vampires. I can also sense Hightower.” Rot pulled back slightly, looking into Burke’s eyes. They had cleared somewhat. He took a deep breath, letting a calming spell flow through him into her. “I’m going to open a portal here,” He explained, glancing at one of the bedroom doors. “It will allow you to get straight back to the Institute. I am not sending you away, Stella, but, this is going to get ugly. Fast. You saw Hightower - he is going for blood in a reckless manner. I don’t know where Cecilia and Lunaria are. But, to protect them, I can’t have my eyes glued to you. Do you understand?”

He let go of Burke’s shoulders. “I can’t protect you, a reckless Institute leader, a shadowhunter who could have a potential emotional breakdown and a fey I do not know all at the same time. Something will give. Stick with me for now - but, if someone needs me, you go straight through that portal without a second of hesitation, do I make myself clear?”

Stella started to calm down more quickly with Rot’s arms around her. Stella understood exactly what he said from when he started talking about a portal. A way for her to get back to safety, in case she needed it. She nodded. “I understand.” She took a deep breath. “I go back to the Institute through the portal if someone else needs you. Got it.”

“Okay,” Rot nodded slowly, smiling at the young brunette softly. Burke had started to calm once more taking deep breaths. She looked back into his eyes understanding every word. Rot had expected her to be hostile with him. To tell him to piss off. Instead, she accepted his advice. The portal was a last resort.

“Okay, when we get to the balcony, keep low, my dear. We should be able to see all of the Queen’s doings from there. And,” Rot said in a whisper, throwing his eyes back to the vampire being slowly devoured by the walls of his own home, “And if I tell you, you go straight through the portal and you don’t look back.”

With that Rot guided Burke down the corridor and onto the balcony. He knelt on the grimy floor next to her, hidden by the pillars and the shadows. He opened the portal at the bedroom door, a swirling mess of greens and blues, before gazing over the balustrade.

#Script #Leopold #Stella