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#sallow hills (event)
vvhite-vvolf · 2 years
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There was a lot about this month for him to enjoy, for him to support others through. Most of his life, he’d had to be quiet about who he loved for their safety. His life had changed dramatically since he’d come to Sallow Hills. He was married, had kids claimed as theirs, had built an entire life around that love. It really was little wonder he took to Pride with something akin to gusto. 
Favorite jeans and boots on, he’d put on his newest shirt to head to the White Rabbit. Walking in, he couldn’t help but smile at the sight of the place and reminded himself to give Kate all the kudos in the world. When someone quietly came up and asked him if his shirt was true, he couldn’t help but smile softly and open up his arms. “Free dad hugs should never be a lie,” he murmured easily. 
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loki-thedeceiver · 2 years
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~Open Starter - Pride Bonfire~
What had been originally been intended as something to amuse Jack had slowly taken on an entirely different life. As grumpy as they came across in the town’s chat, there was a part of them that was quietly, secretly pleased at being treated simply as a person having their magic enjoyed. It wasn’t something they experienced often, but then, they knew this town was something... different. 
Their blatantly ridiculous fire was in front of them and they studied it, considering how the wanted the rainbow to look. A part of them was missing home and the bridge there and it certainly guided their heart as they slowly started to change it from its brilliant grin to something festive for the month. “What do you think?” 
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perfectwordspenny · 1 year
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There were moments when Penelope thought she and Baz had been absolutely out of their minds to run for mayor. They had no previous political experience to draw from, and they couldn't exactly put solving magickal mysteries, revealing the Mage's crimes, and aiding in the defeat of the Insidious Humdrum on their resumes. But experience or not, they were both composed and capable, and she thought they'd been holding their own rather well so far. What she lacked in presence, Baz more than made up for. Honestly, he was born for politics, and Penny had a kind of no-nonsense earnestness that people seemed to be responding to. She was probably too honest for the job, but anyone who had motive to hide information probably wasn't someone they needed in charge.
The research opportunities had been inexhaustible as well. She'd already been taking classes in political science, and she'd been buried in books and articles on political theory and magickal communities for weeks now, her chalkboard walls so full that only termites could read her handwriting at this point. As long as she looked at it that way--as a learning experience, regardless of the outcome--then it wasn't so alarming. If they didn't win, they'd have all kinds of ideas for how to run their campaign next time. The candidates had set up tables in the park to talk about their platforms and to hand out flyers and buttons. It was weird to be wearing a t-shirt with hers and Baz's last names on, but apparently this was where her life had taken her. She smiled at the next person who approached, offering a flyer. "Hi! Would you like to hear more about the campaign?"
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sallowhillshq · 1 year
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announcements
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we have a couple announcements for you all
general housekeeping
A & Moony are back! The inbox is back open and we’d love to have some new people and characters!
In a similar note, we will be upping the character limit to 15 characters.  it is not likely we will be raising it again after this, but we have decided!  please note that we will not let you pick up new characters if we do not think you’re handling your current ones
As well, our event has ended!  The rifts in space still remain, and a bit more will be coming on those (and perhaps some new bestiary items).  Wrap up the threads, transition them to post-event, or pick up your old ones!
the mayoral race
Everyone in Sallow Hills waited with baited breath.  Many waited outside of town hall of the results, wondering just who would be announced.  There was no bad choice in candidate, only difference in focus.  The lingering fear of disappearances, and for those who knew Armes as well, laced the crowd.  Would this mayor last?  Would things in town finally begin to change?
Mayor’s Assistant, Finn, stepped out of the town hall, looking over the gathered crowd with a slightly nervous smile.  They spotted their friends - Poe, Rey, the Rogers - and found a bit more faith and strength.  
“Right I’ve got the results,” he said, holding up a sheet of paper.  “Hopefully I’m not outta a job after this, because I’d love to help the next mayor.”  He chuckled, as did a few in the crowd.  
He opened the paper, scanning the words before calling out, “The new Mayor of Sallow Hills is Guinevere Pendragon.”
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ominist · 6 months
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BITTER REWARD
--- Part 5: Deserving ✧ (MINORS DNI, RATED 18+)
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Pairings- Dark!Sebastian Sallow x F!Auror!Reader x Auror!Ominis Gaunt  Summary- Sebastian escapes from Azkaban after 8 years. The Ministry were on high alert and searching for the escaped fugitive. Newspapers and flyers spread with the danger that could come within encounter. Sebastian Sallow’s face was plastered all over public and communal areas of the Ministry. After working for the Ministry for years, MC and Ominis Gaunt were cut off from the search. The Ministry’s numbers as of late were short due to ongoing violent events and kidnappings. Both aurors were denied any involvement due to conflict of interest.  They were secretly put under a watchful eye in case the fugitive decided to reach out to one of his old friends. After 2 weeks, the search proved fruitless. It was almost as if the man had disappeared into thin air.  Due to lack of resources, the search and security lessened when it came to Sallow. This was, quote, only a temporary decision until something new came up.This was exactly what Sebastian Sallow was hoping for. After a watchful eye and a calculated risk, he bids his time before cornering you. As painful as it was, waiting a little longer would prove to be rewarding.  Warnings- 18+, language, trauma, depression, angst, aged up characters, explicit content. Word Count-  7,276 Words Author’s Notes- *MINORS DNI* This is the last part of the series. It has been great. Thank you for reading, please leave a comment!
Writing Masterlist -- Part 4: Saving -- THE END
3 Years Later..
The landscape was filled with an expanse of whiteness. There was a wide clearance from the trees that surrounded the mountains. There was a town in view from the hill. It was small and it breathed of life. The dark colors of the buildings contrasted heavily against the deep snow. Dark from coal and smoke. It was not snowing but the sky was sunless. It was no later than 3pm on a Sunday. But the sky was spread in a vast blanket of pale grey ink and starless. 
MC treaded through the snow, her boots pushing through. The ends of her long cloak dragged behind her as the snow reached her knees. Her scarf hid her face from view, keeping her warm against the frost. She kept walking until she reached the edge of the town. Her eyes were hesitant and watchful. A stranger appearing in such an intimate and isolated town was bound to draw attention. 
She hid her gloved hands inside her cloak and her eyes searched for him. 
And when her eyes landed on a man standing a distance away with his back to her.. She stopped breathing. She recognized those shoulders and that posture. 
Sebastian wore a long dark cloak and black boots. His brown hair was covered in light snow, as he stood under the roof of a Woodwork shop. He was bent over talking to another man, the other man had dark grey hair and was a head shorter than Sebastian. The shorter man was sorting out the piles of wood outside of the building and he was the one that noticed the mysterious woman walking towards them.
Sebastian turned to face her, knowing well who it was. His dark eyes met hers, and he kept staring as she walked closer. 
Sebastian had waited for her arrival. And now that she was there.. He felt his insides ache and skin shiver at the sight. The shorter man walked into his shop and Sebastian walked through the snow to reach her. They both walked towards each other until they were at a safe distance. Sebastian did not say a word, and he only watched her. His eyes searched hers, seeing so much but so little. After 3 years, she was still a mystery to him. 
“MC,” His voice sounded deep as he addressed her.
“Sebastian, how are you?” MC’s voice could not hide her hesitation and doubt. 
Sebastian gestured to his surroundings as he looked at her. His arms raised and he gave her a smile. One she could not read. 
“Well, I am alive and well. This is a quiet place as of later. So I will probably need to find somewhere else to keep myself occupied,” He said. 
MC gazed into his eyes, trying to truly understand the meaning behind his words. It became obvious that they were both acting civil despite how nervous they were. They were both holding back from the things they really wanted to mention.
“You fit right in,” She told him quietly. 
With the snowflakes in his hair, and his dark clothes against the snow.. MC couldn’t help but notice the permanent rosy cheeks of his while he stood outside in the snow. His freckles appeared soft. He looked much healthier than she last saw him. And it made her relieved. 
Sebastian didn’t respond right away, but after a moment of silence he looked over his shoulder and then back to her. “Shall we? I know you love butter beer. But we do not have any of that here.”
MC stepped closer until they were walking next to each other. 
… *… * …
The night MC had left Sebastian in Sloan’s care, she was found in an empty and cold alley.She was found in a town in the outskirts of London. A local reported it to the Ministry, and she was soon identified. 
When she was discharged from St. Mungo’s, she was disoriented and disheveled. The Ministry found her in the same clothes they last saw her in the night before. She was covered in snow and nothing on her person. 
The moment the Ministry realized that the escaped prisoner Sebastian Sallow had somehow escaped the country successfully, the case was moved to top priority. MC was not allowed to leave the Ministry for 2 days. She was constantly woken and moved to the interrogation room by no other than Aurors Robert Fawley and Stephen McNulty.
It was too much of a coincidence that their escaped prisoner had left the country around the same time she was found with her memories wiped. But they did not find any useful or incriminating information from her.
MC could not remember the last time she last stayed in her parent’s home. And she was soon sitting in her childhood room, with her old furniture and belongings. The room was used for storage and the boxes were soon moved out. The familiarity of a previous life grounded her as she stayed under her parent’s roof. Her parents looked after her intensively for a couple of weeks.
Her father was extremely careful and protective over his eldest daughter. A healer at St. Mungo’s, he took the responsibility himself. And for some odd reason, he never questioned her about her forgotten memories. Her father knew her well and he feared that the truth behind her obliviated state would impact her gravely. Her mother was reluctant to let MC’s current state be the reason why she would be laid off from the Auror Department. Her mother used her high rank in the Department of Magical Cooperation and rallied for her daughter. 
It left MC’s job position in limbo. She was back to being temporarily removed from her position. And she did not know whether she preferred being let go of her job all together.  
Autumn soon turned into Winter.
She could not remember much of those first stressful and confining couple of months. All she could focus on was the different sweaters she wore and what days she would wear them through out the week. The frost started to appear on the windows. She started to notice the snow pile outside of her apartment building. 
More examinations. Questionings. Holidays. Friends.
Ominis remembered his own memories almost the day after Sebastian escaped the country. He was empathetic to MC’s state, because he too had suffered the same circumstance. And he felt as if she too had been obliviated by the same person. His visits were expected at the end of every week.
Natty and Poppy took turns staying with MC in her apartment event if it was for a couple of days. They had made some unannounced agreement, and MC was sharing her home with one of the two for months. And she didn’t know whether she appreciated the company or dreaded it. 
And the only person that seemed to keep their distance, was Anne. MC found herself wondering if she had a falling out with Anne that she did could remember. Anne wrote back, but her letters did not feel the same. Anne was distant and almost reluctant to respond to her. 
And that alone was disheartening to her. 
But little did MC know that Anne was being careful, for her safety. Anne never told MC what happened that night. Anne had burned the letter at her request, but MC remained unaware. Anne kept her distance as MC remained heavily watched, monitored, and interrogated. Anne feared that MC would remember her memories and that she would be detained. Anne kept her letters short, and she refused to write about anything that would trigger MC to remember anything that had occurred the night. 
Then Spring. 
The frost melted and the pavements were always wet. MC emptied out most of her home, removing items and clothes that served her no purpose. 
The rain and fog returned. More break-ins in the neighboring streets. Poppy’s wedding. 
MC remembered wearing a dress that day and watching her dearest friend smiling. The memory of seeing Poppy walking down the aisle arm in arm with Garreth was one she would never forget. The sight felt foreign and almost like a dream. MC saw many of her old classmates from Hogwarts that day. Many who approached her and tried to hold a conversation with her. But given her recent state of mind during that time, she did not seem interested. And many seemed to be confused by her easily distracted gaze. 
As the months passed, she kept attending her monthly check-ins at the hospital. Her well being was monitored and the Ministry continued to inquire about her memories. An Auror would request to question her every couple of weeks, exhausting the amount of questions they could possibly come up with. The Auror sent to question her, was the quiet and stoic Jude Layton.
The last time MC had seen her co-worker was the day her superiors told her about Sebastian’s escape from Azkaban. She didn’t remember Jude saying a single word during that meeting. That rainy and confining morning seemed like a whole life time ago. 
A while later, MC came to learn that Jude Layton was given her office. And he was now the one sharing the office with her comrade Jeremy Hampton.
Then, one more interrogation. She was examined and forced to be questioned under the influence of Veritaserum.
Again, nothing came out to be valuable for the Auror Department. MC had not recovered her memories, regardless how long it has been. The longer time passed, the more stagnant her life became. Normally, she would have been obsessed with unraveling the truth. But something kept her from doing so.
Her intuition was the only aspect that seemed to provide direction in that confusing time. Her intuition told her to slow down, and not to find the answers she was desperate for. 
It told her to remove herself from the Ministry all together. 
It made her feel wrong for belonging in such a thankless and guide-less occupation.
These thoughts confused her. But she knew that those couple of hours that she could not remember.. Were keeping her out of trouble. No matter what she failed to obtain, she became less hurried and desolate. 
And eventually, she considered quitting her job as an Auror. She did not know why, but again her intuition was urging her to remove herself from the Ministry completely. 
She felt as if the blank slate she was given was the opportunity to start over. 
When a year since that night roamed closer, MC decided to submit her letter of resignation to the Auror Department.
And she started to resume her research for Anne’s permanent cure when the watch they had over her lessened. 
… *… * …
The Present..
The building was small, and narrow. But it was not crowded. The curtains covered the windows and the floating candles gave the pub a soft and intimate glow. Sebastian sat at the counter and MC followed. She took off her scarf and her gloves. 
Sebastian noticed the stool she was about to sit on, and he stopped her. He gave her his own seat and he took the next one. MC took the seat he gave her without question. But she looked down at the stool she was about to sit on with curiosity. 
“This is the nicest pub compared to the other two. A little more expensive too,” Sebastian told her, drawing her attention away from the the stool. 
MC sat next to him for a moment, and she felt the air fill with some certain tension. As if there was a lot to say, but they refused to speak about it just yet. They sat at the counter in a moment in silence. 
As they made small talk, they were being overly polite and cautious around the other. Before things became pressured, a man no older than thirty came down the stairs. The man came to stand behind the counter and he spoke to Sebastian. The man’s dark eyes gazed at MC with a curious but stern expression. She was an outsider, that was clear. But the way he spoke to Sebastian, it was almost as if he suspected her to be someone special to him. 
MC didn’t understand the language and she remained quiet. The man eventually looked calmer and he started to pull out some drinks. 
MC accepted a bottle of ale, one created by a local brewer. And Sebastian took a tankard. 
The bartender remained idly by, and he cleaned the counters. MC noticed that the bartender had called Sebastian by a different name when they spoke. His real name was never mentioned, which was not surprising. 
“I go by a different name,” He explained to her. “A nickname. Freckled Face.” 
MC smiled at the sound of that. Her eyes moved to his face and she could see his freckles. But not just that, she could see how freshly shaven Sebastian currently appeared. She could see the smooth skin of his jaw. He had shaved recently. 
MC glanced around, looking at the few men inside of the pub. Every single man in this town had a beard. Given the climate and severe weather, it was only common. Before she could dwell on the detail she noticed, her eyes stopped. 
Her eyes landed on three men near the back of the pub. They were hidden by the shadow of a hallway. One handed a small jar with questionable contents to the second. And the third handed the first man a pouch that clinked.  
MC’s instincts were screaming at the sight. Her eyes were set, but her expression grew calm as the men left out the back door. Moments like these, she had to remind herself.. She was no longer an Auror. 
Sebastian leaned towards her, and his whisper was quiet enough for her to hear. 
“Small town business,” Sebastian started to explain quietly to her. “The dark arts.. It is quite common here.” 
She listened to his words and she nodded in acceptance. Her eyes gazed at the tables near the windows and she could see the many empty bottles that were not cleaned up from the previous night. Her own fingers moved over the bottle in her hands, feeling the glass. 
“Tell me, how is Anne? And Ominis? Are they holding up alright?” Sebastian asked, changing the subject. 
“Anne is doing very well actually. She opened her shop in London. She.. Is the happiest she ever been.”
It took her a moment to continue. Her eyes gazed out the window and her voice grew quiet. 
“In her eyes, she is fully cured. As long as I am able to hold her current state indefinite.. She will continue to live her life at the fullest.”
MC was being more honest than intended. She had not been able to talk to anyone this openly. But she knew Sebastian deserved to know more about his sister. Sebastian let her words process into his mind. He noticed her tone and her choice of words.
“And Ominis, well let’s just say we haven’t talked in a while. I assume he is still working and busy as usual.”
Sebastian shifted in his seat. Her answers only made him think of more questions. 
“How is your job treating you? I reckon you would be the head of the department by now,” Sebastian asked. He had been wanting to touch the subject, that was clear to her. 
MC gripped the bottle tightly and she sighed. She took a sip from the ale before she answered. She felt the pit of her stomach somewhat grow uncomfortable. Her former employment was still a sensitive topic.
“Well, my job is non-existent at the moment. I quit almost two years ago,” She told him quietly. 
MC’s thoughts took her to the ghost of her previous instincts that resurfaced moments ago. The fact that she happened to see illegal trades occur around her when she was no longer someone of authority was something she was still getting used to. Not as if she would be able to do anything about it, she was in a complete different country. 
“You quit?”
MC nodded curtly and she turned to face him. 
“Yeah, they kind of.. Kept me on a tight leash for a year. I was still under their watch until quite recently,” She told him. 
A sad smile appeared on her face and she drank more of her ale. Sebastian was in complete disbelief at the news. He clearly never anticipated to ever hear about her job loss. Not when being an Auror seemed to matter a lot to her. MC was one of the fairest and most middle grounded people he knew. Her moral compass was unique, and she was not easily controlled. She never conformed with the norms. 
“I.. I never thought I would hear you say that,” He admitted. 
The silence settled between them once more. MC requested for a second drink. She did not seem to notice whether the ale was strong or good. She did not drink ale often. And she felt Sebastian’s eyes on her constantly. He noticed how the topic bothered her, so he asked another question.
“How have you occupied your time then? I can already see you going rogue,” His tone was light, he tried to lift the mood. 
MC smiled and she looked at him. She noticed his arms on the counter, his clothes were thick. They were made of wool and he looked warm. Her tone remained quiet. She did not want others to hear her answer, she was positive they could understand English. 
“Sorry to disappoint, but I have occupied my time with wallowing in my apartment. I have resumed searching for Anne’s solution. I think I have a promising lead,” She whispered. 
“And what direction is that?” Sebastian asked. 
At the mention of Anne and her cure, Sebastian’s eyes became warmer. He regarded MC with a soft gaze and his lips twitched. He kept himself from stating the obvious. But he wanted to help. If their relationship was heading in a good direction, he wanted to offer his aide. But the possibility of her turning it down kept him from mentioning it. 
“A direction near Romania,” She whispered vaguely. 
MC’s answer gave Sebastian a minute to think. He liked the idea of traveling to Romania. But he did not tell her that. Instead, he continued to look at her.
“Considering everything Sloan told me about you, I really did hope you had gone rogue,” Sebastian explained.
“Sounds like Sloan had a lot to say about me,” MC responded with a nervous laugh.
“He did. He even told me what he did to you.. And why you were not coming around any time soon.”
The words hang in the air for a moment. Sebastian had talked to Sloan, and he had asked about her. And Sebastian did not seem like he wanted to hide the fact that he had. His direct words made her shift in her seat. Considering how poorly he thought of her the last time they spoke, it did not fail to make her somewhat unsettled. 
Sebastian noticed her reaction and he took another sip from his tankard. 
Sebastian remembered feeling betrayed and upset when he thought about the last time he had talked to her. Upset about the way the night had ended with her. And she never came to see him, not a single word from her. So naturally, when Sloan told Sebastian that a friend was coming to visit.. He was reluctant to meet with her. 
That was when Sloan finally told him that she had been obliviated. She had her memories wiped to keep his whereabouts safe.
Sebastian had grown out his beard, but for some reason, he shaved it for her visit. He cleaned up well, but he could not remove the dark magic that clung to him no matter how hard he tried. He wanted to appear like a new man, but he had not changed. He worked off the townspeople’s charity and favors that were asked from him. Such as working as hired security for shops, collecting debts, going after thieves, warning off poachers and unwanted folk..
All things that required his expertise.
MC seemed interested to know more about these small jobs of his. And Sebastian found himself recounting many of his experiences without pressure and discomfort. 
As they talked and caught up, they continued to drink. MC started to notice Sebastian’s cheeks become a softer shade of pink. And he smiled more.
The more comfortable they became around the other, the more they fell into their past. Sebastian started to show familiar signs of his childhood. His gestures and his expressions, they were all too recognizable. And she even noticed herself chuckling and returning his banter. The two of them stayed in the pub a little longer than expected as the sky grew darker. 
The bartender lit up more candles and lights as the evening neared. And he kept an eye on the couple as they became more and more intimate with each other. The sight was one to behold, since Sebastian was well liked and respected. The townspeople would all soon hear about Sebastian’s visitor, his lady friend. 
MC was on her fourth drink by the time she decided to not drink anymore. She had stopped drinking her ale and drank something much stronger. The more she drank, the more she believed that Sebastian had shaved right for their meeting. And the thought made her feel.. Giddy. 
MC could not remember the last time she felt anxious over something like that. The feeling of butterflies in her stomach, it was one she had not felt in almost a whole decade. 
She smiled and Sebastian noticed. His arm pressed against hers. 
“What has you smiling?” He whispered to her. “Is your drink too strong?”
“It’s strong. But it does not have the ability to make me smile,” She told him softly. 
MC turned to look at him now, and she could see how much closer he was now. And before Sebastian could as her, her tone dropped to one of clear endearment. 
“You are the one that made me smile.” 
Sebastian’s brows twitched at her words. His eyes looked into hers more intensely.
“Oh, and why is that?” 
Sebastian leaned closer. MC could smell his scent now. And he still smelled the same. But this time, she could smell the smoke from the fireplaces. Without responding, her hand moved to touch his face. Her fingers moved over his jaw, feeling the soft and tender warm skin. Her fingers moved without hesitation.
Along with the smoke, she could still feel the darkness that hung from his clothes. It was something he would never get rid of. And she understood that now. 
It felt almost familiar. 
… *… * …
The last time she had spoken to Ominis, it was a late afternoon on a Sunday. It was not raining for once. And Ominis wore different shades of gray and green. The colors seemed to match with the interior of her apartment, making him almost belong to the scene in front of her. 
She had made tea for him, at his request. 
MC had recently resigned from her position as an Auror at that time period. Ominis found out days after. 
Tell me the reason why you quit. And tell me the truth.
She grasped the tea cup between her fingers. Her tea was still warm and she pulled it closer to her. She did not look at him directly, almost wanting to avoid the direction in which he tilted his head. Her eyes moved to the curtains she recently purchased. The color was a shade deeper than his button down. 
You remember now don’t you? 
His pale eyes shifted as he gazed over where she sat. 
Ominis was heavily engrossed with MC while she recovered. He understood why she remained away from the office for the past year. But what he did not understand was why she had quit her employment all together. He knew she wore her occupation with pride. Her records were significantly pristine almost monumental. 
But somehow, her feelings had changed. And he had failed to notice when that occurred. He had waited with an inkling. An inkling that screamed at him that she had not been entirely honest with him. That he was being kept in the dark. And he waited for his close friend to finally tell him the truth, in confidence. 
Things changed, and they are no longer the same. I feel like an imposter in my own office. I can’t escape it. I have changed.
But why? Can you explain to why things have changed?
MC’s finger tapped against the table. Her eyes shifted from the curtains and back to him. Even after years, she still could not talk to him freely. And after a long time, she finally learned to accept it.
I just know they have.
If this is about your office, I can reassure you that they were going to move your space elsewhere. You were not replaced, Y/N.
I do not care about my office Ominis. I do not care about how I feel every time I step into that building. I do not feel like I belong there anymore. After so many of years, they have the audacity to treat me like..
She dreaded the topic completely. Ominis more than anyone must be aware of the way things have changed when it came to her. Ever since Sebastian escaped and she was listed heavily under the investigation.. 
Please do not make me have to explain what is so obvious Ominis. 
Ominis did not let it go. And the more he pressured, the more she found herself reeling back. He was reluctant to abandon the topic all together. To MC, he made it appear as if quitting her job had something to do with the unattained memories of hers.
The last thing she told Ominis, were words she would always regret. 
You sound just like the rest of them.
But once those words were said she knew she could not take them back. 
She had hurt Ominis.
But Ominis finally understood how vast and distant the space had grown between them. They were no longer on the same side. They no longer confided in one another. And they no longer held the same amount of trust. 
To her, he had become like the rest of them.
That was the last time MC had spoken to Ominis Gaunt. 
She remembered seeing him get up from his seat and take his cloak off the coat hanger. He walked out of her apartment without another word. The door shut sharply and it echoed through her whole home.
That brought her to finally leaving her home and trying to find where she left off. MC hoped that her notes and her research would provide more clarity to the unmoving fog in her head. When she reached her notes, she flipped through her hand writing with familiarity. 
And for the first time in her life, she brought her research notes and everything she kept hidden into her home.
MC went looking for Sloan, and it took her weeks to contact him. 
And when she finally found him, Sloan handed her a piece of parchment. 
Her gloved hands struggled to open the paper, but when she finally did she recognized her own handwriting. MC read the letter and the contents that were poured into the page, all written messily and in a rush. She could feel the anxiety and fear she felt when she had initially wrote it. 
The spell was broken, and she was frozen to her place.
She knew it. 
She knew she had done it. 
And in that moment, a heavy burden was removed from her chest. Sebastian was safe. 
She had successfully gotten him out of the country undetected.
When she looked up from the letter in her hands, she had a tearful smile.
… *… * …
The Present..
MC stepped into Sebastian’s home, closely behind him. There was comfortable glow inside of his home. She could see the the candles that floated and the fireplace burning. There was an axe against the wall near the coat hanger.
She stepped closer to his small living room area. The fireplace crackled and she could see the wood pilled next to it. The rugs on the floor looked hand made and she saw a couple of animal pelts thrown over the couch and armchair. No doubt, he had gotten those himself as well. 
“Looks like you kept yourself busy,” MC stated as her hand touched the soft fur on his couch. 
“There are not many resources available around here. You need to make yourself useful,” He explained. 
“This is nice. I bet it reminds you a little of Feldcroft,” She told him as her eyes rested on the fireplace. 
Sebastian leaned against the counter as he watched her walk around his space. MC was interested in his possessions and his furniture. He felt the longing resurface inside of him. Just watching her walk around his small and intimate home.. 
She eventually walked over to his side and she leaned on the counter next to him. An arm length away. 
“I wonder how a little garden can hold up in such weather. Have you tried it?” She said. 
Sebastian was no longer listening to her words. He was watching at her expression and the way her lips moved. He took in all the small details, seeing how much she still remained the same. Her cupid’s bow, the shape of her chin, her beauty marks.. And all of these little things made him feel whole for the first time in a while.
Sebastian had slept with a couple of women in the duration of the past three years. All women he met outside of the small town, all leaving him with more emptiness than initially held. 
How was it that he could continue to miss her? Even after all of those years.. He only found himself thinking of her. And only her. 
Sebastian touched her hand. And she stopped breathing. 
Their gaze met once more and neither looked away. They did not speak and let their expressions speak for themselves. They have not talked like this.. In over a decade. 
They have not spoken like this and it felt like a whole life time had passed, and in a way it had. 
There was so much vulnerability.
Sebastian’s fingers touched the back of her hand, his eyes boring into hers. He took one step closer. 
“How long are you thinking of staying?” Sebastian whispered. 
She didn’t have an answer to his question. She had came to Bulgaria, to a town in the middle of nowhere with no clear plans or goals. It was the way she had lived her life as of late. She did not have any reliable way of returning to London. 
Her eyes reminded him of liquid gold. Melted chocolate. The bottom of the sea. They reminded him of mysterious and forbidden things. All things he claimed desirable and beautiful. 
“As long.. As you want me,” She breathed. 
In that exact moment, Sebastian knew what awaited the both of them. 
Sebastian’s hands were soon on her waist as he pressed her against the counter. His lips found hers and he remembered that cold and windy night on that hill. He remembered how the moonlight shined on her face when they had vented out their pain and their truths. The night he had last kissed her three years ago. 
Their hands tugged at each others’s clothes and they were desperate for touch. They felt their bodies over their clothes. They felt each other’s presence. They breathed in smoke, alcohol, pine trees, firewood, lavender, honey. 
Their caress and kisses brought them to Sebastian’s narrow room. MC was desperate to touch him. She was desperate to taste him. She grabbed him as hard as she could and she pinned him down against his bed. 
As she pushed herself down against him, his hands reached for her thighs. He pulled her down on to him more forcefully. 
Her thighs on either side of his, her weight pressed against his groin. Sebastian’s eyes did not move from her as she pulled her clothes off on top of him. Her scarf, her sweater, her shirt.. Her hair was all over her face and she leaned down to kiss his lips. 
Her legs straddled him, and she moved over him. And Sebastian felt his body shake in delight. MC pulled his clothes off with urgency. When she reached his shirt, she already noticed his heavily tatted arms and forearms. And when she finally pulled his shirt over his head, her eyes widened. 
He watched her expressions, seeing her surprise. Her hands touched his bare skin, her fingers traced the ink on his skin. Sebastian was completely speechless. His heart thundered as he felt her lips roam over his chest, her nose dragged over his skin. 
Sebastian leaned his head back against the bed and moaned. Her tongue pressed against his skin after every kiss. MC watched him through half lidded eyes. Her eyes fluttered as she leaned against him. And her lips moved from his stomach, to his chest, and back to his neck. 
When she came close to his lips once more, his hands gripped her arms and pulled her back to him. He kissed her neck, pulling her hair away out of the way. Sebastian was shameless when he gripped her thighs and pushed his hips against hers. She grind down against him, her breath coming out short. 
Sebastian was breathing hard against her neck. His lips whispered into her ear, pulling on her ear lobe between his teeth.
“Let me finally have you..” He growled. His hands were slightly shaky as he pulled her pants off. 
Sebastian had slept with two women the past three years. From brief moments of seduction and heat, he had relieved himself for the first time in years. But now that he had MC half naked in his hold, he realized something very unsettling.. 
Sebastian was not touch deprived. But he was deprived of having her. 
Sebastian tensed when her hand moved down his groin. His breath left his body. He met her gaze, and her eyes were full of hunger.  Her lips parted as she continued to stroke him over his pants. 
He loved what she was doing to him. And even more when her hand unbuckled his belt. 
The fire inside him continued to grow. Sebastian’s hands moved down to her thighs and her rear. And when the fire spread over his arms and his hands, his hold tightened. He pushed her off and he flipped her on to her back. 
Sebastian pinned her against the bed now. And his hands gripped her wrists on either side of her body. His mouth moved against hers passionately, pressing her more against the bed with his weight. 
Sebastian heard her whisper his name and his lips became rougher against her neck. 
When his hands let go of her wrists, her hands moved to his hair. Her fingers ran through his thick strands, pulling him closer to her lips. He kissed her, and it was almost painful. His teeth pressed against hers, and his tongue pushed against hers. He moaned in pleasure. 
“You’re all mine. I have you all to myself..”
“All to yourself,” She answered in a whisper, her fingers dug on to his scalp. 
He pushed her legs apart, and she let out a long breath. The she felt him between her legs and his hands on her, she moaned. Her hips moved instinctively in response to him. And he pushed into her. 
She would let him have all of her. 
Sebastian’s lips latched on to her neck, biting her soft skin. MC gasped and gripped his head with his hair between her fingers. He moved faster inside of her, stretching her. He moaned against her neck. 
He kissed, licked, and bit her skin over and over again.
MC felt his touch all over her body, gripping her thighs and everything he could hold. He wanted to reach every inch. MC could barely breathe by how intense it all was. She was panting and her breath was hard. She could no longer keep her eyes open, and her eyes rolled back into her head. She was a mess, just as he wanted her to be. 
When his thighs moved against hers aggressively, her moans turned into whimpers. Sebastian’s bed creaked and the sound of skin slapping skin filled the room. The crackling of the fire could no longer be heard. The muscles on his arms tensed when he felt her tighten around him. 
“Faster.. Harder,” MC managed to beg between her whimpers and moans. 
Her words only excited him further. The sounds were wet and lewd, and he moved with such speed and desperation. Sebastian grunted and moaned her name. His cheeks were flushed and his skin was starting to sweat. He didn't stop and his movements only became deeper. Sebastian pounded into her in a rhythm that showed how long he had waited for this exact moment. 
His hand moved to her neck, and this made her growl. MC struggled to breathe between her moans, and her insides started to come undone. Every exhale increased the air of anticipation between them. 
Sebastian could feel her thighs shake on either side of him, and he moved harder into her. MC let out a strangled moan when she reached her sweet release. Her nails dragged down the skin of his shoulders. She yelled his name as he continued to thrust inside of her. 
MC’s release oozed out between their bodies. Her hips twitched against his, and her whimpers were now higher pitched. Her head fell back against the pillow with her eyes closed. MC was close to crying from the over stimulation. 
Sebastian gripped her thighs in an unbreakable grip. His thrusts moved her against the bed, and he moaned loudly. Sebastian’s words in between his breathing were filled with wanting and lust.
“Mhmm.. Fuck, yes.. More..” 
MC started to move her hips against his, meeting him half way. Sebastian’s head whipped back as she moved against him. He gasped at the feeling. 
Then his dark eyes looked down at her. His expression was one of primal desire. MC watched as he closed his eyes and he spilled his seed inside of her. His face contorted from desperation to bliss. She saw the way his brows twitched and his lips parted as he moaned loudly.
Sebastian’s body shook on top of hers, and he finally stopped thrusting inside of her. He filled her, and felt the hot release leak on to his bed. He collapsed over her, his face pressed against her chest. Her arms wrapped around him, holding his burning body against hers. 
Sebastian’s bedroom was filled with their heavy breathing. The bedroom windows were no longer covered in frost. Their bodies pressed against each other on his bed gave more warmth than the fireplace place could ever provide for them. 
Eventually, Sebastian moved off her. He rested on his back and he pulled her to him. They found comfort in each other’s embrace, and they took the time to let their pleasure fade. They did not speak for a good while. 
MC rested her cheek against his chest, her fingers tracing over his tattoos. 
“You’re mine. And you’re not going anywhere, I hope you know that,” Sebastian whispered.
She smiled against his chest and she pressed her lips to his skin. She felt him shiver under her. 
“I think you’re forgetting.. I’ve been yours,” She answered in a whisper. 
MC turned her face to to look at him. She leaned in closer and her hand brushed over his cheeks. Her fingers traced over the freckles on his face. Sebastian closed his eyes as her fingers touched his face softly. Her finger continued to move and drag over his features now, his nose, his brows, his eyes, his jaw, his lips. 
Sebastian stopped breathing when he met her gaze, so full of devotion and.. love. She knew there were no looking back. She had him now. And she would continue to have him, and she would fight to keep him in her life. 
Sebastian reached for her hands and he kissed them. His eyes bore into hers as he spoke. 
“Stay with me,” He told her. “Stay with me and.. We can start a new life together.” 
Sebastian was sitting up now. And he was holding her against him, his hands moving to her face. His nose pressed against her cheek and he whispered with pure longing. He had not felt this vulnerable as he did now. Sebastian moved closer to properly look at her.
“Whatever you desire. I will give it you. But just.. Stay,” He whispered. 
MC felt his words sink into her skin and she absorbed his tone. She felt the meaning and the promises in those words of his. Her eyes slowly closed until she was breathing softly. She knew she could learn to trust him once more, she felt it. He was already forgiving her. 
Sebastian brought her hands to his lips.
“Please,” Sebastian begged. “Don’t leave me again. Stay.”
MC opened her eyes and she cried as she held his gaze. Sebastian’s eyes mirrored her own and he smiled. He kissed her lips and her cheeks. His thumbs wiped her tears away almost eagerly. He saw the answer in her eyes even before she spoke. His heart was pounding, he never felt as alive as he felt right then and there. 
“If you mean it,” She finally whispered. “I will.”
“Yes,” Sebastian said. “Yes, yes..” 
Sebastian kissed her repeatedly. His lips pulled on hers, his long unfulfilled dream finally became a reality. He had her. He finally had her, and she was going to be his. 
“I no longer want to be afraid Sebastian,” She told him. 
“And you no longer have to be afraid. You do not have to be afraid of what the future will bring. You no longer have to be alone. You have me.”
MC held his gaze and she met his lips with her own. Sebastian saw the light in her eyes, the candle light reflected in those beautiful eyes. And he whispered to her, all the words he wished he had told after all of those years of betrayal and resentment.
And she believed every single promise he whispered into her ear.
We will live in a cottage by the sea. Or on a mountain. Or a cabin in the woods. I want you by my side for this point and on. We can look for Anne’s cure together. I want to share every single aspect of our life together. You are no longer alone, my love.
MC returned to London after 3 days. And she packed her things and wrote letters to all of her loved ones. It took her days to finally write her final goodbyes, feeling lighter than she ever had before. 
She left London by the end of the week. She left the country all together.
Sebastian waited for her. He waited against a bricked wall, his body covered in lighter clothes. He wore his long black cloak and held a smile full of pride upon her arrival. And for once, they shared something in common. They were full of hope.
We are only getting older, and I want to grow old with you. 
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lunarsallows · 6 months
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Angel Down: Professor! Sebastian Sallow x Professor! Reader: Chapter 2
I miss a love that never was
Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x Reader
Genre: Fluff, Angst, Mystery, eventual smut
Word Count: 2177
Sebastian and MC aged up to 23, other characters are mid-20's and over.
This story is in first person POV.
Chapter 1: Unrequited
Five years after leaving Hogwarts and you found yourself back as a potions teaching assistant, leading research on innovative healing techniques. Settling in felt like a fresh start, until your unrequited love returns after leaving the Ministry of Magic in disgrace. How long until you find yourself tending to his wounds, in sickness and in health?
A/N: Thank you for waiting! Hope you enjoy chapter 2, reblogs are appreciated :).
Chapter 2: Home.
The patter of droplets of rain against the windows of the Hogwarts Express adds a faint melody to the uneven hills as the train arrives at Hogsmeade station, my excitement rising with the familiar sound and look of bustling cobblestone streets. It’s been gloomy recently, an unusual start to the autumn term and I can’t help but feel like it’s related to recent events. And trying to proceed peacefully with my daily routines meant facing the media and gossip buzz that the castle’s walls have routinely shielded me from. 
The first time I heard the news I felt indifferent.
The second time I heard the news I felt angry.
And now listening to the constant chatter of the village leaves me feeling vulnerable. 
Now standing in the busy square, I familiarise myself with the long-standing stores that bring back memories. My first time in the enchanted place, fighting a troll of all things with him. A brief moment of calm in the Three Broomsticks afterwards to forget about our struggles. 
Suddenly I feel something turn in my stomach. Looking around for my destination, I let the warm sugary smells direct me to Honeydukes, knowing neither myself or a few of my students can’t resist a pumpkin pasty or fizzing whizbee (or eight). 
Making my way in, I navigate through the maze of curious children repeating rushed ‘sorry’s’ whilst trying to get to the bakery section stacked with cake slices and eternally hot pastries. 
“If you’re going to lunge after the Cauldron Cakes at least save one for me!”
I smile instinctively from the familiar sass of Garreth Weasley, turning around to find him taller, more freckled and with a giant grin that brings me back to the memories of mischief from a few years ago. 
“Garreth”, I turn with a wide grin. “I thought your Honeydukes ban was for five lifetimes if I remember your aunt’s words correctly.”
“My sentence was reduced when Aunt Matilda found use of the One-Eyed Witch Passage. Apparently her ‘professors’ privilege’ mandates using it when she needs to stock up on Fudge Flies.”
It feels impossible to believe, but Gryffindors are in a league of their own with justifying any of their excursions. Right now I don’t need to question it as we continue to chat like we were still fifth-years. 
“I can save you a cauldron cake if you can scale the ladders and get me the limited edition chocolate frogs that I'm not adventurous enough to risk a ban for.”
***
“Did you get my owl recently?”
Garreth’s signature grin is still present as I look to his side as we continue to walk across the cobbled streets.
“Of course. A reunion sounds lovely, but I didn’t realise a few of us were still nearby.”
I think back to the (somewhat) neatly written card delivered to me during breakfast last week, before my mind became occupied with the more pressing matter. 
Hello MC!
Your favourite Weasley writing. I’ll be returning to Hogwarts soon as a Quidditch coach and knowing that my favourite Ravenclaw is in attendance means that it’s time for a spur of the moment get together. Please come, I’m not sure I can handle talk of astronomy and ministry bureaucracy without you. 
P.S: let’s not tell Amit about the favourite Ravenclaw comment. 
Speak soon,
Garreth (Weasley, in case you forgot). 
“Ominis is currently taking a short break from the Ministry. The fallout from the Auror’s scandal took a hit to different departments including curse-breakers. Professor Black requested Ominis’ personal services recently, and frustratingly enough he won’t tell us what for.”
“That’s understandable. Professor Black refuses to speak further on Sebastian’s appointment either. I wonder if he recognises that his decisions seem to come across as expressing favouritism amongst the majority of the faculty .”
It feels harsh to say, but the ambivalence about the incoming professor has wrought nothing but stress and an untapped pain onto me, and he’s not even physically here yet. 
His best friend Ominis is now here too. Did he know about my unrequited feelings? And could he think that there’s nothing more to worry about after this time? Ominis, who could break my heart gently, here too and I feel a need to have a shield ready for my weary heart.
It feels like a disaster in the making, but all I can do now is smile and nod as we walk into the Three Broomsticks, the normally joyous folk music in the background now sounding like a downpour of glasses smashing against the ground.
Arriving early usually brings me calm with the chance of a few minutes to myself before the noise picks up, but I walk further down to the back of the pub to find a blonde and brunette conversing loudly. 
“Surely locks based on constellations would be rudimentary for a place like Gringotts Amit, Goblin silver needs to be procured for more challenging puzzles. And please don’t tell me you tried to propose this idea in gobbledegook.” 
Ominis’s eyes jokingly roll as I proceed to sit down, not wanting to disrupt the conversation. 
“Professor Shah seemed to support the idea! Granted she hasn’t heard my attempts to converse with goblins in their native tongue. Is it really that bad?” “Yes!”
Me and Garreth yell and giggle in unison as we proceed to take our seats and carry on with the conversation. 
“I’m sure your practising in the library once during sixth-year was enough to keep most of us away from the ancient languages section for at least a semester. Scribner really couldn’t process what she heard either.” All of us couldn’t help but laugh at the memory, but we couldn’t blame Amit for trying either. 
“Hello MC, it’s been a while.” Ominis is still well-presented and calm, just like a few years ago. 
“Ominis!” He smiles softly in my direction. “I wasn’t expecting to see you away from the Ministry so soon, how have you been?” Garreth and Amit leave to get us an order of large butterbeers as we proceed to catch-up. 
“The Ministry has been wanting me to make the journey back up to Scotland for a while now with the increased presence of dark wizard curses. It seems like recent events were the right excuse to get me back to Hogwarts, per Professor Black’s request.”
Having the chance to catch up brings me a familiar warmth from our school days, and it feels like we were brought back together again for a reason, even if now said reason isn’t particularly obvious. Garreth and Amit are great companions, but me and Ominis forged an almost sibling-like bond. 
I’m almost certain he was aware of my feelings towards Sebastian but likely knew better than to bring it up back then.
Garreth and Amit bring us our drinks, but before we can thank them they run back to a budding conversation with Sirona, who greets us with a wave and a nod before tending to customers.
“Did you know about what happened with the Fallen Angels wing?” “No”, and I can hear a twinge of sadness in his voice as he takes a sip of butterbeer. “I’m certain most of the ministry were kept in the dark until the Daily Prophet published their reports.” “At Hogwarts’ we were caught off guard too, I’m not sure what the consensus is about his return as a professor.” “I hope he is doing okay though, have you had the chance to speak with him lately?”
“I have. We’ve been speaking via owl for the past couple of weeks. Last I heard was that he was spending time with his girlfriend Eleanor after the trial.” Something catches in my throat as I silently curse myself for continuing the conversation. 
It’s been five years, of course there was someone else. 
All I can do at this moment is look down at my hands covering the mug of frothy drink, which suddenly feels heavy as I feel unsure of where to look.
“I never felt like it was my place to say something MC, but..”
But
“Sebastian told me about the final night of school, about the locket you gave him. And hearing about the way you spoke with him told me enough.”
Every word feels like a shard against my skin despite Ominis staying so calm and kind.
“You need to let Sebastian go, MC.”
***
“You need to let Sebastian go, MC.”
The sentence is embedded in my head as the walk back to the staff dormitory feels longer than usual and the normally charming view of autumnal flora in the castle courtyard suddenly looks ugly to me. 
Ominis was trying to be nice, but it feels like a sharp sting to the small yet ever present part at the bottom of my heart that thought something would always be there. I can’t tell if it’s a feeling of embarrassment or humility, nevertheless there’s an element of truth and I should swallow my pride even if temporarily. 
The warmth of the castle does little to calm me down as I walk through the iron gates, the corridors almost empty reflecting the evening time and subsequent student curfew. 
“A little late for you isn’t it MC?” 
“It’s not even 9pm yet Mr.Moon, however I think the night has just started for Peeves” as the poltergeist shifts through the floorboards several times looking for his next victim. 
“Fair enough. I think with the recent additions to staff he’s been causing more mayhem as a deranged form of welcoming. I’m sure you’ve heard of Garreth’s induction for Quidditch?” “I have! If there’s anyone who can get through to the students without coming across as uptight, it has to be a Weasley.”
“Truly. By the way, I’ve been told to help escort any staff members who need help in any way. Surely with the copious Honeydukes bags in your possession you would like some assistance?”
“Of course Mr. Moon, but to clarify only two of these bags are for me.”
The brief moment of laughter is enough to calm me for a little while as we proceed back to the Faculty Tower.
Upon entering the South Wing, the castle no longer felt vacant. There’s a brief conversation happening and even though I can’t see who is involved clearly there’s a familiar turning sensation in the pit of my stomach as we edge closer to the locked corridor. 
“And here we are!” Mr.Moon’s chipper attitude doesn’t seem to please the portraits still wandering the line between awake and asleep. “I can take it from here Gladwin, have a good evening.”
I take a second to balance the bags of treats in my arms before turning and proceeding to walk up the stairs, but before I can fall back into my normal nightly routine I hear footsteps growing louder as someone, or some people make their way in with my backs turned to them. 
“And here we are Mr.Sallow, the male teacher’s dormitories are typically on the ground floor and I would like your assurance that you don't need any excuses to stray further, hmm?” Professor Black is both stern yet somewhat comedic with the rhetorical question, only for Sebastian to laugh and dismiss any suggestion of impropriety.
“I would assume you know me well enough, Professor. Surely you know a warning isn’t enough to stop me from adapting the rules to work in my favour.”
I can’t tell whether it’s the determination in his voice or the deeper tone to his words, the resolve to carry on as normal begins to melt away. Before I can take my first steps onto the first floor back to my room, Professor Black decides to butt in. 
“Ah, MC. I’m sure a formal introduction isn’t necessary between you two but Professor Sallow is set to start his teaching duties next week.” 
My body is visibly stiff but I turn slowly to get this over with. And it’s killing me already. 
Professor Sallow now makes sense as the way to address him, because he doesn’t look like the Sebastian I used to know.
He is now very much a man. 
Taller, with broader shoulders and more defined muscles faintly covered by his cotton shirt and carried with a tougher demeanour. The faint glow of candlelight catches onto his freckles, alongside a couple of new facial scars and the same brown curls in his typical messy style as he looks at me with a blank expression.
I look down for a brief second and the light reflects against something shiny, and it takes me a second to notice the slightly tarnished silver of the locket I gifted him, still adorned around his neck. 
He still has it.
And I try not to let my emotions take over as I simply reply before heading back:
“Of course. Welcome home Professor Sallow.” 
Everything now feels like a blur as I quickly run back to my room and shut the door against my back before my breath becomes jagged and tears fall down my cheeks.
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orqheuss · 3 months
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Free and young and we can feel none of it
(Platonic!Ominis Gaunt and the Sallow's HURT/COMFORT)
Solomon Sallow POV
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Summary:
Stability he could do. Stability was something Solomon was comfortable with. He could be the support beam to Ominis’ crumbling walls. And when they woke, his niece and nephew could help pick up the pieces and put them back in their correct places. They could do this. Together. *** The game dialogue hints at the fact that Ominis left his family home before the events of the main story. This is how I feel it would go. Title from the song "Sedated" by Hozier.
Word count: 3.7k
Tags: referenced child abuse, neglectful family, bruising/violence
AN: Little different from what I usually do. Hope you like it! This one's for my Solomon lovers.
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The small town of Feldcroft was not one that people traveled to often, if they knew about it at all. It was not a popular destination for tourists to the area, and very few took notice of the communities there. Some would even say that the people of the town fit into the same cookie-cutter shape of everything else. That is, of course, if they didn’t pay attention to the finer details. Feldcroft, quaint, lively, but quiet all the same, stood against the rolling hills of the Scottish countryside. Each unique cottage breathed life into the fields— within, their walls were resolutely upright, bricks meeting neatly with the roughly tumbled cement below, and doors were sensibly shut against the calling winter chill beyond their sanded wood finish. Yes, it was a simple town, and the people there liked it that way, thank you very much. 
It was not a particularly special night in the tiny village when it was startled awake by a rapid knocking on the Sallow cottage door. The moon was high in the sky by this time, only the soft sound of handmade bone-chimes and settling snow singing in harmony could be heard outside of the incessant pounding— it would be a long time before the sun even considered breaching over the horizon. Solomon Sallow was the first to rise, a light sleeper by trade and with a plethora of enemies to match that could be at his door this very moment. With his wand tucked securely in the sleeve of his night clothes, he quietly made his way towards the home entrance, pondering what he would find on the other side of the wooden barrier. His work as an Auror made him fear the worst in almost all occasions, and this situation was unfortunately not a new one in his years and travels. The common folk of the wizarding world would be surprised by how many dark witches and wizards would knock first before storming into a building, hoping to catch the homeowner off guard and lower their walls for a friend. Whom else would be knocking with such vigor than someone with ill intent? Not a friend of the family— not at this time of night. 
As silent as he could possibly move he crept closer to the door, his steps timid as he tried to avoid the squeaky boards under foot that he never got around to fixing, lest he wake his niece and nephew sleeping in the adjoining room. They were still so young, just barely into their third year of Hogwarts. If something terrible was beyond the foundation of their house, he needed them safe, not on the front lines with him, no matter how much they would fight to be beside him. Solomon had only recently taken them in after the deaths of their mother and father— his brother and sister-in-law— and even now he could see remnants of their knowledge and fiery personalities in the young children. The youngest of the two, only born mere minutes after his sister, was the worst of the bunch. Sebastian was headstrong, resilient, and downright pugnacious at times. Smart as a whip, and can crack just as hard. Solomon saw a lot of his brother in the boy, not just in his unruly brown hair or how his hazel eyes glimmered with delight whenever he read about some knowledge he was not originally privy to, and if he was to be honest it scared him at times. That fire, that bullheadedness was what did his brother in in the end— he didn’t want to see the youngest fall prey to the same fate.  
As for the daughter, the eldest of the two siblings, Anne was not that different from the boy. She was less confrontational than him, but had just as much spark. Where Sebastian thrived in knowledge, she thrived in action. There was never a day where Solomon didn’t see her running up and down the Hamlet, practicing every and all spells she had learned so far at the school just north of their house, performing little tasks for her neighbors like delivering things or wrangling escaped farm animals, or just rolling around in the dirt after a heavy rain because she simply could. If Sebastian was his father, Anne was most definitely her mother— he was the scholar, and she was the experimenter. 
Sebastian wanted to understand why something ticked; Anne wanted to see what would happen if she set it on fire. 
Even still, with her proclivity for offensive spells and her desire to run rampant, free of all binds holding her down once her schooling is over, Anne was the more reasonable, the more docile of the pair. The boy could fly off the handle at a moment's notice, while the girl would be there to hear all sides and weigh everything out like the god Osiris, the feather of truth on one side of the scale and your heart on the other. 
Solomon believed she would make a great Auror one day, if she wanted it. 
The eldest Sallow stood before the door, his shadow no doubt peaking through the stained glass windows atop the low archway and hopefully intimidating whomever was on the other side. Still the knocking persisted, growing more frantic as the seconds ticked on. He sighed silently to himself, squaring his shoulders like his father always taught him to do before a fight and shrugging on his house coat, bracing himself for the cold winter air just beyond the range of the homely hearth burning away just beside their tiny kitchen. It was now or never, he mused to himself, as he cast one last glance over his shoulder, checking that there were no newly minted teenagers behind him before reaching his hand towards the door handle, his wand firmly grasped in his other. 
Just as his fingers just grazed the cool metal, the pounds stopped, bathing the room in silence once more. Solomon stood befuddled, his shoulders once again slumping as gravity took hold of his sleepy limbs. Could they have given up trying to get his attention? He didn’t think it took him that long to get to the door— it was a tiny cottage afterall. Still inquisitive, he forgoed just shrugging it off as a harmless winter prank and instead leaned closer to the door, pressing his ear against the wood and straining his hearing to identify anything on his land. The wind howled outside, rustling whatever remaining leaves clung to the trees lining the town and shaking the freshly fallen snow from their branches. It was sure to storm again soon, the air still smelled heavy with the scent of cold and incoming onding. He could hear some remaining jobberknolls flying south before the breaking of dawn, preparing their long flight as the yule tidings began across Scotland. Everything natural, he reasoned. Nothing out of the ordinary. But, as he was about to lean away from the door, content with crawling back into his warm bed and sleeping the night away, something else caught his attention. Just beyond the natural was a small slosh at his steps, like someone was toeing at the ground with the tip of their boot and digging into the icy path leading to the door. They were light in weight, that much was for sure, barely enough for their shoes to make a crunching sound as they paced. 
Steeling himself again, Solomon creaked open the door and peered out through the crack, casting his eyes to and fro in search for their late night visitor. Upon not seeing anyone at first, he opened the door more, pulling it until it was inches from the inner wall and wide open to the world. His eyes were hard as he glared into the night, his wand hand raised and prepared for anything while his other pulled his house coat tighter across his body. 
His voice was strong and resolute as he called out, careful to keep his volume low so as to not wake anyone. “Who goes there? Show yourself!” 
There was a moment of stillness before a tiny voice piped up from his feet, barely auditory over the banshee-ish wind. “Mister Sallow?” 
Solomon shot his gaze downwards, his eyes hardened and prepared to fight as he took in the form sitting on his steps. Curled around themselves was a young boy, his blond hair as pale as the stars above and skin littered with constellations of birthmarks. He had to be the same age as the twins, maybe even a bit younger if the eldest Sallow took into account how skinny he was. Once his sleep-muddled brain caught up with his eyes, Solomon realized he recognized the boy as the young Ominis Gaunt, a close friend of the children. He was shivering harshly, the cold seemingly seeping into his bird-like bones and chilling him to the core. 
The boy’s home life was no secret, even if the Sallow man wasn’t a retired Auror he would still recognize the last name. The Gaunt’s were known for their dark magic and pureblood status, their descendents going all the way back to the Hogwarts founder, Salazar Slytherin. Solomon had seen the family's cruelty first hand before, and because of this tried to forbid his brother’s children from talking to their new friend. That was, of course, until he met the boy. Ominis was small for his age, and definitely wise beyond his years. Not one ounce of dark magic could be found in his veins, and he detested the very idea of following in his family's footsteps. Not only that, he was exceedingly kind, something rarely seen from such high society families, especially to those that lived in the “slums,” so to speak, like Solomon and the children did. The boy helped around the house where he could, pointing out things with his location charm that even a sighted person could not find. He talked to Solomon about his work, and was often found playing games with the twins in their garden during summer break. If the boy was here, on his doorstep, that means something terrible had happened in the Gaunt manor. The ex-Auror startled quickly upon the realization, hastily ushering the trembling boy into the house before he froze to death. 
Now safely under his roof, the Sallow man took in the lithe child, his eyes moving across his figure as he analyzed the state he was in. Wrapped around his neck and lower face was a thin scarf, likely grabbed quickly as it was distinctly not weather appropriate. No winter cloak sat over his shoulders, just a thin housecoat hung loosely around him— more for propriety than functionality. Underneath was a sage green sleep shirt, some of the buttons in their proper place and others, particularly the ones near his collar, hanging on my the tiniest bit of string— like someone took him by the throat and shook him until they popped loose. Covering his legs was a matching pair of sleep pants, the knees dirtied from the muddy sludge outside— his left knee visible through a small tear in the fabric. Solomon could see some crimson blood decorating the edges of the slice. The boy’s slippered feet shuffled anxiously against the hardwood floor, the skin of his bare heels tinged slightly blue from the near freezing temperatures outside. 
It was clear that the young Gaunt boy had not planned on fleeing that night. 
Ominis had his wand clutched in his hand like a lifeline, his head downcast but still shooting from left to right, his ears straining to hear anything that could be deemed a threat. Every creak of the floor sent a jolt up his spine like he was being continuously struck by lightning. He was wound as tight as a spring, constantly on edge and ready to flee at the drop of a pin. 
What was most concerning, though, was that the smallest bit of bruising was peeking out from underneath his scarf. Just along the collar of his shirt, once likely covered by the cloth but shifted after his dash to the door, was a distinct ring of purple spots, so deep and dreadful that if Solomon looked close enough he could probably see the swirls of each individual fingerprint. The ex-Auror was sure that if he pried the fabric off of the child he would find a similar bruise in the shape of a palm wrapped around his tiny throat. No doubt his father was the culprit— Erebus Gaunt was not one to be trifled with, even if you were his kin. 
While one could argue it was part of the job, Solomon was not very keen on consoling fearful children. Sure he had encountered a few during his days as an Auror, but he was not proud to say that he primarily just shooed them away towards the nearest person that seemed equipped for the task. It’s not that he didn’t like children, he tolerated his niece and nephew after all, but he just didn’t know how to act around them, especially when they were processing some big emotions. 
Hesitantly, he kneeled in front of the trembling blond boy, trying in vain to get a good look at his face— if there was bruising around his neck, there was sure to be some wounds that he needed to tend to above his jaw. Solomon awkwardly raised his hands from his sides, moving them slightly towards the boy’s shoulders in what he hoped was a comforting touch, only for Ominis to take a shaking step backwards, a whimper unconsciously weeping through his clenched teeth. The man’s hands stilled in the air in shock, his heart cracking at the fear that seeped from the boy like a murky fog. 
Trying a different approach, the eldest Sallow held his hands upwards in a placating manner, still within touching distance but far enough away to show he meant no harm. His voice broke through the encompassing silence of the cottage, the tone low, hushed, and, he hoped, calming. 
“Ominis, you’re safe now. Nothing is going to hurt you here.” He sighed at the apparent trepidation that took over the young blond’s face, more anxiety than annoyance in the puff of air. Solomon tried again, schooling the shake from his voice, “I would like to take a look at your face and neck, is that alright?” 
The boy sighed to himself, a deep and foreboding thing that seemed to shake him to his very core— like the weight of the world was on his shoulders and it was only now safe for him to put it down and rest— and nodded, stepping closer to the elder man and more into the light of the dimly burning braziers. Solomon was gentle with his hands, more gentle than he had ever been in his life, when he touched the young Slytherin’s chin, tilting it upwards and revealing the damage done to his face by the people he had once considered his family. 
Solomon felt his soul crack when Ominis’ visage came into the light. Under the tufts of blond that fluttered across his temple were his ghostly blue eyes, both rimmed with red from his tears and the skin colored a dismal purple— whether from lack of good sleep or a slap to the face, he wasn’t sure. They sunk deep into his skin like they were permanently a part of his features. Across his left cheek, still plump with a bit of baby fat from his young— much too young— age was a long jagged scar, blood pooling at the surface and streaking down his face, just shy of dripping onto his once starched collar. The man thought of the onyx ring that adorned the ring finger of the Gaunt patriarch and had to swallow down his bubbling rage. Cradling the young boy’s face like one would cradle a fragile family heirloom, he carefully pushed Ominis’ bangs to the side, only to still when the boy winced. At the upper corner of his head, right where his hairline began, was a thin line of bruising. Solomon sucked in a breath as he peered closer, mapping out the injury to himself to see how well he can possibly heal it. There was a distinct diamond shape at one end, the dark plum and incarnadine colors blending together into a deeper, more concerning shade of maroon. Small curls, like scrapings of widdled wood or peeled fruit, could be seen in a pattern across the rest. The man felt anger spin into a burning knot just under his ribs when he realized what that could mean. A table. They slammed their son, their own flesh and blood and bone, into a table hard enough to leave indents. Finally, Solomon’s eyes flicked downwards towards the young Slytherin’s neck. His earlier suspicions were correct. The soft, pliable skin decorating the limb that kept his head afloat was covered in deep, angry fingerprints. Large ones. If he wanted to, he could put his own hand over the bruising and it would likely be a near perfect match— palm to palm, fingerprint to fingerprint. 
Underneath all the physical pain, though, there was something deeper. A glimmer in the young boy’s eyes. A tremble in his fingers. A stutter in his breath. Ominis’ hands shook at his sides, the tiniest of twitches sweeping through his small frame as if ants were crawling underneath his skin— biting at his fragile bone marrow. Through his years as an Auror, Solomon Sallow was well versed in the after effects of particular spells. This one, he was all too familiar with, and his rage knew no bounds at the thought of it being used against such a small soul. Such a gentle soul. Such an undeserving soul.
The cruciatus curse. 
The eldest Sallow’s eyes softened with pity, a deep frown turning down the corners of his lips as a soft sigh puffed out of his chest. There would be time to wreak havoc upon the heads of the people who did this to this young boy in the morning. Now, though, he was needed here. His hands trailed down the sides of Ominis’ face, smoothing his hair behind his ears before taking him by the shoulders and gently pulling the boy into an embrace. 
How heartbreaking it was, how quickly the boy clinged to him. Even after growing in a den of snakes, he sought kindness first.  
Solomon’s left hand raised into the boy’s soft hair, combing his fingers through the knots with his fingers as he leaned his chin against the top of his head. His voice whispered through the silent cabin, the words awash with sympathy and care. 
“Oh, my boy…”
That was all it took for the dam to break. The youngest Gaunt child wrapped his shaking arms around the man holding him even tighter than before, his jaw clenched so tight that the creak of his teeth was near audible, his eyes shut as tight as the shutters lining the windowed walls, and openly sobbed for the first time since arriving. Solomon held Ominis as tight as he dared, feeling the young boy’s fingers dig into the fabric at his back as he clawed onto the first solid thing he could find. He quietly shushed him, the hand still in his hair softly carding through the silken strands and his other soothing up and down his back. Never had he been the one to comfort others, but this felt right. This felt like what he needed to do. 
All he could do was hold the small, trembling boy with every ounce of care he had in his body. No words needed to be said— no curses towards the loathsome family of his hiding behind their tall metal fences and mile-high blood wards— no words of sympathy whispered against heaving necks and snow soaked pajamas. Now, there was just kindness and silence. Everything else would fall together in time. 
Solomon held Ominis until the early hours of the morning, only taking note of the time change from the clouded colors of his little stained glass decorations streaming through the beige living room and catching on the soft blond head wrapped in his arms— like the sun against the melting snow just beyond his door. Through it all, his hand did not falter once in its path up and down the young boy’s back. The ex-Auror’s heart did not once change its ever-present rhythm against the sobbing child’s cheek. He held the Slytherin’s tiny world together for him, because the eldest Sallow knew that in that moment the youngest Gaunt could not hold it himself. 
Stability he could do. Stability was something he was comfortable with. He could be the support beam to Ominis’ crumbling walls. And when they woke, his niece and nephew could help pick up the pieces and put them back in their correct places. They could do this. Together. 
So when the boy finally fell asleep in his arms, exhausted from the journey to his tiny cottage and from crying until he had no more tears to shed for his uprooted life, Solomon did not hesitate to scoop him up and carefully tuck him into the armchair in the corner of the room, the family tartan blanket wrapped around his frail shoulders and the fire roaring in the handmade hearth. He did not question when he leaned down to press a chaste kiss to his alabaster temple, for it was as natural as protecting one's own. Because Ominis was his. Not by blood, not by name, but by choice. 
And as he would with any of his family, he silently, secretly, cared. He watched. He listened. He loved. 
Solomon’s voice did not stutter as he whispered a soft “Goodnight, my son,” against the blond’s temple.
And he pretended that his heart did not warm when he heard a hushed, almost inaudible hum of “Goodnight, father,” be spoken in return.
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like what you read? here's more!
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theladyofshalott1989 · 2 months
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The first chapter of my three-part Sebastian Sallow/Male MC short story is UP! Synopsis:
Sebastian Sallow stands at the precipice of a life-altering choice, his fate teetering on the proverbial edge of a knife... or, perhaps, more fittingly, at the mercy of a skilled duelist. Is he ready to make the leap?
Five years post the events of Hogwarts: Legacy.
---
"Today was the day. It was happening. Sebastian was going to do it. Yes, he was definitely going to do it this time. The last attempt didn't count. It didn't matter if something went terribly awry, like last month when they ran into Mr. Hill in Hogsmeade. Why was that man so talkative anyway? This was happening. This. Was. Happening."
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While this short story is technically an installment of the Like Moths to a Flame series, I wrote it as a standalone, so new readers should have no problem following along. Happy reading! :)
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sallow-mallow · 1 year
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Snowball Fight
Hi my dears!  I thought I would hop onto the Sebastian Sallow fanfic bandwagon, he's been living rent free in my brain for too long now and the game didn't give us enough time with him.  
This blog will only write appropriate cute fluffy oneshots for this character because I do agree that we need to respect the fact he is underage during the events of the game.
Later I plan on creating more fics with him and reader after they graduated Hogwarts.
gn!reader x Sebastian Sallow
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'"Brr!"  You rubbed your mitten hands together, desperately trying to keep your fingers from freezing solid. "It's colder out here than the look Imelda gave me this morning."
Sebastian laughed loudly at that, his emerald-lined cloak flapping noisily in the brisk wind. "I'm surprised they didn't cancel Care of Magical Creatures today.  Can't imagine the creatures are too thrilled either."
Together you trudged through the thickening snow, up to your ankles in it now and leaving quickly filling footprints behind.  
"Did Ominis head to class without us again?"  You asked, the tip of your nose now completely numb, your chattering teeth making it difficult to speak.
"He seems rather put out at the amount of personal information I tell you."  Sebastian shrugged, glancing down at your shivering form. "Come here, give me your hands."
The two of you took shelter beneath a heavy fir tree, the ground below relatively clear of snow thanks to the thick branches above. You gave Sebastian a wary look as you shuffled near to him, accepting his outstretched hand as he withdrew his dark walnut wand.
"Don't give me that pathetic look, I'm not going to blast your fingers off."  He sniffed loudly, clearing his throat before muttering a quick incantation.  
An immediate warmth spread from the tips of your icy fingers, flowing down through your hands and up your arms with pleasant swiftness. You flexed your fingers within Sebastian's grasp, giving him a grateful smile.
"Thank you Seb."
"Yes, well."  Sebastian nodded to you, stowing his wand once more within his Slytherin robes. "Your shivering was becoming mildly alarming.  Don't want to have to drag your body up to the hospital wing do I?"
"Thoughtful as ever."  You teased, nudging your shoulder against his and coaxing a grudging smile from your friend.
"Don't tell anyone, I have a reputation to uphold."  
He began walking again, a little in front of you and completely oblivious to your sudden mischievous movements as you doubled over, grabbing a handful of snow and shaping it into a sloppy ball.
Taking careful aim, you lobbed the frozen projectile at your friend's back.  It struck him and splattered all over his black robes.  Sebastian whirled on you, suprise and disbelief quickly transforming into amusement on his freckled face, his brown eyes widening with incredulity.  "Oh, you've done it now!  Not even your ancient magical powers will save you!"
With a shrieking laugh you took off running away from him as he stooped to gather his own snowball.  You felt a cold impact as it hit you across the right shoulder, unbalancing you as you tried to evade him.  Your feet slipped from under you and you slid in the snow all the way down to the base of the hill, passing several confused students who were also making their careful way to Care of Magical Creatures.
It was your Hufflepuff friend, Poppy, who helped you to your wobbly feet, assisting as you brushed layers of snow from your school uniform. "What happened to you?"  She asked and followed your accusing finger as you point up the hill to where Sebastian was making his way down to you. His face was alight with mirth as he laughed at the state you were in.
"That backfired spectacularly I would say!"  He chortled, shaking his head at you. "This is how you repay a friend for healing you?  Chucking a snowball at them?"
"I wouldn't exactly call it 'healing', Sebastian."  You grumbled, now thoroughly chilled to the bone. "I'd been itching to do that all day, but my hands were too cold."
"Ah, I see."  He didn't hesitate to help you dry off, using the same incantation he had before you'd bit off more than you could chew. "It's my fault, then."
You nodded and he laughed again.  People had mentioned to you before how Sebastian hardly ever cracked a smile before he became friends with you.  Some of your closer schoolmates, such as Poppy and Natty, even went so far as to tease you rather relentlessly about how Sebastian lit up when in your presence.
"Let's get to class."  Poppy suggested and led the way as you and Sebastian followed.
You saw the class hut up ahead with an awning blocking the falling snow and magically floating torches arranged around the tables to keep the space warm.
A tugging at the neck of your robes was your only warning before Sebastian shoved a handful of snow down the back of your shirt. You squealed, wheeling around to smack him on the chest but he'd already hastened away toward your usual spot, cackling.
"I suppose I deserved that."  You muttered as Poppy turned to see what he'd done.
"I'm sure he'll warm you up later."  She assured you, hooking her arm through yours as you walked the last few yards to class.
Your blush had nothing to do with the cold.
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thexbabysitter · 2 years
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dean & laurie | season of giving
@instrumentoflove
tw: canon-typical triggers and mentions of trauma, but mostly holiday cutes
Back at home, Laurie would have been far too intimidated to approach someone like Dean Winchester. She wouldn’t have been found in a hunting shop at all, since she couldn’t imagine explaining it to her parents, let alone had the nerve to talk to him or ask for his help. Now, she thought of him among her closest friends. It wasn’t just that he’d agreed to show her how to work the guns she bought there. It was that he’d gone above and beyond that request to show her how to handle every gun he owned from smallest to largest so that she’d always be able to protect herself with anything. She was pretty sure if there was a safe space to show her how to work a grenade launcher, he would have taught her that too.
She didn’t know if a Christmas party at the community center was really his thing, but she’d brought his gift along anyway just in case. She’d gotten the idea of crocheting scarves for her friends in October, when she spent the majority of her time hiding in her apartment and avoiding all things Halloween. It made for a lot of downtime, and even Laurie could only spend so much time reading or studying. They’d come out warm and lovely, in her opinion, and she’d made sure to make one for Castiel too. He was wearing a trenchcoat almost every time she’d seen him, so maybe the cold was a problem.
--
Settling into life in Sallow Hills meant settling into a life. It was something he hadn’t done for such a long time, and he had forgotten how much he could enjoy it when he just let himself. He’d made friends, had his life with Cas, was teased by his angel for all but adopting Laurie. That one, he never would have thought possible, but he hadn’t been able to help himself. After all, he’d practically cut his teeth on those movies.
That life was what had him going to the community center, amused at Cas and the art thing. When he saw Laurie, he grinned to himself and made his way over to her. He never came up behind her, always came around her side so she could see him. “Doin’ okay?” His way of a greeting, but he hadn’t been able to keep himself from worrying over her since October had come and gone.
--
Laurie knew the moment they met that Dean recognized her name, and that was fine. She knew those horrible movies existed, but she never brought them up, and she didn’t hold it against anyone who had seen them. They clearly didn’t know they were based on real events. She had told him the whole story about Michael though, in all the hours they’d spent at target practice. He’d been kinder than he had to be to her, and he deserved to know the truth, especially if Michael ever showed up here.
In a lot of ways, Dean’s stories were even weirder to her though. She found them a little comforting now that she was in Sallow Hills where things like that existed out in the open, although maybe they had always existed in her world too, and she just hadn’t known it because of people like him who held the monsters back in the darkness. She didn’t discount the theory.
She appreciated the way he always let her see him coming too, and she didn’t hide a bright smile when she turned to him. “Doing okay,” she agreed, her usual answer as she stepped forward to hug him. “You? I’m glad you’re here! I wasn’t sure community parties were your thing. I’m not sure they’re my thing,” she admitted with a laugh. She’d always felt awkward and out of place at things like this, even back when she had friends her own age to smooth the edges.
It didn’t matter how grown up he was. Dean loved movies and tv, so he could hardly be blamed for recognizing so many people in town. He tried not to da girl where they could hear, saving it for Cas and often dragging him to the couch to watch things with him. But with Laurie, it had shifted into a fierce need to help her feel safe, to feel like she could handle it if Michael ever managed to reappear in her life. More, he wanted her to know that he’d be there if it ever happened. It was what he did.
He liked seeing that smile on her face, the fact that he brought it to the surface giving him a little bit of pride. He wrapped his arms around her to hug her warmly, happy enough to accept the affection. He was getting better at it, even if it had taken time. “Good,” he answered in return as he let her go to look over her for himself.
“They’re not my thing,” he admitted with a chuckle of his own as he shrugged and draped his arm around her shoulders. “I’m working at that whole ‘life’ thing that isn’t just work, training and hunting, or Cas,” he admitted. It had been a long adjustment, Dean being the stubborn creature he was. “What brought you here?”
Laurie wasn’t sure she’d ever feel truly safe again, despite all the steps she’d taken to help herself, learning weapons training and self-defense, and surrounding herself with people who were strong and competent fighters. She could admit to herself that she felt closest when she was with Dean and Castiel though. She’d seen firsthand how good Dean was with weapons and heard his stories, and while she’d never seen Cas fight, he sounded formidable. She’d also run into him by accident once, and… ouch. He might not look intimidating, but he was solid as a brick wall.
But tonight wasn’t about that. “Good.” She grinned, happy to stay tucked under his arm for the moment. It was almost big brotherly, although she’d never said so out loud. She knew Dean had a real sibling out there somewhere. “That’s good, Dean. You deserve a full, happy life.” She nodded as if that settled the matter, and in her mind it did. He was a hero. He’d saved the world more than once. Heroes should have long, happy retirements.
“I’m working on that whole life and friends thing too,” she admitted. “October was… kind of a backslide.” She’d spent entirely too much time locked in her apartment that month, but in her defense, creepy things were happening. She’d had enough creepy Halloweens for a lifetime.
Dean did his best to make Laurie feel like she had a safe place to go. It had to be hard, and he tried to put himself in her shoes. He knew that there were creatures that happily would take the chance to take him out if given the chance. Cas wouldn’t let anything happen to her any more than he would, knowing what she had come to mean to Dean.
Dean loved Sam, missed him like he’d miss Baby, but a part of him was glad he wasn’t here. They were both (hopefully) getting the chance at a life that was finally good for both of them. His relationship with Laurie never failed to make him think of Charlie from time to time. “So do you,” he squeezed her gently and looked down at her. He knew that this was something he probably wouldn’t have gotten if he hadn’t found himself in Sallow Hills. Hunting would have caught up to him eventually.
“It gets easier,” his voice was soft and gentle in a way it was for few people. But he understood how hard it could be. His hand lifted to brush over her hair and he looked over her face. “I know. It’ll get better. They will eventually be… functional,” he knew better than to suggest it could ever be better than that. Baby steps.
“I’m trying.” She tipped a smile up at him. Laurie would always miss her parents and her home, but she could admit that there were things about Sallow Hills that were far better for her. She couldn’t take the way everyone looked at her in Haddonfield, the Poor Tragic Girl look, or worse, the ones who avoided her like tragedy was somehow catching. Therapy and self-defense weren’t big in the 70s either, and both had helped her a lot, as well as having like-minded people around. It wasn’t up to her, but she wasn’t totally sure she wanted to go back.
“I think it’s a little better for me here. At least I have people who know what it’s like,” she admitted softly, squeezing back gently. Dean was at the top of that list. She’d probably be a little in love with him if he wasn’t twice her age and so obviously head over heels for Castiel. It melted her heart the way he called him angel. (She’d never once imagined he meant that literally.)
“You think so?” It was hard to imagine, but if she was cautiously hopeful. Never fun, never good, but manageable would be an improvement. Her expression brightened as she remembered his gift. “Something good did come from it! I had time to make you a Christmas present.” She shifted to rummage carefully in her bag for the wrapped and ribboned box. It was nestled in there on top of Cas’s, and she didn’t want to tear either of them.
He gave her a soft, understanding smile. He knew what it was like to try, to always feel a little bit like you were failing but keep trying anyway. There was nothing easy about what she’d done, recovering her life the way she had and settling into her new life with no intention of revisiting what happened in her past. He wouldn’t have taken kindly to anyone looking at her the way people in Haddonfield had. She’d survived more than most of them would have been able to.
“You absolutely do,” he told her easily. He was always going to be in her corner and he hoped she knew that. It helped that he was able to be himself, even his softest self, with her. The ability to just relax and even be soft about Cas and not be judged for it was something he couldn’t discount.
He chuckled a bit, “I know so.” The advantage of his shudders years, was knowing that manageable came with time. He watched her face brighten and it loosened something in his chest. “Oh?” He watched as she dug in her bag and produced a pretty present. Everything in him softened at being given a Christmas present from anyone but Sammy. “Do you want me to open it now?”
Laurie was in no position to judge anyone, and it wasn’t her style anyway. Besides, she thought Dean had hung the moon, and he and Castiel were serious relationship goals. They were low key about it, but there were brief moments here and there when they were so soft with each other it just killed her. The only other couple she knew like that were her own parents.
Add that to being so understood, and her loyalty was unshakable. He knew what she’d been through because he’d been through worse himself. She wouldn’t have wished that on anyone, and it made her glad that he’d found the same safety here in Sallow Hills that she had. “Definitely. I think it’s mean to make people wait until Christmas,” she laughed, bouncing a little in excitement.
Laughing softly at the excitement, he unwound his arm from around her so he could properly open his gift. He hadn’t thought that building a new family would be something he would do when he had found himself in Sallow Hills, but it had happened. Slowly, but still, it worked for him. Having Cas, being safe, and being able to help Laurie feel that way were all things he would never forget even if somehow Sallow Hills didn’t hold them in anymore.
Opening the present carefully, he opened the box and everything in him softened at the sight of the scarf laying there. “Well, I think that’s perfect,” he grinned as he pulled it out and immediately wrapped it around his neck. In that moment, he knew he wouldn’t wear another one… ever. That she cared enough to take the time to make him something made his throat tight and he wrapped his arms around her to pull her into a warm hug. “Thank you.”
It warmed something inside of her to see him put it on immediately. She hadn’t been totally sure that it was something he would wear and wouldn’t have been offended if he didn’t. She made a soft, pleased sound at the way the colors looked on him, even better than she expected.
She beamed as he pulled her into a hug, wrapping her arms around him tight. “It looks perfect. It’s okay if you don’t want to wear it,” she assured him as she pulled away. “It gets so cold here in the winter though. I made one for Cas too. It’s rainbow,” she admitted with a soft laugh. It’s what he’d said when she asked him his favorite color. She thought he might have been joking, but he was hard to read.
Having Laurie in his life had soothed away some of the ache of missing people he had lost. Having someone care enough about him to spend the time making him something was a special sort of emotion he really didn’t have any context for. He pressed a soft, affectionate kiss against her hair and knew that Sam would tease him for how soft he’d let himself get. It was worth it, though, to see the way she smiled.
“Nope, I put it on, it’s staying,” he chuckled easily, knowing it had immediately become part of his cold weather wear. The knowledge about Cas’s scarf made something melt in his chest and he smiled brightly. “That will be perfect for my angel,” he tapped his knuckle gently under her chin with a pleased look.
“It’s a good color for you,” she assured him fondly, in case he cared how he looked in it. Somehow, Laurie got the sense that he didn’t. She could tell from his stories and occasional comments that softness hadn’t been a big part of his life before he got here, but she could also tell he was wrong about that. Dean had been a hero to a lot of people before he found her.
She beamed at the comment. Castiel was harder for her to read, but if anyone would know what he would like, it was Dean. “That’s so adorable,” she murmured, and then realized she’d said it out loud. “That you call him that, I mean,” she clarified, trying not to blush. Two of the toughest people she’d ever met also made the cutest couple she’d ever seen. Maybe that was why. Nobody expected heroes and hunters to be soft with each other.
Dean had never cared much about colors, and had stopped putting too much care into how he looked a long time ago. He’d found what worked for him and he knew his face looked good, so it hadn’t mattered much past that anymore. “I like it,” he decided on firmly, giving her an easy smile. He was slowly getting used to being soft here.
That smile was worth a lot to him and he was glad to see it. The words made him blink quickly in surprise. His own cheeks went pink and he ruffled the hair on the back of his head with a little chuckle. “I guess,” he muttered, his eyes drifting to look for Cas on instinct. “He’s saved me more times than I can count,” he admitted.
Laurie had never put a lot of thought into her appearance. She favored simple, comfortable clothes and her hair in a ponytail so it was out of her way. She’d started to mix it up a little in Sallow Hills, the temporary red and green dye on the ends of her pigtails tonight proof enough of that. She didn’t have to be the shy wallflower here, and contemporary fashion ran in so many directions now that most people never looked twice at what she was wearing, even if by her standards it was adventurous.
She hadn’t imagined it was possible to make Dean blush, and she regretted it for a second that she’d let that come out of her mouth without considering it first. He seemed pleased though, as he usually did when Cas was the subject of conversation. Her gaze followed his to where Castiel was drawing or writing something with serious, purposeful attention at the Other Dean’s art station. “You saved each other. At least, that’s how he tells it.” She smiled softly. She hadn’t noticed if Cas had a particular nickname for Dean, but he said his name like it was a synonym for love, and that was special all on its own.
He liked how he had gotten to watch Laurie grow more and more into herself. He knew that was she considered daring was downright subtle these days, but growth wasn’t managed on a grand scale. He’d spent a lot of time encouraging her to grow beyond the bounds of the time and place she’d come from, but never pushing because that was something he couldn’t bring himself to do. He knew what it could cost him. And since he only wanted her happy, just seeing those red and green ends on her hair was enough to make him smile knowing that she was getting there.
Dean’s softness had increased constantly with the presence of Cas’s love and loyalty, always turning him into a better version of himself. His eyes lingered on Cas as Laurie’s words registered and he couldn’t help the soft laugh that escaped him. “He’s not wrong,” he mused, their history flashing through his head. “We always wanted each other to succeed, for one reason or another,” he admitted softly. “He pulled me out of my darkest days,” quite literally, “And I got him to learn how to live a little.” He thought of mixed tapes and long car rides, angry prayers and soft pleas.
Laurie never felt like Dean was pushing her or judging her because she came from another time. It was comforting to be around him in that way because he was familiar with this world and didn’t mind advising her on it. He might laugh if she got something wrong, but never in a mean way, never like he was laughing at her. She also knew he didn’t really care if she never adapted to the twenty-first century. It didn’t have any bearing on who she was as a person.
“Those are the best relationships, I think. The ones where you make each other the best version of yourselves.” She smiled softly at the smile on his face while he watched his partner. She wouldn’t know when it came to romantic partners. She’d still never had a boyfriend. (Or a girlfriend? It wasn’t something she’d said out loud, but the fact that it was a possibility here… Well, she’d noticed. She didn’t fully understand what that knowledge meant to her yet, but it meant something.) But friend and family relationships were like that too.
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sweetsprites · 3 years
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welcome to devil time. it was lucifer’s duty to bring this crimnal to justice, to keep this town safe. sallow hills was a strange place, but fairly peaceful so far. but the guilty had to be punished, and who better to punish those who deserved it than the devil?
after both miss brown and miss kane declining his very helpful offer, he’d taken it upon himself to lead his own investigation. with more information being released, he’d come up with the perfect plan. set up interrogations under the guise of offering free drinks at the drowned prince. he’d worn his best chloe-inspired outfit, and he would’ve put his hair in a ponytail if it’d been long enough. he needed her with him, even if it couldn’t be physically. if he could channel her, he would be sure to solve the mystery.
he paced in front of the latest person to show up, his handwritten notes in his hand.
“blunt force trauma, removal of physical identifiers, drained of blood, stab wounds, a leg cut off...” he raised his eyebrows, whistling in disbelief. “sounds like it was personal, doesn’t it. so what’d they do, huh? steal a lover? money? what’d this poor bastard do to deserve such a terrible death? what did you think this would achieve? what message were you trying to send?”
he slammed his hands on the table as loudly as he could, leaning uncomfortably close to the person. “tell me, what is it that you truly desire?”
open starter // event 002
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sacredivinity · 3 years
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       Chloe took her last shot of alcohol before deciding to get back to work. This case wasn’t going to solve itself. She was never a huge drinker but this investigation was definitely the determining factor. At this point, she knew she had agreed to meet someone at this spot around this time but she forgot with whom. “You know why I can’t trust stairs? Because they’re always up to something... so how can I know to trust what others are saying?” She giggled as a grin appeared on her frontage. She felt proud about that one. You’d think she’d know the answer to that question as she’s a private investigator herself. “Why kill other people? It doesn’t make sense to if they’re gonna die anyway.” Was that her or the alcohol speaking? Good question.
      Then, she saw someone standing next to her and her eyes immediately widened. She cleared her throat and ran her hands through her hair, patting down any stray hairs. “S-Sorry, I don’t think you were supposed to hear any of that.” She trailed off, averting her gaze off to the side as she felt her cheeks warm up. 
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shallowmagics · 3 years
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​ — •  an evidential mess | event002 | s. & open! • —
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The knocks were insistent, Steph huffing as she stalked towards the front door of the bar-turned-crime-lab. Already she had to deal with a phone call by one angry Mr. Davies about ‘the state of the town’ and how she wasn’t doing enough in regards to the case. She’d like to see the rest of them head the investigation. The blonde threw open the door, face already set to a angry disposition. 
“Look Mr. Morningstar, I don’t have any-” She paused, taking in the person that stood in front of her. Definitely not her latest annoyance then. “Um, sorry. I thought you were someone else. The bar is closed right now, but I can get you a soda if you’re thirsty?”
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open for everyone!
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dcfyingdcath · 3 years
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Castiel is going as Doctor Sexy after Dean suggested the idea to him. He’s also wearing a name tag that says “Dr. Sexy”. 
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sallowhillshq · 1 year
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EVENT 006: heed fire and thunder
by this point, the residents of sallow hills dread october, the coming of fall, and samhain.  yes, there are many who enjoy the holiday (and halloween and dia de los muertos that come with it), but the thinness of the veil often means chaos and destruction for sallow at this time of year. the first sign that this october was going to be much the same was the disappearance of Mayor Rogirs.  sallow hills has not had luck with mayors in the last year, and this is only one of many mayors who have gone missing.  an emergency race was thrown together, and candidates flocked forward.  but of course, it could not be just this that effected sallow during the month of october.
we’re so excited to show off our newest event!  much like our past events, we will be offering a few parts you can take place in.  we truly encourage you reach out to members and/or characters you maybe haven’t written with and plan something fun for this event.
the technicalities
run time:  october 10th - october 31st (pst)
wrap up: you will have 48 hours after the closing of the event to wrap up event threads.
parts:  three parts.  characters may take part in one ore more of them.
current threads: all current para threads should be put on hold until after the event, or be changed to focus on the event.
starters: view our starter rules for details.
i.  the election
With Mayor Rogirs missing, an emergency election has been thrown together.  Candidates had limited time to prepare, but many have already been thinking about what this town needs.  They have a month before elections to push their campaign and hopefully become the next Mayor of Sallow Hills (if they aren’t scared of the fact that the previous three have gone missing).
You, the muns, will be voting at the end of this event for who you want to be Mayor.  We will be sending a link to a poll on OCTOBER 30TH and you will have until November 5th to vote!  More information will come then.
the candidates running : guinevere pendragon, richard “dick” grayson, shego, tyrannus basilton grimm-pitch + penelope bunce, 
ii.  missing persons
With the disappearance of the Mayor, the Neighborhood Watch and other nervous townsfolks have begun talks about the increasingly frequent disappearances.  They are hosting town-hall meetings in the Community Center every Monday and Wednesday to discuss what they can do to better understand and get a lock down on this all.
iii.  a tear in the veil
Reports have started coming in, claiming strange occurrences and sightings all over town.  Those who are familiar with the mystical have claimed it is almost like bits of the Otherworld are beginning to bleed over into this one.  Annwn Gardens seems to be flourishing more, and to be hosting flowers some have never seen.  There are slices of the ocean at the coast that seem more green than blue.  Strange singing in a language none can decipher (or very few can decipher) comes over the radio every now and then.  They’re all just little slivers of town that seem to have changed, but the magic can be felt in those slivers.  
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loki-thedeceiver · 2 years
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Judgment - if your muse could change one thing about themselves, what would it be?
Loki has never been a creature of regret or self-recrimination. There is really no point when one has spent lifetimes fighting to be seen and heard. However, the events before his untimely arrival and subsequent imprisonment in Sallow Hills, he had wished that his relationship with Thor had been slightly less tumultuous. There had never been a time he hadn’t loved his brother, even when jealousy and rage overshadowed it. 
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