#someone draw sophie with muscles

[callmewalterthehairlesscat]

the fact that sophie’s actually really strong and she doesn’t use that more often is saddening

#REMEMBER WHEN SHE SPRINTED WHEN CARRYING KEEFE #our girl is absolutely JACKED #i know i’ve said this before but i’m saying it again #someone draw sophie with muscles #sophie foster #kotlc fandom #kotlc #keefe sencen #kotlc thoughts

[moongreenlight]

WIP Wednesday except it's Thursday and I'm using this as an excuse to post something without the imaginary pressure of getting a full fic out. :D

800-ish word excerpt from my Ghoap x Reader nutcracker AU that I meant to finish around Christmas.

The orchestra has picked up about half a beat too fast and the conductor seems not to have noticed.

Too busy salivating at the legs of one of the snowflake girls a few spots to your left. His baton is getting lazy. Long, drawn out flicks and swishes like he’s casting spells instead of directing. Strange, you think. If anything they should be slowing down to match his tempo.

Maybe it’s the strings? They’re nipping into the winds and forcing the entire group forward. It throws off a girl in front of you. She’s younger by a handful of years. Doesn’t quite have the music- even at the right tempo- committed to memory. She drops her arm a full count too early. Even from behind you can hear her curse.

This seems to rouse him. He jerks his head back to center and starts flicking the tip of the baton back on beat. He’s a stern man. He’s got coal-black eyes that seem to house the staggering power to burn a hole straight through someone bone and all. You swear you can hear flesh crackling and sizzling as he casts his gaze out over the stage. It takes a moment, but he’s able to herd the group back onto a single track. Dancers and musicians alike.

Someone has either put too much or too little rosin on their shoes. It’s difficult to pinpoint, but there’s a terrible squeaking sound from somewhere on the stage that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up. Like nails on a chalkboard. It gets worse during the final round of turns.

And then, by some miracle, intermission. Big cloth curtains draw together. Kicking up dust and loose sparkles and large pieces of fake snow that adhere themselves to your skin. Kept snug in place by the sheen of sweat that collected under the brutal heat of the spotlights and the effort it took to dance for nearly forty minutes straight.

Imogene, the girl who’d just recently championed the superlative of biggest blunder to date, was now heavily crying into the arms of her older sister.

You relish the few moments you get to catch your breath before the mistress comes and begins to shoo you and the other girls offstage. She’s far more stern than the conductor. And unfortunately less handsome, though they share the same deep-set frown lines that cage their mouths. You catch her give a shaking Imogene a whack to the ear before you can duck backstage.

In your hurry to whip your head back around for fear of meeting the same fate, you run directly into someone’s back. You’re quick to hiss out an apology, but it’s drowned out by the sound of a man speaking terribly muddy French.

“- gorgeous. Even caught the orchestra’s attention.” (please pretend this is French I forgot to translate it and I'm too lazy rn)

The girl he’s talking to, Sophie, giggles and he sways slightly from her batting him in the chest.

“Excuse me.”

It comes out a bit more stiff than you mean it to. He doesn’t wait for Sophie to dismiss herself before turning around.

John MacTavish is one of the few men in the company, but even without such slim options, you feel he would still be a standout.

He’s not from France, though it’s not uncommon for members to have made pilgrimage to join such a prestigious group. His accent is horrible, any potential ruined by his upbringing somewhere in Scotland, though he earns himself a few points with native speakers for his enthusiasm.

He’s also granted the cushion of patience because of his undeniable good looks. He’s got great blue eyes that emote just as well as he does. Shining and laughing along with him like they’ve got personalities to match. He’s big. Tall and muscular, which -again- isn’t uncommon what with all the lifts and spins and acrobatics he does, but he packs on muscle in a way not many other male dancers have the capacity to do.

You’re sure it’s a nightmare to source costumes for him. He’s tore the back panel out of his jacket twice this season alone and you’re only about three-quarters of the way through.

He’s gorgeous and he knows it, which makes him insufferable. He’s charming and got fantastic whit, sure, but he’s perverse and a habitual letcher so it all seems to cancel out.

His great beauty makes him the popular option for most all of the company and the patrons of the opera house alike. It’s become a running joke that you’ve not really served your time unless you’ve had a go with John.

Your participation is left widely up to speculation.

“Sorry, hen.”

If he noticed your rigidity, he doesn’t bring it up. Instead he leans down and takes you by the wrists. Brings his face close to yours and plants a kiss on the right corner of your mouth.

“Jesus, John.”

You scramble away, much to his delight.

“Always forget if it’s right or left first.”

He’s snickering like he’s clever. It takes some legitimate effort to wrench your arms out of the manacles that are his hands.

“Funny.”

You say flatly as you shoulder past him, wiping at the corner of your mouth with the heel of your palm.

“I thought so.”

#moongreenlight #moongreenlightwrites #cod mw2 #call of duty #cod x reader #141 headcanons #drabble #simon ghost riley #ghost cod #soap mactavish #soap mw2 #soap cod #john soap mactavish #simon riley #ghoap #ghoap x reader #wip wednesday

[silverhallow]

A shot to the heart

pairing: Benedict Bridgerton x Sophie Beckett

summary: By accident Sophie meets Benedict when she takes Kate over to drop lunch off for her boyfriend Anthony…The tension is palpable, like a shot to the heart they fall hard and fast… When Benedict invites Sophie to their spring BBQ can they resist their primal urges

warnings: First Meetings, Love at First Sight, horny beans, Smut, Shameless Smut, Oral Sex, Multiple Orgasms, Explicit Sexual Content, Sex, Vaginal Sex, Vaginal Fingering, Finger Fucking, Nipple Play, Nipple Licking, Blow Jobs, Woman on Top, Fucking, Chemistry

word count: 6390 words

author's note: this is a former Ao3 work. Minors DNI

Sophie and her friend Kate went over to her boyfriend Anthony's to take him some lunch, he was helping his cousins and Uncle Andrew working on a barn and shed repair and there were a half dozen other hot and sweaty guys around as they pulled up outside the address Anthony had texted Kate earlier.

As they pulled up to the house, the girls saw Anthony coming around the side of the house with someone and Sophie had to take her sunglasses off to get a better look at him. Her entire body fizzed with magic and something that felt a lot like arousal as she stared at him and all she could think was "OH MY GOD!" She felt entirely blessed when she laid her eyes on him.

He was quite possibly the most beautiful man she had ever seen. He was tall, dark brown hair, and his muscles glistened with sweat as the sun beat down on him. He wasn't a beefcake or as stocky as Anthony and was about 2 inches taller than him, but he had a body to die for. She couldn't see his eyes because he had sunglasses on. He had no shirt on, a tool belt around his slender, manly waist, and his tattered jeans were so tight that any person looking could tell how fast his pulse was going.

God surely blessed him with the whole package, Sophie was absolutely sure of it.

As the girls got out of Sophie's car, Kate grabbed the lunch she prepared for them and  Sophie hadn't planned to get out of the car, but she found herself unable to stop herself from opening the door and stepping out to follow Kate. 

It's as if her body had a mind all of its own. Sophie wanted to meet him. She had to meet him, it was like a magnet drawing her in. She was powerless to resist.

As they approached the guys, the unbelievably hot guy took his glasses off and watched them as they approached. Sophie could almost feel him watching her, so she had to put on a small show. She just couldn't help herself.

~*~

Benedict saw Anthony's girlfriend get out of the blue car and he elbowed Anthony and nodded his head towards the road. Anthony looked up from the paper he was looking at and saw his girlfriend Kate getting an Icebox out of the back of Sophie's car.

"Look like it's lunchtime," Benedict said with a laugh

"Yep, Kate promised to bring us all lunch, and if I am lucky, maybe some dessert," Anthony replied with a lurid smirk and Benedict scowled and turned his face away from his brother in disgust and was about to wave to Kate when he noticed the stunningly beautiful blonde in denim shorts and a silver vest top walking towards him and honesty he thought the world had stopped.

Benedict had to take off his sunglasses so that he wouldn't miss anything. Her skin was glowing in the hot August sunshine, he could see her braless breasts bouncing with each step she took. The slight breeze in the air caused her tousled hair to reflect the sun. Her full lips were just begging to be deeply kissed. Her skin was flawless all the way down to her bare, painted toes. 

She was the cause of an instant erection and he could feel it happen almost in an instant. Never before had a woman had such an instant effect on him

Benedict again elbowed Anthony, "Ant, who the fuck is that with Kate?" he whispered and wanted to ask why the fuck he had never introduced him if he knew.

"That's Kate's best friend Sophie," he answered as he looked over toward Benedict.

A slow, sly grin came to Anthony's lips as he realised that Benedict's curiosity had peaked. "You do know Kate’s been trying to set you up with her for months. She’s kinda hot," Anthony encouraged. 

Benedict looked up with his own sheepish grin and said, "Kinda? She’s a fucking goddess ." he practically moaned, ensuring his voice was low and they weren’t overheard.

Kate handed Sophie the icebox and ran and jumped up and straddled Anthony and gave him a deep kiss. As she pulled away from Anthony's lips she smirked, "Hey Honey, you hungry?"

"Starved," Anthony replied, "I can use some food too." They laughed and kissed again oblivious to the rest of the world.

During this, Benedict was checking Sophie out from head to toe, rather unashamedly as well.

Sophie looked into Benedict's eyes and realised that he had the most beautiful deep blue eyes with gorgeous long lashes, he was actually perfection in the male form and she felt herself growing a little wet in her denim shorts just from looking at him.

Anthony put Kate down and stood there watching the storm that was brewing up between Sophie and Benedict, just then glancing at one another and feeling some sort of magical connection.

Kate finally broke the silence, "oh right…. Benedict this is my friend Sophie, Sophie this is Benedict, Anthony's twin brother."

Benedict smiled as he came out of his dream state, hoping he wasn’t actually drooling or panting at her like she was a bitch in heat and he was a frisky dog as he extended his hand out and replied, "Hey it's nice to meet you."

Sophie smirked, took his hand and smiled up into a sea of blue trying not to get lost there, "Hello, nice to meet you too."

It was as if there was pure electricity going from him and penetrating Sophie deep into her soul as their hands touched she felt a palpable surge through her entire body, it went so deep that she felt it between her legs. "What in the hell is happening to me?" she thought.

"Well honey," Kate started, "Sophie and I have some house stuff to attend to so we have to get going”

Benedict dropped Sophie's hand and both of their smiles were washed away. Neither one of them wanted to end what was going on between them.

Benedict piped up quickly realising he had an in, "Hey Kate, we’re having a little party tonight, a BBQ since the weather is so nice. Why don't you bring Sophie?"

"I already asked her if she wanted to come with me, and she said she would feel out of place," Kate answered truthfully, Kate had asked Sophie if she wanted to come but Sophie had declined, she didn’t really know any of Kate’s boyfriends friends or family and had felt like she’d stick out like a sore thumb and, as had happened before, end up billy-no-mates when Anthony and Kate disappeared into a room to fuck in.

Benedict looked over at Sophie as he smiled a charming lopsided smile that Sophie was sure she was powerless to resist, "Come on, there's nothing to feel out of place about. I would like you to come Please."

"Okay, I'll come," she answered with an underlying meaning, a naughty sparkle in her eye

"Great, I'll expect you there. Don't let me down," he grinned back happily.

Then all of a sudden, Kate grabbed Sophie by the waist of her shorts and pulled her away toward the car. As she walked away, she could still feel Benedict watching her. 

As much as she wanted to, she didn't look back until she got in the car. She looked up and he still stood there watching her, mouth open and somehow even at a distance, she could still feel his eyes penetrating her soul. It was as if he could read her deepest, darkest desires, like she had just come alive after years of sleepwalking.

As Sophie began to drive away, Kate sat there and just stared at her looking amused. Sophie was looking out of her rearview mirror trying to get one final look at Benedict before she noticed Kate and asked her "What?"

She smiled knowingly, "Don't say " what " to me, I saw what went on back there. I know there was something going on between the two of you. You two all but fucked right there in the street."

Sophie couldn't help but to smile as she looked into her friend's eyes and she just blinked before she couldn’t stop the words that came from her mouth; "Oh my God Kate! I can't believe I’ve turned down meeting him for the last 6 months!!! He is like literally the Fucking hottest guy I have ever set my eyes on. It felt like his eyes could read my soul! I have no idea what came over me, I have never acted like that around a guy before. It’s ridiculous, the blood just left my brain!

I mean, I've had sex before and enjoyed that sex… but I swear to god Kate whatever thatwas… was a million times better than any sex I have ever had and i’d give all the sex up that I ever had just to experience another five minutes of whatever that was," she said as she finally stopped and took a breath. 

“Well then I have a feeling that we’re in for an interesting evening,” Kate laughed. "Play your cards right Miss Beckett, then you might get to experience the real thing” she smirked but Sophie was only half listening.

She heard what Kate said, and it was all she could think about. She wasn’t one to have one night stands, or sleep with a man the first time she met them, though this would be the second time she had to admit to herself but this she couldn’t help but think what would she do if the opportunity arose?

? Deep down she knew the answer to her question. She knew she wouldn't be strong enough to deny Benedict, she wanted him too badly, and the thought of doing something wild and crazy like that got her even more excited.

~*~

Sophie was late picking up Kate. She had a problem deciding what she should wear. Kate told her that the Bridgertons had a pool in their country house garden and Violet, their mum was away and because the weather was so nice, Anthony and Benedict had decided to have a little BBQ with their friends, as was the norm during the summer for them.

Sophie’s father had had a pool in the back garden of their country home and she had a feeling that the Bridgerton’s, were the Bridgerton’s her father knew from years before his marriage and divorce. 

Sophie knew to wear, or at least bring a bikini just in case everyone decided to go swimming and made the decision to wear her blue bikini, that fastened on the sides and behind her back, allowing for easier access should it be required. She then put on a pair of denim shorts that were scandalously short and a low cut vest top. She threw some warmer clothes in her boot for when, as was traditional with British summers, it would turn colder.

Kate agreed not to have Anthony pick her up, so that Sophie wouldn't arrive at the party by herself. Anthony had agreed and Kate knew that she’d be stopping at Aubrey Hall and had a feeling Sophie probably would as well, but wanted to ensure her friend had a way home in case things didn’t go the way she expected.

As they pulled up to the house, butterflies started fluttering in Sophie's stomach. She was nervous and excited.

As Sophie and Kate walked into the house, Anthony had been waiting and watching for them and he made his way over and grabbed Kate. "About time!! I thought you guys would never get here."

"Sorry honey, Sophie was late picking me up," Kate whined and Sophie just rolled her eyes at her friend throwing her under the bus. 

Anthony led them out to the back of the house and Sophie felt her mouth drop open, it was the biggest garden she’d ever seen . They had the BBQ going, the music was playing, people were milling around chatting and the beer was in an icebox. 

Sophie looked over towards the BBQ and all of a sudden her heart skipped a beat.

There he was, Benedict, dressed in a pair of tight jeans, with a blue shirt with the buttons unfastened. He was freshly showered and shaved and talking to a bearded man as he was flipping burgers, a beer in hand, looking every inch a debonair relaxed host. 

Benedict was chatting with his friend Henry, actually talking about Sophie and how he was hoping she was actually coming to the party when he felt the same sensation course through his body that he had felt that morning helping his family out.

Henry was teasing him about the way he had described the sensation he was feeling right at that morning and he looked up from the BBQ towards the door and everything stopped, the joke was over as Henry saw Benedict’s face as Benedict’s eyes found Sophie.

There she stood, looking as beautiful and hot as before.

He has been waiting all day to see her again. Hell he had been waiting his entire life to meet her, he was sure of it.

He had felt anticipation in his veins so thick it almost turned his blood to concrete, he had been waiting for her all night, all day… all his life and finally, the waiting was over. He had no idea what the hell was happening to him other than the fact he desperately did not want it to stop. No other person had affected him like Sophie did. Everything about her set all of his senses on fire.

He handed the spatula to Henry with a “you take over” and without another word walked toward Sophie, magnetically drawn to her, like a moth to a flame, his lopsided smile grew as he approached her. "Hey, you made it. I didn't think you were going to come."

"Yeah, sorry I was a bit late picking up Kate but we made it” she smiled sweetly back at him.

Anthony smiled knowingly at Kate and with a look towards his brother he knew the look of fuck off and Anthony leaned towards Kate and whispered, "I think we need to leave them alone…" Kate giggled and they walked away leaving the two of them.

Benedict walked beside Sophie grabbing her a beer and twisting it open as he handed it to her, he had no idea what to say to her so he shoved his hand into his jeans and tore his eyes from her and glanced up at the sky as he tried to work out what to say.

Sophie could see he was as nervous as she was, she felt so nervous that she thought she might pass out.

She wanted to get to know him, she wanted to know everything about him but every time she went to speak her mouth wouldn't move.

Mentally she chastised her self; fuck sake Sophie, talk to him… you’ve waited all day for this and here you are shutting up like some 16 year old virgin. What do I even say to him? That I want to fuck his brains out right here, right now, regardless of all the people watching… Jesus, you can’t say that! you depraved lunatic!”

They started to walk, neither of them really realising where they were going but once they were away, Sophie was still dreaming a little when Benedict broke the weird silence that was going on between them. "So Sophie, do you want to do it?"

She was thrown for a second as she stammered as she wondered if he had actually said what she thought he had said, "Ex…excuse me What?"

He gave her a quizzical and confused look as he repeated his question "What do you do? You know for a living?"

Sophie went bright red completely embarrassed about having her head in the gutter, as she replied, "Oh, I am training to be a Veterinarian, i’m in my last year”

He smiled his lovely lopsided smirk as he said, "That sounds so cool, so I guess you are an animal lover?"

"Yes, a rather mad one. How about you?" she asked

"Yeah, I like animals. I'm just not home long enough to take care of one cause of my art but one day I'd like some pets" he responded. "How old are you, if you don't mind me asking."

"You know it’s rude to ask a woman her age” she teased before adding, “I am 22, nearly 23 what about you?" she asked stopping still

"25," he replied as he glanced back up towards the sky so he wasn’t staring so much as her arse but he hadn’t realised she had stopped walking and he walked straight into her.

If he hadn’t thrown his arms out and grabbed her around the waist, she would have fallen straight to the ground, he pulled her towards him instinctively, her top had ridden up so his hands were on her bare skin and his touch felt like fire the sensation took both his and her breaths away.

Benedict couldn’t help his thoughts, she felt so good in his hands, and felt so soft as the back of her body pressed against the front of his and he felt all the blood started to surge towards his groin.

He prayed for control, but it was quickly fading as she turned and looked up into his luscious emerald green eyes, and that's when the last bit of control eluded him.

Unable to help himself, needing her he brought his right hand up to her cheek, and pulled her mouth to his. 

It was a fierce kiss. 

The kind of kiss that devours the soul, the inner being. It was deep, it was passionate and it was spiritual.

He pulled her body tighter against his. He didn't know what was happening to him. He's been with women and men before, but he never wanted anyone as bad as he wanted her. He needed her like he needed air. He knew he needed to gain control, but he couldn't figure out how.

Sophie reached up and tangled her fingers of one hand into his thick chestnut hair and pulled him tighter against her mouth as her tongue flickered against his tongue. 

She turned in his arms fully in his arms so they would be facing each other. The kiss was as wild and untamed as their hunger was for each other.

He backed her up against the back wall of the summer house. He pressed his rock hard denim cald cock into the soft mound between her thighs as he lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist, bringing him closer to her.

She moaned softly against Benedict's demanding mouth, the moan was like kerosine to fuel to his fire and any last remnants of control he had, was long gone and he knew there was nothing that was going to stop this now… this was going to happen regardless if there would be regrets later or not.

With his left hand on her arse, hips pressing her into the wall holding her in place, his right hand stroked up her side and under her vest-top. He brushed his fingers against her hardened nipple under her bikini top which caused her to whimper against his lips.

She wanted more so she arched her back to push her breast harder into his hand. She wanted more, and he couldn't deny her, not when he wanted it so badly as well. He pulled the fabric aside so that he could roll her nipple between his finger and thumb. The sensation caused her to cry out  as she threw her head back, letting it rest against the cold brick behind her.

"Oh Ben! Fuck! You feel so good. I want you! I need you!" she gasped into his skin, as she began trailing kisses down his neck and nipped his skin with her teeth.

That drove Benedict mad, it was like she knew all the things that turned him on and feeling her teeth on his skin caused him to growl into her neck and he needed to feel more of her.

His hands slipped down from her nipple, and trailed down her body, down her stomach and slipped between her legs. 

Sophie’s breath caught as she felt his hands rub her pussy over her shorts, she was in danger of soaking through the demin of her shorts she was that wet. “Please…” she whined and with a smirk he slipped his hand down the inseam of her shorts and slipped his long slender fingers under the seam, sending a blazing fire through her as he inched closer to her destination.

Sophie was rucking her hips against him and the moment his fingers made contact she instantly came, screaming his name “Oh yes! Ben! Fuck… oh god… yes!!” she moaned

Smirking as she was falling apart on him, he moved his other hand, letting his hips hold her in place, he lifted her top and yanked her bikini aside to he took her nipple in his mouth and put his hands back on her arse for better balance as he carried on his exquisite and sensual torture.

His tongue licked the hard nipple, causing her to moan and grind her wet pussy against him. His finger flicked the hard clit, causing Sophie to whimper again, the sensitivity increasing as she raced towards another high... 

Smirking into her lips, he pushed his finger into the wet and inviting folds and her breathing became shallower as she began to grind herself, rucking and fucking his fingers.

Benedict could feel the pain in his cock as he was about to burst through his jeans, he needed her and there was no way there were going to be able to do anything else here. 

He didn’t want to fuck her for the first time on the outside of a building, both of them were still fully dressed and he knew they needed to move, it was probably one the last rational thoughts in his mind.

He pulled his fingers from her wanting pussy and pulled her away from the wall, she whined but he grinned at her “it’s okay, we’re going somewhere a bit more private” he smirked as he carried her into the summer house they had been rucking up against ensuring he locked the door behind him.

Whilst he carried her, she leaned up and started to kiss his cheek and then she ran her tongue across the light stubble of his jaw to his ear before she sucked on his ear, sending shock waves of pleasure and need all the way down to his hard cock. 

He lowered her feet to the floor as he went to a table and turned on a light. It sent a soft light across the room, the curtains were all closed and no one would be able to see in. Benedict turned around as the soft light cascaded across the room onto Sophie, she was glowing in the light and looked even more like the goddess he had through she had been when he had first laid eyes on her.

She was so beautiful, even more so with the hungry yet shy look in her eyes. There was no turning back for either of them. He knew he should stop, but there was no way now, they were past the point of no return here.

As he walked back toward her, Sophie's heart skipped several beat as he reached out and softly took Sophie by the shoulders and pulled her to him, “you’re so beautiful” he groaned as she ran her hands up his stomach and up his chest and shoulders, as she slid the shirt from his body, as he slowly pulled her shirt over her head and both sets of fabric fell to the floor.

Words were no longer necessary as he kissed her shoulders, tugged on the strings of her bikini top and watched as he slid off her shoulders and it too joined their shirts on the floor.

Their eyes met as he turned around and sat on the edge of the bed in the summer house as Sophie stood between his legs, both panting heavily, lust and something deeper in her eyes as he unfastened her shorts and slipped his hands into them and slid them down her hip and down her legs.

He pressed his mouth against the crotch of her bikini bottoms, her scent had filled his nostrils and it was so beguiling and addictive that he had to taste her.  Sophie's hands moved and covered his on her hips not only to keep them against her body, but also to steady herself. Her eyes closed as she moaned and arched her back and pressed into his lips, desperate for more.

He slipped his fingers to the bow ties on the side of her bikini bottoms and unfastened them and watched as they slowly slid them down the same trail of her shorts. Sophie slid her feet out of them and kicked both garments to the side leaving her completely naked.

He moved his head back and let his eyes roam over her body, letting them scan over her thighs, her neatly trimmed pussy, her beautiful round and large breast, her slender neck, up to her face, and into her wanting eyes. 

Those beautiful emerald eyes, they were pleading with him, begging him to continue and he was sure there was no more beautiful sight in the entire world and he knew there and then he had to make her beg for it.

He wanted to hear it from her, he needed to hear her beg for more.

He needed to hear her voice to tell him what she wanted him to do to her beautiful body.

"What do you want, baby?" The words poured over her like molten lava. "Tell me what you want and I will give it to you. Anything you want… just tell me and I will give it to you"

Sophie hesitated for a moment, trying to regain her thoughts before she whispered, her voice so hoarse she barely understood it, "Touch me. Taste me. I want to feel you. I want all of you."

She reached up and curled her fingers into his thick hair as he brought his mouth back against her wet and hot pussy.

With a smirk of “my pleasure” he ran his tongue over the slit. Sparks ignited and became a ball of fire when his tongue parted her pink lips and found her clit, protruding and desperately waiting for him. 

Sophie gasped his name and nearly lost her footing as her legs went weak as his tongue rolled over her clit, his right hand sliding between her legs and rubbing against her pussy as he lapped at her desperately.

She didn't know how much longer she was going to be able to stand up. One of Benedict's fingers slid between her lips and pushed into her wet centre.

"Ben, my legs… I can’t… they’re getting weak, I don't know if I can stand here much longer," she whined

Without taking his hand from her, he wrapped his left hand around her waist and pulled her against his body as he laid back against the bed, bringing her with him, his lips and hands moved from her pussy as their mouths crashed together hard, their tongues dancing in the other’s mouth as Sophie tasted herself on his mouth.

Desperate for more Sophie raised up and straddled him as she took both of his hands and lifted them up and over his head. She slid her hands from his and down the side of Benedict's face, before she slid them down his neck, his chest, as she trailed fiery, hot kisses along those same spots. 

She worked both her hands and mouth down his stomach. She stopped and dipped her tongue into his navel, as she started to unfasten his jeans. Sophie felt his hardness through his jeans and could see how hard he was and how he needed to get out of the jeans soon before the button flew off and broke something.

With a wicked smirk, she climbed off his lap and unfasted them, pulling both his jeans and swim shorts down and throwing them across the room with the rest of the clothes.

She got on her knees between his legs and ran her hands up his thighs, her eyes never leaving his as she teased him, running her hands around Benedict's hard cock, but not touching it. Benedict moaned softly, as he moved his entire body from side to side desperate to free himself from the torture that Sophie was causing. Desperate for her to touch him, to relieve him of his need to be touched.

He looked at her, eyes beseeching as he begged "Please!"

Sophie grinned triumphantly as she circled her right hand around Benedict's hardness, and Benedict gasped deeply at her touch. She began to run her hand up and down the long, hard shaft. "Ofh Fuck baby! Oh, yes," Benedict moaned as his eyes rolled back in his head. Her petite hand felt so good against his rock hard cock.

His eyes flew open as he felt her tongue flicking across the top of his cock, her eyes meeting his, as she watched his reactions.

She loved to watch, and she smirked, her eyes never leaving his as she placed the head of cock between her lips and sucked it deeper into mouth, going all the way down to his balls.

Benedict growled loudly, it had been a very long time since anyone had deep throated his cock, in fact he wasn’t entirely sure anyone had taken his cock as well as Sophie was here, she hadn’t even gagged as he felt himself moving further down until she had taken all of him into her mouth. Sophie slid her mouth up and down his long hard shaft, as she ran her hand along the same trail that her mouth followed. 

It was the most unbelievable experience and it was something he wanted more of but now he knew, if she did that again, he’d cum and he wanted to fuck her. He needed to fuck her.

He grabbed Sophie's hands and pulled her on top of him. "I can't take much of that, not right now. Later… right now I have fuck you. Please… I want to feel your wet, hot pussy wrapped around me. Oh fuck Soph, I gotta have you, please say I can" he begged as he pulled Sophie's mouth to his in a savage passionate kiss.

Sophie parted her legs and straddled Benedict again, rubbing her pussy against his cock. 

The sensation just fuelled the fire burning between the two of them, the need was overwhelming now and they both knew that if they didn’t join soon they’d die. Sophie grabbed the condom Benedict took from his wallet and whilst she wanted to fuck him without it and wanted to feel all of him, this was their first time and whilst it had been a while for her and she was on the pill, she wasn’t sure about him.

She ripped it open with her teeth and slid it on causing them both to groan before she positioned herself back over the top of him and took hold of his cock and guided it into her.

 As he entered her, both Sophie and Benedict gasped deeply as he slid all the way into her. Benedict was bigger than anybody that Sophie has ever been with, and she paused briefly to adjust to his size. 

Benedict realised what she was doing, and restrained himself from grabbing her and thrusting it hard, he knew he wasn’t a small man and Sophie was quite petite so he had to give her a moment.

When she felt more comfortable, having adjusted to his size, Sophie looked down into his eyes, she realised he was watching her and a smirk le came across Sophie's lips. She started moving up and down his cock, slowly, increasing her speed as she rode him.

They very quickly got into the rhythm of each other gasping the other’s name as they moved in tandem, the exquisite feeling of her walls hugging his cock and his cock hitting all the right places in her.

Needing more, Benedict reached up and took a hold of both of her breasts as she continued to ride him, tweaking both nipples between his fingers and thumbs and she whined happily, her breasts were incredibly sensitive and a big erogenous zone for her and most men left her breasts alone and him doing this to her drove her insane.

“Oh fuck Ben…” She gasped “more”

He quickly grabbed her around her hips and started to thrust deep and hard into her wetness. Sophie hungrily met each thrust before he sat up, savagely taking her mouth in his, not losing the stroke of their rhythm as they continued their frenzied fucking.

Benedict moved his mouth away from hers, and took first one hard nipple into his mouth and then the other alternating between the two but as he continued thrusting into her, he found he couldn’t get deep enough in her for his liking and he could see from Sophie the pleasure wasn’t quite the same.

So he rolled her onto her back and she spread her legs for him to get deeper and deeper inside of her. Benedict continued to fuck her harder and deeper, both of them were sweating, and lost in the moment, their names and the sound of their skin slapping against one another as they fucked.

They never took their eyes off each other. If they weren't kissing different parts of each other's bodies, they looked into each other's eyes, the connection between them was sparking and fizzing and increasing in tempo ready to implode and consume them.

"Oh Ben! Fuck! Fuck!! Yes, oh yes! I am going to cum… fuck… I want… I want you to cum with me… fuck yes! yes, oh Fuckkkkkkkk" Sophie moaned loudly.

"Yeah baby. Oh yes, cum for me Sophie, cum hard for me, my little Goddess. You've driven me crazy all day, now cum for me, squeeze me, fucking cum for me," Benedict demanded.

His words were all she needed, she screamed, her back arching from the bed as she screamed is name as he screamed hers, both of them exploding and white stars appearing behind their eyes as Benedict thrust harder into her one last time and help it, as Sophie ground herself again him, the fireworks coming off between them as both of them, for the first time ever, came with the other person. It was simultaneous, magic and loud as it seemed to last forever, suspended in one perfect moment.

Once they were spent, Benedict relaxed and gently lowered himself down, carefully so not to squash her and never wanting to stop touching her, as they laid there quiet for a few moments, while they caught their breath, and gained some composure and feeling back in their bodies.

The whole thing had been out of this world.

Sophie was the first to move as she reached over and kissed him on his forehead, and Benedict looked up into her bright green eyes and smiled. "That was incredible," Sophie whispered, her voice a little hoarse

"That was beyond incredible," Benedict replied. “It’s never been like that before”

"So what now?" Sophie said unsteadily, nerves now creeping in, they had spent the last hour or so fucking like rabbits and she had no idea what to do next.

Benedict lifted himself up onto his elbow, resting his cheek in his hand. "What do you mean 'what now'?"

"Well we literally just met today. We've only known each other for a few hours, and we already fucked like rabbits… So, now what happens?" she asked

"What do you want to happen?" Benedict shot back

"Stop answering my questions, with questions," she pouted at him

He smiled down at her and brushed a hand over her cheek in a gentle caress, his thumb trailing over her adorable pout, "I don't want this to be it… I want to have more of this… I know we should've waited and got to know each other. We should have gone slower, but this was inevitable, I mean… I’ve never felt a pull like this towards anyone ” he paused, dropping a kiss to her nose “But I really don't want this to be a one time thing... Maybe, we can go slower now that we got this out of the way, and really get to know each other....if you want?"

Sophie smiled devilishly, "okay but I don't want that…"

Benedict felt the colour drain from his face in complete shock, surely he wasn’t the only one to have felt this?? "Okay but can I ask why not?" he asked, trying to keep the pain out of his voice, the heartbreak off his face. He was sure he was halfway in love with this woman already and he really didn’t want to lose her.

Sophie giggled, as he hadn’t managed to keep some of the disappointment off his face as she dropped a kiss to his nose this time “I want more also I want to to get to know you, but I also don't want to go slower. I want this too.” she grinned as she trailed her hand up his sweaty, incredibly defined chest,  “Besides, you and I know that we can't stop this from happening again anymore then we could have fought it this time."

Benedict laughed brightly rolling on top of her and kissing her softly as he said, "Okay, we'll get to know each other in the process of fucking and making love like there is no tomorrow?"

Sophie nodded, her hands finding his hair and dragging his mouth back down on top of his and it didn't take long for the fireworks to be ignited once again.

#bridgerton #benedict bridgerton #Benedict bridgerton smut #sophie beckett #benophie #benedict x sophie #Benophie Drabble #ash’s smut

[bookwyrminspiration]

Shattered Upside Down

A kotlc wings au: masterpost here

Chapter 9: The Little Reminders

word count: 7.1k

chapter summary: Sophie and her friends are in the Lost Cities. The broken down, monster-infested Lost Cities. And they only have a certain amount of time to do everything they need to before something bad shows up. But monsters aren't all that comes to try and get them.

warnings: monsters, blood, implied death (of a character never met or mentioned again, who died a long time ago, it's not as bad as it sounds), arguing with parents, fighting, buildings collapsing, brief medical mention, swearing

taglist: I’ll reblog with it. let me know if you want to be added or removed!

Y'all ready? We're tying in some little details from earlier, so that's fun! Enjoy the chapter! Apologies if formatting is a little weird. Tumblr did a thing so I don't know what it'll look like when I post it!

ao3 link here or read below

It was so quiet a pin drop could’ve shattered the world.

Not that it would’ve made a difference. Colored glass and cracked gems littered the ground, an entire city brought to its knees. Mold and mushrooms crawled painstaking through the cracks, condensation crying down the sides, water marks left in their wake. Building after building as far as one could see was destroyed, damaged, some even reduced entirely to rubble.

Sophie didn’t even want to breathe as they moved, the stench of monsters and rotting flesh and decay permeating the area.

They hadn’t seen anything, not yet. But she knew they were there. Somewhere. Watching. Gauging. They’d entered the monsters’ territory, and now they could only try to do what they needed before those things decided to respond.

Their scent was thick enough Sophie wished she’d remembered to bring that mask she’d had before she’d run away, the same one they’d worn on that damning mission. It was supposed to be the end. They’d bring down the facility and clean up the aftermath and everything would get better.

A bright pink hair ribbon fluttered in a breeze, stuck beneath a cluster of broken crystal on the side of the path. A hand print beside it, frozen in the mud. A small hand print. It was gouged through with claw marks. She didn’t want to know what had happened. She knew.

Where do you think they are? Fitz asked, just to her. She gave him a mental shrug in response. She didn’t want to know. No amount of preparing would be enough for whatever happened.

Part of her, a surprisingly large part, didn’t want her parents to show up. She didn’t want to confront them and explain herself and lie her way through the conversation. And she knew she’d be at the center of it. The Moonlark. Sophie Foster. Always in the middle of things. Not that they were wrong, it was just tiring.

Yet another part of her remained horrified she’d even presented this ultimatum. She could risk herself; she’d had more experience with monsters in the past week than she’d had since everything started. Sure, it wasn’t much. But it was something. One of them even saw her as a...friend.

This group, she didn’t want to risk. But they wouldn’t let her do it alone and they’d planned this out beforehand. They weren't going in with their hands tied. And they could all easily escape, rely on those wings if it came to an emergency.

Maybe they’d even leave them alone again, like that creature in the tree the night they ran.

But their parents? They’d been stuck underground for the last several months. And they weren’t even fighters in the first place. They were painfully elven and she loved them to death. She couldn’t stand being responsible for anything that happened here today.

It was so horribly cruel of Sophie to have picked this place, to have given them so little choice. The place was infested. The stench made her eyes water, rips and tears marks littered the buildings everywhere you looked.

Something darted through her peripheral and she flinched. The creatures knew they were here. They just hadn’t attacked. Maybe they’d gotten lucky, were in a part of the city with some of the more docile ones, although all of them were threatening.

Let's get a head start. So they don’t catch us off guard. It seemed forbidden, intrusive to speak aloud. Like there was this careful illusion held together by the silence. None of them were willing to break it.

The others nodded, breaking into two groups.

Sophie, Linh, Biana, and Wylie in one; Dex, Tam, Maruca, Marella, Fitz, and Keefe in the other. Those that could hide the wings, and those that couldn’t. And Dex, who was going to grab some supplies.

Sophie pulled her cloak closer, checking it was secured as a breeze passed by. The wings buzzed in response, the open sky beckoning her. She’d have to be extra careful they didn’t make a noise if their parents showed up.

Wylie nudged her, raising his brows in question.

Right. She was supposed to find them. Track them. She was the telepath of their group.

Everyone reeked of anxiety, muscles tensed as she leaned back against a nearby building for stability, raising her fingers to her temples.

Starting with a blanket sweep, she scanned the nearby area, searching for any presence she could find. The wave spread from her like an explosion, rocketing outwith her at the center. She could feel Fitz stumble, perking up as the wave washed over him, faintly hearing someone ask him what happened. She didn’t bother to hear the reply.

There were pockmarks scattered throughout, empty holes moving within the web she wove. Monsters. Since that day in the facility she’d learned what they felt like, the hollow space they left behind. Like looking for a blind spot. They were...everywhere. But none attacked.

Reaching further, she kept scanning, about to give up.

Someone smelling of cherry blossoms placed their hand down on her shoulder, shaking her slightly. Sophie jerked, inhaling deeply, keeling forward and nearly toppling over if it weren’t for that hand.

Not here yet, she whispered, trying to reorient herself. The sudden change from concentration back to reality had been jarring--unintentional on Biana’s part, but a large stressor nonetheless.

Move!! Biana hissed in her mind, pulling Sophie along.

Oh.

Her mind lagged a moment behind as she was dragged, shaking her head to try and comprehend the enormous, gaping shadow that had fallen over their group.

She covered her mouth to try and slow her breathing as they ducked around a corner.

Biana hadn’t shaken her awake out of impatience or question. She’d jarred her into reality to escape.

Now that she was aware of it, the pungent odor of breath and smoke coated her tongue. Just how distracted had she been? How far out had her mind been reaching that she didn’t even notice the thing right beside her?

It’s claws made a horrid screeching sound against the crystal as it moved, talons sinking into the wall several feet above where they’d just been, its enormous barbed tail swinging lazily, thwacking into that very spot she’d been leaning against, leaving cracks and scratches all down the side.

C’mon, Linh called, gesturing from where she was tucked away on the other side of the road. Let’s get away from here.

There was no way they could get past that tail, sporadically swinging around and blocking that path to the rest of their group. Goddamnit. How had they gotten separated so quickly?

“There’s no way we’re getting through there,” Biana groaned oh so quietly, speaking Sophie’s thoughts aloud, shaking out her hands, trying to dispel the nerves.

Sophie absentmindedly nodded in agreement, surveying the area, looking for the least dangerous, quickest path. She didn’t even need a destination, just away. Biana’s fingers closed around her wrist, drawing energy from her skin as they both sporadically faded in and out of view. Huh. When had Biana grown so powerful?

The thing shifted its weight, tail thunking around and sinking into the wall, using it as leverage to crawl further up the building, staining it red wherever its skin grated against the crystal.

Wait.

Now, Sophie urged, pulling them both back. Use this moment. Take advantage of every single second you’re granted and wring every inch of progress you can from it. With the tail momentarily occupied, you’d think she’d go forward. Dart through the danger and emerge victorious.

No. Sophie Foster didn’t like to do things the way people expected her to. It made her eyelashes itch.

She whirled around, Biana attached to her wrist. They’d backed themselves into a corner, but just how far back would this corner go? What would it give them if only they had the keen insight to ask?

Its eyes made contact with hers and its mouth dropped open just as they turned their backs, the sound of the ground trembling behind them as it dropped itself down, starting the hunt.

Rock slammed against the soles of their shoes as they stumbled through the rubble, tripping over colored pebbles and ducking under collapsed pillars, buildings rising on either side of them like they were trapped in a maze with no end. No solution.

Growls and screeching claws echoed around them, and she knew they were surrounded. She couldn’t see them but she knew.

They’d caused a commotion and now everyone was coming to see what all the fuss was about.

Cursing, they rounded a corner only to come to a screeching stop, a mound of crystal pieces blocking their path. Turning, they looked over their shoulders.

Something skidded down the side of the building, the narrow gap between walls, claws scratching as it descended, something unpleasant in its eye. It’s mouth gaped, no teeth in sight but a hissing noise emerged nonetheless. It was large enough it nearly didn't fit in the space, but it contorted and slithered and narrowed its gaze onto her, mouth falling open with a mechanical click.

Well, fuck. It’s too early for that. The morning chill hadn’t even dispersed yet.

Both their heartbeats hammered in their chest, adrenaline surging as she realized this one was very much not friendly, it wouldn’t even try to be. Leave leave leave leave leave she needed to get out. They needed to go somewhere anywhere else.

Where are you going? Linh asked, somewhere from beside Wylie. It seemed Biana and Sophie were the only ones in danger. Great. The others didn’t even know they were being hunted, stalked, tracked, assessed.

Um. Good question, she responded. I’ll let you know when we figure that out. Biana glanced at her sidelong, seeming to realize Sophie actually didn’t have a plan and groaning. Then grinned, laughing with her hand over her mouth to stifle the sound as she threw herself into their escape.

They turned on their heels, putting their backs to this new monster once more, and ran. On hands and knees, rocks and pebbles shifting uneasily beneath them as they climbed over the pile.

Their cloaks with the chaotic movement and Sophie caught a single glimpse of the vibrant orange against Biana’s back before she was bumping into a corner and moving again.

It crashed into something behind them, the haphazard destruction providing a dangerous terrain it couldn’t quite navigate. Good. Good. This was good.

Run. Jump. Avoid. Disappear.

It roared behind them, screeching in pain as something heavy crashed down. Maybe it’d gotten caught on a building. Good. That was good, right?

Sunlight shone through the gaps between buildings, spastic as they channeled extra power into their legs, dashing darting dancing through the destruction until she saw an opening, looked up and remembered that flash of orange and realized she was not burdened to the ground and she grabbed Biana’s hand.

“JUMP,” she screamed, her voice echoing through the walls and reverberating back to her against the crystal.

They jumped, pushing all that channeled strength into their legs and leaping higher higher higher until they crested the walls and could see for miles for everywhere for eternity.

And they caught themselves.

Those wings snapped out, flinging themselves from beneath the cloaks and smoothing their descent. She blinked and that film dropped over her eyes.

Biana moved jerkily yet somehow smooth in the sky, letting go of Sophie’s hand as she flitted to and fro, movements that would’ve made Sophie undeniably nauseous.

It took her only a moment to locate the others, to find Wylie’s exasperation and Linh’s concern. To change course and point Biana in the right direction and swan dive down, curving around crumbling spires and rods.

Risking a glance backwards, she couldn’t locate that creature, it seemingly lost within that maze of buildings and halls and paths that would’ve trapped them too had the sky not beckoned so loud.

Clear. They were in the clear. It was behind them. They were fine.

Vaguely, she could see the other group in the distance, the rest of their friends pointing and waving as they watched them soar in slowly descending circles, growing ever closer to the ground. They’d gone off to find Dex’s supplies, just perusing through the city. It’d take several people to get everything he needed, maybe even more than one trip.

Biana began lowering herself, but Sophie couldn’t help but linger in the sky just a few moments longer, taking in the destruction. Reminding herself of everything they were fighting for, why she needed to step out of her own skin and remember all the people she’d left behind.

She shouldn’t have.

Something glimmered off in the distance, only visible with this new eyesight from this vantage point, but she dropped like a stone.

The void let her through, jumping between places and glitching through the air like she had when she’d grabbed Marella, falling atop Biana in the sky and wrapping her arms around her, jerking them through the void and onto the ground, sprawling a few feet away from the rest of their group.

Shit.

Biana sat up, shaking herself off and covering her wings, drawing that cloak close. Everyone’s hearts were hammering, echoing in her ears as her throat went dry.

Sophie got to her feet, bracing her hands on the back of her neck. She couldn’t dare speak it out loud, didn’t know what was still listening. If that creature had truly gotten itself caught or if it was just waiting to continue the chase. She didn't want to bother with it, just thinking it a minor nuisance as the real shit came to fruition.

Huh. Her world had devolved into such chaos that a monster chase was just a brief interruption, nothing to be thought over.

She shook her hands out, Wylie reaching down to help Biana to her feet.

There was no use putting it off any longer, so she spoke into the entire mindbubble. They’re here.

Sophie couldn’t pull her wings close enough; they were so conformed to the shape of her body she worried they’d bend that way permanently. But still, she wanted them closer. She’d buttoned up the front of her cloak, prepared her lies, but it wasn’t enough. Nothing would ever be enough.

She scratched at her arms to try and distract herself, but that just pulled at her damaged skin, leaving lacerations and blood stains behind. She really should’ve wrapped them. Why hadn’t she wrapped herself up? That’s what she’d gone with Tam to get.

Linh's skin was covered in bandages, her legs and arms tightly bound. It hid some of the incandescence, and in the morning light she almost looked completely normal. Sophie should’ve done the same to herself. She’d gotten so distracted she hadn’t even thought to, and none of the others had remembered to remind her.

Strange. Usually they were so on top of her injuries. It was...unsettling to imagine why they weren’t this time. Not that--not that she wanted them to focus on her. She just--

“Is everyone prepared?” Wylie’s voice was so loud in this silence it made her physically jump, taking all of her energy to keep the wings from shooting out in fear, giving herself away. She did get some impressive height, though.

“Nope. Let’s do this anyway.” If they didn’t do this now, didn't confront their parents and convince them to stop trying to find them, they’d just have to do it again later.

They were fine for now. They were relatively safe and unharmed. Their injuries were from themselves, not the forest. The forest. The forest only she had access to.

If you can, grab the stuff to make a temporary crystal or find a pathfinder of some kind, she sent out to everyone. So you don’t have to rely on me.

Nice try, Foster. I like relying on you. But yeah we’ll look.

She rolled her eyes. Of course he was joking. He knew she was anxious and the little fucker was trying to make her feel better. And it was fucking working. She scowled.

Alright. Now or never. Do or die.

Live with it.

Sophie couldn’t see through the tears falling from her lashes, the wet getting caught up in those films. The world was made of fragments and smears and it was all she could do to hold herself together as she saw her father climbing over a mound of rubble.

Grady. Dad.

There were others beside him, an entire group who had come out to try and get them back, but she couldn’t stop herself from desperately reaching out one last time. She saw him and her legs were moving moving moving and she just had to get to him to let him hold her to feel him alive beneath her fingertips.

He was moving too, eyes widening as he sprinted forward and then he was right there and his arms wrapped around her and held on so so tight and his chin rested on her head and her face was buried in his chest and he smelled like soap and feathers and warmth and home.

She’d missed this so much.

“Hey, kiddo,” he whispered against her hair, the braids she’d woven them into on the walk over, trying to tame the mess. She’d have to do that when flying. They rocked back and forth, just holding holding holding each other.

She’d missed this.

Eventually, he stepped back a bit, holding her out by the shoulders and looking her over, gnawing at his lip as he saw all the blisters, the lacerations, the burns. The scratches.

It’d been a rough couple of days.

“Are you okay?” he asked, bringing her in close again, this time oh so gentle. Like he was afraid one wrong move would tear her apart.

She just shrugged; she couldn’t get her throat to work. She exhaled, the breath shaky and uncontrolled, wiping at her eyes to try and compose herself. She didn’t even know who else was here. Did she care?

Sophie stepped back, but Grady reached up to pat the top of her head, smoothing down her hair. She leaned into the touch. She’d missed this.

He stepped to the side when he saw her leaning to try and see around him, glancing around the area now that she was here and there was something to protect.

There were so many people. Any number was many. She didn’t know why she thought she could do this. She could do this.

Taking a deep breath, she counted who’d come.

Ro and Sandor--Sandor--stood on either side of the group, weapons out and noses lifted to the wind. Protection. Della was wrapped around Biana, fussing over her and feeling the bandages on her arm. A pang of guilt hit her, but she pressed it aside. Mr. Forkle stood beside Wylie, the two of them in some sort of discussion she hadn’t expected. Elwin had rushed to Linh just beside Wylie, and was now carefully lowering her to the ground, Juline giving a helping hand.

Juline. She looked up, making eye-contact with Sophie, holding it.

“Everyone else is in a different part of the city,” she said, clearing her throat. “But they’re fine. They’re okay. Well--” she cut off, eyes glazing over as she reached out to Fitz.

Grady’s hand tightened on her shoulder, but the sensation faded as her mind reached away from her body.

I’ve...they’re here. She said, unsure how else to put it. Are you all doing alright?

It took him a moment to respond. Yup. Just a little--shit. Just a lot of unwieldy things. I just dropped something. Dex seems to be having the time of his life, though. None of it makes sense to me.

Okay. Reach out if you need anything. Or just to interrupt...because this conversation isn't going to be fun.

He laughed slightly, hollow. Yeah. I definitely don't envy you right now.

Wait, have you envied me before?

Good question.

She waited for him to answer it, but it was silent on his end. Well you can’t just--

Take care, Sophie. I love you.

He severed their connection.

“--Sophie?” Someone was shaking her--Grady. That was Grady. His hand was on her shoulder and he was shaking her back into her body.

“Mmm. Yup. That’s me,” she slurred, shaking her head slightly to regain her stability, to ground herself. She rubbed at her eyes, Fitz’s words echoing in her mind. I love you.

She wanted to say it back. Why hadn’t he given her the chance to say it back?

Sophie found Juline once more, directing her words in that general area but addressing the whole group. “Yeah, they’re all fine.”

“Tell them to come here, please.” Ah. Okay. Right into it, then.

She shook her head. “They’re busy.”

Sandor stepped forward, fist tightening on the hilt of his blade. “They can un-busy themselves for this.”

Wylie took it for her, and she nearly leapt forward to hug him right there and then, but it didn’t seem like the right time. She didn’t want to be the only one they addressed.

“Unfortunately, they cannot. But anything you need to tell them you can tell us and we’ll relay the information.” He crossed his arms, glancing towards her as if in question.

She inclined her head slightly. Yes, it was okay that he stepped in.

“We’ll need all of you in one place for this,” Sandor said, and Sophie’s stomach dropped.

“We’re not going back.”

Grady’s hand tightened on her shoulder, flexing as if he wanted to pull her closer and just leap away with her. But they were separated. If they stole the four of them away now, they’d never find the other six.

She hated that they had to strategize like this.

“Look,” Ro began, pointing a dagger at her to emphasize her point. “I don’t know what kind of idiocy has infected your group, but you can’t be up here. You and your little fucked up elf brains have to come back with us, to the underground. And we’ll take you by force if necessary.” Everyone flinched, Juline frowning at her like they’d had an agreement beforehand, a plan, and Ro had gone completely off the rails.

Sophie just shook her head. “No. We’re here to see you. To let you know everyone’s okay, and that you don’t need to worry.” Ro rolled her eyes, and Sophie was tempted to flip her off. “But we are not going back, and that is final.”

“This absolutely is not final, kiddo.” Grady contradicted, turning her around slightly to face him. The movement sent her cape swirling and for a moment she thought the wings would become visible, but they remained hidden. Thank fuck.

This would never end. They’d only go round and round and round in circles and neither would ever concede and their parents would never understand why. They’d just sit here until--

“While we’re...discussing that, how about you sit down and let me look over you, that sound good?” Elwin waved her over from where he sat beside Linh, whose bandages had been peeled back. Biana sat by Linh’s side, looking over fresh, better wrapped bandages over her cuts. He must’ve gotten to work on the two of them while Sophie had been talking with Fitz. Right. His little farewell would haunt her the moment she had time to think...which didn’t seem to be anytime soon.

She nodded, walking over and placing herself beside Linh, bumping her arm with her elbow in greeting. Linh bumped right back into her, smiling as she winced. Something about this light made her look almost normal. She wondered why no one else had commented or asked about the patterns on her skin. Could they even see them?

He inhaled, sucking the air in through clenched teeth. “I bet you two were exposed to the same thing, huh?” He asked, gently pulling Sophie’s arm and inspecting the peeling skin.

“Yep,” she answered, unsure how much Linh had already said.

He doesn’t know it was Marella, she whispered into Sophie’s mind.

What did you tell him?

Run in with a weird creature and a stray explosive? Sorry, I was thinking on the spot.

Sophie nodded. She could work with that story.

“I’d tell you to be more careful around fires and those kinds of things, but I don’t think you know how,” he teased, but his frown didn’t fade as he gently observed the visible skin, pulling serums and creams and bandages from his bag. “I guess that’s why you specifically requested I come.” Sophie nodded, then realized she should probably say something.

She cleared her throat. “You don’t know that. Maybe we just missed you.”

He laughed, gently rubbing a thin layer of something over her arm before covering it with a light gauze. She sighed with relief, leaning against Linh. She hadn’t realized how much pain she’d been in until she felt the cooling effect of the balm.

Both Sophie and Linh were given several elixirs, luckily none too soured or rotten. Biana;s injuries were light enough that she only took a pain reliever.

Unfortunately, the brief peace couldn’t last. The adults seemed content to just keep watch, the scent of sweat and anxiety overwhelming as they surveyed the area, eyed the tree line, the mounds of rubble, just long enough for Elwin to do the basics of what he needed.

Probably because they expected him to be able to continue the treatment once they’d gotten to the underground.

They didn’t seem to understand that they were not coming back.

She wanted to. She didn’t want to leave.

Mr. Forkle approached her on the ground, offering her a hand to help her stand. The gauze across her palm rubbed strangely as he hoisted her to her feet, the sensation off-putting enough that she shook it out slightly as she found her balance.

Linh tugged at her cloak as she stood, readjusting it so it sat against the wings properly, hiding them. Elwin had tried to get her to take it off, but she’d refused. Told him to just do what he could see right now and worry about the rest later.

He’d also told them all he’d want to look at their backs, see what had happened after he’d left them for a short time and returned to find them gone.

He’d told them he’d forgive them if they apologized for scaring the shit out of him, that they didn’t have to do it now. They could deal with all of that later.

There wouldn’t be a later. She just had to convince them to let them all go.

They’d never agree to let them all go. This was an impossible task, doomed to fail from the start.

“You kids just love getting in trouble, don’t you?” He asked, stepping back to let the others come forward. The groups condensed, kids (and Wylie) across from the adults, the line seemingly already drawn.

She shrugged. “That tends to happen when you give children the responsibility of fixing a broken world.”

Linh winced, but this time it wasn’t from her injuries.

“That responsibility was meant to be shared and eased with the help of the Black Swan, help we cannot provide with you as runaways.”

Sophie rolled her eyes. “No. You’re still part of the problem. You weren’t helping anyone, certainly not us.” Oh. Okay. She was doing this now.

“We know you think our ways are too traditional, that we’re not making progress--”

“No. Let me talk.” She held up a hand, silencing them. She’d let them silence her into submission when she’d burned down that storehouse; she wouldn’t let them do it again. “The first time the Neverseen were defeated, how did that happen? Us. We--my friends and I--took the fight to them. We didn’t sit at home waiting for approval from the council, waiting to fight ‘legally.’ There was a problem. A problem that got people killed. And you’d been fighting for decades and got nowhere until I tracked Gisela across the globe and found her myself. Until Dex hacked their trackers and trailed them. Until Biana infiltrated their base on her own to plant bugs and get us intel.”

They looked like they wanted to stop her, but she pressed on. “Your complacency has gotten you nowhere, and I am not at all sorry to be fighting to get results. The Neverseen were gone. My friends brought them to their knees, and you said you’d support us, take it from there and pick up the pieces. Well, guess what? Those pieces scattered in the wind because they weren’t properly disposed of and now they're out in the world, causing even more trouble than we ever could have imagined. You didn’t do your part, so I don’t trust you to support us now. You’ll have to earn that back, and if this”--she gestured to their little group, the people they’d sent to try and convince them all to come back, to tug at their hearts and play into their guilt--”is any indication, you are only getting further and further away from that.”

She crossed her arms, trying to keep herself in check. She hadn’t even known she’d had all that bubbling beneath her skin, but now that she’d open that part of herself she could feel it frothing, foaming to escape. There were so many ways she’d been disappointed, so many mistakes people had consciously made, it felt like her veins would burst.

Ro’s mouth had fallen open, torn between anger at her stubbornness to come back and loving Sophie’s disregard for those in charge, the disobedience.

Biana glanced at her out of the corner of her eye, raising a brow in question. Sophie nodded, imperceptible. They needed someone to cool the situation down, someone good in social situations.

Juline opened her mouth to respond but Biana cut her off, stepping forward. She was never afraid to be blunt and Sophie loved that about her.

She smoothed out her clothes, her scars on full display. “You seem to misunderstand why we’re here. We left abruptly, we know. It was necessary. Now that things have calmed down, we agreed to see you again--to give you some peace of mind. To let you know we’re okay in person. Not just the four of us, all ten.

“We didn’t come here to debate returning. We’re not coming back, not right now. So stop trying to convince us, and don’t try to justify your actions against valid criticism.”

There was silence for a moment, then Della spoke.

“You’re not safe out here,” she said. Smart. Begin the conversation with an indisputable fact in their favor. But Sophie could do that too.

“We’re not safe anywhere.”

Sandor sighed, but it sounded more like a growl, not even looking at her, still scanning the perimeter. They were fairly out in the open; for some reason, they hadn’t moved to better ground.

“You’ll be much safer where we, your bodyguards”--he gestured to himself and Ro--”can see you and protect you. That’s what we’re here for. This is a massive nest of monsters; we’re lucky we haven’t been attacked yet. This is a mess.” He gestured around the area, the cracked crystal and claw marks.

He was right. Which was why they needed to end this quickly. Get them out before they were hurt. She needed to go somewhere else, to cool off. She could feel Linh and Wylie’s eyes on her, wondering if she’d explode at their parents like she’d done with Biana.

Sophie nodded in agreement. She was nodding a lot during this conversation. “You’re very good bodyguards, but we’re staying up here. Besides, our location isn’t here.”

“Then tell us where you are,” Juline cut in, a hint of panic in her voice. Glad to see the four of them safe, but none of them the person she’d specifically come for. And she didn’t know it, but that one person’s body wasn’t working the way it should.

Combined with her outburst, the realization that they were completely out of power in this situation was settling in. She could read it in their widening eyes, the shifts in their stances, like they were rearranging themselves.

“We can’t. We literally can’t.”

“Please, Sophie--” Grady began, running his hands through his hair in frustration, looking like he wanted to grab her and shake some sense into her, but he froze.

They all did.

Because they all heard it.

A horrendous screeching noise, like metal grating against metal. Or claws against the ground.

SOPHIE. GET OUT OF THERE. Fitz’s voice pounded into her mind, panic and terror following.

What? Why?

MONSTER!

“Move,” she hissed, shoving Linh to the side, noting Biana dragging Wylie the other way. Away. They had to get away.

She looked over her shoulder, seeing their group scramble, glancing around frantically, trying to find where the noise had come from. Sophie hadn’t bothered to figure it out, just moving away.

Something crashed to the ground, a great plume of smoke and dust arising from the area, whipped around by a sudden wind, like something was beating its wings. It must’ve been a tower, building, the sound so horrendous she stumbled, hands pressed to her ears as it ripped through her.

Wylie was panting on the ground across from her, eyes closed as his hands covered his ears.

The building took eternity to fall, seconds of time dripping past like a deluge, one after another until she couldn’t tell the difference and someone was screaming her name or maybe that was just the ringing in her ears but something was coming coming coming it was after them they’d overstayed their welcome and everything was crashing apart around her.

Think, Foster, she reminded herself.

Next step. Find the others. Find everyone.

The few precious seconds it took her to gather herself enough to reach for her temples were too many. She was out of time.

“I said MOVE!” Fitz was yelling at her, sprinting from a nearby alley, a pathway through the mess. He was moving lopsided, his limp aggravated by whatever the physical labor had done to his knee. Oh.

That’s why he’d warned her.

His group was heading their way, a monster in tow, screaming at them to get out.

The other six were close behind, Keefe darting around corners, Dex leaping into the air with channelling. Marella’s hands were glowing, Tam’s fingernails stained black.

Their cloaks fastened tight but something something something still looked off if you were focusing. No one was focusing on them.

They were occupied with something else.

It screamed.

Sophie stood there, frozen, as it crawled over a mound of rubble, jerking and frantic, several eyes littered over its body, claws digging into the crystal as all its sight narrowed in.

On the other group.

Where her father was.

“NO!” She didn’t know who said it, who screamed. But her throat stung and her body was trying to move without her permission.

“Dex,” Juline yelled, a strange relief washing over her face as she saw him, quickly vanishing as the creature tumbled forward. It moved so inhumanly quick, limbs upon limbs emerging and cycling as it danced uncontrolled toward their vulnerable parents.

Ro had drawn her sword, a maniacal grin slicing her face as she laughed, widening her stance.

No no no nonono. She couldn’t kill it. She didn’t stand a chance and she’d go down trying and it would be all Sophie’s fault because she’d frozen and wasn’t doing anything when if anyone deserved to pay it was her.

Grady’s face had hardened, a weapon in his hand she didn’t recognize pulled from somewhere as he stood back, eyes on that charging creature when his face went slack and he whirled, another one emerging from behind.

She couldn’t get to him, an eternity between them, rocks and debris and a wall of hurt throwing them further and further apart with each step she took forward. Linh was tugging at her arm, Maruca at her other. Trying to get her away.

It was impossible to fix this. They’d doomed themselves from the start.

He was still wildly searching the area, searching for her.

They made eye contact, his face softening as he saw her, saw how far she was. That she could still get away, wasn’t being directly attacked.

“No,” she whispered, watching him turn away, steel settling over his skin. A calm acceptance

No.

She wouldn’t do this, wouldn’t watch him die.

Sophie lunged forward, breaking from her friends’ grasps with that new ease,

and

she

glitched.

She was dancing through time and space, here and there and everywhere in a single instant. There was no distance too far, nothing she couldn’t be in this one moment in time. This one moment that she’d make last an eternity. This world was hers to command.

She appeared, just at his side, shoving him away, letting that prowling creature descend on her instead, sinking its teeth into the skin of her shoulder, ripping through fabric and darting away.

She didn’t care. She didn’t care at all. Because Grady was fine just a few feet away. He was fine. That’s all that mattered.

His eyes widened as he watched her, trying to stand amongst all this chaos and rubble, and she didn’t understand didn't understand the fear, the pain in his eyes. The screams and gasps echoing behind her, the way the world seemed to pause for a moment.

Not until she saw the tattered remains of her cloak fall to the ground.

“Go home,” she whispered, backing away from him. “Go back. It’s not safe up here.”

He wasn’t moving, he wasn’t talking; no one was.

But the creatures were still screaming, eyes condensing and coalescing, observing her and the people around her.

“Get them out of here, Sophie” Maruca screamed, force-fields flickering into place around the creatures, caging them in. But she wasn’t steady on her feet. Why hadn’t she raised the shields earlier? Maruca nearly fell, her hold flickering. She was buying Sophie a few seconds, but that was all she could give. Who knew what she'd given already.

Sohie steeled her nerves, letting the wings buzz behind her, keeping the attention. Let them see her, let them focus on her and not notice the things on her friends backs too.

“I’m sorry,” was all she said, darting forward faster than Grady’s eyes could understand, glitching the two of them just a little bit away, beside Della. She grabbed the two of them, and vanished.

The clearing was just as she remembered it. The crystal grate sat crooked on the ground, the trees around as menacing and uninviting as ever. Last time she’d been here it was raining.

It was supposed to be the last time.

She let go of the two of them, ripping through the void back to the Lost Cities. Another two. Juline and Elwin. She brought them back.

Went back and forth until they were all back, all away, all safe. Safer, at least.

“Sophie, wait--” Grady was reaching for her. He scrambled for his pocket, telling her they'd just come back. She couldn’t leave, she had to stay. Let the adults go back and handle it.

She twirled the pathfinder through her fingers, listened as he fell silent.

It’d been right there in easy reach when she’d grabbed him. So she’d taken it. They’d needed one, and taking it from him kept them from coming back. At least for a little bit.

He was reaching for her.

She didn’t look back.

She vanished.

The shields fell just as Sophie arrived. There were monsters loose in the Lost Cities, chasing her and her friends. She didn’t care.

The world had ended years ago.

Nothing. That’s what she felt.

Everything was numb. The echoing screams of the creatures, the grating of their claws against the ground, the sweat and fear of her friends. None of it registered. It would hit her later, she knew, but not now. Not yet.

Sophie dug her nails into her scalp, watching the creatures explode out of their containment, finally set free. They laughed, animalistic, bodies thrashing rhythmically as they slithered forward.

Apparently physics didn’t matter anymore.

Thoughts and plans filtered through her mind, the mindbubble alight with chaos. She tuned it out, just watching from the center of it all. The eye of the storm.

Someone was in the sky, unused to flying but moving with enough precision she knew they’d done it before.

One of the creatures locked eyes with her, maw falling open with a haphazard grin. A mechanical creak came from it’s neck as it twitched.

It scrambled forward, close to the ground, crossing the clearing in just a few short moments.

She didn’t care.

It was going to tear her to pieces.

She didn’t care.

The ground rumbled, trembling and bucking and weaving into new positions, throwing them all the ground, the scent of thunder and terror rolling over her, knees buckling beneath her.

The stench hit her first, the watered down rot, a dying perfume of withered roses and rotten fruit. Cloyingly sweet, deceptively undead. Her eyes began to water, like she’d been physically hit. She couldn’t see through the tears, but she didn’t need to.

It made itself known.

Dark and decay seemed to slip through the cracks of the stone, falling upwards like unnatural rain.

It crushed that creature beneath its gargantuan paw, cracked and molten.

It was right in front of her.

She looked at it and it looked back, nearly four times the size of the thing it’d just killed like it was nothing.

Monsters vs monster. It’s eyes glowed a deep gold, dripping down the midnight blue of its face, its body vaguely bear shaped.

It looked away, charging towards those other monsters, the movement accompanied by a jingle.

There was a collar around its neck, tags clanging against each other as it moved, killing--destroying--each of those creatures her friends ran from one by one.

An intelligence lingered behind its eyes, its movements. This was...even more unsettling than the creatures, than the destruction littered around her.

It blinked at her like it knew her.

Sophie forced herself to her feet, to take in absolutely everything she could about this thing before it vanished. It could be the difference between life and death.

It lowered it’s head to the ground, and

her

heart

stopped.

Behind it’s head, hidden by the whorls of curls decorating its stocky body, was a little girl sat atop it.

A little girl in a chaotic, elaborate gown, something human’s thought princesses would wear, frizzy red hair tangled around her face.

The little girl she’d seen in the facility.

#thank you to pyro for inspiring part of where this chapter went #he's incredible and I love him lots /p #anyways...how we feeing? #that was a lot #i'm not sorry though :) #come back in two weeks to figure out what the hell happens next #okay but thoughts? #this one was a lot of fun for me so I'm curious if it was for you too #kotlc #keeper of the lost cities #kotlc fic #kotlc fanfic #kotlc chaptered fic #shattered upside down #shattered upside down chapter #kotlc wings au #quil's quill

[that-scouse-wizard]

HPHL Profile: Reuben Willows

General Information

Full name: Reuben Patrick Willows

Gender: Cis Male

DOB: 17/07/18XX

Species: Human

Blood status: Pure-blood

Sexuality: Bisexual

Alignment: Neutral Good

Ethnicity: White-Irish

Nationality: Irish

Residence: Dublin, Ireland

Later, the Llwelyn Manor

Myers Briggs Personality Type: ENFP, the Campaigner

Special ability: Legilimens

Character Summary: Level-headed though as stubborn as a mule, Reuben Willows is a natural born Legilimens. A love for all things draconic inspires the studious Ravenclaw to become a Dragonoligist. Perhaps he could use his abilities to better understand the minds of the beasts he is so fascinated with. Though he appears intimidating, just don’t voice open support of the Ministry (especially the Warlock’s Convention of 1709) around him and you’ll be fine.

Personality

Artistic: Reuben is very much fond of drawing, finding it quite relaxing, he loves drawing landscapes and people’s portraits.

Calm: Reuben is usually non-confrontational about most topics, except for how competent the Ministry really is, then he’ll absolutely tear into it.

Cocky: Reuben can get a bit arrogant about his achievements when he does well in them. It’s resulted in a few close shaves when handling magical creatures.

Competitive: As a beater on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, Reuben always encourages a healthy sense of competition between the other houses though even he needs to be careful about crossing the line.

Empathetic: Reuben’s Legilimens abilities allows him to sense how others are feeling, often giving him insight on how best to approach them in the moment. This has gone so far as even being able to calm dragons down.

Hard-working: Work on his grandparents farm/ farm shop reinforced the ideal of hard, honest work in him. There’s no real shortcut to success in his eyes.

Loyal: Reuben has a great sense of loyalty to his grandparents and to friends who show it.

Stubborn: Reuben has the Willows’ family infamous stubbornness, it’s not often he’ll falter from his position on something.

Witty: Despite his imposing size and build, Reuben would much prefer to use brain over brawn unless he absolutely has to.

Appearance

Face claim: Hafthor Bjornsson

Voice claim:

Game appearance: TBA

Physique: Athletic, broad-shouldered, pretty much a walking wall of muscle.

Hair colour: Dark brown.

Eye colour: Grey.

Hair style: Usually keeps it cropped short.

Height: 6′1′’

Weight: 85kg (when full grown)

Scarring: Has three major ones. A bowtruckle scratch down the length of the upper side of his left forearm. One on his right elbow after landing roughly when a cow on his grandparents’ farm chased him. One on his abdomen from an especially feisty Welsh Green wyrmling (baby dragon) after it whipped him with its tail. Also has several on his back from his dad took a belt to him

Body modifications: Has two tattoos on his chest, depicting the heads of a Hungarian Horntail (his favourite dragon species) and an Irish Ironhead (an original dragon). On his upper right arm, a depiction of a Welsh Green, similarly on his upper left arm, a Norwegian Ridgeback. No piercings.

Inventory: His wand, a sketchbook, a journal, his writing/drawing equipment and most importantly, his Irish Ironhead dragon fang necklace..

Fashion: Aside from his Quidditch attire during a match and robes for lessons, Reuben tends to wear very hardy materials one would expect a farmer to wear.

Think this style: 

However, Reuben will definitely dress up well for any formal event, most likely will wear bronze and blue..

Background/History:

Pre-Hogwarts:

-Reuben was born close to Dublin, Ireland to auror parents, their only child.

-Unfortunately, the two of them desired to see Reuben gain the influence of an auror just as they had. 

-They effectively tried to groom Reuben for this career path to an abusive extent, especially to make his Legilimens abilities work as a lie detector of sorts..

-One such measure taken was severing Reuben’s contact with his grandparents when he was nine. Previously, the happiest Reuben had been was working on their farm/farm shop that provided for the local wizarding community. His parents began to feel this was a distraction which prompted the separation.

First year: .

-Despite his best efforts he just doesn’t have a knack for DADA, something that infuriates his parents.

-He meets several of his lifelong friends including the three who would make up his found family, Cledwyn Ironwood, Faith Renner and Marigold Sterling

Second year:

-He learns via letter from his grandad that his grandmother has passed away, enclosed in the letter is small, sharp, serrated tooth perfect for snipping grass and shrubs. The fang of an extinct herbivorous dragon species called the Irish Ironhead, it’s been fashioned into a necklace. One that he wears proudly whenever he’s at Hogwarts.

-Between the summer of second and third year, Siobhan Llwelyn invites him to spend some time at the dragon sanctuary, where Reuben meets his hero, Edwin Llwelyn.

Third year:

-TBA

Fourth year:

-TBA

Fifth year

-TBA:

Sixth year

-Finally after years of trying to avoid or take a sticks and stones approach to his parent’s abuse, Reuben snaps. By this point, he’s fully grown and very strong, he drags his father outside the family home and pummels him to within an inch of his life. 

-He doesn’t give his father the satisfaction of dying, instead opting to spit on his beaten, bloodied form. Then giving both of his parents a stark warning to stay away from him, he doesn’t want them in his life anymore.

Seventh year:

-Reuben’s main residence outside of Hogwarts is his grandparent’s farm, looking after his grandfather in his failing health when he can. 

-Just after he graduates, his grandfather passes away.

Post-Hogwarts:

-Reuben’s budding skills as a dragonologist come to full fruition under the tutelage of Edwin. The apprenticeship lasts for a solid three years before Edwin officially hires Reuben. 

-Two years after that, Siobhan returns from her five year long journey, staying on as a consultant but having no desire to take over the sanctuary.

-Instead (much to Reuben’s surprise) Siobhan thinks he should take over the sanctuary.

-Reuben spends the rest of his days helping to rehabilitate the dragons on the sanctuary, becoming a renowned dragonologist of the time. 

-He documents successes and failures in rearing the dragons, publishing his findings in a series of books. Occasionally being a bit scathing of the Ministry in certain passages.

Family:

Father: Declan Willows

Face Claim: Adam Pettyfer

A harsh man with utter disdain for his son’s aspirations, Declan is very much uncompromising and loathes the thought of his only child rebelling against him. His own upbringing from his father being too much of push over, seeing how it affected his family is it what turned him into the cruel, bitter patriarch of the Willows family

Mother: Sophie Willows (nee Neylan)

Face claim: Anne Hathaway

Similarly to her husband, hates Reuben’s interest in animals and magical creatures. Unlike her parents, despises the thought of being a farmer, hence why she chose to become an auror for the influence it gave.

Her strained relationship with her parents would come to a head when she forbade Reuben from having any contact with them when he was nine.

Grandmother: Aislin Willows (nee Nic Naois)

Face Claim: Judi Dench

A kind and loving grandmother, utterly devoted to her only grandson, Aislin would encourage Reuben’s love of the natural world. Something that caused further tension in the already strained relationship with her daughter Sophie, coming to a head when Reuben was separated from her and her husband, Nathan.

Sadly, she would pass away during Reuben’s second year, having not seen him face-to-face for three years. However, her last gift to him would be the fang of an Irish Ironhead she managed to acquire.

Grandfather: Nathan Willows

Face claim: Patrick Stewart

A devoted grandfather to Reuben and someone who instilled the value of hard work into him. Also fond of teaching his grandson how to bake cakes and how to run a business in the family’s farm and farm shop.

He was heartbroken when Reuben was taken from him and Aislin, but even more so when Aislin would pass away after a few years. His own failing health would sadly mean he passed away just after Reuben graduated but at least had the chance to spend his last days with his grandson by his side.

Granddaughter: Rue Willows

Face Claim: Fiona O’Carroll

Having a similar relationship to himself and his own grandparents, Reuben greatly encourages Rue’s decision to go into Dragonology. Even if it is under the employ of the Ministry as part of the Dragon Research and Restraint Bureau.

He would go so far as to gift Rue his dragon fang necklace, that she would then pass on to her son, David.

Though he would never live long enough to meet his great-grandsons, Reuben had an indirect impact on David’s life. David would befriend Charlie Weasley after the boy recognises his relation to Reuben. David is also encouraged by Murphy McNully (a Ravenclaw in David’s AU) to try out for Quidditch after hearing about Reuben’s exploits on the Quidditch pitch. David is gifted Reuben’s dragon fang necklace by Rue after their relationship improves. 

Allegiances:

Hogwarts House: Ravenclaw

Affiliations: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the Llwelyn dragon sanctuary.

Professions: Trainee dragonologist (for three years)

Dragonologist/Author: Rest of his life until retirement.

Hogwarts Information

Astronomy: E

Charms: A

DADA: P

Flying: O

Herbology: A

History of Magic: E

Potions: P

Transfiguration: E 

Electives:

COMC: O

Divination: E

Muggle studies: P

Quidditch:

Ravenclaw Beater (later captain)

Favourite professors

-TBA

Least Favourite Professors

-TBA

Best canon friends

-TBA

Love Interest

-If you’d like your MC to be Reuben’s love interest, let me know!

Best MC friends:

Cledwyn Ironwood, though Cledwyn was very much a dour Gryffindor when they first met with time, the two would form a bond as close as brothers. Reuben often acting as Cledwyn’s voice of reason.

Danny Gibson (@catohphm) a dorm mate of Reuben’s and the seeker on the Quidditch team, the two develop quite a close friendship. On the Quidditch pitch, Danny knows Reuben will keep the bludgers off his back.

Faith Renner, despite her hostile attitude for a Hufflepuff, Reuben made it a mission to befriend her after becoming quite interested in how she would make colourful fish hooks. They would become close friends, bonding a bit more in COMC class.

Leila Hellebore (@whatwouldvalerydo) A beater on the Slytherin Quidditch team, immediately marking her to be a rival. Reuben enjoys the competition with her and even finds the fact that he’s over a foot taller than her quite adorable.

Marigold Sterling, though Mary was quite intimidating, Reuben and Marigold would more often than not find themselves studying together. It would take time but she would eventually open up to him, trusting him with the secret that she was a maledictus and would later ask him to join her in helping to break her curse.

Siobhan Llewelyn (@kc-needs-coffee​) A fellow Ravenclaw and dragonologist, Reuben was initially quite endeared to her relation to Edwin Llewlyn. However, he soon broke past that, becoming a close friend to Siobhan, to the extent of being allowed to eventually take over management of the Llwelyn dragon sanctuary.

Message me if you would like Reuben to be your MC’s friend!

Rivals:

Leila Hellebore (during Quidditch)

Enemies:

-Dragon poachers

Magical abilities:

Wand: Hazel, dragon heartstring core, 11 inches, unyielding flexibility.

Hazel wands often reflect its owner’s emotional state and work best for a master who understands and can manage their own feelings. Others should be very careful handling a hazel wand if its owner has recently lost their temper, or suffered a serious disappointment because the wand will absorb such energy and discharge it unpredictably. It is capable of outstanding magic in the hands of the skilful and is so devoted to its owner that it often ‘wilts’ at the end of their master's life. Hazel wands also have the unique ability to detect water underground and will emit silvery, tear-shaped puffs of smoke if passing over concealed springs and wells.

Dragon heartstrings produce wands with the most magic power, and which are capable of the most flamboyant spells. Dragon wands tend to learn more quickly than other types. While they can change allegiance if won from their original master, they always bond strongly with the current owner. The dragon wand tends to be easiest to turn to the Dark Arts, though it will not incline that way of its own accord. It is also the most prone of the three cores to accidents, being somewhat temperamental.

Animagus: N/A

Misc magical abilities: 

Legilimens: A natural born Legilimens, Reuben has the ability to sense people’s emotional states, allowing him to gain insight on how best to approach a situation. Even developing it further to be able to see through the eyes of people and animals.

Boggart form: His grandma calling him a disappointment.

Riddikiulus form: His grandma takes out a vial of babbling beverage, chugs it and proceeds to speak nonsense, something she would do to make him laugh if he was feeling down.

Amortentia (what do they smell like): Wood smoke and brandy.

Amortentia (what do they smell): Fresh grass and cloves.

Patronus: Jack Russel

Patronus memory: His grandfather bringing him a cake for his birthday.

Specialised/ Favourite spells:

Bombarda (Maxima): Only done as an absolute last resort if he’s dealing with a dragon that he can’t calm down. A charm that he’s practiced time and again in order to concentrate into a much more potent version. 

Conjunctivitus curse: If a dragon is being aggressive but Reuben still has a way out, this his go-to spell. Blinding them can give him a chance to get out safely.

Duro: Useful for strengthening materials used in enrichment for the dragons or just making them more resilient.

Finite: Doesn’t wish to have the debilitating effects of the Conjunctivitus curse or Incarcerous be permanent, so uses this to dispel them when he needs to.

Incarcerous: Summoning ropes to bind or restrain something is always handy to have.

Incendio: Being able to concentrate it into a powerful gout of fire is one way to get a dragon’s attention.

Reparo: Always a handy spell to have when you can just repair a worn or broken piece of equipment. Reuben scarcely needs to throw out his work clothes thanks to this.

#harry potter hogwarts legacy #hphl #hphl mc #hphl oc #reuben willows

[kookicat]

The Wandering Hour

He's pretty sure he can't get up. He's also pretty sure that nothing is broken, but it doesn't make him feel a single bit better. Between the car and the fall into the freezing water, his muscles have decided to go on strike, to seize up and he knows it's going to be one of the rare times it'll take drugs to get him moving again. Or sufficient other motivation, he thinks, because nothing would stop him if his team was in danger.

But there's no danger, just a quiet apartment, down in the wee hours of the morning and he shifts, just enough to reach the earbud in his pocket, teeth clamping down savagely on his bottom lip as every muscle in his back protests even that small movement. The spasm is so intense that it steals his breath away for a long moment and when he opens his eyes, Sophie is watching him with a sad, worried frown. She wears printed silk pyjamas, and her feet are bare.

"What do you need?" she asks simply, and because there's no judgement in her voice, he can answer.

"My kit," he says, keeping his voice soft and she nods, padding away. 

She won't touch him, unless he asks, unlike Parker, who would have poked his bruises by now. He's glad of it because he feels like he might shatter, like a dropped wine glass, if someone touches him right now. 

He needs pills, a long hot shower and to move, to get his muscles loosened up again before he'll be able to bear anyone touching him. 

"Here," she says and rests his bag on the couch next to him, setting herself down next to it so gently he barely feels the seat move. "What do you need?" 

"Toroidal, green and white box," he says and closes his hand around the small pill. "And Tylenol." 

"I have some in the kitchen." She stands and heads that way, returning with the tablets and a tall glass of chocolate milk. 

His eyebrow quirks at that. "Parker might kill us for stealing her drink," he says as he accepts the glass, swallowing the pills with a gulp of the rich beverage. It slides down easy and he realises that he can't remember the last time he ate. He finishes the glass, making a mental note to buy her a replacement bottle. 

"I'm sure you can take her," Sophie says, smiling as she tugs the blanket off the back of the couch so she can throw it over him. "Do you need anything else?" she asks. 

He hesitates. The pills haven't started to work quite yet, but he can feel a sticky spot just under his shoulder blade and he's pretty sure he's bleeding. "If you can spare twenty minutes," he starts, softly, "could you have a look at something for me?" If it had been anywhere else, he would have managed himself, but he knows there's no way to reach. 

"Of course." She settles back on the couch, drawing her legs up, studying him through her lashes. 

The muted lights are kind to him, hiding the shadows under his eyes, but they're not doing anything for the tight muscle in his jaw that keeps jumping. Out of all the team, he asks for the least and she's happy to help. His eyes are closed and she thinks he's dozing until she leans forward, reaching to tuck the blanket in a bit tighter, and he turns his head, one arm lifting a little to ward her off. 

"Sorry," she says, finding herself slightly lost for words. "You looked cold." It's a simple statement of fact but it makes him look away and she can't quite figure out why. 

"I should know better. Should have kept moving about," Eliot says, ruefully. "Damn rookie trick, ending up like this."

"We can't all be perfect all of the time," Sophie says, with just the right inflection in her voice. 

It takes him by surprise, startles a laugh out of him. "Well, ain't that the truth," he agrees, and the laughter hasn't quite drained out of his voice. 

She likes hearing it there- it makes him seem younger, less burdened by his self perceived sins. "How do you feel?" 

He hesitates, gingerly rolling his shoulders and lets out a quiet but heartfelt sigh of relief. He's still stiff - that won't go away until he gets up and moving - but the painful tension in his muscles has gone. "Better." It's still not exactly comfortable as he eases the blanket off his legs and stands, but he's on his feet at least and that's better than where he was half an hour ago. 

"Kitchen?" she asks and he nods, turning slowly to pick up his bag. 

Sophie waves him off and picks it up herself, following him towards the big table. It bothers her, that they have a routine for this sort of situation. "Doesn't this bother you?" She's not really sure where the question is coming from and it clearly takes Eliot by surprise. 

"Better me than one of you," he says simply, like that's how it just has to be for him to do his job. He shrugs and turns one of the dining chairs around, so he can rest his arms on the back while she works, then pulls his tshirt over his head to expose his back. It sticks to his skin, pulling away in painful inches, and he almost shudders because he hates the feeling. He's gotten used to it over the years but it still always sets his teeth on edge.

She sets their normal first aid kit out on the table and flips it open, slipping on a pair of gloves before she touches his shoulder, lightly, sucking in a slightly appalled breath.

"Jesus Christ, Eliot!" she mutters, and he figures the damage is really starting to show.

His back is covered in bruises, some so deep she doesn't doubt that he'll be wearing them for weeks. Others are just coming out, brown-red and orange-purple rather than the almost black of the worst. There's a shallow slice wider than her hand underneath his shoulder blade that's still oozing blood.

"Looks worse than it is," he says, with a one sided shrug.

"Yes, you would say that because you can't see the state of your back!" She mutters but there's no real heat in it.

She grabs a wound wipe and draws it over the slice, feeling him suck in a pained breath at the sting.

"How many stitches?" he asks.

"None," Sophie says, "But I'm going to pop a few butterfly bandages over, just in case."

There's at least three more cuts on his back and she repeats the steps.

She tapes a dressing over the last, using more tape than necessary, because she knows what he's like, and steps back, stripping the gloves off. "All done." 

"Thank you," he says, turning as much as he can to face her. His bag has a charge of clothes and pulls out a clean t-shirt, knowing the one he's just taken off is fit only for the bin. 

"I'm going back to bed," Sophie says. "Take the couch. Don't drive home." 

He hadn't been planning on it but to have his idea so neatly validated makes him smile. He gets his good hand on the table and levers up, dumping the rubbish in the bin on the way past.

The thick fleece blanket is still on the couch and he eases down on his back, drawing it over him. He can't remember closing his eyes, but for once he sleeps right through until dawn. 

#whump #fanfic #eliot spencer #leverage #episode tag #the boost job

[marvelousell]

The Agreement (Part 3.)

Pairing(s): frat boy!fwb!Tom x reader, frat boy!Harrison x reader

Summary: Tom is a typical frat boy, his love for partying, drinks and girls are bigger than his ego. Y/N is a whole different dimension, she keeps her circle small, and even though she knows her best friend Tom is a total douche, she can’t say no to the little deal that was sealed between the two of them.

Word count: 2.5k

A/N: Here it is guys part 3.! I’m so glad you all like this series, and I’m so grateful for all the amazing comments and reactions you send me 🥰. I would still appreciate it if you reblog, leave a comment or send a feedback!❤️

My tag list is open for this series!

Warnings: mentions of smut, swearing, mentions of alcohol

Part 1. Part 2.

Masterlist

“Tom get that.”

“Tom your phone is ringing.”

“For fuck’s sake.”

The annoying beeping of the phone woke you from the deep slumber.

You were so jaded. The sharp pain in your muscles and in between your thighs made you yelp as you tried to sit yourself up.

Your eyes were burning, aching for more sleep.

“Are you deaf or what?” You said, finally opening your eyes.

However you were welcomed with an empty bed. The right side of the bed was cold, so it meant he went away a long time ago.

Stupid you.

“Well what did you thought Y/N? That he would stay in the morning, snuggle you up and make you breakfast?! Of course he would leave, that’s Tom after all.” You let out a loud sigh, crossing your arms, clearly annoyed that he didn’t at least tell you he was going home.

“A fucking message would be polite Holland.” You muttered to yourself.

Okay calm down. That’s how this thing works right? You wanted this, so we’re going to put the feelings aside.

“Okay the overthinking needs to stop, everything will be just fine.” You said, sliding back into your bed.

Hey it’s Saturday, nothing to do so why not?

Oh wait if it wasn’t Tom’s phone ringing it was yours.

Who is even already up at this time, and on weekend as well?

11:50 AM

Already noon? That explains a lot.

1 missed call from Anna

3 text messages from Anna

2 missed calls from Tom

3 text messages from Tom

So he did call after all. Lucky me.

Hey you up?

It’s almost noon Y/N you never sleep that long, call me when you wake up.

Are you going today? Do you want me to pick you up?

What the hell are you talking about Anna?

Did I make some plans and totally forgot about them? That would be embarrassing.

Morning love, I just wanted you to know I left early because the guys from the frat needed me. Didn’t want to wake you up, thought you need that rest after last night.

You still sleeping or? Did I dick you down that good?

Never mind. Harry is having a chill barbecue party tonight, so he told me to call you, Anna and Amelia are going too so they told me they would pick you up. Also take a bikini if you want to.

Dicked me down to good?! Idiot.

So the barbecue party is what they are talking about. Cool.

Will there be more cute girls? Probably.

And boys as well, so that means let’s have fun.

He isn’t the only one that can enjoy himself.

To Anna:

I’m going, pick me up around six.

Oh you better! Take that red cute bikini, some bird told me there will be some hot guys.

Typical Anna. But she ain’t wrong.

-

Stupid pain. I’m a mess, my room is a mess.

I need a break for sure, and a bath would definitely help because limping all day is a big no.

The scent of the eucalyptus oil filled the whole bathroom. The warm water mixed with it reduced the soreness and stiffness that was making you feel exhausted.

It was what you needed, enjoying the silence and some me time.

Until the phone rang again.

“Are you kidding me right now?” You groaned from the feeling of the chilly air coming in contact with your warm body as you tried to reach your phone.

Tom.

“Hello.” You answered, closing your eyes to relax as much as possible.

“Good morning to you too love. Didn’t wanna answer my calls eh?”

“I was sleeping Tom.”

“Yes, but you replied to Anna’s messages.”

“Well she needed to know if she will pick me up or not.”

“So you’re going?” He asked.

“Of course I’m going, wouldn’t miss that.”

“I kinda called you to say that I’m going to ask Sophie for that coffee, so God please help me and get her off my dick.” Tom continued, hoping that this will go as planned.

“Mmm great.” You moaned, the bath doing the job, making you feel ten times better.

“Are you touching yourself?” The voice on the other line spoke. You could practically hear him smirking.

“Excuse you?!” You screeched, not believing his words now.

Well there goes your relaxing time.

Thanks Tom.

“Nothing to be ashamed of. If I was you, I would do that too after the good sex last night, with me in your mind, rewinding the scenes that happened.” He laughed through the phone.

“Your ego is really bigger than your dick Holland.” You joked, but still telling the truth.

“Ouch sweetheart, should I let you finish what you started? We don’t want you to be that infuriated tonight.”

“For your information I’m having a bath. Trying to relax a bit.” You spit back.

“Ohh, so I did a good job after all?”

“Goodbye Thomas, see you tonight.”

“Sure sweetheart, see you.”

He really was a pain in the ass sometimes, but there was something that made you totally hooked.

You ended the call, standing up from the bath drying yourself up.

“Let’s find that bikini then.”

-

It was 5 PM now, the doorbell echoing through the small apartment.

“Just a minute!”

“Hello to you too gorgeous.” Anna’s singing voice lightened up your mood instantly.

The anxiety was present. Normally it would just be a stupid barbecue party. All good, nothing to worry about. Anna, Amelia, Tom and Harry would be your company, you would all enjoy the night, talking and drinking together.

But after everything you couldn’t suppress the nervousness that was making you almost puke.

“You look beautiful Y/N! So I believe that you put on the red thing right?” She smiled, winking at you.

“I did. Who knows maybe someone will love that old piece?” You joked, looking for your bag.

“Oh come on, I have someone for you to meet tonight, he is totally your type!” She began, “A great opportunity to set aside the crush for our famous lover.”

Anna was the only one who knew about the silly crush on Tom.

I mean how could she not? You, Tom and Anna were inseparable since you were little kids.

Harry was younger so he joined the group later.

Amelia was the last addition. You two met in college, clicking immediately. So you introduced her to others, and that’s how it began.

“Fair enough, I do need someone right?” You questioned, styling your hair.

“Yes! It has been a while since you have had a boyfriend, and sex.” She raised her eyebrows, sending you a cheeky smile.

Yes, it has been. Especially sex. Fifteen hours is extremely long. I agree with that Anna.

“Oh, wait you had company yesterday?” She asked, eyeing the two wine stained glasses that were on the kitchen counter.

Crap.

What am I supposed to say now?

“Uhm, n-no..both glasses are mine.” You said, hoping that she doesn’t suspect something.

“Both?” She asked suspiciously.

“Yeah, I was reading a book. My regular Friday night, and I was in the mood for some wine. I kinda put the first glass in my room, and when I went back to the living room I was already tipsy and I forgot where I put my glass, so I just took a new one.”

“Christ what a lame excuse Y/N.” You thought, feeling your cheeks getting hotter.

“Not going to lie, that sounds like you. You’re so confused when you get drunk.” She laughed, making you relaxed.

“Yeah, yeah…totally. Are we going now?” You said changing the theme, exhaling the air that got stuck in your throat a few seconds ago.

“Let’s go, you’re boy is waiting!”

Jesus give me strength for this night.

-

“Y/N! Anna!” Harry yelled, drawing the attention to us.

A chill barbecue party? This place is almost jam-packed.

“Well long time no see Harry.” You smiled, embracing him in a tight hug.

“Since Monday. I know you can’t go without me that long.”

“I guess I can’t.”

“You two can get a drink and take a seat or whatever you want. I still need to finish this food so I will find you after that, yes?” He asked.

“Don’t worry Holland Y/N will definitely be busy in a while.” Anna stated, laughing together with Harry.

“Oooh yes, forgot about that.”

“Why does everyone know something that I don’t?” You asked completely confused.

“Enjoy yourself Y/N! Why don’t you get us something to drink and I will try to find Amelia?”

“Sure, whatever.” You answered, still a bit suspicious because of their behaviour.

The place was starting to get full. The music that was playing in the house was loud enough for you to make your way to the kitchen as fast as you could.

You were looking around the house trying to find him. You couldn’t help yourself.

The kitchen was small but at least empty, and it had a view on the whole living room.

You put Anna’s drink on the counter, resting your back on it and looking at the sea of people, hoping you would catch at least a glimpse of Tom.

And you caught more than a glimpse for sure.

Tom and a familiar blonde attached to his hip.

Nothing unusual.

If only he wasn’t that dumb and blind, so he could see how much you like him and how a relationship isn’t a bad thing.

If only.

You are his best friend but you still didn’t know him.

Tom was a great guy. He had a good heart, but why didn’t he trust girls? Why is commitment such an issue for him?

Many questions were in your head right now and they were all unanswered.

Oh Tom, I definitely need to lose these feelings.

“He sure knows how to get a girl.” A male voice spoke behind you, making you turn instantly.

Wow.

You were greeted with a pair of deep blue eyes that were fixed on yours. His broad smile and perfect teeth were absolutely breathtaking. They could brighten up every girls day.

His figure was leaning on the fridge, drink in his hand. He adjusted his glasses, still looking at you.

“You mean Tom? Yeah, but only in his bed.” You joked, making him laugh.

“You’re not wrong.” He spoke.

“I’m sorry I didn’t introduce myself. Harrison.” He extended his hand, waiting for your name.

“Y/N, nice to meet you.” You took his hand in yours, the warm feeling sending chills through your body.

Jesus those irresistible blue eyes.

You were smiling like crazy, possibly looking like a fool.

“Beautiful name.” He spoke.

“Thank you, yours is not that bad either.” You smiled, unable to keep your eyes away from him.

Oh shit Anna’s drink.

Well she wouldn’t mind.

“Would you like to go outside maybe? A bit to crowded here.” He asked.

Is he really asking me to go with him somewhere?

Just be yourself Y/N.

“Sure.”

“After you.” He motioned you to go first, standing close behind you.

How incredible would it be if Tom saw you now.

However he was to busy facing the girl that will be his partner for the night. He was whispering in her ear, making the blonde giggle.

You couldn’t judge, you fell for his actions too.

This is just for fun. This is just sex. Nothing else.

Keep that in mind.

Someone out there is waiting for you.

“What do you say?” Harrison’s voice was ringing in your ears.

I zoned out again, why am I so embarrassing?

“Sorry, I didn’t hear you the music is just too much.” You turned your head, his face now close to yours.

“No worries. I asked if you would like to sit there.” He asked one more time, pointing to the small table in the garden.

You nodded.

There were still people around you, but his presence was making you more nervous than them.

You didn’t feel like this in a while, that’s a good start.

“So..you’re here with someone?” He began the small talk.

“Yes, with my friends. Couldn’t miss Harry’s ‘chill’ party.” You laughed, emphasising the word chill.

“Harry and his chill parties.” Harrison laughed, seeing where you’re coming from.

“You know him?” He added.

“Harry? We’re best friends since forever.”

“Really? How did I never met such a beautiful friend of his?”

You were blushing like a teen girl on her first date.

Who wouldn’t? Look at him, he was not just handsome but kind and sweet as well.

“I’m not someone who would immediately catch a boy’s attention, but thank you.” You smiled, glancing at him lowering your eyes on your drink.

“You sure caught mine.” His sweet voice spoke back.

The damn weird feeling in my stomach. Is he really making me feel these things already?

“Oh stop it you’re making me blush.” You covered your face, grinning widely.

“I think that you’re absolutely adorable when you blush if I may add.” He laughed.

Harrison was smitten.

He just wanted to get himself a drink and go find Harry.

However his plans were interrupted by a gorgeous girl in a pastel dress.

She was already lost in her thoughts when he stepped inside.

Harrison still got a perfect view of her face that was staring at the crowd forming inside the house. He saw her looking at his best friend, her facial expression turning into a disgusting one after she saw Tom fondling the girl’s bare arm.

“First girl that doesn’t find his flirting intriguing.” He thought.

He needed to talk to you. You were something else, he didn’t want to lose the chance.

Thank God he found the courage to say something, because now he wouldn’t be here sitting with you. Looking at the most engaging smile ever.

“Thank you.” You spoke, trying to calm yourself.

“So.. You and Tom?” He smirked rising his eyebrow, waiting for an answer.

Oh no he saw you staring.

Harrison was just curious. He saw the difference between you and other girls from college, but he still asked that.

“Me and him? God no! I’m his best friend.” You replied, putting on a disgusting face.

“Hey I don’t judge, just asking.” He put his hands up in in defence.

“But honestly, you don’t seem like that kind of girl.”

Now you were the one waiting for an answer.

“What I wanted to say is that you seem very bright. That the lame flirting attempts aren’t your weakness and that you’re not an attention seeker. You’re a girl who knows what she deserves. Gosh that sounded better in my head I’m sorry.” He chuckled, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“I just think that you’re pretty cute, not like the other girls here.”

This guy.

You couldn’t get enough of him. Hopefully he will be around here much more.

“That’s so sweet of you. Thank you Harrison, it turned out really nice.”

“Just the truth beautiful.” He smiled at you.

“Well, well, look what we have here.”

-

Tag List

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#tom holland imagine #tom holland fanfic #tom holland #tom holland smut #tom holland fluff #tom holland angst #tom holland blurb #tom holland au #tom holland one shot #tom holland x reader #tom holland fanfiction #harrison osterfield imagine #harrison osterfield fanfic #harrison osterfield #harrison osterfield smut #harrison osterfield fluff #harrison osterfield au #harrison osterfield x reader #harrison osterfield blurb #frat boy!tom #fwb!au #fwb!tom #elli writes #The Agreement series

[ejzah]

A/N: Just a little something to get you through the cold. Assuming it’s cold where you are. Features Kensi, Deeks, Nell, and muscles.

***

Agent, Stripper, Model

“This is ridiculous,” Deeks hissed under his breath as he turned, twisting his neck at an angle to get a better look at his butt in the full-length mirror. “I might as well be naked.”

“Oh, I’m sure ladies would enjoy that,” Kensi commented over comms. She was just a few hundred yards away in a small room, pretending to be a fledgling artist. He glanced in the mirror again and silently cursed Callen for suggesting he be the one to go undercover.

Apparently one of the other patrons, a woman named Sophie Machron who frequented the tiny art studio, had gotten mixed up in drug running operation. Based on a series of texts she’d sent, she was planning to meet with the leader to exchange payment.

Deeks had argued that it made more sense to have both him and Kensi as artists, but Nell had insisted that it would be less suspicious if one of them was a model. If he didn’t know better, he would think she just wanted to excuse to make him prance around in short shorts

“Why would they even make shorts this small?” They squished things and left absolutely no room for imagination. If he and Kensi were alone, he might feel very differently about them, but right now he felt completely exposed.

“Babe, I’m sure you wore much less as a stripper.”

“Say what now?” Nell drawled. Deeks groaned at the resounding silence following her question.

“Uh, Deeks had to play a stripper once when he was a cop,” Kensi inserted with surprising smoothness as Deeks quietly panicked.

“Why haven’t I heard about this before? You never mentioned anything about playing a stripper.” Nell’s voice had gained quite a bit of volume and he was just glad that the entire team wasn’t on comms. He’d never live that down.

“It was, uh, many, many years ago and uh-“ someone knocked on the flimsy door of his changing room, saving Deeks from having to respond.

“Mr. Hanson, we’re ready for you now,” said a female voice he recognized as the shop owner’s.

“Yeah, I’ll be out in a minute,” he said. He breathed in twice, shaking his head, and tried to get into the mindset of a man who made a living from posing nearly nude. “Ok, you can do this, Jake.”

Opening the door, he walked down the hallway as confidently as he could and then strode into the main room where drawing classes were held. There was a small platform, with a stool set in middle, situated at the front of the room. The owner had already told him the specific pose she wanted him to hold before he changed. Fortunately it wasn’t overly gratuitous.

He glanced at the patrons and spotted Sophie sitting in the middle of the class. She was tiny, probably shorter than Nell, with vivid red hair and a generally unassuming appearance. It was hard to believe she was involved with anything remotely criminal.

Kensi sat two seats away from Sophie. She worn an appropriately artsy looking shirt paired with flared jeans, speckled with paint stains. The rest of the class was primarily women, all watching him eagerly as he climbed onto the stool. He kept one foot on the ground, slightly flexed, and lifted the other onto the first rung.

A couple women gasped and there was a rush of whispers. He flexed his pecs a couple times, figuring he might as well play it up.

“Oh my god,” he heard Nell whisper. Trying to glance discreetly around at the 30 or so people, he spotted her toward the back, wearing a floppy hat with a poofy green dress. He hadn’t realized she was planning on coming too and felt his cheeks flush, knowing just how much of him she was seeing.

“Mr. Hanson, could I just-“ the owner said, coming up beside him. She reached out, fiddling with the edge of his shorts, which were apparently twisted. Then her hand brushed his side; for a second he thought she was going to grab him but at the last second she snatched her hand back. “Alright, class, you may begin,” she announced, sounding a little out of breath.

Deeks glanced at Kensi, noticing her eyes lasered in on the owner. That made him grin a little bit. It would be fun to tease her about it. With that thought in mind, he leaned back, and waited for the next hour to pass.

About an hour an a half later, the owner called a break. Deeks gratefully eased off the stool with a groan. Holding the same pose for an extended period of time was much harder than you might expect.

Almost immediately, several women came over and started asking questions. He saw a few glance at his fingers, seeming pleased when they noticed they were bare. His discomfort returned and he crossed his arms over his chest, wishing for a robe, or a towel. Even a fig leaf.

“Feeling a little chilly?” Kensi teased him. She’d stepped over to the refreshment table and was using a glass of lemonade as a cover. He merely narrowed his eyes at her, unable to reply. “You’re looking a little nippy there, Jakey.”

“Kens, Sophie just left,” Nell announced suddenly. Kensi immediately dropped her cup into the trash and started cutting through the little groups of chatting people. Deeks made a move to follow her, but Kensi said,

“Stay here, Deeks. You can keep everyone else occupied. Plus, I don’t think your current outfit is NCIS approved. It might be a safety risk.”

Deeks rolled his eyes, but stayed put. He tried to stay focused on the questions he was being asked (was he single, did he like Italian, was he available for private parties) while listening to what sounded like an intense chase.

It felt like hours, but was probably no more than ten that Kensi slipped back into the room and smiled.

“We got them,” she mouthed, snatching a tiny pastry off the refreshment table. Nell came back a few minutes later and he noticed her hat was missing. Otherwise they both looked unharmed, though he thought Kensi might snap if one more person touched his abs.

They finished the class without any more issues and Deeks gratefully escaped to the dressing room at the end of the three hour session. Kensi and Nell were waiting out back for him and Kensi looked him over with a smirk.

“Aw, what happened to your short shorts?”

“I’m burning those,” he said firmly and meaning every word.

“That’s a shame,” Nell muttered, earning a slightly raised eyebrow from Kensi. As they walked back to Kensi’s SUV, she pulled out her drawing from the class. It an almost perfect rendering of Deeks, right down to the definition of his pecs and the flexed muscles in his thighs. “So would it be creepy if I had this framed?”

“Yes,” Kensi and Deeks said very adamantly. She slipped it back in her purse with a regretful sigh.

“Such a shame,” she repeated.

“Mm, I wonder how much vodka it will take to forget this day,” he mused. Kensi smirked at him and patted his shoulder comfortingly.

***

A/N: I’m sure in the real world, a model would be treated with the upmost respect. This is all for fun.

#ncis la fanfiction #marty deeks #kensi blye #Nell jones #Deeks undercover #Deeks’ muscles #ridiculousness #ejzah fanfiction

[sophi-s]

Cost of Kindness

Chapter IV: Complications

By: sophi-s

Fandom: Darksiders video games

Words: 6,656

Characters: Raphael, Original Female Character (OC), Fury

Warnings: Blood and Injury, Swearing (a lot of it XD)

Summary:

After far too many close calls and an adventure that will last her a lifetime, Nicola and Raphael finally make their way towards Haven. Unfortunately, not everything goes as smoothly as it could.

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

Many, many centuries ago taking off to the grand skies has become one of humanity's greatest dreams. They always wished to be able to fly, envying birds their wings and wishing to join them in their aerial conquest. It took many more ages to even try to think of it seriously and even longer for the humans to create the first working airplane and fulfill their dreams as the gravity kept thwarting all their plans. But once this seemingly impossible goal was accomplished, this event has been recorded on the pages of history as one of the most remarkable inventions of the human race.

When she was little, Nicola dreamed of flying on her own as well. She loved watching birds, tracking the planes soaring through the sky, so far away they looked like ants, and thinking about how it would be to have her own wings. Her dreams eventually were abandoned as she grew older, more serious and more reasonable. But honestly, if a week ago someone asked her if she would choose to have wings if she could, Nicola without hesitation would reply "a huge YES". Now however, she realised something she didn't really take into consideration before. While humans wished to rule the skies, they absolutely were not created for this. They have been made flightless, earth-ridden creatures and for a good reason. Her very apparent fear of heights made it awfully clear to her.

These thoughts were all Nicola could hear aside from the rustling of feathers on the wind as she desperately held onto her angel friend, her heart hammering in her chest, eyes wide and stomach making somersaults while everything was spinning around like a carousel. At a certain height the human body just starts to give up and refuse cooperation. For those who are afraid of heights the gap is even smaller and the symptoms more severe. All that was keeping her from fainting or throwing up there and then was the fact that she refused to look down to see how high they actually were but imagining the small buildings below her wasn't making it much better. If she survives this, she will never ask any angel for a fly again and - if it will ever be possible after the apocalypse - stay the heck away from any sort of working plane. Ground was where she belonged. Flying was not her cup of tea and no one will ever convince her otherwise.

Raphael seemed oblivious to the silent prayers spilling past her lips and just kept flying, fully focused on his destination, as she was absolutely certain she's going to die. Her muscles were completely stiff, as though she looked Medusa in the eye. She couldn't even see anything with how her face was buried in the rumpled fabric of Raphael's clothes but she assumed they were getting closer and closer. Focus on anything else than the height. Anything! She kept telling herself when her jaw started to hurt from how she was clenching her teeth. Easier said than done. Nicola knew that Raphael wasn't going to drop her. He promised her and lately she learned to trust him but the pull of gravity beckoning her down into the abyss and to a long plummet ending in a painful impact and certain death… The last time she was this panicked was when the Fallen jumped her out of nowhere. Speaking of which… God, please, let this be a smooth flight. No demons, I'm begging you..

Encounter with stray demons was the last thing they needed now. She didn't doubt Raphael's ability to defend both her and himself but if a flying demon was to attack them from surprise… Not a single part of her already malfunctioning brain could produce a scenario that wouldn't end in either of them dying or at least suffering grave injuries. In short words, any sort of aerial confrontation would mean serious trouble. And trouble wasn't something Nicola missed. Especially after the last night..

Seems like her prayers have been answered. So far nothing noticed an angel and a human passing overhead. And those demons which did apparently decided not to bother them since it didn't seem worth it or had no way of giving them trouble from where they were standing. Nicola stopped counting seconds of their journey long ago and the only indication of the passing time was the wind rushing through her hair slowing down as Raphael started to try and spare as much energy as he could, gliding whenever possible on his wings simply stretched out on both sides and flapping them only to keep the right height, out of range of any demons that could be sulking below when he began to grow weary. His stamina wasn't probably in the best condition after the time he spent in hiding and most likely not moving much.

When she gets back to Haven, Nicola is going to first, eat a solid lunch since her stomach was displeased again - though now she couldn't really feel it twisted in panic like that - second, go the fuck to sleep for the rest of the day. Even though she spent the last night sleeping like a dead woman, she didn't feel that well rested. The amount of stress she had to endure exhausted her and a few hours of rest weren't enough to regenerate her full strength. High on her bucket list was also taking care of Raphael, to at least make him look decent and dress any wounds he carried. Elanya could do that too but Nicola couldn't imagine that Raphael would let a maker he doesn't know do anything to him. She remembered how distrustful he was in the beginning. And after she gets back, no more escapades if not necessary. At least two weeks long break. Ulthane is going to make sure she stays there anyway so she might as well spend her time on sleeping and some light activities. 

Speaking of Ulthane… Nicola wasn't actually sure what she'd say to him once she suddenly showed up in Haven after all that time with a traumatized, crazy angel at her side. To say it will be awkward as heck, would be a severe understatement. It's not even about Raphael. How is she going to explain herself to the overbearing maker who is standing on his head to save the last survivors of her kind while, by nearly killing herself three times already, she acted nothing if not ungrateful? And honestly, she wasn't in shape to wonder about it now because her mind refused to focus on anything else than this one thought of the lethal distance between her and the ground. Damn it all.. Why does she have to be afraid of heights and find out this very unpleasant way? Really, if someone tried to take her from Raphael before he landed or too short time after, they'd probably need a crowbar to pry her off him.

While Nicola thought that the flight itself was awful, the moment her stomach seemed to move up into her gullet as Raphael dipped towards the ground she unwittingly shrilly cried out in fear. And that was a mistake. The angel, startled by the quiet human he'd been holding this entire time suddenly screaming bloody murder for no apparent reason, tried to halt his descent to figure out what's wrong but it was already too late for that. As a result the landing was rather rough. Nicola closed her eyes and so she didn't see how Raphael clumsily hit the ground and barely kept himself propped up not to land on top of her as she slipped out of his grasp and lost her grip on his robes. The expectations of a long fall made her throat tighten and trap her voice inside. All the bigger relief once after barely an inch or two, her back connected with the surface, drawing a soft and strained "oof" from her.

Still scared, disoriented and confused, Nicola opened her eyes to see wide-eyed Raphael hunched over her, hands on either side of her head - with the staff to her left - and gawking at  her with a slight panic on his face. Goodness, he was way too close. Pulling her arms close to her body in a helpless attempt to regain her personal space, she smiled awkwardly.

"H-hi there!"

The moment he saw that nothing was wrong and her face regained some of its color, Raphael breathed with relief and got off her, once again offering his hand to help her up. Once back on her feet, Nicola nearly cried out when she felt the solid ground under the soles of her boots. Blessed earth, she could literally kiss it right now. But the fact that they were not in Haven yet disconcerted her a little. Looking around, she noticed they're in an empty street in the middle of nowhere. Casting a questioning glance at Raphael she didn't even need to ask. The way his wings were slumped against his back, his breath heavier than before said it all. Plain and simple, Raphael was tired. Too tired to keep going. Still, he was eyeing her cautiously.

"Why… why were you screaming?"

Still feeling the nausea and the shaking of her knees, Nicola scratched the back of her neck and turned her eyes away ashamed.

"Ahuh… I'm not-... I'm not used to flying, that dip scared me a little. Sorry about this.."

Raphael said nothing to this, simply nodded, and lowered himself to the dusted road to have a seat by one of the decrepit stores. Nicola decided to let him have his five minutes to rest before going any further. Store. She suddenly realised. And not just any. A grocery store. At the mere thought her stomach rumbled. Not only could she have something for herself but also gather some stuff for others! If anything there is still edible that is. It wouldn't hurt to check. Every bit of food is precious.

"Raphael, can you wait here for a bit? I'll be back in a jiffy."

Out of the corner of her eye she already saw him shift in apprehension and almost begin to stand up. Probably because she ran once already and in his mind could do it again. She proceeded to calm him down immediately by pointing at the building she intended to search.

"I'll just go in there to look for stuff, don't worry. I will come back."

Staring at her for a couple of intense seconds, Raphael eyed her from head to toe twice before his concerned gaze softened a bit.

"Promise me…?"

Nicola smiled reassuringly and nodded. There weren't many options for her if she did want to run off. Besides, she wasn't quite sure where she was just yet. Her orientation in terrain was… less than decent as of late.

"I promise."

She offered and once Raphael sat somewhat comfortably back down, she took her backpack and shotgun - just in case - and stepped in through a broken window. The inside of the store was in utter disarray and even that was putting it lightly. Most of the shelves were toppled over, some even in pieces. Glinting shards of glass littered the floor, crunching under Nicola's feet every time she made a step. Unsurprisingly, nothing was working. No lights, no freezers, no ventilation. No time to waste. Nicola began her search immediately.

Approaching the fruit stand greeted her with bitter disappointment. Apples, oranges, pears and many other fruits were already rotten and sometimes even coated in white specks of mould. Definitely not good. With vegetables it was exactly the same. The only carrot that looked acceptable at first, turned out to have been completely wilted. Tossing it aside, Nicola moved on. She didn't even bother looking for meat. The stench hit her the moment she came inside and were it not for the smell of decomposing corpses that drifted around the sewers when she was there, she probably would've thrown up where she stood. Instead, she just covered her mouth and nose with her bandana.

Any dairy products were off the table too. Without working freezers every single one of them has surely gone sour by now. A diarrhea was not something she wanted to have in Haven and most likely neither did the makers. Nicola didn't dare to so much as touch any eggs that still were somehow intact. Bad idea. A smelly one as well. There's no way some of them haven't gone bad yet. The risk wasn’t worth it. Passing by one of the mostly whole shelves, she absent mindedly grabbed a bag of dry cat food and stuffed it into her backpack. It was highly probable that most of the survivors would be feeding the kitten with any leftovers but.. just to make sure the poor thing doesn't starve to death.

Most of the jars have broken during initial earthquakes but two small jars of pickles seemed to be mostly alright. Without giving it much thought, she placed them in her backpack. Four bags of freeze-dried fruits quickly found their way into her pockets once she got a hold of them. Under a broken shelf, Nicola spotted an edge of some packet. Assuming it was just crackers or something, she reached into the rubble for it but once she pulled it out… she immediately regretted her decision. It was, in fact, not a bag of crackers. It was a whole, torn bag of soured cabbage coated in some strange growth - probably mould - she didn't get a chance to really look at because her attention was caught by something inside the bag. Probably squeezed in through the tear and got stuck, a small, bloated body of a gigantic, hellish critter. Instinctively, Nicola yelped quietly and without giving it much thought she lobbed the thing across the whole store before wiping her hand on the nearest piece of rag that wasn't her clothes. She didn't even get any of the spilling juices on her but… gross. Just gross. Ew ew ew! Ignoring the wet splat the bag made when it hit the floor wasn't an easy task. Still shaking off the disgust, she continued her search, noting to herself never to touch something she isn't sure what it is.

From there it thankfully was starting to go much smoother. Two packets of crispbread, some dark chocolate and a box of tea were found and collected. Nicola nearly cheered out loud when she spotted a few Snickers on a shelf. One she immediately opened and eagerly ate while the rest landed safely in her backpack. It might be mostly sugar with a bit of peanuts but it was a good snack that could deceive the brain for quite some time. To be frank, Nicola lived half of the high school on those whenever her lessons lasted too long for her breakfast to keep her sated. Besides, she couldn't imagine others would mind her bringing a bunch. Especially Marie. Jacob will most likely strangle Nicola if his daughter eats too much sweets but in the end it'll be worth it. Anything would be worth putting a smile on that sad little face.

Somewhere on the floor, Nicola even found a box of vitamins which luckily was not out of date yet. With a deficit of fruits and vegetables, those could be lifesavers. Especially for Leslie. She needs the most of it. Unfortunately, the space in her backpack was very much limited and soon she couldn't put anything more in there. Rearranging the contents of it, she put in one bottle of water, careful not to crush the crispbread and chocolate. At least she found something. Her escapade wasn't all for nothing when it comes to supplies. But even without those, she wouldn't say she regrets it. Against all the odds, she lived. And most importantly, she gained an otherworldly friend. And in times like these, a friend is something to be treasured.

Slinging her now much heavier backpack on her shoulders, she picked up her gun and headed towards the broken window she used as an entrance before. Peeking out from the store, she saw Raphael where she'd left him and a very much awake cat playfully attacking the longest quill of his left wing. His head perked up when she dropped onto the sidewalk beneath the window and she could've sworn she'd seen the corner of his mouth twitch upwards for a second there. Smiling, she unfolded her hands and shrugged.

"See? I keep my promises."

The angel hummed quietly before leaning his head against the wall behind him and closing his eyes. Nicola was about to ask if he's good to go but let the thought perish when she noticed his eyebrows furrow and his chapped lips twist into a slight grimace. Soon after, his right hand wandered up to his chest as he took a couple of quick and shallow breaths through his clenched teeth. If Nicola didn't know any better, she'd have said Raphael was having a heart attack. Can an angel even have an infarct? She honestly had no idea. In fact, she didn't even know how old he is. She couldn't tell. All the angels she'd met so far had white hair so that's not a hint to go by and his face didn't necessarily look old or young. He seemed as ageless as the time itself. Still, she didn't want to take any chances.

"Raphael? What's wrong?!"

She asked as she crouched beside him and laid a hand on his shoulder to steady him if needed. Raphael simply slowly shook his head and turned to look at her tiredly. And in his blank eyes she saw the already familiar pain and a spark of a silent plea.

"Just a little longer.. Let me rest a while…"

It took everything Nicola had in her to stop the sigh of relief. It didn't sit right with her that Raphael was still suffering and she could do absolutely nothing about it but hearing he's mostly fine, with only the usual ailing him, made her feel a tad easier. When his breathing grew slower and calmer, she even let herself slip down to the floor beside him.

"Sure. We have time, I guess.."

It was still relatively early, barely an hour or two after noon and Nicola wasn't that eager to return into the sky so soon. Only thinking about it made her feel a little sick. Hopefully, it wasn't too far to Haven from here. Even though Nicola really wanted to finally get home, she decided to be patient with her companion. He was wounded and most likely ill but he still tried his best to help her, even though he hadn't known her that long. He deserves a moment. Nicola too needed to sit down for a second as her thigh was still a bloody nuisance. Just a few more minutes. It wouldn't do harm to have a little break now, would it?

Yes. Yes it would. Nicola suddenly realised when she saw the kitten arc its back and puff its tail out. It hisses loudly before scurrying away into the store she just left and soon enough Nicola realised why once she looked into an alley ahead of her. The sight of a massive, winged shape made it painfully obvious. Her heart nearly ceased and Raphael beside her tensed at the sight of an enormous demon with curved horns and teeth, each the size of her palm, resembling a set of barbed knives made specifically to cut meat. The edges of long healed wounds that left behind terrible scars on her abdomen began to itch as she gawked at the familiar monster that nearly took her life. Flapping of gigantic wings that covered the sky with its expanse… Razor sharp claws curling around her body… the same talons tearing into her flesh as Ulthane attempted to free her from its grasp. And this shriek… oh God, this shriek…

Despite the apparent pain and exhaustion, Raphael slowly - not to agitate the demon - got up to his feet and raised his wings threateningly as he stepped in front of aghast Nicola. The fact that due to its bulkiness this thing seems almost twice as large as he is doesn't make an impression on him. Or maybe it does but he doesn't show it. The Fallen stared at Raphael with its small red eyes as a pair of Phantom Guards rounded a corner and joined the beast. Each carried a jagged blade that could easily tear through angelic armor. Nicola had seen it happen. Following them was another bloody Goreclaw. But these three she barely even noticed. Her wide eyes were focused on the larger demon. She felt her muscles refuse cooperation and seize. She couldn't move, couldn't speak. Her mind repeatedly screamed No nono no NO! Not like this!!

With excited roars, the lesser demons charged towards the angel standing between them and the weak, pathetic and helpless human as the Fallen spread its wings and took off into the air. Even as Nicola kept stone still, Raphael remained sharp and ready to act as always. One spell spilled past his lips and the flying demon instantly went rigid before plummeting back onto the ground and crashing into a broken car, setting its annoying alarm off. It didn't discourage the other three but it let Nicola find will to move and clutch her gun tighter. Ever since she'd met Raphael, he'd been doing nothing but getting her arse out of trouble. Taking a shaky breath she decided to start repaying favors.

Though, once again she didn't really have a chance to do anything as she was dumbstruck by the following scene playing out before her. As the hellish monsters charged, Raphael took his staff in both hands and held it before himself, closing his eyes and muttering an incantation in his melodious language. The moment the first demon stepped a tad too close, Raphael's eyes snapped open, burning like two white suns and a sleek ethereal blade materialized from the tip of what Nicola previously thought just an ornament or a walking cane. It glowed like the purest light ever to exist. Another assumption Nicola made about Raphael turned out to have been false. The last thing she can say about him is unarmed. He carried no blade, no gun or anything but who needs a weapon as lame as those when in addition to powerful sorcery you have a freaking lightsaber?

Everything lasted less than a second as the angel led a wide, sweeping slash of his spectral sword… spear thing… and promptly relieved the Phantom Guard of its horned head, before stopping the pouncing Goreclaw with a flick of his free hand, suspending it in the air growling and hissing. The other Phantom Guard had no chance to either attack the vulnerable angel or retreat, when Raphael was busy cutting down the quadrupedal demon, as Nicola came back to her senses and, instead of running like she always has, jumped forward and fired her shotgun. The resounding bang travelled through the entire city, bouncing off the walls and drifting far into the desolate town but it had the effect Nicola counted on.

The Phantom Guard staggered backwards with a chest full of buckshot, wheezed a couple times and tripped over onto its back never to get up again. With adrenaline still pumping through her veins, Nicola stared at the either dead or dying demon in wonderment, her brain trying to process what just happened, before releasing a breathless laugh of triumph. She killed one. She actually killed one! Raphael too seemed rather surprised but not unpleasantly so as he let the blade fade away.

"I got it! Did you see that?!"

"That indeed, I have.."

He said as he eyed her carefully, probably just to check if she's fine. Aside from a little fresh blood on his boots and hands, Raphael didn't seem to have gotten hurt in any way. Well… more than he'd already been at least. Nicola beamed up at him nearly bursting with pride at her actual first kill on a demon larger than her shin. And he seemed happy for her, if the soft smile he regarded her with could be an indication. But this victory didn't last long. Her own smile faded when she saw the Fallen stiffly getting up from where it slammed onto the ground, pure rage on its monstrous face. Her pulse began to race again but this time she refused to let the panic get a hold of her just yet.

"Watch out!!"

She cried too late, just a sliver of a second too late. Raphael whipped around to face the attacker and all he managed to do was raise his hand before the charging demon swung its head to the left. And with the force of a truck driving at the speed of fifty miles per hour, slammed it into the angel, making a formula of a spell die on his lips as he was sent flying through the air and crashing against a nearby building. The force of the impact caved in the wall and the kind, mad angel disappeared in a cloud of dust. All that was left were a couple of white feathers slowly falling to the ground.

"NO!"

Nicola didn't pay any mind to how her voice broke and squeaked pitifully when her heart leaped up into her throat. She could only stare at the place where Raphael vanished with a rumbling crash as the enraged demon growled in the same direction. Not a single part of her being agreed with what she'd just witnessed. A second before he was standing right there, like nothing was about to happen, distracted by her gushing over her first serious kill. Nothing should have happened, why did the demon unravel Raphael's magic just like that? Even a Shadowcaster didn't manage to do that! Why would this one? And why… Tears welled up in her eyes as her lower lip trembled… why did it have to… end the way it did…?

To make matters worse, the Fallen was still before her, still furious and thirsting for blood. Not wasting more time, Nicola pulled out a handful of new bullets and tried to reload her weapon but it proved almost impossible with how much her hands were shaking. Thank Christ, the demon was taking its sweet time as it faced her and began to lumber towards her on all fours, huffing out breaths stinking of rotting meat. Faster, faster, damn it! Nicola cursed inwardly when she dropped a couple of shells before she finally managed to place the ammunition where it should be. But when she looked up, the Fallen was on top of her already. Parting its jaws wide, ready to swallow her whole.

The scream of anguish that felt so tempting in the back of her throat never came to be. In a second, Nicola thought about all the horrors she'd lived through. All demons she'd met, all shambling corpses of former humans brought back by vile sorcery. All friends she'd made and lost.. Raphael, do just one thing for me. She gritted her teeth as her knuckles turned white from how she was gripping her weapon. Despair started to turn into rage. Burning bright and white hot inside of her, the flame Raphael had helped her see. Please, be alive when I come for you… The demon lunged forward to sever the string of her measly life by biting her in half. But Nicola wasn't going to let it get her so easily. Her fear was forgotten as she stuck the barrel of her shotgun into the monster's opened maw. She didn't want to die. Not now, not like this. For once she wanted to have a say over her own fate. Over the date of her demise. She is still young, she had a whole life ahead of her. And all those demonic dickheads with the Destroyer leading the charge decided to ruin everything and not only for her, but for every human who lives still and who has perished. And those who are yet to be born. She refused. She will not die. Not here. Not killed by that thing.

"FUCKOFF!!!"

And she fired. Partially, the sound was muffled by the demon's mouth snapping shut just barely missing Nicola's arms as she let go of her gun. The Fallen recoiled and began to shriek in pain, spitting out its own blood onto the concrete at its feet. Nicola didn't have delusions she could kill it but it gave her the precious seconds she needed. She ran for the closest hiding place available, which was the store she just left. Nicola leaped in through the broken window and quickly made it to the opposite wall to put as much distance between herself and the writhing monstrosity as possible. And it was a good choice.  A loud roar from the street made her heart fall into her heels as the injured demon finally gathered its bearings.

Nicola looked at the Fallen that was coming her way with murder in its eyes. The unexpected bout of courage has long faded and the petrifying fear once again had Nicola in its chilling grasp. Even with the mouthful of bullets, the Fallen did not intend to give up on its prey. And here she hoped it would piss off if she fed it with lead… Snarling and panting, the demon approached the broken window with its own blood pouring from between its sharp fangs. It only added to the menacing image of the beast that had Nicola trembling and frozen.

Think, Nicola, THINK! What can she do against an opponent far bigger, stronger and more dangerous than a single human without a weapon? The Fallen was trying to fit through the window, reaching out with its clawed paw to try and get her. Nicola looks around in panic, looking for anything that could save her. In a grocery store. Good luck. Eventually, she says "fuck it" and grabs a most likely rancid egg. The laughably small projectile splatters over the face of the demon with a squelch and even from far away Nicola is sure this egg was definitely rotten. Even the Fallen stops for a second to shake the disgusting goop off of its head but before it's done, another egg flies through the air and cracks on its head, just as stinky as the previous one.

"How'd ya, like that, asshole?! Wanna have some more?!"

Nicola yells at the demon, holding yet another egg, fully prepared to just chuck it at the monster. Unfortunately, all she managed to do was piss it off even further as its efforts in reaching her doubled. Pieces of plaster and bricks were coming loose as the demon tried to wriggle into the shop to finally kill that annoying pest lobbing small, smelly things at it. As a result, an egg once again hit the demon while Nicola kept shouting out profanities that probably made her poor mother toss and turn in her grave. She's not going down without a fight, even if the said fight is done by throwing eggs and all the gross shit she found on the floor. But she knew she isn’t getting out of this one.

And so, this is it. Nicola couldn't believe she would die by the claws of the same creature that nearly killed her once before. Was Ulthane rescuing her only delaying the inevitable? What a sick joke… Why does fate insist on being cruel? There was so much she wanted to say, so many apologies she had to give… so little time… There was nothing she could do. At least… she will see Nicholas again.. her parents and every friend she'd lost in this cursed apocalypse. A miracle would've been nice. A tiny one. Just this once. Please?

And boy, did she get her wish. A sudden force violently tearing the Fallen out of the shop nearly startled her out of her dirty and tattered jeans. Hardly believing her eyes, she watched as her would-be killer screeched in rage and surprise when it was wrenched free from the ruined window and was gone from her vision. A sudden tremor shook the whole building, sending small bits of debris raining down on her head as a mighty roar reverberated through her very bones. But it wasn't the Fallen. It was something meaner. Something… Nicola swallowed thickly at the thought… bigger. Or at least as large as this fucker. Then came clacking of metal, ungodly screeching of the demon. A second later Nicola saw as it was flung through the air like a sack of potatoes and crashed against a block of flats. Instant karma. She thinks with bitter satisfaction when she remembers what that faggot did to Raphael. I need to somehow get to him. Honestly though, she doesn't really want to know what managed to just YEET a Fallen like a skipping rock.

Unfortunately, she finds out and finds out quite soon. From her hideout, she sees an enormous creature, nearly as big as the demon that threatened her, charging towards the stunned monster still bleeding from its mouth. If Nicola had been terrified of the Fallen, then she was on the verge of having a straight out SCA after seeing this chunk of a behemoth. Whatever this thing was, it was the size of an average tree. Its armored hide was burning with red and white flames which were enveloping twin jagged, metal whips it held in its hands. Vestigial wings were trembling with wrath as it turned its radiant white eyes at the battered demon. Between a pair of sweeping horns that crowned its head was a flickering blaze that flared with each step the monstrosity took towards its quarry. Right.. What's the best way to get rid of a monster? Sic a stronger monster on it. The Fallen shrugged off and growled at its new assailant, challenging it to a fight.

While the two beasts were circling one another, battling she couldn't even guess what for, Nicola braced for what was to come. This is a horrible idea. Breath in and breath out. In and out. And when the Fallen pounced at its attacker, she bolted. Not stopping, she ran. Through the street the demons were fighting on, past them - so close she could feel the heat radiating off of the newcomer - and into the building Raphael disappeared in. Nicola hoped she was ready for what she was about to find. She really did. Jumping in through the punched in wall however, she soon found out she was, in fact, not ready. The moment she entered, she immediately caught the sight that made something squeeze inside of her.

On a pile of rubble from the destroyed wall was Raphael coated in dust. Still. Not moving, his mesmerising white eyes shut. Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh God, oh NO! Not thinking, all fear and uncertainty she ever felt in his presence was long cast away, Nicola rushed over to him pleading, begging everything that would listen for him to be alive. Don't leave me here like this… Dropping at his side into the rubble, Nicola lays her ear on the top of his chest and doesn't let herself relax until she hears a heartbeat and a shallow breath within. Words cannot describe how much she deflated once she did. He's still alive.. but he doesn’t look good.

"Raphael! Please say something! Can you hear me?!"

Thankfully, angel's eyes lolled open as she spoke to him, hinting that he indeed can hear her. Trying his best to keep his unfocused gaze on her face, Raphael furrowed his eyebrows and lifted his upper lip in a pained sneer as his hand wandered up to clutch at his side where the demon's heat struck him.

"Nnn… Nnii… co…"

He weakly attempted to speak but without much success. No joke, he must've hit his head really hard and she dreaded to think about the state of his ribcage.. But hey! At least he hears and understands what Nicola is saying. And it's a good sign.. right…? Wasting no more time, Nicola helped him sit up, keeping her hand on his forehead to steady him as his own palm rested over hers. Even squinting in pain, Raphael kept looking at her, as though she was the only point of focus he could think of.

"Hang in there, okay?! Please, Phel.. We'll be fine…"

Liar. Something snaps at her. They're pretty much defenseless and vulnerable with a very livid demon still threatening them. One or the other will come out victorious. And to the victor go the spoils… Raphael tried to say something but still couldn't formulate words properly due to the splitting headache pulsing through his entire skull. Though even through ringing in his head and pain in his chest that somehow rivaled the one he constantly felt, he found something in this human's words that baffled him. In her panic, Nicola doesn't catch a puzzled look he sends her way.

Phel?

A choked up cry of a dying demon made them both jump a little and look out through the hole Raphael made when the demon gored him. Just in time to see the flaming beast standing on top of the Fallen and strangling it with its whips. Then, the creature of… quite blatantly feminine curves gave one sharp tug and the demon's head was brutally severed from the rest of its body. And everything fell silent.

Instinctively, Nicola halted her breath and ceased any movement, watching the winner (Nicola felt fully comfortable with calling it per "she" now) shoot a glance towards her and Raphael who by this point tiredly laid his head on her shoulder, heaving in attempts to draw a proper breath. The creature approached slowly, keeping Nicola frozen in place and desperately holding onto her injured friend. When the demon was at the wall, only her massive legs were visible. Seconds ticked by as a set of claws rested above the opening to the house, and a monstrous head loomed through the hole.

That would be more than enough to make Nicola pass right the Hell out but.. Something about this creature intrigued her. It didn't have a snarling, toothy maw but an almost featureless face with the curve of a nose and a pair of bright and ferocious, intelligent eyes. It stared at her with more understanding than any demon Nicola had ever seen. Whatever it was, it didn't seem aggressive for some weird reason. At least not yet.. Then, unexpectedly, the creature was enveloped in red flames as its humongous form began to shrink and reshape into something much smaller but still a good two heads taller than an average human.

From the hot light emerged a very humanlike woman in intricate metal armor. Black tattoos marked her stern face around her luminous, white eyes and on her forehead, right below the line of incredibly dense magenta colored hair which floated freely around her head, defying gravity like it's the most natural thing in the world. Whoever it was, even with an intimidating aura of strength and resolve, her close resemblance to a human calmed Nicola somewhat. Plus, she had to admit that this woman had the looks. Men would probably be killing one another for her. Honestly, Nicola felt kind of jealous.. But considering she was still pretty much helpless with a half-conscious angel leaned against her, it didn't put her fully at ease. At least until the stranger spoke in plain English. Then Nicola finally released the breath she was holding. Crossing her arms, the tall lady sneered slightly at the human and angel before her.

"Well, would you look at that. Guess it's your lucky day today."

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

It's finally done, my goodness! This one was hard to get right but I made it. Don’t ask me how i managed to finish it with two pictures, I have no clue :I

Fury makes an appearance! Badass as always. :D

Also, can I get an F for Raphael's poor ribs?

#darksiders #darksiders 3 #darksiders fury #darksiders raphael #raphael #fury #darksiders OC #human survivor oc #CoK #cost of kindness #chapter IV

[redgillan]

I’ve got you under my Skin - End

Bucky Barnes x Reader ♀️

Summary: Modern!AU  We’ve been sleeping together on and off for almost a year and I know it’s angry hate sex but I got you a little gift because it reminded me of you.

Word Count:1,256

Warnings: things get steamy-ish 

A/N: Right, so this is absolutely cheesy and I’m not even sorry. I thought they were going to do the do but nope they decided not to, so it’s pretty PG. Hope you enjoy this last chapter and thank you to everyone who commented on this story, I love you.

You started to pace back and forth in front of your door, waiting for Bucky. You lived in a quiet neighbourhood and it was already fairly late so you easily picked up the sound of his bike. It sent your heart racing.

You wanted to be more than a booty call, and sometimes it felt like your relationship was evolving, but you weren’t so sure since Bucky kept sending you mixed signals. It was a little frustrating.

You had to have an honest conversation with him. You needed to know where you stood. The only problem was that talking about your feelings made your skin crawl.

Three knocks at your door pulled you out of your reverie. You blinked yourself back to the present and went to open the door. There he was, standing in front of you with his motorcycle helmet in hand, the man who had stolen your heart.

A twinge of anxiety settled in the pit of your stomach, and you realised that you weren’t brave enough to face your feelings. Instead, you grabbed his arm and pulled him into your apartment, slamming the door behind him.

Old habits die hard...

Bucky dropped his helmet on the floor and offered no resistance when you pushed him against the wall and started unbuttoning his shirt.

He closed his eyes when his back touched the wall, his body shuddering under your touch. He knew he should have stopped you, but reason and logic went right out the window when you touched him.

His breathing hitched as you pushed his shirt off his shoulders. He braced himself for more, but nothing came. Startled, he opened his eyes and found you staring at the scar on his shoulder.

You had never seen his scar, though you remembered the way it had felt under your fingertips. Seeing it now was unnerving, not because it was puckered and discoloured, but because you realised you had never paid attention to it before. You hadn’t cared enough to notice it.

Thing had changed between you, and this new realisation gave you the push you needed to talk with him. You couldn’t bury your head in the sand and pretend you didn’t love him.

“Does it still hurt?” you asked, not meeting his eyes.

“Not as much as seein you cry,” Bucky replied quietly.

You didn’t know what to say. He placed his hands on your hips, a gentle reminder that he wasn’t going anywhere, and moved his thumbs in small circles. The gesture was comforting and helped to relieve some of the tension.

“When I said I wanted to see you tonight,” he spoke calmly, looking you in the eye, “it wasn’t because I wanted t’have sex with you. There's somethin I've been meanin to tell you, and I thought it’d be easier to talk when it’s just the two of us.... but it’s not.”

“Tell me,” you begged, your voice just above a whisper. “Please.”

His biggest fear was that you might laugh in his face, but one look at your eyes told him all he needed to know and his fear simply vanished.

“You gotta understand that I’d never thought I’d find someone who I can be myself around. It’s easier to pretend I don’t need anyone. And it doesn’t matter if no one ever loves me.” He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Then I met you,” he gauged your expression, saw the smirk on your face. “Okay, granted it took me a few years to really see you-”

“More like a decade,” you teased, relieved to hear him say those words. “Was it hate at first sight?”

“Absolutely,” he deadpanned. “More seriously, doll, I never hated you. We’re both passionate people with strong opinions-”

“Like what you should and shouldn’t put on your pizza?” you said in a serious tone, but the twitching corners of your mouth gave you away.

“Exactly,” he played along, “and I’m glad I won this argument.”

“Actually-” you tucked a strand of hair behind his ear, “-it was a draw.”  

It made Bucky’s heart stutter, brought him back to the night you were babysitting Sophie. He put his arms around your waist and drew you close. He had missed the banter between you.

His eyes softened. “You’re incredible, y’know that?” The way you bent your head to hide a smile was the most beautiful thing Bucky had ever seen, and he struggled not to stare at you. “I want to spend time with you. I wanna know what makes you happy and what makes you sad.”

You played with the ends of his shirt, not meeting his eyes. “I want that, too,” you told him quietly. “But it’s not easy letting people in. Sometimes people just disappear and you never see them again.”

Bucky remembered the story you told him about your friend. You pushed people away because you were terrified of losing them. He suddenly realized how lonely your life must have been.

“I’m right here,” he said, “I ain’t goin anywhere.”

Minutes passed before you finally lifted your head. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

Bucky had asked himself that question many times, but the answer was actually quite simple. He had been bullied, beaten, ridiculed, and he had almost stopped believing he would ever find someone he could share all this with. Until you.

He took a deep breath to steady his nerves and looked at you

“It’s hard for me to trust people, to open up, to love,” he cupped the side of your face and rubbed his thumb over your cheekbone. “But it’s so easy when I’m with you.”

He watched as your tongue darted out to lick your lips, and something inside him stirred. Something beyond desire or want. Instinctively, he closed his eyes and let you come to him. He had never kissed you before. It was one of the rules. No kissing.

You pressed your mouth to his, testing the waters. It was just a peck on the lips, and it left him wanting more.

Then he felt your arm snake around his waist, your other hand resting flat on his bare chest. He tightened his hold on you when you kissed him again.

Bucky lost himself in the kiss, your bodies pressed against each other. You parted his lips with your tongue, deepening the kiss.

Oh God, your mouth was amazing! He knew you liked being in control, but that kiss was something else.

You trailed kisses down his throat, smiling against his skin when he let out a sigh of pleasure. He jerked his head back so hard that he hit the wall, baring his neck to you. You giggled and sucked a bruise on his neck, taking full advantage of this new position.

“Mine,” you said, pecking his parted lips one last time.

He pressed his fingers against the purple mark on his neck. “Did you just-” he trailed off, his eyes dark with desire.

Laughing quietly, you hooked your fingers through his belt loops and yanked him closer. He followed you into the bedroom, fumbling slightly with his shirt. He dropped it on the floor and walked you backwards towards the bed.

Bucky playfully tried to bite your neck, and you giggled, squirming in his arms. You both fell on the bed, laughing like children. Once you had calmed down, you started running your hands up and down his bare back while his palms drifted along your ribcage under your shirt.

His skin felt hot and smooth, and you let out a deep appreciative purr when his muscles flexed under your touch. He caught your lips in another soul-searing kiss while his hand moved along your thigh.

You broke the kiss only long enough to pull your shirt over your head and toss it aside. Bucky hooked your leg over his hip and groaned when you started kissing his neck.

He tilted his head to the side, giving you better access. Out of the corner of his eyes, he spotted the New York City snow globe on your bedside table. He remembered the promise he had made to himself –that if you gave him a chance, he’d take things slow.

“Wait,” he said, too quietly for you to hear. “Sweetheart, wait.”

You stiffened and lifted your head so you could meet his eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“We should slow down,” he whispered.

“It’s not a big deal. We’ve had sex before, Bucky.”

“It’s more than just sex. We’ve known each other for years, but we never took the time to get to know each other. I like you, doll, I like you a lot, and I don’t wanna ruin this. Let me take you on a date, let me sweep you off your feet. I promise you won’t regret it.”

It took you a moment to process his words before you were able to answer. “You’re right.” You pressed your mouth to his. “Can you stay here tonight? No sex, just... I don’t want to be alone.”

“I told you,” he said, “I’m here and I ain’t goin anywhere.”

“I like you, Bucky.” You smiled at him. “And I also really like when you call me ‘sweetheart’.”

He blushed at that. “It slipped out.”

He rolled onto his back and brought you with him, a sense of contentment settling over him. You rested your cheek on his chest, relishing the warm and strength of his embrace. It didn’t take him long to fall asleep, with you safe in his arms.

end.

#bucky barnes #bucky x reader #marvel imagine #bucky barnes x reader #marvel fanfiction #bucky barnes series #bucky barnes imagine #marvel #bucky barnes fanfiction #let's not look at this girl's hands in the gif ok #redgillan #redgillanwrites #i've got you under my skin

[evoedbd]

A Witch of a headache

((Since everyone has listed stuff on Tumblr, I’ll join the band wagon.  I’mn BD99 over on A03)) Summery:  fter fleeing the Witch Queen, her generals and the Castle its little wonder that Kya is stressed. That stress and exhaustion leads to a catnap, and a royal headache. What she sees during her nap chills her to the core, yet she cannot tell if it her subconscious showing one of the Queen's memory she suppressed, or if its her overactive imagination. Fortunately, her lovely mage is there to serve as a pillow. ********* Never had she heard such a scream.

 Raw emotions warring so fiercely together that the sound alone could tear heartstrings. Agony, exquisite and vile combined with something almost akin to lust. A melancholy echo delivered out of expectation. A scream torn from someone’s throat, yet offered so freely to cruel ears. Surely, only a heartless monster could feel the rush of euphoria as the woman broke beneath blade and hand.

 The visual flashes were sharp as knives, as if they were gifs playing across the computer screen of her mind. The glint of metal, gleaming viciously in various shades in soft light. A knife trapped between a bloodless hand and a milky thigh. The overwhelming expansion of creamy flesh, marred by patches of bright reds and pinks where ice had begun to burn. Muscles shuddering, a feminine body writhing both against and away from the knife between her thighs. The bloodless hand pressing down, holding a chasm of red like a lifeline. Nails digging into the flesh, causing the steady flow of blood to part into finer streams around such an obstacle.

 The worst of the nightmare however was the face that came. Helena’s face. Head thrown back, flesh blotchy with cruel fingermarks bruising into her delicate jaw. Soft lips tainted red that dripped down the cracks of her gleaming teeth, tainting the corner of her mouth in a trail to her heaving collar. Helena’s wide, unfocused eyes were perhaps the most terrifying thing. Usually so blue and deep, yet somehow drained of colour in her fear. Fear that was hidden behind hatred, confusion and love. Lust did not exist, only the dull cloak of acceptance and the gleaming trail of tears that followed.

 “Will you disappoint me again?” The voice of the queen was undeniably recognizable. Cold, filled with authority. Able to inspire the feeling of nails down a chalkboard.

 “Please-“ Helena’s soft voice broke, raspy and stilted from every scream drawn so masterfully from her body. Even then, another faithfully followed as the Queen’s hand slid slowly down to Helena’s knee. The blade slid through Helena’s flesh as if it were warm butter, leaving a stark white divot for the briefest moment before the swell of blood burst free, trickling merrily into silken blue sheets.

 Helena’s body arched upward, her back bending as she pushed her chest higher, head pushing back into the mattress as if her neck alone could elevate her from beyond the immeasurable reach of her torment. The Queen appeared to have expected such a reaction, having already placed her glowing palm precisely where Helena’s breast would end.

 Again, the agonized scream escaped, followed by the desperate sob of someone denied any form of tenderness. Of someone without any salvation in hope or sight. Ice danced along the prickled flesh, turning it a sickly white before the hand was lifted. Once the ice left, the skin flushed a furious red, leaving yet another painful handprint over the woman’s heart. She was owned. Claimed. No modesty left to cling to, or right to refuse the Queen’s games.

 “Answer me, Helena” The queen’s voice held a husky note, matching her quickened breath. Helena’s fists tightened enough for her nails to draw blood in her palms. Blood which contrasted against the ice blue rope she clung to. Even as she writhed in her pain, the rope did not surrender. It remained strong, littered with purple patches as Helena’s blood soaked into the fibres. Each droplet of pain could be compared to Helena’s spirit, which once more shattered beneath the Queen’s hands.

 “NO! My Queen. I will kill them next time” Again, Helena’s voice broken. The words came true, yet they were empty of anything that was Helena. They were submission. The wounded animal’s only way of survival at the hands of such a cruel Mistress.

 *************************************

 “Kya?” The voice was gentle this time, filled with tender concern to accompany the affectionate stroke of fingers through hair. Subtly roughened fingertips brushed at her temples, offering the most sincere form of comfort on their journey back into raven strands. Hair that was pulled away from an overheated young face. Even before Kya opened her eyes, she could feel her guardian’s concern radiating from her like magic. Magic she had seen cast many times now.

 Her heart beat like a war drum, beating, throbbing in her ears and beneath her eyelids as Kya let forth a soft groan of protest and acknowledgement. Heat pooled everywhere, yet nowhere at once. Kya could almost feel the stickiness of drying blood on her hands, trickling down her wrists as she gathered fistfuls of her own dark locks. Pulling at her hair hurt too, yet the pain proved pointless to erasing the heat in her belly, or the flush to her cheeks. The witch queen had enjoyed it. It was beyond torture for the woman. The Queen had taken orgasmic delight in Helena’s anguish.  In her fear. Had rejoiced the chance to punish her favorite pet. Even locked away in Kya’s nightmares, the physical effects of the Queen’s desires were real to the poor girl from Chicago. Euphoria at someone’s pain...

 “Not just anyone’s. Hers” Kya was not aware the words had escaped her trembling lips, even if they were muttered down into her chest once her head fell forwards. Here, where the serene scent of the forest flooded her senses along with the warm village cakes on the wind, Kya could imagine how the Queen practically preened with desire and pride, whilst she burned with shame and rage. Could Helena ever view HER as that... thing masquerading as a lover? As a Human being? Kya bit back the vilest insults she could think, too disgusted to register if those flashes were indeed a memory, or simply her overactive imagination due to the Queen’s former whispering. Her fears for what had happened to the remarkable woman behind her.

 “What troubles you?” Helena’s question was delivered softly, giving anther form to her concern for Kya. At this, the dark haired girl nodded, not trusting her voice at all. What if her rage seemed directed at Helena? Would the mage be scared? Would the same fear dance in her beautiful eyes again? Even now, after they had fled, Kya could just imagine the horrors inflicted. She could vividly remember the spiders in her mind, the tingles and creepy crawling sensation mere seconds before headaches overwhelmed her when the Queen wanted out.

 “Rest a moment, then we need to continue” Helena offered when met with silence, her fingers pulling more insistently at Kya’s hair. Insistence was never painful, was never anything more than warmth and care dripping in the protectiveness Kya had come to recognize in the sorceress. No matter Helena’s motives, she was always so tender. Every touch reverent towards someone who shared the face of a monster. With each glide of fingers through her hair, Kya allowed the tension to ebb from her body, taking delight in the simple affection offered. It was not long before a sigh left her, followed by her head falling into Helena’s lap as she laid down. Kya found herself gazing up at the sorceress, leaning her cheek into the steel corset.

 The steel should have been cold, should have been uncomfortable, yet the pain in Kya’s head made Helena’s armor feel like the softest pillow in the wartorn realm. Kya laid between Helena’s legs, stretched out on the soft grass. The dappled light of the trees was gentle enough that it did not bother her eyes, overshadowed by the concerned face of the Former General leaning protectively over her. Dark lips were fixed into a fine line, adding to the firm jawline and pensively lowered brows. The glistening adoration in Helena’s blue eyes softened her, a perfect duet with her soft, white gold hair, which hung like a curtain around the edges of Kya’s view. Every little breeze caused the light strands to tickle her skin, yet it could not break whatever spell Helena had cast over her in that moment.

 “-She’s beautiful-” Kya wished she could shout that thought to the world, yet she could not even swallow her own emotions to let the words come out as a whisper. How could someone had treated Helena so poorly? How could they have wanted to drive her to such depths? It made Kya’s gut tighten and her jaw clench, even as one of her hands instinctively reached for Helena’s leg. Even under layers of leather and steel, Kya felt the precise moment Helena flinched. The moment her hand touched the Spell caster's covered knee. The same leg a knife had been held to in her nightmares, Kya noted. If it was from the Queen Bitch’s memory, Helena never showed weakness in her movements. Had it healed? Was there ever a scar to be found beneath the armor, or did the queen wish for her pet to remain flawless? To remain more beautiful than any other woman Kya had ever seen in this realm, or even her own bustling city? Despite the, Kya didn’t snatch her hand away, nor did Helena insist upon removing it.

 “-Was she ever given a choice?-“ The question was bitter on Kya’s mind. Enough to renew the sickening churning in her gut for a moment. Had Helena been violated as well as tortured? Had it all been entirely against her will at first? Or had she always welcomed such treatment in sheer desperation for any form of love? Kya could remember the moment one of Sophie’s boyfriends had raised a hand. Her best friend had done exactly what her favorite songs said and marched right out into the single ladies community.  The weeks that had followed had seen her listening to Beyonce and dancing around Kya's apartment. It was a memory that made Kya miss her even more dearly.

 “Thanks Helena. Could you get me the number of that truck” Kya finally managed, her lips curling into a smile despite herself as she opened her eyes to gaze up at the sorceress. How could she not when the mage was being so caring?

 “-Don’t stare her boobs... Kya, you useless, thirsty Bisexual... bad timing-“ Kya mentally chastised herself as she stared up between the steel clad valley of Helena’s chest. It really was terrible timing. In the middle of the forest, on the run from the Queen’s army and both exhausted from the day without sleep. Blonde hair was tussled by the breeze, casting her fine features in subtle shadow as she looked at Kya. With her dark eyeliner and lipstick, Helena’s features seemed to pop in the light, giving her face a depth that could claim any woman loving individual’s breath. And Kya’s was claimed all over again.

 “Truck, my love?” Helena inquired, her lips fixing themselves in a contemplative line to match her arched brow. Her nostrils subtly flared, almost as if it were about to attempt to sniff out an answer, or as if a lone stand of hair had tickled it and she was trying not to sneeze. It was something so subtle, had Kya not been focused on the older woman’s face she would have undoubtedly missed it.

 “-That's too cute-“  She thought, her smile growing as she patiently explained.

 “Its a saying people use when they have bad headaches”

 “Your people are strange” Helena’s response was given with the faintest touch of a smirk. An indulgent one, matching the amused glimmer in her eyes. Her palms lingered on Kya’s temples as her fingers gently scratched through raven hair, chilled the faintest bit by her icy magic. When had she even cast that? Had Kya been too distracted to notice? Even the very thought of such magic should have been terrifying enough to send Kya fleeing from the Queen’s Former General, yet Kya couldn’t bring herself to do anything but groan in comfort at the cool touch. Helena kept such control of her spells, using every ouch of violent potential in some rather tender ways. It was as if she could do more with her magic, could heal with what was meant to destroy.

 “You must like my strange, or you wouldn’t have run with me” Kya pointed out plaintively, blinking up at the sorceress with her best version of an innocent smile. Of course Helena knew how very far from innocent Kya was when the girl’s eyes roamed to any exposed skin. The early days when Kya was adapting to Helena’s armor, which left one thigh practically naked had also seen Kya looking down a little too often to be chance. This same woman who had given everything to rescue Kya. Had given her home, her livelihood, her first love. The weight of that sacrifice crushed Kya’s heart, yet at the same time filled her with unrestrained giddiness. Nobody had ever loved her enough to give so much, nor had she loved anybody as she did Helena.

 “I have no regrets. I love you, Kya” Helena’s response was simple, filled with sincerity that drew a blush to Kya’s cheeks. Evidently, Kya’s expression had given her away.

 “Helena... I love you too” the words escaped Kya before she could even think them. The words were huge, a mountain she stood at the top of as she looked towards the sun. Those words were warmth, not the type that flared with lust and desire, but the gentle warmth. The kind of warmth that lingered quietly in the background, that lasted long after every impulse would fade away. They were, at that moment, security. The promise of whatever forever could follow.

 “-I wish she believed how strong she is-“ Was Kya’s last thought for a while before she took another breath. This time, she could smell Helena’s hair. The scent of alchemy and magic combined with the cakes and forest was enough to silence the girls mind. Enough to let her drift into a light doze in the afternoon sun, with her heart never once leaving her side.

#Helena Klein #Voltage Lovestruck #Lovestruck #Love&Legends #Helena x MC #lovestruck helena #Don'tTellMeTheQueenInYourHeadWouldn'tLeaveSomeNastyStuffBehind

[bookwyrminspiration]

Shattered Upside Down

A kotlc wings au: masterpost here

Chapter 10: The Reconnections

word count: 8.6k

chapter summary: So many things just went wrong, now Sophie and her friends have to pull themselves together and help each other process it, otherwise they'll never figure out what to do next.

warnings: mentions of blood/injury, brief mention of bodies (non-human), general distress and confusion, suppressing emotions, panicking, crying, swearing, purposeful misuse of grammar, a lot of caps (not in an angry way, just excited yelling), and I think that's everything

taglist: I’ll reblog with it. let me know if you want to be added or removed!

Hello! Ten chapters! We're in the double digits now! To celebrate I'll be posting a deleted scene from the earlier chapters, so if that sounds interesting to you, feel free to check it out! Now, I know you're probably eager to find out what happens next, so I'll stop !!

ao3 link here or read below

Everything froze.

The world was silent.

That little girl looked at her, tears streaming down their face, fingers clenched in that creature’s fur, nearly tearing it apart. They stared at her, and Sophie stared back.

Her friends were arranged in a circle around them, stumbling from the rubble, slipping in the carnage, trembling forward. Everyone’s eyes wide, mouths agape, dust clinging to their skin.

Eyes on the girl.

The girl wouldn’t take their eyes off Sophie. There were ten of them arranged in a perfect circle around them like some sick ritual from a human horror film.

Their mouth fell open, salty tears clinging to their lips,

and

they

screamed.

Cracks and tremors exploded their way through the rough ground cascades and shock waves of terror and sheer power ricocheted through the pathways of earth travelling along hidden roots and sending the whole world into a frenzy and it was so so so so unbearably loud.

Sophie clapped her hands over her ears, gritting her teeth as she tried to stop her very brain from rattling about in her skull. Her eyes closed for one moment but that was all it took.

The girl was gone when she opened her eyes.

There was a bag in her hand. Heavy, stuffed with metal pieces and tools and things she didn’t understand. Someone was holding her hand. A cloak had been draped across her back.

People were asking so many questions. What to do. Should they leave? Was Sophie’s shoulder okay? Was anyone else hurt? Would their parents try and come back? They couldn’t, she had their pathfinder. Should they just leave the bodies here?

Because there were bodies everywhere. Flattened into the ground, entrails strung between crumbled buildings like streamers. Thick, gleaming rivers of blood filled the cracks in the pavement, inching ever closer and closer, turning the claw marks and paw imprints in the ground into puddles, into drenched ground and soaked soil.

There was a dandelion growing between the cracks, petals now completely, entirely red.

She couldn’t see through the glass on the building to her side, but she could see her crimson reflection in the sheet of blood running down it, the drops drying like wax to the side.

It vanished, feathers blocked her view.

Deep browns spattered with gold and teal, a grey so dark it looked black, and--blue. A deep, rich blue.

Fitz, Keefe, and Maruca stood at three different points, a triangle amongst the ten of them, wings spread as the entire group faced inward. Blocking everyone’s view.

“What--what now?” Biana whispered, face drained of all color. There was a smudge of dirt on her cheek, bite marks in her lips.

“Who was that?” Keefe asked, grimacing, his hands held awkwardly at his side, like he couldn’t figure out just what he was supposed to do next.

Her fingers tightened around the pathfinder to the point of pain. Sophie just wanted this to be over. She’d been fighting so many people for so long. She didn’t want to anymore. She wanted to take a break, to go to the beach at midnight and push her friends into the water. To tend to a garden because she wanted to and not because she’d die without it. To listen to music on a blaring speaker without the looming terror it would draw something terrifying, something unnaturally scarier than her.

Twirling the pathfinder rhythmically beneath her fingers, she sighed. “Let’s just go.”

Keefe looked to her, alarmed. She didn’t care.

“Anyone have any last minute errands to run while we’re here,” she said, much too lightly. She couldn’t see the carnage through the feather barrier, but she could see it, knew what it looked like. The image was burned blisteringly detailed into her mind, and would remain for the rest of her goddamned life.

“Um...no,” Wylie answered, a bit confused, scratching at his head.

Sophie rubbed at her face; it felt like there was something stuck to her skin. A layer of filth and grime and wrong shuddering through her cells that refused to go away. She gasped, stumbling slightly--her shoulder. The movement jostled her shoulder. Throbbing aches thrummed their way through the surface of her skin, melting her nerves into rivulets of illusory, constant stimulation. Trembling, she exhaled.

Fitz reached out to steady her, frowning as he pulled her in to take a closer look. She didn’t let him. Covering it with her good arm, she tried to sort through her thoughts.

The sight of that little girl again…

“Then let’s just go.” Sophie looked up, startled. Linh. That had been...Linh. Her arms were crossed against her body, brow furrowed. Tam hesitantly placed his hand on her shoulder, seeming to convey something no one but her could understand. Linh shrugged in response and his expression only darkened, fingertips noticeably darker when he dropped his hand.

Almost reluctantly, they all linked hands. Like they were uneasy leaving this place the way it was. But what choice did they have? What could they possibly do?

Run away. That’s what they could do.

Again.

She couldn’t get it off. She couldn’t get anything off. The dust and grime from that haphazard city stuck to her skin like pollen and her clothes were damp with sweat and suctioned to her body and those wings were stuck to her back and she wanted to rip rip rip them off and set them alight and dance through the flames.

But there was dirt on the porch and she needed to sweep it off.

There were flower petals on the couch and she needed to clear them away.

There were wires and metal plates and parts to be sorted.

So she pushed it away. Pushed it down. Took a deep breath. And got back to work.

Unnerving quiet crept through the cracks of the wood planks beneath her feet. Too quiet. No wind blew through the canopied trees, no animals chirped in the forest. Everything had...paused. Or maybe that was just her, unaware of the world around her as she methodically plucked flower petals from the seat of the chair, tossing them out a window.

Everything she did pulled against the bandages wrapped haphazardly around her shoulder. She’d popped a few pills when she’d gotten back, human medicines she’d grabbed with Tam, rinsed the wound off, poured an antiseptic over the top--it’d stung like a bitch but she’d live--and wrapped the thing up. She didn’t want to deal with it anymore than she had to.

Attempting to clean her wound had disturbed some of the neatly wrapped bandages from Elwin--which was surprisingly difficult with all the pollen. But her right arm was still good and covered, the other good from about the elbow down. Right now, she could probably pass as one of those haunt actors in a human haunted house, some kind of resurrected mummy.

As she wandered around, she passed by friends moving, living their own lives, shadows trailing behind them, marring their faces. Biana and Fitz had disappeared somewhere the moment they’d gotten back, tears trailing down their cheeks. Linh had vanished too, arms crossed and expression tight, Tam right behind her, apprehensive, unable to deduce what was wrong.

What wasn’t wrong? That would’ve been a better question.

They were living just to the left of where they should’ve been. They were all together, everyone was alive, but everything was just slightly off. This was not right. They weren’t supposed to be like this. What had happened to them? Was it still happening? Who was that little girl?

She found a closet in one of the empty houses, a broom and some lengths of handmade rope, flowers curling out from a handful of the woven vines. That...didn’t seem like how rope was supposed to exist, but she also didn’t know much about making rope. Or anything about it.

A broom sat in the corner of the closet, which she made sure to note. She’d need that.

Slinging the length of rope over her good shoulder, she carelessly tossed a throwing star from hand to hand as she made her way through the village.

The bridges needed repair.

Just ahead, one of the bridges had snapped off entirely on one side, dangling over the edge and into a sharp drop much in the way those comical action movies had shown from when she was little.

Thunk. She’d set the supplies near the edge of the platform, but she didn’t care.

Tossing her legs over the edge, she braced herself; this would take a level of control she wasn’t sure she possessed--especially not right now.

Pressing off with her hands, she lowered herself into the air, just like when she’d lowered herself into swimming pools as a kid. Not the time to be nostalgic, Sophie. But she couldn’t help it. The sun had been overwhelming, the air muggy and humid. A beehive had started to form under the water slide and her and her sister would always plunge beneath the chemical surface when a bee flew near, or even just the sound of those wings approached.

The very same sound her own wings were now making, holding her gently in the sky as she urged herself forward, muscles in her back tearing at the scratches, the mite marks in her shoulder. Grabbing the frayed ropes and hauling them back to the platform she’d jumped from, she used her body weight to anchor it down while she tied and wove and cut the fresh rope--that’s what the throwing star was for. She didn’t think there’d be any scissors in an abandoned village, but she was open to surprises.

Actually, no she wasn’t. The unexpected oh so frequently came begging alongside disaster and terror, singing a sweet song of promise only to rip it to shreds as soon as you let it in.

Testing the strength, she tentatively walked across the planks, bouncing in the middle. She probably shouldn’t have been walking on it if she was unsure of its stability, but she wouldn’t fall if it broke. A dangerous mindset to play with and she knew it, but she didn’t care. Either way, it held. Good. Something was fixed. Something was better now.

She did it again. Time ticked passed, the supply of rope slowly dwindled, knot after knot slipping through her hands, fixing bridges until her fingers were raw and red and the muscles in her back were threatening to pop out. Her shoulder stung, the entire area burning as if set alight, but she didn’t dare take more than a minute’s break. Anything more would snap her out of this zone.

Back to the closet, then. She grabbed the broom. Anything, anything to keep her body moving, physical labor to numb her mind.

Dust showered over the edge, tumbling towards the ground far far below. She could watch it touch the ground if she wanted; instead, she let her mind disappear. Letting herself live in her own body would lead to circles and circles and circles, coming back to everything and anything she’d ever said.

Each mistake she’d made. There was nothing she could undo, but her mind could replay the possibilities over and over and over again. What if she’d tucked the wings inside her shirt instead of relying on just the cape after they’d escaped that creature. What if she’d agreed to meet in a different city, let Mysterium be just a mission for Dex, contacting their parents separate.

She should’ve tried harder, fought stronger. Should’ve. She hadn’t. An infinite cascade of what-ifs and maybes were drowning her, shoving her head under the water and there wasn’t a drop of energy left in her to scream.

Bristles brushed against the wood, precise. Methodic. She worked her way out from the inside of the platform, moving the dirt to the edges to watch it fall away.

Realizing there was grime inside too, she entered her little home. When had she come back to it--she could’ve sworn she was out further. Shifting the rug out of the way, she efficiently swept the floor. Kicking aside furniture with barely half a thought, holding a couch up with one hand, careful to avoid stepping on the stained glass littered about the floor. Bare feet didn’t mix well with glass, and her body was too bruised to torment further. Not that it was stopping her.

There was so much to do, so many tasks to complete.

This wasn’t right. This wasn’t how she was supposed to react, she knew that much. She had quite possibly just permanently severed her connection to her old life. Had maybe seen her father for the last time. He’d seen her, knew there was something wrong.

And she stood here with a broom she’d found in that empty home, sweeping rivers of dried dirt off the wood floor, watching it shower all the way down to the ground below.

She didn’t remember how she got back here.

She didn’t remember what she was supposed to do next.

She didn’t remember her name.

“Hey, you,” he said, gently, approaching hesitantly from behind. She still flinched, muscles tensing. Keefe took the broom from her hands, setting it to rest against the side of a nearby wall. That--that wasn’t her wall. When had she strayed so far from her cottage?

She hadn’t realized she’d stopped moving.

Almost like he was afraid he’d break her, he pushed a few strands of hair back behind her ear, the ones that were obscuring her face. Hiding the trails of tears crying silently down her cheeks.

He inhaled softly, eyebrows creasing with concern as his other hand came up to rest on the other cheek, holding her in his hands. She hadn’t even looked at him and yet she could still picture every minute detail of his expression.

“You okay?”

She didn’t know if she was physically capable of responding. Softly, her own hands covered his, savoring the warmth of his skin against her own, pressing her eyes closed in a futile attempt to dry her eyes.

Sophie leaned forward, her forehead pressing against Keefe’s chest as his arms widened around her, caught off guard for a moment before his hands slowly settled on her back, careful to avoid the wings.

“O-oh. Okay. We can--we can do this, then. If you need.”

She did need. Desperately. Tilting her face to the side so her cheek was pressed to his chest instead, she held him close. And let him hold her. They didn’t talk. Just stood there, bodies flush.

Eventually, he raised one of his hands from her back, brushing it through her hair, chaotic and tangled from the style she’d hastily torn out. She felt his fingertips combing through the strands, ghosting across her scalp as he pulled at the knots, untangling it with his fingers the best he could. His fingers slid against the back of her neck, lifting the strands stuck to her skin. Gentle. He was oh so gentle with her, like she was a porcelain doll and one wrong move would shatter her into pieces.

“You doing alright, Sophie?”

Sophie pulled back and nodded, smoothing out his shirt, pulling it back down and pointedly avoiding eye contact. He wasn’t having it.

Keefe held her chin, slowly directing her to look back at him, his skin warm against the dried salt on her own.

“Are you okay, Sophie? Please talk to me. Or anyone. I know that mission didn’t go well and--”

“Stop,” she whispered, and he shut right up. It was so so much harder to talk than she thought it would be. “I can’t. Not right--I can’t. Too much. Everything. All at once. I can’t.”

He was nodding, the wings at his back shifting slightly, readjusting themselves, a deep charcoal grey. Her fingers tightened into fists in this shirt before she realized what she was doing and released the fabric, stepping back, exhaling.

Today had been absolutely awful and she hated everything about it. From pushing her old life even further away to accidentally revealing the wings to the little girl on that intelligent monster down to the chill in the air that morning.

But Dex had gotten his supplies. He’d had everyone help carry everything back--though he tried to get her to let them all handle it, what with the shoulder. And they were all still here. And everyone else had been taken back to the underground unharmed. Those were wins. They were positives. They were good things but she just couldn’t focus on them.

“Do you...want a distraction?” Keefe asked, hesitantly waving a hand in front of her face to bring her back to reality.

She nodded, running her hands down her face. It was too much. Too many things had gone so wrong so quickly and she’d wanted to bury her imparter beneath her mattress because it was exploding with messages and hails and just the thought of reading them made her so nauseous her knees had buckled and she’d had to lay on the floor for several minutes.

That’s when she’d remembered how disheveled the place was. So she’d started cleaning and hadn’t stopped. Not until he’d come to find her.

“Okay,” he breathed, hands combing back through his hair as he squinted off into the distance. Thinking. He hadn’t had anything planned and was thinking on the fly. He glanced to her.

“You stole Grady’s pathfinder, right?”

“No need to rub it in,” she grumbled, patting at various points all over her body, trying to remember where she’d put it. She’d thought she’d tucked it into her waistband, but it wasn’t there. “I think I left it inside.”

He pulled at his lip with his fingers, lost in thought. “Okay. Cool. Where?” She gestured for him to follow her, leading him across a few bridges, some she’d repaired and tied back into place, others they had to take a route around because she hadn’t fixed them yet.

She ducked her head inside, scanning the space, the little tables. There. She jogged inside, snatching it off a chair and returning back outside, holding it out to Keefe.

Taking it from her, he began to spin the facets, a new pattern emerging. It seemed familiar, although she could never quite understand how the crystals worked.

He smiled slightly to himself, glancing. When he saw her looking back he quickly averted his gaze, cheeks turning red. Tilting her head to the side, she watched him hold up the pathfinder to the afternoon light.

Lacing their fingers together, he looked over his shoulder at her. “I don’t think you’ve ever been where we’re going, but it’s not the location that’s important. Got it?”

She shook her head, but he didn’t elaborate further, pulling them both into the light.

Purple grass had never made much sense to Sophie. Foxfire had purple grass, but no one bothered to explain why. It was one of those elvish things that hadn’t been deemed important enough for her to learn.

This grass wasn’t just purple, but varying shades of seafoam greens and delicate blues as well. Tall, reaching to about her knees, some adorned with flowers.

That was all. Grass, as far as she could see.

Keefe sighed next to her, then rubbed at his neck, smiling sheepishly. “I wasn’t sure if this place would be clear or not.” Clear of monsters. Taking a chance, coming here without scouting or defense aside from their new mobility and Sophie’s strength--not that she was in great shape at the moment. Perhaps the others had strange new traits too, not that she’d ask. Fitz had been staring off quite a lot recently, but she didn’t know if that meant anything.

“What are we doing here?” she asked, looking around. There was...nothing. Nothing was good. Nothing meant they were safe. Nothing meant this place hadn’t been overrun or corrupted just yet. But it also wasn’t like Keefe to do nothing.

Tucking the pathfinder away, he ran his fingers through his hair, standing slightly taller, pulling himself together. “Okay. Look around. What do you see?”

“Grass.”

“Yeah, there’s grass. Who do we know who likes grass and fields and streams?” He was trying to lead her somewhere but her brain had turned to lead. Wait. A stream? Huh, now that she thought about it, the faint gurgle of something wet rushing by could be heard. Water pouring over rocks.

Sophie rolled her eyes at him, but he just smiled back. Okay. Grass. Someone who liked--

“Oh!” She could feel her eyebrows shoot up, putting the pieces together.

Keefe full on grinned now, but she shut her eyes, sinking to her knees amongst the foliage, deliberately ignoring the light, tickling brush off the blades against her skin. .

Bracing her, holding her steady just in case, his hand rested atop her shoulder as he came to stand behind her.

Pressing her fingers to her temples, she transmitted her query across the world. Hello? Are you there? Over and over and over again, unsure which direction to send the message so sending it everywhere, a full 360 around her body, waves of power rushing from her mind that no one but people like her could sense.

Finally, her message was answered.

SOPHIE! HELLO! FRIEND!

Silveny’s exuberant shouts filled her mind and she barely even grimaced. Apparently maintaining the mindbubble so often had built up her resilience to pounding noise inside her head.

Yeah, she responded, leaning back into Keefe. Do you want to come visit? Me and Keefe?

FRIEND! VISIT! KEEFE!

Sophie nodded her head, then realized the glittery horse couldn’t see her. Yes. It’s safe. Well--yeah, we’ll go with that. Safe! Just a really quick visit, okay? I don’t want to put you in danger.

Keefe was fiddling with the sleeves of her shirt, unrolling the parts that had gotten bunched up.

VISIT! SAFE! SOPHIE!

Yes...that is...that’s what I said.

WHERE! WHERE! WHERE!

“I’d like to contact whoever designed alicorns and file a formal noise complaint,” she grumbled, and she could faintly hear Keefe’s snickering before her attention was too far gone to process anything anymore.

I’ll show you, she said, gathering up an image of the place. That must’ve been why Keefe had asked her what she’d seen, to ensure she had a clear visualization before reaching out. Hadn’t he come up with this on the spot? Why was his attention to detail so casual?

Almost immediately after sharing the image, Silveny severed their connection, still mulling over and looking at the details Sophie’d provided.

Groaning, she sat back up, realizing she’d been leaning practically all of her weight onto Keefe, who’d sat down behind her at some point during that conversation--it must’ve lasted significantly longer than she’d realized.

“So?” he asked, shaking his arms out and stretching a bit, rolling his wrist and straightening his shirt.

Sophie blinked a few times, the fading light still too bright after her eyes had been closed for so long “She cut me off. I showed her where we were and then she severed the connection, so whatever that means--”

Crackling thunder rolled through the air, making them both jump as a hole tore itself through space, several sparkling winged alicorns emerging, prancing their way through the sky as they circled down to land a ways away, trotting over to where they both sat in the grass.

“Hey, Glitter Butt,” Keefe whispered, stroking her face, brushing the icy strands of hair out of her eyes. She snorted and butted his hand in return, pressingly firmly into his hand. His smile was infectious, the wings at his back a near blinding white to match the alicorn before him.

KEEFE! KEEFE! KEEFE!

“She’s sure excited to see you,” Sophie told him, rubbing at her temple; Silveny was even louder in person.

Meanwhile, she was surrounded on either side by two little foals bumping up against her thighs, trying to knock her into the grass so they could play. But their movements were...disjointed. Erratic. Colored with fear and panic.

“They’re anxious,” she realized, frowning. Keefe’s expression had darkened slightly too, his wings shifting back to grey.

“Are you, mama?” He consoled, pressing up close to her neck, petting her all down her side. She didn’t know why she’d bothered to say it aloud--he could already feel it.

Sophie relented after a particularly brutal push from Wynn, sinking to the ground once more, letting him curl up in her lap, trembling beneath her fingers as she stroked his mane. Luna took more to Keefe, pulling at his shirt with her teeth, nearly tearing the fabric, pressing her wet nose to his skin, making him jump slightly.

He laid back in the grass, wings spreading behind him, Luna curling up beside him and laying her head atop his stomach. It was in this moment, the wind gently stirring the pastel grass cushioning their bodies, the intertwining feathers, the way his eyes closed and he leaned back, hand tangled in Luna’s mane, that Sophie yearned to be an artist. To capture this moment right now and make it real somewhere else, to allow it to exist outside her mind.

What she wouldn’t give to preserve this moment, this reprieve.

KEEFE? KEEFE? KEEFE OKAY? Silveny interrupted, blasting her thoughts into Sophie’s mind, hopping about anxiously, refusing to settle. Greyfell stood a little ways back, wary eyes observing the environment.

There’d been no news of anything catastrophic that Silveny had shared with her, nothing alarming or dangerous. But she’d kept secrets before. What had they seen? What had they met that made them so skittish?

Wynn butted his head against her side, demanding more cuddles and attention.

Yeah, Keefe’s okay. Why?

Silveny had pressed in closer, stomping at the ground. She tried to grab him by the shirt, pull him closer to her, but he ducked back, holding up his hands.

“Hey, hey, hey. You’re fine. It’s okay. Calm down, mama,” he whispered, gently stroking her head, trying to calm her. It was only marginally effective; she stopped her stomping, but her eyes were frantic, darting between Keefe and the ground and the area surrounding, sniffing the air, exhaling heavily.

Keefe glanced to her in question. Asking what was wrong.

Silveny. What’s wrong?

MONSTER! KEEFE! PROTECT!

I--what? What are you talking about? To Keefe she said, “Something about monsters. I think she’s trying to protect you.”

SMELL! MONSTER! PROTECT KEEFE!

Turning towards the panicked alicorn, he smiled slightly, nervously. “Thanks, but I’m good. You don’t need to protect me. You need to protect yourselves and your family. I’ve got other people to have my back.”

Silveny wouldn’t relent, her motherly concern boiling over and exploding from within her too-caring heart. Pressing forward, she tried to snap at Keefe’s wings, biting at the feathers.

They pulled back, snapping shut behind him just before she could reach as he sat up fully, backing away from her.

Oh.

Keefe.

Monster.

He was the monster she was scenting.

Silveny didn’t seem to understand anything Sophie tried to explain. Not until she told her that biting those wings, the monster, would hurt Keefe. Then she stopped trying.

But she didn’t give up, convinced there was something she could do to protect him from some creature, not understanding it was him she scented.

“I didn’t realize just how much our scents had changed. I mean, I know Ro told us but--” he cut off, still slightly shaken, expression drawn. Luna still curled around him, but the wings were tight to his back now, significantly darker. More shadowed. Haunted.

Silveny refused to leave his side, pressed close to him in the grass. Sophie had kept her own wings tucked in close, flat against her back. It felt unnatural, like they wanted to remain spread, but she could do it easy enough. Keefe’s were so much more obvious, that’s what’d tipped the alicorns off. Hers could be hidden, discreet. Anything to prevent more disruption, to worsen that aura of hurt lingering around Keefe, the one he was trying so hard to pretend didn’t even exist.

Sophie couldn’t think of anything to say, instead staying silent.

Distraction. They needed a distraction. That’s why they’d come all the way out here, although she didn’t know where that was. To have fun. Relax. Ignore everything else for just a single moment.

You know what? Fuck it.

Hey, Silveny? Want to fly?

Head perking up, her eyes focused on Sophie.

FLY? FLY? FLY?

She nodded, debating how she was going to navigate this. Yeah. Fly! Her shoulder could probably take it. She’d regret it tomorrow, but it wasn’t tomorrow yet.

“What are you saying to her,” Keefe hissed, leaning back a bit as Silveny’s wings began to flap slightly, rising from her sitting position to towering about the two of them sitting before her. Even Sophie felt as though she could feel the waves of excitement radiating off her, and she wasn’t even the empath. Keefe’s eyes were slightly clouded, like he was sorting through something before coming back to himself.

Sophie brushed him off. “You asked me to trust you when coming here, now it’s your turn to trust me.”

“That is so unnecessarily cryptic, Foster.” She stared at him. “Okay, alright. Point taken.”

Silveny bent down, expecting the two of them to climb atop her back, but Sophie shook her head. Keefe’s eyes widened and he slowly turned to look at her, mouth comically agape, like he was questioning whether her mind still worked properly. Probably not.

No. We’re gonna do this a little differently this time, okay? Trust me.

DIFFERENT FLY? TRUST? DIFFERENT FLY?

Shaking out her hands, trying to dispel the nerves, she nodded. Yep. Trust us. You go ahead and we’ll join you.

It took a minute or two more of explanation, but finally the stubborn alicorn relented, her family following behind. Taking off into the sky, the four of them began to circle a few dozen feet about the ground, moving around the two of them left on the ground.

“Are you serious? You’re really--are you sure?” he asked, hands on either side of his head, fingers digging into his scalp as his eyes remained oh so open, scanning her from head to toe.

She shrugged, turning away as she straightened her clothes out; the fabric had bunched and remained full of grass. “Want to join them or not?”

“Well--uh--you know--ah--we can’t--why…” Sophie looked to him over her shoulder, realizing he truly was stunned. Entirely at a loss for words.

“Hey, you don’t have to, you know. You’ll be fine either way. Nothing will happen.”

He rolled his eyes at her, insulted. Of course he would follow her, he just couldn’t believe who she’d become. The decisions she made so casually that would’ve sent her spiraling into anxiety before. Part of her didn’t believe it either, pretended nothing had happened at all.

Crouching down slightly, she gathered her energy for a moment before leaping into the sky, wings snapping out behind her. Steadily, she made her way into the sky, turning back to see Keefe.

His wings beat steadily behind him--he must’ve practiced, she realized with a start. Light grey feathers shivering in the wind as he caught up to her, color staining his cheeks already.

“See? Everything’s okay,” she whispered, unsure whether she was comforting herself or him. Either way, he smiled in return, chaotically bumping into her with his shoulder, nearly tumbling out of the sky in the process. Hiding her wince, she smiled wider. Yeah, that injury did not like all this movement, but she’d never been known to listen to her body.

“Yeah. Okay. We’re okay.”

With each beat, it grew easier. The tightness in her chest eased, her smile gradually felt true. Every time she took to the sky she landed more skilled, more aware of her own body. They worked in tandem, the two of them. Her and the wings.

SOPHIE! KEEFE! FLY!

The impatient alicorn had darted down and was now flying in concentric, tightening circles around the two of them, whining in excitement.

Yeah, Mama. Fly. Silveny let out a shriek of excitement, tumbling through the air, her two little trouble makers coming up beside them to butt into their legs, testing their balance.

Sophie moved much more sporadically than the five of them, rhythmically shifting in the sky while they moved steadily; something about their wings having feathers and hers being insect-based, she assumed. But she didn’t want to do any thinking right now.

Right now there were four alicorns and someone she loved right beside her, laughing and intertwining and dipping through the sky.

Keefe waved frantically, drawing her attention. “Foster! Look!” Wynn hovered beside him in the air, and on some unknown signal both of them snapped their wings shut, gravity taking them by the hand and dragging them down head first, dozens upon dozens of feet rushing past in a few moments as the ground grew nearer and nearer.

At the last possible second, they both opened their wings, pure white feathers catching the wind as they pulled a sharp turn, skimming the top of the grass before the momentum sent them rocketing back into the sky, looping around to come to a mostly steady pause in the air.

“Why? Why would you do such a thing,” she managed, clutching her chest. She’d trusted him, but watching him drop headfirst, unprotected, had ignited some visceral panic, adrenaline humming through her veins, making it slightly more difficult to maintain her position in the sky.

KEEFE FLY! KEEFE FLY! KEEFE FLY! Silveny cheered in her mind, but Sophie tried to ignore the pestering. Greyfell seemed to be occupying most of her attention anyways.

“Aww, what? Do you care about me or something?” he teased, circling back around to her, squishing his cheeks between his palms.

Swatting at him, she glitched back a little, wings buzzing and failing to hide her grin. “Unfortunately, I’m invested in your physical and mental well-being, you dumbass.”

Keefe scrunched his nose up at her, pressing in close and grabbing her by the wrist, drawing her away slightly, leading her through loops in the air. He let go eventually, realizing it was much more difficult when holding on to someone, the same way running was so difficult when holding someone else's hand.

She missed the warmth of his skin, though. Missed it desperately.

Music. In a human film, there’d be soft, soothing music playing over a montage of the two of them whirling through the sky, the sound of their laughter cutting through when Sophie’s shirt rode up and the fabric got bunched on her face, when Keefe tried to stay low and fell from the sky, instead ending up rolling through the grass.

Everything was okay, just like they’d said. Like they’d promised. All she could hear was Keefe’s voice, his ringing laughter, and all she could see was his smile, the blinding, near glow of his bone-white feathers.

They let the time pass.

They stopped trying to stop it.

Hey--where are you? Fitz interrupted her as she darted around an alicorn wing, testing her own agility.

Hmm? she replied, startled.

I asked where--

Oh. Mind processing what he’d said a few seconds later, she interrupted him. I don’t know. Keefe took us here.

She could’ve sworn Fitz was mentally trying to strangle her, shake some sense into her. Sophie took the brief moment of silence to slow down, coming to a hover as she closed her eyes, focusing on the conversation. It was hard to escape her body with the pounding in her shoulder, but she managed.

Alright, he said finally, clearly distracted with something on his end. Can you come back, please? Did you even tell anyone you were leaving? What are you even doing--you know what? Later. Just...I need you. Please.

Wings rushed rhythmically beside her, Keefe having noticed her distraction and coming to make sure she didn’t tumble from the sky. How considerate.

Are you okay? Heart skipping a bit, she resisted the urge to pull at her eyelashes. It was that brief moment before disaster, that poignant pause where the next few words would determine whether the adrenaline kicked in in full or her panic would waiver and they’d laugh about it later. Those few seconds before it set in where you tried to figure out if it was real.

He hesitated. I--I don’t know. Is it even possible to be okay right now?

Okay, okay, she consoled, instincts kicking in. Give us a few minutes and we’ll be there, okay? I promise. Don’t do anything stupid, please. We’re coming.

Yeah...okay.

The connection cut out and she opened her eyes, disoriented for a moment. Keefe was grimacing, shaking his hands out, trying to dispel something.

“What’s got you all anxious, Foster?” Ah. Right. He could feel the sudden souring of her mood.

Moving away from him, towards the alicorns, she called over her shoulder. “We need to go. Fitz asked for us to come back and he sounded really upset.”

Keefe started for a moment then followed after. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know. But he wants us back so we’re going back.”

“Okay, yeah. Yeah let’s go.” he repeated himself a few times, and Sophie swore if she were an empath she’d feel the same waves of dread and anxiety rolling off of him as he felt from her.

Silveny, Keefe and I need to leave. You and your family need to go back to wherever you’re safest, okay? I’m sorry we couldn’t stay longer.

KEEFE! SOPHIE! STAY! She begged, sounding like she wanted to kidnap the two of them and steal them away permanently, convinced she could protect them.

She shook her head, curled up in the air beside the alicorn, cradling her head between her hands, pressing their foreheads together. We can’t, mama. But you need to stay safe. We’ll see you again soon.

SEE SOPHIE SOON!

Yeah! We won’t wait so long next time.

SEE KEEFE SOON! Silveny playfully bumped into Sophie, circling away to do the same to Keefe, who said much of the same as she had, wishing her well and promising to visit sometime.

Neither of them knew if they’d be able to keep that promise.

Wynn and Luna butted against them too, demanding a few last pets and snuggles before they followed behind their parents, Greyfell unexpectedly brushing wings with Keefe in farewell before they vanished into the void with one last message.

SOPHIE SAFE! KEEFE SAFE! STAY SAFE!

It was useless to wait here any longer, but they both hesitated for a single moment, long enough to take a breath. To watch the grass shiver in the breeze, the pollen dance through the air.

Offering Keefe her hand, Sophie conjured the clearest image she could of the gnomish village, the way it looked from up above. Their fingers intertwined and Sophie stopped beating those wings, letting herself fall into a dead drop just as Keefe had, but this time they didn’t catch themselves: they plummeted into the void.

Humidity condensed into clouds, obscuring her vision. Apparently her best image of above the village was from that dragon fight, much higher than she realized. The two of them descended in slow, coiling circles, both of them wishing they could go faster but not sure if they should risk it.

Wylie waved at them as they landed from a bridge a little ways away, so she waved back.

We’re back; where are you? Hand dropping back to her side, she resolved that if he didn’t respond within the next fifteen seconds she was tracking him down.

She reached ten before his voice filled her head.

My...house, he said, unsure what to call it just like the rest of them.

Biting her lip, she glanced to Keefe. “Do you know where Fitz is staying?”

He nodded, taking the lead. A stab of guilt threaded its way through the lining of her stomach, coiling around her ribs and squeezing tight. How shameful that she’d gotten so caught up in her own life, her own troubles, that she didn’t even know where he was staying.

Leading her through a series of bridges and turns, a cottage came into view, slanted and twisted around the side of a tree, a spiral of stairs leading towards a splintered door left agape, a pattern of slashes in the front that she forced herself to remove from her mind.

It was the highest building in the village, roof open to the sky.

No creaks or groans came from the stairs as she practically ran up them, imagining the worst of possibilities, heart lagging behind, stumbling with dread. Keefe was only a moment behind, cursing as his feathers snagged on a tear in the railing.

Tentatively, she knocked on the door, but when no response came she just pushed inside.

“Fitz? You alright?” she called out, glancing around the area. Gasping, she let the door swing behind her. The room was in chaos, papers strewn about the floor, his bag discarded near a beanbag chair, spilling empty vials and snack bars onto the ground.

A shuffling came from upstairs--there was an upstairs? Fitz tumbled into the room a few moments later, disheveled, like he hadn’t realized they were actually coming.

Keefe let out a low whistle. “Okay, buddy. What the fuck.”

Fitz was picking at his lip, distracted, frantically scanning the papers on the floor like he was looking for something. “Hmm. Yea,” he responded absentmindedly.

Sophie was too busy scanning him from head to toe, searching every inch for sign of injury or distress. His knuckles were red and raw, his hair sticking out in every possible direction like he’d been running his hands through it, pulling at it.

“What did you need?” she asked, voice soft and gentle. Something was wrong. Something was eating eating eating at him enough that he’d asked her to come.

Fitz exhaled heavily, reaching up to run his hands down his face, then dropped them to his sides. “I don’t know,” he whispered, clenching his jaw. “It doesn’t make any sense.” he was picking at his lip again, arm shaking.

She tried again. “Well, maybe if you tried describing it, we could figure--”

“No.” He had turned around, lowering himself to the floor, collecting the papers and starting to place them in some sort of order. Where had he gotten paper? He glanced at her guiltily. “Sorry. That sounded rude. I didn’t mean--I’m sorry. I don’t mean that I don’t know what the problem is, the problem is that I don’t know. I don’t understand this. I keep--I keep going over what we know, organizing it into notes and sections and treating it like a goddamned homework assignment but I just...the pieces don’t fit together. And there are so many loose strings and things to tie up and come back to and I can’t get that information, which just makes it--”

“O-kay, babe. Let’s slow down there for a hot second,” Keefe interrupted, lowering himself next to Fitz. Fitz slumped, all the air rushing out of his body seemingly at once, expression softening into delicate pain.

Sophie just stood there for a moment before shaking herself out of it, kneeling on the floor beside him, taking the papers from his hand. It was just pages upon pages of notes, scribbled diagrams besides carefully organized and sectioned observations, notes about the wings and the creatures, notes about the little echo and the way Tam’s eyes had changed.

“Here,” he said, handing her a book on top of it all. “That’s what I’ve been working on.”

Oh. It was the book. The monster book. The journal they’d all started who knew how long ago, a collection of notes and things known about the various creatures they’d encountered so far. Their behaviors, their traits, the noise they made if any.

She’d forgotten they’d brought it along.

He clearly hadn’t.

“Okay,” she said, trying to collect herself. “What is...what have you been working on?” His thoughts were so disjointed, something occupying his mind so intensely he wasn't speaking clearly. Hard as she tried she couldn’t make sense of it.

Fitz gestured like it was obvious. “I’m trying to solve it. The wings.” He scooted closer to her, reaching out to flip through the pages to a new section.

A section...about all of them.

It felt so very wrong and off-putting, seeing themselves beside all those horrid things in that book. But she shook it off. Not now.

“Solve? What do you mean ‘solve?’” Keefe asked, leaning in closer to see the pages, quickly turning away when he caught a glimpse of a few sketched feathers, all in various shades of grey.

Fitz groaned, rubbing at his face again. “I can’t--I can’t explain it, okay? It just--it doesn't want to make sense. I swear it makes sense. There’s just--I’m just missing something and then I’ll figure it out and--there’s an explanation somewhere. If I just find it then we can--”

“We can what, Fitz?” Keefe asked, painfully soft.

He went quiet. His fingers curled, nails digging into his face until Sophie reached out to pull them away, lacing her fingers through his own. The movement aggravated her shoulder but she ignored it, letting out only the smallest sound. It didn’t matter. He was crying.

Keefe moved closer and began rubbing his back, the space between the protruding wings, telling him to breathe, the instruction accompanied by a wince of his own as all of Fitz’s...whatever it was hit him, flooding through his mind, visible on his face. But he just shook it off, continuing the slow circular motions.

“I don’t even know what I’m trying to do,” he laughed, hollow. His fingers tightened around Sophie’s before relaxing, falling into his lap. “We’ve already messed everything up. There’s no coming back from this. I don’t even know why I’m trying.”

“Hey, hey, hey,” Sophie said, rubbing her thumb against the back of his hand. “We’re still trying. We’re always going to try--it’s what we do, right? Together. All of us. That’s how we work. That’s us. I like it that way.” She had no idea what to say.This was so...unexpected. Out of nowhere. Or maybe she just hadn’t been paying as much attention as she should’ve been.

He hummed half-heartedly in response, cheeks flooding red. Keefe absentmindedly reached up to brush a stray piece of hair from Fitz’s forehead, bumping him lightly with his shoulder.

“You should listen to Foster; she knows what she’s talking about most of the time.”

Sophie rolled her eyes at him, but Fitz was smiling slightly. “Yeah...she usually does. I guess that’s why I asked for you.”

“You don’t need a reason to ask for me,” she reminded him, letting go of his hand to flop back against the hard wood of the floor, the sound of something clattered to the ground accompanied it. But she didn’t notice, flinching as she hit her shoulder, staring towards the sloped ceiling, the veins of vines curving around the roof. Like the ones that had trapped that creature.

A pang of guilt overwhelmed her for a moment, almost enough to take her breath away. She still hadn’t told anyone about that. But she turned her attention back to the situation at hand. Keefe was looking at her funny, but he shook himself off and turned away.

Fitz shifted forward, flopping down on the floor beside her, wings spreading beneath him to accommodate for the shift. She couldn’t imagine it was comfortable, but he seemed fine.

“I know,” was all he said.

Keefe frowned. “Well now I feel a little left out. Do I get to join the cuddle session?” Fitz laughed, a real laugh, patting the open space to his right, inviting Keefe in.

When Keefe joined, Fitz was sandwiched between the two of them, the three of them looking off at nothing, pretending they didn’t notice the way their skin brushed against each other. No one spoke, the echoing of their heartbeats more than enough to fill the passing time.

They had responsibilities, yes. But this mattered more. Her friends, her family, would always matter more.

Fitz’s breathing evened out, the tension draining from his muscles. Whatever distressed frenzy he’d been in when they arrived started to ebb, his pulse slowed.

Sophie counted each beat, the three of them combined, still unnerved that she could even hear their hearts. Fitz’s hand was playing with her hair, rearranging it around her face as he lay beside her, oh so careful not to jostle her shoulder, the bandages. They’d shifted at some point, Sophie now more atop his wing so she could be closer to his body, Keefe the same on the other side. He was fiddling with Fitz’s hand, pulling at his fingers and tracing the lines with his palm.

“Thanks for coming,” Fitz whispered, breaking the long silence.

“Hmm?”

“You didn’t have to come,” he explained, not looking at either of them. “But thank you. I..I needed this. Someone.”

Keefe rolled over, propping himself up on his elbows, looking down at the two of them. “We’re always going to be here when you need us, Avery.” Fitz rolled his eyes at him, smiling.

“Just…” Sophie began, pausing and restarting. “Thanks for reaching out. Instead of dealing with it on your own. Thanks for letting us in.” He blinked, like he hadn’t thought of it that way before.

Keefe pushed himself up further, looking over at something, drawing both of their attention. “Hey, uh. Foster? You’re getting some messages.” Her imparter--oh, that must’ve been what the noise was. It had fallen from her pocket, discarded somewhere on the floor--she’d turned off the vibrations and sound so she wouldn’t hear it if someone said anything. It was stupid, she knew, but she hadn’t known what else to do.

Exhaling, she closed her eyes. Yeah. She should deal with those now. Nodding to herself, she pushed herself into a sitting position, bearing her weight on her good arm. Keefe lowered himself back down next to Fitz.

One thing at a time.

Reaching over, she grabbed her imparter, bringing it to her lap so she could see it better.

Her mouth fell open. Fitz was watching her carefully, messing with Keefe’s hair and trying to act nonchalant, like he wasn’t observing her every move, gauging her reaction.

“How bad?” Keefe asked, head resting on his arms.

Sophie didn’t even respond, sitting up straighter and thumbing open the device, going straight to her messages. The most recent ones.

“Elwin--he messaged me.” She blurted out, trying to make sense of what she was seeing.

They both stopped moving.

“He says he wants to meet up. Secretly. Just--just with him.” Trembling, she turned the screen around so they could read it.

Sophie. I don’t know what’s going on with you or your friends, but please let me help. I want nothing but the best for you and I can’t help you if you’re hidden. I’m not asking you to reveal your secrets, but let me in just enough to patch you up. I don’t need all the answers, but I won’t sleep well until I know I’ve done everything I can. You have injuries left untreated.

But it was the last part of the message that really stunned her.

No one knows I’m sending this, so don’t let them know. We can keep this just between us. You’re a strong, independent young woman, but I hope you’ll accept my help.

#:)))) #cliffhangers my beloved #someone scream about this with me #ahhhh #ten chapters in now!!! #it's getting so long!! #it's officially longer than some published novels!! #i have books on my shelf shorter than this au!! #anywaysss #how we feeling? #i told you not everything was bad #i will admit some parts were #but still!! #(also bad as in emotionally challenging/upsetting) #kotlc #keeper of the lost cities #kotlc wings au #shattered upside down #shattered upside down chapter #quil's quill #kotlc fic #kotlc fanfic #long fic

[ivisite]

DRAGONBORN 30 DAY CHALLENGE

Day 2 -  Physical Characteristics

Describe their…

Hairstyle/Color : 

As far as her usual hairstyle goes, it varies between being down with her bangs pulled to the back into a separate, small gathering when she’s just running about the cities and being braided in varies different styles. She never loses the signature little gathering in the back, however, if only because she hates having hair loose and flying about in her face. (makes aiming hard, after all.)

Color wise, she’s a true ginger, or “ruddy as a damned fawn that just lost his spots” as she might describe it. She admires the likes of Aela’s hair color, calling it “a shade of red a lass could be proud of” on many occassions while humorously showing a disdain for the same color on men, joking that “red-headed people- specially the men- are troublesome.” 

Eyes:  

Sapphire Blue to match her favorite gemstone and to also match her least favorite person, her father. Maybe it’s because of her being Dragonborn, but there’s something about her eyes that draws you into them. As a child, her caretaker and “mum”, Qu’Ra often stated that “Your eyes are ocean deep and full of ambition. Alluring like the ghosts of the great Northern Sea.”  

Complexion: 

As most Nords, she is fair in complexion but doesn’t usually burn up while perusing around Skyrim. However, she does tend to have a rough time in the more Southern reaches of Tamriel as far as burning goes. She could sit and tell you all sorts of stories about the Khajiit Caravan she traveled with and how beautiful but terribly hot some of the other reaches of the continent are.  

Nose, Lips, Ears, Forehead, and other facial features:

For her features, she has very fox-like eyes with a more sharp jawline-and-cheekbone combo to offset it. She prefers longer hairstyles to round out her face a bit. 

Scars wise, she has a back full of them from when her father transformed into a werewolf and tried to turn her into one. When she ran off from him, he lashed out in anger and his claws got a good bit of her back before she scampered off into the darkness of the night. 

To indulge myself, I figure “faceclaim” wise, I might go with a red-headed Sophie Turner. 

Weight: 

Roughly, I’d imagine she’s about 145 lbs right at the beginning/post-Helgen and manages to build some muscle up and maxes out around 150 lbs while questing and doing the destiny thing.

Height:  

She doesn’t take after her mother’s Nordic roots in the Height department as she only stands about 5 foot 9 inches. She’s a bit taller than most non-Nord women but is considerably shorter than most male and female Nords in comparison (assuming the general lore is that Nords are usually closer to 6′ or 6′1)

Frame/Build: 

Build wise, she’s athletic, I might say. She’s lean but not cross-country runner lean. All her years of sneaking about Dwemer Ruins and Running across Tamriel has built up a strong set of legs and her arms are toned from the archery she’s so fond. Nimble and light on her feet, I’d imagine she’s in pretty good shape with a good, strong core as a foundation. 

How do others see your Dragonborn?:

She’s not intimidating in an unapproachable sense at least and is actually rather popular around the local inn’s or mead hall’s hearth-fires for her natural talent of story-telling. She is striking to look at, certainly one to make you do a double-take, but her charms and people skills are what draw people in. She gives off a certain warmth, you might say, like a campfire on a cold evening. 

What do they wear into battle?:

Once under the roof of Jorravskr, she has to take up an actual set of armor, so she tends to stick to light-weight ones so to not get in the way of her skill set. She took a Hide Armor piece along with some Scaled Armor Boots and Bracers and tweaked them all a bit to suit her personal tastes more and calls that her “serious armor”. 

Once she decides to run off from Whiterun to settle her debts in Riften and answer the Greybeards, she sticks to a similar armor, though eventually picks up a better smithing skill and is able to make the armor pieces more durable. She hates helmets though, refuses to wear one. 

When she’s sneaking about on Thieves Guild related duties, she wears a standard set of guild armor and tries super hard to keep her face hidden.

Do they wear those clothes/robes/armour normally, or do they change into the local fashion when they come into a city?:

Oh no, as soon as she is able to take the armor off she does. Saoirse is found of nice things and enjoys wearing dresses and skirts and things like that when doing less tasking errands around the holds. She finds armor too stuffy to walk about in all the time. 

I was doodling last night and for whatever reason Youtube played “Simple and Clean” by Utada Hikaru and besides it sending me down a rabbit hole of childhood and crying, it also made me want to draw someone standing out in an open area, looking wistfully into the distance with something hanging out their mouth and BOOM Saoirse out in a field with some flowers 

#saoirse : oc #skyrim oc #tes oc #digital art #dragonborn challenge #female dragonborn #character creation

[diningpageantry]

Roarin’ 20s

Archive Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16866697

Word Count: 2732

Summary:  At Watford's 1920s themed Halloween Party, a few questionable choices are made. There's one unexpected, yet welcomed, result of teenage drinking. (POV Simon)

Carry On Countdown 2018 Day 11: Time

(Bonus art because I had to draw Baz in the pinstripe suit I’d mentioned)

In hindsight, I probably shouldn’t have dressed like Jack from Titanic.

Overall, there’s a number of reasons why. First, I look extremely dressed down compared to everyone else in this vamped-up overplaying for a student-run party. I don’t know how they managed to allow this to happen. Although, I doubt teachers really care to stop the majority of the student population taking over the courtyard and White Chapel for Halloween night. Especially not with the Humdrum off ruining the rest of the Magickal world.

Second, I think I picked the wrong time period, as Penny ended up lecturing me over the moment she saw this getup.

“1909, Simon! Some of the most powerful Mages in the world died on that trip! And that wasn’t even really close to the 20s!”

“Well, why didn’t they just make the boat not sink, then?”

“Because it would’ve revealed too much to the Normals, Simon. Merlin and Morgana, you’d think they’d see the entire ship levitate.”

Despite her tutting, I’m still standing here with straight ironed hair (don’t ask how I got a straight iron) and a half unbuttoned shirt with suspenders and trousers that sort of make me look like a 1800s beggar more than a 1990’s heartthrob. Thank Merlin for whatever kids snuck in the alcohol, because I’m nursing my second drink and I could give less of a fuck about the fact that I’m not really fitting this year’s theme. Instead, I’m thinking about things that I could theoretically do now without being tied down to Agatha.

It’s funny, because she’s in sight right now, seeming more out of place than ever, despite being properly dressed. She’s all set up like a flapper girl, all down to the single-feather headband and frilly bottom of her dress. She looks like a costuming department put that together for her.

I remember watching The Great Gatsby with her one year (she has a thing for DiCaprio), and looking at her now, she looks spot on like Daisy.

Wonder if I’ll have to sit across a pond with her and Baz living a posh life together with a bullshit green light blinking on my dock ‘til I’m finally shot dead.

Now I think of it, maybe I probably picked the wrong DiCaprio to come as...

Penny cuts my pool-death-daydreams short with a nudge of her elbow against my side. She’s got a big fur (“Faux fur! I wouldn’t dare use real fur!”) coat and one of those super smooth hats, which doesn’t quite accommodate her hair, even in a bun. There’s spirals of brown sticking out around the edges.

“How much have you had to drink?” she questions, narrowing her eyebrows at my drink as she adjusts her glasses. I just hold up two fingers, shrugging as I sway to the remixed obscure trap-jazz music. She just squints at me, seeming to try to decide whether or not to scold me before sighing and going to get her own drink.

It’s relatively boring; nothing’s really “happening”; drunk teens and dancing, mostly, until he decides to grace us with his presence.

Of all people, I’ve never known Baz Pitch to go to a student party, and in actual costume nonetheless. But, despite, that, here he is now, and in full getup.

I take back everything I’ve said about him looking like a vampire ever. Tonight, right now, he looks like nothing but an old-school gangster. Head to toe pinstripe tailored outfit, stuffy to the t and all color coordinated. Hell, he’s even got a pocket watch tucked from the part of his waistcoat. Part of me refuses to believe he just had that lying around, but another part of me has full trust that this is something he’s had hidden in his closet that I just haven’t seen and it’s driving me absolutely mad.

His head’s tipped up, his slicked, black hair staying set into place. The nerve of this prick, too; he’s got a cigarette dangling from his upturned lips, eyes shifting from side to side as he makes his way through the crowd of students.

Mind you, I’m using “makes his way” lightly; he’s practically parting a sea. Everyone in the bloody bottom floor of the chapel turns to get an eyeful of this arse. Fucking hell, he even gives a few people one of his long, cold stares just for safekeeping. Once he makes it to me, though, he just scans over me and gives me a bored look before opening his mouth for an expected taunt. “Not surprised you can’t count your years, Snow.”

I try not to step back, keeping my chin high as I keep a leveled eye. “Seems like you never take a second from being a villain, hm?”

His lip curls up into a smirk as he takes the cigarette from his mouth, tapping it onto my feet. “Pity, you’re even worthless in your fantasy dress-ups too. Couldn’t even survive some cold water.” He reaches around me, not breaking eye contact as he grabs one of the drinks. He pops its top, raising an eyebrow to me before coolly strolling off.

I exhale slowly, letting my chest deflate as blood rushes back through my limbs. “Tosser,” I grumble into my drink, taking a long sip as Penny stares at me for a minute.

“What the fuck was that?”

“What was what?” I respond quickly, maybe sounding a bit too defensive. I should finish this drink off.

“What was what?” She blinks at me incredulously, her mouth hanging open before she laughs. “Shit, I thought either of you was about to pounce each other, and I’m not quite sure whether it was to fistfight or to snog.”

I scoff, slamming back the rest of my drink before immediately turning for another. “I am not going to snog Baz,” I say aloud, maybe more for myself. No, wait, no not for myself; I already know I’m not going to snog Baz. Why in the world would I snog Baz?

I don’t dwell on that too long, opening my next drink and starting on it as I push myself into the crowd to dance.

There’s a lot of things I’m no good at, and sadly, dancing’s near the top of that list (next to talking and existing). Right now, though, I don’t care. I’m dancing with someone in the year below who urged me over, so I don’t think I really have to care anymore. The glow of the party lights and the thump of music in my feet drag my thoughts away.

Someone taps my shoulder as I pull myself away, catching my breath. It’s Sophie, a girl from our year, who’s holding a scarf and grinning at me. “Simon..?” She drags, smiling like she’s got some secret to share. Except there’s a scarf in her hands.

“What’s up, Soph?” I ask, leaning against the table. I finished my third drink not too long ago.

She flutters her eyelashes at me, offering the bandanna. “We may be playing seven minutes in heaven and I know you and Agatha broke up, so…”

Am I thinking? No. Absolutely not. I’m grabbing the bandanna, shrugging and saying “Why not?” as I tie it on myself. I don’t even gauge Sophie’s reaction, I just go for it and spread my arms out. “Lead me to my fate.”

I hear her giggle. “Alright,” she says somewhat weirdly (alright, maybe I should’ve thought about this).

Definitely should’ve thought of this, because now she’s pushing me forward, where I bump into people occasionally before I’m walked into what’s definitely a utilities closet, nudging into someone else before the door shuts.

It’s dark as shit. I can’t see anything, but I can definitely feel. I feel the beat of the music outside, I feel the swirling of my brain (if I could see, I’d be looking sideways). I feel the hands of someone against mine, their fingertips brushing against me.

Their breath is soft against the muffled outside of the party, coming out in soft puffs by me.

I sort of instinctively think ‘she’, but I’m not quite sure. The way their breath’s hitting me, I think they’re taller than me (and I don’t know too many tall girls in the school. Granted, there’s roughly three, but still…) They’re definitely drinking too; I can smell it on their breath. Fermented, like cider, but their scent's mixed with something so familiar, so everyday that I can’t even pin it down. It makes me feel like I’m back in my bedroom.

Their hands close around my wrists as I tumble towards them, knees wobbling and heart racing. This was probably a shit idea. I should’ve probably said no, but I can’t care too much right now, and I actually want this right now. My arms grasp out and feel the fabric of a suit. I think my mind might be playing tricks on me now because I’m grabbing the suit jackets and yanking whoever this is closer. The thought of Baz flashes through my brain, but I try to will it away. It’s just a suit jacket; there was plenty of people wearing suits.

Now, I usually think of myself as a straight man. I think. Or, really, I don’t think. I’ve never snogged a bloke before, but the breath near my forehead’s driving me nuts and there’s something in my bloodstream telling me to not think and just go for it.

Who knows, maybe I’m not straight.

I slam my lips forward gracelessly and start kissing and oh, definitely not a girl. My hands rest on the smooth dress shirt and I feel slight muscle over a masculine chest.

He presses back against me, stumbling us back towards the back of the closet wall as his arms drape over my shoulders. I break back, feeling his breath on my face as I open my eyes to still find darkness. I wish I could see. I wish I could know why this feels right. Part of my mind is filling in Baz's features as my fingertips graze the skin of this bloke's face, but I'm nearly sure I'm imagining it. I try not to dwell on why I'd be imagining me kissing Baz, though; his face just sticks in my mind.

While my hand presses to his cheek, I find that he’s still got his blindfold on. I leave it, a little too scared to cross that intimacy line (suppose I’ll find out before he does, when the door opens for us again).

There’s not much of a pause, though, because he’s going at it again, snogging the breath out of me as his hands travel. They push aside the fabric of my mostly undone shirt, straining the bottom few buttons. Long, bony hands trailing against my skin and flattening against my chest. Without hesitation, I press forward, hands pushing into his hair and kissing him with every ounce I can really give right now.

This feels right. This feels so, inexplicably right. I push my hands into his hair, letting myself grip it lightly. Soft, slightly gelled down strands running through my fingers as I urge his head closer. This even smells right; he smells so comforting; like a candle I’ve had burning next to me for years. He tastes lightly of cigarettes, and he’s much cooler than Agatha ever was, but it doesn’t matter. He’s all I want right now.

A hand cups his jaw while the other stays locked in his hair, tugging at the strands and urging him onwards.

Neither of us tread anywhere below the belt. Seems too risky, too stupid. I’ve been drinking too much (who knows how much he’s had) and it’s not worth being that stupid. Fuck it, if it works out well, we won’t really stop after this. I don’t fancy myself as a romantic, but I also don’t fancy myself as someone to snog the life out of someone just to leave them.

As our lips part, his resting against my jawline, there’s a rattling knock to the door, giving us a few seconds to break apart before it swing open. The soft, changing lights of the party filtering into the small room and gives everything a harsh glow.

And there he is. Alll six feet (give or take) of him; slicked back hair, pinstripe suit, cheekbones to kill.

Tyrannus Basilton fucking Grimm-Pitch.

I stand slack-jawed, leaning against the wall we’d just been up against as he slowly lifts his blindfold off, staring at me with an expression I don’t think I’ve ever seen on him; guilt, and maybe a little fear.

He’s not angry, though. He’s nowhere near angry, but in the falter of his stone-cold persona lies this scared teen that looks away the moment we lock eyes. Before I can even form a coherent word, he’s pushing past whoever’s holding the door.

By the time I gather my thoughts to follow him, he’s mostly nudged out of the room and ends up slamming the doors open to the courtyard.

It’s frigid when I get there. Most people migrated to pack into the Chapel, but Baz isn’t interested in mingling. He’s going in whatever direction the crowd’s not, making me push through clusters of people as I shout his name.

It takes a solid distance for us to stop, hanging at least five yards apart from each other as he whips around, staring at me with wet cheeks. I feel my magick bubble and spill, working as an almost fog between us; I want him closer. I want to know what he’s thinking.

I can only really figure out one thing to ask right now.

“Did you know it was me?”

His jaw sets, arms crossing defensively over his chest as he stiffens. “Of course I did.” His voice cracks mid sentence. “I always know its you; I can feel your magick from a mile away.”

“Then why didn’t you stop?”

He huffs, laughing so bittersweet that I step forward on impulse. I want something that I’m not even sure about. “You’re so fucking thick, Snow,” he grumbles.

“You could’ve stopped me, Baz. I--we--”

He just stares silently as his arms drop, exposing his chest and his heart; exposing more of himself to me than I could’ve ever imagined. He’s so vulnerable, so weak. It's like he wants me to do something. Kiss him or kill him, he looks like he’d stop neither.

“That felt right,” I say, heart hammering in my chest. What the fuck did I drink? “That felt really really right, Baz.” Cross that, I don't think it's anything I drank.

“Don’t say anything you don’t mean, Snow.”

I swallow, eyes locked on his as I exhale slowly, trying to keep myself steady. “A lot of things don’t make sense to me,” I start, deserving me a cocked brow. I close my eyes, trying to continue. “There’s a lot that I’m clueless on, and there’s a lot that I just ignore, but Baz, that’s something that felt right. And I don’t really know every word I’m saying right now, and I don’t drink a lot so I’m feeling a little fucked up, but I’m still absolutely sure that that was right.”

As I speak, the ground in front of me crunches in a slow, hesitant manner. It stops just short of where I'm standing, the sound of Baz’s breath and the smell of home clinging to him as he stands. I dare myself to open my eyes, taking a moment to look up to him and swallowing any type of pride I’ve got left.

His cheeks are still streaked, jaw clenched shut, but lip quivering in the slightest. “Say that again,” he whispers after a minute, his hands stuck to his sides. I reach out, looping my fingers around his as I stare up.

“This was right.”

He lets out a shaky breath, looking down to me and taking what feels like an eternity to hold my hand back. “You need to get to bed and sleep this off.”

“I’m not going to sleep off feelings,” I huff.

“I know,” he utters back, causing my breath to catch as his hand lifts and pushes a stand of my straightened hair behind my ear. He leans in halfway, waiting for me to react as he whispers “Can’t sleep off mine either.”

Without hesitation, I close the distance.

#coc 2018 #snowbaz #carry on #simon snow #tyrannus basilton grimm pitch #tyrannus basilton grimm-pitch #baz pitch #baz #simon #penny bunce #penelope bunce #penny #fanfic #fanfiction #ficlet #fic #fan art #mine #pls thank andrea for suggesting i do the art #i was gonna do simon but i didn't have the energy

[weirdponytail]

HUZZAH! Upcoming drabbles/attempted drawing sets for Huntik stuff!

OKAY I told y’all that traveling helps spark my creative juices and I did not lie! 

Oddly enough though, this time it sparked drawing juices, which is mildly annoying because drawing takes me days longer than writing. 

Anywho, I wanted to keep you all up to snuff on what I’ll be up to. See, a while back I saw some really cool artworks on tumblr where someone (and I’ll link them when I find them again) had drawn ‘pictures’ of the Huntik team in the actual style of the show and had them done out like Facebook posts/snapchats sort of that the team shared. I love it/them, and when I went down to the beach this Thanksgiving it got me thinking ‘hey! It would be really cool if I could draw snapchat style story thing (I’ve never actually used or even SEEN a snapchat app in person so I’m pretty clueless to most of it besides what I see of memes) of the Team at the beach on actual holiday’ and then, because it’s me and I haven’t touched it much for ages and since hey, I’m there, I thought ‘ZOMG WHAT IF TEAM FLORIDA INVITED THE MAIN TEAM TO THE BEACH AND TEAM FLORIDA SHOWED UP AFTER THEM?!’

So in my usual style I gathered up a good pound or so of seashells and bits of junk while muttering snapchat labels/titles/lines(?) to go with each picture that only make sense if you can see my mental image of what I want to do with each line/how they came about. Naturally I started typing these one liners out on my notes app as I walked back to the hotel and totally didn’t walk into a light post in full view of a diner’s window, but good news is that I’m gonna show you these one liners and later add more stuff to it via reblogs. I’ll try my best to add some understandable description to ones that I can describe well enough. :3

Also, for clarification: these probably won’t be actually done in drawings. I’ll likely give up on them and just write a fic as best I can around them. Currently I’m trying to clean house because dad has some interview guy coming over to evaluate his new life situation with his injuries for a trial or somm’at, so it’s wild here right now. I can see the carpet in my room. It’s really impressive. 

Anyway, here’s the oneliners!! :D Cheers, Seekers!

Lok’s Phone (in general order of arrival):

BEACH TIIIME!! (General shot of a beach.)

Um okay apparently Sophie can surf?! (Sophie chillin on a board past the breakers waiting for a wave)

OOOOOH DAAAANG SHE SHRED! (one of those vid clips of Sophie doing some board trick or something) 

Cherit’s going to be King of the Beach. Den and Harrison are his serfs. (Cherit sitting on a mound of sand while Den and Harrison are apparently moulding a wall around it)

Zhalia, Queen of Sass, kindly tells me that she isn’t in the mood for beach fun. :) (Zhalia lounging on a beach chair in shorts and bikini top and sunglasses, giving Lok the finger)

Oh nevermind. Apparently she’s interested now. (Dante casually walking down the sand as he takes his shirt off. Zhalia’s in the background tipping her sunglasses down like ‘oh daaaayyyum get me somma dat’)

RUN!! (shakey clip of sand going by as Lok apparently sprints away screaming ‘DANTE THREW HER IN THE WATER WE’RE GOING TO DIE!’)

Bwahaha she used Earthtide on him! (Dante buried up to his neck in sand looking sheepish as Zhalia gives him a look with crossed arms)

Team Florida in da house! (pic of station wagon with doors all open and Team Florida unloading)

(To be Continued...)

Sophie’s Phone (no general order this time):

Great day for some waves! (pic of board upright in the sand in front of the waves)

And Zhalia wonders why we still have some trust issues... (Pic of Lok’s bare back as he apparently snoozes face down on a beach towel. A particular someone has written on his back in sunscreen “Kick me, I’m Irish.”)

Team Florida has arrived!! (selfie of a smiling/laughing Sophie with Ket on one side of her with a wild smile and her tongue out flashing a sideways peace sign and Cor on the other wearing a fake beard and plastic viking-style horned helmet with both arms up)

Ket surfs too!! :gasp/surprised emoji and :D emoji: (Ket running out to the water with a board over her head)

I have just been informed that Ket can’t actually surf... (Clip of Ket managing to do an entirely unplanned double front flip as she’s thrown off her board into the water)

She tries very hard. (short clip montage of Ket’s many fails trying to get past the breakers and her various falls of the board)

Marko and Dante are trying to out Zen each other!! :cry laughing emoji: (Slow mo clip of Marko and Dante doing martial arts forms side by side with the waves behind them)

Ket’s growing pile of...stuff? (pic of a small pile of shells, sticks, and various bits of what could be trash next to Mama Cat’s beach chair)

!!! Gareon?? :cry laughing emoji: (clip of a very content looking Gareon floating in the shallows and spraying sea salt from his nose a la galapagos iguana style)

You see that dot? That is what happens when Dante says ‘Powers are okay!’ for beach volleyball and and immediately serves with Dragonfist. :rolling eyes emoji: (Short clip of small dot of color in the distance being swept away by the sea. Halfway through there’s an awkward cough in the background and Dante says ‘Oops.’ Zhalia chimes in with a ‘Nice going babe.’)

(To be Continued)

Den’s Phone: 

ALL HAIL KING CHERIT! (pic of intricately detailed meter high sandcastle with Cherit smuggly sitting at the top and Harrison worshiping at the base)

Aaaay, Team Florida! Mama Cat Lady, Wild Child, Viking Man and Zen Master 2000 finally here! (Station wagon pulling up to the deserted parking area)

THEY BROUGHT TBOY! (wildly shaky clip of a streak of white and black as TBoy tackles Den while he records)

“Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you, SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN TANLINES!” (Clip of Ket whipping off her shirt)

Welcome to this year’s World Championship of Pale and Skinny! Today’s category is ‘HOW THE HELL HAVE YOU NOT TANNED AT ALL?!’ (A shirtless Harrison and Cor side by side doing muscle poses)

Judge Zhalia performing the customary Paper Test! (A piece of white paper is held up against Harrison and Cor’s arms. There isn’t much of a color difference!)

OMG MAMA ATTRACTED DOLPHINS! (clip of dolphin pod playing near shore)

Dun dun... (pic of viking helmet)

Dun dun... (pic of fake beard)

Dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun BWADABWAAA! BWADABWAAA!! (pic of strange looking kayak with...small viking shields attached to the sides and a dragon sculpture at the front??)

DundundundundUN DUN DUN DUN DUN! (clip of Cor vigorously and comically paddling out wearing his viking helmet, fake beard and in the kayak outfitted to look quite like a viking longboat)  

(To be Continued...)

There’s more but right now I need to get back to cleaning. Cheers mates!! :D

#huntik #huntik: secrets and seekers #Huntik: Team Florida #team florida #adventures of ket #cor the viking #marko the zen master #mama cat the animal magnet #huntik team #beach fic #show not tell #huntik fanfiction #huntik x team florida #oc #ocs #huntik oc #huntik ocs