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gameofdrarry · 3 years

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Wizards Hearts Recs: Vacation!Fic

Wizards Hearts was a four-month-long Drarry reading fest. Players were given a playing deck of 52 tropes, and were asked to find 52 different fics to read and comment on to fill their decks. To prevent the same few fics from being read, fics were restricted to only being used for the game three times before being considered ineligible for further points. The tropes and submissions list can be found here.

Check out the masterlist of fics for this trope below the cut!

📜 Our Dreams, Our Pride by ahhhnorealnamesallowed Rated: Mature Words: 10319 Tags: Hermione Granger is a Good Friend, Healer Draco Malfoy, Healer Harry Potter, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Holidays, a very british coach holiday, Ireland, POV Alternating, Swearing, discussion of sex and sexual acts, Slice of Life, Fluff, Fluff without Plot, (or very little plot), Magic University - Freeform, Post-Secondary, Getting Together, Established Relationship Summary: For six years, Harry has promised Draco a 'big thing' for their anniversary. This year is the year Harry is going to make it happen, even if he does so in a very Harry Potter way. Including last-minute vacation planning, some very sassy old people, a coach bus, and less anniversary sex than expected. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Staying Afloat by Scarshavestories Rated: General Words: 3138 Tags: Cruise Ships, Holidays, Established Relationship, Vacation, Banter, Slice of Life Summary: Harry and Draco are heading off on a Muggle cruise in the sunny Caribbean. Will their relationship survive their first holiday as a couple, or will the week end in disaster and Obliviation? ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Momenti Diversi, Day Five by zarah5 Rated: Mature Words: 11662 Tags: Happy Ending, Blow Job, Future Fic, Post-Canon Summary: In which you'll find the Italian sun, freshly resolved sexual tension, a reluctant Harry and a persuasive Draco. (Post-Hogwarts, aftermath of war.) ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 A Holiday in Provence by dracoismytrashson (JGogoboots) Rated: Explicit Words: 32213 Tags: Harry Potter Epilogue Compliant, Post-Hogwarts, Older Characters, Divorced Harry Potter & Ginny Weasley, Divorced Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter's Birthday, Drunken Flirting, Resolved Sexual Tension, Blow Jobs, Rimming, First Time, Anal Sex, Bisexual Harry Potter, Bisexual Draco Malfoy, Implied Switching, Outdoor Sex, H/D Food Fair 2018, Draco Malfoy Speaks French Summary: Harry Potter is turning 50 years old and feeling lonelier than ever. Divorced, retired, and learning he’s not quite as straight as he thought he was, Harry reluctantly accepts a birthday gift from his friends for a week’s stay at an idyllic French vineyard. Too bad Hermione and Ron neglected to mention that the owner of the winery happens to be a certain quick-witted blond Slytherin… ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 And She Kissed the Moon by laughingd0g Rated: Mature Words: 6613 Tags: Camping, Pureblood Traditions, Harry and Draco are betrothed, (they are disgustingly happy together), Friendly Bets, Kissing, Banter, Pansy is gorgeous and she knows it, Ginny is not impressed (yes she is), creative use of the disillusionment charm, Campfires, Star/moongazing, frenemies to lovers Summary: Who thought it would be a good idea to bring Parkinson camping? (Malfoy.) From the beginning it’s been “my nails” this and “blisters” that. So Ginny makes a bet with her. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Slowly We Unfurl by spookywoods Rated: Explicit Words: 13705 Tags: Mutual Pining, Not Epilogue Compliant, Rimming, Anal Sex, Vacation Summary: Draco wanted to go to Greece. He would have loved Greece. But the group vacation to Norway doesn’t go quite as expected when Potter falls into an enchanted lake. Or, the one where a little push (into a lake) is all these two oblivious men need. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 in His name by M0stlyVoid Rated: Explicit Words: 6691 Tags: Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Religion Kink, Religious Fanaticism, Churches & Cathedrals, Demon Summoning, Demonic Possession, Exorcisms, Other: See Story Notes, Wine, Rituals, Oral Sex, Prostitution Summary: Something Dark is gathering along the Camino di Francesco, and Draco Malfoy is the only one qualified to deal with it. He insists on Potter coming along. For protection, of course, no other motive—why do you ask? ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Starkissed by Zigster Rated: Explicit Words: 32631 Tags: Digital Art, Fated Markings, Tattoos, But Not Tattoos, Italy, Venice, Vacation, Beaches, Crashing Waves, Deception, Intrigue, Carnevale di Venezia, Muggle Photography, Slow Burn, Sexual Tension, Body Worship, Voyeurism, Exhibitionism, Rimming, Enthusiastic Giving of Head, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Tattooed Harry Potter, Pining Harry Potter, Harry Potter is Obsessed with Draco Malfoy, Snarky Draco Malfoy, Draco Malfoy With Pink Hair, Original Characters as Draco's Flatmates, They Have Lots of Plants, Minor Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, H/D Sex Fair 2020 Summary: “Your tattoos!” The intruder says, boldly stepping over Ron’s chaise and crossing in front of Hermione to get to Harry, eyes wide and hungry. Harry immediately sits up, pulling the towel draped across the back of his chair down over his shoulders. “No! Don’t cover them. They’re beautiful.” Harry hopes an indulgent trip abroad will help shake him out of the doldrums of his life. What he finds once he gets to Venice is more than he ever expected. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Reunion by wordsphoenix Rated: Not Rated Words: 52622 Tags: Unexpected reunion with a tinge of career fair, vacation fic, holiday fic, tragically it's Thanksgiving, NaNoWriMo 2019, Harry and Draco on vacation, Family reunion in the lovely suburbs of Dallas, Established Relationship, road trip at the beginning too because why not Summary: Harry hasn't seen Dudley in years, but they have been exchanging Christmas Cards. And Dudley wants him to come stay. Which is fine, really, Harry just has to fly over an ocean and bring Draco for moral support and meet the whole extended family because they're doing Thanksgiving and he's always wanted to see America, anyway. Might as well. Introducing the fantastic the spectacular the wonderful ELLA DURSLEY, four-year-old extraordinaire, destroyer of worlds, etc, etc. Almost no magic at all because it would be a little hard to explain to a four-year-old, astonishing intelligence aside. Penny is the Greatest Mom. Blanket TW for general panic and Harry thinking about his childhood. Minor TW for anxiety and eating disorders, both mentioned in chapter 6. Lots of Harry processing emotions. Also some sweariness and mentions of sexytimes. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 100,000 Galleons by bixgirl1 Rated: Explicit Words: 28289 Tags: Travel, Seduction, Pining, Oblivious Harry, Falling In Love, Draco's bad at Muggle things, He keeps trying though, Humor, wanking, Voyeurism, (sort of), light D/s elements, Dirty Talk, Bottom Harry, Oral Sex, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Rimming Summary: When a weekend with Harry gets purchased at a Bachelor charity auction by Malfoy, he's sure the trip is going to be filled with disaster. And it is. It really is. Just... maybe not in the ways he thought. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 NEVER VISIT by JET_Playin Rated: Teen and Up Words: 7994 Tags: Fluff, I'm Sorry, Tumblr Prompt, HP: EWE, Post-Hogwarts, Travel, Underage Drinking, By US standards Summary: Prompt: On everyone’s 18th birthday they receive a letter from their future selves. Some receive long messages about their future lovers or messages about changes they would have made. Yours contains nothing but a small list of locations and the words, “NEVER VISIT”. Of course, Harry doesn't trust the letter... ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Tournesol by meandminniemcg Rated: Teen and Up Words: 1567 Tags: Post hogwarts EWE, France (Country), Coffee Shops, Vacation, Mention of Mental Health Issues, But balanced out with fluff, Getting Back Together, Demisexual Harry Potter Summary: Harry hates vacations, they give too much chance to think of his losses. But sometimes vacations are a time to be lucky in finding the right coffeeshop... ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Cooling Down by prolix (shal) Rated: Explicit Words: 3026 Tags: Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Smut, Temperature Play, Ice Play, Nipple Play, Oral Sex, Anal Fingering, Praise Kink, Hand Jobs, Kissing, Dirty Talk, Alcohol, Established Relationship, Vacation, Taste, Touch, TasteofSmut 2020, Beach Holidays, Greece, POV Harry Potter Summary: Harry needs to relax. Draco needs to cool off. Together, with a bit of ice, they manage to do just that. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Kiss Me In Barcelona by artiata Rated: Explicit Words: 6467 Tags: Drarry, Smut, Gay Sex, Kissing, make out, explicit - Freeform, Vegan Harry, Vegan Harry Potter, Vacation, Aurors, Slow Burn, Anal Sex, Blowjobs, handjobs, barcelona, Kingsley is a matchmaker, he is also sort of a little shit, but we still respect and love him because yeah Summary: If you want to bicker like children, you'll be treated like children. Of course, that's if you punish your children by magically binding their wrists together for three weeks, then send them off to Barcelona for 'bonding purposes' ❤️ Read on AO3

#vacation fic #drarry #drarry fic #game of drarry #wizards hearts #wh masterlist

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love-little-lotte · 4 years

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15 Musical Theatre Duets That Make Me Believe In Love Again

Hi! This is a follow-up on my other list: 15 Musical Theatre Female Solos That Make Me Feel Things. This time, I’m going to talk about 15 musical theatre duets that make me believe in love again (obviously, as the title suggests). Love songs are beautiful and special, and I always love listening to them. You don’t even have to be in a relationship to really enjoy them. You just have to listen and feel the music and lyrics.

Musical theatre love songs are a whole different story. I find them more meaningful because they’re part of a story. They help the story progress, as well as provide insight to the characters’ personality. And probably most importantly, these songs help make the audience understand the love these characters feel for each other.

The following songs are my favorite romantic duets in musical theatre. Romantic duets are love songs sung by two people — usually, it’s sung when they profess their love for each other. I love them to bits, and I love how they made me feel. They’re also fun to sing along to! These songs are, in my opinion, incredibly romantic. They transcend me to a different place, and yes, they do make me believe in love again. Also, let me just remind you, that this is my personal list, so if you don’t agree, well then, you can always make a list of your own.

(Disclaimer: I arranged these songs randomly to avoid favoritism, so this is not exactly a “ranking” list.)

1. Sun and Moon - Miss Saigon

I was initially confused which song I would choose from Miss Saigon — this one or “The Last Night of the World.” I eventually chose this one because I liked the lyrics more. They’re so simple, but you can definitely feel the love between Kim and Chris with each word.

This song is sung early on the show, where everything was going perfectly for the both of them. After spending the night, Kim and Chris fell in love unexpectedly while there is an ongoing war. He’s a soldier; she’s a prostitute. They come from a different world, but they found each other. It’s the perfect love song for them.

Most memorable lyrics: How in the light of one night / Did we come so far?

2. Tonight - West Side Story

Just like Kim and Chris from Miss Saigon, Tony and Maria from West Side Story come from a different world. He’s a Jet; she’s a, well... Shark by relation? Anyway, this song is also an absolute favorite of mine. The music, the lyrics... are oh-so gorgeous. Even though they’ve only met one time prior to this song, they fell in love at first sight — and they fell hard. Both Tony and Maria were ready to risk their relationship with family and friends to be with each other.

But before the story went into chaos, this song perfectly described the love they feel for each other. It’s a delightful song, and I love it to bits. I look forward to the day I sing this to a special someone who’s ready to defy everyone just to be with me!

Most memorable lyrics: But here you are / And what was just a world is a star / Tonight

3. Ten Minutes Ago - Rodger and Hammerstein’s Cinderella

Ever wondered what it feels like to fall in love at first sight? Well, Ella and Prince Topher can tell you — or rather, sing it for you. This song is just as beautiful as the costumes of this Rodger and Hammerstein’s Cinderella production. Seriously, this is unrelated, but you really need to check out the costumes for this show. It’s to die for!

Anyway, this song is the first duet of Ella and Prince Topher. The music is soaring; the lyrics are romantic; and the choreography is memorable. This song is absolutely marvelous and perfectly encapsulates the feeling of falling in love at first sight (one of my favorite musical theatre tropes). Also, you need to check out the Tony Awards performance of this song!

Most memorable lyrics: In the arms of my love I’m flying / Over mountain and meadow and glen

4. Take Me As I Am - Jekyll & Hyde

Unlike most of the songs in this list, I haven’t delved into this musical as much as I want to. Nevertheless, I fell in love with this gorgeous song. I have a weakness for sopranos, so of course, this song caught my attention. Christiane Noll, who played Emma in the OBC recording, sounded so, so heavenly.

Through this song, I got to know Emma and Jekyll’s love for each other. They’re professing their love for each other, promising that they would be on each other’s side no matter what happens. It’s a song that teaches us acceptance and love really go together. Truly one of my favorite romantic song ever.

Most memorable lyrics: And when despair / Tears me in two / Who can I turn to but you?

5. I’ll Cover You - Rent

This particular song is more carefree and upbeat compared to most of the songs in this list. But that doesn’t make it any less romantic. This song sung by my favorite couple in Rent is the absolute best. When all the other couples are fighting, Angel and Collins just continued loving each other and enjoying the little time they have. They are so sweet, and I totally love their relationship. And this song is a huge testament why.

It’s a song that tells the audience that Angel and Collins just love being together and that they truly love one another. They were together through thick and thin, through Angel’s sickness until the very end. They weren’t kidding when they sang “I’ll be there and I’ll cover you.” And yes, the reprise version of this song is the definition of pain and sadness.

Most memorable lyrics: But sweet kisses I’ve got to spare / I’ll be there and I’ll cover you

6. As Long As You’re Mine - Wicked

Whenever I listen to this song, I always describe it as “sensual and intimate.” This song may not be promiscuous or anything like that, but it’s so passionate and sexy in an innocent way. It’s a beautiful love song, and when performed right, truly make me fall in love. The lyrics are perfect for what Elphaba and Fiyero are going through, and the music is beyond catchy.

When they do release the movie version of Wicked — which is probably never at this point — I hope they cast actors who have amazing, off the roof chemistry. This song is one of my favorites, and I would love to see it done well on the big screen. Elphaba’s cheeky last line “For the first time, I feel... wicked” is probably my favorite line in the show.

Most memorable lyrics: Borrow the moonlight / Until it is through / And know I’ll be here / Holding you / As long as you’re mine

7. Only Us - Dear Evan Hansen

One of the purest romantic songs ever. Though Evan may not be your ideal perfect guy, you can’t deny that this song is plain sweet. This duet between Evan and Zoe is cute and relatable — anyone who fell in love before can identify with the lyrics. And even though you’re not a fan of musical theatre, I’m pretty sure you’re still going to like this fan favorite.

This song is one of my favorite song in “new” musicals. It’s sung by teenagers in the show, but the lyrics and music are perfect to attract younger audiences. It’s a good song to sing along to, and probably a good dedication song for your significant other.

Most memorable lyrics: You and me / That’s all that we need it to be / And the rest of the world falls away

8. Seven Wonders - Catch Me If You Can

The first time I listened to the musical, I was in high school. I didn’t know it was based on a movie. I didn’t know who Frank Abagnale even is! The reason why I even cared about this musical is because of Aaron Tveit, which made me listen to the cast recording, then watch the movie (which is really good). I fell in love with this song the first moment I listened to it. It’s catchy and pure and beautiful.

The duet is sung by Frank and Brenda in the musical. The lyrics (and Aaron Tveit) are probably the highlights of the song for me. It’s hilarious and, at the same time, really sweet. Imagine having a guy you like say that you couldn’t compare to all the beautiful places in the world because you’re perfect! And then imagine Aaron Tveit singing that to you. But seriously speaking, this song is goshdarn cute and romantic.

Most memorable lyrics: I’ve been a lot of places / Yes, I’ve traveled near and far / But now I know that home is where you are

9. Happiness - Passion

This is the first song of the musical, and from there, I’m already in love. Giorgio and Clara’s song is simply enchanting. It tells the story of two people just being happy in each other’s arms. We don’t know who they are — as the musical only started — but we just know that they’re completely in love with each other, satisfied and contented.

Indeed, this is one of my favorite love songs ever. It’s warm, delightful, and deeply sensual. Giorgio and Clara’s love story may not be perfect (as we realize later on the show), but this song is perfect for their relationship in the beginning.

Most memorable lyrics: Some say happiness / Comes and goes / Then this happiness / Is a kind of happiness / No one really knows

10. Say It Somehow - The Light in the Piazza

This musical has one of the best scores ever. It’s astonishingly pleasant to the ears. This particular song, on the other hand, is one of the best love songs I’ve ever heard. In this song, this is when Fabrizio (spoiler alert?) professes his love and proposes to Clara (a different one from the previously mentioned musical).

Who does not want a declaration of love with a song like this? It’s everyone’s dream — or rather, my dream. It’s a gorgeous song with flawless music and lyrics. And I know you’re getting tired of hearing it but yes, this is one of my favorite songs.

Most memorable lyrics: Say it somehow / Anyway you can / You know me / You are good

11. Something to Believe In - Newsies

The first few notes of this song is already set to make me fall in love, and it succeeds. This love song is amazing and fun to sing along to. It’s catchy (especially the chorus) and above all, romantic. Jack and Katherine are not only friends, but they also know how to work together and that’s important in any relationship.

Needless to say, this song is the perfect for the both of them. Jack and Katherine truly believed in each other. They’re one of my favorite couples in musicals, so I’m pretty happy that they got a really good song. It’s also one of those songs that you can play for your friends who don’t often listen to musicals.

Most memorable lyrics: And if I’m gone tomorrow / What was ours still will be / I have something to believe in / Now that I know you believed in me

12. One Second and a Million Miles - The Bridges of Madison County

Honestly, I’m not sure if this is an “actual” love song, but what the hell, I love this song and I’m making the list so I’m going to include it. The entire musical is heartbreaking, but oh-so romantic and beautiful. The songs are exquisite and gorgeous, especially this big song in the second act wherein Robert tells Francesca to leave everything and run away with him.

It’s a song of reassurance, that whatever the risks they’re going to take, it’s enough because they love one another and they’re going to be there for each other. It’s an incredible song and no matter how many times I listen to the cast recording, Kelli O’Hara and Steven Pasquale’s vocals give me chills every time.

Most memorable lyrics: And you and I are just one second / Spinning by in just one second / You and I have just one second / And a million miles to go

13. All I Ask of You - The Phantom of the Opera

My. Favorite. Duet. Of. All. Time. I mean, I think most of my followers here are from the “Phandom” so you just know that I have to include a song from this musical. This song is the absolute best, which of course, truly made me believe in love again. It’s beautiful. Raoul and Christine’s relationship is the best, as the both of them love each other very much.

In this song, Raoul promises Christine to be there for her all the time no matter what. He promises his love for her and more. It’s a wonderful and romantic song that has been covered endless times by popular artists outside musical theatre (my favorite would’ve been Josh Groban and Kelly Clarkson’s version). And I swear, if I ever get married in the future, this will be the song that I would play on my first dance with my husband.

Most memorable lyrics: Say you’ll share with me one love, one lifetime / Say the word and I will follow you / Share each day with me, each night, each morning / Say you love me / You know I do

14. All I’ve Ever Known - Hadestown

Anaïs Mitchell originally wanted this to be a solo for Eurydice, but I thank the gods everyday that she turned it into a duet. It’s my favorite song in the musical, and it’s absolutely wonderful. For a really long time, Eurydice was on her own and very independent. She didn’t trust anyone. But now, she was ready to open up and love Orpheus with all her heart.

Furthermore, the choreography in this song is absolutely amazing. It showed the intimacy of Eurydice and Orpheus’ relationship through their dance. It went perfectly well along with the song as well! I love this song very much, and it’s on repeat.

Most memorable lyrics: All I know is you’re someone I have always known / And I don’t even know you / Now I wanna hold you, hold you close / I don’t wanna ever have to let you go

15. I Have Dreamed - The King and I

Tuptim and Lun Tha are only supporting characters in their musical, but their songs are my absolute favorites. This and “We Kiss in a Shadow” are two of my favorite songs in the musical. Their songs, especially this one in particular, left a long-lasting impression to me. Even though I’m not in love, this song makes me feel like I am.

My first version of this song is Lea Salonga and Peabo Bryon’s version (which you should really check out if you haven’t!) Their rendition of this song is super good — it’s like you’ve died and gone to heaven. The lyrics are amazing and perfectly written. To top it all of, this song is very romantic, and I love it so much.

Most memorable lyrics: In these dreams, I’ve loved you so / That by now I think, I know / What it’s like to be loved by you / I will love being loved by you

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And that brings us to the end of this list. These 15 songs truly made me believe in love again, and I suggest you give them a listen! Who knows, maybe you’d like them as well.

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swanqueeneverafter · 4 years

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The Once & Future Queen Pt.9

Camelot. Courtyard. (Guinevere places a Camelot cape and sword on a pyre in the courtyard.) Guinevere: “I want to pay tribute to Robin of Locksley. Known to many of you as Robin Hood. We owe him a great debt. It is not just his deed that we’ll never forget. It’s his courage. His compassion. (Lancelot brings Guinevere a torch for the pyre:) His unselfish heart. (Guinevere looks over to Zelena who nods. Guinevere then tosses the torch on the pyre:) He gave his life for all of us.” (Zelena cries as she watches the pyre burning. Regina and Henry console Robin while the flames continue to grow. Alice takes Will’s hand.) Will: “He didn’t sacrifice himself for Camelot. He wanted to prove himself worthy to a man he never even met. It cost him his life.” (Alice nods and places a comforting hand on his shoulder and leaves him by the pyre to join Robin and the others. Zelena continues to weep by the pyre, as the courtyard slowly clears out.)

Arendelle. Past. Dawn. (Staring out at the lights coming from Arendelle castle, Emma rounds on Blackbeard, who looks rather pleased with himself.) Emma: "Arendelle. Seriously?" Blackbeard: (Chuckling:) "What's the big problem? I agreed to take you one place and we arrived at another. In fact by my reckoning, I've taken you further than we agreed." Emma: "Yeah, I can see that." Blackbeard: "Which means a renegotiation of my fee is required." Mulan: "What?!" Blackbeard: "Don't worry, I know you ladies don't have any money. So, since I only hire gentlemen for my crew... (Blackbeard’s crew begins to close in around Emma and Mulan:) I'm sure we can work something out." Emma: "You've got to be kidding." Blackbeard: "Just be relieved you didn't sail with Captain Hook and his crew. Because believe me, you two would have found the rogerings anything but jolly." (Emma looks to Mulan, who merely shrugs.) Emma: (Sighs:) "All right, you guys asked for it." (The crew cheer and converge on the two women. Moments later however, they are all blasted overboard by a pulse of Emma's powers. Drawing her sword, Mulan holds it at Blackbeard’s neck.) Mulan: "I believe you spoke of a renegotiation?" Blackbeard: "Ah. (Smiles:) What did you ladies have in mind?"

A Short Time Later. (Emma watches from the deck while Blackbeard rows away from them, cursing their names.) Blackbeard: "You ungrateful harlots! I hope you never get home!" Emma: "Yeah you just keep rowing, buddy." Mulan: (Standing by the cannon:) "Or we'll blast your little boat to pieces." Blackbeard: "You will rue the day you ever crossed the legendary Blackbeard!" Storybrooke. Present. The Dragon's Lair. (At Robin Hood's wake, Rumplestiltskin and Regina talk at the bar.) Rumplestiltskin: "Forgive me, it must be my age but, didn't we already have a wake for Robin Hood?" Regina: "Different guy." Rumplestiltskin: "I see." Regina: "Anyway, you're one to talk. You've come back to life more than a few times." Rumplestiltskin: "This is true." Regina: (As Rumple brings his drink to his lips:) "We didn't bother with a wake, though." Rumplestiltskin: (Chuckles:) "Perhaps next time." Regina: "Mm." Rumplestiltskin: "I get how you're feeling you know. Being separated from the one you love, knowing they're still out there somewhere. It's-" Regina: "Agony." Rumplestiltskin: "Yeah. (Places his hand on hers:) Of course, being separated from the one you love for thirty years after thinking they were dead is much harder." Regina: (Slapping his hand playfully:) "All right, it's not a competition." Rumplestiltskin: "If it were I'd win." (Elsewhere, Zelena and Robin talk about their feelings.) Zelena: "I'm sorry you had to go through this again. Losing your father like this." Robin: "Mom, he wasn't my father, you get that right?" Zelena: "Even so..." Robin: "Mom, your boyfriend just died to save everyone. That makes him a hero, but still not my Dad." Zelena: (Nods:) "I know. I just... this is the second time I've caused the death of the same man. How do I get over something like that?" Robin: "What happened wasn't your fault. He made the choice to sacrifice himself. I was the one who originally asked him to fight with us in the Dream World. If I hadn't then maybe-" Zelena: "Robin was little more than a common thief who spent his money on booze after fighting in the King's army. If you hadn't come along when you did to inspire him to fight, he'd still be there now. Robin told me as much on our first date." Robin: "He did?" Zelena: (Nods:) "He credited you for turning his life around. (Taking her hand:) Even though he wasn't your father, he was very proud of you." Robin: "I wish I hadn't given him such a hard time when you guys first started going out." Zelena: "He understood. It was difficult for all of us. What's important is the time we spent together and that in the end, he had something worth fighting for." Robin: (Smiles:) "I guess you're right. Just... promise me one thing?" Zelena: "Anything." (Robin stands, pulling her mother into an embrace.) Robin: "No more hooking up with Robin Hood doppelgängers, please?" Zelena: (Chuckles:) "I promise."

(Standing at the bar, Henry notices Will sitting alone and goes over to talk.) Henry: “Will! Hey.” Will: (Nods:) “Alright.” Henry: “How are you doing? Everything all right?” Will: (Takes a drink:) “Is it that obvious?” Henry: (Chuckles:) “Well, the truth is, I, uh, I wanted to thank you for all you’ve done. Helping Ella through Wonderland and everything.” Will: “Oh I don’t think you want to be thanking me for everything we did together. After all, (Winks:) someone had to be there for her, didn’t they?” Henry: “Uh-” Will: “You know Henry, you're not the only weirdo that believes in signs. I think it's in our darkest hours that the universe shows us our true path. (Henry’s cellphone rings:) That might be the universe calling.” Henry: “It’s Ella.” Will: “Ah. Well you better answer at least one of her calls eh?” (Will finishes his drink and leaves.) Henry: (Confused by Will’s behaviour, answers the phone:) “Hello? Oh, yeah, yeah. Sure. Of course I’ll be right there.” On A Hill Overlooking Storybrooke. (Seated together on a large rock, Gabrielle and Xena take time to enjoy their surroundings.) Gabrielle: "I'm sorry Robin Hood had to die, but I'm glad neither of us had to make that sacrifice." Xena: "Those days are over, remember?" Gabrielle: "Just be sure you do, Ms. Martyr." Xena: "Don't worry. I made you a promise never to die on you again after the incident with the Ambrosia." Gabrielle: (Watches Xena sharpen her sword:) "Yeah, and then you went and died two more times after that." Xena: "Technically you died on me first." Gabrielle: "But I came back to you." Xena: "Well so did I!" Gabrielle: (Chuckles:) "You're on thin ice, Warrior Princess." Xena: "Ooh ice! That was another one." Gabrielle: (Nods:) "I remember. When you let Ares beat the crap out of you. What was the point of that again?" Xena: "To draw out the Furies." Gabrielle: "Right. (Xena returns to sharpening:) At least that's one thing we don't have to deal with here." Xena: "What, Gods? (Gabrielle nods:) Yeah, that is a relief." Red Queen: (Arriving in a cloud of red smoke:) "Don't breathe that sigh of relief just yet, darlings." (Xena spins around, her sword ready for action.) Gabrielle: (Stands:) "Who are you?" Red Queen: "Why, I'm the Red Queen of course. And while I may not be a God, my powers will make you pray for mercy soon enough." Xena: "Get down!" (The Red Queen sends a jet of sparks towards Xena and Gabrielle, obliterating the rock they were sitting on. As the dust settles, the Queen sees that her prey have disappeared.) Red Queen: "Oh well, there's nothing like a good hunt." (Straightening her gloves, the Red Queen walks deeper into the woods. Hidden up in the trees, Xena and Gabrielle watch her go, concerned looks upon their faces.)

Arendelle. Past. Harbour. (Elsa rushes to the dock with Kristoff following her.) Kristoff: “Elsa! Wait! It's too late.” (Elsa watches Anna’s ship leave the harbour.) Elsa: “We have to go after her.” Kristoff: “No.” Elsa: “Are you really saying ‘no’ to your queen?” Kristoff: “I'm saying no to my future sister. (Elsa gives him a look:) In-law. For good reason. We both love Anna. We both know her. She will be fine.” Elsa: “She didn't have to do this alone.” Kristoff: “Yes, she did. You told Anna and you're right... You're the queen. We all remember well what happened the last time you left.” Elsa: “Why didn't you go with her?” Kristoff: “She didn't want me to. She thought I was needed here.” Elsa: “For what?” Kristoff: “She didn't want you to be alone. She'll be fine. I believe in her. You should too. Because she doesn't give up on the people she loves. And she always succeeds.” Elsa: “She also sometimes acts before she thinks. This place could be dangerous. What do we even know about this... Misthaven? How have I never heard of it?” Kristoff: “You might know it better by what the inhabitants call it.” Elsa: “What's that?” Kristoff: “The Enchanted Forest.” Emma: (Slightly out of breath from running:) "Queen Elsa! (Turns to see Mulan catching up with her:) I'm so glad you’re here." Elsa: "I'm sorry... (Looks to Kristoff, who shrugs:) Do I know you?" Emma: "Not yet, but you will. In time."

Storybrooke. Present. Will & Tiana’s Apartment. (Ella opens the door to Henry.) Henry: “This is so weird, I was just talking to Will at the bar.” Ella: “Oh, how’s he doing?” (Steps aside to allow Henry entry.) Henry: “He was acting kinda strange, but that’s to be expected I guess.” Ella: “Knowing Will as I do now, I’d say strange was definitely to be expected.” (They share a laugh.) Henry: “So, what are we doing here?” Ella: “Well, Tiana and I were talking and we thought it might be a good idea if you were to... ask me on a date.” Henry: “I thought we were already going on a date?” Ella: “Yeah, but a little romantic gesture always goes a long way.” Henry: (Smiles:) “Of course. (Looks around the apartment and spots something:) Ah. (Walks over and picks up a handful of flowers from a vase and hands them to Ella:) Ella, would you do me the honour of having dinner with me at the Dragon’s Lair?” Ella: (Smiling:) “I’d be delighted.” Henry: “Great. Pick you up here?” Ella: “Uh, no. How about I meet you there?” Henry: “Sure, what time?” Ella: “Say around...7.30?” Henry: “Sounds like we have ourselves a date.” Ella: “Yeah.” Henry: “So, do you want me to-” Ella: “Oh, no, Tiana and I have some stuff to do here.” Henry: “Okay, great. I’ll... see you at 7.30.” (He leaves. Ella leans on the door frame and watches him go.) The Dragon's Lair. (Regina is returning a glass to its shelf behind the bar when a voice calls out to her.) Ruby: "Regina. (Regina jumps and turns to face her:) Bad time?" (Regina glances around the empty bar.) Regina: (Sighs:) "I guess not." Ruby: "Great. I thought we could talk." Regina: "Yeah... all right." Ruby: (Takes seat at the bar:) "So, the last time this happened, Emma changed a few things in the past. Have you... I mean, do you feel any different?" Regina: "I'm not sure it really works that way. If there were big changes being made to our past, we in the present wouldn't necessarily know about it. The changes themselves would become our past." Ruby: "Oh... No, sorry, I don't quite get it?" Regina: "Okay, well the last time Emma went back, she and Hook altered a few key events. After they returned to the present, the only way we knew they were changes was because she told us about them. Does that make sense?" Ruby: "I guess so. I just thought that if Mulan and Emma were doing something in the past and we could sort of sense it happening, it'd be a way of being close to them? Kinda silly, huh?" Regina: (Shakes her head:) "No, it's not silly. It's very sweet. But like I said, I think the only way we're going to know what damage they've done is when they come back to us." Ruby: (Wistfully:) "Yeah." Regina: "And when they do return, I don't know about you, but I plan to jump Emma's bones the very first chance I get." (Ruby laughs heartily at this while Regina pours them both a drink.)

Granny's Diner. (David and Kristoff catch up.) Kristoff: "So, how're you handling things?" David: "Well, Snow's obviously busy covering Regina's duties as Mayor as best she can in between teaching her classes. And I've been helping down at the station whenever Lily needs an extra hand now that Hook is on his honeymoon." Kristoff: "Which is ironic when you think about it. I mean, Hook now literally has an extra hand and he's not here to lend it to his daughter." David: "I think Anna's terrible sense of humour is rubbing off on you." Kristoff: "Hey, Anna's sense of humour is great, just like mine. Your problem is you don't know good puns when you hear them." Unknown Location. Past. (Having agreed to take Emma and Mulan to the warrior's homeland, Kristoff has been pushing Sven pretty hard.) Kristoff: "Keep going, buddy, you're doing great. (To the others:) Do you know why I chose a reindeer to pull my sled rather than dogs?" Emma: (Bored:) "No." Kristoff: "Sven has a louder bark. If you ask me, the dogs were a little husky." Emma: (As Kristoff laughs:) "Oh, God. Are we there yet?" Mulan: "Yes, up ahead, look!" (Through the thick snowfall, all eyes turn to the cabin barely visible in the distance. Pulling the sled to a stop, Kristoff jumps down and offers his hand to each of them in turn.) Kristoff: "I hope you enjoyed your ride with us today, don't forget to pat the reindeer upon exit." Emma: "Thanks, Kristoff. You're a life saver." Kristoff: "Think nothing of it, happy to be of help." (Jumping down from the sled, Mulan makes her way silently through the snow.) The Cabin. Emma: (Catching up with her:) "You sure this is the right place?" Mulan: "Yes, I'm sure. Just do me a favour, don’t mention my name while we’re here." Emma: “What?” Mulan: “Just trust me.” (Reaching the door, Mulan knocks firmly. When the door opens, a look of recognition crosses Emma's face.) Emma: "You?" Dragon: "May I help you?" (The Dragon stares at the two women standing on his doorstep while the snow continues to fall all around them.)

#sq #swanqueen #swan queen

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acrobaticcatfeline · 4 years

Text

Of Books, Brothers, and Broadway (Creativitwins College AU) Chapter One!!!

Word Count: 1771

TW: So Remus, obviously, swearing, ocean mentions, sea creatures and reptiles, and I think that’s it!

Pairings: None yet. This chapter is just a ton of platonic creativitwins!

Notes: This is three pages that I wrote last night. I’m now at ten pages of this. I don’t know what I was possessed by but I’m not about to complain. Its a college AU, I mention it I think, but Roman is a theatre major and Remus is a marine biology major with a minor in creative writing. I’m excited for you guys to see more of this!

Summary: “Bro!!! Bro I found a giant ass lizard in the yard look at it bro!!!” Roman and Remus Reyes live together. They figured it would be cost effective to do so while in college. Roman deals with Remus’ reptiles and fish tank, Remus deals with Romans singing at 3 in the morning. They’ve had an interesting relationship, and when Remus reminds Roman of a deal they made years ago, hes ready to start crying. Can a couple of kids from Florida make a Broadway musical?

“Bro!!! Bro I found a giant ass lizard in the yard look at it bro!!!”

Roman was done with his brothers bullshit. He doesn't know where he got the bright idea that the two of them should cohabitate in an apartment during college, but as he panickedly climbs onto the kitchen counters to escape him he knows he must've been on some sort of drug. He released a scream as he backed into the corner of the room as his brother held out a lizard that was definitely going to jump and attack him.

“GET IT AWAY!!! ITS SLIMY AND GROSS AND MALICIOUS!!!”

“This little guy malicious? Nah bro, that's a you problem. He's so cuteeee look at his scales they’re almost a holographic!”

That caught Roman's attention. He stopped panicking to actually look at the critter in his brother's hands. Remus was right, he was almost holographic. Roman gave it a weak smile and Remus beamed.

“See? It's not that scary! I'm gonna keep him! He's gonna be named fred!”

Roman chuckled softly as his brother finally left and brought the lizard to his room. He slipped off the counter and followed at a safe distance.

“Don't you think you have enough reptiles? If you keep getting more you'll need more heat lamps and i'm giving you more of the electric bill”

“Ok fair point but hear me out, have you ever seen a collared lizard quite as colorful as this one? I mean he's such a pretty one aint he?”

Roman took more steps forward, relaxing once the lizard was placed in the terrarium. The lizard was quite colorful, and Roman couldn't deny, it was one of the prettiest ones Remus had captured. It immediately scurried around and dived into the water bowl. Roman laughed at it.

“Besides, he was just begging to be brought in! Like really this time! He kept bumping into my feet, he started climbing my pants leg, it was so cute you should've seen it!”

“I'm sure I would have cried.”

Remus chuckled as he moved to the other wall of his room covered in a giant aquarium that Roman was still amazed fit through the doors. Remus grinned at all the fish swimming around, tipping a good portion of fish food into the tank after turning off the filter. He then made his way to his bed and sat on the twin sized mattress covered with octopus blankets. He grinned at his brother and Roman rolled his eyes.

“When are you finally kidnapping an octopus huh?”

“I'm glad you asked! You know my internship right?”

“Of course, the only time you don't talk about the marine institute is when youre talking about your reptiles”

Remus popped up and grabbed Roman's wrist and dragged him to the whiteboard calendar that hung on the outside of his door, pointing excitedly at tomorrow's date while bouncing on his toes.

“Well they just got an octopus buddy in that needs constant care that they don't have the time for! She's real fucked up, she needs meds twice a day, she needs to be hand fed, its a real fucked up case, they were rescued from a seaworld copycat, the poor thing hasn't been healthy since it hatched we think. There's a chance that she won't even be able to be released cuz she's been so dependent on humans for her whole life. But they opened up for applicants, and I was the only one willing to take her in. they're coming and checking my tank tomorrow and if it is good enough, which i'm certain it will be, and then they'll hand her over and i’ll be her caretaker!”

Roman grinned at the excitement his brother had. He ruffled his hair quickly.

“That's cool rem. I'm happy for you. She got a name?”

“Mhmm! Her name is Cephanie! But I've been calling her Cephy. She's so pretty ro, i can't wait for you to meet her! And she's so friendly!”

“You know every day I get less confused at your choice in major. And more confused about your minor”

Remus grinned at Roman and released his wrist, skipping over to their kitchen, relishing in the fact that Roman followed still. He poured himself a cup of coffee and jumped onto the counter with a grin still plastered to his face. He took a sip from his mug, the one with a tentacle handle, and kicked his feet.

“I don't know why! It's totally sensical to have a minor in creative writing ro! It's not like you can expect me to be your playwright if i don't know what i'm doing! Besides, i can write epic lovecraftian horrors that aren't incredibly racist and who doesn't want that?”

Roman blinked. He had to process what Remus had said and he was still confused. His head tilted like a dogs.

“My playwright?”

Remus giggled, it was funny when Remus giggled, it wasn't a sound that you would expect to come out of him. And yet he did it often.

“Did you forget? Aw ro, you can't back out on it now, you asked me when we were still in middle school to write you a book for a musical, and you were gonna write the music and you kept saying you were gonna get it on broadway. I've held up my end of the deal! In fact, I actually have a story started, I think you're gonna love it! Course, i haven't written it all out yet, it's gonna be my final”

“Wait, you remembered that? Rem we were like 10!”

“And now we’re 21, what's your point?”

“We, we can't get on broadway! We’re a couple of idiots from florida! I’m, i'm not a musician, I'm barely even a dancer, what are you talking about? That was a fever dream from a couple of kids, it's not like we can actually do it!”

Remus frowned. He set his mug of coffee down and hopped off of the counter. He crossed his arms over his chest and gave Roman a serious look.

“Do you know when lin manuel miranda wrote his first broadway musical?”

“No i-”

“His sophomore year of college. Who says we can't do the same? Roman you under sell your talents. You're a theatre major, you may not be amazing at any instruments other than your voice but damn bro, your voice is good enough on its own. I've seen you dance, you're one of the best dancers i've ever seen and you're in your fourth year of college. We have potential. I know we can do this if we try, but i can't make it happen alone. I need your help”

Roman looked lost. He wanted, oh so desperately he wanted, to make it happen. It had always been a dream of his to make it to broadway, but he wasn't wrong, they weren't lin manuel miranda, they were some twins from florida, they had no idea what they were doing. And yet. And yet he held out his hand to his brother.

“Ok. ok, we can try this. I can, I can make a score. We can do this”

Remus grinned again and took Roman's hand. He tugged him into the living room. He sat on the couch, pulling out his notebook and flipping to a bookmarked page. Roman sat next to him and looked over at it. There were a few doodles around a plotline that was both gorey and Romantic a la sweeney todd but also quite similar to ella enchanted. Remus grinned at the book and then started explaining.

“Ok so the main character, played by you presumably, is an author”

“Did you just write out your personal fantasy Remus?”

“No, shut up! Ok so he's written several books, like neil gaiman or terry pratchet level several, but those aren't all the stories he's made, he has several stories that have never seen the light of day. He writes his stories in notebooks and journals ordinarily, waiting until they’re fully developed to make them digital. In one of these notebooks there lies a bit of magic. So he writes in this unknowingly, writes of a powerful magician, and as he sleeps it awakes. The magician escapes and brings each of his hundreds of creations to life just the same as him. The characters run amok and the author awakes to see the most beautiful man he's ever met at the foot of his bed. It takes him seeing the magician running through his home to realize that these are his characters. And the man is the protagonist from his most famous novel, one he wrote as a guilty pleasure, writing of a man he had met in his dreams. And he finds that these characters were pulled from different points in their books. The character had been pulled from the early pages, after he had suffered a major trauma and had no clue of the powers he possessed. So now, with his dream man in his living room, in pain from an event he had written, and gifted with emotionally driven powers, he has to fix this mess with the added hurdle of the character creating villains and fiends ready to destroy humanity as a whole with no way to stop. Along the way, some of his characters suffer mortal wounds at the hands of heinous and violent creatures, and all the author has is one magic notebook to fight them off. Romantic plot between the author and dream MC, with angst from the reality of once everything is dealt with, he will have to go back to the book. Thats what ive got so far, what do you think?”

Roman is starry eyed. It's far less violent than Remus’ normal brand of writing, it doesn't inherently include any sea monsters or snake men, and it's something Roman can really appreciate. He loves it, he can already feel the gears turning for songs and dances. Now that he heard the actual story instead of just going on the drawings, he saw far more nutcracker vibes from it.

“Oh, and there's a happy ending or whatever that the author gets to like, marry the other MC, and everyone lives happily ever after. I know you like the cutesy shit”

“Remus this is amazing! I can't believe I hesitated, I already have some ideas for the score! Remus you're a genius. I love you!”

Roman launched into a hug with Remus, which had the other laughing. Remus hugged him back.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

It was Roman's turn to turn into a giggling mess.

Taglist: @fivebyfive-finebyfive @tacohippy56900 @analogical-mess @crookedlyoptimisticdestiny @angels-and-dreams @fandomloverangel

Let me know if you want to be tagged in my writing!!!

Thank you for reading I will see you later ladies lords and nonbinary royalty!!!

#roman sanders #remus sanders #duke remus #college au #familial creativitwins #creativitwins #tw swearing #tw cursing #my writing #my fanfiction

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treatian · 3 years

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The Chronicles of the Dark One: Breaking the Curse

Chapter 6: Girl of Ash

The hardest thing about all of this was locking up the shop and going home each night. Such a simple thing to anyone still living on their loop, but for someone who still had their memories, for him in particular, each night it was a struggle to get into his car and drive back to his home, instead of bolting for the town line. He wanted to go. He'd wanted to drive out there and cross the line every night since he got his memories back. Some nights he even thought he would finally break down and do it. But he fought that temptation. Over and over again, always the same routine, his stomach always in knots by the time he pulled up to his house…it was nearly unbearable.

He was the Dark One. His instinct was to test the Curse, to see if maybe it had weakened enough to make a single exception and let him through the border to go and find Baelfire. Fortunately, his brains always managed to overrule that instinct. His instinct was to test the Curse, but his mind reminded him that there was no need. He knew this Curse. He'd spent so much of his life focusing on it that he probably knew more about it than the woman who had foolishly cast it for him. He knew that while there were small signs of weakness in it now that the Savior had arrived, the weakness he needed was too big to be considered small. Which meant he was still trapped here. He could drive out there, try and cross the town line, but he knew he'd fail. He'd have car trouble, or an accident, or get some important call last minute to summon him back. Silly as something like that seemed, even though he had his memories, he was confident that the Curse would keep him here. Just like it seemed to be keeping Emma Swan here.

She'd been in town now for nearly two weeks. Aside from the original series of events she'd brought with her-his memories, time moving, David's awakening-things had been rather dull for the last few weeks. Emma had moved in with none other than her mother not long ago, and they were still working on settling in. The poor girl had slept in her car long enough after being kicked out of Granny's. He was happy to see that she'd chosen to move in with Mary Margaret. He was sure something would come of that someday, but for now, it just seemed to be two women, who appeared to be the same age, living as roommates. Other than the fact that she had no idea who she was really living with, it seemed to be a good arrangement. But of course, Mary Margaret wasn't the only one who was having difficulty remembering things.

He didn't need Dove to get an update on David Nolan, just a trip to Granny's. The whole damn town knew about him and talked about it constantly. He'd woken up, but he had no memories. Nothing. The town talked on and on about how his wife went to his bedside every day at visiting hours with stacks, heaps of pictures in an effort to jog his memory. So far, nothing. It was amnesia, the doctors claimed. He wasn't so sure. His theory was that it was a part of the Curse Regina hadn't planned for. She'd meant for him to spend his entire life in that coma, frozen in time, and therefore hadn't thought to give him memories. But now that he was awake and walking around, he certainly didn't have memories of before and no life to speak of here. He couldn't think of a worse fate. But fortunately, the doctors and Mary Margaret had befriended him and were providing him support. He cared little for any of it other than Mary Margaret being there for him.

It could be good. It could be excellent. He wasn't willing to say it was part of the Curse breaking, but he certainly believed it could help the Curse break. After all, the last time David and Mary Margaret had been together in Storybrooke, their love had woken each other up. If it had worked then, it could work again. And who knew what two more people, two adults, his own grandparents, supporting Henry, could do for the good of breaking the Curse. It was potentially a life-changing development, but one that was in its infancy. Only time would tell if it went anywhere.

There had been a few more minor incidents between Emma and Regina, as it could be expected, but nothing major or catastrophic. Archie and Mary Margaret were helping Emma to find safe times to meet with Henry, but he was nearly certain that Regina knew anyway. For a town that contained an entire realm, plus a few others from distant realms, it was the epitome of a small town. If he knew that Emma and Henry were spending time together without needing to be told by Dove, he assumed Regina knew. Why she was still allowing it, that was the real question?

But a question to solved later, not until after the Curse broke, and she regretted that decision. It would happen, he assured himself. The day would come, sometime soon, when the Curse wasn't just weakened but broken, and then he'd get back to his Baelfire. How…he wasn't entirely sure, but he'd get to him. In the Enchanted Forest, he'd measured his time left in decades, then years, then months, now there was the possibility that he was down to days. He just had to remember that.

And so he did, as he pocketed his gun at the end of the day, grabbed his car keys, checked for any other messages from Dove, then walked out to the front of the shop. Resigned to go home, he flipped the sign to "closed," turned off the lights, left the shop, and-

Paused.

As he turned to lock the door, he thought he might have heard something. Something around back? A scuffle?

He smirked a little as he turned his attention back to the door and locked it. It wouldn't be the first time a couple of raccoons got into a fight in that back alley. That was probably all he was hearing.

Until he got halfway down the street to his car and heard the sound of glass breaking. Not glass bottles toppling over or hitting a trash can. It was the sound of a window shattering. Irritated enough from the day, he sighed as he turned around, part of him already expecting the sight that met him. Someone had just closed the side door to his shop after entering. The small rectangular window by the handle had been broken. A break-in. Though he had false memories of them happening when he was a younger man, he knew that he'd never once had one of those in all his time here in Storybrooke. Everyone was too afraid of him to attempt such a silly thing.

He was tired and irritated, and so he removed his phone from his pocket, content to call 911 and sit in his car until the police handled it and he pressed so many charges it made the thief's head spin. But fucking 911! All he got was an answering service at the station, a recorded voice that told him to stay on the line for emergencies. A ridiculous notion. One would think if he was calling 911, it was a fucking emergency! Unless, of course, the Evil Queen was having a literal fucking emergency of her own, and the sheriff was too busy to do his damn job.

He'd been irritated before; now, he was downright angry. He left a curt message for the sheriff to get to his shop when he was not otherwise engaged and checked the gun in his pocket before hobbling around to the back door. He checked the windows as he went. There was a shadow moving around inside but no sounds that he could hear. It was one person. A rather large individual to be such a skilled cat burglar. Fortunately for him, he knew every inch of his shop, every place the floors creaked, everywhere the door squeaked.

Gun out, he let himself in quietly through the back door. His eyes swept over the familiar space finding every appropriate shadow. No motion whatsoever. He ventured further into the store, careful with every cane and footfall. At the threshold to the showroom, he glanced around. More familiar shadows, but one small motion that didn't belong. He smirked as he took in the sight before him. It wasn't a large burglar, just a pregnant woman, one who was so absorbed in his safe she didn't appear to even notice he was there. Ashley Boyd, formerly known as Ella, famously known as Cinderella. He pocketed the gun, finding no real threat as he watched her eye his property. His heart hitched when he remembered that he'd stored the dagger in that safe, but then calmed again when he realized that the safe also contained the contract she'd signed to give her baby away for adoption. An adoption that was never finalized, something Mr. Gold had always put off in the Curse. Coincidence…he doubted it. Just as he doubted that the girl breaking into his store now wasn't a coincidence. Someone was off their loop, and given the possibilities, this was the best situation of them all.

"A precious debt from a woman of ash will find the boy of fire…"

He'd spent so much time in the Enchanted Forest focusing on the Seer's prophecy he could practically hear it now. His heart skipped a beat at the thought of it. Wasn't this an interesting and yet highly anticipated turn of events?

"Ashley. What are you doing?" he questioned, startling the girl so that she jumped to face him.

He expected her to cower. She hadn't been much of anything back home, a little slip of a thing so in need of her Prince to save her. It would have been in her character for the girl to beg, maybe even plead and explain her presence. But he'd forgotten that no one here was who they'd been before. And instead, she only grit her teeth together the closer he got.

"Changing my life!" she shouted.

He watched her arm move up as if to slap him, but the blow never came. Instead, his eyes exploded in pain as she sprayed something into them that burned. He stumbled backward into his shelves, screaming as he tried to get it out. But he'd dropped his cane, and pain roared to life in his shattered ankle. He heard items tumble around him as he tried to catch his weight, but his leg gave out instead. Over the pain in his eyes, there was the sensation of tumbling forward and then-

#Rumbelle #Rumple #Rumpelstiltskin #Dark One #Mr. Gold #Regina Mills #Evil Queen #Emma Swan #Snowing #mary margaret blanchard #David Nolan #Snow White #Prince Charming #Cinderella #ouat #ouat fanfiction #fanfic

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lesdemonium · 4 years

Text

I’d Be the Choiceless Hope Chapter 6

Ship: Geraskier Word count: 17629 (total) Chapter: 6/16 Summary:

“Such a nice, beautiful sound,” the fae crooned. “If only he were this way always.”

Julian’s mother stood up. She claimed she was prepared to stop the fae, to protect her baby, but in Julian’s darkest moments he doubted this part of the story. His mother loved him, of that he had no doubt, but she had been young and weary, and even years later, she couldn’t quite get the twinge of exhaustion out of her eyes when she recalled Julian’s infancy. Even if she had been keen on protecting him, the fae was too close, too fast, too set on his plan.

“A gift, for the new mother,” the fae continued. He leaned a hand in to stroke Julian’s cheek. “I give you the gift of obedience.”

As a baby, Jaskier was visited by a fae, who gifted Jaskier’s mother with Jaskier’s obedience. As Jaskier grew older, the “gift” became more of a curse.

Additional tags: AngstAngst with a Happy EndingHeavy AngstUnrequited LoveNot Actually Unrequited LoveAlternate Universe - Canon DivergenceCanon EraNot Canon CompliantCursed Jaskier | DandelionAlternate Universe - Ella Enchanted FusionCurse of ObedienceRape/Non-con ElementsImplied/Referenced Rape/Non-conJaskier | Dandelion Whump

read on ao3 - read chapter 1 on ao3

read chapter 1 on tumblr

The first time he woke up, Jaskier was in a tent. Geralt was holding him up and peering into his eyes, and Jaskier recognized surprise in Geralt’s eyes, but only distantly. Geralt turned to the other person in the tent. Jaskier turned, too, to see an elf, also touching Jaskier, but his touch was light, exploring. His fingers felt cool against Jaskier’s burning skin, and Jaskier just barely heard the words they spoke.

“--much I can do, there’s something interfering, a curse of some sort--”

“--didn’t have magic, they were just bandits , could barely find their way out of--”

“--residence in the mayor’s house--”

It went dark again, and Jaskier just barely registered being lifted back into someone’s arms--Geralt’s, he was sure it was Geralt--and taken somewhere.

The next time he woke up, he was in a lush bed. His eyelids were too heavy to open and he felt hot and sweaty all over. He wanted to kick away the blankets beneath him, he was too hot , but his legs wouldn’t cooperate and a moment later a shiver wracked through his entire body.

“Do you doubt my capabilities?”

“No, just your intentions.”

Jaskier let sleep take him again. Anything to stop feeling so damn hot .

The third time he awoke, Jaskier felt hazy, as if he was still in a dream, but no longer hot. His body didn’t hurt, not anywhere, though he was certain he should be feeling something on his side. He groped the skin there, trying to find the knife he had last felt jutting out of his skin, but there was nothing. Not even a slight pucker of skin or a tenderness that would imply he was healing. That was curious.

He opened his eyes to an unfamiliar room. The bed beneath him was still just as lush as he remembered, and now he saw it had the most gorgeous canopy. He pushed himself up to his forearms--which was surprisingly easy, so easy Jaskier almost wondered if he had simply dreamed his injury--and looked around the room. It was grand and ornate and fit for someone very, very important. To his right was a woman.

“Ah, hello,” Jaskier greeted, his voice raspy from misuse and quiet from confusion. “Have we--I mean, I don't want to presume anything, but did we--”

“I healed you from your wounds,” the woman said, rising and gliding across the room toward her. She was beautiful, with piercing violet eyes. Still, something about her told Jaskier Do not touch . “It was trickier than it should have been.”

She was upon him, suddenly, hovering over him in a way that made Jaskier want to crawl away. He didn’t, he was a bit manlier than that, and while he felt fine, he had an idea he wouldn’t win in a fight against this particular woman. Her eyes were narrowed as she considered him.

“Ah, yes, well. I’ve always been a bit of a tricky creature.” Jaskier did not like the way she was looking at him, like she was trying to peer into his soul or something. He avoided her gaze and scooted his way to the edge of the bed, on the far side of where she was at. He stood up, and edged his way toward the door. “I predict you want to talk payment, though I admit I don’t have much in the way of that. Don’t suppose you healed me out of the goodness of your heart? And I can be on my way?”

“Your witcher already paid.” That made Jaskier stop short for a moment, which was a foolish decision, because he heard the woman come up behind him. She turned Jaskier roughly and pressed him against the wall, and now he couldn’t escape from her eyes. She was peering into his soul, Jaskier was sure of it. Sorceress, then.

“Ah, well, then I thank you for your time my good lady. Why don’t I just take my witcher and we can get out of here?”

She wasn’t listening to him. Her eyebrows crept up her face at whatever she saw when she peered into Jaskier’s fucking soul and Jaskier, despite being fully clothed--and very much reminded of that fact from his bloodied and crusted clothes--felt completely naked under her gaze.

“You’ve been gifted by a fae.”

Jaskier scowled and shoved the woman off. He was a little surprised when she did stumble back a bit. Maybe he had caught her off guard.

“I don’t much care for the word gifted ,” Jaskier snapped, brushing off his clothes. “Now, if you don’t mind--”

“Geralt doesn’t know, does he?”

“No, he doesn’t, and I’d rather we keep things that way and--”

“Jaskier, you must--”

“I don’t much appreciate being on a first name basis at a disadvantage ,” Jaskier cut her off, and felt almost a little embarrassed at how much his voice shook. This was a lot, and it was slowly dawning on him that he had nearly died, all because of this curse. Only to then have someone else call it a gift . It was a rude awakening, to be sure.

“Yennefer.” She held up her hands as if in surrender, but Jaskier only narrowed his eyes at her. “I want to know about your gift.”

“I told you it’s not a gift--”

“Curse, then.” She stepped closer, and normally Jaskier would love to be in a position like this, with a gorgeous sorceress, interested in hearing about him. More than anything, though, he wanted to be anywhere but here. He wanted to know where Geralt was.

“Why?” He crossed his arms and tried to make himself as tall as possible. Surprisingly, staring down at Yennefer wasn’t making him feel any more in control here. There was something disarming about her violet eyes.

“I’m curious. I’ve never seen a curse like this. I want to know how it works.”

“I’m not an experiment or a curiosity to gawk at. Find your entertainment elsewhere.”

“I could command you to,” she said, her head tilting to the side. She reminded him so much of Geralt in that moment, and Jaskier didn’t care much for the comparison. He didn’t think he cared for this witch at all.

“You could.” Jaskier’s jaw clenched. It was futile, of course. Once she said the words, he’d have no choice but to obey. It made him feel, if only for a moment, as if he had control.

Instead, though, she just looked at him. Her gaze never softened, but it was almost as if Jaskier saw an understanding cross her eyes. She stepped away from him, giving him just a bit of space, and Jaskier took a deep breath as if she had somehow been taking his air.

“I won’t command you. But if you tell me, I won’t tell your witcher.”

Jaskier glared at her. It wasn’t a command, but he had little choice but to agree. There was a distinction, there. Even if it was at great cost to him, Yennefer had given him some sort of choice. It was better than nothing. He still didn’t like her for it, but he had a feeling Yennefer didn’t much care for being liked.

“I was cursed by a fae as a baby. I cried too much, he made me obedient. Happy?”

Her face remained neutral, but her lips turned downward just the slightest tick. She pitied him. Somehow, that was worse than her finding him something interesting to sate her curiosity. He didn’t want her pity.

“Now, it seems far past time for me to leave. If you could point me in the direction of Geralt, I would love to--”

“He isn’t here,” Yennefer interrupted, striding away. She seemed to have a habit of interrupting. It was rude. “He’s running an errand for me.”

“What sort of errand? Delivering the souls you stole to a devil?”

“I never would have guessed you talk so much, with the company you keep. Did you steal all your witcher’s words?” Yennefer asked, though she seemed disinterested in the answer. “Geralt will return soon. You may wait here, and I will go about other work. And Jaskier?” She paused in the doorway, looking at him seriously. “I’m endeavoring not to command you, but take my invitation to stay in this room as one. Or the command I give you instead will be far more restrictive.”

Jaskier huffed as she left the room, and sat himself heavily upon the bed. He believed the sorceress, and really had no intention of getting himself commanded into anything today, so he obeyed. He passed the time by exploring the room--nothing interesting in it, as he expected, aside from a few fine pieces of jewelry he pocketed and a doublet that fit him so perfectly it would just be a shame to leave it behind. He had a feeling these trinkets did not belong to Yennefer, either, and so he did not feel guilty in taking them. Not that he would have felt guilty for stealing from the sorceress otherwise, but he would be a tad concerned that she would mind-read him again.

It took hours for Geralt to return, but there was no question that he had. Despite Yennefer’s thinly veiled threat that implored him to stay in the room, Jaskier stole into the hallway and followed the direction of Geralt’s booming voice. He found them in a large room, with tables and chairs everywhere, maybe a banquet hall?

“I almost didn’t get out Yennefer !” Geralt yelled.

He looked livid, all tense lines and furrowed brows. Yennefer looked unaffected, bored, even. Her arms were crossed and she was examining her nails, likely because she knew it was only making Geralt more upset. She seemed like a needler.

“But you did. And here you are. So, all’s well that ends well,” Yennefer replied, her tone even and her volume low.

“Barely! I was jailed . I almost had a trial and a damn noose around my neck. It was sheer luck that I managed to get out!”

“You did say that you would pay whatever it cost. I asked for a favor.”

“You spelled me --” Geralt accused, jabbing a finger at Yennefer.

“You did my favor as payment, your bard is healed, you’re out of jail. I’m not sure what it is you’re complaining about.”

Geralt stopped and took a step back. “Is Jaskier awake?”

Yennefer lifted a bored finger to point at Jaskier, and Geralt’s eyes followed. Jaskier’s heart suddenly felt too big for his chest as Geralt’s look softened and he made a beeline for Jaskier. He had scarcely made it to Jaskier before he was tugging at Jaskier’s shirt, lifting it to examine Jaskier’s hip as Jaskier squawked indignantly and batted his hands away.

“Excuse me! You can’t just go about undressing a man in public, especially not without warning him!” Jaskier complained. Geralt didn’t seem to hear him, or was simply pointedly not listening. His hand flattened over where Jaskier’s wound had been and he let out a breath of relief.

“You’re okay,” Geralt said, and Jaskier could almost call the look he gave Jaskier a smile.

“I am.” Jaskier smiled back at him, though he did finally succeed in pushing Geralt’s hand away from him.

“As touching as this is,” Yennefer interrupted. Rude. Geralt turned to face her again. Even ruder. “I’m not one for heartfelt reunions. You’re welcome to stay. Have dinner with me, stay the night. As an apology for facilitating your near execution.”

Jaskier opened his mouth to decline, to spin some tale about how they really had far more pressing things to attend to, and who knew how much time they had already wasted on this whole mess. Geralt, however, headed him off.

“We’ll stay.”

Jaskier huffed his frustration, but Geralt was using that tone . The one that said he had made a decision and nothing would change it. Jaskier hated that tone.

So they stayed. Apparently, Jaskier had missed quite a bit of time. There wasn’t anything easy about the way Yennefer and Geralt conversed with each other, but there was something there. Something powerful. A passion Jaskier had hardly seen from his witcher. The two of them argued like they had been born to argue, and Jaskier lost count of the amount of times Geralt gave Yennefer one of his amused half-smiles. Every time, Jaskier felt something inside him shrivel just a bit more. He found, through the course of the evening, that he had lost his words. They were caught in the empty space between those heavy looks Geralt and Yennefer gave each other.

The end of the meal could not come fast enough. Jaskier jumped out of his chair so quickly that had it been any lighter, it probably would have toppled over. Yennefer left first, though, with a weighty look Geralt’s way.

“How do you feel?” Geralt finally asked once the sorceress left.

Jaskier snorted. “Just superb, Geralt. I’ll give the witch one thing; she knows how to heal a stab wound. Now, shall we--”

“You should rest,” Geralt said with a nod. “Do you know how to get back to your room?”

Jaskier hesitated a moment, shifting on his feet with uncertainty. Geralt thought he was agreeing with Jaskier, but Jaskier hadn’t expected to be dismissed. Alone. He wondered, absently, where Geralt would find himself. Whose bed he’d find himself in.

“Yes, I do,” Jaskier finally answered.

Geralt nodded and, his duty performed, left the room. Jaskier stayed a while longer, though. He stared at the floor, trying to figure out what the fuck just happened. What had he missed while he was unconscious? Could he expect to have a travel companion tomorrow, or had Jaskier just lost him to the witch?

Jaskier finally left the room with the uncomfortable knowledge that, even if Geralt did leave with him in the morning, he had just lost him.

Finding his room was harder than Jaskier thought. He had made a wrong turn… somewhere. Really, all the hallways in these grand homes looked exactly the same. He came upon a door that he was certain had been his, but the din behind it gave him pause.

If Jaskier was smart, he would have walked away. If Jaskier had any self preservation skills, he would have recognized what was happening without needing to look upon it and confirm for himself. He knew what sex sounded like. He knew what Geralt having sex sounded like. He could assume, based upon the fact that he had seen nobody else in this grand house aside from the odd man that had served them dinner, that he now knew what Geralt having sex with the sorceress sounded like.

He still pushed open the door. It moved quickly, so quickly the hinges didn’t have a chance to catch and creak. It was about simple victories.

Jaskier didn’t need the confirmation. And yet, he had it. There was the muscled back of Geralt of Rivia, hiding the likely equally naked form of the sorceress. Jaskier shut the door just as quickly as he had opened it. He had seen quite enough. There was no need for him to witness what Geralt looked like mid-passion with someone else.

Jaskier found his room. It was nowhere near the room Geralt and Yennefer had been in. With shaking hands, he packed up his belongings and tried to get the image out of his mind. He had no one to blame but himself. Closed doors were usually bids for privacy. He had heard the sounds. Still, he could not move on from this fidgety energy.

He fell into a fitful sleep. One full of entirely too many dreams involving amber and violet eyes.

read chapter 7

#geraskier #geralt x jaskier #jaskier x geralt #gerlion #geraskier fanfiction #geraskier fanfic #my writing #i don't think these are going in the tags but #whatever #hellsite

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tarredion · 4 years

Text

ellie enchanted

written for @my-insane-smile :) involving @phandomgives etc

words: 986

tags: fluff and angst, happy ending, parent!phan, new child, adoption, established relationship, self-doubt, implied homophobia

summary: Dan and Phil go to pick up their adopted child

ao3 link or read below the cut

name is a pun on ella enchanted? thanks to @alittledizzy, @huphilpuffs, and @insectbah among others for that lol (hope you don’t mind being tagged!)

Phil could feel his hands tremble. Dan’s fingers that were intertwined with his own shook as well, and sweat poured from every pore on his body, making his bright blue shirt cling to his skin.

He didn’t understand why he was looking into it as much as he was.

They were fine, Dan was fine, he was fine, and their adopted child wasn’t going to absolutely despise him as soon as she saw him. And yet his anxiety decided this was the optimal time to break down and worry, while they were huddled up in Martyn’s car only a few blocks away from the adoption centre.

The streetlamps whizzed past outside. In the dull, dim London morning they were a sea of will-o’-the-wisps dancing through the darkness and the mist, nesting atop the strangest places and making themselves seem rather at home. And yet they’d be extinguished once the red sunrise clad the city, the reminiscence of which was already tainting the pale roof above with pink hues; suffocating the stars.

He knew he always spent too much time in his own head, and still he crawled back into the whirling thoughts as Dan’s snoring head fell from his shoulder onto his chest. Their breaths rose on beat.

What if she didn’t like the name he had been partially responsible of choosing? What if she ran the other way or refused to speak to them? What if she never got out of that ‘awkward’ stage the adoption centre’s employees had told them was common with children? What if she rejected him, or having two dads at all?

Okay, Phil knew that last one was probably stupid, considering the child had not only spent its whole life being taught rather neutral values, but also because their soon to be daughter was barely three years old.

Still the sweat ran on, his forehead clamming and his hands gliding apart from Dan’s at the lack of friction. Why did he have to be over his head on such a happy day?

That spark of happiness was still glowing strong within his shaky ribcage, and all Phil could hope was that it’d burst into a beautiful flame, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, once they reached their destination.

Hope. He’d have to keep a tight grip on it, if not for Ellie and Ellie alone.

⁂

The giggles that escaped Ellie’s mouth shattered the glass box of fears Phil’d been keeping rather decently intact in his mind. Her arms fumbled and flailed about, and the warmth her little body brought to him as he cradled her against his chest was astonishing.

“Papa!” she kept on laughing, tongue poking out her mouth. Her words got louder and louder with each syllable. “Papa, dada, papa! My papa. My dada.”

Unsure of when his cheeks had begun to get stained by tears, he laughed too, and ignored them instead of wiping them away.

Through his half-blindness he could see the wide, pearlescent grin on his husband’s face, the dimple ever visible. Based on the nerve-wracking sobs that broke the silent gaps between Ellie’s giggles he could be sure he wasn’t the only one crying. Light reflected in his deep brown irises, shining outwards with a beautiful, kind, warm honey glow.

If Phil had ever though Dan could become any prettier in his eyes, he would have never guessed that would have been now.

“Ellie..” he found himself mumbling into her frizzy hair. “Ellie, would you like to say hi to dada too?”

Her big, wide eyes found his, a glimmer circling within as she fell quiet for a few seconds.

“My dada!”

“Yes, yes. Your dada.” he found himself responding, smile growing painfully big. “Here, Dan. Take her.”

As soon as they had traded spots, and Dan had begun to rock Ellie back and forth as he swayed, cooing at her, Phil felt the tears building back up again.

This time, however, there was a spike of jealousy and uncomfortableness prodding into his back. Gosh, he felt dumb, but the lump in his throat wouldn’t yet go away, and he was getting irritated at it. Why would he even worry about anything if she had clearly taken well to the both of them already?

He just had to know though, so he stepped closer to his husband and child, one hand barely grazing his shoulder.

And yet Dan beat him to the question, sensing the worry by the mere aura he projected; in the way he held himself; the slight offness present in his presence. “Ellie?”

“Mmh?”

“Do you love dada?”

“I love dada!”

Dan gasped as she threw her arms violently around his neck, and then chuckled as she repeated the words once more into the crook above his collarbone. Phil felt like he could cry again, though now he was unsure of the reason.

“Then, Ellie, do you love papa?”

Unexpectedly, the little girl then turned away from the source of the voice she was cradling, her all-knowing gaze locking with the stoic poise he was trying to uphold.

“I. Love. Papa!” Ellie shrieked, practically knocking Dan backwards as she attempted to fling herself out of his grasp. They barely caught her between them, and had to huddle together to keep her upright, because she wouldn’t let go of her papa but he hadn’t been coordinated enough to catch her completely.

“I love papa.” she repeated, while climbing over as best as she could into his arms. “I love my papa.”

Oh.

Phil could feel the warm squeeze of Dan’s hand on his arm, the way it tickled his skin and spread like a ripple through his body. He saw his beautiful smiling face through tears and over Ellie’s head, and all the fears had dissipated. Somewhere behind them Martyn’s laughter rang out, sounding distant.

He needn’t hold tight on hope.

Hope, like Dan and Ellie held on to him, would.

#my fic #phanfic #phanfiction #parent!phan #fanfic #fanfiction #phandom #phan #dnp

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velvetinewitch · 4 years

Text

fluffcember: sunrise, ellalion

@cheesecake-angel, here’s your ellalion fluff! i loved writing them, thank you for forcing me to. also thanks to @paper-shield-and-wooden-sword, @raiswanson, and @siarven for hosting fluffcember!! find a list of characters to send a ship (platonic/romantic) in for fluffcember here!

Ella wakes her early that morning, or late that night. She shakes Ara's shoulders until the writer shifts, her dream-state fleeing her. She mutters groggily under her breath, her eyes flickering half-open to the pale blue hues of their room.

"I wanna show you something," Ella whispers, strands of hair spilling into Ara's space, voice soft as to not disturb the silence of the atmosphere. "You're going to have to close your eyes, just not yet."

Ara searches blearily for the blaring red alarm clock and scowls at the low numbers. She curses Ella, but the girl just lets out a breathy chuckle. She reaches for Ara's hand, tugging her from the sheets despite her complaints.

"Do I have to get dressed?" Ara asks. She puts her palm to her mouth to muffle the yawn.

Ella examines her outfit, the fluffy, leopard-print pajama pants and the warm Christmas shirt (despite it being July). Despite the heat of the night, Ara bundles up to keep from freezing. Ella, who had fallen asleep against their fridge, had always found it ironic. Her magic was fire, but it did nothing to keep Ara warm. "You're fine," she decides. Her brow wrinkles. "Did you really sleep in your shoes?"

Ara stifles a giggle at her distaste and lets her lead her out of their dorm. The lights in the hallways are dim, glowing just enough for them to see the floor and walls. Ella speedruns down the stairs, her feet loud and heavy on the carpet. Ara lags behind, slow with a resting terror that her tired mind will abandon her body and let her trip. Before they step outside, Ella reaches for Ara's hand, lifting it to cover her eyes. Ara laughs at the action, but holds her fingers there, squashed against her nose, no rays seeping in through the cracks. Ella takes her other hand and uses it to guide her, pulling her forward through the doors and into the outside world. It isn't freezing, or even chilly, just a soothing gesture of the summer temperature. The dew on the grass soaks into her shoes and the bottoms of the pajamas as they walk. When Ara whines to Ella, Ella offers to carry her. It's almost tempting, if not for the last time they'd attempted that. They mutually agree that Ella, while she may be a junior Olympic athlete, doesn't need to practice any weightlifting. For their safety.

The path Ella leads Ara down is familiar, even without her vision. The small breach in the magical Boundary sits beside a large Willow tree that had grown into the carved out mountainside. Among the roots, a hole breaks through, steep and dirty. Ella helps Ara down it, their feet sliding a little as they break out of the campus territory. Generations of students before them have dug through the mountain, casting spells to hold the ground in place, setting infinitely burning candles in coves along the walls. Now, a semblance of the brightness break through Ara's skin, brilliant red. The echo of their footsteps bounces along the walls.

As they walk, they talk. It isn't a small, thinly knit conversation of formalities. They'd agreed, when their friendship first began, that conversations like those would be worthless to them. Instead, Ara asks what her childhood home looked like- tall columns, white pristine walls, rugs made of silks beneath Ella's bare feet while her butler chased her. Ella listens to Ara reminisce of the stories her mother would tell her before bed, poetry and fairy tales about love of all kind. Even their kind of love, something strong, not quite romantic, but nothing like a simple friendship. Ella grins when Ara says this, threatens a kiss. Ara threatens a punch, but it's playful, and the laugh she earns is something that calms her.

Their destination is only just beyond the exit of the tunnel. Ara can't see it, but she can feel the dirt path beneath the soles of her feet, and the green trees are imprinted in her memory. The music of the wind plays in their leaves.

"Did you know the band kids enchanted the trees?" Ella asks.

"Really?"

"Rain told me,” Ella continues, sounding proud of herself for her insider knowledge. “If you listen hard enough, you can hear whatever song makes you happiest."

Ara strains her ears to hear it, and laughs when the sound of her mother's favorite radio song reaches her. Her smile must be telling because Ella squeezes her hand. The music is slowly joined by the hum of running water, and Ara knows they've reached the end of their journey. Ella pulls her forward towards the oasis, the spot in the center of the dense wood, where a stream leaking off the main waterfall travels to the edge of a higher set of cliffs and falls, forming their small shoal at its base. Sometimes, during the school year, kids will sneak down here at night, using their magic to change the landscapes. Once, Asrian stole the stars in the night sky and tucked them under its surface, the water rippling with opal constellations. Pallet and Kaden had tie-dyed it with their own magic once, transforming it into a sea of color. Sometimes, the hydrologic sciences kids visit, putting on a show with their ability to manipulate its shape. No student of Nyxivis has lived until they’ve experienced a floating ecosystem of glass.

Ella tugs her to the left, where Ara knows the ground curls inwards, a small indent behind the springs, where the water is a bit like a curtain. Magic, as always, prevents the water from splaying on you, and the sound of the water isn’t loud enough to be overpowering. Best of all, the view is gorgeous. Through that clear curtain is the serene water like a giant puddle, and past that is the cliff, and past that, the valley, a city of lights stretching before them. But Ara's eyes are still closed, her hand shielding her from that beauty, even as they duck into the cove and find a seat facing the distance.

"It'll be a few minutes," Ella says. She scooches closer to Ara, drawn to the warmth and the pressure of their touch. Ara waits impatiently for the time to come, cracking sarcastic jokes that make Ella reply just as dryly. Then, finally, Ella nudges her waist with her elbow, and gives Ara the okay.

It's the sunrise that meets her eyes when she pulls her hand away and blinks off the darkness. The suns beams, as it ascends, scatter in the falling water like prisms of fire. On the surface of the puddle below them dance the rays, flames of daybreak against the cooling pond. Ara feels her breath catch, her mind whirring to narrate the scene before her. “You could propose to me right here, and I’d say yes,” she says finally.

“Good,” Ella says, rummaging through her pocket. Ara startles, but Ella pulls out the ring without a box at all, holding it out to her casually. The cherry golden color glints in the light. “It’s a… non-romantic engagement ring. In a ‘no homo’ fashion.”

Ara laughs as she takes it, and if she’s crying, no one could blame her. “Fuck you, Ella,” she says with a sniffle. “I didn’t get you a ring.”

“I’m not sure that’s how this works, babe,” Ella grins, leaning into her further, playfully pushing her to the side with her shoulder. “Actually, I’m not really sure about this at all, it’s not exactly traditional.” Ara pushes back stronger, and it becomes a war, until they’re giggling and shoving and Ara tackles Ella into a wrestling match. With a shriek and a splash, they pull themselves through the curtain and into the shoal, letting that golden fire bathe them as they fight under the sunrise.

(saying this again lol) find a list of characters to send a ship (platonic/romantic) in for fluffcember here!

#fluffcember #ship: ellalion #qqp #literally love them #my writing #writeblr #faf #faye and fate #oc: aralion #oc: ella

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operativesurprise · 4 years

Text

Dreams I’ve had recently enough to find with a quick scroll on my fb wall

was dreaming about a cave last night. With lots of shallow pools of water along the floor. I feel like if I'd seen the layout from above it would have looked like paisleys. There was a creature there tending the pools. Sweeping detritus away, skimming the surfaces of the water. It took moss that was growing too thick in some places and put it into bare areas, and it was very gentle with the little frogs and salamanders living on the walls.

There was the sound of bats and the dripping and echo of water, and a low hum in the background, but the creature itself made no sound. You heard the bristles of it's broom, and the soft shift of stones it touched, but no footsteps, no breathing, no nothing but a soft chiming noise as it looked in each pool.

The waters all glowed, some white, some pale blue, others pulsed through light pink to deep magenta. The whole dream had this aura of calmness, of being content. It was like being in a giant zen garden but dial the peace up even more. I'm not really sure where -I- was in the dream. My POV was kinda hovering over the figure as it tended to the pools, but I'm fairly certain I wasn't the figure itself. I was like, 6 inches up and to the left.

_____

I've been trying to sketch an image I had in a dream last night and it's just not setting up right. It was like. Honestly it was like the first few seconds of the Adventure Time intro animation - that super fast 'drone camera' POV that swoops down through trees and stuff and focuses in on a character with their back to the camera and then they turn and look?

I was swooping through this orchard of blooming apple trees - and I took note bc for some reason I was surprised they weren't pear and peach trees like 'they were supposed to be'.

But as the camera/I got closer to this feminine figure standing under the branches and the flowers and these really almost black-green leaves in this rich green velvet textured dress (it's totally the dress that's on the original golden book cover of Ella Enchanted), with big free fall bouncy waves of BLOND hair, they turn and instead of it being that kinda anime "turn and wink/smile" and the camera goes to the next, she turned around and it was a dead eyed marionette.

My camera POV just slammed to a halt with the freeze frame of this... entity (which I 'knew' in my dream was The Druid) (Even though this wasn't really an MJ dream) looking up and over their shoulder at me, like they'd become aware of the camera and were looking straight at ME. The branches with the flowers and the leaves above it framed it really close and I couldn't see much other than the scribbly ovals of it's eyes. Then the colors all got desaturated except for the apple blossoms.

And then that dream was over.

___

Vivid dreams last night about being on house hunters. With Lithrick as the realtor.

Also had a very ominous dream about standing in a misty open field, feeling the sawgrass scrape my bare arms and shins, staring up into the grey sky while sharp winged birds with broken bodies 'flew' through the air. It looked like how a washcloth you are swirling in a tub of water looked. There was no sound for that one but I could feel the rain on my face as I looked up.

Then I was dreaming about being on the beach in Belize with the chitons and baby hermit crabs and the breeze and I was watching the sunrise.

___

I've been having zombie nightmares since Sunday. Sunday and Monday were taking place in the shopping mall (which is a relatively new venue for my dreams), Sunday being the Beginning of the outbreak (and star trek themed) and Monday mostly about life starting up in the 'colony' of this gigantic shopping mall.

But last night I dreamed about the collapse of the colony and then survival in the forest.

There was a man in a wheelchair who had arrived at the shopping mall with his mother - both of whom were injured but not infected. We let them in and the mother succumbed to her injuries shortly after.

This left the man in the wheelchair distraught and he would wheel around the open plaza in the center of the mall mumbling. It was not concerning - until other weird things began to happen.

Like how one of the dorm areas had mysteriously become locked, how some people were going missing (presumably they left to try and find their families), and how some older people were getting injuries in the night - explained away by "well, old people have delicate skin and maybe they bumped themselves".

But then the man in the wheelchair wheeled up to the mezzanine and shouted for attention. And then he collapsed, and clouds of mosquitos erupted from his wounds and began to attack people.

Flash forward to a weird mix of irl and larp characters living in the woods behind my house in an abandoned homestead - I had gone from dying by mosquito to being Sano and a group of us avoiding Velociraptors in the long grass as we made our way back to the relative safety of this bombed out building husk.

But then The Rattler Gang came - horribly tattooed and violent and they ransacked through the homestead and were almost into our barricaded room when not-quite-Malaki and sorta-Allison with an ancestor spirit wig on saved us.

The dream ended with us all in a cave explaining to a horrified Morgrym that "see what happens when you're late?"

It was so weird bc as the dreams progressed and became more MJ and less Real World but with Zombies the zombies became less of an issue (I mean, repel undead is a thing)

___

Last night I dreamed about Ridge Road being a swamp instead of a road. The fields on either side were the same, but the road itself was a Louisiana/Florida/Bayou/Swamp thing with hot, moist air, dragon flies, grasses, alligators, everything you could want (though the water was clear as day).

And I was walking along the broken up boards that served as this sorta river trail following the path of the road. Slats were missing in places and it was a distinctive walnut color, and it was rickety and I could smell the heat of it like being on a dock in the summer time.

And as I was walking along I knew I was heading toward Harris Hill farm but instead of the farm it was the Pirate Tavern bar that I dream about fairly often.

(as I'm thinking about it, it kinda has the air of a setting in a Curse of Monkey Island game crossed against Diablo II)

But before I can get into the tavern there was a crowd of tourists wading through the water nearby. Like, the most stereotypical hawaiian shirt white-sunscreen-on-nose and flyfishing capped tourists you could imagine. And they were lost looking for their fan boat but I didn't know where it was - but I also didn't want them to find the Pirate Tavern bc it's a secret and my co-owner Matt Sch would be mad if we had to relocate AGAIN bc non-pirates had found us.

And in my dream I am DISTINCTLY aware that LAST TIME there were also VAMPIRES there, but Skye Collins had bought out their half of that Pirate-Vampire Tavern to own it outright as JUST a Vampire Tavern so this time I went into business with Matt. Not Lithrick, Matt.

And I was -upset- in my dream until I 'remembered' that I hadn't skipped out on Skye and the Vampirate Tavern, I'd just opened another location with a different partner after reaching an amicable business deal. We still traded aligator blood grog for peat moss from the other location to serve a certain cocktail with at THIS one.

___

Had a dream last night that I was diving on a whale fall. But either I was minuscule or the whale was super gigantic bc the rib bones were these looming spires like I was watching a stroll under redwood trees through a low fisheye lense.

Thinking about it I can totally piece out the different dives that meshed to make this dream up.

The stalactites from the Blue Hole, The gelatinous muck on the bottom in the St. Lawrence The cold from the Brownstone Quarry

___

If we want to talk about a fever dream... last night I had a dream about being trapped on a volcanic island while the whole chain of volcanoes were erupting.

The evacuation was happening but I went back to the house for the animals and got stuck there. And other neighbors who couldn't get out in time were coming over with their pets and supplies.

I was watching the lightning and the ash fall outside when I saw three red colored golden retrievers but I could only get two of them to come inside and I spent the rest of the dream upset and trying to find the third one. I found other animals trying to hide from the ash and storm, but I woke up before finding that 3rd golden.

The lava flows were coming down the mountain too.

___

Dream time. So. A classical vampire and an actual bat demon are out on the town looking for something to do when they come across a nail parlor.

What a great idea, they think! We'll get manipedis and then do brunch over at IKEA.

But when they go into the nail parlor there is far too much religious imagery to be comfortable and the demon doesn't want to stay anymore so they go back outside all sad.

Vampire suggests they just kill and eat the occupants of the nail parlor and find something else to do with their day off.

Demon agrees to the plan but they have this 'thing' where when the two of them murder a bunch of people they leave a haiku written in the blood on the wall.

They begin to argue because they both have different accents and can't decide on the syllable count for a certain word.

___

So there's a string of tall, skinny houses in Litchfield after 'The Church' that usually feature in any nightmares I tend to have. Last night did not disappoint.

The lineup was this:

🏚🏠🏡🏠 An empty house, My house, the neighbor's house, and then for some reason my grandmother's house.

And we had gone next door to the neighbor's house for dinner, even though we knew it was dangerous to be outside of our house after dark. But as we gathered in their entryway the spotlights on the rest of the neighborhood started turning on and we knew we had stayed too late.

"They" were out there. You were safe in the daylight, you were safe at night as long as you didn't open your doors. BUT now it was night. And we had to get home.

So we slip out the door and we can hear the neighborhood using birdcalls to communicate the 'all clear'. As we are going down this overgrown embankment toward our house we see it.

One of them.

And then we hear someone sound the alarm, a series of owl hoots. It distracts the thing for a moment and we think we could slip away but it turns and starts trying to get into our house so we run to the empty one next door and JUST barely make it.

Dream me's mother and little sister make it into the screened in porch just ahead of me and I fall in and turn and only just get the door closed in time when It attacks.

It was a zombie. Or a ghoul. Or something. a woman with a bloody face and terrible teeth and honestly it looked like Reagan from the Exorcist and she launched herself against the screen door which I'm trying to keep closed.

I know she can't get in the door but then she makes this horrible noise and says,

"You won't be safe for long. We're getting stronger,"

And the door is almost coming off its hinges but I -know- as long as I keep the door closed at night we are safe and then she laughs and presses her face to the screen and says,

"I'll just get in tomorrow morning. Before you're awake. Because, really, what difference does the sun or stars make? I'll get in tomorrow,"

And then I woke up.

____

My dream last night was so complicated I can barely keep it straight.

I was some grizzled, older ex-con dude pulled out of my soft retirement as a school bus driver because a child genius was being used as the catalyst for the robot war apocalypse by his wealthy mother's greedy board of directors.

And somehow I had a time machine that I was gonna use to bring the kid back to the beginning of all the issues and he was gonna start sabotaging the dangerous inventions so he could just be a regular child genius instead of responsible for global-scale mass murder.

At one point I had thrown the kid's manifesto at him but he hadn't actually read it bc it was too big and there were no pictures but also bad language and he asked me what "twat" meant and the kid was horrified that they would use that kind of language. Like he was ambivalent about the murders but bad language was crossing a line.

And as part of my "wait. He's just a kid I can help him instead of kill him" epiphany for some reason I looked out the time machine window and saw my old motorcycle which was painted in blue tiedye pattern and that memory moved me enough to offer to help the kid.

So the kid grabbed his froggy backpack and offered to give me all of his science fair winnings (which was like. Hundreds of thousands of dollars and two telephoto camera lenses for some reason. And a green and purple feather boa) but I just took enough to buy a new motorcycle and told him to hide it from his past mother so they're not suspicious.

___

Okay subconscious, doing laundry with the elves of mirkwood is NOT becoming a reoccurring dream. Three times is enough. Stop now. ____

I was an undercover secret agent posing as the nanny to a royal family's children. The children had a pool party for the oldest's birthday, and I was in charge of the yacht rides in the aquarium tank. Halfway through the dream, Pirates attacked with large assault rifles, trolls, and fire elementals. I managed to save some of the children, but then Katina was healing the ones that had been injured when a Shadow quick deathbed them and I had to resort to Improv comedy to keep the remaining kids from screaming as their friends turned to ghosts around us. None of the adults would listen to me that the attack had been planned, they were convinced that it was random, and despite the fact that I had a way to turn back time and catch the one woman who had started the fight they refused to do anything but complain that dinner had been delayed.

#me #personal #dreams #why do I have such weird dreams #why do i remember ALL OF MY DREAMS #I very rarely forget dreams when I wake up

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theonceoverthinker · 5 years

Text

It’s Nice To Meet You

Summary: An unorthodox use of Henry’s cellphone makes for an unexpected first meeting between Ella and Emma.

Featured Dynamics: Glass Believer, Ella and Emma, Captain Swan, Ella and OG Killian

Links: AO3 Fanfiction.net

A/N: This was a fantastic request for my 300 follower spectacular by @latinacinderella. This lady gives me very chill requests. Like between this and “Talk Tales Over Cocktails” (Which I consider something of a counterpart to this), the fics that come from her requests are just nice and breezy. And I like that! Besides, Ella’s had a hard life! She deserves some chill moments, am I right?

Anyway, she requested to see Ella and/or Lucy encounter Storybrooke, Emma, and/or OG Hook in some way. I did something a liiiiiiiiiittle outside of the parameters of that request, but in a way that still holds to the spirit it so, I hope you enjoy it!

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

When Henry Mills started his journey across the realms, he didn’t pack a lot. In the small bit of storage space his motorcycle and his single satchel provided, he packed a dagger with his initials engraved on it, two changes of clothes, a few Apollo bars, and his single most prized possession: his cellphone.

But this cellphone, like much of Henry’s life, was far from ordinary.

As a last gift from his mother before he went to explore the worlds, the phone was magically enchanted with a battery that would never die and a digital album filled with gigabytes upon gigabytes of pictures and videos of his family so that no matter where he went, they’d be with him.

Once Henry and Ella’s friendship took off, Henry showed Ella both that phone and its digital library of his family’s history. No matter how much of the library she was shown, there was always a new story to tell about the adventures of his very extended family.

Ella loved the album. She liked its convenient feel in her hand, its impossibly smooth shape and surface, and the clarity of the pictures and videos the device held.

But mostly, she loved the family that it contained.

Henry Mills was indeed a gifted storyteller. When he spoke of his parents, grandparents, and all of the other going-ons of his family tree, his very words painted the idea of home for Ella. She could practically smell the lasagna at Granny’s, taste the cookies from Snow White’s oven, and see the hundreds of antiques at Gold’s shop as Henry made them real for her with the power of his words.

Fate really hit the nail on the hammer with his role as The Author.

A just as fate had led him to that title, it had led Henry and Ella to each other.

Every morning, Ella was reminded of that by the feeling of the locket against her heart and the feeling of her beloved next to her.

Today, though, only one of those things was where she expected it to be.

As Ella woke up -- before even her eyes greeted the day -- her hand reached for Henry, expecting to feel a soft blanket that leaned against his muscles.

But when her hand fell, the only thing on the other side of the blanket was the hard floor of their tent.

Ella finally opened her eyes and formally greeted the day, sad to see that she was indeed alone. That sadness was short lived however, as she noticed a piece of parchment atop her beloved’s pillow. Scrawled upon the parchment was a small note that Ella could recognize as hosting Henry’s handwriting. She picked it up and as she read it, she felt a blush flourish against her cheeks.

Dear Ella,

I’ve gone fishing with Hook and Jack and didn’t want to wake you. Besides, I know you like a little bit of alone time every now and then, so I figured you could take some time off from the resistance and enjoy a morning to yourself. We should be back by midday, but rest assured I’ll be thinking of you until then.

Love,

Henry

Romance wasn’t something that Ella ever expected to be in the cards for her. Thoughts of vengeance for her stepfather’s death and a hopelessness that came with spending years as a servant for her stepfamily had put the idea far out of her head. A future free from all of them was the best outcome she thought she could hope for.

But just as he had challenged the notion of revenge being her destiny, so had Henry changed her mind about that too. Now, the sweet words and gentle touches she had gone her so much of her life without were things she could hardly part with any easier than the air in her lungs.

In a way, she supposed that wasn’t surprising. After all, Ella knew plenty about the family he came from and for the most part, love was never too far from them.

And soon enough, that might apply to her too.

It made sense. Ella was already well acquainted with one of Henry’s mothers, and with a family that was just a magic bean away, it was reasonable to assume she’d encounter the rest of them before long. Additionally, if things stayed as good as they were now -- and Ella had a locket pressed up against her chest that gave her a strong impression that they would -- they might one day consider settling down in the same town as them.

What would that be like?

In truth, Ella hadn’t afforded the prospect much thought beforehand. The resistance and the newness of their relationship had prioritized living for the moment, and that’s exactly what Ella did. But the fact was that the revolution against the plights of their kingdom would one day end, leaving a future that needed to be accounted for -- one that could feasibly lead them to a cozy house nestled in the heart of Storybrooke.

But that begged the question, an inquiry that was just as interesting as it was somewhat daunting: How would it feel to live in Storybrooke?

If Ella was honest with herself, perhaps a bit too overwhelming for her liking.

Ella had never been good dealing with large groups of people. Throughout her time with the resistance thus far, she forewent growing closer to the movement at large, preferring the smaller bits of company provided by Tiana, Regina, Jack, Henry, and Hook. The few occasions where she did need to interact with the other members was kept to a minimum. That was more than fine with her and the sentiment seemed to be reciprocated. It wasn’t unheard of for those in the camp to keep to themselves outside of their own personal circles and otherwise mind their own business.

But from how Henry described life in Storybrooke, Ella had a suspicion that that wouldn’t necessarily fly there. Storybrooke was a small town with not a small amount of people there who not only liked but deeply cared about being involved in each other’s lives. They never let an occasion to get together and throw a party pass them by and polite conversations tended to run longer than they ever did in this realm. Even though Ella knew they were likely all lovely people, the thought of just an afternoon of that, let alone a potential lifetime was a lot to take in and maybe more than Ella felt herself able to handle.

And it’s not like she didn’t want to be able to.

Just as Henry’s stories had somewhat freaked her out with the family’s closeness, they had also charmed her in the other side of that particular coin. In the same vein that said closeness was borderline suffocating, it was also a means of support. While Ella felt uncomfortable opening up to so many people, she didn’t want to dismiss the possibility of finding new friends and pseudo family members. After all, had she not done so for Henry, she would have denied herself the happiness she now reveled in.

There was a feeling of guilt in the matter -- something Ella knew Henry would never want her to feel and that only served to make her feel even more guilt. It was a frustrating cycle and one Ella genuinely wanted to move on from. She wanted to open herself up more and she wanted to want to take to Storybrooke as easily as Henry did, but she just wasn’t there yet.

And she wondered if she would ever be…

No. She wouldn’t allow herself to fail so easily. Just as she was doing with her stepsister’s threats, here had to be a way to combat this.

Perhaps, all it would take was to view Storybrooke’s many denizens in the same way that Henry did.

Suddenly, an idea struck Ella for exactly how she’d spend her morning off. She leaned over to Henry’s things and felt around until she felt what was always to her an unbelievably thin surface, especially given all that it held. Once the device was in her grasp, Ella pulled it out and placed it on the blanket in front of her.

Henry once told her that his phone was only one of many pieces of technology from his world. Ella personally found that hard to believe. In addition to the odd-looking and somewhat violent games he had on there, his phone had collections of pictures far more numerous than Ella could possibly count. In her time playing around with the device, she had never once reached the bottom of the assembly of family memories.

Maybe today, that could change.

Delicately, Ella picked up the phone. On what Henry called, his ‘lock screen,’ there was a picture of he and Ella on his motorcycle that Regina had taken not long after they started dating. Upon seeing the picture, she softened, all thoughts of distant anxieties abandoned. It hadn’t been there the last time she checked, and the spot that formerly held a picture of characters from this movie Henry told her about, “Star Wars,” was now held by them.

How could her Henry make her fall in love with him so much, even when he wasn’t around?

Ella looked forward to finding that little secret of his out throughout the rest of their lives.

After staring too long at the picture of them, the screen went dark. It sometimes did that when Henry went on long tangents about that movie or when...they occupied themselves in other way -- namely, with each other’s lips -- so Ella wasn’t too surprised to see it happen now. Ella made a move to press the button that would bring the picture back when suddenly, the screen turned entirely light blue.

Speechless, Ella tried to make sense of what happened. Had she broken something? All she had done was brought up the lock screen. She hadn’t even tried to put in the combination, one she knew quite well, even once.

Nervous, Ella picked up the screen, looking closer. The power blue that covered the front surface of the phone was still there, but Ella, no longer as plagued by her immediate shock, noticed that the color was...swirling. The contents of the screen slowly spun, like a vortex of the sky on a perfect day.

Ella watched it. The thought had just occurred to her to get Regina’s help when suddenly, the blue screen had begun to be overtaken. Slowly from the center, the image of a woman began to push out the blue, soon overtaking it entirely.

Before Ella could move a muscle or take in the woman on the screen, a sound came from the phone -- though not its speakers like it usually did when Henry showed her a video. No, the noise was just there, as if another person was in the tent with her.

Or rather, as if the woman was in the tent with her.

But that wasn’t the strangest part.

No, the strangest part was what she said.

“Henry?” she called. The voice wasn’t panicked as it searched for Henry, but called casually, as if calling someone in for dinner.

And then the woman noticed Ella. For a second, she paused, taking her in. The woman’s eyes bulged, as if she had just had a big realization about Ella.

“Hey,” she said. This time, she was more in a state of surprise.

Ella blinked, and in that fraction of a second, her mind caught up to her and like pieces of a puzzle, clues came together to fill her in about exactly who she was talking to.

For but a single second, Ella studied the woman in front of her -- the long blonde hair that reached well below her shoulders, the green eyes that held an inquisitive stare, the light bump in her belly, and the leather jacket that was the color of a juicy pomegranate.

Who else could it be?

“You’re Emma Swan,” Ella said. There was an essence of disbelief in her voice as she said it, mirroring the one Emma had when she seemed to realize who she was.

Emma, now apparently over her shock, nodded and smiled, her finger offhandedly aimed at Ella in a pondering fashion. “And you’re Cinderella, right?”

“I actually go by Ella now,” Ella pointed out, not the least bit upset about Emma’s mistake.

That didn’t stop an apologetic look from overtaking Emma’s features.

“I’m sorry,” she said, a meekness in her voice that was a far cry from the confidence Henry’s tales had painted her with.

“It’s okay,” Ella eased. “But yeah. I just started going by Ella again recently.”

“Ella,” Emma repeated, smiling once more as the word comfortably settled in the space between them. “Well, Ella. It’s nice to meet you.”

Ella returned the grin. “It’s nice to meet you too. Henry’s told me so many stories about the Savior of Storybrooke.”

“Hopefully good ones?” Emma teased.

“Well, he wasn’t too happy when you confiscated his X-Box -- whatever that is -- a few years ago,” Ella retorted, smirking. “But apart from that, he’s got nothing but good things to say about you.”

Emma snorted. “Did he tell you that he failed his math test before I confiscated it?”

“No he did not!” Ella said, gasping in mock scandalization. “Looks like he has some explaining to do!”

Suddenly, Ella realized something.

This impromptu meeting with her beloved’s mother was just that: impromptu.

She hadn’t called for her, but for Henry.

“Oh! I’m sorry! I forgot to tell you: Henry went fishing and won’t be back until later today.”

Emma frowned and snapped her fingers. “Damnit,” she muttered. “I always seem to miss him by just a bit. And I’ve got to go to work soon, so I won’t be able to call until basically midnight, and I’m pretty sure midnight for us is also midnight for you guys.”

Ella was about to say that she’d have Henry call her back tomorrow, but a thought struck her.

“Emma, how exactly did you reach us here?”

Just like that, Emma’s frown disappeared, replaced with a proud grin. “Magic,” she replied, with a casual wave of her hand. “Regina taught me a long time ago how to communicate with mirrors. And a few weeks ago, I had a thought. I figured that since a phone screen can reflect your face like a mirror, maybe I could use Henry’s phone screen to talk to him. I’ve been trying it out lately, but Henry either doesn’t have his phone on him or he does, but can’t hear me talking over his motorcycle.”

“That thing is so noisy,” Ella cosigned.

“Tell me about it. And I thought it was bad when Henry was revving it up all night in the garage back in high school. But, at least now I know that this actually works, and as a bonus, I get to meet you!”

“I guess we could call it a happy accident.”

“I like that. So, considering that you have Henry’s phone, I take it that you two are...close?” Ella giggled at Emma’s expression. There was a hopeful smirk where a simple grin had been but a moment ago. She could tell how Emma was trying so hard not to be too nosy, but was also looked too excited to expect Ella not to think that that’s exactly how she felt.

“Yes,” Ella confirmed, her grin now wide enough to show teeth. “We’re together.”

Emma looked at Ella, positively beaming with happiness.

“That’s great!” Emma nearly shouted. “I’m so happy for you two!” As soon as she was done speaking, she blushed, clearly embarrassed at her over excitement at the news.

But in truth, Ella loved it.

“Thanks!” Ella said, finding herself beaming as well. “I guess I don’t have to worry about a disapproving mother?” she teased.

Emma tapped her chin, smirking. She released a wicked hum before speaking. “Nah,” she dismissed with a wink. “You’re a good kid, and you’re good for my kid.”

“You think so?”

“Definitely,” Emma answered, not skipping a beat. “Henry’s got a good heart. You must be pretty amazing if it lead him to you. And honestly, you seem amazing. I mean, sword fighting a prince’s army, riding a motorcycle after a minute-long lesson, and joining a resistance movement, and all in the same day? That’s impressive.”

Ella felt her cheeks redden at the thought of all that Henry had told her. “I guess Henry’s had his own stories to share about me?”

“You have no idea, Ella. Henry’s always been an passionate kid, but when he told me how you two met -- that look in his eyes -- it was like magic. And trust me, I’ve become quite the expert on the subject these days. So yeah, like I was saying -- I think you two are gonna be great together.”

Ella felt her heart warm at that comment. Regina had taken to her presence in Henry’s life rather quickly and now, Emma had too. On some level, she knew that winning over anyone from Storybrooke wouldn’t be an obstacle -- they seemed too kind to ever make themselves come across that way -- but the validation was still very much appreciated and it felt nice to be welcomed into Henry’s family with such ease.

Or at least part of what was a very big and extended family.

Now that that thought had made its way back to the forefront of her mind, Ella mused on Emma for a moment. Emma had a story of her own, one that Ella felt a kinship too, especially in her current situation.

Henry’s tales always illustrated Emma’s story in particular as something more complex than just some badass woman with a leather jacket and a gun. No, there was also the story of a woman who found her family, fell in love, and became a leader after a lifetime of wondering if she’d leave any impact whatsoever on this world at all, or if she’d even want to. It was a a journey of taking comfort in one’s connections and learning how they can be empowered through them, rather than things to be feared or avoided. And now, just judging by the gentleness that surrounded her through her posture, smile, and eyes, Ella could tell that Emma was happy beyond all belief with her life in Storybrooke.

Maybe with Emma lied the key to getting the same thing for herself.

Perhaps there was more Emma Swan could offer than just a sweet first encounter.

“Emma,” Ella started, admittedly more than a touch nervously. “Can I ask you something?”

Emma seemed to be able to tell that Ella’s question was more subdued than previously and settled herself accordingly from her former state of sheer giddiness. “Of course,” she answered. “What’s up?”

“How did you settle into Storybrooke life?” Emma raised a brow, clearly confused by the inquiry.

“What do you mean?”

Ella bit her cheek as she sought words of clarity. “What I mean is, Storybrooke’s a really social place and I know you weren’t when you first arrived…” Before Ella even attempted to further her sentence, she groaned. “I’m sorry. I’m bad at this. And that’s what I mean.” Emma raised a hand, as if asking her to settle down.

A look of realization and understanding overtook Emma’s features. “I guess Henry’s told you about the rest of his family.”

“Yes,” Ella responded. She was so tempted to place her hand over her face, but held back as not to further embarrass herself.

But Emma looked calm and better yet, understanding. With her eyes, she encouraged Ella to keep on going.

“It’s just a lot,” Ella continued. “And don’t get me wrong: you all seem great and kind. I guess I’m a bit more reserved. I want to fit in, but I know myself and I know that I tend to not do great with large crowds, especially if they’re as involved as Henry’s stories make them out to be.”

Emma shrugged. “Unfortunately, he’s not wrong.” Another groan was working its way up Ella’s throat, but she stifled it.

“I guess what I’m asking is if we end up in Storybrooke, how am I going to manage there? I don’t want to come off as rude, but I can’t see myself being as open as everyone else there is. And I figured since you weren’t always like that, according to Henry, you could give me some pointers.”

Looking through the screen, Ella saw Emma biting her lip, seemingly contemplating what she said and nodding as a likely chugging train of thought rode through a lifetime’s worth of experiences. “I get it,” Emma consoled. “In this realm, we call it being introverted. I’m like that too.”

“Then how did you get...unintroverted?” The snort that Emma seemed to only barely able to stifle told Ella that her word choice was incorrect. Ella playfully rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean.”

Emma gave her a soft smile. “I do. Can I tell you a little secret?”

“Sure.”

“I’m still freaked out by it -- the whole social thing. I look at Henry and my parents and even Killian and they’re so much better at this than me. They’re the ones who initiate all of the conversations. They’re the ones who extend invitations to hang out. They’re the ones who remember everything about everyone. I don’t remember what the spices were in the deviled eggs at the last Doctoberfest! How do they? Who pays attention to that stuff?” At those last statements, Ella instinctively felt her face scrunched, confused. Emma looked to catch onto that. “Sorry, that’s another story for another day.”

“Why would anyone eat eggs from the devil?”

“They’re not actually from the devil. It’s just a weird name thing,” Emma dismissed. However, Ella wasn’t just about ready to drop the matter just yet.

“Who name things after the devil?”

Emma smirked. “Do you want my advice or not?” she teasingly chided.

Ella returned the gesture. “Fair enough.”

“What I mean is it’s a struggle for me. I get the feeling it always will be. I’m like you -- an introvert. It doesn’t go away, at least for most people.”

Another groan escaped Ella. “So am I doomed?”

“I never said that,” Emma assured. “It’s just different for people like us. But here’s the thing: People in Storybrooke get that. The town’s a lot of things, but more than anything, it’s understanding. If you talk about your limits and you’re nice about it, the people here will get it if you need to take a step back every now and then.” Emma snapped her finger, as if recalling something. “And trust me -- neither of us are alone. Regina’s more introverted too and so is Henry’s other grandfather.”

“Rumplestiltskin?” Ella clarified. Emma nodded. “Yeah, he seems the type.”

That seemed to surprise Emma. “You’ve met him?”

“Yeah. I haven’t talked to him yet, but apparently, he came to this world recently.”

Emma nodded. “Noted. But,” she continued, “I promise you, Ella, you’ll be just fine if you and Henry end up here. And if it helps, even if I’m still struggling with the social stuff, I have learned a lot too just by being here and getting close to the people I love. It all builds, so just let yourself take it one day at a time. Start things off with a simple ‘it’s nice to meet you,’ and follow your gut for the rest. Sound good?”

Ella took a moment to absorb her advice. It certainly made Storybrooke seem a lot less scary. It was still a bit nerve wracking, but Ella now felt a surge of determination that hadn’t been there before. Besides, if a fellow introvert like her could find happiness there, Ella had a feeling that she could too, especially given the start that her family in this realm had given her. And by the time that she and Henry might move to Storybrooke, Ella knew she’d be even stronger and more capable.

“It really does,” Ella said, her smile wide with the very confidence she knew Emma had in herself as well.Thank you, Emma.”

“Happy to he-”

“Emma! Were you able to get in touch with Henry this time?” It was a man’s voice that called and subsequently interrupted Emma. A series of increasingly loud footsteps followed, leading to what was clearly the sound of an opening door.

“Killian,” Emma said, a surprised bliss clear in her tone. Ella felt her heart warm at it, thinking of how Henry’s presence so often gave her that exact feeling. “No, I wasn’t able to get him today. He’s out fishing.”

“My apologies, love. It’s my fault that he’s so drawn to the sea’s call.” Killian’s shadow was now visible on the screen and Emma must have been able to tell. She looked at Ella in a way that seemed to be asking her if she was comfortable meeting Killian like this.

And Ella -- ready -- nodded.

“But I did meet someone else.” Ella saw the screen twist in Emma’s wrist so she was now facing Killian. “Killian, this is Ella, Henry’s friend!”

Killian beamed upon seeing her and hearing her name. “Ella! How nice it is to meet you!”

“And it’s nice to meet you too, Killian!”

“So you’re the woman my boy’s had his eye on! How are you two getting by?”

“Very well,” Ella answered. “But, we have got to talk about your sword fighting lessons. I thought you were a pirate, Captain Jones, but Henry doesn’t exactly fight dirty.”

Killian laughed heartily. “Don’t blame me! Blame his goody two shoes grandfather!”

“I don’t know about that, Mr. Good Form,” Ella shot back, earning herself a similarly hearty laugh from both herself and Emma.

For the next half hour, the three of them exchanged stories and updates about life in their respective realms. Emma asked if the resistance needed their aid, and while Ella told them they’d be alright, she stressed that she wanted to see them when things finally quieted down.

At the chime of a clock in the distance of Emma’s side of the phone, Emma frowned.

“We’ve got to take off,” she said. “We’re already late as it is and while I don’t have to worry about anyone signing my paychecks, I’d rather not get an earful from who or what ever might be at the station when we arrive.”

“Two doubloons says it’s about Granny going on another drunk crossbowing spree.”

“It’s okay,” Ella assured, laughing all the while at the image Killian so kindly painted her. “I’m going to take a bit more time for myself before Henry gets back.”

“You definitely deserve it. And tell Henry that we love him!”

“Of course!”

“It was nice to meet you!” Emma and Killian chorused.

“It was nice to meet you, too! And Emma, thank you for everything.”

KIllian placed an arm around Emma’s shoulders and Emma gave her a final appreciative grin at Ella from the other side of the phone.

After that, the swirling light blue appeared once more briefly before dissipating back to the blackened screen. Ella checked the phone to make sure that everything was back to normal and when the image of a happy couple holding each other upon a motorcycle appeared, she knew that it was.

Content, Ella laid back in her bed and as she had initially planned, went through Henry’s phone. The light bit of tension that had been in her belly whenever she looked at the collection of memories was still present, but lessened. It was especially so when she encountered pictures of Emma. Within her gazes as she decorated trees and carved up pumpkins in a room filled with people -- through Ella had no idea why she would be doing either of those things -- Ella saw not only hope for herself, but a friend who would help her realize that hope’s full potential.

An hour later, Ella heard shifting sounds outside of her tent, though she knew immediately just who it was on the other side of it.

True Love was funny in that way.

As she expected, the folds of the tent soon split to reveal a joyful Henry from the other side.

“Hey!” he called. Ella felt her heart swell as she looked at her lover. The bottoms of his pants as well as his shoes were dirty and he had an odor that she could definitely say was reflective of his morning’s activity.

“Hey! How was fishing?”

“Pretty good, but don’t ask Jack or Hook. They’re a bit...jealous.” Giggling, Ella gestured for him to come lay by her side once more. Henry didn’t hesitate before joining her and colliding their lips in a satisfying and hungry kiss. When they finally broke free after a few minutes, they held their stare as their heavy breaths rhytmically pulled their chests up and down.“And how was your morning alone?”

“Well, it wasn’t exactly a morning completely alone.”

Henry’s face fell. “I’m sorry,” he cooed, his head tilting sadly. “Resistance stuff?”

“No, and it was fine,” Ella assuaged. “I actually had a really nice chat with your mother.”

“Really? I thought she went to go visit my grandpa today.”

Ella smirked at Henry’s bewildered expression. “Wrong mother.”

If Henry’s face looked taken off guard before, he now looked like a child lost in the middle of the woods without so much as a compass to guide him. “Wh-what? You talked to Emma?”

“Yes, I did! And tomorrow, Regina’s going to help us call her because she loves and misses you.” Ella then smiled as she finished talking.

Henry softened, clearly still bewildered, but just as clearly happy about the implications behind that very smile. Just as Killian had done to Emma before they ended their conversation, he looped his arm around Ella’s shoulder.

“I knew you guys would get along. You two are a lot alike.”

“More than you could imagine.” Ella pulled Henry closer, contently cradling her head in his neck as she beamed. “And Henry?” she whispered.

“Yeah?”

“I know about the math test.”

#ella mills #glass believer #emma swan #henry mills #captain swan

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hyojinrk-archived · 5 years

Photo

#5020 — KIM HYOJIN, WITH: #5042 — sohn youngjae ( @ericxrk ) & #5007 — do kyungsoo ( @rkkyungsoo ) & #5032 — lee suwoong ( @rksuwoong ) & #5013 — kim heejin ( @rkheejin )

MGA 5 SEMIFINALS: vixx′s shangri-la — youth over flowers ver.

mentions: @rkcheri, @rkella, @rkwon and a few more!

representative flower: pink hydrangea; outfit

there’s no good way to describe how he feels at that very moment other than absolutely devastated.

it’s okay if they’re not called to be at the very top, hyojin thinks -- no, he dares to think -- but then they start announcing the people at the bottom without even touching the middle. it sends him straight into fear, because there’s an ugly premonition building inside of him, telling him that something was going to go sideways right about now, and he dreads the possibility of them being named. yugyeom, joohyuk, jackson. hansol, jungeun, kenta.

the judges announce their respective eliminations, sending home two out of the six, and hyojin braces himself. there’s no way they would have gotten lower, would they? would they? that’s already six out of ten duos done. all he wants, no, all he needs is for them to be one of those two who hadn’t been named. #4 or #5. #4 or #5, please --

“kim hyojin.”

he loses his breath at that, exhaling sharply without even realizing that he had been breathing in, because that’s his name. that’s his name, and at this very moment, he wished it wasn’t. it feels like a sin to think that when his mother had spent months thinking of what to name him, to carefully put together his name and taking the time to go to a fortune teller to increase his fortuity.

( looks like his luck has run out. )

he’s limp in his seat as they name eric and taeyang as well, unable to meet their gazes. he knows it’s him. he knows, also, that it’s absolutely his fault that they’re there. if he had been a better dancer, or had not been in their trio at all, maybe they would have been at the top. maybe they would have won. instead, he’s getting ready to hear jisub call his name, to tell him that his dancing wasn’t good enough, their stage was impressive and vibrant but he was the only one who didn’t make it so.

instead, he hears a name that isn’t his. it starts with a yoo and ends with a --

“hyung,” he breathes it out weakly, eyes wide and shining with hurt as he turns to taeyang next to him, trying his best not to look back at eric, who he was sure was probably glaring at him. there’s thousands of thoughts flying through his head -- he’s sorry, god, he’s so sorry, but he’s also guilty, and then he’s mad, at himself, at this matchup, at everything, because he shouldn’t have been put with them but he still was, and now this is nothing but a loser’s game where either he loses himself or loses another. this man taught him how to dance, and even as the stronger vocalist, it hurts hyojin realizing this.

he doesn’t know what to say except for sorry, but it’s weak and falls flat and he can only choke it out ever so quietly, falling deaf on their ears. he’s so sorry.

it tastes bitter and cruel on his tongue as he sits through the last few eliminations, none of them as emotional or shocking as this one to the teams, but he can’t stop thinking about his teammate next to him, and the other on his other side, and how he let them down. he doesn’t even feel like he has the right to enjoy the new challenge that’s presented to them, to be in awe at the fact that they were going to be coached by famous idols and trainees who had competed in previous seasons of the show.

all he can do is look at the judges, wondering, why him? not just why did they eliminate taeyang, but why did they keep him?

( the answer is simple: because the dance was made easier for someone like hyojin, at the cost of taeyang. it’s a scale, not a tower. adding more to one side takes away from the other. )

coaches... voting...

he catches that the supposed mentors had voted for who would be put into their teams to represent each company, but he’s still caught up on the fact that taeyang was gone. he was out. maybe they’d call his name instead of hyojin’s for the teams. but sphere passes by, and then nova, and then trc, and then kt, and then he hears royal, the name making his chest tighten because that was exactly what he had put on his application when applying for this show; it was, in his mind, the best option for him if he wanted to keep on singing and for people to keep on hearing him. but why did it have to be this way?

surely enough, the people are expected. kyungsoo, then heejin, and then... him. not taeyang, him.

this was the reality. this was the crime he’s committed.

❀ INTERACTIONS ; FRIDAY

he’s tense on the first day, more so than he would have been had it not been for yesterday’s awful events. stepping foot into royal does much to alleviate his stress and the guilt that still hovered behind him everywhere he went, but it doesn’t change the fact that he now bears the weight of someone else’s elimination on him. the previous weeks, he had either been solo or tied to his partner, meaning that it would either be both or none, but the fact that they lost a member this time and didn’t have to is what gets him.

“hi, i’m kim hyojin. please take good care of me, i’ll work hard!”

he tries to greet everyone with a bright smile and a polite bow as always, but it’s obvious how his thoughts weigh him down, especially considering that he’s having a hard time looking eric in the eyes, even more so than before.

even with this burden, though, it doesn’t stop him from finally getting starstruck when in front of the coaches, which included both the leader of luxe and one of its well known dancers, as well as won, a former mga finalist. he can’t stop his gaze from constantly wandering between them, his hands folded neatly in front of him as he stands respectfully, nodding along to their words attentively and with curious eyes, shyly avoiding ella’s glance whenever her eyes got close to his. despite this, he takes their words and advice to heart, and as the team starts to settle on their song, he finds himself slowly warming up.

( this time, he won’t talk about his dancing. this time, he can’t let them suffer because he’s lacking. )

instead, he listens attentively to the ideas thrown around, adding some of his own into the mix like mamamoo or got7, nodding thoughtfully despite being a bit reserved, especially with eric in the group. they eventually decide on shangri-la, a song with a backing track that makes heavy use of traditional sounds and instruments, and also conveyed a sense of elegance and chicness through use of fans. fortunately, because not all of the members are dancers -- and also because royal isn’t exactly the most dance oriented company -- they decide to water down some parts after realizing that not everyone can do it in sync, making it simpler.

at the same time, though, hyojin knows that he has a long way to go, and tries to follow along as closely as he can. he’s sparing in his questions unless it’s to a coach like ella, because he knows he can’t take away too much from the other contestants’ practice time.

as the night grows darker and later, hyojin finds himself one of the only ones left in the studio, still practicing and even trying to learn ahead in the dance, watching the video over and over again and recording himself before monitoring. it’s with this strategy that he hopes to stay ahead without burdening anyone, and certainly without making them sacrifice their time and efforts, and he gives a little wave to the camera before he leaves for the night, turning off the studio lights.

❀ SATURDAY ;

line distribution takes a turn for the worse as parts are doled out -- surprisingly enough, hyojin, heejin, and eric don’t have too hard of a time figuring out who does what, as heejin got the high notes and the main vocal position, and hyojin the beginning and ending of the song, as well as part of the chorus as the secondary main vocal. eric seemed fine enough with the rap part, and even though hyojin volunteers to collaborate with him to help increase his rapping experience, the other seems terribly cold about it.

trying his best not to take it to heart, hyojin instead finds himself witness to kyungsoo and suwoong’s conflict over the song’s killing part -- also known as the part where the stand ins for n and ravi harmonize, resting their heads on each other’s shoulders. he has to admit, it’s a pretty and enchanting part, and he understands why it’d be so heavily contended -- at the same time, though, he’s surprised at the fact that they seemed so hostile. the day before, they seemed to be fine, even playing around with the cameras.

nevertheless, the issue is resolved when kyungsoo’s height and singing skill seems to fit the bill for the coaches, who ultimately give him the part, and hyojin sighs a breath of relief at the peaceful resolution. the tension still remains, though, with eric even chillier at hyojin than yesterday, and it troubles deeply him as he watches the younger brush by him while he goes to cheri for some advice.

“coach cheri-ssi.” clearing his throat shyly, waiting for the woman to notice him, hyojin asks, “could you tell me if i’m doing this part right? the expression is a little complex at this line.” singing the opening line sweetly, he waits and listens for her feedback, retrying a few times before capturing the right mood. it’s sensual, but not too sensual; a mix of mystic and lovely, making for a hard execution but an impressive one if done correctly.

consequently, with her kind words and patience, he finds himself relaxing after realizing that he’s been tensing up this whole time, and when asked why he seemed to be so uneasy, he ends up spilling his troubles with the team to her, telling her about how taeyang had gotten eliminated and he’s fairly sure eric is upset about it, as the former had taken so much time to teach him how to dance.

she responds by saying that the judges’ decision was not his fault, soothing him with warm but reasonable words, telling him that he shouldn’t think so negatively of himself as a burden. this comforts him greatly, almost to the point of tears, but he wipes away at his eyes before they can form fully, and nods. he doesn’t exactly think that he can go on as normal after this, especially when he hasn’t talked to eric or taeyang about it, but maybe now he could consider gaining the courage to approach them.

practice goes by a little troubled, with suwoong constantly dropping his fan on heejin and hitting the poor girl, much to hyojin’s dismay -- he asks her if she’s all right more than just a few times, but it seems to just be a rampant case of butterfingers rather than malicious intent on the former’s part.

he stays late again, focusing more on the chorus this time, going through each move slowly and pretending to hold a fan ( they had yet to arrive for the team ) the whole time, feeling his body start to ache at the intense dance. unlike last time, with the simple choreography, this was only slightly modified, meaning that most of the elements remained the same. not only that, but there was now also a dance break, meaning that hyojin would seriously have to pick up the pace.

he can’t remember the last time he’s picked up a guitar or played the keyboard, and, honestly, his bones and limbs are hurting so much nowadays that he doesn’t even recall the feeling anymore. he’s too tired to even try to talk to the camera anymore like he did last week, instead resting on the floor, sprawled out, sometimes flashing a tired smile or peace sign at the camera from time to time, or trying to move his lips up into a smile in the mirror despite the bags starting to appear under his eyes. he knows kyungsoo is probably struggling the same, coming in early on weekends instead of staying as late.

with this in mind, he still powers through, taking breaks only if needed and not complaining.

❀ SUNDAY ;

kyungsoo’s words are harsh, and they cut through the air smoothly like a fine-sharpened knife. hyojin’s eyes are wide as he sees the shorter male storm out of the studio after saying his final words to suwoong, having overheard the whole fight but knowing better than to butt in between them when clearly this was their own battle.

it doesn’t stop him, though, from also dropping his fan ( that had arrived that morning ) and going out after kyungsoo, leaving the rest of his teammates standing, shocked, in the practice room. there’s a slight panic to him as he tries to scour the building, before realizing that royal’s hallways are winding and confusing, and that kyungsoo was nowhere to be found. after looking in a few other rooms and even finding the backdoor exit, hyojin realizes that he’s lost the male. but instead of going back to the studio, he decides to exit the building, knowing that suwoong undoubtedly had yet to calm down, and that, knowing kyungsoo, he probably wouldn’t be getting lunch anytime soon.

by the time he comes back with two sandwiches in his hands, along with two drinks, hyojin finds that the studio is empty except for kyungsoo, who looks as quiet and grim as ever. hyojin himself is a little less frazzled at the sudden outburst from before, and is visibly glad to see that the singer had come back, making his way over almost a little too eagerly with the extra meal.

“here, 'soo. i got one for you -- you’ve been working hard.”

it’d be a lie if hyojin said he didn’t know why suwoong and kyungsoo had fought -- quite simply, as someone who also had difficulties dancing, hyojin had noticed how suwoong always seemed to tell them to start again, even occasionally teasing kyungsoo, who seemed increasingly more irritated and less amused. push would come to shove and increase tensions instead of resolving them, hence leading to this situation.

sitting next to kyungsoo as he opens his sandwich, taking a little bite, hyojin glances at his friend, concern clear in his eyes. “i know suwoong hyung has been a little tough lately, but let’s hang in there, okay?” trying his best to convey his worries, hyojin ends up saying it in order to convince kyungsoo to take the dancer a little less seriously, “i’m sure he doesn’t mean any harm, so let’s both try to be a little more understanding.”

with that, he pats the male’s shoulder, and they eat together in silence.

the moment the rest of the team comes back, hyojin can’t help but notice the unsettling feeling that was starting to pervade the room. although he greets suwoong brightly, the other male seems a little bit colder than usual, and with eric following in behind him, the dots connect and hyojin feels his chest tighten. he knows he deserves it ( no, he doesn’t -- that’s what cheri told him to keep in mind, but it’s hard ), but it still hurts the same, especially with how nice and energetic suwoong had been towards him for the first few days. it feels like the more he tries, the more he’s shunned, but there’s no option for him to leave or give up.

regardless, hyojin still catches him when they’re alone, trying to bring up the conflict with kyungsoo, albeit nervously at first. “hyung... earlier this morning... i noticed you and ‘soo seemed to have some difficulties?” when the other male doesn’t respond, expression only growing colder, he continues, voice still strong despite his confidence faltering inwardly, “i was just thinking... maybe it’d be a little nicer if you complimented him more, or were a little more lenient. i know i shouldn’t be saying this when i’m not as good at dancing, but it’s discouraging to have mistakes constantly be picked at, and in some cases, frustrating. i don’t think it’ll help a lot with teaching someone in the end, but it’s just my perspective. you’re the best dancer out of all of us, so i’m sure you’ll make the right call in the end.”

laughing awkwardly, he notices the look on suwoong’s face, foreign and almost hostile, before asking quietly, “have i done sometihng wrong?”

when suwoong explains what hyojin had been fearing, he visibly falters. ah, taeyang was his best friend. how much collateral damage had he caused?

( none. it’s not his fault that was how the elimination was decided, but he can’t quite seem to convince himself of that. )

they end up talking for a while after that, hyojin explaining how he had felt guilty about it and how he was working extra hard to make up for taeyang’s elimination, explaining that he was both fortunate to have such an understanding teammate but also be allowed to survive. he didn’t plan on letting it go to waste anytime soon, and this seems to please suwoong, who seems to have loosened up ever so slightly.

when they finally split up, hyojin approaches eric again carefully to confirm their collaboration, and they decide, albeit one-sidedly, to go perform in hongdae on tuesday to promote the team and practice. he goes home that day after the same hard practice, this time finally sending a text to taeyang before sleeping.

❀ MONDAY - WEDNESDAY ;

he wakes up to a warm and frankly far too kind response from taeyang, who encourages and comforts him instead of the other way around. this relieves hyojin, more than he can ever admit, and for the first time, he walks into the studio with a smile blooming on his face, no longer withering away with every passing day and cold interaction with some of his teammates.

suwoong and kyungsoo also come in with food, and after everyone thanks them and enjoys it, hyojin gently suggests that they all sit down and have a heart-to-heart in the studio, talking about their worries. he, for one, brings up the tensions with eric, telling the younger how he’s been feeling.

“truthfully, it’s been hard keeping it to myself all these days. i didn’t know what to say to make it better, or how to properly apologize and decrease the tension. i had a hard time looking any of you in the eyes, because i spent all of my time when i wasn’t practicing wondering, should taeyang hyung be here in my place instead? do i really deserve this?” trying not to tear up, he pauses, licking his lips as he tries to look at eric and suwoong confidently, sitting criss cross on the studio floor in a circle with everyone else, “but eric... suwoong hyung... i promise you that i’ll work as hard as i can to make sure taeyang wasn’t eliminated for nothing. i won’t be a burden this time, i promise.”

with that, the conflict seems to be resolved, suwoong comforting him again, and eric seeming a lot more relaxed, even friendly. during practice time this time around, hyojin opens up a little more, his brightness back and still burning even late at night, where he finally practices effortlessly without looking like the world was on his shoulders.

before he heads out for the night before his collaboration with eric, he sits with the camera again for the first time that week, a genuinely happy smile on his face despite his weary bones and soul.

“tomorrow is busking day! i’ll finally get to collaborate with eric, even though i can’t bring you along, camera-ssi... it’s okay, i can show a recording later, if you want! sleep well. i’ll see you tomorrow!” giving it a little wave and a pat, hyojin finally heads out of the studio.

❀

two days later, after his collaboration with eric in hongdae, in which suwoong had tagged along and they attracted a rather large crowd, hyojin and his team present fans with letters on them to the coaches -- won, ella, and cheri. during the process, though, he finds himself bowing deeply to his teammates in apology, a little flustered at how long his messages appeared in comparison to theirs.

“sorry! i must have written too much, otherwise you would have had space to write more.”

regardless, it’s laughed off, and they finish up their performance with some more ideas, like stage lighting and even a team name. with the team atmosphere finally comfortable and good after a grueling week, he feels like they’re going to burn up the stage together.

❀ ON THE STAGE ;

the robes are a little heavy despite him being used to wearing them a few times now, and he nervously fingers his red-tinted fan as they sit in the waiting room with all the others, watching performances. he’s so nervous, in fact, that even though he applauds the others during each stage, he can’t help but think about theirs, and the fact that they were going to be the last performance of the night.

( he really hopes -- no, he’s confident -- that they’ve saved the best for last. )

as they get onstage, hyojin responds to suwoong’s question before they reach backstage with a firm “yes” despite his stomach feeling like jelly, the screams becoming louder at their appearance when they finally see the audience. at the attention and the bright lights hyojin grows shy and steps a little closer to suwoong, his cheeks growing warm when he thinks that he might hear his name somewhere in there.

they introduce themselves as youth over flowers, with hyojin’s own tagline being, “i’m kim hyojin, the lovely pink hydrangea who will fill your hearts with emotion.” at suwoong’s cheesy ending line, they then get into their positions, starting the song.

흐드러져 피는 꽃 바람마저 달콤한 이곳은 꿈 gorgeously blossoming flowers even the wind is sweet in this dream like place

as the instrumental begins, the lights dim and the stage fills with fog. the dance starts with an elegant wave of their fans, and hyojin starts in a sitting position, opening his with a flourish. at his line, he starts in the center with his knees on the ground, his expression charismatic and alluring as he sings sweetly. much like honey that attracted bees, he hoped to grasp the attention of the audience and the judges as well, showing off his ability to adapt to such a sexy and elegant performance.

the next member follows, then heejin -- hyojin stands on the outside of the circle, before completing more elegant moves next to her, getting into line with the others. as they expand outwards, he takes the center for the chorus.

덧칠해 좀 더 짙게 이 밤 깊이 번져가고 있어 벗어날 수 없게 눈 감고 내 안의 널 또 찾잖아 paint it on a little thicker this night is deeply spreading so i can’t escape i’m closing my eyes and looking for you inside of me

having practiced tirelessly to perfect his movements, hyojin does the chorus with confidence and pays close attention to his expressions as he performs, moving his arm smoothly in a pseudo-body roll, then freestyling for the next two lines, looping his arm in a circular movement over his head gracefully, singing stably into the microphone.

he gives a sideway glance to the audience, lips slightly parted and eyes blazing, making good use of the gentle curve of his eyes and disposition to give off an almost feminine but powerful aura, strong but sweet. it asserts his presence, allowing him to shine until his part ends, letting heejin take over.

he dances in time, arms and legs moving around elegantly in the hanbok, blending in well until it was time for the chorus again.

repeating the moves, he does the second part a little differently this time, a little more alluring than before with a sweet curve of his lips, blinking slowly and eyes shining half moons as he sings powerfully and stably, as if pulling them in more and more with his words, capturing every last drop of their attention.

as they go into the bridge, hyojin goes down to the ground before lifting himself up to sing.

너로 물든 색이 아련하고 눈부시게 빛나 gets filled up with your colour

softly but coaxingly, he sings, walking around his members to the center gracefully, flicking his wrist and opening the fan so that it obscured the bottom half of his face teasingly. with that, he steps to the side for kyungsoo to take over, singing the killing part.

with that, the dance break begins, and hyojin follows along on the outer wings easily -- it’s moody but not too technical; instead of having tons of moves crammed in, it’s just a few charismatic ones that just need to be executed gracefully and mindfully. opening his fan in time with the others, he does a spin while suwoong jumps in the center, the middle switching to eric.

taking the fan and hiding his face, hyojin leans over to the side, eyes piercing the camera with a blazing expression, tearing away the thinly veiled expression of sensuality that he had worn before for the break, lifting his finger into a “sh” position. as the dance break ends, heejin goes into her high note, and the chorus continues, this time hyojin dancing normally on the side instead of the center.

다시 눈을 뜨면 내게만 스며들어 when i open my eyes again you only come into me

ending on a final, graceful high note, hyojin takes the last two lines at the center with his now completely exposed, charismatic expression, ending the dance as each row of members turned around, leaving him still facing forward before he turns, too, flicking his fan to the side of his face and looking to the opposite direction gracefully.

at that, the cheers rise to meet them, and they slowly turn back around, bowing before getting offstage.

even though his heart is pumping, hyojin finds himself happily hugging suwoong as they get off, relieved at how well it went. it had been a hard week, but they had done it.

( maybe now he could rest in peace. )

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ariaadagio · 6 years

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Aria’s Long List of Lucifer & Deckerstar Fic Recs - Part 3

Hello, all! Since I completed writing Castaway earlier in September, I’ve finally had a chance to start catching up on my reading list. I still have tons left to read, but I think I’ve hit critical mass on fics I liked enough to recommend, so I’m back with another round of recs!

These recs are organized by author name and category (for the most part), and the list order is not meant to imply an order of preference. All recommendations are completed fics unless otherwise noted. If anyone knows the @ tumblr names for any of the authors I missed tagging, or if I got anything wrong, please let me know.

You can find my other recs posts here (part 1), here (part 2), here (part 4), here (Part 5), and here (part 6).

S3E24 Aftermath Fics

Some Kind of Mysterious by Autumn Rayne

~2300 words

This is a lovely little peek into Chloe’s reaction. She’s somewhat thrown for a loop and initially pulls back, but as she slowly regains her footing in this new reality, the repeated refrain of “she does not miss Lucifer” becomes increasingly full of denial. Charming!

It would be for this by Dreamline

~4600 words

Heaven and hell were words to me by nosecoffee ( @nose-coffee )

~2600 words

I’m listing these two stories together because they’re a series of sorts. The first story is told from Trixie’s POV, which is a great use of dramatic irony. Because of how the story is constructed, the reader knows far more about what’s going on that Trixie does, which prompts a bit of puzzle solving on the part of the reader, and the result is lovely. The second story is told from Lucifer’s POV, waking up in the aftermath. The last few lines in particular are heart-wrenching and perfect.

Beautiful man with a beautiful face, who was not a man at all by an_earl

~8800 words

An_earl has a lovely, lyrical style of writing that’s captivating. I enjoyed reading about Chloe, now in the know, considering past events in a new light. Also, delicious angst so thick you could cut it with a knife.

Carry On by IceQueen1 ( @disappearinginq )

~5000k words

Chloe reacts. Lucifer misunderstands said reaction. Some lovely heartfelt drama ensues. Perfect all around.

heart to heart (soul to soul) by Lesza ( @spiacooczna )

~3000 words

This story starts with Chloe and Lucifer at odds, but the ice is gradually broken via the use of text messages, which is something I can intimately relate with because I’ve lived it (not the Devil reveal, obviously, but social anxiety that was resolved in a similar way). This was the first story I read in my current “binge,” and I was captivated from start to finish. Lovely angst, and the ending will make your heart soar.

Simpatico by pixelbypixel ( @pixelbypixelfanfic)

~3100 words

For a funny, more off-the-wall approach to post S3, a distraught Lucifer commiserates with Deadpool. This made me laugh and smile so much, which was something I sorely needed when I read it.

Aftershocks by Subsequent ( @inclines )

~19400 words

A lovely, more light-hearted approach to the “aftershocks” of S3E24. Chloe deals with being “in the know,” and the gang deals with fixing the mess left behind by Cain. Lots of humorous touches and great lines, to include everybody quickly being brought into the Lucifer is Lucifer loop.

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by @spirantization

~31,000 words

A series, currently of three works. I haven’t yet had the opportunity to read the third piece, but the first two are a delight. Poor Chloe is trying desperately to keep up with her new reality, and failing woefully at every turn. Meanwhile, in the second story, Lucifer and Maze perpetrate some of the most hysterical sniping and snark at each other that I’ve ever read. And, of course, there’s M.V.P. Linda, a perennial presence in both stories, trying to referee this whole mess. I have so much love for this series!