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folkloreguk · 3 years

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💌🧸 Brother's Best Friend

A/N: Got this request a while ago and now I'm wondering why I've never written this trope before bc this was so fun??? Lmk how you liked it! x

genre: optional bias (m) x reader (f), smut, size/strength kink??, choking, dom!bias (it’s kinda playful tho), brother's best friend!au, sneaking around, play fighting, lowkey getting caught but not directly?

words: ~ 4.1 k

disclaimer: I don’t mean for the age gap to be gigantic…I’m talking about anything from 1-2 years maximum tbh!!! Anything else would be weird and I’m not about that! They’re also both obviously consenting adults!

[H/N means 'his (bias) name']

In youreyes, your first meeting had been a disaster. The new spider man movie had been released only days ago, and you were adamant on seeing it. And to your luck, your older brother and his best friend had already made plans to watch it together. As a little sister, you were treated like the baby of the family, and it didn’t matter that you were far from being an infant anymore. So naturally, your brother had been condemned by your parents to bring you along. He declared his distaste in your presence by attempting to ignore you, but you were used to that. Just like you were aware of his bad moods, you knew he could change within minutes and magically turn into the sweetest, most caring big brother you could wish for.

Whatever. You didn’t need his approval to enjoy the trip to the movie theater, you told yourself. Had it not been for his best friend, who you hadn’t seen in ages. H/N and you had never properly spoken before, and the last time you saw him he had been an awkward, prepubescent boy who had appeared at your door to pick up your brother for a playdate. There was no trace of immaturity now. Instead, it was you who had morphed into an awkward, shy mess at the sight of him.

His ‘hello’ had a warm and deep melody to it which swooped you up in his aura so suddenly, you had no time to prepare. Had his smile always been this stupidly charming? Hell, it was so bright, you had to meticulously inspect the ground every time he sent a grin your way. When before you hadn’t felt guilty for being a bother, you now sure did. What impression would you leave, trailing behind the older boys like a lost puppy? What would he take you for? The annoying little sister who didn’t have friends of her own? The mood-killer, who wouldn’t understand any of the boys’ inside jokes? The anti-social, weird girl who was obsessed with fictional men, like people loved to belittle teenage girls with normal interests?

As things turned out, his initial opinion of you was quite the opposite. If only you could have spied into his brain, it would have saved you a landslide of worry. Although your brother took up all of H/N’s attention before the movie started, he noticed you a good amount. To be precise, you blew him away at first sight. Your cute laugh won him over in a matter of seconds and he liked that your merch sweater could have been stolen straight out of his own closet. He didn’t want to feel too smug, but the way you diverted your eyes away from him whenever he looked in your direction only boosted his confidence further.

Your brother might have warned him. Stay away from her. She’s off limits for you. But not a thousand vicious, older brothers could have kept him from trying to get to you. It was up to you, after all, whether you wanted him around or not, and not to your brother. From that day on, H/N didn’t skip out on a chance to see you, even if it meant merely an exchange of a few words, or a simple greeting. And to his luck, you turned out to be equally as enraptured by him.

There was something about the untouchable, the forbidden, that attracted him to you even more. Plus, you were simply too precious to forget about. One morning, you dropped off a beanie at his place, which he had left at your house after meeting with your big brother the previous day. When he had asked if he could drive you to school as a thank you, you happily accepted. You had marked that day as the first day of your new life. First, it was harmless flirting. To be honest, you were under the impression he was merely messing with you. Because you were the cute little sister of his best friend. Because you would turn into an awkward shell of a person who had lost all ability to articulate, and your cheeks would burn as if they were on fire, whenever he charmed you.

But the flirting slowly reached newer levels, and before you knew it you were discussing your sexual fantasies over text messages and giving him bedroom eyes as you opened the front door for him. “H/N’s here!” you would then shout to your big brother. Then you would watch the two boys walk off to your brother’s room, pondering why life had to be this way for you. It wasn’t fair. Siblings were supposed to share, right? Why did you have to wait your turn until after midnight, when no one would notice, to spend time with H/N?

But to H/N, the sneaking around in the middle of the night and the secret messages you sent to each other, it all added to the excitement. Surely, there were days on which he wished he could just break the truth to your brother. The impact it could have on their friendship was enough intimidation for him to refrain, though. Things were better off this way, for now.

Today was no exception to your usual lies. When your brother asked if you would go out with him to do some shopping, you had played the victim and feigned a stomachache. Your parents wouldn’t be home all weekend. You’d have been stupid to waste a perfect opportunity like that. Who knew when you could have H/N in your bed the next time? Normally, you were restricted to his car, or to his bed in the dark of night. Yes, those places had something enticing at first glance. But the backseat of a car was only enjoyable for so many clandestine meetings. So today you notified him of your golden opportunity before your brother had even walked out the door.

The moment H/N texted you that he was outside your home, you opened the front door and dragged him to your room.

“Are you in control today, little one?” he asked, closing the bedroom door after you.

“Why are you asking that?” you replied, not wanting to talk at all but rather do so much more productive things.

“I don’t know…perhaps because you haven’t let me say a word since I came through the door,” he said.

“Right. Maybe I’m planning on tying you up, blindfolding you, and torturing you with ice and wax,” you joked in a casual tone, despite not usually requesting such graphic ideas.

“I don’t know if I’d let you do that,” he grinned with raised eyebrows. “Besides, I know you’d rather be at the receiving end of that. It’s a sweet idea, though. If we had some more time…”

“Think you could get away from me if I tied you up?” you said, but he was towering over you with the calmness of a king who knew he reigned over the situation.

“We both know I’m stronger than you, doll,” he said. You didn’t like it when boys called you weak. But you’d let it slide, knowing he was only joking and would never underestimate you outside of the bedroom. He put his lips right up to yours, so you felt his breath on them. His fingers came up to cup your face, but then slowly inched to your neck. When they closed around your neck, putting the slightest amount of pressure on your skin, you whimpered quietly.

“Need reminding?” he asked. As much pent-up frustration you had, and as much as your stomach was flipping upside down from how badly you needed him, you just had to play with him. You knew it would make for more fun.

“I think- “ you started, with a grin. Then you grabbed him by the front of his shirt and pushed him backwards, until he was stumbling. Although caught off guard, he was quick to pull you along with him as he fell onto your bed. You landed on top of him with a small squeal.

“Go on, let’s see who can throw the other off the bed first,” he teased with a superiority that only spurred you on. Then again, you would always be in the mood for the oldest childhood game you had ever known. Only now it wasn’t your brother, but his best friend you were playing against. It added a layer of excitement, and after only seconds, giggles had overtaken you as you struggled in his grip.

“No tickling is allowed,” you said. He nodded obediently with a smirk that told you he might not abide by your rules.

At first, you had attempted to hold him down by his arms. But your legs tangled, and he pushed his chest up against yours, like he was about to flip you over. Your plan seemed to be working only momentarily. You groaned a little as he grabbed your wrists swiftly and held his stance against your attempt to pull his upper body to the side.

“Cute,” he said. That’s when you realized, he was barely struggling, barely trying, even. While you were giving your most, he smirked like he was watching a kitten trying to fight a lion. It was child’s play to him, keeping you in check. Literally. With an annoying expression of amusement on his face, he let you have the upper hand for a while. Then, as if you had never had an ounce of advantage, he turned it around and pulled you into him. His eyes suggested he might just send you tumbling down onto the floor any moment now. Nonetheless, you weren’t going to give up so easily. Taking your chances, you let go of his arms and moved sideways, so you could have your go at pushing him towards the edge of the mattress.

“I don’t think so,” he said. Suddenly, he bear-hugged your body and rolled you both over. Before you could protest or defend yourself, your arm was dangling off the side of your bed and if you had moved a tiny bit further, you would have slid off the bedsheets and right onto your carpet. It was his turn to straddle you now. As if his actions hadn’t been enough declarations of his strength, he pinned your wrists to the bed above your head and gave you a challenging smirk.

“I was going to let you win, doll. But you weren’t trying hard enough,” he said. “What are you going to do about it?”

What were you going to do? He had you completely immobilized. “Just let it go, then. We get it, you’re super strong and super big and the coolest,” you said.

He seemed to take an instant liking to your declaration. “Say it again. This time minus the eye-rolling, sugar.”

“You’re stronger than me,” you said, trying to avoid the laughter that was threatening to come out. Could he read in your gaze how badly you wanted him to kiss you already? If he could, he wasn’t acting on it. Instead, he bent to the crook of your neck and spoke.

“Does it turn you on that I can overpower you?” his breath fanned your ear and you had to close your eyes to control yourself.

“Yes. Because I trust you,” you answered truthfully. The corner of his lips curled into a cocky grin.

“You know what? I think I’d rather you stay in bed with me instead of throwing you on the floor. There’s so many things we can do up here, isn’t that right, little one?” His lips brushed over your cheek and then over your lips as he spoke. The nickname had always made you weak in the knees and he knew it. When he finally enveloped your lips in a kiss, you swore you could feel an electric spark jump between the two of you. The mellowness of it turned into hunger rapidly, and as soon as his tongue flicked over your bottom lip, you whimpered like you hadn’t seen him in a year.

“Needy, are we?” he asked, running his hand up your sides and underneath your shirt. He could say that again. “Let’s get these off, then.”

The seconds in which you pulled off your clothes and couldn’t hang on his lips and feel his skin on your body should have been considered a form of torture in itself. Then, time always went by so much slower than usually.

When you had both shed off your clothes, he climbed back on top of you. Instead of straddling your hips he was now resting between your legs. There was nothing separating you from him, and it was apparent not only through the body heat that radiated off him. He reached down and whilst peppering kisses on your chest, slid his fingers through your slick arousal that was pooling in your core.

“You’re so wet,” he said in surprise, but couldn’t hide his approval and self-confidence in his voice.

“I know,” you said, rolling your eyes but simultaneously fighting the urge to moan at the smallest of touches he was teasing your with. “I’m so horny. Can’t we skip foreplay?”

“Poor doll,” he said. “I should’ve come over earlier, huh?”

“You know that wasn’t possible,” you said. With a desperate look, you pleaded him silently.

“I wanna taste you,” he said, but your put your hand on his cheek softly.

“Maybe later?” you said. “Please, I need to have you inside of me. Now.”

“You’re extra cute when you’re this needy,” he smiled. “Are there still condoms in your nightstand?”

You nodded and had never moved so fast to open a drawer in your life. Pretending to have any patience left, you waited for him to roll on the rubber.

“I love the way you look at me,” he said. “When you’re waiting for me. Could watch you for hours.”

“God, I hope you won’t. Come here, please?” you replied, making him chuckle. He lined himself up with your core, but then made no inclination to move ahead. His dark eyes and little head tilt told you everything.

“Don’t mess with me anymore,” you whined, reaching for the back of his neck to pull him closer. “Do it. H/N.”

“Beg for it.” His words twisted something in the pit of your stomach. Although you were burning with hunger, you could never say no to him. Then again, you were curious to see what would happen if you did.

“What if I don’t? Don’t you want to fuck me as much as I want it?” you challenged him. Something glinted in his eyes, and you knew you shouldn’t have even brought it up.

“I can always do this,” he said, and you followed his eyes down his body and to where he had wrapped his hand around his cock. Slowly, he jerked himself off, and you weren’t sure he was biting his lip because of the feeling or to discompose you. His small sigh should’ve been caused by you. This wasn’t what you had wanted. His tip was right by your slit. He could’ve pushed his length in so easily, and yet he wasn’t. Debating what to say, you kept your eyes trained on his hard member that looked so delicious in his hands. His deep groans rang in your ears. It didn’t take long for you to cave.

“Fuck. That should be me around you,” you said. “That should be my pussy you’re fucking and not your hands. Please.”

“Isn’t that right?” he said.

“Yes. Please, fuck me. I would feel so much better than your hands, and you know it. Please,” you whined. “I need you right now H/N. Please.”

You added another ‘please’ – for good measure – because the way his tongue darted out and licked his smirking lips could make you say anything if it would get him to fuck you.

“It’s okay, I’ll take care of you,” he said. “Think you can take me?”

“Yes, yes-, I can! Please, fuck me,” you said in a waterfall of words, and he chuckled handsomely.

“Good girl,” he said, running a gentle hand over your head. “If it’s too much you let me know.”

“As always.”

The tip of his cock gently pushed into your core, making you hold your breath as he entered you slowly. It caused you to feel every inch with every second. Your brain felt fuzzy, and you sighed gratefully at the relief.

“Fuck, you’re so perfect,” he moaned. The carefulness in his thrusts paired with his moon eyes at you only remained that way for a few seconds. Then, he straightened up and grabbed your hips to drag you in closer. You moaned helplessly when he almost pulled out completely, so slowly it almost made you crazy, only to slam his length into you until his tip brushed against the deepest spot inside of you. It was an action he repeated over and over, until you were reduced to a puddle of desperate whimpers, and you clasped the bedsheets in your hands tightly.

“You like it this way, little one?” he asked. He was apparently finding enjoyment in your reaction. How you could barely keep your eyes open, and when you did, your eyeballs threatened to roll to the back of your head. How your fingers clenched around the closest plushie, and you cradled it against your chest in bliss.

“Yes- fuck,” you said. “Feels so good.”

Of course, right as you said this, he had to change things up. His thrusts turned lazy and messy as he leaned backwards slightly. With an equally lazy demeanor, his thumb flicked over your clit, rubbing circles on it.

“Let me hear you. Say my name,” he said, and you quietly moaned his name. You adored the way it sounded, voiced like this, with barely more than a breath underneath your soft tone. Now and then, his cock slipped out of you, making you clench around nothing and furthermore had you going completely out of your mind. When he would push himself into your opening again, it felt as if it was the first time he was entering you today. Except you felt it repeatedly, each time as incredible as the previous. Your mouth hung open, rendered speechless except for the little moans and whimpers sounding from your throat. There was a familiar knot beginning to form in your stomach, tying firmer with each passing minute.

As if he could read your mind, he decided then he was done with his sweet torture of teasing you to an orgasm. You couldn’t be mad at him, though, because what he had planned was just as perfect, if not better. His hands wandered to their original place on your sides, and he began to snap his hips into yours at a faster pace. A small cry of surprise left your lips, while he only smirked at you through heavy-lidded eyes. Impulsively, you lifted your legs a little, intensifying the feeling of his member roughly dragging through your velvet walls.

“H/N, I’m so close,” you whimpered.

“Me too,” he replied, not slowing down for a second.

His broad frame towering over your body was a sight you would never get enough of and his gazes at you were hot enough that they could have stopped your heart in its tracks. A few strands of hair stuck to his forehead and there was a thin sheet of sweat on his neck. It all just made him more breathtaking to you. The slight pain from his nails digging into the skin on your waist was staggering, and you could barely wait to see the masterpiece of marks he would leave tonight.

You were a moaning mess, flying on cloud nine and simultaneously overwhelmed by his treatment of you. It clouded your mind at took over your whole body like you were made for him to fuck you. His length filled up your tight hole and he did it with such force that your whole body rocked into your mattress in a steady, fast-paced rhythm. He let go of your waist then and supported himself on his arm by the side of your head. When his other hand went to your neck you shuddered in anticipation.

“You should see yourself with my hand around your throat,” he said. “So pretty, little one.”

“We can do it in front of a mirror sometime- ,” you suggested, but were cut off at the end of the sentence as his fingers tightened on your neck. Instantly, the effect of it hit you. The lack of oxygen made your head swim in a sea of pleasure and the unrelenting desire to come. Through fluttering eyelids, you peeked up at him. The way he licked his lips and then clenched his jaw, the gorgeous shape of his collarbones and shoulders – you sometimes wondered if he was even real. Every so often he loosened his grip on you. When he did, you took gulps of air and then instantly whined for him to choke you again.

“Let go for me,” he said. “Show me your pretty face when I make you come. I’m fucking you well, aren’t I?”

You nodded as well as you could when he was gripping your throat and you couldn’t breathe properly at the moment. It didn’t matter you couldn’t talk. He was probably not expecting you to answer, either way. In a pleasure-induced trance, you closed your eyes and let it happen, like he had asked it from you. Your hazy consciousness barely registered that he was reaching his high with you. Too overcome were you, with your thighs trembling uncontrollably and your back arching off the mattress. He had let go of your neck and was riding out his own orgasm with sloppy thrusts that only sent you into another frenzy and had you whimpering his name softly. When he had finished too, he slowed down and pulled you into a gentle kiss, rubbing his nose against yours sweetly.

“That was amazing,” he said, and with a blissful hum you nodded. Your lips changed into a pout when he rolled off you and got up. You were tired of sending him back home so quickly. As he discarded the condom in the bin, you put on your most enchanting eyes, so he would have no other choice.

“Stay a little longer, please,” you asked. You knew he wanted to, as well. So although he was aware that your brother could return at any moment, he tumbled back into bed with you.

“Just for a little while,” he said. “Mhm…you’re so perfect to cuddle, baby.” His embrace was warm and his scent comforting, as he hummed a lovely melody. The soft touch of his fingers running through your hair lulled you right into a light sleep. You were awoken rather abruptly, and with half a heart attack.

“Hey Y/N, have you seen my charger- “ your brother’s voice suddenly broke through the silence and you wondered if you would have to pack up and leave the country after this sort of embarrassment.

“It’s not what it looks like,” you said, knowing well enough it was the dumbest thing you could have said. But who could blame you? You had only woken up two seconds ago.

“Really?” your brother asked. “Because I hear H/N sneak into our house so often lately, I’m starting to wonder if his parents threw him out.”

His tone was surprisingly calm.

“I’m sorry. I should’ve told you,” H/N said to your brother. “I thought you’d hate me and that we’d be over as friends.”

“I know I told you once to leave Y/N alone. But now…I guess it’s cool. She’s been in a great mood lately, and if that’s thanks to you, I think I can approve of you two. Although I’m not looking forward to being a third wheel, I think I can get used to it if I try hard enough,” your brother said. You couldn’t believe your ears, and involuntarily smiled like a fool. No more hiding. No more secrets.

“I stole your charger. I’m sorry,” you said then, making your brother roll his eyes. “It’s by the sofa in the living room.”

“Great. I needed a reason to leave anyway,” your brother said. “I might approve of you, but this situation is still too awkward. I’ll see you tomorrow, then, H/N?”

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” the boy in your bed said.

“You’ll see me too!” you added as a joke, as your brother already walked away from the door.

“Unfortunately I will!” your brother shouted, with the unnerving tone only a big brother could possibly muster.

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mrpenguinpants · 3 years

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Andrius, Venti, and Dvalin: General HCs [+ unhinged Venti]

Oh no, not strange at all! I love seeing the art people have done on human Dvalin and Andrius. I’m not entirely sure if you wanted a Venti x Dvalin x Andrius pairing but I’m going to assume so. But just in case, I added a few points of all 4 of your hanging out. How my desk is positioned with my window, the sun is shining directly into my eyes so I have to type in this weird position unless I want my eyeballs to melt.

Also, if any of this is wrong just look away. This took forever because holy crap there is so much lore on these 3. Not sure what exactly you had in mind so I made some general/friendship HCs

Alright, today’s appreciations post is for maagdalen. Super lovely person with some lovely emotes. Oh and your english is really good btw^^ and ty for chatting with me 💕💕💕

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[taglist] <- if you want to be added, please read this first.

@hanniejji @mikeysbike @unionwitch @musekala @twistedsunnshiii @stanzastic @akaasea @xoneaboveallx @adoring-ghost @asheseiler @childelover @dilucsz

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Andrius, Venti, and Dvalin: General HCs

Andrius

Andrius, also known as Lupus Boreas, was tasked with protecting the nation of Mondstadt under the request of Barbatos. He had a noble soul and mainly stays in the area of Wolvendom. He was strict, to the point, and never really partakes in whatever “foolish” activities Venti or Dvain get themselves into. But it’s all just a front because as soon as one of them get’s hurt or is in danger, his fangs and teeth are out. Even if it’s a cute hydro slime. Then he’ll take them by the scruff of their neck back to Wolvendom to get their wounds checked. On Venti it works, but with Dvalin’s dragon form. It’s amusing to see a pouting dragon getting dragged off by a wolf that wasn’t even double his size.

Not many Mondstadt citizen’s know but Andrius isn’t actually a wolf. He chooses to take the form of a wolf and should any of the wolves in Wolvendom be threaten, that’s the form he will appear in. But in truth, it was because Venti suggested it. If he was going to stay in Wolvendom and protect wolves then it made sense that his form would be the big bad wolf. Really Andrius just believes that Venti has a secret vendetta against cats and Andrius wouldn’t talk to Venti if he suggested that he take the form a dog.

There is a bit of discourse between Andrius and Venti due to Venti’s human-like appearance since Andrius views human society as a disappointment. Only accepting abandoned infants that have no where to go. But he does respect Barbatos and helped in his efforts to rebuild Mondstadt and protect it as one of the Four Winds.

While he doesn’t completely enjoy Venti’s extravagant personality he’s glad that Barbatos adopted the name and is living his life in freedom. Despite being the anemo archon, he chooses to live as Venti. Having fun in taverns and doing what he loves.

Venti

Venti always brings stories and sings for the two whenever he decides that it’s been too long since he’s seen his friends. He usually brings a bottle of wine even if he’s the only one that ever drinks - which is probably why he brings wine - which leads to Andrius scolding Venti to try and act civilized when he gets drunk and saying “No Dvalin, you cannot have some. The last time we let you drink you cried so much that Springvale still has a waterfall.”

It’s amusing to hear that after the war, the biggest problem Venti has right now is getting constantly ID checked. Dvalin takes this quite literally, since he still isn’t fully aware of taverns rules and regulations, that it takes both Venti and Andrius to hold him down before another Stormterror incident happens.

Venti has always been bold, never afraid to say anything, which was a trait that Dvalin and Andrius liked about the anemo archon. It was what made him the archon of freedom but sometimes Venti is a bit too bold and pretends to play fetch with Andrius wolf form. He is not amused. When he tries it with Dvalin, Dvalin will participate but he get’s confused and ends up just sitting beside Venti when the archon throws the stick. Which causes Venti to make a walk of shame to get the stick back.

When Venti acts as the Wind Archon it’s always a bit of whiplash when he talks in his philosophical state that it reminds Dvalin and Andrius that despite his childlike appearance and attitude, he was still the anemo archon. But it get quickly covered up when he says it’s time to switch back to Venti time.

It’s hard for them all to meet up in the present day. Dvalin stays in his domain while Andrius stays in Wolvendorm, all alone in their own domain. Venti prefers lively places than those quiet and solitude areas so he’s either in the City of Freedom or under the Windrise tree. But on occasions where he feels lonely he’ll swing by Dvalin’s lair and use the winds to carry their conversation to Andrius. Just so he isn’t left out.

If anyone asks where the ballads that Venti sings that are about a strict wolf and a nervous dragon, he’ll just say it was a passing tune he made up.

Dvalin

Dvalin, same as Andrius, lost his faith in humanity and the city of Mondstadt. He was released as his role as one of the four winds but continued to remain in Mondstadt. Similarly to Andrius he is distrustful around humans after being betrayed by them, chose to avoids human contact but he tries to adopt a more friendly side when Venti visits him.

Dvalin cares about Venti more and isn’t as standoffish in showing that he appreciates Venti compared to Andrius. Venti explained to him and showed him what freedom truly was he felt connected with someone for the first time. He did want to be understood and loved by the humans for who he was and what he wanted to protect. But that’s still a long road ahead.

He’s a curious but clumsy dragon. He’s pure of heart and steadfast in his goals which Venti is full-heartily cheering him on while Andrius disagrees but allows Dvalin to continue on this own path. Even if Andrius is on the other side of Mondstadt, he still tries to keep an eye out for Dvalin should the Abyss Order ever try and take his friend under their control.

However, due to how almost naïve the dragon is, he get’s into rather...interesting situations. While Andrius groans and Venti loses his absolute shit when Dvalin, still in his dragon form, lands and tries to observe the wolves. He only hides behind a thin tree that barely covers even 2% of his entire body and ends up scaring the wolves who run back to Andrius for safety. It takes a lot of consoling from Venti that the wolves didn’t like him, they were just scared and perhaps he should adopt a smaller form?

He’s still a bit sick from the aftermath of the Abyss Order and the poison of Durin so he can’t travel as far as he would like so Venti keeps him company. Telling him what the citizens of Mondstadt have been up to and playing music with his lyre.

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I love writing Venti, he’s so much fun. :) I say this but I live for Venti who hides behind this happy persona but is actually unhinged or deluded. I have many thoughts on this but I didn’t want to break the pace of the fic (plus this is getting pretty long anyways). So feel free to skip the rest of this if that makes you uncomfortable. I’m just spit balling right now.

But nervous and shy dragon Dvalin plus mother hen Andrius is canon. You cannot convince me otherwise.

This week has just turned into “what will we awaken today?” In other news, Lisa and Diluc. But it might be a bit late since this took some time to finish. In extra news, solo leveling just updated. Oh and jjk is (hopefully) getting a new episode tmr^^

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Barbatos

Andrius and Dvalin trust Venti to fulfill his archon duties should anything ever happen to Mondstadt. The same way Venti trusts the Four Winds will protect Mondstadt should anything dangerous arise. With the carefree nature of Venti making a sudden appearance after Barbatos’s year long nap, they both got a bit too comfortable with this happy-go-lucky version of their archon.

That is until Venti brings a fourth person into their trio. Someone who knew how to play the lyre and wished to fly and see the birds. Andrius and Dvalin share a quick look of anxious tension and it’s confirmed when Venti makes a small slip of the tongue and calls you by a certain boy’s name. They aren’t sure what to do or if Venti was starting to regress back into Barbatos and what that could mean for this innocent traveler.

“Barbatos defeated the previous ruler and left the city to rest because he didn’t want to become the same tyrant. But an archon is still an archon with responsibilities. Those responsibilities can be warped to the point that they believe they are helping and guiding their followers, but are actually trapping them in their cage. He is an archon that believes in freedom so his cage is just a bit bigger. Big enough that you can’t see the walls. Be careful traveler.”

Venti goes to greet you the next day you see him but his words seem to fade away when he approach's you. He asks if you’ve been talking to Andrius lately. You nod and ask how he knows. He says that you just spell like wolfhooks and that you shouldn’t worry about anything.

The next day Andrius apologizes to you about his words and that he was mistaken. There was nothing to worry about and to trust Venti. You can see Dvalin a bit off to the side looking away nervously and a bit guilty.

Venti always makes sure that Andrius and Dvalin keep an eye on you, especially Dvalin when you’re in stormterror land. It was a pretty dangerous landscape to trek through. As for Andrius, he doesn’t want you to get hurt during your weekly practice fights. It wouldn’t do you any good if you got hurt and couldn’t explore this vast world with him.

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thechangeling · 2 years

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For the Director’s cut edition ask, I’d love to hear about ‘Power’ and/or ‘You have found two’.

Hi!!

In my defense you asked for this.

Ok so Power is kind of like when cats push things off the coffee table just because they can and their bored. And sometimes it's a breakable glass but they do not give a fuck because they're having fun. Well that's kind of what Ty's relationship with sex is like in this fic.

He's basically playing around with something that he has been warned against either directly or indirectly. The ways people infantalize autistics aren't always super obvious. If people make you feel guilty and bad and dirty everytime you ask questions or bring up certain things related to sex then eventually you internalize that. Also people in this society have a tendency to create a culture of shame around sex in general. So a lot of parents see it as they are protecting their disabled child from the bad dangerous dirty thing that will inevitably change them in some way. And these attitudes are very gendered and misogynistic but also queerphobic.

I find it interesting how so much sexism can easily effect queer men as well and I definitely apply that to Ty in my writing. People act like sex with men, or more accurately sex with a dick damages you or dirties you in some way which is so unbelievably fucked up. My parents have this very weird way about praising me for being a lesbian where my step dad in particular talks about how glad he is that I'm not dating men because it means I'm not having sex with men which.... why???? Why would that bother you so much? I mean it's never gonna happen but still??? It's weird. And what happens if I date a trans woman who hasn't had bottom surgery? Basically the point is everyone needs to stop caring so much about dicks.

I also think it's interesting the framing of "fucking someone" versus "letting someone fuck you", like someone is framed as the person doing an action to someone else and the other person is framed as letting it be done to them. It's weird and unfair.

But anyways moving on. Ty, being disabled and queer faces a unique type of oppression where he is shamed on more then one account for having sexual desires. I find that being disabled almost strips you of your gender in the eyes of society which is super interesting because it leads to a lot of disabled people thinking about their genders in different ways and maybe not necessarily identifying with traditional gender roles.

I find that a lot of autistic people view gender differently then allistic people because we don't really see the point of the social rules of gender. Because gender is a social construct and we don't "get" social rules so we don't get gender. But honestly does anyone really???? And being queer just makes everything more interesting on the gender front. So people in society will seek to rob you of your gender for being gay/lesbian the same way they will for being autistic.

I really do believe that some of us are just naturally nonbinary but I also think that some people just feel so divorced from gender now due to our experiences.

Getting back on track. Autistic people have a wide range of sexualities and sexual experiences. I just pulled from certain specific ones to create Ty's. I was inspired by hearing a few autistics discuss autism and hypersexuality. Hypersexuality in the sense not referring to the trauma response just extreme sexual thoughts and intense and content sexual desire. I personally flip back and forth between hypersexual and having zero sexual desire or interest. Autism just changes so much of how you experience things, including sex and sexual desire.

A lot of autistic people grow up feeling like they wanna talk about sex and ask questions about it from a very young age but people get weirded out and shut you down or make fun of you. I think it's a social rules thing where we just don't care about the societal taboo surrounding sex. And you can't make me care. Why can't I ask people how to orgasm more the once consecutively at the breakfast table??? Why is that not "appropriate?" It's stupid!

Anyways so in Power Ty basically says fuck all of that and does what he wants because who cares. His approach to sex is very experimental like "what happens if I do this" but it's also about power and control. Autistic people often feel like we're powerless due to the way society treats us. So he uses sex and kink as a way to assert dominance over those who would oppress him and he gets off on it.

"He enjoyed the thrill of pushing someone to their limit, there was something almost poetic about the way he could make the most suave and collected person come completely undone. He loved tying them up, making them beg for it. Especially men. Ty honestly had no idea why. Maybe it was because so many guys thought they were so superior to someone like him."

Is this entirely healthy? Mehhhh?? Idk? I'm not an expert. But what I do know is that I hate it when allistic people, mainly doctors and researchers stick their noses in our business and make the way we naturally do things sound like a problem. There are so many articles written about the sexual "dysfunctions" of those with "high functioning" autism 🤮🤮 manly boys. Because of course.

It's always presented as this fake ass concern with barely concealed judgement and superiority. And it comes with queerphobia and kink shaming. Because society doesnt like people stepping out of the norm.

"But just like most things in life, Ty was undeterred. Nobody could ever tell him what to do. If he wanted to kiss and fuck boys and girls and everyone and anyone in between, if he wanted to defy these nonsensical and imaginary rules put in place by a world that was seeking his destruction. Then he damn well would."

It's partly about rebellion against authority as well as seeking his own pleasure. Like that damn cat knocking glasses off the coffee table.

Ty's a threat and a promise wrapped in devastating beauty and ecstacy. He won't necessarily break your glasses.

But he'll break you.

Thank you so much for reading!

#asks #mutuals!#directors commentary #Power #autistic character #cw sex mention #cw kink mention

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toriwakes · 4 years

Text

Chrysanthemums [Draco Malfoy x Potter!Reader]

summary: you’ve lived in america for the past 15 years of your life. then, everything changed with one letter.

content warnings: very light cursing. some angst (?)

a/n: omg hi!! officially my second request, im so excited to share!! i know it’s SUUUUPER long but bars with me? i’m so proud of it and i’d actually love to do a mini series w this so lmk what u all think! ty for the request @peneflop !

everyone in america knew about harry potter. even though voldemort was a criminal in another country, americans felt just as worried. when the news got out, everyone was all over you. ‘(y/n) potter! are you related to him?’ you didn’t know the answer. but it was most likely not, right?

you sat next to your best friends, wishing them a good morning. “want to go pick up the mail?” lena asked. you nodded. the three of you walked down the halls, giggling and gossiping. “what’re you doing for halloween, (y/n)?” gina asked. you shrugged. “dunno. probably nothing. why?” she let out a dramatic gasp. “you’ve gotta come to this party! please don’t miss it, it’s gonna be amazing!” you laughed at her and turned the corner, entering the mail room. “i’ll think about it.” she made a face and you all separated to open your mail boxes. you flipped through your letters- nothing special. then something caught your eye. a parchment envelope with a burgundy wax seal. “guys?” your two friends rushed over. “what?” the said in unison. with a shaky hand, you lifted up the letter. “holy.” “shit.”

it was settled. you were moving to london and going to hogwarts. you were not keen on the idea at all, but the albus dumbledore demanded you be there. no witch could just say no. right now you were at the station, watching as hundreds of witches and wizards staggered around. “why’d you have to go before halloween?” gina sighed. you pouted. “i’ll write to you both once a week. i’ll tell you everything.” “yeah, you better!” lena teased. then you were met with anna. anna was your care taker. she wasn’t related to you but she cared for you since you didn’t have any connections to your family. you were told that your parents died in a car crash and they were both only children, so you had no aunts or uncles. poor circumstances, but that was your life. “i’m gonna miss you.” you said it quickly, afraid you may cry if you spoke too slow. “i’ll miss you too.” she was already crying. “now go, everyones already on.” you hugged them and waved goodbye before boarding the train.

you didn’t know anyone here. you shuffled to the back of the train and tried not to make yourself stand out too much. you walked back as far as you could and found yourself in a dark section of the train with empty booths. you smiled and sat down, pulling out your book that you brought along. you were daydreaming of lena and gina when you heard footsteps. when you shifted your gaze to the doorway, you jaw almost dropped. a tall (yet skinny) pale boy stood there. he along with two beefy men didn’t pay any mind to you. you hoped they wouldn’t notice you, but you were the only one there, it was unlikely they wouldn’t. they actually all got situated and you thought you were in the clear- until someone else came in. “i saw the saint on the way in. almost puked.” a brunette girl in all black clothes joked. they all laughed. “how was everyone’s- oh?” she saw you. the three boys looked at you, eyebrows furrowed. “hello, i’ve never seen you.” she spoke softly and say in front of you. “yeah. i’m new, it’s nice to meet you.” you stuck out your hand for a handshake. “american? that’s cute. i’m pansy.” she took your hand and you smiled. “pansy, that’s a pretty name. like the flower?” she didn’t say anything. you cleared your throat awkwardly. “i’m (y/n).” she smiled as a response. “would you three stop being so rude? introduce yourselves!” she was referring to the three boys. the blonde one stood up first. “malfoy.” he said curtly. you gave him a friendly smile. he didn’t return it. “goyle. that’s crabbe. he doesn’t talk much.” crabbe gave you a smile that you gladly returned. “come sit with us.”

for the next hour or so you bonded with your three new friends. pansy did most of the talking, goyle occasionally dropping in. draco didn’t speak too much but you could tell he was listening. every time he did, however, your ears got hot and you felt warm. he was very cute, but you didn’t know him like that. “the trolly is passing. (y/n), if i gave you some galleons would you get us some snacks? anything is fine.” you nodded, but were mildly confused. what the fuck are galleons? “pansy, she’s american. she doesn’t know what galleons are.” draco said. “oh- that’s right. go with her then.” pansy suggested. you took the gold coins from pansy and stood, draco following you. “hello! anything from the trolly?” the kind old woman asked. you picked out the thinks that look the nicest, draco talking the coins from your hand and giving them to the woman. you ignored the race in your heart when his hand touched yours. “did you get that?” he asked. you nodded. “you don’t speak too much, do you.” it wasn’t really a question. as you were about to answer, you made eye contact with a boy with very round glasses. could it be harry? draco noticed this and ushered you forward. “don’t talk to him.” just wait till they found out about your last name...

the students piled into the great hall, which was huge and rather beautiful. gather headmaster, who you recognized as professor dumbledore rose and spoke a few words. then, he made eye contact with you. “let the sorting ceremony begin!” you shuffled in with all the first years feeling awkward. the upper class man gave you strange looks- they must’ve thought you were daft. finally, you heard your name. “(y/n) potter?” you heard gasps in every direction. you stepped forward and sat on the stool. then, you felt the hat on your head. your hands were sweating.“another potter, eh? same qualities as the first yes... but where to put you?” everyone seemed to be on the edge of their seats. the 7 minutes that had passed felt like 10 hours. then, you heard a small voice in your head. this voice wasn’t yours. “what’ll it be then? gryffinor or slytherin?’ you blinked. ‘just put me where you think i’ll exceed.’ you don’t know how, but you felt the sorting hat smirk. “SLYTHERIN!” the hat boomed. a mixture of gasps and cheers erupted. the witch who sorted you pointed to the direction of the house decorated in green and silver- you beamed when you saw pansy. you sat next to her and she embraced you into a hug. “bloody hell, you didn’t tell me you were a potter! you don’t remember anything from that night, do you?” draco didn’t say anything. “what do you mean?” you asked. now they all just looked at you weird. “do you actually not know what happened?” draco asked. you shook your head. “(y/n)...almost a decade ago, voldemort killed your parents. you and harry survived, you’re the only two that have ever lived after getting hit with the killing curse.” hearing all of this was almost too much to handle. so you did have a family? it wasn’t a car crash? your brother is the chosen one? “how? how did no one know?” pansy looked at you with pity. “you two were separated as infants. no one knew what you looked like. besides, for some reason you don’t have the scar like he does.” pansy said while moving your hair out of your face. scar? like the one on your chest? you didn’t mention it, but you wondered if that was what she meant. “we’ll treat you all the same. don’t you fret.” pansy smiled. “thank merlin she’s not a gryffindor though.” goyle commented. everyone laughed. “what’s wrong with the gryffindors?” draco eyed the table behind you. “they’re a bunch of snobs. think they’re so much better than everyone because they’ve got potter on their side, well guess what? now so do we.” you hummed and turned around. harry was gazing at you already.

that night you found a tie, a sweater, some slytherin robes and a little slytherin flag in your dorm. if harry was a gryffinor, shouldn’t you also be? you shook your head from the thought- you’re done second guessing yourself. to take your mind off it, you pulled out your stationary and began to write to your best friends back in america. boy did you have some things to share...

officially 3 weeeks till halloween. your friends were sending you letter about how excited they were, but you were bummed. you didn’t tell them that your parents died on halloween, you knew it would kill the fun for them. you smiled at the letter and the cute picture of them attached. you pinned it to the cork board- right next to the slytherin flag. you smiled to yourself and grabbed your school bag, existing the dorms and heading into the common rooms. your friends seemed to be waiting for you. “finally! i’m starved, let’s go.” pansy linked arms with you and led you out, hiding you to the great hall. the stares you used to revive everywhere faded. it was like you were always there. “what classes do you all have today?” you questioned, biting into your bagel. “astronomy, potions, transfiguration and defense. you?” draco asked. you and draco finally became formal friends. you owed it all to the many classes you shared together and pansy’s constant pestering. “the same. i just gave potions first.” everyone dove into conversation about their school schedule, followed by how much they hated it. you laughed every now and then but your mind was somewhere else. you had harry in a few classes today. you and him haven’t talked at hall, surprisingly. you were simply too intimidated to do so. “(y/n)!” goyle was calling you. “yeah?” “i said we better get going. if your first class is potions, you don’t want to be late.” you simply nodded and headed with your group to your classes. everyone broke off to their classes as you walked around the castle, but you noticed that draco stuck with you. “i thought you had astronomy?” you only asked once he was outside your classroom. “i do.” “then why are you here?” you never really noticed how much taller draco was than you. “i just wanted to make sure you got here safe. if that not what friends do?” you cocked a brow. “you never walk me to my classes. “bloody hell, im sorry i won’t do it again!” he said quickly. you chuckled. “that’s more like it.” at that, you entered class and he walked away. there was something about him...

“pay attention mrs.granger.” you felt like rolling your eyes at your professor. he was always finding a reason to kick on the gryffindors. however when snape saw nearly everyone was struggling, he huffed and raised his hands to gain the class’s attention. “alright. split into groups of two and finish the potion. do not pair with someone from your house.” everyone shuffled around- harry was looking at you. you acted first, picking up your books and moving to harry’s desk. “hi.” you said. “hello.” he responded. you two worked silently but used teamwork. you ready him instructions while he acted out. “wow, we’re doing way better than i thought we would’ve.” you gave him a curious look. “not that i didn’t think you’d do good, i meant-“ you cut him off by laughing. “you really are my brother aren’t you?” he went quiet. “about that.” you moved your head up to look at him. “i guess we should talk about it.” he nodded in agreement. snape approached your table. “since you two like to do a lot of chatting, we’ll test your potion. snape stuck a dropper in the potion and poured it onto a round item covered in warts. slowly but surely, the warts popped away. “perhaps you’re not as incompetent as i thought.” was all he said before leaving the cauldron and dismissing you both.

you and harry spent the rest of potions and a bit of lunch sitting outside, talking about life and everything you missed out on. “so when you were thirteen- you blew up our aunt?” harry laughed harder at the memory. “harry! there you are.” hermione and ron showed up behind him. “oh- hey guys. wanna sit?” hermione gave you an uncomfortable look. “i’d love to, but i need to speak to you alone harry.” just in cue, you heard your best friends voice. “(y/n)!” you turned around and saw pansy as well as draco. “it’s fine, i have to go anyway. see you later.” you hugged your brother and you both split off. “finally talked to him?” pansy questioned. “yeah. it felt good.” she smiled as a response and the three of you settled on hanging out near the lank for the remainder of lunch. you didn’t catch it, but draco smiled at your happiness.

one week till halloween. you were more upset than happy, but harry wasn’t too effected, but he’s known the truth for 4 years. you found out last month. since it was a weekend, the hogwarts students were roaming about, chatting about their plans for the big night. your friends apologized to you, explaining that they all had detention early morning with mcgonagall. well- all but one. draco walked up to you in the common room and sat beside you. over the past month you and draco became even closer than before. you found yourself having a lot of alone time with him, learning new things about the boy every time. the more you learned a the more interested you became, and before you knew it; you were slowly falling for draco malfoy.

“hey.” you chimed. “do you want to go for a walk?” he said after a minute of silence. you noticed he wasn’t making eye contact with you. you set down your book slowly. finally he looked at you, curious why you were taking so long to answer. “are you bloody deaf? i asked if you wanted to go for a walk.” you giggled while nodding. “yes-yes, i just love hearing how sassy you get. cmon.” you left first and you could hear draco mumbling something along the lines of ‘i’m not sassy...’ under his breath. you thought he was adorable.

the two of you ended up at the lake. it became a usual hangout spot for you and your friends. you did things like talk the day away, finish homework and especially practice magic here. there was a small patch of flowers in the grass- that’s how you identified your spot. as you and draco relaxed you flicked your wand, a flower now blooming in your hand. “..you love that spell.” he said, interrupting his last sentence. you looked at him, moving your body so that you were facing him. “guess i do.” you hummed softly, leaning forward to tuck the chrysanthemum behind his ear. he looked at you like you had three heads- was he not used to kind gestures? “that looks nice next to your hair.” you commented. his confused gaze stuck. you ignored it and continued swishing your wand, anxious that you may have done something wrong. just then, draco let out a sigh. “goddamnit.” he sounded defeated. “what’s wrong?” you asked. he finally looked at you normally, but this time he looked sad. “you. this is all your fault, you know that? i’m supposed to be this cold hearted, asshole type of guy. i wasn’t going to let myself get soft for some girl, especially an american.” you had no idea where he was going with this. the more he spoke, the more nervous you got. is he saying he doesn’t want to be friends? “but you’re so kind, and smart. you care so much about your friends and those you love. how could i not like you? and you being gorgeous is just a bonus...” you could not believe what you were hearing. was he admitting to having feelings for you? the silence scared him, so you spoke up. “are you saying what i think you’re saying?” he winced. “bloody hell, i’m saying i like you, you dimwit!” so you were right. “well..i like you too, draco?” he widened his eyes and tilted his head as if to say, ‘really?’ “yes, you dimwit.” you mocked. he chuckled and pulled out his wand. “hold out your hands and close your eyes.” you did as he asked, feeling something sprout in your palms. “open.” when you did, what appeared to be a flower crown (made up from chrysanthemums) rested in your hands. you gasped from joy, lifting it up so you could get a better look at it. “i love it.” you spoke. “(y/n)...would you ever consider being my girlfriend?” you felt time stop. draco really wanted you to be his girlfriend. “yes!” you said happily. he beamed back at you, looked at the flower-clad ground and smiling even brighter. “cool.” he chuckled. “cool.” you responded.

a few days later when you finally got the chance, you ran to your dorm to write to lena and gina. they were gonna flip! just as you planted the wax seal, you heard screaming coming from outside your door. there was pansy, bursting in and hugging you. “you’re dating draco?! oh my god!” she squealed. you laughed at the excitement. “yes! it’s amazing isn’t it?” you said. “yes! oh i’m so excited, my two best friends- dating!!!” pansy smiled greatly. “i’m going to the owlery, would you-“ “DRACO! take your girlfriend to the owlery!” you shook your head at pansy, bidding her goodbye and leaving with draco.

“who are you sending this to?” draco questioned as you attached the letter to the owls leg. “my friends back in america.” you stared as the owl flew away, farther and father, until it was out of sight. suddenly you felt a hand wrap around your waist- draco was looking at you with heart eyes. “what?” you laughed. “you’re just...really gorgeous.” you blushed hard. you didn’t even notice that you were staring at draco’s lips- and he was staring back. you both leaned in closer and one of his plate hands cupped your cheek. “can i kiss you?” he whispered so quietly you weren’t even sure you heard it. still, you nodded and he closed the gap. his lips were as soft as clouds, fitting like a missing puzzle piece with yours. you could’ve stayed like that forever; just you and him. but all good things must come to an end, right? “(y/n)?” the voice of your brother alarmed you, making you break away from draco. “potter.” draco spat. “get away from her!” harry ran to pull you away from him, standing in front of you as if draco was going to hurt you. “harry what are you doing?” you whined, moving him out of the way so now you were in between the boys. the way the two boys looked at each other- you knew there was some history you haven’t discovered. “protecting you? you don’t know what he could’ve brought you up here for!” draco looked at you; he was extremely annoyed. “harry, draco’s my boyfriend. i’m fine..” harry’s mouth hung open, eyes flickering from you to draco and back again. “potter, is there a problem?” draco asked in his usual sassy voice. “let’s see; you’re dating my sister, why would we have a problem malfoy?” shit.

harry stormed away out of rage. the walk back to the common rooms was silent. your head was too full to talk. you had just reconnected with harry, were you going to ruin it all just by being with draco? you really likes the blonde, but was he worth ruining your new founded family? “what are you thinking about?” he spoke finally. you snapped out of your gaze, shaking your head. “nothing.” “no, i know you’re thinking. you get all quiet when you think.” he knew you well, which made you feel a little better. “i think harry’s mad at me. i just met him and he already hates me.” draco cupped your cheeks, making you look at him. “listen to me- he does not hate you. you’re his sister, his only family. he couldn’t hate you.” you smiled in his hands. you told him you’d meet him back in the common room later. you had to find harry.

you walked around the castle for what felt like an hour, finally finding him in an empty classroom on the third floor. you entered silently. he was sitting on a desk with his back facing you. “hi.” you choked out. harry turned around and said nothing when he saw you. you took it upon yourself to sit next to him. “harry-“ “do you like him? like, actually like him?” you thought about it for a moment. you considered lying, maybe that’ll make him hate you less. but you knew he’d eventually find out and it’s only make things worse. “yeah. i do.” harry put his face in his hands. “not only are you a slytherin but you’re dating my sworn enemy.” he shook his head and laughed while saying it. “hey!” you said while playfully shoving him. the laughter died and you sat in sad silence again. “i don’t me being with draco to mess up our relationship.” harry but his lip in thought. “is there anything i could do to make it up to you?” you pleaded. an idea popped into your head. you pulled out your wand and swished it- a flower wreath following. “chrysanthemums?” harry asked, taking the wreath into his hands. you smiled. “yeah.” he put the wreath on his head as a joke, but it brushed some of his hair out of his forehead on the way. “i meant to ask you about the scar.” “what about it?” he said. you moves your shirt down, exposing the lightning bolt scar on your chest. “blimey.” he looked very shocked. “i don’t really know what this means.” you whispered. harry shook his head, implying he didn’t either. “are we alright then?” harry fidgeted with the wreath. it dawned upon him that no- he couldn’t stay mad at you. you’re the only family he has left. “i guess.”

over the next week you magras to patch things up with harry and draco well enough to celebrate halloween in peace. the feast was ravishing. you ate so many sweets that you couldn’t imagine having back in america. as per usual you sat with the slytherins- but something was telling you u that you should be with harry. so without a second though you turned to draco, “what do you think of eating with harry?” he almost spit out his pumpkin juice. “you brother hates me (y/n), you know that.” he knew you were going to get your way, but he was trying to convince you not to. your mind was made up. “he’ll have to deal with it.” let’s just say gryffindor wasn’t too fond of having slytherins at their table.

being draco’s girlfriend was a blessing. he showered you with gifts, affection, appreciation. you couldn’t ask for a better boyfriend. there was never a time where you doubted his feelings for you. now was one of them. you two were in his dorm, listening to the soft, low music coming from his record player. you were both just gazing at the ceiling while wrapped in each other’s arms. it’s not that you didn’t love lazy days with draco- you certainly did. you just really wanted to do something right now. “draco?” you finally said. “hmm?” you loved when he responded with a hum. you couldn’t explain why, but it made you go all fuzzy inside. “i wanna do something fun,” you flipped over so you were hovering above him now. he scrunched his brows. “like what?” you thought about it. what could two, 15 year olds do at one in the morning? “wanna sneak into the kitchens?” he burst out in laughter. you wanted to ask him what was so funny, but with a smile like that? you had to laugh with him. “alright- alright. let’s go.” so that’s how you two ended up there, pajamas and all. everything would’ve gone fine if draco would’ve just worn shoes. “bloody hell!” he screamed, dropping all the snacks. draco stubbed his toe on a nearby cart, and of course he had to be dramatic about it. “draco hush!-“ but it was too late. the lights turned on and the house elves caught you, immediately reporting to filch.

you never wished draco wasn’t such a diva more than right now. your saturday was being stolen by detention. even though you were with him, the detention was being watched by snape and you weren’t risking it again. you checked the clock; still two hours? god, you were gonna be here forever if something didn’t happen- “professor!” it was dolores umbridge, dressed in all pink, stumbling through the door. “yes, professor?” snape sneered. she straightened herself up and spoke in her high voice, “there are difficulties with some gryffindor student i could use some assistance with.” she said. “is there anyone else you can ask? i’m preoccupied at the moment..” she giggled. “yes, but i’m sure these students will listen to you.” umbridge looked at you and draco, obviously noticing the green color on your robes. “besides. i’m sure they’ve learned their lesson- haven’t you, children?” you both nodded frantically. “you’re dismissed.” you and draco shot up, not asking any questions and only daring to speak once they were both out of ear shot. “you’re an idiot, you know that?” you told him, playfully (but not really) shoving him to the side. he took your hand and put it in his, smirking to himself more than at you. “‘m your idiot.�� rolled your eyes at the blonde. he really was.

before you knew it, the school year was passing by. you and harry were going to america along with some other friends to visit your home. ron was a nervous reck on the plane, not understanding why muggles put themselves through this torture. finally the four of you landed, slowly but surely making it through security and such. that’s when you spotted your two best friends- from miles away, at that. you ran towards them at full speed, almost toppling then over when you embraced them. “i missed you so much!” lena shouted. “i missed you too! god i have so many stories- oh! i need to introduce you to some people!” you face palmed, completely forgetting about your guests. “this-“ you grabbed harry’s arm and shoved him in front of you. “-is harry.” your friends gave you the exact same look; ‘is he..?’ you nodded. “erm- pleasure to meet you. i’m her brother.” both their eyes went wide, and they both hopped on him. “anna is going to go crazy! two potters- wow! she’s already had enough with toria let me tell you-“ “gina!” you scolded. she just laughed. “ah yes, this is ron, he hated me when i first met him.” ron threw his arms up. “you’re a slytherin, what’d you expect?” you hit him in the head as a response. you also ignored how lena ogled ron. then, you felt your boyfriends long arm snake around your waste and press a chaste kiss to your head. “it’s not as bad as i thought it’d be here.” he commented. “and this my dear friends; is draco. my boyfriend.” draco smiled kindly and held out his hand. they both shook it. harry rolled his eyes in annoyance. then you saw her. “anna!” you’ve done a lot of screaming today, you noticed. harry showed up behind you, tapping you on the shoulder. “who’s that?”

harry almost cried when he found out he had a guardian. he had told you about sirius, but he sadly passed away. it’s like he was getting a second chance. anna took you all home in her van (ron getting even more nervous now). right now, all of you sat in anna’s back yard. “did you learn anything cool over there? new spells?” gina inquired. you smirked, pulling out your wand and preforming the spell you’ve mastered this school year.

“chrysanthemums?”

#draco malfoy imagine #draco fanfiction #draco imagine #draco lucius malfoy #draco malfoy #draco malfoy fanfiction #draco malfoy x y/n #draco malfoy x you #draco x reader #harry fanfic #harry potter au #harry potter imagine #draco malfoy smut #draco malfoy fluff #harry james potter #harry potter

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headcanonseverywhere · 2 years

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Shopping For Baby Clothes

Plot: Ava goes shopping for baby clothes with her aunt Damaris, Ella, Jasper’s mom Maria, and Jean

A short lil fic I started a while ago, and just now finished lol

Hope y'all like it c:

(pls lmk if any of ur ocs are ooc, ty <3)

Ava stood in the middle of the baby section at a local department store, and watching the endless rows of infant clothes made her feel excited and terrified all at once. The idea that she was suddenly going to be a mom had already sunk in for nearly four months now, but the uncertainty of it all still hadn’t left her mind.

Luckily she wasn’t alone, as her aunt Damaris made sure to accompany her during such a big moment in her life, but Jasper must have told his mom, Maria, because she insisted on also coming with her (“It’s my grandchild after all!” she had said), which then Ella tagged along as well, because she wanted to pick out the best clothes for her unborn baby cousin, and lastly Jean got word of it, and was quite upset at Ava that she wasn’t the first person she thought of bringing along, but was still very excited to join.

And there she was, surrounded by them talking over one another about which onesie was the cutest for her future baby, which was both funny and overwhelming.

“Listen, I’ve been through this before,” Maria told Damaris, who was holding a cute Stitch onesie. “And I’m telling you that’s no good!”

“But it’s so cute!” Damaris insisted, holding up the onesie to her face.

“It’s not warm enough,” Maria explained. “Plus, it’s gonna be such a hassle when it’s time to change the baby’s diaper, I can already tell!”

Damaris sucked her teeth as she placed the onesie back on the rack, when across from them Ella let out an ear-piercing squeal.

“Oh my goodness, look at this!”

She brandished a tiny tuxedo one-piece over the clothing rack, which was met with a chorus of “awws”.

“He’ll look like such a business man in that!” she added.

“Oh my goodness, that is adorable!” cried Jean, taking the little tux from Ella and showing it to Ava. “What do you think?”

“It’s cute.” she smiled, half-heartedly, but Jean took notice.

“Hey, is everything ok? Are you feeling alright?”

At that moment, everyone directed their attention towards Ava as they all rushed over to her, looking just as concerned as the next person, and asking one question after the other.

“I’m fine, I’m fine!” Ava chuckled, raising her hands up in defense. “Really, I am!”

Maria broke away from the rest, and placed her hand on Ava’s shoulder. The look in her eyes was of concern, but also with a twinge of experience, as though she was reliving her moments as a new mom, and with that look alone made Ava feel comforted, but also heightened her emotional imbalance.

Tears already began to swell in her eyes as Maria lightly squeezed her shoulder.

“Really, I’m fine,” Ava repeated, but the crack in her voice betrayed her. “I’m loving all of this—I guess I’m just…I don’t know, nervous?”

Maria simply nodded, and took a hold of her hands, while Ava was already beginning to sob.

“I just…everything feels like it’s happening so fast,” she explained. “And I can’t help but think, like—what if I’ll be a bad mom? What if I mess things up, or–or–”

Another sob left her lips, but Maria pulled her into a comforting hug, soothing her until she managed to catch her breath.

“I understand how you feel,” she said. “I felt the same way when I had Jasper, everything felt weird and confusing, I felt unsure of everything…

“But do know that it gets better,” she continued. “Especially when you have people that are there to support you, I don’t know where I’d be without the support of my family.”

Ava looked at Maria, who was bearing a warm smile, then turned to the others who all had the same expression, and for once since arriving at the department store, she felt at ease.

“You know we’re all here for you.” she added.

“Yeah.” Ava nodded, wiping the tears from her face.

And with another light squeeze from Maria, she escorted Ava back to the group, who continued to reassure Ava that they had her back. Soon, they all continued to browse through more baby clothes, and debate on which one was the cutest.

#ava torres #jean cordova #ella salvador #maria salvador #damaris torres #pjo ocs #my ocs #my fics #friends' ocs #no edits we post like men

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saiilorstars · 3 years

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Falling in Temptation

Previous chapters • Sequel to Stars Dance • Fairy Tale Memoirs (Companion story)

Ch. 29: A Pond, a Williams or a Reynolds?

Fandom: Doctor Who // Pairing: 11th Doctor x OFC

Chapter summary: Tying up loose ends means the time has come for River Song to give up her daughter so she'll grow up to become the one and only Avalon Reynolds...who will travel the stars...and ultimately (and inadvertently) lead to her own mother's creation. And, to the Doctor’s misfortune, it’s his task to see it through.

Taglist: @ocfairygodmother @anotherunreadblog @maaaaarveeeeel @stareyedplanet @perfectlystiles

[If you’d like to be added to this specific OC’s stories/edits, send me a message!]

A newborn baby girl gurgled as a nurse passed her to her mother. Her bright blue eyes were glued to her mother, whose eyes nearly matched, while she listened to her first poem.

'A little fairy comes at night,

Her eyes are blue, her hair is brown'

with silver spots upon her wings,

And from the moon she flutters down.

She has a little silver wand

And when a good child goes to bed

She waves a hand from right to the left

And makes a circle round its head.

And then it dreams of pleasant things,

Of fountains filled with fairy fish

And trees that bear delicious fruit

And bow their branches at a wish.

Of arbors filled with dainty scents,

From lovely flowers that never fade,

Bright flies that glitter in the sun

And glow-worms shining in the shade

And talking birds with gifted tongues

For singing songs and telling tales

And pretty dwarfs to show the way

Through fairy hills and fairy dales.

A little fairy comes at night,

her eyes are blue and her hair is brown

With silver spots upon her wings

And from the moon she flutters down'

"You remember that nursery song?" Amy questioned as soon as River finished the nursery. She sat on the side of the bed while Rory sat on the other side.

"Yeah," River nodded distractedly. She couldn't take her eyes off her beautiful baby in her arms. She so small. It was unbelievable to think who this baby would grow up to be.

"You're alright?" Rory asked her after a few minutes had gone by in silence.

"Father, I am beyond alright," River looked up with a smile. "Look at her, she's beautiful. And she's mine." As if to comment, the baby gurgled at them.

"I know she is," Rory peered down at the newborn with a similar smile. "But I also know, we know, what's coming…"

"And what's happened," Amy finished for him.

River had 'killed' the Doctor and as the law demanded, she was to be incarcerated as soon as the hospital discharged her. Her daughter's fate was still to be decided. Stormcage allowed for a child to remain with their parent until they were of age. River had yet to say what she wanted.

"Have you named her yet?" Amy asked as she reached over to toddle with the baby's small fingers. She looked remarkably like River did when she was a baby, except her granddaughter had that tuft of bright orange hair on her head.

"Well, Avalon," River nodded. "Because of her father. Oliver wanted her to be named after the Arthurian legend. He was such a nerd sometimes…" She felt the tears pricking her eyes but she pushed them away. She didn't want to cry yet, that was coming later. "And Harmony."

"For Melody," Rory smiled, knowing the story all too well. It was so odd watching it happen in front of him.

"Avalon Harmony...Pond," River knew exactly what was coming with that sentence and she laughed when Rory huffed.

"Uuh, no," Rory shook his head, "That would be Williams. She's a Williams," he looked at baby Avalon with a soft smile, "You're a Williams."

"Pond, she's a Pond," Amy said with a dead serious face.

"One would say she's a Reynolds," Lena appeared at the doorway, smiling softly at them. "And she's one wonderful, tough sister." River smiled at her and couldn't help. but try to peek around to see if someone else was with her. Lena shook her head. "Avalon's outside. She says it's too dangerous to be in the same place as her younger self. Plus, she thinks it's weird."

"No, that makes perfect sense," River nodded. That was actually very responsible of Avalon.

Lena came forwards and took a peek at the baby. "She's so cute. Hard to believe she gets a mouth on her later on." Her comment caused a series of snickers between them. "So, what are you going to call her?"

River pulled the pink blanket just a bit from the baby's face. She was falling asleep again. Such an innocent little thing she was. "Well, I want to name her as Avalon Harmony Pond."

"The newest Pond," Amy chuckled when the baby yawned. "And what a sleepy Pond she is!" She fiddled with the tiny hand resting over the blanket.

"What a lovely Pond she will be." The Doctor had arrived in the room with a familiar cot in his hands. Just looking at it froze Any and Rory but River only stared at it, close to tears.

It was getting time to decide; decide what had already been decided.

"Wait, what if...well," Amy started suddenly, exchanging gazes with Rory. "We were talking earlier, and...we sort of came up with an alternative."

Rory agreed with a nod, "We, um...we take Avalon in," he nodded to the baby, "I mean, we have a house, a life on Earth. We could take her and raise her and still bring her to you every day."

River took the alternative into consideration, but her eyes landed on the Doctor. He wasn't saying anything. This was all on her. "If she grows up with you two, her entire history will be rewritten. It's as the Doctor said. She needs to exist so that I can exist...and I need to exist, so that she can exist. We are one complicated space-time loop, aren't we?" Her sour smile helped nothing.

"I just don't want you to go through the same thing I had to," Amy curled her hand around River's arm. "Because that is not a pain you can get over. I look at you now and it still hurts to know that I couldn't raise you."

"I know...but time's already happened." Every time she came to the same conclusion, a deep pain stabbed her heart. "I'm choosing to give her up just like I already had. I am not abandoning my child, I am giving her up so that she can grow up with a much better life. She'll have a family with the Reynolds, she'll have siblings…" She partially looked up to see Lena smiling sadly at her, "She'll have a Mother in Emmalina Reynolds. She'll get to discover that she wants to write, that she would love to travel. I want her to have dreams. I don't want her to be trapped in my prison cell. She didn't commit a crime." And technically, neither had she but the world needed to believe otherwise.

"River, she didn't exactly have the best of lives living in leadworth," Lena felt compelled to remind River seeing as she herself was a big culprit of Avalon's stunted life in the small town. "She had to take care of me, she had to deal with the small headed people of Leadworth."

"I know," River sighed, closing her eyes. Tears still leaked through. "But it would still be a far better life than the one she would live with me until her 18th birthday."

"I guess that's it then," Amy said quietly, rubbing her hand down River's arm. "I'm very proud of you. And I'm very sorry."

River nodded. "Could I just have a moment with her please? Five minutes."

"Of course," Rory nodded. He gave her a side hug and got up from the bed with Amy.

Together, the others left the room but the Doctor left behind the small cot on the side. The only sound in the room afterwards was the small clock ticking and the occasional noises the baby would make.

"It's so unfair that we only just met," Rover said with a sigh. She carefully pressed the baby's hair down. It seemed like even as a newborn, Avalon had already inherited her mother's bushy hair. "But if there's one thing that I need you to understand it's that I'm not abandoning you. I'll always be in the corners, watching over you and making sure you're safe. Every time you wonder why you didn't fall, or why you fell asleep without a blanket and you wake up with one...it'll be because of me. I'll take the long way and wait for you to grow up so I can tell you who I am."

The baby slowly opened her eyes, as if she knew she was on the receiving end of a very important talk.

"I just want you to understand that I love you so much. I know things in Leadworth won't be easy but this is really the best pathway for you. You will be brave and you will be strong. And just so we're clear, if anyone tries to mess with you, you have my full permission to deal with them accordingly." River was able to smile when the baby gurgled. It was like she understood. "One day, you and I will be mother and daughter, I promise. You just have fun in the meantime, maybe travel the stars or something. I think you'd be very good at that."

She held her daughter close to her, careful not to squeeze her...but she wanted to soak up every moment she had. She couldn't imagine what her life would be like without her daughter and she wasn't eager to find out. She wished things could be different but their lives were never meant to be ordinary. The Pond cycle continued.

When the group returned it was a very silent moment. River held onto her baby as much as she could until the Doctor held his arms out for her. He despised being on the other end. He was taking a mother's child away, the exact thing he never wanted to do to either of them. He was responsible for Amy losing her own baby and now he was doing the same again. How terrible was he?

River ultimately let her baby go but it was almost like the Doctor had to rip the infant away because otherwise the moment would've happened for ages. As soon as the baby was in his arms, Amy and Rory grabbed River's hands. She squeezed them as she fought off the stream of tears going down her face. She looked up only once and it was in time to see the Doctor leaving the room with her baby. When the door closed behind him, she burst into sobs.

~ 0 ~

"Big brother, can I come with you?" Lena was already tailing the Doctor down the hospital hallways. The question was a formality.

"Why would you want to be a part of this, baby sister?" The Doctor was making quick strides down the hallway and Lena saw it. He was trying to get the hell out of there as if that would make everything less terrible.

"Because clearly present-Avalon can't be with you right now and Amy and Rory are with River! Someone's got to be there with you, otherwise you're going to blame yourself!" Lena finally understood what Avalon had been trying to do back in Leadworth. The Doctor on his own for 200 years was his own type of punishment that released all the dark, self-loathing thoughts. She didn't want that to happen, not again.

"Lena, I have to do this on my own."

"No, you don't!" Lena finally grabbed his arm to stop him just outside the hospital. He wanted to keep the TARDIS out of the hospital in case there were any Silence nearby. She slowly turned the Doctor around and briefly looked down at the cot in his hand. Baby Avalon was fast asleep again. "You're going to go back in time to see my dad just before I was born so you can give him Avalon. Obviously he can't see me but that doesn't mean I can't be there when you come back to the TARDIS. Someone's got to give you a big hug, right?"

The Doctor smiled softly at her. "Oh baby sister, you are too good for this world."

Lena took that as a "yes". She took his free hand and gripped it. "You're not alone anymore, remember? Avalon said so and you'd be a fool to fight with my sister...your wife." She winked at him and laughed at his reddened face.

They crossed the hospital doors and while Lena followed quietly in that time, she couldn't help make her last question. She could already see the TARDIS poking out from the alleyway the Doctor hid her in. "What's going to happen, now? With...all of us?"

"Well, I think it's time for me to stay away for a while," the Doctor said, "You know, just be quiet and not be too out there. Amy and Rory deserve some time off. And you, I think maybe it's time you started thinking about what you want to do. Didn't you mention that you wanted to be a teacher?"

Lena playfully rolled her eyes. "Maybe. I don't know. But what about Avalon? Present Avalon, I mean…"

"Avalon, well..." he took a breath in, stopping when it got to him. Lena watched him go through the struggle of making yet another decision about Avalon. "...I need you to give her a message."

"A message? Really?" Lena would not hide her disappointment that he's choosing not to face her.

"I'm not strong enough, Lena…please, can I give you a message for her?" Lena was halfway nodding when she shook her head. "Lena—"

"You should just tell her yourself," she folded her arms, wearing a much too smug expression on her face. It was odd, really, but the Doctor followed her gaze behind him and found Avalon standing in front of the TARDIS.

"Did you really think you could get away from me again?" She was smirking proudly. She saw this coming even before the Doctor arrived at the hospital. She wasn't going to let him go like that again.

Lena took the cot from the Doctor and smiled at him. "I'll just head into the TARDIS."

Avalon's smirk faded as she saw her baby self in the cot. Her heart wrenched at the sight. River had given her up and now she was on her way to live with her uncle and aunt...

"You can go see her," the Doctor said once Lena disappeared inside the TARDIS. His voice was quiet as he was unsure of what to say to her. "River, she's...she's fighting it."

Avalon nodded silently. Her thoughts and feelings towards River were all scrambled at the moment. "I'm sorry for her," she managed to say. "And yet I'm thankful for her. They were going to throw me into that suit. I was terrified…" She could remember everything now with the time lines being scrambled and merging at one point. River had made the choice to take her place in the astronaut suit. "She saved me."

"She loves you Avalon and regardless of how you feel about her, the truth is she did not abandon you. She didn't leave you like you thought." The Doctor watched her nod with a clear struggle on her face. She was fighting off her own tears. He pulled her into a hug. She let herself be covered in his arms while she rested her head against his chest. "You've been through so much, Ava. I'm really sorry. I don't think I'll ever finish apologizing."

"I wish you did because it's not your fault. It's Kovarian's fault." She tilted her head up to meet his gaze. "I love you, Fairy Tale Man. I married you. You don't run off on me again."

"I love you too," he cupped her face, wanting nothing more than to kiss her senseless for hours but once again Time was against them. "I have to go for some time." Just as Avalon opened her mouth to argue, he added, "The Silence is still out there, Ava, and they're watching. They would know that I'm not dead if you disappeared with me."

"But I don't want you to leave me again," Avalon gripped his jacket as if he would run out right now. "What if I never see you again?"

"I will come back for you," the Doctor promised her. "You are my wife and I love you. I cannot live without you. I have no idea how I'm going to do it, to be honest, but it has to be done in order for everything to work out."

"But—"

"It's not forever," he leaned his forehead against hers. "It's a...it's just a moment longer. Just hang on a bit more and then we'll be off together."

"Do you promise?"

"I swear it. Cross my hearts." The Doctor pulled away from her to show her how crossed his fingers over his hearts. She smiled at the gesture. "You have no idea where I'm going to take you but rest assured that it will be fantastic!"

Avalon knew it would be. She was a very impatient woman but if he truly meant for them to finally be together then she would wait. It kind of ran in her family after all. Waiting. "Okay," she ultimately said, nodding lightly. She swallowed hard and looked at him. "I'll wait for you but please don't forget me."

"Forget you?" The Doctor almost laughed at the absurdity. "Do you know why I figured a way to weasel out of a fixed point in time?"

"Because you wanted to stay alive?"

"Well, yes, but for you! You, Avalon, made me want to keep living!" He snaked an arm around her waist again and lightly swayed them. "You asked me to find a way and I did my very best to do so."

"A robot," Avalon mumbled and scrunched her face. "I kissed a robot."

"Yeah, that was...interesting," the Doctor admitted, preferring not to think about it. "But here we are and now I just ask for a tiny bit more time."

"Okay," Avalon nodded. "I'll be...somewhere, waiting for you."

"Travel a bit, darling, on your own. Leadworth was never for you. It was a pit stop. Go out and see something," the Doctor smiled at her, cupping the side of her face. "Do things. And write them down."

In another time Avalon would've refused that idea, whether because she would want to take care of Lena or simply because he wouldn't be there, but right now that sounded really good to her. She'd discovered far too many secrets, remembered such terrible moments, that to go back to Leadworth like nothing happened was out of the question. She needed to do something else, she just wasn't sure what it was. Yet.

"Can I just ask for something before you go?" she asked quietly.

"Anything," the Doctor nodded.

"We got married, and even though you were inside a robot of yourself...our kiss wasn't real. You haven't technically kissed the bride yet…" She purposely trailed off for him to finish the idea. She smirked as his eyebrows raised with realization.

"Oh, you are very right…"

"Aha…"

"Can't have that…"

She shook her head. "Nope."

The Doctor straightened up with his arms to his sides. He met her gaze with affection. "Avalon Reynolds — Pond — can I—"

"You may kiss the bride," Avalon nodded, her expression softening with nothing but love for him.

The Doctor didn't need more than that. He held her head and pressed a kiss to her lips. His fingers gently brushed her skin while their kiss deepened. It would be their last kiss for a good while but never the last one, and that's what he worked so hard for to get. They parted slowly and very little. If they spoke, their lips would still meet.

"The end: the epilogue," Avalon whispered with happy tears. This time she knew that it wasn't the end. It was just the break between stories. Their first one had ended and soon they would sound another one. She couldn't wait for that one.

"I have to go," the Doctor said. He was studying her, committing her to memory for the dark moments he would surely go through later on. He couldn't be alone but he would try really hard not to fall into the darkness. He had a princess to come back for.

"See you later," Avalon said, giving him one last kiss. "And stay away from pretty people."

The Doctor laughed. "Right. Same for you. No flirting, especially with that Jack Harkness!"

Avalon laughed with him. "Sure."

"The Sapling will be around."

"I think that'll do me some good...seeing my...our son," Avalon felt different saying that now. While the Doctor was gone, the Sapling would be their companion. He was the only creature in the world that was half her, half Doctor. Their child. And now more than ever Avalon would want him around.

The Doctor eventually let her go and started for the TARDIS. It was a bittersweet moment but far better than the last time they did this. He would come back for her. Avalon waited until the TARDIS de-materialized before turning to the hospital. She had someone to visit.

~0~

"You okay, big brother?" Lena asked once the TARDIS was off. She stood beside the cot when the Doctor nodded and walked over, directly coming for the baby. "She's awake. Kinda fussy."

"Hm, I bet she is," the Doctor mused on what kind of baby Avalon would be. Melody was a sassy one even as an infant, surely Avalon would follow in the same steps.

"Was this really your cot?" Lena asked after a few minutes passed by. The Doctor had just watched the baby with no indication of what he was feeling. He was being tough again!

"Yes," he nodded. "And, once upon a time, my kids' too."

Lena gasped and met his gaze with her widened eyes. "Really? So these were your first stars—" she gently touched the hanging mobile, smiling when Avalon squealed at it, "—and your children's too? Not to mention Melody's...and now Avalon's. It's like a tradition. Wonder if it'll keep going…" She purposely smirked at the Doctor and he did his best to avoid looking at her.

"Very funny baby sister," he murmured then reached inside the cot. "Come here you," he gently picked the baby up into his arms. He couldn't get over how small Avalon was. She was so innocent. There were no thoughts inside that little head of hers except for the basic ones an infant would have. This was surely her quietest moment ever.

Or so he thought.

Lena heard the baby gurgle and suddenly the Doctor was scowling. "Are you seriously making fun of me?" He asked the baby incredulously. "You are a newborn and you are still making fun of me?"

"What's happening?" Lena stared at him like he was crazy.

"Your sister is making fun of my bowtie," he frowned down at the baby. "That is not nice."

The baby gurgled again. 'You're too loud. My Mummy wasn't loud.'

The Doctor huffed. "Would you stop that? I will have you know that I speak at a regular volume!"

'Stop yelling!'

"I am not yelling! You're being mean, Avalon!"

Lena watched the conversation progress into an actual argument and she didn't know who to laugh at first. The Doctor, who was over a 1000 years old, was arguing with a newborn. On the other hand, a newborn who couldn't even hold anything had just picked a fight with a thousand year old man. That was certainly Avalon Reynolds.

The TARDIS hummed to cut the argument short. The Doctor rolled his eyes at the box but it was enough to snap him out of the argument.

"You are definitely Avalon Reynolds," he tickled the baby's stomach. "I've got a story for you, Avalon. Would you like to hear it?"

'My Mummy sang to me. Can you sing to me?'

"Uh, I'm not that good at singing. But you will be! One day!"

Lena watched him go towards the console, deciding to stay quiet as he had his moment with the newborn. He started telling her a fairy tale. She didn't recognize it but now that she thought of it, she did remember that Avalon really liked the fairytale of the Bean, the Straw and the Coal. What really warmed Lena's heart was when he started to sing for a little bit, a very tiny bit just for Avalon. It was a nursery, and if Lena was right, it was the same nursery that River sang to Avalon earlier.

'A little fairy comes at night,

Her eyes are blue, her hair is brown'

with silver spots upon her wings,

And from the moon she flutters down.'

It soothed the newborn self as the TARDIS started taking them to New Earth where they would meet a past version of Ryland Reynolds. The story was about to begin (again).

~0~

Avalon gently opened the door of River's room and found Amy and Rory hugging River. When River saw it was her coming in, her entire face lit up but it soon faded. Avalon wouldn't know if it was because she wasn't that baby anymore or maybe she was just mad at everything that'd been said on the pyramid.

There were no words that came to Avalon in that moment. It was truly the first time she was completely speechless. She had no idea how to act around River and much less in this moment. All her life Avalon firmly believed her biological mother abandoned her. It fueled her anger for years and years. It made her cling to Emmalina even more. What she saw right now was nothing like what she'd been picturing. River was desolate, her face stained with so many tears that her face shined under the room lights. She was clutching her parents arms, truly nothing like the past versions of River that she'd seen. Those versions were always so cool and adventurous, brave beyond belief.

"I'm...I'm sorry," Avalon said. She had barely come into the room, taking caution to stay away from River. She might not even be invited but River had yet to say anything. "I had no idea that this was the way things happened."

"That I wasn't going to abandon you?" There was a slight edge to River's tone but any anger she felt disappeared when she looked up and saw her daughter. She was all grown up. Her baby was gone. "I told you that I wasn't going to do it and I didn't. I gave you up because I wanted you to live happily."

Avalon's eyes flickered to Amy and Rory, their expressions bearing sympathy for both of them. They'd witnessed their daughter giving away her own daughter but they had also witnessed the chaos that their granddaughter had to go through because of that very choice.

"I'm sorry," Avalon bit her lip. She blinked rapidly when the tears started stinging her eyes. "It's always my fault bad things happen to people who care about me. I try to stop it but I just make things worse. All this time I thought I was better off without my mother and the reality is...you would have been much better off without me. All of you."

"That is not true," River frowned. Beside her, both her parents nodded with agreement.

"C'mon," Avalon continued. "If I hadn't existed then you could've just ran from the Silence. Kovarian would've had no leverage on you. Hell, Oliver would've stayed alive. I've been ruining lives even before I was born."

"Avalon, quit talking like that," Rory scolded but it just made her move onto him and Amy.

"Rory, you would've been a rich man if you hadn't used all that money to bail me out each time I got arrested. And Amy would've had less migraines if I wasn't around."

"Get over here right now," River demanded in such a hard tone that Avalon actually winced. "Sit!" She commanded and patted a spot on the bed. "Now!"

Avalon swallowed hard before coming over as directed. She took a seat at the foot of the bed.

"Now you listen. Push all that hair behind your eyes," River actually waited for Avalon to do so. "You are very loved. You have always been. You've got a difficult personality but we all love you senseless. I can't imagine my life without you."

"It's the same for us," Amy agreed. "How could I have gotten through my 4 psychiatrists without you? Or the first date with that one?" She jerked a thumb over at Rory.

"Yeah, and you were the best football player in the field," Rory chuckled. "Definitely the toughest. You've been my Ava way before the Doctor. I can't imagine what life would be without you."

"You're our baby Pond," River smiled softly. "Our new Pond."

Rory groaned beside her. "Williams, dammit. She's a Williams!"

Avalon chuckled as he got into an argument with Amy about it. "I'm a...Pond," she said slowly, letting the name sit in her mouth for a moment. It was an odd thing to see the trio before her and knowing she was truly part of their family. She was a Pond. The Doctor must have had a lot of fun with that. She almost rolled her eyes imagining the secret jokes he had with himself while she didn't know.

"How about we talk for a few minutes?" River suggested to her, though she did it quite nervously. Avalon, however, nodded within the second. It was only fair.

"Will you be okay?" Amy asked her as she got off the bed. River assured her that she would be. Her daughter was right there now.

"We'll be right outside," Rory promised them as they left the room.

"You're going to jail, aren't you?" Avalon's tone had turned meek when she asked the question.

"Yes, I am," River answered her. She wished she could touch Avalon but she knew that her daughter wasn't there yet. It'd be a long time before she was.

"But it's not fair, you didn't do anything."

"Shh, to the world, I have."

"But you took my place," Avalon bit her lower lip. "You did it so that I wouldn't have to."

"And I would do it again," River said, shocking Avalon with the level of determination she said it with. "Make no mistake of that. I'm only sorry for the pain you went through. I'm so sorry about Oliver. He was really excited about you, he loved you."

Avalon swallowed hard when she thought about her father. She has held him during his last moments of life. "Can I...ask how you two met?"

"Well of course," River smiled. "We were students at the university. He was failing mathematics miserably and he was studying in the library. He was so loud that I had to tell him to be quiet. Imagine me, telling someone they're being too loud." Avalon briefly smiled. She could imagine that happening. "Anyways, we bickered for a while and then suddenly he was asking me out for a cup of coffee. He loved this little coffee shop around the university. He played shows in it all the time…"

Avalon's face lit up with recognition. "I know! Uncle Ryland showed me videos of that place. I want to visit it soon."

"I'm sure the owner would recognize you. Oliver must have talked about you in his shows at least a dozen times." River's smile saddened as seconds passed by. "I didn't think I would ever have a serious relationship with him. I just went out on a couple dates with him. You yourself were an unexpected moment." Even when the Doctor had told her that one day she would become Avalon's mother, she didn't think it would happen while she was still in school.

"You mean you didn't plan for me?" Avalon asked quietly, her eyes lowering to the bed sheets. "I was like...a mistake?"

"No!" River snapped. "I said you were unexpected but do you really think that I would call you a mistake? That Oliver would call you a mistake? Avalon Reynolds, for a woman who's the first of her kind - who knows more than most of us - you are quite dumb sometimes." River slowly chuckled at her reaction. She saw Oliver's pout there for a second. "You are my daughter and by far the best thing I have done in this world."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes," River answered automatically, leaving Avalon silent. "You are the best of me. I only ask that you please let me be part of your life when you're ready."

Avalon wondered what that would be like. She'd spent so much time hating the fictional cruel birth mother she made up when the truth was from it. River wasn't cruel. She didn't abandon her, she sacrificed herself and gave her up to live a better life. "I...I think I would like that," she said slowly and watched the way River's face brightened. She was very hopeful and it was quite shocking for Avalon. "I don't think I'm at a place to call you 'Mum' though…" She was afraid of what River might do or say to that but she had to get it out before River made any assumptions. She knew now that everything she thought of her birth mother wasn't true but the fact was she had grown up far away from River, always seeing Emmalina as her mother.

River took it with a silent nod of her head. It was a fair starting point for someone who grew up thinking a certain way about her. She could work with that and maybe one day Avalon would call her 'Mum' too.

#ocappreciation #fd: doctor who #doctor who #11th doctor #river song #11th doctor fics #11th doctor imagines #dw imagine #dw fics #doctor who fics #dw imagines #dw fic #oc: Avalon Reynolds #fic: falling in temptation

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sincerlypadfoot · 4 years

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Comfort And Death (3)

Ader the death of Regulas Black, you take confinement in Sirius who cared for you like a sister after Regulas died, becoming each others person, you stay at the Blackhouse,After having a hard time griefing one night you go to the place Regulas died

Word Count-1112

Send Requests Here

July 31th 1981

“Goodmorning,” I mumbled walking down the stairs. “Did you send Harry's birthday present already, I’m sure he’ll love the little broom you picked out for him,” I said to Sirius sitting down at the table.

“Yes, the owl had taken it this morning,” Sirius said eating the food Remus had just made. “This is really good,” He said with a mouthful of food.

“Yeah, it’s like a professional cook made me,” Remus chuckled making me chuckle, I dug into my food starving. “Kreature could you go grab the mall,” Remus asked not looking behind him.

“I can get it, it’s no worry,” I said to Remus getting up from my stop and walking over to the mall, Kreature followed me over and opened the mailbox for me, outside was cooled and leaves were already started to fall around London.

“What's in the mail?” Sirius asked digging into his second plate of food of the morning. “Any new magazines?” He asked making me chuckle.

“No, nothing for me, you guys can sort through it,” I huffed tossing the mail on the table and sat back down on the chair. “This is really good though Remus,” I said repeated Sirius and munching down on my eggs.

The day had gone by as normal, even know it had been four years since Regulas had passed the tension in the house was weird, no one could say his name without the other one breaking down into tears, usually Sirius and I, Remus was the caretaking of us two, making sure he had eaten and didn’t start isolating ourselves from everyone.

“Does anyone wanna play cards?” Remus asked as we all sat in the living room listening to the radio. “Or not,” He chuckled as Sirius and I had listened to him.

“Just in!” The radioman called out. “I am getting live news that apparently the dark lord has perished!” He said, Sirius and I both jumped up and looked at the radio. “This is not false news people, the dark lord has perished!” He shouted, the three of us looked at eachother.

“What the hell?” I asked looking at the two. The boys put their hands out for me to shut up so we could continue listening to the radio.

“An infant!” He called out, the radioman had. “The only survivor of the attack tonight,” The man said running out of excitement. “Lily and James Potter have been attacked, killed, their infant Harry Potter is the only one who has survived this attacked,” Tears streamed down my face again, I dropped my drink on the wood ground and was unsure of what to do.

“I need to go!” Sirius called out running out of the room, Remus quickly followed him and I had falling back onto the couch, feeling the pain I had felt almost four years ago.

“The boy who survived,” The radioman said. “The Dark Lord is gone!” He shouted cheers from people behind him were heard, laughs and giggles but this house was again filled with tears.

“No,” I cried outputting my hands on my head. “NO,” I screamed rolling to my side and curling into a ball, the couch slowly became soaked with my tears. I hadn’t cared, Sirius’ screams were heard from the other room.

“Harry Potter, the boy who lived,” The radioman said creating a slogan that would follow Harry for the rest of his life. “Everyone celebrated tonight! We’re free!” He yelled then the radio cut, the house was now filled was sobs and screams again after four years.

“We’re going to get Harry, are you coming?” Remus asked with tears going down his face. “It’s what James and Lily would have wanted,” He said, I got up from the couch, using the wall the hold me up.

“We’re gonna raise a baby? The three of us?” I whispered following Sirius out of the house, Remus was behind me holding me up.

“I think I’m gonna be sick,” Sirius said, he flung himself to the side of the house and held onto the wall, I walked over moving his long hair out of his face and tying it up. “We have to go get him,” Sirius said standing up and looking at me. I nodded my hand and we walked to the motorcycle that sat in the driveway. Remus and Sirius had sat together on the motorcycle well I placed myself on the side that James had built, I smirked at myself then stopped once we had taken off into the sky, Sirius had put a cover on us so muggles weren’t about to see us.

“We’re almost here,” Remus shouted, I looked below us, wizards and witches all around were dancing and laughing, lights were showing all above, I smiled as we landed.

“I’ll go get him, you guys stay here, just, watch out,” I said to Sirius and Remus, I crawled out of the motorcycle seat and looked around, the house was completely destroyed. James Potter laid on the stairs of their house, I walked up to him, shedding a bit a tear. “I’ll take care of him, I promise, watch over us James,” I whispered shutting his eyes and planting a kiss on his forehead, looking at the boy who cared for me even in hate.

I made my way up to the second floor, a blue-lit room filled the hallway, the only room that had looked untouched. “Is there anyone here?” I shouted pointing my wand ahead of me as I walked towards the room.

“This is my fault,” I heard a man's voice whimpered, I opened the door room, Severus Snape held Lily's dead boy in his arms. “She’s dead, they’re both dead,” He cried.

“Get out of here Severus,” I said ignoring him, feeling uncomfortable. “I’m taking Harry okay,” I said picking up the baby from his crib, his tear-soaked face made my heartbreak.

“I’m not sure how it happened, but he just vanished, into the air,” Severus said, I looked at him holding Harry in my arms. “He’ll be back, and I’m gonna kill him,” He said.

“I trust you to do the right thing with their bodies, I will plan their funeral,” I whispered letting tears fall down my face. “It’ll be okay Harry,” I cooed holding the baby tightly to me as we walked out of the bright room, I grabbed James' quidditch sweater that hung up beside the door and wrapped Harry in it.

“Is he okay?” Remus asked as I walked out with Harry now laid across my arms, his eyes shut and his breathing was heavy.

“He’s okay,” I whispered crawling myself back into the motorcycle. “Let’s get back home please,” I whispered not able to look at the boys, tears dropped onto James' sweater as I held Harry close to my chest.

#Regulas Black #RegulasBlack #Regulas Black x y/n #Regulas Black x you #Regulas Black x oc #SirusBlack #Sirius Black #RemusLupin #Remus Lupin #Harry Potter #HarryPotter

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groovycatcollector · 4 years

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The Wonderfully Right, And The Horribly Wrong (Daryl Dixon Love story)

Summery: After losing her brother and his wife, one young woman is left on her own, caring for a new born and trying to survive. After being taken in to a community after years of mistrust, how will she adapt, and what effect will a certain archer have on her. Starts the last episode of season 5

Warnings: slow-burn, angst, eventual fluff, violence, strong language. ptsd, age gap

Pairings: Daryl Dixon x OFC

Chapter 9

I had decided to stay awake after one of the baby’s feeds, I had told Maggie I’d help her planting some veg, considering food supplies were running low. I had time before I would go to the infirmary and my mind was still buzzing with distrust for Alexandria. But knowing I should stay for the baby I did, wanting to give him a better chance, so I occupied my days, distracting myself from my gut screaming at me that something was gonna go wrong.

The sun was just lightening the sky without making an appearance, so it was cool enough to work. I was already to go; food packed, baby fed and in a basket, just my hair.

I was standing in front of a mirror in the sitting room. I couldn’t brush it, it was too curly and it would only puff it up more. My last hair elastics broke last night so I stared helpless at the ringlets in the mirror. I could shave my head?

I’m not shaving my head …

After deciding not to shave my head, I graded a pencil (Something one of my older sisters had thought me) and twisted it and weaved it into my hair; leaving me with a low bun. It wouldn’t keep it off my neck but it would stay out of my face. Deciding that was enough for me I wrapped my new found scarf around my head once, making sure to secure my baby hairs and front strands in the fabric. Tying it at the base of my neck around the bun, leaving the flimsy material falling loosely at my shoulder blades.

“One Russian name and one normal name?” Maggie confirmed, using her foot too glide the spade into the ground. “Yep, family tradition, honour the grandparents” I grunted, following suit. The sun had risen, and oh mama it was hot. We had started working before dawn, so we had a few tomatoes plants in the ground, and the conversation has drifted to the Christening tomorrow, and the lack of a name.

I’m guessing Maggie was also tired with an aching back by her strained reply “I don’t know many Russian names so you’ll have to excuse my lack of input there”. I huffed with a smile “I was thinking maybe Luke? Does he look like a Luke to you” I straightened glanced at the baby, who at this stage couldn’t really crawl; only sat there content with his big hat. Maggie halted, turning to look at him clumsily pulling out grass “He could be a Luke”

I decided to test it out “Hey” I called at the oblivious infant “You think you’re a Luke?” Waiting a moment, looking as he tried to put a blade of grass into his mouth before it fell from his weak grip. “Okay not Luke” I announced before bending back over continuing my work.

We were quiet concentrating for a few more minutes. “You thought of any names for yourself?” I asked, whipping a bead of sweat from my neck. The sound of shovels scratching threw dirt filled my ears before she gathered an answer. “Haven’t really thought about it yet, suppose it’s still early days” She said, focusing her eyes on the ground.

I nodded “Just be careful you don’t end up like me, waiting for the day before you have to name him” She chuckled at that.

When the sun got high I wondered over to the infirmary. I was reading a book I snagged from the hippie on natural herbs, writing out Denise’s beloved Short Cuts on a sheet of paper for each herb. Luckily not many were sick, so besides writing all of my useless information I just tidied up. It was nice, I felt like it was summer vacation and I was down at my Grandpa’s practice.

Denise and I sat on the porch, still in the shade. She looked off long fully in the distance at Tara on post while I quizzed her on her spread sheet. We had come up with a routine of cleaning, testing cheat sheets, cleaning again, and home time (If no one came in of course)

“Infection” I called out agents the hot air. Denise groaned, flopping back onto the wooden panels. “No, I’m sick of this” she exclaimed rubbing her eyes with the palms of her hands. I was sick of it too in all honesty. I lay next to her book on my chest “Yeah me too” I admitted staring up at the white porch roof. I glance across at her, she reminded me of Sonya, just getting in her head all the time, and trying to pull it all together for other people.

“How’re things with Tara?” I asked, somewhere between genuinely curious and just making small talk. “They’re fine, we moved in together” She sighed. Oh shit big step.

Hold the fuck up that’s a very big step. I bolted up right “What the fuck, I see you ever single day for the past five weeks and you didn’t say anything?” I starred, mouth wide open.

Denise shrugged defensively “I dunno Nina I didn’t think it was that important” My eyes darted to Tara who stood on the watch tower. I scoffed, repeating her “Not a big deal” before lay back down. It was quiet for a moment, just listening to the baby babbling in his highchair before Denise broke the pause in dialogue.

“Sorry I didn’t tell you” She said, putting her face in my direction but still not meeting my eyes. “I guess I was kinda scared how you’d react” She paused, biting her lips thinking “With you being so religious and all”

I narrowed my eyes, not fully understanding her meaning before it all clicked into place, which caused an eruption of laughs burst from my stomach. She looked at me bewildered before I could catch my breath, whipping a tear away from my eye.

“Dude” I gasped “Dude I’m catholic not an asshole” Her look of shock, followed by a small chuckle of relief calmed me a little.

I lolled my head to look at her “So you’re not homophobic” She asked still chuckling, I offered her a smile before leaning in and whispering “Not an asshole” while putting my hand on hers while we lazily starred up at the roof. I liked Denise, she reminded me of what it was like to have a sister, even if she presumed I was an asshole.

“Sooo” She sang, just as my mind was beginning to wander too far into sadder thoughts. “What’s going on with Daryl?” She cocked on eyebrow teasingly.

Confusion shocked my body, now I definitely didn’t expect that. I got on with Daryl, but I don’t think I’m into him “what about him?” I asked, cautiously.

I’ve gotten too comfortable here, just the hint of romantic relationships got my palms sweating. Now it was Denise’s turn to let a giggle “Are you kidding? You guys are always looking at each other and I see you guys early mornings talking to each other” Her nose was scrunched up like a kid tattling on their friend to teacher.

It’s true we had made a routine of crossing paths when I would feed the baby, and we would get up to hunt or get ready for a run. I just never figured it would spark town gossip.

“We are not always looking at each other” I said defensively. She scoffed sitting up “Nina you both are constantly gazing at each other from across the street!” I sat up next to her leaning agents the wall, her crossed legged and my arms resting on my bent knees. What in tarnation, gazing? I don’t gaze, I’m a Price and we’re not a gazing family

“We do not gaze”

“Then why are you getting so defensive”

“I’m not getting defensive”

Denise through her hands up in the air in defeat “Okay okay nothings going on, shouldn’t have asked” She looked down rubbing her palms together after I thanked her. Suddenly her face contorted in a smile “Say…” She sounded way too pleased with herself for this to end well.

“What are you doing later today?” Shit. I chewed my lip “I’m going helping with the cars” I answered bluntly, trying not to show just how completely she caught me.

“And who is it again who’s doing the cars today?” I hope that smile was hurting her face, it was far too big. My shoulders slouched in defeat, trying to hide my smile, my signal of “You got me” as Denise burst out laughing.

“You” She said, pushing my shoulder making me wobble “Are full of shit” I barely got to mumble a ‘Am not’ before the doctor continued her sentence “And I think you two would be cute”

“Fuck off”

Me and Daryl, that’s weird, crazy even. Just because I get on with someone who’s reasonably attractive and single doesn’t mean I’m attracted to them

Even if I just said they were attractive. Not the point.

I’m gonna go in there, and be cool, chilled, just doing car stuff. And I’m a friendly person, I’m friendly with everyone. Sure I spent a little more time with him but so what?

I walked into the garage seeing Daryl with his head under the hood of one of the cars. His back was covered by a black vest top but his shoulders were glistening with the sweat, and his hair was damp and sticking agents his neck; obviously not enjoying the summer heat.

“Hey, need any help” I asked, putting the baby on the floor “I know a thing or two about cars” I leaned agents the car and peered into the engine, seeing it had all its parts.

“Had a boyfriend that was into cars?” He taunted, still not looking at me, knowing it would get on my nerves.

“My daddy was a mechanic” I clarified. He shot me a glance from behind the dirt and oil that covered his face “Thought you’d been more into them pageants” His mouth came up in a half smile, just flashing his teeth.

A wicked grin grew on my face “Oh yeah, real big into thoughts, won a few too” I hoped he could pick up on my sarcasm, pushing him over so I could get a better look at the valves threw the walker blood “But that’s only because I slept with the judges” I looked up and gave him a big smile but the look on his face ment I couldn’t hold back a laugh “Dann I never thought I’d see you look shocked” I said, slapping him on his back. See? Friendly.

Then a grumble past his lips “Always knew you’d be easy” Without looking up I punched his arm.

Sonya was into Pageants, real good. She won a scholarship to a nursing school in New York kinda good.

“You’d wanna know” I said, sticking my hand into the slimy shit stuck in the engine and pulling it out.

Just too buds, having laughs, no feelings.

Part one Part two Part three Part four Part five Part six Part seven Part eight Part ten Part eleven

Tags:@buckysjuicyplums

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moeruhoshi · 5 years

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Single parent x demon

“There, there,” Lucy cooed as she bounced her baby on her hip, the child crying into her chest for whatever made him upset. “Are you hungry, hmm? Should I go get your bottle?”

The baby only continued to cry, his fists balled up as he clenched the fabric of her shirt. She softly lifted his face to stare into his teary brown eyes, a toothless mouth shrieking for comfort he didn’t know how else to beg for.

“Maybe your binky will help,” The young mother sighed, walking them to his dresser to retrieve the pacifier that sat on the surface. She popped it between his lips, relieved as he began sucking on the rubber nipple, his cries silencing into sniffles. “Is that better now, Ryuu?”

The baby only blinked as his mother smiled, setting him down in his crib for the remainder of the night. He eagerly took hold of the stuffed dragon she offered him, a silk cloth coming down to wipe away the trails of his tears.

“Goodnight, my love,” She kissed his forehead before tucking him into bed with his favorite quilted blanket, instantly soothing him to sleep.

The clock now read two hours past the witching time, both Lucy and Ryuu fast asleep. The pacifier soon fell from the child’s drooping lips, the slobbered item rolling over his stuffed animal and falling between the bars onto the carpet Lucy had been gifted by a friend. It was round and old, but still fuzzy and a kind purple that the mother felt fit the baby’s room. They didn’t have much to live with, so Lucy took what she could get to make her home as homey as possible.

The circular rug now lit with red letters, window curtains were left drawn open and shined the light of the full moon onto its center, fueled by the offering of a spilled human gift.

Ryuu began to stir as his lips puckered for the phantom nipple, his eyes glaring at the light filling the room. He rolled over and grabbed at the bars of his crib, confused as his mother was nowhere in sight, but instead a man stood and cracked his back.

“Geez, that hurt. How long has it been since someone summoned me?” He groaned and scratched his stomach, looking around for the human who called him. The baby burbled and bounced slightly on his feet, and the strange man turned to give him a look.

“A baby? Are you who called me here?” He looked to the floor and saw the binky covered in drool and soaking into one spot on the carpet, the moon casting its gaze upon it. “What a fluke. Here you go, kid.”

The man offered the small thing back to him before seeing the carpet hairs sticking to it, shuddering as he moved to find a wipe and clean it properly.

“I can’t exactly leave without giving you something, stupid laws.” He grumbled and let the kid suck on the rubber nipple again, staring at the blonde boy as he sat on his diaper-clad behind, tilting his head as the man sighed.

“Alright! I’m a demon king, my name is Natsu Dragneel,” He began, pointing to the horns and sharp fangs he sported. “You must got somethin’ pretty powerful in ya if all it took to summon me was some of your spit. But I’ll grant any wish you’ve got. I can’t get home if you don’t tell me what ya want, it can be anything. A new toy if you want, though that dragon you got there is pretty cool.”

He grinned and lifted the toy for the boy, making faux flying noises as he moved the dragon back and forth to imitate its moves in the air. The baby giggled, his pacifier falling out again as he smiled and clapped his hands, enjoying the mild entertainment before him.

“I could get you a real one of these, they’re not easy to train, but I think you’ve got a lot of magic, kid. Not a lot of humans do anymore, I could teach you how to use it if that’s what you want.”

The baby only continued to sit and stare, reaching his hands out to be held as he became restless again. Natsu rose a brow as he lifted the small boy, balancing him on one arm as his hand held his back.

“I wonder if this counts as givin’ you somethin’. But I doubt it, do you really not know how to say anything?” The demon exasperated as Ryuu pat his cheeks and pulled on his shirt, lost in the maze of his baby mind as Natsu mildly bounced him.

“You’re a pretty calm kid,” He observed as the boy rested his head against Natsu’s shoulder and sucked his thumb. “Most babies don’t trust people right away, what’s your mom been teachin’ ya? How to be weird? Can’t be all that bad if it means you cause less trouble, I guess. But I don’t think you should, alright? Not everyone’s as nice as me, got it?”

“Damn, you’re kinda cute, y’know? And you smell nice, do all babies smell this good?” Natsu’s nose buried in his hair as the kid began to drift off, cozy against the oddly warm person who blathered on.

“Pa...pa...” Ryuu produced the word as he fell asleep, not really knowing what he had said, nor knowing how that triggered the contract to be etched on his and both Natsu’s soul.

“So you want a dad, hmm? Alright, I’ll see what I can do,”

“Lu-chan! Lu-chan, are you up?!” Levy called as she entered the Hearfilia apartment with her key, balancing a tray of coffee and bag of bagels in one hand before setting it down on the kitchen counter.

“In the shower!” She hollered back, the blue haired girl sighing with a smile as she fixed the food and turned on the T.V to catch up on the news.

“Ah! Not in your mouth, Ryuu, we don’t eat bubbles, remember?” Lucy rinsed the suds resting atop her son’s small fist, finishing her own hair with one hand as she held him in the other. Their dual shower ended shortly after, the blonde letting her son rest in the sink as she tied a towel around herself and picked him up in his even softer one.

“I’ll be ready in a minute, Levy-chan, do you mind getting Ryuu ready? I already laid out his clothes,” The shorter girl nodded as she eagerly took the baby in her hands, Lucy rushing into her own bedroom to finish preparing for the day.

“Alright, little dragon. Let’s get you ready, hmm? Isn’t it fun when Aunt Levy helps you get ready?” She hummed to the baby as she carefully dried him off, setting him down on his diaper changing table, fitting him for a new pair. She slipped his pudgy arms and legs into the red and white striped onesie, the next layer being a thin jean-like set of overalls. The weather outside called for a jacket as well, the baby ready to go after a ten-minute session. She grabbed his favorite stuffed toy and blanket from his crib, taking them to be packed in his diaper bag.

“Almost ready!” Lucy called as she finished slipping on a plain black dress and pink cardigan, tying her hair into a bun with some loose strands to adorn her features. She never bothered with makeup, much too busy rushing around with her son to take the time. Her matching flats were on in a second as she swung open her bedroom door, quick legs carrying her down the short hallway as she entered the shared living/dining room space.

“How’s my baby boy? Does your fruit taste good?” The blonde mother wooed and pressed several kisses to her son’s forehead as he sat in his highchair and ate the pureed mush Levy fed to him.

“Blended baby food is better than the packaged pulp, trust me,” Levy explained to the boy who continued to eat quietly, smiling and giggling when she made airplane noises for him.

“I could’ve slept another hour if we didn’t have a staff meeting today,” Lucy groaned as she multi-tasked, eating her own breakfast as she packed Ryuu’s food for the rest of the day.

“Don’t remind me,” Levy sighed, stretching as she sat up with the empty bowl, the Heartfilia son now drinking from a bottle of cold milk. “We get the same schpeel every time, these are becoming pointless,”

“Well, at least you get to spend some extra time with Gray-sensei, right, Ryuu? You like playing with Gray-sensei, right? Loke-sensei too, yeah?”

“Speaking of whom,” Levy wiggled a brow as Lucy rolled her eyes, drooping a towel over her shoulder and lifting her son up, patting his back as she began to burp him. “He asked you out, right?”

“Loke asks everyone out, Levy-chan. I’m in no place to date, nor would I let it be him.” She shuddered, content as her son let out a loud burp.

“I think you should still take advantage, get yourself some.” Lucy sputtered as her best friend cackled with a wicked laugh.

“Oh shut up! I don’t want any! Especially not with someone who takes care of my son, for heaven’s sake, Levy-chan!”

“Sure, sure. You’ll change your mind once you meet the right guy,”

“Sounds like you just want to brag about how happy you are with Gajeel.” Lucy stuck her tongue out as she picked up her bags and led them out of the apartment, Levy locking the door as they left.

“Maybe...” She puffed her reddened cheeks, grabbing the diaper bag from Lucy’s shoulder as they walked down to her car.

The ride to the daycare was only ten minutes from her home, Levy waiting next to the car as Lucy unbuckled Ryuu and grabbed his bag.

“You wait right here! I don’t want you saying anything weird.” She hissed to the blue-haired girl who only snickered and ushered her to walk into the child-care building.

“Good morning!” Lucy called from the front as she let herself in, walking toward the designated room for infants.

“Hey, Lucy, good morning.” Gray yawned as he met her inside the room, folding a stack of blankets in the corner of the room, Loke waving from the smaller playground outside. “And you too, Ryuu.”

“Sorry to ask you guys to take him early, I really appreciate it,” She said as she handed off the small boy, marveled in the sight of him smiling and lifting the baby above his head.

“No biggie, that’s what we’re here for. Has Ryuu eaten yet?” He asked, and Lucy nodded, handing him the virtual duffel bag as well.

“Some fruit and a bottle of milk, I mixed his lunch together too, and I put two bottles of milk in there for him. He was a little fussy last night, but his pacifier seems to calm him down a lot more if you don’t know why he’s crying.”

“He doesn’t cry when he’s with us,” Gray scoffed as Lucy feigned a nod, surprised as the door suddenly slid open behind her.

“Found the other blankets, they were in the wrong room,” A pink haired man grinned as he brought in the basket, his eyes catching Lucy’s for a moment.

“We just hired this loser, his name’s Natsu.” He gestured to the now scowling man who turned to the mother with a hand held out for greeting.

“He’s the loser, just so you know. Natsu Dragneel, nice ta meetcha!”

“Y-Yeah, nice to meet you too,” Her cheeks felt a bit hot as she stared at his charismatically wide grin, her attention soon stolen by her son waving his arms for the new teacher.

“Heya, squirt,” Natsu smiled to the baby as he took him from Gray’s hold, Ryuu instantly clinging to him.

“You must be really good with kids,” Lucy awed, her lip quivering a bit at the cute sight of her son leaning against his shoulder. “Ryuu never hugs people right away.”

“You got that right, better than that lame-o outside.” He snickered and pat the kid’s back. “Ryuu, huh? Looks like we’re gonna be friends from now on,”

#nalu #natsu dragneel #lucy heartfilia #natsu and lucy #lucy and natsu #natsu x lucy #lucy x natsu #nalu fanfiction #fairy tail #fairy tail fanfiction #single parent au #demon au #nalu demon au

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teaboot · 5 years

Note

hello! i’m writing a story where a bunch of ghosts befriend a still-alive person, and i was wondering if i could ask you about cemetary caretaking in dms? (because that’s the setting, and i know nothing about cemetary caretaking.) or if not, could you point me in the direction of others who know more?

Yep! Keep in mind though that each Cemetary can have different rules about what markers, headstones, and offerings are allowed, so. There is that.

1. The older parts of the Cemetary are recognizeable because the headstones there are usually upright land in a bunch of varied shapes and sizes. They don't stand in tidy rows, and some of them sink into the ground and tilt or fall over completely. Pieces break off all the time, too, and can get launched back at you with a weedwacker or damage the lawnmower blades, so they have to be moved.

2. A serious concern for maintainance workers is potentially being hit by falling stones, so when they fall down, they tend to stay down until they are paid for to be properly replaced or repaired. My mom said she knows a guy who died that way.

3. Some stones from the late 1800's have weird dog-looking figures carved in- those are lambs, and are put on christian children's graves. They look odd when they erode.

4. Some older graves will be homemade, or have countries of origin included. Some will simply say "baby", "mother", or "father".

5. Some headstones only have one date- those are typically for infants who didn't live long, or were stillborn. Sometimes they won't have names, either, but a few do.

6. When cleaning a headstone, first you now as close as you can through rows, then you go to each individual headstone with a weedwacker and remove whatever's been left to cut the grass down. Then, you put whatever isn't broken or a hazard back as close as you can, and take a leafblower to the whole place so the loose clippings don't end up sticking all over and looking terrible. This takes twice as long when there's a whole pile of stuff, so some places won't let you leave anything at all. I believe in finding a happy medium, but that's me.

7. Loads of local critters and wildlife use headstones and other constructs as shelter. I'm always keeping my eyes out for small birds, snakes, toads, etc- toads are the most common, I try to move them to nearby woods, bushes, or finished areas so they don't get cut or run over.

8. I don't know about anyone else, but I liked to talk to the folks sometimes. A simple 'hey nice flowers' or 'sup kiddo nice truck'. I think it might be cause I used to work with a morgue and it was easy to chat with the people who came in, but Idk. Dead people aren't nearly as eerie or creepy as TV makes them out- I guess it's a tiny bit sad, especially with kids, but like... what can you do, you know?

9. You gotta watch where you step, because some places- especially older ones- are FULL of small holes or sudden dips. These can be from animals, but more often graves that don't get enough dirt on top or super duper ancient ones where things have caved underground let the earth sink in over time. It leaves about a person-sized divot that's easy to trip on and needs extra attention.

10. Some people like to leave candy or bottled drinks for their loved ones. I.... understand the sentiment, but. It gets gross, over time, when the packages fade and split, and critters get in, so most places don't allow it or throw it out.

11. Wal-Mart knicknacks. Are the bane of my life. Little hollow statues that break and get full of wasps nests, wreaths made in China where the flowers pop off, five hundred individual fabric flowers stuck into the ground one-by-one that you have to painstakingly remove and put back every single time, with sharp rusty metal ends and wire cores that pull the equipment apart... just. Ugh. I understand, I do, and I get that it's not something people generally think about, but... just. Whatever you're thinking of leaving, give it a quick shake. If something comes loose, I can't recommend leaving it.

12. Some headstones are homemade by friends or family, with glass beads or shells in cement. Those are sweet,and I like to see them.

13. The back of your neck will burn. No amount of sunscreen will prevent it. I recommend a collared shirt, or tying a bandanna around your neck. There is nothing else you can do.

14. Your whole body will be covered in sweat. I wore jeans, boots, a tank top tucked in, and a sleeveless T over top, with a bandanna, safety goggles, and a hat. The jeans got sweaty every day, and rubbed my upper thighs red-raw after the first three weeks. The skin grew back dark and dry and I need to apply moisturizer constantly to avoid cracking. My old sunburns have turned, and some of the worst ones left strips of dry, papery, red scarring that took forever to fade. Again, moisturizer and sunscreen. Constantly. I still have a callous at the base of each finger on both palms.

15. Your whole body will sweat. Your whole body will be covered in grass clippings. Some will fly up your ears and nose. Sometimes tiny rocks will hit your shins and face and feel like bee stings. You have to towel off every couple hours and drink water damned often, because you will literally sweat full litres every day. You will attract flies. They will crawl on your skin. You will learn to ignore them, because at least they aren't mosquitos or ticks.

16. There is no bathroom. The men will disappear in the woods or behind a tree. I would go to the bathroom at home and just make sure I didn't drink more than I could sweat, I guess. I'd take the worst days of my period off and stay home because there was no way to deal with that on an eleven hour shift with no washroom break. Ta-da. I still worked longer and harder than most of the men, though, so whatever.

17. It's unskilled hard manual labour, and our group had no toilets and long hours. Most of our workers came fresh out of prison, but I can't speak for everybody. We were small town, no-union farmers and kids with free time, and most our new guys quit after a day or two. Literally. We had one dude three years younger and over half my size who showed up for 45 minutes before quitting.

18. Your fingers get stiff and hard to move, and your elbows and feet get sore. It took me a while to make it more than two days in a row without a breather day in between, but three and a half was my max. By the end of it I'd be stumbling, missing spots, irritable, sore, and tired. Given a day or two to get back on my feet, and all was good. But there were some older folks who'd been doing that work for thirty years without a day off, and Damn. They've got my respect.

19. The skin on your feet and hands gets hard like leather. Be ready for that.

20. The older guys, or whoever's worked there longer, will have stories about some of the graves. Special ones they're extra careful with, or spots where old school buddies or family is buried. I'd like to say we treat them all equal, but I guess you can't help but be a little more thorough for the young mom who's daughter just turned nine, or the baby from 1920, or the brothers who died in a house fire. It's like... we're supposed to die from old age, after living a full life, right? It sucks a little harder when you know someone didn't get to have that.

21. You can't work through rain or lightning. You see a strike overhead, you haul ass to the truck and see if you can wait it out. That shit'll blow the bark off a tree.

22. You lose weight, gain muscle, turn darker, and your hair bleaches out at the ends. After about a month I was five pounds lighter, with bigger biceps and shorter hair 'cause it was too hot to leave long.

23. Water grass. Is hell. It's thick, it grows fast, it loves rain, and it's a bitch to cut. It will grow a foot high in two weeks, I shit you not. You gotta come back two, three times a month to keep it down.

24. Hearing damage from not having proper protection is a noticeably advancing issue

Best part of the job: feeling yourself get stronger, seeing your work at the end of the day, plenty of time to think and daydream, regular eating and sleeping schedule, easy to save money because you have long hours and no time to spend anything.

Worst part: physical discomfort, aches and pains, the repetition makes it feel like an ordeal of Greek damnation, always exhausted, coworkers keep quitting.

I can't think of anything else right now but ill update if I can! Hope this was helpful!!! :D

#Death #death tw #violence #cemetery

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vfdbaudelairefile13 · 5 years

Text

Epilogue:

The One Where Violet's Series of Unfortunate Events Begins

The Baudelaires sat quietly in the back of Poe’s car as they looked over the pieces of paper that Sunny had found during their unpleasant stay at Lucky Smells Lumbermill. “Now, children, it’s the end of the semester, so you’re gonna have to work very hard to catch up. It won’t be easy, but I promise you it will build character,” Mr. Poe said breaking the much-needed silence. Klaus rolled his eyes in response. He honestly didn’t care, if this school could keep out Olaf then that’s all that mattered.

The Baudelaires both hoped that their new lives at a boarding school will turn out to be the one place where Olaf could not get to them. He had somehow adopted them when their parents first died, he followed them to Uncle Monty’s where he cruelly murdered their uncle using his passion against him. He then stalked them to their Aunt Josephine’s where he used one of her many fears to murder her. And just recently, he had found them in Paltryville and had his girlfriend hypnotize Klaus in hopes of gaining their parents' enormous fortune. The Baudelaire orphans just wanted him to go away, to die in a ditch. But they both knew the likelihood of this happening was low.

When Mr. Poe finally parked his car, ushering the Baudelaires to follow him into the school. Klaus quickly put the documents into his pocket as he picked up his sister. Trudging slowly behind Poe.

“Here’s a fun bit of trivia,” Mr. Poe said after coughing, “The architect who built this school was severely depressed.”

“Mood,” Sunny replied as Klaus nodded.

“I always wanted to go to boarding school!” Mr. Poe exclaimed. “Rules. Traditions. Why, I’d give every last suit just to wear a uniform,”

Klaus and Sunny looked around the administration office of Prufrock Preparatory School. Both children were amazed, Sunny, who was too young to have ever set foot in a school, looked around her eyes widening in pure bliss at this new experience she was soon to experience. While Klaus, who has been in a school when he was a kindergartner before his parents ultimately decided to homeschool him, felt a bit nervous. What if he couldn’t make any friends? What if other students picked on him? He wasn’t very good with people his age, his best friend was his little sister who was vastly younger than him.

“The office is over there,” Mr. Poe explained as he handed Klaus two uniforms. “You will change and then you can wait on that bench,” he said pointing to a two-sided bench.

“Wait, you’re not going to wait with us?” Klaus asked worriedly as Sunny started waving at Poe dismissing him entirely.

“No. this has already taken up much too long already. I need to get back to the city for banking hours,” Mr. Poe replied as Klaus frowned. “Ummm, I do want you, two children, to know…” he started coughing. “ I hope you find comfort here.”

And with that Mr. Poe walked away after bidding the children a final goodbye. “So long, Baudelaires!”

Klaus looked down at Sunny looking like he wanted to cry. “He’s gonna find us again,” he muttered.

Sunny gave her brother a small smile, she wanted to tell him that Olaf wouldn’t find him but she knew lying to him was pointless. “Snicket?” she asked, which meant, “Do you think that Snicket lad will find us again?”

Klaus looked down at his sister and wiped a few tears from his eyes. He shook his head. “Sunny…, we’re on our own,” he replied as he picked her up and walked toward the bathrooms. Klaus looked at both doors to the bathroom, unsure of what to do. He knew he couldn’t go into the girl’s bathroom but he wasn’t sure if he was allowed to take Sunny into the boy’s bathroom. He kept looking between the bathroom doors. He didn’t want to send Sunny into the girl’s bathroom alone because she was so young. Before he had the chance to quickly take Sunny into the boy’s bathroom, he was startled by a voice behind him.

“Oh my God!” the voice shrieked. “Is that a real baby?”

Klaus turned around to see a girl with a small, but pleasant smile. She had light brown eyes and dark brown hair. She was dressed in the maroon colored uniform similar to the one that Klaus held that was intended for Sunny.

“Yeah…” he replied instinctively holding Sunny tighter to him. Sunny gave the young girl a toothy grin.

“She is so adorable!” the girl said squealing.

“Tank you!” Sunny said smiling. Klaus nodded his head awkwardly.

The girl held out her hand to shake Klaus’. “My name’s Isadora Quagmire,” Isadora Quagmire said.

Klaus shoved the uniforms under his arm to shake Isadora’s hand. “M-my name is Klaus Baudelaire...and this is my baby sister, Sunny,” he replied as Sunny shook Isadora’s other hand. “Ummm, not to sound weird...but I was homeschooled and I’m not really...good at, like, human interactions...but is it okay to take a baby girl into the boy’s bathroom?” Klaus asked nervously, blushing at his ignorance.

Isadora gave a small chuckle, “I was homeschooled as well, but I believe if you are the only person accompanying the infant it should be fine,”

Klaus nodded his head slowly but still didn’t walk into the restroom. He sighed. Why was people-ing so God damn hard?

Isadora just laughs again. “Here, let me tell you what. If you are fine with it, I can take her into the girl’s restroom and help her change into her uniform while you change into yours,”

“Y-you would do that?” Klaus asked skeptically. He gave a small glare towards Isadora trying to see what her angle was. “Why would you do that?”

“Well, honestly I am waiting for my brother, who is taking his sweet time.”

Klaus nodded his head slowly. Isadora seemed nice, but he wasn’t entirely sure if he could trust her. He wasn’t used to many people being nice to him or Sunny. He looked down at Sunny, who looked up at him and shrugged her shoulders. “Okay...if Sunny’s okay with it...I don’t see a problem with it. Are you okay with this plan, Sunny?”

Klaus and Isadora both looked down at the young infant, who gave her brother a smile as she nodded her head. “Yep!” she shrieked as she reached out for Isadora to take her.

Isadora gently took her from Klaus as he handed her Sunny’s uniform. “Thank you, Isadora,” he said.

“No problem,” Isadora replied as she began to take Sunny into the girl’s bathroom. “Oh, could you do me a favor?” she asked turning towards Klaus.

“Yeah. I mean you’re helping me out so I can help you out,”

“Can you tell my brother to hurry the fuck up,”

Klaus looked confused. “I can...but I don’t know what he looks like...how will I know I’m talking to the right person?” He asked.

Isadora gave a soft chuckle, “Oh trust me. It’ll be obvious,” she replied as she walked into the girl’s bathroom with Sunny in her arms.

“But...what?” Klaus said more or less to himself as he strolled into the boy’s bathroom. When he walked into the bathroom, Klaus could have sworn he could hear someone crying. As he hurriedly changed into his new school uniform, he tried to think of why someone would choose the bathroom of all places to cry in. The person’s crying got a bit louder and bit more frustrated as Klaus could hear someone muttering under their breath about a lie? No, a fly? No, a tie?

Klaus gave a small chuckle as he, himself, was beginning to have trouble tying his own tie. He wished his father and mother were here with him, they’d surely help him. Klaus after a few minutes decided to give up. Maybe I can ask Isadora for one last favor. He told himself as he made his way to the bathroom sinks. He was almost about to walk out when the person’s frustrated cries seemed to get worse. He sighed and walked over to the stall that he heard the sobs from.

Nervously, he knocked on the bathroom stall. The crying ceased for a second. Klaus thought he could make the person feel better by slightly referencing one of his favorite Disney movies.

“Boy...why are you crying?” he asked in a slightly serious tone. “Are you crying about mothers?”

The crying continued to cease as the voice replied in a tone that Klaus couldn’t completely pinpoint, “Wait, are you referencing Peter Pan?” Klaus blushed in embarrassment. With the tone that the person gave him, he couldn’t tell if the person was amused by his silly reference or mocking him for it.

“Y-yeah,” Klaus replied shaking with embarrassment. “S-sorry...I was just trying to be silly,” he explained as the person walked out of the stall.

To Klaus’ surprise, Isadora was right. When he laid eyes on her brother, it would be obvious. For as he stared at the young boy in front of him. He noticed that he looked identical to Isadora as if they were twins, with the same shade of brown eyes, pleasant smile, and dark brown hair. But to Klaus, there was a difference between this boy and his sister. When Klaus looked into his eyes, he was mesmerized by the milk chocolate brown shade that they were, a feature he didn’t truly notice when he looked at Isadora. Klaus began to smile and blush as he waited to see how the boy took his silly reference.

The young boy smiled at him, “Nice, I love Peter Pan...it’s one of my favorites,” the boy replied.

Klaus tried so hard not to blush at this response, he quickly put a hand over his face as nonchalantly as he could to hide the fact that he was blushing. “It’s a favorite of mine, too,” he muttered. The boy smiled in response. Klaus was giddy, this cute boy and himself already had something in common.

“Oh, also, I wasn’t crying,” the boy said defensively. “I never cry,”

Klaus chuckled at this. After the boy washed his hands, he turned to Klaus and held out his hand. “The name’s Duncan,” he informed. “Duncan Quagmire,”

“K-Klaus B-Bau-Baudelaire,” Klaus replied shaking his hand. Duncan smiled at him again. Klaus stared at Duncan for a few seconds, unsure of what to say. He noticed that he was wearing a uniform similar to Klaus’ but he noticed that the tie was entirely crooked. “Not...not to insult you or anything but your tie is crooked,”

Duncan looked at Klaus, “Well...least I am wearing mine,” he mentioned as he pointed to Klaus, who was wearing it around his neck sort of like a scarf.

“Tying these things...isn’t easy,” Klaus murmured.

“Don’t I know it!” Duncan said laughing. “My sister always has to tie it for me and I’ve gotten sick of her mocking me so I did it myself. I mean, if you ask me, it’s not that bad.”

“I think you look nice,” Klaus muttered without thinking, Duncan gave a small smile at that as his face turned a soft shade of pink. “I...I mean.. I think it looks nice...Not you...It. It...meaning the tie...not... I mean, not that you don’t look nice... I mean...I don’t...I don’t know what...I’m going to shut up now,” he rambled as his face heated up as he blushed.

Duncan gave a nervous laugh to Klaus. “You know, they should let us choose between bow ties and neckties. I can tie a bow tie,”

Klaus nodded. “Same here,”

“I can help you if you want,” Duncan offered. Klaus’ face became a deeper shade of pink.

“I mean...you don’t have to. I can always figure it out myself if it’s too much trouble,”

“No problem at all, I’d be happy to help you, Klaus Baudelaire,”

Duncan stepped in front of Klaus taking the necktie and doing his best to tie it for Klaus. Every so often, Duncan would look up at the taller boy and catch Klaus staring down at him. Duncan would immediately avert his gaze from Klaus’ dark chocolate eyes because he was afraid that he was blushing too much.

“Voila!” Duncan said finally once he had finished, Klaus looked into the mirror and laughed.

“It’s crooked,” he pointed out.

“I know,”

Klaus began trying to straighten it. But Duncan put his hands on Klaus’ to stop him. Klaus looked up at him and both boys quickly moved their hands and began looking around awkwardly trying to allow their blushed cheeks time to settle down and return to their normal skin pigment.

“No, leave it. Now we match,” Duncan mentioned still not looking at Klaus.

Both boys blushed again. “Oh,” Klaus said not looking at Duncan. “Your sister wanted me to tell you to hurry up...but uh...no rush,”

Duncan smiled at this. “Maybe we should hurry...you don’t know Isa, when she’s pissed off she’s pretty scary,” he explained as he began to walk alongside Klaus. Duncan wanted so much to slip his hand into Klaus’ but he was nervous, he was unsure if Klaus would return the feelings. Unfortunately, Klaus desired to hold Duncan’s hand but refused for the same exact reason. Unsure of whether or not Duncan reciprocated his feelings. Klaus had also never felt anything like this so he didn’t even know how he felt.

Once they exited the bathroom, both boys could see their sisters waiting for them. Isadora opened her mouth to complain to Duncan why he took so long but then she noticed that his cheeks were a soft shade of pink. A devilish grin appeared on her face as she stared from Duncan to Klaus.

“Thank you again, Isadora,” Klaus said as he took Sunny from her arms.

“Oh, no...thank you, Klaus,” Isadora replied staring at Duncan, who looked at her confused.

Duncan looked to the infant in Klaus’ arms. “Oh my God, it’s a wittle baby!” Duncan said cheerfully tickling Sunny’s tummy. Sunny giggled and slapped his hand away. “I didn’t even know this school allowed babies. This is so cool!”

Sunny smiled back at the two identical siblings. “Friends?” she asked looking at her brother, who blushed.

“Best friends,” Duncan said to Sunny, then looking up at Klaus. “I mean if that’s okay with both of you…”

Klaus blushed as he nodded and when Isadora noticed this, she smiled again. “We hope to see you around, Baudelaires,” she said.

“Yes!” Sunny shouted.

The four children bid goodbyes, thinking that they were headed to opposite locations. But as the Baudelaires walked towards the right side of the two-sided bench, the Quagmires sat down on the left side of the bench. All four children sat in silence. Isadora sat smirking to herself as she began to silently write down couplets, thinking of all the ways to torture her brother. Duncan sat in silence thinking of his interaction with Klaus and how he hoped that he and Klaus would have more time to get to know each other. Klaus sat in silence as he had similar thoughts as Duncan and for the first time since his parents’ death, Count Olaf was the furthest thing from his mind. Even the mysteries surrounding the Baudelaire orphans were far from his mind, as all he could think about was Duncan’s eyes and smile. Sunny sat in silence as she hoped that Olaf would never find them here at the school. She never had friends before, other than her big brother, but she didn’t think that counted. So she was excited to see what a friendship is. She already loved Isadora and if Duncan was anything like his sister, she knew she’d love him, too.

______________________________________________________________________

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! That’s all that went through Lemony’s mind as he raced from the Lucky Smells Lumbermill to his home. This is bad. This was entirely bad. This was one of the few times in Lemony’s life where he was glad that both his siblings had taught him how to drive. His sister, Kit, showed him how to drive recklessly which she said could be useful in case of emergency. While his brother, Jacques, showed him how to drive while obeying all of the rules and regulations.

His most recent attempt to help Beatrice’s two other children had failed disastrously. Well, not entirely. They were safe, most likely being sent off to the boarding school right this very second. What made this disastrous was the fact that his identity had been compromised. Olaf had seen him. Olaf now knew he was alive.

Still being in the middle of the Baudelaire fire investigation, Lemony wasn’t sure if Olaf, himself, had started the fire...but he did know Olaf had no issues with committing a murder... or two.He quickly thought of Violet and how much danger he has put her in...again. Hot tears started falling from his face.

He didn’t mean to put her in danger. He was only trying to do good. He was only trying to help Beatrice and Bertrand’s children. A small part of him believes he should have just left them alone...they were resourceful children, they would’ve figured it out. He should have put Violet first. But a bigger part of him knew that that was just his fear and guilt talking. This wasn’t Klaus or Sunny Baudelaire’s fault. This wasn’t even Beatrice’s fault. This was his fault. It wasn’t because he had decided to help the Baudelaire orphans, no, it was his fault when he convinced Beatrice to help him steal a damn sugar bowl. It was his fault when he convinced Beatrice, Bertrand, and his sister, Kit, to help him with a double homicide.

“Goddammit !” He yelled, punching the steering wheel. He couldn’t think of such unpleasantness right now, he had to get Violet out of danger. If Olaf now knows he’s alive...he needed to take his daughter and run. He felt bad for Klaus and Sunny, but he had to put his own daughter first. Part of him wishes he had grabbed them and taken them along. Maybe after explaining things, Klaus wouldn’t fight as much. They did have a nice heart to heart on Lake Lachrymose. He thought of turning around and heading back towards the mill but ultimately decided against it.

Violet had to be his main priority. His child. He will worry about the other two kids later. Right now, he knew Olaf would come after him.

Maybe I could call someone to come to take Violet until I can fake my death again? He thought to himself. But who? Everyone in the damn organization thought he was dead.

His mind began to race. Kit? No...she thinks I’m dead. Jacques? Fuck. He thinks I’m dead, too. Monty and Josephine are both dead themselves. Larry and Jacquelyn might force Violet into VFD... he thought. This outcome was the last thing that he and Beatrice wanted for their daughter. Maybe the Quagmires could help. I haven’t seen them in a while...Fuck! They’re dead, too. They were the victims of the most recent fire alongside one of their thirteen-year-old triplets. Maybe...someone from Staind-by-the-Sea? He thought desperately. They were all so close back in his apprentice days but he didn’t know how to get in contact with most of them. Lemony felt utterly alone. His cruel mind flashed to Beatrice, she would have been the only person he one-hundred percent trusted with his daughter...but she was dead. Forever gone. It was her death that marked this whole new chapter in his life and there was no going back now. He played his cards...now he had to sit there and wait to see how the game played out.

Lemony has seen how determined Olaf was to destroy two children who had done nothing to him, he can only imagine the time and energy Olaf would spend on destroying him now that he knew Lemony was alive.

Lemony was alone on this one. He only had his daughter. She couldn’t help him because he had to protect her. He had to protect her even if it meant sacrificing himself. He was crying big time now. He wiped his tears from his face.

If I die what would happen to Violet? He asked himself. He knew Mr. Poe was useless but that’s who was in charge of the orphan’s affairs. He knew he was a better option than Mrs. Squalor. He was so glad that none of his enemies knew he had a daughter but he feared that would change if he died. Lemony wasn’t afraid of death, per se, he knew that one day it was to happen to everyone. He would take his last breath, he would see his daughter for the last time. He had hoped to live a long fulfilled life, but as he raced home in his yellow taxi he could feel his stomach churn as if he knew what was to happen next.

I got to get Violet out of danger! He told himself. When he gets home, he will send her ahead of him. She will go to the storekeeper’s shop. They might be VFD affiliated but it was the only shop he knew to be open at this hour. Yes, he will send her ahead. He will stay and pack the essentials and meet her there. She won’t like this plan, but she’ll listen reluctantly. I will explain everything to her! His tears didn’t stop as he continued his drive home. He felt guilty that he had been lying to Violet, her whole life but more so these past couple of weeks. Once they are safe in a new motel, he will tell her everything. What he does. Why he does it. Who those kids are. What he did to help make the schism a thing. Where her birth mother is. He was going to tell her everything she wanted to hear and more. No more secrets. NO more lies. Maybe after he saves himself and Violet, maybe he and his daughter can search for the two Baudelaire orphans. Lemony could adopt them illegally. He’d explain everything to Klaus and Sunny, too, after what they've been through, they deserved it.

Everything is going to end happily. He lied to himself in the midst of tears.

Now...I don’t have to tell you, the reader, why Lemony was dead wrong. The Baudelaire case and, sadly, the Snicket case do not end happily, some would say, the cases, even to this day, haven’t ended. People just can’t find the three orphans and some nights I lay awake in my associate’s small but cozy studio apartment thinking that maybe it’s better that no one can find them. If they haven’t been found, no one can hurt them anymore. Because although I would love to end this tale here with the false hope of a truly happy ending, the tragic tale of the lives of the two Baudelaire children and the Snicket girl has only just begun and we are only a third of the way through.

I would love to say that Lemony Snicket makes true to his word that he tells his daughter everything she wants to know and more, and that he successfully fakes his death in a very unreliable newspaper and find the Baudelaire orphans and illegally adopts them keeping all three plucky youngsters away from Count Olaf and VFD but, alas, this is not a fairy tale and that is not how the story goes.

And for that reason, I will ask of you, one more time before the story takes a turn for the absolute worst, to look away. Look away from this tragic tale before it is too late. Before you, as well, get too invested in the lives of these three orphans that you spend the rest of your life trying to find.

Lemony jumped when his taxi-phone rang. He wiped tears from his eyes and quickly answered it.

“Can’t talk, right now, Jacky,”

“How did the mission go?” Jacquelyn asked not even questioning how he knew it was her.

“Bad. Very fucking bad!” He cried, “The Baudelaires are safe but I’ve been compromised! I’ve been found out!”

“What?!”

“I’m racing home to relocate now. I don’t think I’m being followed,” he explained.

“But how…?!” Jacquelyn asked in shock.

“ It doesn’t matter! I’ve been compromised!” He snapped.

“Do you need my help?” Jacquelyn asked her voice thick with concern as she immediately thought about ‘April’.

“No...no...I can’t involve you any further,” he replies his voice cracking.

“Lemony, please let me help you! I can help you fake your death!” she pleaded.

“No, Jacquelyn. I can’t risk him going after you like he went after Gustav,”

“I’d like to see him try!”

“Jacquelyn, no. Please. I can’t have any more blood on my hands,” he explained crying again.

“Snicket...I don’t need you to protect me…” she began.

“ Jacquelyn...please. I can not involve you any further,”

“I’ll involve myself!”

“Jacquelyn, No!” Lemony yelled, “Look, I am insanely grateful for everything that you, Gustav and Larry have done for me during my adventures with the Baudelaire case. But I can’t involve you like this. He’s a madman and he will not stop ‘til revenge is served.”

“Lemony…” Jacquelyn begged. Her heart filling with dread as she began to predict the outcome.

“Maybe during future missions with the Baudelaires we can meet up again. But I have to go into hiding for now,” Lemony explained. “Do me a favor and still keep a close eye on those kids.”

“Let me help you now,” she pleaded.

“I’m sorry Jacquelyn...but this is my battle. I can’t involve you any longer. Thank you for all your help. Hope to see you and Larry again someday,” he said as he hung up on her. Jacquelyn stared at the phone in her hand and only one thing came to the forefront of her mind.

April!

Once Lemony reached his home, he ran to his apartment as fast as he could. He knew that he didn’t have any seconds to lose. He and Violet had to go now! He rushed through the front door and to Violet’s bed, shaking her awake. Her eyes went wide as she stared at her father.

“Get up! Let’s go!” he called out to her as she sat up quickly. The sense of urgency in his voice scared Violet.

Violet looked around as he was frantically putting things into her backpack, like his wallet. “What are you doing? What’s happening? What’s wrong?”

“Those are the wrong questions,” he replied as he frantically zipped up her backpack handing it quickly to her. “But we don’t have time to ask the right ones, right now. We have to go,”

“Go?” She asked her voice trembling in fear, “Where?”

“Away. Very far away,” he replied not looking at her as he began to pack his backpack quickly. “You have a change of clothes packed right?” she nodded her head in response, “Good. Go,” he ordered.

“Go? Where?!” she asked as she stood in her nightgown staring at her frantic father. Tears began to fall from her eyes. “What...what’s wrong? Who’s after us?”

“No one’s after us . They’re after me,” he reassured, “But don’t worry, they’ll never get me. Snickets are resilient and we take care of our own. Remember that.”

“Why...why are you talking funny?”

“I promise I’ll explain everything to you later,” He says. “Now, go…”

“W-where? It’s four in the morning!”

“You know the convenience store that we usually shop at?” he asked her as she nodded in response. “It’s open twenty-four hours. Go there and wait for me,” he instructed.

“Could I change first?” she asks gesturing to her nightgown.

“No. There’s no time,” he explains trying to rush her out the door.

Violet started crying big time. “Mr. Lemons…” she said, her voice filled with fear.

Lemony frowned and looked at his daughter. “I’ll be right behind you,”

“I won’t leave you...I can’t leave you behind,” she said, her voice breaking.

“Vi…”

She shook her head. “Snickets take care of their own,” she reminded him.

“Exactly, why I need you to go ahead of me!” he explained his voice breaking. He looked at the trembling wreck that his daughter was and he sighed.

“Mr. Lemons...I’m...What...I…” she began unable to find the correct words because her fear was taking over and pushing her guilt to the side.

“I know…” he replied smiling at her. “We can talk about that later,”

She shook her said as she put her backpack on. “I’m...I...I don’t…”

“Violet...I need to go, now.”

Violet nodded but she didn’t move. She was desperately trying to fight her fear so she would be able to apologize to her father for her horrible outburst earlier that day. She wanted nothing more to apologize to him and tell him that she loves him but her mouth couldn’t form the words because she was terrified.

Lemony looked at his daughter and pulled her into the tightest hug he has ever given her. He, too, began to cry. Both Snickets sobbed in each other's arms for around two minutes. Lemony knew this was dangerous to do, but he didn’t care. He had a bad feeling about this and he needed Violet to know that she was loved.

“Mr. Lemons... please… ” she pleaded.

Lemony pushed a strand of hair out of her face and wiped a tear from his daughter’s face. “I love you,” he said, as his voice cracked. “I love you more than anything in this world, Violet. You know that right? You will always be my precious Violet Lemons,”

Violet nodded her head. “ Please...don’t make me leave you.” She begged.

“Look at me,” Lemony said as Violet looked up at her father with tears pouring. “I’ve been through worst scrapes than this, believe it or not. And I promise you once we are in my taxi, I will explain everything to you. I never should have lied to you, Violet. I was just trying to protect you from every danger that I have faced.”

Violet opened her mouth to say something but all that came out were sobs. “You are my strong baby girl. You remind me so much of your mother...you’re resilient, you’re resourceful, you’re strong. No matter what happens, I want you to conquer this world like you always planned.”

“ P-please stop ta-talking l-like you’re never going to see m-me again,” She pleaded sniffling.

“I will see you again. Very soon, ” he reassured her pulling her into another tight hug. “I will meet you at the store in a few minutes,”

Violet looked at him with a face of doubt and fear. He quickly took off the wristband that she sewed him years ago. “Take this…” he says slipping it on her wrist. “you know I don’t go anywhere without it...I will come back for you and that wristband. I promise.”

She nodded her head and began to sob again. “ I love you so much, Violet. You are the world’s best daughter. Of course, your mother wanted you...you’re you...you’re the best thing to ever happen to me. In case something happens, never...never forget that. I am sorry for the secrets and lies and I plan to make this better.” Lemony cried as he began to sob as hard as his daughter. He pulled her into one final hug and kissed her forehead. As he held her close, he looked up at the ceiling silently praying for a miracle. He looked down at Violet smiling. “Off you go. My wallet is in your backpack, buy some snacks...I’ll be there…soon.”

Violet nodded as she walked to the door. “Dad…” she said her eyes so wet with tears that her father was a blur. She sniffled as she tried to say what she’s been wanting to say all night. But the words weren’t coming out. Lemony looked at his daughter, wiping his eyes and nodding his head.

“I know...I forgive you…” he said his voice cracking as he began sobbing again. “And I love you, too. I’ll see you soon.”

Violet nodded and quickly ran out of her house carrying her heavy backpack. She ran like her life depended on it, every so often looking back hoping to see her father. She wiped her eyes as she continued to run all the way to the convenience store. Once she ran in, the store clerk gave her a confused look but decided to leave Violet alone. Violet paced around the front of the store desperately awaiting her father’s arrival. She felt like utter shit. Not only was she extremely cold due to only being in a nightgown, but Violet felt guilty still. Although her father knew what she wanted to say and responded accordingly, Violet believed that she was still on the hook because she had not apologized or told him that she loved him. The second that he ran into the store, she would tell him this, in actual words. She vowed to never tell her father that she hated him because she was already afraid of what might happen but the fact that her last words to her father were “I hate you!” she felt like the anxiety of the situation was going to make her throw up. Fearing that the last words she will ever say to her father would be such vile and cruel ones made Violet feel more uneasy than she would have if she was able to tell him that she was sorry and that she loved him. She couldn’t let the last words to her father be that she hated him.

She didn’t know what was happening but she had a good guess that it had something to do with her father’s enemies. Why else would he be in such a hurry to relocate? The minutes that passed by felt like hours. She kept glancing outside waiting to see her father strolling in behind her but each time she looked. He wasn’t there. Right as she looked outside the store’s windows for the umpteenth time in ten minutes, she saw a firetruck rush on by. She didn’t think much of it.

“Young lady, have you been good to your mother?” the clerk asked her causing her to jump.

“What?” she asked confused. “I...I don’t know my mother,”

“Young lady, have you been good to your mother?” the clerk asked again. Violet looked at the clerk confused.

“I just told you…I don’t know my mother,” she replied getting slightly annoyed.

Now, if Lemony had trained his daughter to understand coded phrases from VFD, then Violet would know that when the clerk had asked her, ‘Young lady, have you been good to your mother?” that was a popular VFD code that meant, ‘run away, you’re house is on fire.’ But Violet didn’t need any translation or explanation because in the next ten seconds she saw four more fire trucks rushing passed the store. She rushed to the door of the store, staring at the firetrucks with bated breath. “No...no...no...oh... don’t turn left, ” she prayed aloud. To Violet’s horror, all four firetrucks turned left quickly. Her eyes got wide as she quickly decided that she was not going to stand here and wait any longer. She was going back for her father.

Violet raced as fast as she could back towards her home. She screamed when she realized their entire apartment building was on fire. “ NO! Mr. Lemons! ” she screeched falling to her knees. She watched the firefighters trying their best efforts to stop the blaze. He can’t be in there. He can’t be in there. No. No. He’s out...he’s just hiding because the authorities are here . She looked around desperately for her father but did not see him anywhere in the crowd. She looked down at her wrist as she shed a tear as she gazed silently at the wristband she had made him when she was just a little girl.

Snickets take care of their own. Was all she could hear as her father’s voice played on loop inside her head. She couldn’t just assume that he got out safe. She feared that he was stuck inside, although she hoped that wasn’t the case. But either way, she wasn’t going to stand here allowing her father to burn alive if she was able to help him. She surveilled the area looking for an easy way up to her apartment. Her eyes locked on the fire escape. She quickly ran towards it. She frowned when she realized that the fire escape was too high where she couldn’t reach it. She desperately searched the alleyway for something she could use to create a makeshift grappling hook to help her reach the fire escape.

Violet coughed due to the smoke that was escaping the building all around her, she crouched down to the ground in hopes of being able to see and breathe better. Violet froze in place when she heard a harsh voice yelling.

“We need to go, boss,” the voice warned, “The authorities are all over the place,”

“I’m coming!” a wheezy voice yelled. Violet looked in the direction of the voices and noticed that there was a pair of legs walking towards a black car with an odd license plate that spelled out ‘IH8ORPHANS’. She glanced at the pair of legs, noticing that whoever they belonged to did not own pants that covered their ankles. When she glanced down at the ankles, she had to suppress a gasp when she noticed that on the left ankle, there was a familiar tattoo of the VFD insignia. Her eyes went wide when she realized he must be one of her father’s enemies. “I was trying to watch the fucker burn! But I was unable to get to his home!”

“There’s no way he’d be to escape that, boss. I’d say he’s as good as dead,” the first voice recalled.

“He better be. I don’t need him mucking up any more of my plans,” the wheezy voice replied as Violet heard a car door shut. The black car started and drove away as fast as they could.

Her heart was pounding in her chest as she scanned the area quickly. Looking for anything, anything to help her. I can’t lose him! She thought as she found a broken umbrella and discarded pile of curtains. She shrugged. This will have to do. She thought as she quickly began to tie the curtains together using the Devil’s Tongue Knot. All she could think about was saving her father if he was still in there. As she tied the chain of curtains to the broken umbrella, she pondered whether or not he was up there. What if he had escaped and he was desperately looking for her like she was looking for him. Going back into that building could result in her demise...or both of their demises. But at this point, Violet didn’t care. She just needed to make sure her father wasn’t trapped inside.

Violet threw her invention into the air, praying to hear it catch onto the fire escape, but unfortunately, it fell all the way to the ground landing rather close to her. She picked it up and threw it again, with each throw she prayed that it would grab hold. Finally, it did. She heard a satisfying clang! As the umbrella and the metal of the fire escape gripped on to each other. Violet pulled on the curtain, making sure that it was in place. Before she began climbing, she realized that she would never make it through the smoke, so she took out her shirt from her backpack, tying it tightly around her nose and mouth as a make-shift mask. This will have to do. She told herself as she skillfully began her easy climb to the fire escape. Once she reached the floor of her apartment, she took ahold of the umbrella half of her invention and began to pound the glass of the window desperately trying to break into the burning building. All the while her eyes were watering from the smoke. Once she finally broke through the window, she hopped in. Ignoring the shards of glass that were slowly piercing her shoulders and legs. She’d have to worry about that later. Violet was so satisfied with her invention that she quickly raveled it up and stuffed it into her backpack. You never know when you’ll need a make-shift grappling hook. She thought to herself.

Violet ran through the hallway as people were running out. Many of them gave Violet confused looks but she ignored them. “Dad!” she shouted at the top of her lungs as she reached her front door. She looked cautiously at the doorknob, knowing that it was probably overheated from the flames of the fire. She began to kick her door in rapidly. Kicking and kicking all the while screaming for her dad. Finally, the door’s weak infrastructure allowed Violet’s manic kicks to break it off the hinges. Violet had to time her search properly because she was already feeling the effects of smoke inhalation, even with her shirt tied tightly around her mouth and nose. “ DAD!” she screamed, her voice becoming a bit hoarse.

She felt more tears run down her face as she gazed inside of her apartment. Nearly everything was on fire, she looked desperately for her father.

“ Mr. Lemons!”

“Where are you, Dad!?” she screeched as she ran around the burning apartment. Doing her best to hold in her breath here and there as to slow down the effects of smoke inhalation. “ Dad!? Please! Are you in here?” She screeched wiping her eyes. The smoke was burning her eyes and throat. Her head was pounding as the loss of oxygen was really getting to her. She began coughing for what seemed like forever. How much time did I have? She asked herself as she felt the building start to shake slightly. Fuck. The building’s infrastructure was giving in. She had to find her father quickly.

She threw herself to the ground, avoiding the flames around her and trying to catch her breath. “ Mr. Lemons!” she called out. “Come on, Dad...you gotta...you gotta get out of here!” No answer. There were so many of her and her father’s personal belongings that had caught on fire, it was hard to tell if any of them were a human being. “ Dad! Mr. Lemons! Please! You can’t…” she choked on both her sobs and more dark smoke. Her breathing was getting hoarse and short, she needed to get out of there, but she couldn’t leave without her father.

“ I’m sorry!” She screamed looking around in every direction, looking for her father. “ I don’t hate you! I don’t...I love you! Please…” she began coughing, still crawling around. “ Please! You can’t leave me...you can’t...you’re the only family I know…!”

Violet turned on her back, squishing her backpack under her weight. “ Lemon man! Please...don’t...die...you can’t die on me,”

Violet’s eyes threatened to close. They were red from crying and the smoke. She kept coughing. She was beginning to cough so hard that it felt like she was going to hack up a lung. She looked around the room desperately, noticing the investigation board laid on the ground next to her. She looked at it and cried. Her father’s work may never be completed. She thought as she turned over to face the board. She untacked one of the pictures from it and slid it into the front zipper of her of her backpack. The building’s infrastructure began to shake again, Violet whimpered. Maybe he’s not the only Snicket who’s going to die today. Violet felt hot tears running down her face. Maybe this is for the best. She thought. What’s a world without her father?

Violet laid on the floor of her living room as her breathing started to become completely impaired. Her head felt both heavy and light-headed. Her throat, lungs, and eyes felt as though they were on fire just like the home around her. This is it. She told herself. She failed. She couldn’t save her father and the last thing she said to him was that she hated him.

“ I’m sorry...Mr. Lemons...I don’t hate you…” She whimpered before she began to cough roughly again. “ I love you...you were the best father a daughter could ask for…” Violet closed her eyes and forced herself to take one heavy breath as she awaited what was to come next.

But what happened next, both relieved and shocked Violet. She felt someone grabbing her by the ankles and hurriedly dragging her across the room to the front door. Violet began kicking and screaming the loudest she can at first, thinking that it was one of her father’s enemies coming back to make sure the job was done but then a small part of her believed the person who was dragging her by her ankles was her father. “... Dad…?” she asked but the person didn’t answer. Violet couldn't see because of how the smoke affected both her eyes and the overall visibility of anyone in the room. Once they were in the hall, the person quickly lifted Violet up bridal style and began running towards the window Violet had broken to get back into her apartment. “...Dad!” she asked again but again the person did not answer. Her voice was hoarse, so she wasn’t sure if the person couldn’t hear her or was simply ignoring her.

“It’s okay...April, I’ve got you,” the voice called out, clutching Violet and her backpack tightly to her as she moved past the shards of broken glass in the window sill.

Violet looked up but her eyes wouldn’t open fully. “Lemon man?” she asked dizzily from the smoke inhalation.

Jacquelyn sighed and held Violet closer as she started down the fire escape. “N-no,” she muttered tears forming in her eyes.

“W-where’s my father?” Violet asked.

“Shh...you need to fix your breathing, April.”

“ NO! Where’s my father!?” Violet cried as loud as she could, before coughing. “ You have to go back in there and save him! Please...he’s all I have!” Violet screeched.

Jacquelyn looked down at the Snicket girl and frowned. She turned to the burning building. If he’s in there...he’s a goner. She thought to herself not wanting to make Violet realize this cold truth just yet.

Once Jacquelyn had carried Violet to safety, where there was clear air. She laid the fourteen-year-old down, untying the shirt from her mouth and nose. Violet was breathing, although it was sharp and shallow. Violet’s eyes were bloodshot red from exposure to smoke. Violet herself was covered in ash and soot. Violet laid on the ground for several moments trying to catch her breath. All the while whimpering about her father.

Jacquelyn rubbed the young girl’s head as she looked Violet over for any burns or injuries. She noticed the cuts in Violet’s shoulders and frowned thinking that she had done that to the girl when she carried her out of the window.

“April…”

Violet began crying as she turned her body to stare in the direction of her old building. Jacquelyn slid the backpack off Violet so she could be more comfortable. Both Violet and Jacquelyn watched in silence as the infrastructure to Violet’s apartment building collapsed before their eyes.

Violet harshly jumped up to her feet as Jacquelyn grabbed her comfortingly by the shoulders. “ DAD! NO! ” she screamed in the loudest voice yet as she fell back down to her knees sobbing in the grass. Jacquelyn knelt down next to her pulling her into a big comforting hug.

“April…”

Violet shook her head. “He’s...he’s gone,” she sobbed. “ He’s actually dead for reals...this time. He’s not pretending,” She began to cry harder on Jacquelyn’s shoulder.

“April…” Jacquelyn choked. “I am so sorry...for your loss. If there’s anything I can do for you…”

“Violet,” Violet replied.

“Huh?” Jacquelyn asked looking down at the young girl.

“My name is Violet...not April,” Violet admitted.

“Violet...I’m so sorry for your loss...if there’s anything I can do for you...you just name it,” Jacquelyn whispered as she began to cry, too.

Violet grabbed the woman tightly and began to sob on to her shoulders for what seemed like hours. Jacquelyn didn’t mind it though. She was just glad that she got there in time to save Violet. She was deeply depressed that she wasn’t able to see Lemony, although she hoped he made it out safe. But she had her doubts, she knew he’d never leave his daughter. As she stroked Violet’s hair comfortingly, she sighed. Least you saved one, Jacky. She told herself but she didn’t feel entirely proud of herself. Had she gotten there sooner...she could have saved Lemony, too. Jacquelyn looked towards the burnt remains of the apartment building shaking her head. This is all VFD’s fault! The Baudelaires...then the Quagmires...now the Snickets? She looked down at violet. Wondering what will happen to this young girl now. She knew she couldn’t tell Violet about her birth mother, not right now, not after she practically witnessed her father burn alive. She knew she couldn’t tell her about the Baudelaires, not while Violet was a sobbing mess. Violet was sobbing hard and whispering apologies to her father and swearing up and down that she didn’t hate him and that she loved him and this broke Jacquelyn’s heart. It was clear that one of the last conversations that Violet had with her father had been an argument.

“Violet...I'm sure he knows you loved him and that you’re sorry,”

Violet shook her head fiercely, “No ...no he didn’t because I told him I hated him! I never got to actually apologize to him for all the cruel things I said or tell him that I love him. He...he...he...he died thinking that I hated him...when that couldn’t be further from the truth,”

“Violet...actions speak louder than words. You didn’t have to say it because you showed it…”

Violet shook her head again and began to cry even harder. “You weren’t there...you didn’t see his face when I said it. It struck him to his core...and he believed me,”

Jacquelyn shook her head but Violet refused to listen. Guilt had settled in and made her into a sobbing mess again. As she cried in Jacquelyn’s arms for several more minutes.

Violet looked up at her, breaking her train of thought. “Please...please don’t recruit me into your cult,” the girl begged as Jacquelyn felt her heart shatter hearing Violet’s cracking voice. “Neither one of my parents wanted me indicted into VFD. So, please...I don’t care where you send me I just don’t wanna go there,”

Jacquelyn gave Violet a small smile. “I promise, I’m not going to send you to VFD. I actually work for a man who takes care of children in your situation and finds them places to stay,” Jacquelyn explained. “You can spend the night with me, tonight and tomorrow we can go back to the bank and get this all sorted out. How does that sound?”

Violet wiped tears from her eyes as she stared off into the distance at her old home. “As long as you don’t volunteer me to your cult, that sounds...better than nothing,”

Jacquelyn stood up and extended her hand towards Violet. Violet shakily stood up and grabbed her backpack. She took Jacquelyn’s hand, who pulled Violet closer to her as she wrapped an arm around her. The woman walked with the young girl to her taxi. And just like that, the Snicket girl became the Snicket orphan.

I told you that this tale was sad, I warned you ample times to turn away. But you didn’t listen...no one ever listens. There are many, many things that are better than nothing. A home-cooked meal is better than nothing. A roof over one’s head is better than nothing. A place to sleep, even if the bed is not one’s own and the blanket is damp with tears, is better than nothing. And as Violet Snicket would discover, there are some thing that even a long night of introspection cannot change. Violet knew that she had to find a way to survive her dreadfully unfortunate circumstances, and perhaps, solve the mystery of how they ended up in them. My associate and I have the same dedication to researching and presenting this story no matter what dangers it puts us in. Trouble and strife can cover this world like the dark of night, or like smoke from a suspicious fire. And when that happens all good, true, and decent people know that it’s time to...volunteer.

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maljean89 · 5 years

Text

I turned 30 and got my tubes tied

Just shy of a week ago I had my very first surgery — I got my tubes tied. Although, “getting your tubes tied” is sort of an out-of-date term these days come to find. Nowadays, removing your entire fallopian tubes is the standard for a couple of reasons: removing them completely (as opposed to tying, clamping or cauterizing) can prevent the occurrence of an ectopic pregnancy and can reduce the risk for Ovarian Cancer. Dude, I have so much cancer in my family, if I can reduce my risk for one kind, I’m down.

I’m really glad I’ve never had surgery before because going into it blindly was probably the best thing for me. I had no idea what to expect and if I had I think I would have been even more of an anxious mess than I already was. I am the queaziest, most fainty human being on the planet, so the entire experience of having the 3 attempts to put my IV in was a little hellish. But being put under felt pretty cool and before I knew it, I was waking up and it was all over. It took a solid 3 days of doing nothing but laying on my back and hobbling to the toilet before I started to feel like a human again. And let me tell you — having a boyfriend with an amazing sense of humor kind of sucks when laughing causes you pain. But he took the best care of me and 6 days later I’ve got a way less bloated and swollen tummy (looked like I was pregnant for a couple days) and my insides feel like normal again. I’ve got these 3 sweet battle wound scars — two on either side of my lower abdomen and one in my belly button — and I can officially say that I’m sterile as a cotton ball.

I’m pretty excited that I now have a response when people inevitably ask “So when are you and Jonah going to have a baby?” I’m going to enjoy it a little too much to be able to say, “Never actually. I had my tubes tied.” Telling people you don’t want kids makes them incredibly uncomfortable for some reason. I’ve never really understood it, but one of two things usually happen. One: they get real awkward and change the subject, never to be visited again. Or two: the barrage of questions begins. Some people are genuinely interested. Some people feel the same way and I get high fives. Some people do the whole, “well, you’ve got plenty of time to change your mind” routine.

The thing that probably kills me the most though is when people ask why.

“Why don’t you want to have kids? If you don’t mind my asking,” they’ll say.

You got a few hours? People ask this question like its a simple answer. Dude, if its a simple answer, I highly recommend that you don’t get sterilized because one simple answer isn’t sufficient. I have scores of reasons! And the reasons why I don’t only stand to inform the actions I would take if I oddly changed my mind someday.

I thought I’d share some of my many reasons with you all. Some are emotional, some are physical, some are financial — they’re all over the place. If you don’t care — thats cool. If you think I’m stupid — you’re entitled to your opinion. But I do think it would broaden your vision a bit to read why someone might not want to reproduce. If you’re one of the people judging me, I encourage you to take a moment to learn about someone different than yourself.

1. Physically, I legit can’t handle it. I know every woman is probably terrified of actually giving birth, but I literally could not handle it. I have to lay down to get a flu shot, and stay laying down for a solid 10 minutes or I’ll pass out. Getting my blood drawn makes me faint every time. And just discussing the process of inserting a NuvaRing with my gyno made me lightheaded and have to lay down. Getting my lady exam every year makes me so nervous I often present with high blood pressure because my nerves get the better of me so badly. Don’t think I could handle 9 months of discomfort, thinking about whats happening to my insides, and then the inevitable pain of actual birth. And even if I somehow could handle it — I don’t want to put myself through that. No thanks, I’ll pass.

2. Financially, I don’t want the burden. People may think thats a cold reason to not want kids, but I’m just being honest. I’m a fucking millennial for god’s sake — I’ll be drowning in student loan debt until the day I die, paying off only the interest on my income based repayment plan each month. I’m just now at 30 years old feeling stable with my own income for the first time ever. And to be 100% honest with you, I want to spend my money on me and my partner, not a small person who doesn’t even understand what money is and how hard I have to work for it. If you can look past that — high five to you, but I can admit that I’m not that big of a person.

3. I don’t want the strain on my body. I’m not special in that I’ve struggled with my body image my whole life. And sure — you can argue all you want that having kids is more rewarding than having a hot bod. And I’m sure thats true for some people. But vainly, I just don’t want to ruin my body like that. I’ve got enough stretch marks on my inner thighs and love handles from when I was heavier. I shall opt for keeping my bladder and vagina and breasts in tact for as long as I can. #SorryNotSorry

4. It’s not what I want my day to day life to be about. I enjoy being around kids of a certain age for a very short amount of time, and somehow that window gets smaller and smaller as they get older. I don’t have enough time for myself, I can’t even imagine having every moment be about feeding and changing and crying and being sick and everything else. Worrying about myself and the people I love is all I have the energy and time for folks. Its wonderful that some people are happy having every day be about play dates and going to the park and doing whatever Mommy-and-Me crap you mothers out there do — but thats just not who I am. I enjoy traveling and seeing the world, experiencing art and theater and music, trying really hard and failing at making alone time for myself, falling in love with Jonah more and more every day, searching for a woman to fall in love with at the same time, and a million other things I could spend hours writing about. In everything I want for my life, there just isn’t a kid running around in that mix.

5. I’ve got some weird Mom-related reasons swirling around in my noggin, too. My relationship with my mother was very special to me. I was an only child raised by a single mom and that, my friends, creates bonds unlike any other. In the three years since she’s died, I’ve realized how sacred my time with her was. I even had a window of time where I thought I was going to cancel getting my tubes tied because I had this morbid realization that by having a baby, and possibly a little girl, I could have a piece of my mom back again. Thats not a healthy way to think. I talked my feelings out with my loved ones and ended up back at my decision to have the procedure. Somehow, the mother-daughter relationship that I had with her is the only one I want to have in my life.

6. Other areas in my life deserve my love and attention more than a child. First and foremost — my love life is too important to me. Jonah is my world. And aside from the fact that on our first date he told me he didn’t want to have any more kids (he has a daughter from a previous relationship), our life doesn’t have room for an infant. Our life together — my career, my company, other creative and business ventures I have brewing in my head, Jonah’s music, our love life being polyamorous — all of these things deserve my love and attention more than having a baby. And guess what? As mentioned above, I already get to have a daughter in a sense! I get to have this super cool friendship/stepmom/parent-type thing with a wonderful little girl that came from the man of my dreams. I can’t wait to see her blossom into a young woman and see what she’ll achieve in life. ALSO, I have an amazing nephew who is about the same age and even though I don’t get to see him every day the way his mom saw me every day, I love the bond I have with him and getting to see him grow into such a sweet and upstanding young man. All of this and more deserve my love and attention more than creating another human.

7. I don’t think its necessary to populate the world with more people. If I lose anyone big time with any of these reasons, I think this one might be it. We as human beings are literally ruining this planet. There are too many people in existence as it is. We’re polluting the ocean at an alarming rate, global warming is all our fucking fault, and every year more and more animals hit that endangered species list or worse, become extinct. Don’t get me started on animal rights! More people just create more garbage, more waste, more problems. I’m sure you love your big family and think you’re not part of the problem, but guess what — we all are. I don’t want to add to it. I can help not add to it by the following...

8. I would choose adoption over reproducing any fucking day. When I had my initial doctors appointment to schedule my tubal ligation, my doctor obviously asked me why I wanted the procedure done. I rambled off a few of these reasons I’ve just shared with you and closed with this: “If for some crazy reason I want nothing more than to have a child 10 years from now, I would want to adopt anyway.” And that was the end of that conversation. There are so many children that need foster homes or to be adopted. In Minnesota alone, an article from this past January from Kare 11 states that “this year alone some 17,000 children will need temporary, out-of-home placements.” I saw an adorable little boy at the grocery store the other day running in front of his parents. For one second I thought, there are I don’t even know how many little boys just like him that need homes across the globe. The thought broke my heart. If I wake up 5 years from now and want nothing more than to be a mom, I want to change someone’s life and give them the loving home they otherwise might not ever have.

9. I’ve never had a strong will to be a mother. Sure, when you’re in grade school you might trade future baby names with your girlfriends at recess. For me it was Hayden for a boy and Aslynn for a girl. But as a teenager and adult, that daydream disappeared. I’ve never longed to be a mother, or to have any sort of a conventional life for that matter. It’s always seemed really boring and expected and normal. One of the very very few positive things that came out of my relationship with my ex-husband was the day he helped me realize that I just assumed I’d have kids someday because thats what society had drilled into me. The moment I stood back and really honestly asked myself, “Do I want kids?” I had my answer. No. And I’ve never looked back.

10. Most importantly, my body was made for more than reproduction. I know we don’t live in medieval times — this isn’t Game of Thrones no matter how much I wish it was. We live in an age of being a career mom and female empowerment up the wazoo. But theres still this thing floating around out there in the world that its expected of me to reproduce. Ridiculous abortion laws like the one that just passed in Georgia that makes it illegal to get an abortion after 6 weeks makes me feel like we’re only glimpsing the tip of the iceberg of whats coming down the pipes. The only person who can control what I do with my body is me goddamn it. My female body can do just as much (AND MORE) than any male body can. Maybe its just me being stubborn or thinking I’m more important than I am, but I firmly believe my body can do a million more important things shit out children. I truly believe we are heading to a Handmaid’s Tale existence, and I won’t be a part of it. I refuse.

I didn’t write this blog to make you feel like shit if you are a mother, and enjoy being a mother. Everyone is different. I respect that. But we all have different perspectives. And I truly believe that there are a lot of moms out there that didn’t think long and hard enough about this life-changing decision, and now they’re stuck with it for life. At the end of the day — you’re going to do you, and I’m going to do me. But maybe you have a little insight into what goes on in a head like mine, and why motherhood doesn’t have to be your future if you don’t want it to be.

I’ll be honest with you — I sort of have this weird feeling that for once I have total control over my own body. Pregnancy has been this fear stamped on my love life since I took that dive at 14 and I finally feel free from it. I don’t know, maybe I’m blowing it out of proportion. I could be feeling that way because I just bought my first house and have this cool, new perspective on taking control of my life. But somehow, I’ve never felt more in control in 👏🏻 my 👏🏻 life 👏🏻

Watch out world. The only one in control of my life and my body is me.

#tubes tied #tubal ligation #30 years old #my body #my body my choice #millennial #handmaids tale #sterilization #pregnancy #having kids #having a baby #mothers #daughters #mothers and daughters

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