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gossip-girl-of-middleearth · 3 years

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Not a Hero (Fellowship x Soldier! Reader)

Synopsis: You, a soldier of Gondor, place duty above all else. When Boromir starts showing signs of plotting against Frodo and the Ring, you take matters into your own human hands, which get a little dirty, and bloody, in the process.

AN: Really wanted to try writing something a little more dark and gritty, and voila! This is the result. I love Boromir so, so much, so this was difficult to write (styled as gender neutral, for all readers)

Warnings: depictions of violence

Pairings: none

You were a soldier of Gondor, which meant both duty and the protection of Middle-earth came first, above all else.

Like most other soldiers, you stood strong, in both mind and heart. However, also just like most other soldiers, you had an intense inclination to get your hands dirty, in the name of service.

Being the most promising in his ranks, Boromir had taken you along to Rivendell. This was where it all started to go downhill.

None could miss the malicious glint in Boromir’s eye, when he watched the Ring. More startling so, none could deny the growing glimmer of murder, when he laid his gaze upon Frodo.

It was nothing personal, and yet entirely so at the same time. Boromir was taken with the Ring, and coveted it deeply. You, for the most part, felt no attraction to the Ring. You perhaps would have, under different circumstances, but as mentioned before, your mind was set, and clouded, by one thing, and one thing only – protecting Middle-earth.

This meant that Frodo, and the Ring, were both under your sword and service. Like a typical soldier, you would strike without warning. You wouldn’t blink once, or think twice, if it fell under the obligation of your sworn duty.

The Fellowship, for the most part, respected this. You held yourself in a high esteem, and diligently shined the insignia emblem on your cloak every night.

Though their races differed from yours, and though yours was arguably weaker in mind, spirit and body, they understood your sense of responsibility. However, what they did not anticipate, was just how deeply that sense ran. In all honesty, it ran deeper than an icy river at night, and was alike, in many ways, to the chilling waters.

Deep, cold and dark – without so much as a shred of mercy towards those who fell in the rapids.

It most definitely first began with the glances Boromir gave Frodo, and then the time he picked the Ring up from in the snow. There were other instances, at camp, where he would sharpen his sword, and glare Frodo down.

The young Hobbit was understandably unnerved. In fact, the entire Fellowship began to walk on eggshells. Whispers began to resonate in the night, about how merciless the race of men truly was. None of them, even Aragorn, were true-blooded human beings. Their souls didn’t work the same way.

This, of course, only became more and more apparent, the more only Boromir fell into the web of Sauron’s luring promises.

With a hard-set jaw, furrowed brows and analytical eyes, you walked behind your captain. You kept your sights trained on him, as he discreetly stole glances at Frodo up ahead.

You all walked through the woods, and did so in silence. This, naturally, made the dark words playing on Boromir’s tongue all the more evident.

He spoke of curses towards Frodo, and darker threats you wished to not repeat. Your hand stayed on the hilt of your sword, at all times.

Boromir may have been your captain, but he did not stand in the way of Middle-earth’s fate. You simply wouldn’t allow it.

Tensions were at an all-time high that night, at camp. Boromir sat seething against a tree, whilst Frodo uncomfortably tugged on the Ring.

Legolas, Aragorn and Gimli had all shared worried glances, before they ultimately fell asleep that night. Two nights of walking without rest was enough to fatigue even the most tireless of the Fellowship’s elite.

You were given the night watch, and happily so too. You could observe Boromir throughout every hour of the dark, as he himself watched over Frodo.

It was a triangle of stares. Frodo nervously studied the ground, before he too drifted off. Boromir maliciously revered him, whilst you burned holes into the captain’s head.

It was only when Frodo began rustling in his sleep, when you leant back against your own trunk, and feigned sleep.

Frodo apparently heard the call of nature, and quietly rose from his sleeping bag, as to enter the woods alone.

Boromir, also having been resting, peeked one eye open. He coldly watched the Hobbit retreat into the trees, before he too rose.

You opened an eye of your own, and idly observed Boromir. He stood, silent as a creeping fox, and retrieved a pickaxe from a sleeping Sam’s rucksack. His weapon of choice that night, so it appeared. More discreet than a sword, that’s for sure.

Once assured that Boromir had walked away far enough, as to the point where your footsteps would not be heard, you swiftly rose.

On silent toes, you walked through the dark. You were younger, faster and agiler than your older captain, and were confident you could keep Frodo safe from harm.

Soon, you found Boromir in the woods. He stood holding the pickaxe, and hid behind a tree. Narrowing your eyes, you emerged into the area.

With a start, Boromir gasped. He then feigned humour, and placed a hand over his chest, as to still his beating heart.

“Y/n, you startled me,” he quietly said.

You didn’t respond for a moment. Instead, you merely only studied both him, and the pickaxe.

“A bit late for an evening stroll, is it not?” you flatly asked.

Kicking himself off from the tree, and lowering his pickaxe, Boromir glanced over his shoulder briefly. Once assured the Hobbit was not yet returning, Boromir turned his head back around, and focused on you.

“Indeed,” he chuckled. “I was merely only ensuring our young Ring-bearer made it back safely.”

Gesturing towards the pickaxe, with a nod of your chin, you snapped your cold eyes upwards to his, and questioned him.

“You need a pickaxe for that?” you knowingly asked.

At once, the friendly demeanour of Boromir dropped. You would have been scared, of his grinding teeth, clenched jar and murderous eyes, had you not been a soldier. This is what you were trained to handle, and handle you would.

“Must I really wear a façade around you, soldier?” Boromir asked through gritted teeth. He stepped forwards, and met you chest to chest.

Barely stumbling back once, you squared your shoulders, and coolly met his glowering eyes.

“What façade do you wear, captain?” you bit back, ever using an even tone.

This caused something to snap inside of Boromir, like the breaking of a red thread previously hanging on. He spoke in low, hasty whispers, and growled down at you.

“We are the only humans in this Fellowship, Y/n,” he seethed. “More to the point, we are the only two from Gondor! You ought to understand why I must do this – I do this for our people, and our prosperity! We need the Ring, Y/n. Help me.”

Your face remained cool, as you stared up at him, with detached eyes.

“No, Boromir,” you flatly denied. “The Ring must stay with Frodo, and us with the Fellowship. Our duty is to our continent, not just our kingdom. We are sworn to our cause, and we mustn’t forsake that.”

“Look at you,” Boromir seethed again in disgust. He ran his eyes up and down your form, and scrunched his nose in disdain. “You are nothing but a loyal dog, blindly following orders – orders that do not even come from your own captain, but Elven filth instead! I will do this without you-“

As he had gone to turn away, and track down Frodo, you kicked the backside of his knees.

Fumbling for just a moment, Boromir lost his balance. At the same time, you swiped the pickaxe from his hands, and held it threateningly.

Turning around, with an even more enraged glint than before, Boromir panted heavily. He revered you in betrayal, and voiced so aloud.

“You are pathetic!” he growled. “You will damn us all! You will damn Gondor!”

“I’m doing this for Gondor,” you replied, for once allowing a snarl of your own to crawl through.

It wasn’t long after, that a brawl of sorts took place. The fight consisted of thrown fists, deep kicks to the abdomen and swinging arms. It then wasn’t long after, that the pickaxe became heavily involved.

Time passed both quickly and slowly, as you stood, hunched over, above Boromir. One swing after another, and blood spurted everywhere. It got onto your face, into your hair and up your nose. Worst of all, it entered your mouth. You could taste the rust of your sin, but simultaneously, the success of keeping Middle-earth safe, for one more day.

However, slipping your attention, Frodo, having returned from his short journey, watched from the shadows.

He winced and trembled, with every blow you delivered to the man’s pulped face. His eyes were wide in horror, as he heard the sickening crunches of metal meeting bone.

Soon, your duty was done. You stood above Boromir, and panted heavily. Even though it was only seconds later, you barely recalled the event. In fact, it simply seemed like a cold white blur, rather than a reality of the past.

You soaked in the sounds of the forest for a few moments – grounding yourself again. Wind blowed through the trees, owls hooted and bugs zipped past.

You stared down at Boromir. He was barely recognisable. A glimmer of guilt flashed through your chest, but was chased away by your soldier’s conscious.

That night, you had taken to a little creek nearby, as to rinse yourself of the blood. You left the pickaxe on Boromir’s body as you did so – perhaps a little frazzled from the event, which was still fresh in your numb mind.

So, on your way back to camp, you quickly bent down, and retrieved it. Frodo observed you, at the late hour it was, as you discreetly slipped the pickaxe into your bag, before leaning against your tree-trunk again.

The next morning, all had felt the sombre presence of death in the air. It hung around like a bad omen, and tainted the wind with malevolent intent.

Frodo barely said a word to you, for he didn’t know how to. He knew he had to say something, but by the heart of him, he still couldn’t believe it to be true. Part of him figured it to be a bad dream. However, the shrill shouting of Gimli soon told him otherwise.

All gathered around Boromir’s fallen body, and grimaced in terror. Who could have done this, they wondered?

“Orcs,” Legolas whispered, keeping his haunted eyes on Boromir’s fallen body. “We must be getting hunted by them at night…”

“From now on, we double the night-watch,” Aragorn ordered. He revered Boromir in guilt. If only he himself had stayed awake, then perhaps this travesty wouldn’t have occurred.

Whilst Merry, Sam and Pippin all teared up in distress, you watched on with cold eyes – completely detached. Aragorn noticed this, but said nothing.

That day, a funeral pyre was lit. Soft words of apology were said, before Boromir’s body was burned.

Frodo hated how the fire of the funeral reflected in your eyes. Every irk of duty was illuminated within your gaze, as you forced yourself to watch on. It was your responsibility, you told yourself, your duty of service.

Travelling that day was done so in silence, and done so faster than ever before. All except you, now thought Orcs to be hot on their tails. Well, all except you, and Frodo.

As sundown approached, and gave way to darkness once more, clouds overtook the sky. A heavy rain began to fall, and drench the woodland camp.

Everyone put their hoods up, and shielded themselves from the wetness of night. You had decided to announce the need of more firewood, and wandered off into the woods – alone.

Frodo watched you with terrified eyes, as he most certainly remembered what had happened the previous night, when you did the same thing.

Aragorn sat on a log nearby, trying feebly to stoke the dying fire. He saw the Hobbit’s distress, and uneven panting. Whether or not Frodo shivered from fear or cold, was unknown.

“Frodo,” Aragorn gently extracted, earning not only the Hobbit’s attention, but the entire camp’s. “Are you…alright, Frodo?”

Swallowing his nerves, and looking between both the ranger and forest, Frodo battled with his inner conflicts. However, the need to tell someone of last night’s horrors overwhelmed him, and with a swift rise of his feet, he fumbled towards your sack.

What he revealed to everyone at the camp, stunned them entirely. The mood dropped, into one of horror, and their uneven breathing was drowned out by the rain.

Not long after, and you returned, with an armful of logs. As you entered the camp, you spoke. However, you soon stopped, following the Fellowship’s hostile reaction.

“I apologise for the wait, it proved difficult to find dry wood,” you explained, glancing at the group.

Everyone stood around Aragorn, and snapped their attentions back at you, the second you reappeared, and spoke.

Unsettled by their presence, you knitted your brows. Making a move to place the firewood down, you questioned both them, and their silence.

“What’s going on?” you curiously asked, walking over to the fire, as to dump the logs.

Dusting your hands off, you squinted in the rain, as you looked back at Aragorn.

After sharing a dubious glance with both Legolas and Gimli, Aragorn brought the pickaxe forwards. You stared at it in quick shock, but placed your own tough façade on.

“Where did you get that?” you slowly asked.

The pickaxe was covered in blood – Boromir’s blood, to be exact. It’d take a fool to not trust Frodo’s frightened words, and the clear evidence.

As they stood in a huddled group at one end of the camp, and you alone in another, a tense exchange of words took place. The rain pelted on, and drenched everybody, like miserably drowned rats.

“Did you borrow this?” Aragorn tensely asked, shaking the pickaxe in gesture. However, when you didn’t respond, he questioned you again, although, his tone shone in more desperation – coveting answers. “Why did you not tell us?”

You analysed the weapon briefly, and the blood that coated it. Looking away, and studying the ground momentarily, you replied. Your jaw was set again, and your brows hardened.

“I was going to,” you sincerely replied.

Finding that you said no more, and planned not to, Aragorn shook his head – completely at a loss.

“Why would you not tell us what happened?” he pressed again.

Legolas, Gimli and the Hobbits all nervously looked between one another, as the tension in the air rose – akin to frogs in boiling water.

“I couldn’t,” was all you could offer, with another aversion of your briefly lifted eyes.

“You killed him…you killed Boromir,” Gimli stated, in a manner of shock. Sure, he didn’t appreciate Boromir, not in the slightest, but this…this was something else. This was murder.

Everyone knew it too. This was something their divergent souls couldn’t comprehend, nor fathom. The Elvish heart of Legolas sunk with dread, whilst Gimli’s Dwarven one brimmed with horror. The Hobbits’ filled with desolation, and the Dúnedain blood of Aragorn ran cold.

You had murdered Boromir in a way only a human could – bloody, brutal and cold. It was simply unnatural to the rest, and their lack of comprehension quickly frustrated you.

“He was going to kill Frodo,” you defended yourself, narrowing your gaze down at Gimli. “Was I supposed to just let him?”

“I don’t think you were supposed to do this,” Merry retorted, shaking his head in shock, whilst his eyes remained wide in disbelief. “None of us are…”

You started incredulously for a moment. Shifting your weight, you further narrowed your gaze, and bit back with an increasing tone.

“Do you think I had a choice?” you defensively asked.

“There’s always a choice,” Legolas rebutted, creasing his own brows.

That was the final straw for you. These beings, so high and mighty above your own human blood, were belittling you, for something only you could muster the strength to do.

“Well, I can’t do what you can, archer!” you snapped, raising your voice. “Nor can I do what Gimli does, or Aragorn, or even the Hobbits! I know you wouldn’t have done it – you probably would have just figured something out, correct?”

Though the question was aimed at all of them, Aragorn answered. Most by now had flinched in retreat, for the human before them ticked like a timebomb.

“I’d try to figure something out…” Aragorn mulled, with a voice ever-so tentative.

“Right! Because you’re Aragorn, the Dúnedain!” you barked again, now most definitely able to be heard over the rain, with a series of defensive hand gestures pointed at the soaked ground. “But not all of us can be Dúnedain, or Elves, or Hobbits, or Dwarves! Some of us have to make mistakes! Some of us have to get our hands a little bloody sometimes! Some of us are HUMAN!”

Your words intertwined with the harsh rain, as cold beads ran down your face, and past your enraged eyes. You stood as defensive as a cornered snake, which, in that moment, the six non-humans all considered your race to be.

“So, that means you had to kill him?” Gimli asked again in response, hardening his own tone. However, horror still ran deep along his inflection.

Flaring your nostrils in anger, your eyes burned brighter. They weren’t appreciative, and simply didn’t understand what it meant to be a human soldier. You weren’t raised in a cosy Hobbit-hole, nor an Elven palace or Dwarven mountain. You were raised in the army, and consequently, a killer.

“Yes, I had to kill him,” you tightly said at last.

With one last clench of your jaw, you leaned forwards, and lowly uttered a final response out.

“You’re welcome.”

With that, you moved back to the campfire, and began placing log after log onto the flames. And, just like only a human birthed from primeval men could do, you, and you alone, restored the fire.

Left standing in shock, the six beings all stared between one another. This was one cultural difference that didn’t quite sit well with them. However, the killing had been among the race of men – human to human. Who were they to inflict their differentiating ideologies onto you?

Pure humans were something entirely different, indeed, and none knew if they liked it that much.

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lightrises · 3 years

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"Only in allowing her to pass..." — Hornet, The Radiance, and the means by which Hallownest turned its victims against each other

A quick note: I read Hollow Knight as an anti-colonialist text. As such I'll be touching on topics related to colonialism as it's depicted in the world of the game, and said analysis will reflect both a sympathetic take on The Radiance and a critique of The Pale King that won't pull its punches. If this sounds up your alley, hello and thank you for the read! Let us be sad about these bugs together.

———

So!! A while back I realized something about pre-canon that felt rather... "curious" is one way to put it, I think. To wit: for all the effort and scheming and determination The Pale King poured into trying to get rid of The Radiance, neither of his plans involved directly killing her.

Was that his long game? Well, sure, that seems clear enough. His tack changed from luring the moths away from their god and creator to a more literal form of incarceration once the infection became a factor, but at its core the end goal never really changed—The Pale King very sincerely wished to destroy Radiance via obsolescence. The Seer lends us foreshadowing to confirm as much:

[Image descriptions: Two screenshots from Hollow Knight, showing the Seer and Ghost in the Seer's alcove at the Resting Grounds. Across both screenshots, the Seer tells Ghost the following: "None of us can live forever, and so we ask those who survive to remember us. Hold something in your mind and it lives on with you, but forget it and you seal it away forever. That is the only death that matters." End description.]

(Which, by the way and given the context, talk about an extremely unsubtle allusion to cultural genocide huh!!! Whew.)

In any case, we're left with a whole bunch of machinations which build up to... well, two very roundabout attempts at committing deicide. That's kind of weird, all things considered! Why not just do the deed in one fell swoop and get it over with?

This could be for any number of reasons. Maybe the king was devoid of the means to instantly kill another higher being. Maybe his personal sense of scruples stopped him short of signing off on MURDER murder (although, y'know, the aforementioned genocide + eternal imprisonment = still cool and copasectic apparently!). Maybe the long drawn-out cruelty was the point. Maybe the idea of playing fuckign 4D chess with the circumstances was too delicious for him to pass up—that man did love to tinker and stick his claws where they sure as hell didn't belong—or maybe it was a little bit of All The Things. Who knows!!

But interrogating The Pale King's methodology on this count isn't what I'm here for, at least not really. The main reason I raise this question at all is that in her own way, Hornet did too.

"I'd urge you to take that harder path... "

See, going by The Pale King's actions and what The White Lady explicitly says, they both foresaw two outcomes wrt the infection: it can be allowed to spread, or it can be contained. At Teacher's Archives, Quirrel acknowledges the fact that Ghost is expected to do... something about this, but he doesn't elaborate on what HE thinks that's supposed to be apart from the obvious "Gotta bust into Black Egg Temple first". Hornet is the one person who presents to us—to Ghost—what's framed as a third option: confront and destroy the infection at its source.

And she doesn't bring it up like it's just another tactic for Ghost to consider, prim and indifferent to what they would do. She nudges them towards it, actively, up to the point where she throws herself into the fray against Hollow at a juncture that's uniquely dangerous to her and her alone just to make that option feasible.

Even when she's couching it in disclaimers that this is still Ghost's decision to make (and let's be fair, she's extremely not wrong about that lol), no one can pretend Hornet is unbiased. It's obvious in that buttoned-down Hornet kind of way that she is way the hell done with the increasingly tenuous stalemate that's kept Hallownest's desiccated corpse from collapsing in on itself. Personally it's hard for me not to read some Toriel Undertale-esque "My father was too entrenched in his own foolishness to pursue any course of action that would have DEFINITIVELY ended this" shade into her stance here, regardless of whether that's strictly true in canon.

And that bit—Hornet's hopes for an end to Hallownest's stasis, moreover her grim calculation of what needs to be done to get there—that's the bit I find super interesting but likewise tragic and depressing as shit, on multiple levels. In no small part because a) canon itself gestures towards Hornet feeling conflicted about the very plan she's pushing, and moreover b) she has at least two (2) damn good reasons to feel that way.

So, what do I mean by that? Let's look here first:

[Image description: A screenshot from Hollow Knight, of Hornet and Ghost inside the Temple of the Black Egg, standing in front of the unsealed egg itself. Hornet has been struck by the Dream Nail and her dialogue is displayed as follows: "... Could it achieve that impossible thing? Should it?" End description.]

As the curtain is about to drop on things one way or another, Hornet thinks,

... Could it achieve that impossible thing? Should it?

Now, looking at that last bit it's easy to go "Oh no, Hornet's worried that Ghost won't survive killing The Radiance!" And I do think that's part of it: Hornet is, categorically, not her father. By endgame it's clear she's not content to view her Void-borne siblings as tools to be used then disposed of. She's also well aware that as a healthy autonomous Vessel amongst the countless dead, Ghost is the only person left alive who has a fighting chance against The Radiance. Knowing someone is the only qualified candidate for the job doesn't make encouraging them to embrace a probable death sentence any less of a bitter pill to swallow, though. And odds are on that this sentiment extends to Hollow too, who IS going to die no matter what happens here. To put it bluntly, it's more than reasonable to conclude that Hornet hates the absolute fuck out of this.

But I don't think that's all there is to it either. Remember what I said earlier about The Pale King's bids for genocide? Well, it's not like the man deigned to limit his efforts to just the moth tribe.

"We do not choose our mothers... "

On top of everything else—an infected Hallownest being all she's ever known, the fact that she only exists because of the infection, the list goes on—Hornet has spent her life wedged into a position that's been uncomfortable and terminally unglamorous at best: she is both a daughter of her father's kingdom and of Deepnest.

Deepnest, which like the moths and many others was here long before the wyrm and his lady wife swanned onto the scene and the God Become Bug laid claim to everything the Light touched plus a considerable amount of change. THAT Deepnest, which has fought claw and thread to retain its sovereignty against same-said settler king, and for which Herrah not only surrendered her life but also agreed to bed her worst enemy, all in hopes of securing a viable future for her people (put a pin in that last part by the way, I'll come back to it soon).

Two Worlds, One Family (Ft. An Indigenous Woman Trying Her Damndest To Work With What She's Got Versus An Imperialist Who Only Signed Up For This Because He Needed The Political Favor THAT Badly, So It's The Height Of Dysfunctional Actually). Fun times!!!!

The baggage this entails for Hornet is gnarly enough without implications made by The White Lady and the pre-canon timeline of events and even Team Cherry's dev notes that the king may well have looked at baby Hornet, gone "YOINK", then ensured she spent the lion's share of her childhood reared within the pearly auspices of his Pale Court*. That would be rather advantageous for Him Specifically after all, the potential to mold a born foe into a future ally and even have her trained in combat under the same tutelage as her doomed sibling. And far be it from him to stop a grown Hornet—his own flesh and blood too!—from making Deepnest her forever home if she so pleased. He totally wouldn't be reneging on his "fair bargain made" by doing this one simple thing until Hornet came of age, not t e c h nic c a l l y.

If that is indeed the case, there's a non-zero chance Hornet's formative years were a hot mess of cultural alienation and being a good deal more privy than most to just how much of a bastard her father could be. There's an equally non-zero chance that at some point she stood or sat within earshot as The Pale King finally, finally dropped all pretense and euphemism to name the Light for precisely what (for who) it was.

See, in conjunction with the question that started this whole dang train of thought I've been asking this one too: Does Hornet know? When she speaks of confronting "the heart of [the] infection" does she know she's talking about not just a literal person but someone very specific? The Radiance, who god though she may be shares skin in the game alongside Hornet as a native woman screwed over by the same settler king, likewise deprived of her kin and saddled with a life gone horrendously pear-shaped?

I'll assume for the sake of exploring the possibility and because I think it's a likely one anyway that yes, Hornet does know. She knows, and despite everything can't help empathizing. She might even look at Radiance and see bits and pieces both reflected and slightly inversed in her own mother: Radiance was forced to the sidelines while her people—her children, the brood she was meant to lead and care for—died out under The Pale King's rule, and it's no stretch to assume she's at least as upset about that as she has been about everything else; Herrah too took drastic measures for her people's sake, trying to head off annihilation by relegating herself to the sidelines in an act that was as much calculated risk as an attempt to find wiggle room and leverage in the face of a nasty proposition.

A calculated risk that, if things continue as they are, might well amount to nothing as the rest of Deepnest gets eaten alive by the infection. It survived The Pale King's advances for so so long, only to fall here. Herrah's sacrifice would be for naught; the other tribes—themselves the king's victims—would keep succumbing to the infection too.

And this is where things fall apart.

"... or the circumstance into which we are born."

Let's be clear: I think Hornet is wise enough to know what's what here, that all the carnage and suffering falls on her father's head for starting this slow-motion trainwreck in the first place. Hallownest wasn't always Hallownest. This domain was Radiance's home first, along with many others. It was the worm-turned-king who rolled up on the scene unsolicited and decided this was a ""'problem""" that had to be """solved""".

But the fact of the matter is that he's gone and The Radiance is here, raging, seemingly inconsolable. Above and beyond being Deepnest's rightful heir, Hornet isn't in a position to countenance more splash damage even if the grief and fury fueling it makes perfect sense. She can understand without ever bringing herself to love Radiance, and she can bend her knee to practicality even if she hates the everloving shit out of it because the fact that it "has" to end this way isn't fair.

This lends itself to one last awful conclusion: that Hornet has probably considered and (rightly or wrongly) discarded the possibility that Radiance can be saved, at least not without dragging more collateral along for the ride. If even her mother and every other enemy to the king seemed to dismiss talking Radiance down as an option way back when... well. Why should Hornet hope for any better after things have escalated so far?

Again, it's practical. A practical net good is what Hornet strives for. And again, it fucking sucks.

For extra tragedy points, this makes Hornet's extended crypticness around Ghost followed by her last minute casting about for a reason to tell them "Wait, don't; not just yet" that she never voices even more of a gut punch. She can't bring herself to burden Ghost with the context that haunts her so, least of all when it might weaken their resolve to go through with what (she thinks) needs doing.

It's the "same song, different verse" which led to the mantis tribe and Deepnest being pitted against each other: Hallownest rigged the game so that two women who could have been powerful allies—who have a mutual vested interest in driving out settler rule—wound up poised as enemies instead. And how awful is that? The king for all his being extremely fucking dead still gets the last laugh, because outside of a miracle the game never manifests Hornet can salvage what her mother started and look forward to a future where Deepnest pulls itself back from the brink if and only if The Radiance dies.

Resolution comes at the price of a completed genocide. Add two more dead siblings to the unconscionable pile thereof, while we're at it. That's what it boils down to whether or not Hornet can bear to articulate it as such, and there's no grace or even a properly bittersweet ending to wring from this clusterfuck. And that is rough.

———

* This has been better explained elsewhere, but a quick rundown: The White Lady tells Ghost that Hornet and Herrah "were permitted little time together." On its surface this can be taken to mean that Hornet was still very young when Herrah was shipped off to Eternal Dreamland—except this doesn't jive with the fact that we meet Hornet as an adult. If the stasis kicked in once the Dreamers went to their rest, which in turn halted the aging process for every living bug in Hallownest, AND before all this Hornet experienced little by the way of quality time with her birth mother... I think you can see where I'm going with this.

To top it off we've got Team Cherry weighing in ominously from their dev notes on Herrah: "As part of the agreement for her alliance and her role as a dreamer, King gave her a child (Hornet). Was she allowed to keep this child or was she taken away?" This isn't confirmation by itself of course, but given additional canon details (see above): Can I get a "yikes" in the chat fellas.

#hollow knight #hornet (hollow knight)#hornet hollow knight #hk hornet #the radiance #hk radiance #herrah #hk herrah #hollow knight meta #sup folks it's been a minute since i dropped a whole dang essay but Here We Go!!!!!!

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constancelaufeydottir · 3 years

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Help me, help you

Pairing: Bucky x reader

Word count: 3.1k

Warnings: Attempted suicide, mentions of mental illness and eating disorders, angst, fluff(?)

Summary: You seek help from the stranger who saved you the night you sought for an escape, maybe you weren’t the only one who needs saving.

A/N: This is my first ever fic here! I’ve never written anything before and I’m really anxious to put this out here, please bear with me if I make any grammatical mistakes and let me know what you think!

You probably shouldn��t be doing this. They said you’d disappoint your family and people around you would be sad. But the water, it’s tempting. A dive, and your problems would be gone.

To be honest, you don’t think you family cares at all. They’ve got bigger things to worry about, you sister’s engagement, your brother’s enrolment in college. After all, you were the unwanted kid, an accident. The only time you caught your parents’ attention was when you butchered your job interview. You had prepared thoroughly but a stomach bug ruined it all and your parents blamed you for it, saying they always knew you were a failure, a disgrace to the family.

They didn’t even ask where you were going tonight. They never cared unless you had big achievements in your life or maybe when your failure was too huge for them to ignore.

The sloshing of the water is luring you to jump into it. The deep dark waters inviting you to join the others who had succeeded before you. You moved your feet a little towards the edge of the railings, embracing the chilling midnight wind as you closed your eyes. This is the end, you thought, your foot dangling over the railings ready to plummet into the river.

You felt an arm circling your waist and pulling you backwards until your back hit the ground, a palm caging the back of your head, preventing it from hitting the hard ground.

“Ma’am, are you alright?” You heard a deep voice coming from the right side of your body, hands were on your shoulders gently shaking. You blinked a few times, the blinding lights made you wince as you closed your eyes again with your hand shielding them.

The man who saved you helped you sat up, kneeling beside you to ensure your safety. You took time to have a close look at the good Samaritan. His hair was long, stopping a little lower down his ears. Eyes was the colour of the ocean, almost enticing as the water. His chin adorned with a scruffy beard, lips curving in a small smile. If it weren’t for your bad mood right now, you would have joked that he looked like a modern version of Jesus.

“Why?” You whispered, so quietly if not for his enhance hearing, the man wouldn’t have heard you. “Why did you save me?” You cried out, hands trembling as they grasped the collar of his bomber jacket. Your teary face surprised him and your sniffles made his heart tightened.

“I- I can’t let you die!” He exclaimed. The tears in your eyes spilled out again as you collapsed into the stranger’s chest, crying your heart out. He felt the vulnerability in your voice and hugged you tighter, palms meeting behind you and patted your back to comfort you.

You didn’t know how long you sat there crying in the man’s arms. Your tears soaked the dark red Henley underneath his jacket, causing it to stick onto his firm chest but he did not utter a single word, instead opting to calm you down.

You had no idea how you got home, except for the fact that you vaguely recalled ending up in the arms of a certain stranger, the rest was a blur.

You woke up on the couch the next morning, your phone alarm blaring. The hard rectangular metal was digging the soft flesh of your butt and you groggily dig it out of your back pocket turning the alarm off.

There was a sweet smell of pancake wafted from the kitchen and you sniffed at the smell, face scrunching when you didn’t remember having someone over. The thought of someone unfamiliar inviting themselves into your house alarmed you and your hastily got up from the couch, a pillow in your hand as you inched slowly towards the kitchen. Peeking your head around the corner, you found a tall and broad figure in the space, hands fumbling around with something. You couldn’t see clearly who that was, your glasses were in your bedroom the last time your saw it.

You knew the stranger in your house could never be your brother because one, he was an asshole who gave no fucks about his sister’s life and two, your both hated each other’s guts. Your breath quickened as the intruder suddenly turned his head towards your direction. You yelped as you threw the pillow at him, or the general direction where he was standing.

Of course, you missed the target when he walked towards you. “Shit, I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die.” You shut your eyes as you heard his footsteps getting closer and closer to you.

“Hey, you’re awake!” You squinted at the man, trying to make out the features of his blurry face. He looked oddly like the guy who saved you on the bridge last night. He moved closer to you when he realized you couldn’t see him clearly. Your eyes widen at the sudden close proximity, your lips were slightly parted. You could feel his breath against your face, his long lashes and that steel blue eyes.

“Y-you!” Instantly, you were conscious of your own appearance, your eyes must have been puffy from last night’s non-stop crying. There were probably still dried tears on your face. Adverting your gaze from his, you looked to the side as you slid out of the slightly awkward situation. Walking towards the counter, you pulled out a wet tissue and wiped your stiff face with it then retrieving the cold spoons you kept in the freezer.

He laughed when you put the spoons on your eyes, you sighed at the cool sensation soothing the puffiness of your eyelids. “Don’t laugh. It’s effective,” you glared at him.

“Alright, alright.” He threw his hands up. “I’m Bucky,” his hand extended outward, waiting for you to shake it. “Y/N.” He smiled, eyes crinkled as you reciprocate the gesture.

He cooked you breakfast, although it was a simple one, you were still grateful.

“Thank you for last night,” you gave him a genuine smile as he was seated across you on the dining table, stuffing his mouth with the pancakes. “It’s nice to see that someone cares.” This time you smile didn’t quite reach your eyes and he caught it.

Grabbing your hand across the table, he looked at you in the eyes with sincerity. “It’s the least I could do.” Taking a deep breath, cautiously he spoke up. “Y/N, I know it’s not my place to say this but seek for professional help if you aren’t feeling fine. Maybe just talk to someone or … go see a therapist.”

“Are you insinuating that I have depression?” You scoffed. Your eyebrows furrowed in annoyance as you snatched your hand from his grasp and crossed your arms in front of your chest defensively.

Depression? No, you couldn’t have had depression. It’s a sign of weakness, you father said. Depression is just a fancy term to describe one’s laziness, that’s what your mother told you.

“I’m not insinuating anyt-”

“Get out,” you interrupted, “get out of my house!” Enraged, you pointed towards the door while snapping at him. How dare he, a stranger suggested that there was something wrong with you.

Sighing, Bucky gave you a taut smile while nodding then placed a piece of paper on the coffee table on his way out. “Here’s my number in case you needed any help.” He paced towards the door opening it, giving you a last glance before leaving.

It’s been weeks now since you yelled at Bucky to get out of your house. You felt bad and deep down there you knew he was right, but the stigma surrounding mental illnesses was extremely terrifying to you. Not to mention what will happen if your family found out. You were a major disappointment in your household already and you definitely wouldn’t want to add a mental illness into the mix.

You were sitting in your office, typing on the keyboard furiously. Honestly you didn’t know why you were still here. This job sucks, even though the salary was high and you’d just been promoted to manager of the department. Chewing on your nails and bouncing your legs under the desk, you felt the need to just leave everything and go home.

The drive home was painful, you simply had no energy to do so but you still had to go home, your only safe place. Taking off your shoes, changing out your clothes, you lied on the bed. Your stomach grumbled, protesting at the lack of food in your system but you just couldn’t get yourself off the bed to make something for yourself. Your mind travelled back to the day you were on that bridge. You didn’t actually seek for death, all you sought for was an escape. An escape from reality, from your parents, from the constant judgements of people surrounding you.

As you closed your eyes, you wished that tomorrow never comes.

Another day, another disappointment. You were still alive, and the world seemed a wee bit duller than before. Skipping breakfast, you went to work as usual, plastering the faux smile on your face which everybody seemed to liked and expected from you. In this workplace, everybody’s gotta put on a façade and that included you but you dreaded the day where there would be a crack in your mask. Until then, you just had to work harder to reinforce it because according to your parents, nobody would want to see the real you, it was unpleasant … and ugly.

“I gotta say. Miss Y/L/N, you are spectacular. Being one of the Y/L/N, I bet it was a lot of pressure but you have done such amazing job, I think your parents would be so proud of you.” A client who was a family friend was seated across you, a wide grin on her face as her face crinkled rambling about how lucky you were being born into a family filled with successful people.

You smiled and thank her for her compliments, cutting the steak your ordered into bite-size pieces. Poking into one of the pieces with your fork, you lifted it up to your lips. Taking a deep breath, you put it into your mouth and instantly you felt like you were about to throw up. Fighting the urge to spit it out, you endured the taste of the meat as you bite at it mechanically. Looking down at your plate of steak, you no longer feel the appetite to consume any more of it.

Everyday you woke up, you wondered how long would it be until the colours faded into grey. Perhaps it was the only thing keeping you alive right now, counting the days until the beautiful hue of the sunsets no longer amazes you; the sight of puppies doesn’t excite you; the thought of having ice cream whenever you can no longer sounds appealing to you.

You should get some help, you really should. Your body was deteriorating, you could feel it. You weren’t in denial anymore; you knew there was something gravely wrong about you. Your body couldn’t afford being in denial. The loss of radiance in your face, the hair and weight loss and most importantly, you couldn’t put on a façade anymore.

Bucky rushed towards your apartment when you called, he could hear how shaky your voice was. He was extremely worried the past weeks even though he had only met you once. Maybe it was because he was in that dark place before and was able to relate or maybe he took a liking to you. He found himself constantly wondering whether you were well and how long would it take for your stubborn ass to call him.

He arrived at your place as fast as he could, probably drove past a few red lights but he couldn’t care less. He was more worried about you that the fine he would have to pay.

Bucky stormed past the hallway, straight to your unit and knocked on the door when he couldn’t open it. He received no response from you and his mind immediately went straight to the negative thoughts. His heart raced as he banged on the door, shouting your name several times.

He was about to break his way into your apartment when he saw the door opened slightly, your tired eyes meeting his concerned ones. He made his way into the space and immediately got the wind knocked out of him when you hurled yourself into his chest.

“Imsorryimsorryimsorry.” You kept chanting your apologies as you broke down in his embrace. You felt as if you were floating in the middle of the ocean succumbing into nothingness and he was the anchor, helping you to stay in one place. He was a mere stranger to you yet he witnessed every vulnerable side of you, if only your family could share the same level of concern as he did.

“Shh, shh. I’m here now,” he guided both of you to the couch with you still tightly in his arms, smoothing a palm on your back gently patting you. You hiccupped, eyes teary while you tried to calm yourself down. The tears however would not co-operate, it was like a broken faucet and no matter what you try it wouldn’t fix itself. “I’m really sorry for lashing out last time.”

He didn’t say anything, only wiped your tears with the sleeve of his sweater instead. Maybe it was the fatigue of crying too much or the absence of food in your body, you drifted into sleep in his arms while he hummed songs to you.

You woke up in the middle of the night when you heard the heavy breaths of the man. Half awake, you blindly reach out for your glasses on the night stand, vision clearer as you saw the door to your bedroom was wide opened. Getting on your feet, you moved towards the source of the noises carefully and realized it came from Bucky who was now thrashing on the couch in your living room.

He was groaning, clutching at his left arm painfully as if it was burned. A sheen of sweat could be seen on his forehead, strays of hair sticking onto the sides of his face. The front of his wife beater clung onto his chest soaked by perspiration. His groans soon turned into agonizing screams as he tossed and turned on your couch. You noticed webs of burn scars littering the expanse of his left shoulder to his arm and felt your heart tightened at the sight of it.

You hastily knelt in front of the couch, hand gripping on his shoulder and his face. “Bucky! Bucky!” His eyes shot open at your voice, flinching at the sight of you. Hands balled into fists in front of his chest, he was ready to take on any attack coming at his way. He visibly relaxed when he broke out of the haze, pushing his hair back with his hand with a bashful look on his face.

His muscles tensed when your hand reached out to his shoulder, but then slackened when you pulled him into a hug. His head fell onto your shoulder as you patted on his back like how he did for you just a few hours ago, ignoring the sweat gliding down his skin.

It must have been hours; the two of you sitting there in an embrace on your couch, not wanting to let each other go after what you both have been through. No one spoke a word and there was only silence in the large apartment of yours. The faint ray of sunlight peeked through the blinds, gleaming into your apartment reminding you to start the day.

He was the one who broke the hug, an awkward silence now surrounding the both of you. “Thank you … for helping me, even though I was supposed to be the one helping you,” his voice was raspy from the groans and moans. “It’s … uh nothing,” you shrugged, dragging your worn body to make some hot chocolate for him even though your body was screaming for you to lay in the bed, rotting your day away.

Your hands trembled as you passed him the mug. “Where’s yours?” Your head tilted at his question, not quite sure what he was asking about.

“Y/N, how long have you not eaten anything?” You turned your head away, not meeting his determined gaze. You wished he didn’t catch the glint of guilt in your eyes, but you knew he did.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He clenched his jaw at your statement.

“You called me, Y/N. You called me because you need help and I can’t help you if you’re not honest with me.” You gulped at his words. His eyebrows were furrowed and it triggered a fear in you; you didn’t want to disappoint him like you did to your parents.

Your lips quivered a little, eyes darting to the carpet. “I couldn’t find the energy to eat, it’s just too much work. These days it’s either eat or shower. Since I don’t have any appetite anymore, I dedicated all the energy to shower then. But I have a feeling that I might not even have the energy to drag myself to take a shower or even get up in the mornings soon. It’s just so tiring, where do people even get those energy from?”

“Well, we’ll deal with it one step at a time, okay?” Bucky tilted your chin up to make you look him in the eyes. You whispered a meek ‘ok’, suddenly tired at the lack of sleep.

He handed you the now warm hot chocolate, a stern stare on his face. “At least have some fluids in your system, please.” His gaze softened when he saw you gulping at the sight of the warm brown liquid, nose scrunched up in disgust.

He noticed your discomfort and gestured you to wait while he went to your kitchen and rummaged around the drawers only to return with a spoon.

“Baby steps, okay? Just 5 spoons of it then we’re done.” You nodded while he passed the spoon to you.

The whole morning was spent with Bucky in the living room, him giving your warm encouraging smiles whenever you managed to swallow a spoonful of the chocolate drink.

“Go get some sleep,” he gave your knee a few light taps before proceeding to pull you off the couch and guide you back to your room, then went back to the couch himself to get some shut-eye.

Sending a message to your assistant that you would have to take a few days off, you didn’t wait until you get a reply and plopped yourself on the bed, once again drifting into sleep hoping tomorrow would be better than today.

#bucky barnes #bucky fic #bucky x reader #bucky imagine #bucky fanfic

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a-magical-artist · 3 years

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Top Ten Favorite Doppels

Turned in less than five minutes before Halloween ends, but whatever:

10. Abigail

Hagumu is really just a scared kid despite being a Neo Magius stooge, and Abigail is a very good representation of that; Hagumu closes her eyes whenever she comes out, to which, same as Abigail is a very intimidating doppel filled with teeth and spikes. Her form’s listed as a “reversible shape” and she gives the impression of a torn up, straw-filled doll with a toothy mouth and spines/shards all throughout her inner lining. It’s also a good twist that since Hagumu’s magic makes her unusually strong against witches, Abigail is the opposite, being effective against magical girls.

I really love the exterior on this one, it looks very pretty and ornate, and it does a nice job contrasting with the messy, shard-filled fiber underneath.

9. Gothel

I’m very close to unlocking Gothel (all I need are materials for Magia leveling), but I already love her design. She takes Yozuru’s wish and magnifies/projects it as many witches (or doppels) do, in her case, trying to find someone or something that can make Yozuru feel the emotions she wished away. She takes the form of a tower (name being a great Rapunzel reference) with exposed ribs she uses to drag in and crush whatever she sees, which is...fairly impressive as a doppel design without being too gory (a reason why Beatrice and Therisia aren’t here or in this slot).

8. Clothette

I...really, really don’t like Suzune Magica, and I don’t like Suzune. I do however, have a grudging respect for her Doppel design. Clothette’s based around a gadfly, comes out of Suzune’s eye, has bells for eyes, and is constantly on fire. It’s a great design, but points off for coming from a character I can’t stand.

7. Gibdaughter

So, fun fact about hummingbirds for anyone who doesn’t know; they’re beautiful little birds...that have the worst tempers. I love them for that, and I’m happy to see one used as a base for a doppel design. Gibdaughter, as per usual, externalizes Kanae’s wish to be left in peace by using her very love of music. Her main attacks all revolve around the vibrations she gives off, adjusting them to resonate with her targets until they shatter. Given both the animal and the character of Kanae, this was an all too appropriate fit. The doppel’s mechanical appearance is pretty and both a nice reference to hummer feathers (they give off a metallic sheen when light hits them), and to Kanae’s aloof exterior.

6. Sylvie

Given how sweet and caring Ikumi is, this one was a surprise. Sylvie’s a very invasive doppel-moreso than Hevelius even-in that she’s not only formed from Ikumi’s lower half, but also seems to thread her way through her entire body given Ikumi’s eyes turn into glowing, barbed anchors. Definitely lines up with her nature, but...jesus. She gives the impression she’s based around one of those cymbal monkey toys, which is already creepy enough, but Sylvie’s “head” is just Ikumi, and also the gigantic screw jutting out of her upper back. The accordion midsection does not help in any of this and makes Sylvie’s movements look off, even for a doppel. Good but horrifying design, though the glowing eye anchors are a little over the top for me.

5. Hund Balou

Hund Balou is one of the rare genuinely disturbing doppels; Hanna was already very close to being her by externalizing her curse on the world and those around her, so there’s not much for Hund to do except just. be destructive. Her form is creepy, her description’s creepy, everything about Hund is really screwed up. And Hanna, being spiteful, vindictive Hanna, loves her and thankfully, never got the opportunity to use her for some pretty obvious reasons. Hanna’s relationship with Hund is similar to Alina’s with Old Dorothy-both are in sync with their doppels and have the same goal, which is...horrifying given both characters. Hund is really cluttered and witch-like in appearance, being covered in leashes, chains, and buttons with a splattered green/purple/blue dress topping it all off. Her mixed media feel is pronounced, which is a good indication of how close Hanna is to her, and how messed up her implications really are.

4. Ein Roter Drache

This is the stupidest, and yet most awesome doppel I have ever seen; it’s a dragon that makes its entrance by riding on its hoard of treasure and smacks its targets with its tail. The tiny crown is a really funny touch for it and I will forever be sad that I can’t get Elisa outside of a support as of NA’s shutdown

Also love how it’s just Elisa’s bottom half to give the illusion she’s riding the doppel-that’s awesome and I love the creativity going into it

3. Oaji

*Insert the “What are you doing in my swamp” mere here*

Oaji takes the appearance of an entire swamp that lures people in, hinting at both the barrier of the witch and the witch herself possibly being similar to Zola, which is a cool concept. I love how simple she looks, and her coming out from behind Chiharu lines up with her misguided efforts to help her. She kind of gives off a similar vibe to Elsa Maria from the original series-even the branches bring the Sebastian familiars to mind. Also really love the lantern and the gray pool forming underneath Chiharu-the gold streaks just really top everything off here.

2. Marita

I love assassin bugs and so I love Marita. Instant number two for me

For real though, I didn’t expect these to be used as a doppel base, so I was very surprised when Sunao came out and her doppel had this as one. It looks appropriately creepy and very elegant, and I like the little necklaces hanging just below the head of the doppel. Marita also shares the needle/sewing aesthetic with Latria, and although there’s no blood, the giant one serving as a mouth is scary enough in implication. The crystal ball (that turns red during attacks) being the doppel’s abdomen’s also a nice touch.

Honorable Mentions:

Old Dorothy: Old Dorothy in-game is described as witch-like, and that’s because unless the viewer knows where her core body is, she just looks like an unrecognizable mass of puffballs and paper flowers dipped in orange paint. With witches, you can never really tell what it is you’re looking at, so Old Dorothy gives off that same impression. She didn’t officially make it because of her weird little core body, but I do love her gimmick.

Theresia: I do like Theresia, but I felt her design wouldn’t fit since I’m trying to avoid the more gory doppels. I do like how she’s literally just Sana’s ears, and how there’s two versions of her that have an equal chance of coming out (though this does present some complications when going competitive with Sana).

Poker Alice: Too much of what looks to be exposed muscle for me to feel comfortable putting her in, but I adore the skulls exploding outward behind the chair and the hands covering Yukika’s eyes. Speaking of, the eyes on this thing are both cool and nicely scary in contrast to the simplicity of the rocking chair.

Gosirsa: Colorful and very beautiful, the wheels at the front make for a surreal touch, something that many doppels tend to lack due to being scaled down versions of the full witch. Didn’t make it because there’s too few slots and too many doppels to choose from, but definitely in my personal faves.

1. Campanella

Campanella’s just the right amount of dumb, elegant, and unsettling, hence her being here at the number one spot. Yachiyo’s training event also helped me warm up to her; while Yu Hong and Cyan were self-defeating and frustrated respectively, Camp was really, really mellow by contrast. She seemed willing to work with Yachiyo as long as she accepted and stopped rejecting her, which was, at the time, a very nice change from the usual (not that Camp doesn’t try to take over however-once Yachiyo implies she’s going to keep running from her, she goes on the attack). She takes the form of a ticket puncher holding a lantern, comes out of Yachiyo’s leg, and gives the overall impression of a scorpion, ridiculously oversized shoes and all. Her anime appearances are a nice representation of Yachiyo’s fears and it’s just really satisfying to find out that they have enough of a relationship to where she can use her in fights. Doppels when it comes down to it are a sort of agreement/truce between the magical girl and their witch self; not only does it allow them to come back, it allows them to make peace with their insecurities and fears without the danger of turning into a witch. Campanella, both in-game and the anime, represents that relationship to its fullest, so she’s at the #1 spot.

#magia record #halloween special I guess #doppels

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quazartranslates · 3 years

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Welcome to the Nightmare Game - CH54

**This is an edited machine translation. For more information, please [click here]**

[<<< Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter >>>]

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Chapter 54: Witchcraft Sacrifice (XXIII)

Ye Xia was dead? How could that be?

"Just now, I met Ye Xia in the dreamworld. She, Ning Zhou and I were pulled into the witch's dreamworld together, and possessed the witches from three years ago. All items and skills couldn’t be used..." Qi Leren said, interrupted by Lu Youxin.

“Possessed? So what you saw was just someone who called herself Ye Xia? As for whether she was telling the truth or not, how can you be sure? " Lu Youxin cocked her head a little and looked at him with some sarcasm.

Qi Leren swallowed saliva, and a chill rose on his back.

Yes, how did he know that the person he met was really Ye Xia? What he saw and talked to was just a person who claimed to be Ye Xia possessing an NPC from beginning to end. With his shallow understanding of Ye Xia, he couldn’t distinguish clearly.

"...Why do you have such doubts?" Qi Leren felt something was wrong. Why did Lu Youxin suspect that the "Ye Xia" he met was not herself?

"Of course, because Ye Xia's body doesn't look like it just died." Lu Youxin says, before with a confused and irritated look, she frowned and looked at the new tips on the wall.

"I'll go and have a look," Qi Leren said.

"What’s there to see on a corpse," Lu Youxin said coldly as she concentrated on studying the words on the wall. You couldn't tell that she was still pursuing Ye Xia not long ago.

"At least to know who killed her!"

Lu Youxin turned and looked at him with a smile: "Oh, maybe it's me?"

Qi Leren groaned: "No, it wouldn't be you. If it was you, why did you tell me about her death?"

Lu Youxin clicked her tongue: "Then go and see it, and you’ll understand. However, I advise you not to take it too seriously. It’s common for people to die in quests. There’s no foolproof quest, and there’s no player who can only win or only lose. One day I will die, you will die, Ning Zhou will die, and everyone will die. This is the doomed ending for us. "

Although Lu Youxin spoke in a relaxed tone, Qi Leren's mood was extremely heavy. He entered the world not long ago, but he had already vaguely felt the despair and fear of being precarious: "Is there really no way to leave this game?"

"Who knows, maybe when you die, you’ll find that you’ve opened your eyes in your bed. Everything here is just a nightmare." Lu Youxin shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe, after you jump out of the player's identity and enter another level, you can become a chess player, which must be wonderful."

"Jump out of the player's identity?" Qi Leren asked curiously.

"Uh-huh, so after completing this task, I’ll probably try the task of opening the Village of Dawn, hoping that everything will be different after arriving there." Lu Youxin finished that and finally glanced at the rock and left the hall.

Qi Leren hesitated for a moment, but still couldn't help worrying. He decided to go there first. Before leaving, he explained to Ellie's sister that if she saw Isabel and Ning Zhou coming back, to ask them to wait for him here.

Outside the hall, the corridor was still cold, and Qi Leren took a deep breath of cool dirty air and headed for the corridor on the right.

He couldn't judge whether the Ye Xia met in the dreamland was true or not now, but he remembered that Ye Xia said that her original body was slightly injured. At that time, he asked her if she had met Xie Wanwan, and she nodded her head.

If it was really Ye Xia, then she should’ve met Xie Wanwan again after leaving the dreamworld, and then she was killed. If it was a fake Ye Xia, then who impersonated Ye Xia and why did she do it? Was it Xie Wanwan? But there was no evidence…

His thinking was becoming increasingly disordered. Qi Leren had to put aside his questions first, and continue to the right corridor.

There is a faint smell of mud and blood intertwined in the air. Qi Leren touched his nose and walked softly around a corner with a dagger in hand. Deep in the front corridor, countless plants emerged from the cracks in the wall, hanging around like a green spider web. In the middle of this verdant place, Ye Xia, who was covered in blood, was covered with branches through the abdominal cavity, and countless vines and branches hung her in mid-air, like a hanged body!

With a buzz in Qi Leren's brain, he stood transfixed and saw the dead body of a person he knew, which was far more shocking than seeing a dead stranger. Especially as, not long ago, they had chatted and talked about the private topic of love. Now, seeing her dead beyond recognition, the incredible shock lingered in his heart.

It turned out that she was really dead.

When listening to Lu Youxin, he still didn't associate this fact with Ye Xia. It wasn't until he really saw Ye Xia's body that he realized that Ye Xia, who was in the same carriage with him at the beginning of the mission, was dead.

Unconsciously, his hands and feet became cold, and Qi Leren took a deep breath several times to calm his mood slightly. Only then did he climb the branches growing out of the cracks, cut the vines and branches, and put down Ye Xia's body.

Her body was cold and stiff, lying on the ground lifelessly, staring ahead wide eyed in empty horror, and her incredible expression was frozen by death at this moment.

Qi Leren glanced at her waist, her belt and other items had disappeared with her death. Like an ordinary person, she bid farewell to the world in this dangerous underground palace, even knowing who the murderer was.

He couldn’t say he didn’t know who it was either. Although iu Youxin didn't say who killed Ye Xia, as long as she saw Ye Xia's body, Qi Leren knew it.

It was Xie Wanwan, the player who could control bugs and plants.

Qi Leren sat beside Ye Xia and thought about it. Ye Xia's body really didn't look like she’d just died. The blood had dried and the body was stiff. Even if he doesn't know anything about autopsies, he also knew that this was by no means the appearance of a newly dead person. However, from leaving the dreamworld just now to discovering Ye Xia's body, it had taken only half an hour at most. That is to say, the person he met in the instance world was probably not Ye Xia herself. So, who could it be?

It is neither Ye Xia nor Lu Youxin. It is even more impossible for the several NPCs. The only option is Xie Wanwan. Although she had a feud with Ye Xia, she should know something about Ye Xia. It wasn’t a problem to pretend to be Ye Xia for a short time.

What was her motive for doing this? At that time, she could have killed him with one slash of her knife.

Oh, no, at that time, she was also trapped in the dreamworld, and urgently needed to find a way to leave, and he quickly said that he knew the clue, and it was possible that he saved his life. After that, although he had no value, they soon met Ning Zhou…

A feeling of escaping death entered Qi Leren’s heart. If Ning Zhou hadn’t appeared at that time, would he have died?

Recalling how when Ning Zhou went to lure witches, Ye Xia, who wiped the long knife, spoke to him softly and slowly, Qi Leren shuddered. At that time, did "Ye Xia" hold a murderous intent for him who was unarmed and defenseless? If Ning Zhou hadn't just led the witch back to end the dreamworld, would he have become a cold corpse like Ye Xia?

When he chewed every frame of memory carefully, he whose mind was full of Ning Zhou finally realized this belated fear. Her clasping the handle of the knife, the action of wiping the knife, her strange smile, inexplicable questions, and the murderer that almost pierced his skull under the bed. Everything became eerie and chilling.

It turned out that without realizing it, he had already brushed shoulders with death.

-----　　

The author has something to say:

PS: A mouthful of fluff may not be written in the future (some sisters guessed it before, and praised it). In fact, at first, Qi Leren guessed correctly about the conditions for being selected into the dreamworld, which are the "sacrifice", "betrayal", and "love" in the witch tips. Sacrifice corresponds to Qi Leren, betrayal corresponds to that unknown person, so I don't need to tell you who love corresponds to... hehe.

-----

[<<< Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter >>>]

#Welcome to the Nightmare Game #欢迎来到噩梦游戏 #danmei

30 notes · View notes

readbythestarlight · 4 years

Text

c2e105

Nord by Nordwest huh

The fact that Taliesin can keep a straight face during all this, while Liam and Travis and Matt are losing it

"Cyber abacus"

ASHLEY NOT YOU TOO xD

I love how they play the "Taliesin is an ancient Fae being" even when he’s being a super hacker

I need some of Ashley’s colorful jackets

[[MORE]]

Oooo can she poof them to Vokodo’s lair?

Oh maybe not no

C: "I would love to see a door open into a tree"

Cad: "well most doors used to be trees"

Oh my god Jester wants to put the dragon turtle against Vokodo alskslskak

God I love her

Listen listen what if y’all polymorph the dragon turtle into something small, get him inside, and have him fight Vokodo

Y’all are coming up with so many crazy clever plans

Did y’all forget about the spell booby trap bombs tho those were cool too

I was gonna say, they might not all want to leave at all

And some might want their ships so that’s true

I feel like if they’re not careful Vilya is going to be fairly unimpressed with them and their disregard for people’s possible livelihoods, especially after the situation against the ghost guys

Like, brining the Dragonturtle in to fight Vokodo is cool, bringing him in to destroy ships to (hopefully) lure Vokodo out is bad, especially because there’s no guarantee it’ll even work

Idk I just feel like this is a fun but irresponsible plan

Suddenly the Dragonturtle sounds like Orli xD

See the only problem with half the M9 being in love with Jester is that they indulge her ideas sometimes even when they’re not the best

B: "does Vokodo even care about the ships?" THANK you Beau why didn’t you ask that before Jester told the turtle where they are

I don’t think Vokodo cares so much about sentimental value. If that were the case Nott’s flask, Cad’s shield would have been worth more to him. And he would have insisted on Beau’s bracers.

Jester: makes a cake feast

Me, immediately: "I want a feast

I want a bean feast

Cream buns and doughnuts

And fruitcake with no nuts

So good you could go nuts"

Jester is much nicer than Veruka but that verse fits so well

Pancakes hell yeah

"It’s been so long since I had a pancake"

Vilya is a woman after my own heart

I scanned Sam’s QR code he’s such a nerd

Aw Jester sweetie

J, crying: "I am not sad"

Baby girl

"What if it were just you and him? Like the old days?"

"I don’t think that’s a bad thing."

Jester, honey </3

Someone hug her!!

I’m glad she’s telling them the truth about the Traveler knowing about Vokodo

Listening to her make excuses for him is hard

I can’t believe Jester’s story is almost actually about her literally getting out of a cult

TravelerCon

Traveler.... Con...

"Also if he hurts you I’ll kill him" Beau xD

It’s "everybody loves Jester" hour

Y: "I’ve never had pancakes before this is amazing this is like my new favorite thing"

F: "you haven’t touched your bugs much"

Y: "that’s because I’m eating all the pancakes"

Beau didn’t Dairon kick your ass last time y’all squared off?

Wait

WHY

The everloving fuck

Didn’t they have Vilya tree-door them off the island for the night so they’d be safe and then just tree-door them back in the morning??

Oh?

Yasha dream?

Gasp!

Feather!

AYO STORMLORD WASSUP ITS BEEN A WHILE MY DUDE

Come on Yasha come on Yasha you can do it you can do it!!

"Do not run for yourself. Overcome what falters. And rise stronger."

REACH IT BABY GIRL YES

oh frick

"I will look up at it and I will just say... ‘I do not want this fear anymore’, and I will stand there and sit for it to hit me"

Baby giiiiiiirl

"Of broken chain link, tethered and tangled beneath you"

I! AM! CRYING!

"Show me you can be reborn"

"....Okay."

Wings wings wings?

"Like flowers blossoming" oh my god I’m weeping

YASHAAAAA

Full, angelic <3

Don’t go back, baby girl.

Fuck I was afraid he was going to say it was Zuala

My heart

"I crouch down, and I put my hand out—"

"I have to go."

And she leaps UP

oh god I’m cry

"I’m proud of you"

"Don’t let me be a shackle"

*sobbbbbbb*

I’m an emotional wreck rn

Have them a false sense of security there for a sec Matt Lol

Oh, it’s Caleb’s turn...

Instead of wasting the spell tight away they should have tried to explain it to him and see if that helped first

Okay but they were all tied together so like how did they take it away and hide it

I hope they get a LOT of treasure to make up for all this lost diamond/residuum dust

Stop wasting messages! Just leave him alone!

I’m glad tbh I just don’t think this was a good idea

Please just go fight him y’all are just making it more complicated at this point

I really hope they didn’t just destroy someone’s only way to get out

Like obviously it’s important to save everyone first but I hope they find ways to make sure they don’t just send someone home with no way to support themselves

Also I cannot believe this works

Like why would he care about the ships??

Y’all are gonna have blown up ships and gotten the town destroyed probably

Here we go

See IF they successfully drew him up they’d have missed this map

And now really all they’ve done is pissed him off in advance

Poor Yasha. Somebody get her something to boost her wisdom

Wisdom saves galore

Wait why did polymorph bounce off??

Also where did the plan of “bombard him with banishment” go

Ooo clever Veth!

Ooooo nice! ASTRAL DREADNAUGHT WOOOOOO

Lightning in water, would that be bad?

Oh my god did they banish her???

Wtf

So Vokodo must have some feat that allows him to deflect spells when he makes the save

This feat is the WORST

Yayyyy Yasha!

Okay so banishment is NOT working

Everyone like “Liam are you gonna bring Beau back??”

Wait

He’s gone

But he’s got their stuff??

Caleb’s necklace of protection?? Veth’s flask? Yasha’s other sword?

Being!

Him!

Back!

Okay wait this is gonna be bad isn’t it

WHAT

OMG

THE BEST NAT1

Holy SHIT?!

Daaaaaamn GO CALEB

that’s amazing holy shit

Now get that treasure!

Damn that was intense

I’m so glad they brought Vokodo back to just destroy him

L: “Ooo like the ring girl?”

T: “SHUT! UP! There is no association to that!”

I hope they can at least find Caleb’s ring

Will the island be back to normal-ish?

Probably not?

Anyway I’m glad they just went down and fought him because that was amazing

Oh fuck y’all so listen he was being persued by a city? And the tower was probably part of the city. And Matt said that tower looked similar to the ruins outside Roshanna (Gordranus?)

You know, the one destroyed during the calamity?

What if

What iiiiiif

I mean it’s just a theory but what if

#critical role #cr spoilers #critical role spoilers

29 notes · View notes

quickspinner · 4 years

Text

Finding Harmony - Ch 6 Resolution

Resolution in western tonal music theory is the move of a note or chord from dissonance (an unstable sound) to a consonance (a more final or stable sounding one).

“I’m sorry, could you say that again?” Luka pressed his phone tighter to his ear.

“Um...Jagged’s sending a limo to take us to the awards gala? And apparently there’s going to be a red carpet and everything.”

“Marinette, how well do you know Jagged Stone? I know you’ve done work for him but this is—“

“Excessive?”

“I mean, kind of? Not that I don’t think you deserve limos and red carpets but—“ Luka put his hand over his face. “Man, I just can’t figure Jagged out.”

“He’s impulsive,” Marinette said sympathetically. “He makes a lot more sense if you pretend he’s permanently twelve.” Luka chuckled. “I don’t know why he’s taken such a shine to me—“

“Well, that part’s easy,” he snorted. “Because you’re amazing, and Maman says that if there’s one thing that never fails Jagged, it’s his ability to recognize other people’s talent and profit from it.”

“I could believe that, actually,” Marinette replied thoughtfully. “He hired Penny, after all. Luka, are you sure you’re okay with coming? It’s not too late to back out if you think you’ll be uncomfortable. There’s not really any avoiding him, he probably will at least come over and talk to us.”

“No, I...I kind of want to meet him myself?” Luka paced the deck slowly, thinking over his words. “I feel like maybe I’d understand better if I could really talk to him, even if it’s just for a few minutes.”

“Okay,” Marinette said sympathetically. “I think I understand. If you’re sure.”

“I’m absolutely sure I want to go to a fancy music party with you,” Luka smiled. “The Jagged stuff, I’m less certain of, but it’ll be fine. He’s treated you well and he and Maman settled things between them. I’ll be okay unless something really crazy goes down.”

“This is Paris, Luka, something really crazy is practically guaranteed.”

“True,” Luka chuckled. “I’ll risk it.”

“Okay. Then I’ll tell Penny to have the car come pick you up first, and then come here. I’m...I’m really looking forward to it.”

“Me too,” he smiled, leaning on the rail. “It feels like I haven’t seen you in a while.” He hesitated. “Are you taking care of yourself? That sentimonster last night was really close to your house.”

“It was, but it didn’t stay here long before Ladybug and Chat Noir lured it away. It did wake us all up, though, so I’m a little short on sleep.”

“I won’t keep you then. You get some rest, and I’ll see you this weekend. Unless you’re coming to rehearsal on Wednesday?”

Marinette sighed. “I wish I could, but I have, er...a massage appointment that afternoon.”

“Really?” Luka lifted his eyebrows at the lie. “Sounds relaxing.”

“Mm, not really, actually. It’s, um, a new thing I’m trying, a Chinese thing, actually, there’s chanting and meditation, but it doesn’t exactly come easy to me.”

“I’ll bet,” Luka chuckled. “But it’ll do you good to learn to slow your mind down a little bit when you want to.”

“Maybe,” Marinette sighed. “Anyway, I still have to finish my dress before this weekend, so I probably won’t have much free time.”

Luka frowned. “You’re making a whole new dress? I guess I kind of figured you were just going to modify the one you made for Juleka.”

Marinette laughed in a way that told him he’d just said something stupid, and Luka couldn’t help smiling at her mirth. “I could never carry that dress the way Juleka did,” she giggled. “But don’t worry, I’ll be dressed and ready when you get here.”

“Just don’t overwork yourself, Marinette.”

His heart skipped at the affection in her voice when she said, “I won’t, Luka. I’ll see you Friday.”

“Goodnight, Marinette,” Luka said warmly.

“Goodnight, Luka.”

Luka didn’t immediately move from the rail, gazing at the lights of the city over the water. The week was going to crawl by, he knew it.

***

“You look pretty good, considering what you had to work with,” Juleka said, straightening his suit coat.

“Thanks,” he chuckled. “I think Marinette gets the credit, though.”

“Hmm. It’s a nice look.” A small smile quirked her lips. “I hope you have fun tonight. Make some good memories.” She tilted her head slightly. “What’s bugging you?”

“It’s stupid,” he grumbled.

“Obviously. What?”

“Her parents. I don’t exactly stack up against Adrien the perfect, wholesome, millionaire, model-in-a-mansion Agreste on the ‘boys approved to date my daughter’ scale.” He sighed. “Which is dumb on so many levels, starting with the fact that we’re not actually dating.”

Juleka grunted. “They’re cool. Once they see how you look at her, they won’t care about anything else.”

Luka flushed. “Am I that obvious?”

“Sometimes. Just try not to drool when she comes down the stairs.” Juleka smirked. “If you don’t pass out on sight, you’ll be fine.”

“You’ve seen the dress?”

“Yep. I’ve even seen her in the dress. You’re doomed.” Luka groaned and dropped his forehead on his sister’s shoulder. “Ugh, get off, you’re heavy.” She shoved him, and then put her arms around him when he didn’t budge. “You’re about to go rub elbows with some of the biggest names in music and you’re mooning over a girl. Just go and have fun.”

“I love you,” Luka muttered. “You know that, right? Thanks for being cool. Especially about me making such an idiot of myself over your friend.”

“It is pretty lame,” Juleka agreed. “But Marinette’s pretty awesome, so I forgive you. Just…” she sighed, but didn’t finish.

“Luka!” Anarka roared from upstairs. “Your ride is here!”

Luka lifted his head and kissed Juleka’s temple. “I gotta go. I’ll try not to wake you up when I get home.”

He went up the stairs and smiled at the look of pride his mother gave him. “Watch yourself tonight,” she told him. “There’ll be a lot of sharks there and anyone with half an ear will know how talented you are. Don’t get bullied into anything, and for chaos’ sake, don’t sign anything.” Luka chuckled and kissed her cheek.

“I won’t, Maman. I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow.”

Anarka brushed his hair back affectionately, and to his mild surprise, leaned forward and kissed his forehead. “I’m proud of you. Go show that girl what she’s missing.” She winked.

Luka just smiled at her and took himself over the gangplank, trying not to gawk too obviously at the waiting limo.

***

Marinette and her parents were actually outside the bakery when the limo pulled up, taking pictures, it appeared. She had her back to him as the car pulled up, and he saw ruffles cascading from her waist to the floor. Then she turned around and his breath caught. The ruffles were only in the back of the dress, like a train. The front was a strapless knee-length sheath, embellished with snakes and flowers along the lines of her body. There was nothing inappropriate about it, she was covered from her chest to her knees and it wasn’t obscenely tight, but her bare shoulders and arms were enough to get his heart racing.

And she looked so happy to see him.

Luka didn’t wait for the chauffeur, he stepped out of the car as soon as it had stopped and reached for Marinette’s hands. “Wow,” was all he said, and she giggled. She stepped back from him and did a careful turn on the toes of her kitten heel shoes. “What do you think? Rock ‘n roll enough for Jagged Stone?”

He thought he needed to remember how to breathe. His eyes were pinned to the snake at her hip, twining through her signature flowers. “Just...stunning.”

Marinette giggled. “Thanks Luka. I’m glad you like the dress, I think it turned out well.”

“I don’t mean the dress, Marinette, I mean you. The whole package. You’re not just a pretty girl in a pretty dress, you’re…” he shook his head in frustration. “I really need my guitar. Just, all that work and creativity and everything you are, and the dress is just the icing on the cake.”

There was a squeak beyond Marinette and Luka jumped slightly, having forgotten about her parents. Crap...But when he turned, Tom and Sabine were clinging to one another and staring at Luka and Marinette with starry eyes. They made a little flapping motion with their hands - don’t mind us - and Luka turned back to Marinette. “I do have a question for you though,” he leaned in, eyes twinkling. “Where have you been keeping all that?”

“All what?” Marinette asked, tilting her head curiously. Luka stepped forward and took her hand, raising her arm so her bicep flexed, just as she’d done to him weeks ago. Marinette blushed.

“That,” he grinned. “I can’t believe you gave me a hard time when you’ve been packing these under those cute little cardigans. What, do you deadlift flour sacks for fun?”

Not to mention yo-yoing all over Paris, that had to be a hell of an upper body workout.

Marinette made a face at him. “Not for fun,” she protested. “Helping with the deliveries is one of my chores.” She blushed and ran her fingers along her shoulder and down her arm in a move that he knew was self-conscious but was giving him some very different feelings. “Is it weird?”

“It’s hot,” he snorted, and then coughed, turning red. “I mean—well, no, that’s exactly what I meant, I’ll be honest.” She was lean, not bulky, but he could clearly see the well-defined muscles in her arms and shoulders, and the sight of her back made him weak in the knees for a moment before she threw a black lace shawl around her shoulders.

“Really, Marinette, you look amazing,” he said, softening his expression. “I was just teasing you, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. You’re gorgeous and the dress is amazing. The ruffles are really you and the details look great. And to think,” he took her hand, “Your looks are the least remarkable thing about you.” He winked as Marinette jerked her hand back, her blush extending all the way down to her shoulders as she shoved him playfully.

“All right, kids,” Sabine called cheerfully, and Luka jumped, flushing. Still, both Sabine and Tom were still beaming at them both, so he relaxed a little. “Come let me get some pictures of you two in front of the limo and then you can go enjoy yourselves.”

“The car is insane, we could fit the whole band and Ivan’s drums in there with room to spare,” Luka commented as they arranged themselves in front of it.

Marinette giggled as she cuddled up under his arm. “That’s Jagged for you, never do anything reasonable when you can go totally overboard.” They shared a smile before turning their faces to the camera.

***

“You know,” Luka remarked, looking out of the tinted window as they pulled up beside the red carpet. “I really thought I’d be older the first time I got to do this.” He looked back at Marinette with a grin, and she giggled.

“It’s good practice,” Marinette told him, leaning around him to look. “Wow, that’s a lot of people,” she breathed.

“Don’t get cold feet on me now,” Luka said, threading his fingers through hers.

“They’ll probably figure out quickly that we aren’t very important,” she muttered to herself, and then flushed. “I mean, not that you aren’t important—“

“I know what you meant,” he cut her off gently. As cute and occasionally enlightening as her mini-meltdowns could be, now wasn’t a good time. “Take a deep breath and smile, gorgeous, we’re up.” A member of the hotel staff opened the door. Luka took a deep breath himself and slid out of the car, smiling as he turned to offer Marinette his hand. She took it and set her feet carefully on the carpet before standing up. Her eyes flicked around nervously and settled on his, and though he could see a bit of nervous tremble around her lips, her smile was genuine. She took the arm he offered and they began walking the carpet. Marinette stumbled once but Luka steadied her. After the initial barrage of flashbulbs, the reporters mostly ignored them. They were almost to the hotel door when they were stopped by a young lady with a press badge.

“Excuse me! Excuse me, I’m Leslie Mason with Style Queen. Can I ask who you’re wearing tonight?”

Luka was surprised and Marinette was paralyzed, but his stage experience stood him in good stead as he flashed a smile and brought Marinette forward with a gentle tug.

“Maybe you’ve heard of Jagged Stone’s favorite up-and-coming designer, Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Well, this is the lady herself and we’re wearing her original designs tonight.”

“Stunning work, Mlle Dupain-Cheng,” the reporter said admiringly. “And you design for Jagged Stone? Forgive me for saying so but you’re very young, aren’t you? I’d be interested in doing an interview with you sometime for our junior division.”

“I’d love that,” Marinette said, slipping out one of her business cards. “Here’s my website and information.”

Leslie took the card, sticking it under a paper clip on her notebook and making a note next to it. She looked back up at Luka.

“And you are?”

“Luka Couffaine, lead guitarist for Kitty Section. We’re here because of Marinette, though, I’m just the guy lucky enough to be her date.” He winked at Marinette.

“Don’t let him fool you,” Marinette said, squeezing his arm. “He’s a very talented musician and you’re going to hear his name in the future.” She elbowed him and he pulled one of the cards she’d given him out of a pocket.

“Here’s the band’s Instagram and email, feel free to check us out,” he said.

“I will,” Leslie said, brightening. “Thanks for taking the time to speak to me, I know it’s a madhouse out here tonight. Have a great night!”

“Wow,” Marinette breathed as they turned away, “She was kind of young, she’s probably not one of their main writers, that’s why she was talking to us, but an interview, even a small one, for Style Teen would be huge.”

“You were right about the business cards,” Luka murmured back as they reached the doors. “You never cease to impress me.” He smiled at her as they went through the doors to the hotel, following the crowd to the elevator.

“I just thought there’s probably a lot of people from the music industry here tonight and I wanted you to be able to make connections if you want to.”

“Thanks, Marinette, really.” Luka curled his fingers around her shoulder to guide her in front of him into the elevator, careful not to step on her dress as he followed. “But honestly, I’m here to have a good time with you.”

“I know,” she smiled at him. “But just in case. I hope we’re not going to be the only people in our age group though...I suppose Chloe will probably be here somewhere, but she probably won’t want to hang out with us anyway.”

The doormen were just opening the doors for them when there was an uproar behind them. Both of them looked back to see Adrien Agreste stepping out of a limo and waving to the crowd of reports.

“Adrien!” Marinette said in surprise. “Oh, I should have guessed he would come, he’s a fan of Jagged and his dad designs for Clara Nightingale, and I know she’s going to be here tonight.” They watched as Adrien turned and offered his hand to help Kagami out of the car. Luka glanced at Marinette but rather than looking concerned, her face lit with a smile. “Kagami! That’ll be good, then, at least we won’t be the only kids here.”

“We’d better go on inside, they’re probably going to be a few minutes,” Luka observed as Adrien posed and smiled and waved and fielded questions from the crowd.

“Right, I’m sorry!” Marinette turned and smiled apologetically at the patiently waiting doormen.

They followed the crowd of fancy clothes to the elevators and up to the ballroom. “At least the dinner will be good,” Marinette commented. “Alya’s mom is the head chef here and she’s amazing.”

Luka’s mouth dropped open slightly as he looked around the room. “Wow, there are some crazy famous people here,” he said quietly, and felt Marinette squeeze his arm.

“You’re not going to go all music fanboy on me are you?” she teased.

“I might,” Luka replied honestly. “Some of these people are legends. If they talk to me I can’t guarantee I won’t start to foam at the mouth. Look, that’s the lead guitarist for Steel Skullz over there in the red suit, you wouldn’t believe how that guy can shred.”

Marinette giggled and leaned into him. “I’m so glad you came with me.”

Surprised, Luka glanced down at her and put his arm around her. “Thanks for bringing me.” He glanced around. “Was there anything you want to do?”

“I should find Jagged eventually and congratulate him,” Marinette said thoughtfully, “But I can do that any time, I’m sure we’ll hear him when he’s nearby. Let’s see, there’s the cocktail hour and then the dinner, and then the Mayor’s going to make a speech,” she rolled her eyes, “And then it’ll be the afterparty, that’ll probably be when things really get out there. It’s guaranteed to get wild with Jagged, after all. So I guess now we just kind of mingle and try some hors d'oeuvres and see who we bump into? Maybe see how many we recognize, although I think you’ll have me beat in this crowd.” She darted her eyes up at him with a shy smile.

“That sounds great,” Luka smiled back at her. “I like your hair this way, by the way,” he reached up to touch the shiny blue-black curls hanging at the back of her head. “I didn’t get a chance to say so before.” Every time she turned her head the tips of her curls traced the line from her neck to her shoulder and he was finding it incredibly distracting.

They drifted through the crowd, and it took effort to keep his mouth shut and not just gape at all the musical celebrities around them. There were others, too, Luka recognized some actors in the crowd. They were stopped a few times for compliments on their clothes, usually coupled with delicate questions designed to figure out who they were, and more importantly, who they knew. Marinette handed out a few more business cards.

A few of the celebrities were actually in their age bracket. They were both checked out and then chatted up by the members of a boy band that Luka vaguely recognized, though he wasn’t a fan of their sound. Luka gently deflected his admirer and watched with slightly exasperated amusement as Marinette failed to recognize the flirting that was aimed at her, too busy talking up Luka and the band to recognize she was being hit on. The boys eventually gave up and drifted off with Kitty Section cards in their pockets, and Luka teased her mercilessly after they were gone.

She was still red-faced and spluttering when she was tapped on the shoulder by the one person least likely to improve her composure. “Adrien,” she exclaimed when she turned.

“Hi, Marinette, I should have guessed you would be here,” he said to Marinette with a smile as she exchanged cheek kisses with Kagami. “Hi, Luka,” he held his hand out. “Good to see you.”

“Adrien,” Luka took Adrien’s offered hand and pulled him in to bump shoulders. “Nice to see you.” He nodded to Kagami. “Nice to see you again too, Kagami. You look very nice.” She did, though she also looked stiff and formal in her silk kimono.

Kagami nodded back. “Luka.”

“Wow, Marinette, did you make that dress?” Adrien asked, giving Marinette a once over. “You look amazing.”

“She did,” Luka said proudly, lifting Marinette’s hand over her head so that she spun under his arm, the ruffled train flaring to show off the embroidered snake and flowers. “Isn’t she stunning? Beauty, brains, and style in one tiny, tiny package.”

“Laying it on a little thick, Luka,” she giggled, digging an elbow in his ribs. “And I am not that tiny!”

“I mean every word.” He shot her a soft grin and she went from pink to crimson. “And you are pretty tiny.” He winced as she punched his arm. “Powerful though.”

“Well, I’m really glad you’re both here,” Adrien grinned, rubbing his neck. “Now Kagami and I have someone to hang out with.”

“Is your mother here, Kagami?” Marinette asked.

“No, she’s not interested in these types of things,” Kagami replied, blushing slightly as she glanced at Adrien. “But when she agreed to let me go since it was with Adrien.”

“Nathalie is here somewhere,” Adrien gestured vaguely. “But I think she’s just staying long enough to greet some clients and then she’s going to take off. Clara Nightingale’s supposed to be here and my father’s been designing for her forever, and there’s a few others she wants to see. I don’t think she’s even staying for the dinner, just the cocktail hour.”

“Are you a fan of Jagged Stone, Kagami?” Marinette asked.

“Honestly, I’m not very familiar with his music,” Kagami admitted. “I came because Adrien invited me,” she continued, slipping her hand through Adrien’s elbow. “But I’m glad you’re here, Marinette. It’s good to see a friend.” The almost shy way she said the word friend was kind of adorable.

“Well, we’ve got an expert with us tonight,” Marinette said cheerfully, looking up at Luka in a way that brought color to his cheeks. “So if you have any questions about music, he’s the one to ask.”

“I don’t know, Marinette, I think you’re one up on me when it comes to Jagged,” Luka said, nudging her. “I think he might be a bigger fan of you than you are of him.”

“I don’t think so,” she said, bumping him with her hip. “I bet you’d blow me away if it came to talking about his music and his career.”

“Well, between the two of you we should be pretty well covered,” Adrien laughed. Then he sighed. “Nathalie’s signaling me, I have to go be the face of the brand for a moment. Kagami, do you want to stay here with Marinette? It’ll probably be way more interesting than coming with me.”

“I’d rather come with you Adrien,” Kagami smiled up at him, and he shrugged with a self-deprecating grin.

“Suit yourself. We’ll catch you again later Marinette, Luka.”

“Bye Adrien!” Marinette waved as the other couple moved away. Luka looked down at her curiously. She caught him looking and blinked. “What?”

“Nothing,” he said quickly, flashing a smile. “I guess I thought you’d be depressed that they had to go.”

“They’ll be back,” Marinette shrugged. “And I’ve got you. Shall we go check out the hors—oh, brace yourself, here comes Jagged.”

“Marinette!” Jagged bellowed from halfway across the ballroom. The crowd parted for him as he made a beeline towards them. “Penny, she’s here!”

“Hi Jagged,” Marinette waved and winced slightly as the rock star crushed her into a hug. “Congratulations on your award.”

“Aw, thanks, my favorite fashion designer. The dress you made Penny is killer.” He let her go just enough to spin her around to face his agent.

“Penny!” Marinette accepted the older woman’s embrace. “You look fantastic.”

“Of course she does!” boomed Jagged as he put his arms around them both. “Penny always looks radiant, but I knew when the mayor told us about this little party that nobody could make her look as rock ‘n roll as you, Marinette! And now we have two rock ‘n roll goddesses amongst us! Love the snakes.”

“Thanks Jagged,” Marinette squirmed herself out from under Jagged’s arm and retreated to Luka’s side. “You remember my friend Luka? Luka Couffaine.”

Jagged turned and Luka felt breathless just from the sheer force of the man’s personality. “Hope you’re taking good care of my girl tonight in this crowd. Let me guess, Marinette made this too? Killer!”

“She did,” Luka smiled at her as he took the hand Jagged offered. “Marinette’s done a lot of work for my band as well. No better designer out there.”

“Luka,” Marinette huffed.

“Wait, I remember you,” Jagged said, still holding onto Luka’s hand. “You’re Nanarchy’s son.” Jagged’s eyes fixed on him again, searching his face in a way that made Luka tense up. “How old are you, kid?”

“I’m seventeen,” Luka answered a little stiffly. He could practically see the rock star doing the math in his head, just as Luka had when he’d seen the date on the sleeve of his mother’s old album.

“Huh,” was all Jagged said before releasing his hand. “So you play, Luka?”

“Guitar just like my mom,” Luka replied, sticking his hands in his pockets. “I play lead in a band with some friends of mine and my sister, Juleka, plays bass.”

“He’s amazing, Jagged,” Marinette put in. “You should hear him. I mean, I know you heard him on the boat with the band for a bit, but you didn’t stay very long that day.”

“That so, eh?” Jagged gave her a sly look. “Does he play better than Aaaaadrieeeen?”

Marinette went white and then red. “Adrien’s great on the piano but Luka’s the best guitarist I’ve ever heard,” she said staunchly, and it was Luka’s turn to blush. “You kind of put me on the spot that day and I wasn’t thinking very clearly. Of course, I’m not really a musician myself so maybe my judgement isn’t the best. You’ll just have to jam with Luka yourself if you want to see how good he is. If he’s willing to play with you, that is.” She shot Luka a wink.

“If Nanarchy taught him, he’s gotta be good,” Jagged said, looking Luka over again with an expression Luka couldn’t quite read. Then Jagged frowned, looking over their heads. “Penny, sleaze alert.”

“Jagged!” cried a familiar voice that put Luka’s teeth on edge. He felt Marinette’s hand slip into his. She drew him back with her a bit so that Jagged was between them and Bob Roth when he approached. Luka locked his fingers through hers and pulled her a little behind him, and he felt her free hand on his back.

“I’m just catching up with my favorite young fan.” Jagged swept his arm toward Marinette, and Luka’s fingers tightened around hers. Bob followed his gaze and sniffed.

“Oh, it’s you, petite. Jagged hasn’t dropped you yet?”

“Marinette did Penny’s dress for tonight,” Jagged said, waving his drink towards Penny. “Be nice, Bob, Marinette’s a great talent. She’s gonna go places.”

Bob snorted, and Luka gritted his teeth. “We’ll see,” Boh muttered, “But your boyfriend here is dead weight, petite. He’s not going anywhere in the music business after what he and the bug did to me.”

“You’re hardly in any position to make threats, Mr. Roth,” Marinette said coldly, gripping Luka’s arm. “Everyone knows now what you tried to do.”

“Everyone knows, and no one cares,” scoffed Bob. “I told you the whole music industry is eating out of my hand. And you, kid,” he addressed Luka, “You’re going to be begging XY to do your music, because you’ll never get anyone else to give you a second listen.”

“I wouldn’t sell my toenail clippings to XY after what you pulled,” Luka bit out.

Jagged burst out laughing and Luka jolted as the rock star flung an arm around his shoulders. “Bob, you don’t know what you’re talking about. If you’re this against him he must be good. Come on, Luka, this sounds like a story I need to hear. See you around, Bob.” And with that, Jagged Stone turned his back on Bob Roth and marched off with a bewildered Luka under his arm, Marinette trotting to catch up with them.

Luka planted his feet for a moment, refusing to go any further until Marinette’s hand was back in his. “Are you all right, Luka?” she asked worriedly.

“I’ve been better,” he admitted, glancing at her and trying to give her a reassuring smile. “That guy pisses me off, but I don’t plan on letting him or some stupid butterfly ruin our night.” She gave him a glowing smile, and he squeezed her hand.

“That guy’s a leech,” Jagged snorted. “And he calls me a has-been. Don’t buy into his threats, he’s a bully but he’s a dinosaur and he’s on his way out.” He grinned and dropped his voice, moving between Luka and Marinette to drop his arms around their necks and pull their heads close. “I’m not allowed to say anything yet, but Penny here has plans.” He giggled, and made kissy faces at Penny, whose dark cheeks shaded pink.

Marinette giggled too. “I’m glad to hear it, Jagged.”

“Now’s not really the place to be talking about those kinds of things,” Penny admonished. “And you have a lot of people left to meet, Jagged.” She nudged Jagged with her elbow. “And we don’t want to keep Marinette from her date.”

Luka had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing as Jagged looked at him with dawning comprehension and a sudden expression of glee. “Yes!” he crowed. “Yes, you take my Marinette and go show her a good time, she’s way too rock ‘n roll for that model kid anyhow. Holy balls, this is awesome, this is perfect, does Nanarchy know? Yes, take her, go dance. Penny! Penny, go tell ‘em to play some sappy shit for a while, okay? We’ll rock out later after the kids go home. Mood music, that’s what we need right now.”

Luka looked away and coughed, trying to cover his laughter at the look on Marinette’s face. Penny winked at them as she led Jagged away, and Marinette put her hands over her face. “I swear, he’s more embarrassing than my parents.”

“Come on,” Luka offered his arm, still chuckling. “I’d hate to disappoint him, although…” He winced at the overly formal music that began playing. “I don’t exactly know how to waltz.”

“That’s too bad, Marinette’s a great dancer,” Adrien smiled at her.

She flushed. “Oh, no I’m not, you just made it easy to follow.”

Adrien looked eagerly at the dance floor, and turned to Kagami. “Would you like to dance, Kagami?”

Kagami looked down at the tight lines of her kimono and out at the dance floor dubiously. “I don’t think I can.”

“That’s such a shame,” murmured Marinette at Luka’s elbow. “I wonder if I could…” she trailed off, studying Kagami’s kimono, and Luka chuckled.

“You’ve got your designing face on.” He nudged Marinette.

“Sorry,” she giggled. “I’ll stop.”

“I’d never ask you too,” Luka assured her. “But I’m not sure even you can turn Kagami’s outfit into something fit for ballroom dances. Why don’t you and Adrien go dance?”

All three of them turned and looked at him. Luka shrugged. “Kagami can’t, and I don’t know how. You two go ahead, and Kagami and I can hang out here.”

“Do you want to, Marinette?” Adrien asked, eyes eager. “I hardly ever get to dance.”

“Ah...um, sure, okay? If Kagami doesn’t mind.” Marinette looked nervously between Kagami and Luka.

Kagami mustered a smile that was mostly genuine. “Go ahead.”

“Great!” Adrien grabbed Marinette’s hand.

As they passed Luka, Marinette paused to grab his arm, tugging him down so she could whisper, “She’s really super nice but she’s terrible at small talk. She’s not trying to shut you down, I promise, just keep talking. I promise she’s more interested than she sounds.”

Then she was gone, walking to the dance floor on Adrien’s arm.

“So, Kagami, what kind of music do you like?” Luka asked.

“You probably haven’t heard any of it,” Kagami replied flatly, and Luka smiled to himself.

“I might surprise you. I prefer rock, but I listen to a lot of different kinds of music. So. Anime, J-Pop, or Japanese traditional?” He raised his eyebrows slightly. “I’m starting there because you seem very tuned in to your traditions, but if you’re really into say, Chilean folk music, you can tell me, I won’t judge. I like all kinds of music.”

Kagami cracked a small smile. “You’re correct, most of what I’ve heard is traditional Japanese music, but I’m not passionate about it. I’ve listened to Adrien perform some classical piano as well. I enjoyed some of it. I guess music just doesn’t move me the way it does you.”

“You might enjoy it more if you learned more of the traditions behind it.” Kagami tilted her head at him and Luka smiled. “Nobody experiences music the same way. Some people have an intuitive understanding or an emotional connection. Some people have to learn the language of music before they can really understand it. Just like haiku, right? A layperson may appreciate the beauty of a single haiku or find themselves moved by it. But there’s an entire tradition behind haiku poetry and the symbolism it uses, and it’s hard to fully appreciate it as an art form without delving into the tradition behind it.”

"I see. You make a solid argument,” Kagami replied. “Perhaps the next time Adrien performs I can ask him for some background on the pieces.” She looked at him. “I would not have expected you to cite haiku as an example.”

“Music and poetry are closely tied,” Luka shrugged. “I’m honestly not very good at poetry, I feel like the music itself is simpler without words and I’ve always collaborated with someone else when a song needed vocals, but it’s still worth learning about. Some of it is really beautiful.”

“It’s admirable for you to pursue a line of study that’s difficult for you.”

“Thanks,” Luka chuckled.

Kagami hesitated. “I’m going to ask something that may be upsetting.”

“I don’t get upset easily, but I’ll tell you if you cross a line,” Luka promised.

Kagami smiled slightly. “Thank you. Why did you send Marinette to dance with Adrien? You must know she likes him and I can see that you like her. Why would you give your opponent an advantage?”

Luka chuckled. “He’s not my opponent.”

Kagami’s eyebrows rose slightly. “You don’t consider him competition?”

“I don’t consider love a competition,” Luka corrected. “I want Marinette to be happy. If she would be happier with Adrien, what good would it do to keep them apart? It wouldn’t change how they feel.” He looked at her. “Are you upset that Adrien wanted to dance with her?”

Kagami considered that, lips pressed together. “I don’t like it,” she said at last. “But if I have to lose him to someone, it wouldn’t be so bad if it were Marinette. At least then, we could all stay friends.” She glanced at Luka and then away. “I don’t have many friends.”

“It’s quality that counts, so you’re on the right track with those two,” Luka smiled at her. “So how did you and Marinette become friends?”

Kagami gave a true smile for perhaps the first time that evening. By the time she finished telling him about friendship day, a story that had him chuckling for the sheer Marinetteness of it all, Adrien and Marinette were back, both all smiles.

“Thanks for waiting, Kagami,” Adrien said, as he returned to her side. Kagami slipped her hand through his arm a little possessively but her smile was honest.

“I was fine. Luka is good company. He’s an interesting person.”

Marinette beamed at him and Luka returned a smile of his own, lifting his arm slightly in invitation. Marinette leaned against him and he put his arm around her shoulders.

“Did you have fun?”

She nodded, cheeks pink. “Will you be okay if I leave you for a little bit longer?”

Luka blinked. “Sure, but where are you going?”

She winked at him with a devilish smile that made him weak. “It’s a surprise.”

“I’ll be here,” he said, a little breathless. Marinette slipped away from him, took Kagami by the arm and whispered in her ear. Kagami looked at her curiously but didn’t object when Marinette pulled her away.

“We’re going to restroom, we’ll be back in a minute!” Marinette said cheerfully.

“That’s interesting,” Luka observed, watching the girls make their slow way out of the ballroom. “What’s she up to now?”

“With Marinette, who knows?” Adrien said fondly. “Maybe we should get some drinks and find a table while we’re waiting.”

“You two do look really great,” Adrien said as they moved off in search of a server. “Marinette’s work is always amazing but she really outdid herself tonight.”

“You should’ve seen me when I picked her up,” Luka told Adrien with a chuckle. “I’m sure it was hilarious given I couldn’t blink for a full minute. I felt like such a cliche.”

“You’re really gone on her, aren’t you?”

“Who wouldn’t be? She’s amazing. You’d have to be an idiot to turn down a girl like that. Honestly I can’t believe she’s still single.”

Adrien chuckled. “She’s had a little bit of bad luck there. The last guy who was crushing on her could barely talk to her and ended up falling for her best friend. And the one before that was akumatized over it and I think after that he was too embarrassed to talk to her.” He snagged two glasses of water from a passing server with practiced ease and handed them to Luka.

Meanwhile the guy she’s in love with is either willfully blind or the nicest idiot I’ve ever met. Poor Marinette.

“Well, she seems like she’s really into you too. I’m glad for you both,” Adrien continued. “Marinette’s a good friend and I’m glad you make her happy.” Adrien patted Luka’s arm.

Luka looked at him incredulously. “We’re not together. I’m not the person she wants to be with.”

Adrien looked back at him, blinking cluelessly. “You don’t think so?”

“I know it’s not so,” Luka said firmly, as Adrien made another grab for water. Triumphant, they moved towards the tables set up around the outside of the ballroom.

“But—didn’t she ask you here? And she made your clothes.”

“That’s just Marinette being Marinette. She’s sweet and thoughtful and—” Luka sighed, placed the glasses on a table, and faced Adrien fully. “Look, I just don’t want Marinette to be hurt because you, or anyone else, got the wrong idea. I like Marinette, but she’s not my girlfriend and I don’t have any claim on her. Nobody who asks her to dance or asks her out is stepping on my toes. As much as I wish it were otherwise, it’s Marinette's decision who she wants to be with and she hasn’t picked me. I want her to be happy and if there’s someone else she’d rather be with, she should be with them.”

“I don’t understand,” Adrien shook his head. “If you love her, shouldn’t you fight for her?” He looked away, setting his own drinks down and reaching for a chair. “The girl I love has been turning me down for months,” he said morosely as he sat down. “She says she’s in love with someone else, but I don’t think I could just accept that and stop pursuing her. I can’t just let her go.”

Luka stared at him for a moment. Oh, shit, Marinette, I’m so sorry. “The words we use for this are so messed up,” he muttered, rubbing his eyes with one hand as he sat down. “Fight for her, pursue her, that’s such an aggressive way to put it.” Luka sighed. “I'm not letting her go, I’m letting her choose. All those grand romantic gestures people get so worked up about, nobody talks about it much but they put a lot of pressure on girls, and that’s just not my style.” He tapped the rhythm of the song playing on the table as he thought through his words. “The thing is, I want Marinette to trust me and to know I’ll be there for her through anything. She’s been going through a really rough time lately, and if I did things your way, I couldn’t have helped her. She never would have let her guard down with me if I was pushing her to be in a relationship all the time.” He gave a one-shouldered shrug and sat back in his chair.

“I’m okay with the way things are,” he said after a moment. “She knows how I feel and I know she’s not ready. Maybe she never will be, maybe she’ll always be in love with someone else, or maybe I’ll meet someone else and move on. Maybe ten years from now she’ll design my fiancée's dress and I’ll play a song I wrote for her wedding. We’re still kids, man, anything could happen. No need to rush.”

“If that’s the way you feel, why did you tell her your feelings at all?” Adrien wanted to know.

Luka shrugged. “Marinette’s an incredible person but she doesn’t realize how amazing she really is. She should know that she’s loved and admired.” He made a face. “And to tell you the truth, I’m terrible at expressing myself without my guitar, and I don’t want any misunderstandings to get between us. I find it’s best if I just say what I mean right out, even if it’s a little uncomfortable.”

“So what are you going to do?” Adrien sighed, clearly only half listening.

“Love her until I stop.” Luka shrugged. “What other choice is there?”

Adrien looked at him, coming back from his dream world. “You think you’ll stop?”

“Someday, when I put some effort into it. Love is like anything else, you have to feed it for it to grow. You can starve it out if you try hard enough. But right now? I’d rather just love her, even if it hurts.” Luka shook his head slightly. “And if you’re really dead set on loving some other girl, you better be careful with Kagami. You’re going to break her heart to bits at the rate you’re going.” If he had to play Kagami’s heart, it would be strong and soft, but thin, lacking harmonies, with notes that flowed ever onward even as they trembled. Forceful, but lonely, brittle, too easily shattered. That would be sad.

Adrien winced. “Yeah,” he muttered.

“Ignoring someone’s feelings and hoping they go away isn’t letting them down easy, Adrien. More like death by a thousand cuts.”

Adrien’s wince became a full-on cringe. “I get it. I’ll think about it, I just…” He sighed. “I don’t even like rejecting fan girls who think they’re in love with a face they’ve only seen in the magazines. It’s worse when it’s someone I actually care about.”

“If you care about her, be honest with her,” Luka urged, a little irritated at Adrien’s misplaced kindness. “It’ll hurt, but not as much as it will if you drag it out and make her figure it out on her own.”

“Yeah,” Adrien muttered, dropping his head into his arms on the table.

Luka clapped a hand on his shoulder. “It’s rough, being rich and good looking and still a decent person. Good luck, Agreste.”

“You too, Couffaine.” Adrien lifted his head and smiled and the two boys bumped fists.

“Oi, Luka!” Jagged was back, pulling Luka up from the table. “‘Scuse us for a second, mate.” He pulled Luka a short distance away and then put his arm around Luka’s shoulders, putting their heads close together.

“Kid, what are you doing?” Jagged hissed. “Why was Marinette dancing with Sir Pasty? And where is she now?”

“He asked her,” Luka shrugged, pulling away slightly. “They’re friends.”

Jagged gave him a look. “Then he must be her only friend, because her room was plastered in pictures of him.”

“What’s your point?” Luka asked, sighing. Think like he’s twelve, he reminded himself.

“My point is a girl like that does not come around very often and you need to lock that shit down,” Jagged told him. “She’d be wasted on someone like him, she’s too rock ‘n roll for that.”

“That’s her choice to make,” Luka replied, sticking his hands in his pockets and trying not to show his growing annoyance. “Why do you care?”

Jagged gave him a look. “Listen, kid—Luka—I don’t know what your ma’s been telling you—I know I made some mistakes back then and I coulda been there for you more but—”

“She didn’t tell me anything and I didn’t ask,” Luka cut him off. “Look, whatever happened between you and my mom back then, that’s between you two. And whatever’s happening between Marinette and me, which, just to be clear, is a whole lot of nothing right now, that’s between me and her.” He paused, surveying the rock star, who was staring right back at him with the same measuring expression. “As for you and me,” Luka said quietly, “I’ve gone most of my life without a father figure and I did fine. I’ve got crazy respect for everything you’ve accomplished but I don’t need you. There’s nothing you can give me that I can’t get on my own with enough work. Take a good look at me, Jagged. I’m not changing who I am for you or anyone else, so think about how you want the next conversation to go. You can just shrug your shoulders and go on with your life, I won’t really care. If that’s not what you want, then fine, we can talk, but not here and not tonight. Don’t think you can barrel into my life and push me around. I don’t care about your money and I don’t want your name, and I damn well won’t be used as leverage on Marinette or my mother. I’m not rearranging my life every time you decide to pop back into town. If you can live with that, then you know where to find me. But tonight I’m not here for you, I’m here for Marinette.” He exhaled just a little shakily, looking his once-idol in the eye.

Jagged shook his head slowly. “You might have my eyes kid, but you’re just like your mother,” Jagged muttered. “So damn stubborn. All right, I get the message. But trust me, Luka, you don’t want to let a girl like Marinette get away.” He patted Luka’s shoulder and moved off.

Luka took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and then went back to the table with Adrien. He just shook his head at Adrien’s questions and drained his glass of water.

“We’re back!”

The boys stood up and turned around and both of them stared. Kagami was wearing Marinette’s dress, while Marinette was wrapped in the folds of Kahami’s kimono. “Tada!” Marientte said cheerfully, spreading her arms. “Now Kagami and Adrien can dance!”

The dress didn’t fit Kagami as perfectly as it did Marinette, but the girls were close enough in size and build that it worked. Marinette was adorable in Kagami’s kimono, but she didn’t carry the garment with Kagami’s ease and elegance. With some amusement Luka noticed Marinette still wore her own shoes. He was a little relieved, he didn’t think Marinette would be able to stay upright on Kagami’s wooden sandals.

Kagami was blushing, fidgeting with Marinette’s shawl where it draped around her shoulders, and couldn’t quite meet anyone’s eye. Adrien stood up. “Wow, Marinette, that’s really cool of you.” He grinned broadly and swept a bow for Kagami. Luka kind of wanted to kick him. “May I have this dance?”

“Thank you,” Kagami whispered to Marinette as she put her hand in Adrien’s and let him lead her away.

“You just made her night,” Luka said admiringly, rising to stand next to Marinette. “You’re really something else, Marinette.”

Marinette smiled, and then frowned, looking down at herself. “I’m sorry, Luka,” she said. “I’m afraid I need to sit things out while I’m in this. There really isn’t a lot of room to move and I’m terrified I’m going to fall and rip something. I’ve never worn a kimono before and Kagami said this is a family heirloom!”

“We could go out on the balcony for a bit,” Luka suggested. He rolled his tense shoulders. “Frankly I could use some air, and there would be fewer people to watch out for.”

“That sounds perfect,” Marinette said fervently. “Only please hold on to me in case I trip.”

Luka took her hand and drew it through his arm. “No problem. I won’t let you fall.”

She squeezed his arm and beamed up at him. “Thanks, Luka. And thanks for being so understanding about this. I’m sorry for taking you away from the party, it’s just, Kagami looked so sad and her mother is so strict, I just wanted her to be able to have fun for a little bit. We’ll switch back after a couple dances and then we can go back to the party. I don’t want to ruin your night.”

“Honestly Marinette, I don’t care if we’re dancing or people-watching or whatever. I just like spending time with you. Nothing could ruin this night. I’m looking sharp in this custom designed suit, and I have a beautiful, generous girl on my arm. Best night ever.” He grinned at her.

She smiled back, but her heart wasn’t in it. “Marinette, what’s wrong?” Luka asked as he opened the door to the balcony for her. It wasn’t as crowded as inside, but there were still a fair number of people milling about. They managed to find a corner partially shielded from the wind and other people thanks to a large planter.

“Nothing, I just...you shouldn’t think so highly of me, Luka. I’m not that great. I was kind of awful to Kagami the first few times we met. She seemed so perfect and so cold and she made me feel so pathetic and immature. I was jealous and I didn’t realize how lonely she was or how badly she just wanted a friend. I feel terrible for the way I treated her.” She leaned against the balcony railing and put her chin in her hand.

“Marinette,” Luka sighed admiringly, shaking his head with a soft smile. He shrugged off his jacket and put it over her shoulders, and leaned his elbows on the railing beside her. “You have no idea how amazing you are.”

She turned to look at him with wide eyes, and blushed when he met her gaze. “You being jealous? That’s natural,” he told her. “Normal, even. Acting badly because of it, well, that’s human. But recognizing that you were wrong and not only deciding to do better, but deciding to be her friend because you could see that she was lonely? That’s what makes you amazing.”

“Isn’t that just...being a decent person?”

“Decent people are rarer than you think, trust me. Even most decent people would just do the bare minimum. Trading outfits and giving her the dress you designed so she can dance with the guy you’re in love with? That’s way more than the minimum.”

Marinette gasped. “How did you know—argh, of course you know, ugh…” She slumped against the balcony rail. “Freaking everybody knew except Adrien,” she muttered.

“You care so much, Marinette. It’s…” He shook his head and sighed. He leaned over and kissed her temple. “It’s one of the things I really love about you.”

Her face erupted in a fierce blush as she gasped and slapped her hands over her face.

Chuckling, Luka looked away to give her time to recover. After a moment he felt her arms circle his and her cheek pressed to his shoulder, and he smiled. They were quiet for a few minutes and suddenly Luka realized Marinette was trembling.

“Are you cold, Marinette?”

“No,” she said quickly, and she took a deep breath. “It’s just that...well...I actually think...I’m not in love with him anymore,” she finished in a rush.

Luka couldn’t have spoken in that moment if his life depended on it. He had just enough sense left to keep his mouth from hanging open, but that was it. Marinette glanced at him, cheeks red, and then away, as she went on. “Something happened a while ago...and...I didn’t exactly tell him my feelings but...I think I still got, I don’t know, closure? He’s in love with someone else. It’s taken me a while to get there, but I’m starting to be okay with that. After all, if there’s someone else he loves, he should be with her, right? I want him to be happy, even if it hurts. That’s...kind of when I started trying to focus back on myself, trying to remember there was more to me than just...him.”

Still speechless, Luka put his arm around her and she leaned into him, cuddling close against his side, gripping his shirt. “We were getting closer, for a while,” she continued quietly. “But then...I don’t know. We just seemed to fall apart. Like we got out of sync somehow. Like two ships passing in the night, except for us it was broad daylight and when we got close enough to shout, I couldn’t say anything and he just yelled ‘You’re such a good friend, Marinette.’” Luka had to laugh at that, but there was a slightly hysterical edge to it and he stifled it quickly. Marinette took a deep breath, and he could feel the tension in her shoulders under his arm. “I feel like...whatever opportunity was there, I missed it. And I—I don’t want to miss another one.” She took another deep breath and let it out shakily. “I don’t want to miss you.”

Luka was no stranger to adrenaline. The rush of performing, the surge that came at the sight of a little black and red box, even the thumping heart and rush of heat the moment before lips touch lips, he knew them all, but he had never felt like this. He felt hot and cold at the same time, his stomach clenching up, and a blind, irrational desire to flee that he only resisted because his entire body felt paralyzed.

His mind treated him to a high speed replay of all those strangely charged moments over the last month that didn’t quite make sense before because she loved Adrien, dissonant notes that suddenly resolved now into a perfect consonant chord because—she didn’t. She didn’t love Adrien anymore. Luka had sensed it, even as his head refused to believe it. But something in him had believed it, he realized, because if he hadn’t he would never have let things go so far. He remembered the time she kissed him on her balcony the day she finished painting his guitar. He had a vivid flashback to the frustration he’d felt the day of the photo shoot when he’d kissed her even though he knew better, when he’d wondered how it could feel so right when he knew she loved somebody else.

Except...she didn’t love someone else.

“Luka?” Marinette looked up at him in alarm. He blinked and wondered how long he’d been standing there silent and rigid.

“I’m okay,” he lied. “I just...I wasn’t expecting that. I don’t—I mean I do—“ He gave up on trying to handle this at all calmly. “Okay I think I need a minute to process this.”

“Sorry,” she giggled nervously, playing with a tendril of her hair like that wasn’t distracting at all. “This really wasn’t in my plan for tonight, but it just...seemed like the best opening I was going to get. I mean...I’ve been trying for weeks to talk to you about all this but I keep second guessing. You’re my friend, more than my friend, and I don’t want to hurt you, Luka. I’m...I’m afraid, that I’m not clear enough in my own head to know what I want, and I’m scared of—of leading you on and then finding out that I can’t—“ she huffed a sigh of frustration. “But that kind of overthinking is what always got me messed up with Adrien and—I can’t say it in music like you can, but you’ve always been so brave about speaking your feelings, and I thought, maybe this is one time I could be that brave too, and then maybe I wouldn’t have to figure it all out on my own…” She bit her lip, looking up at him anxiously.

Part of him knew he should be cautious, whispering words like rebound and second choice and...yeah, the hell with all that.

“You don’t have to have all the answers right away,” he told her, wrapping his hands around her shoulders. “I understand why you’re worried and I’m glad you’re thinking about these things but—“ Luka moved one hand to cradle her face, brushing his thumb along her cheek. “I trust you to stay honest with me, and if it doesn’t work out—well, I can handle pain. Regrets are a lot harder to live with.”

Her lips parted and she took a shaky breath. “I...really like you, Luka. I love the way I feel when I’m with you. Will you...be my boyfriend?”

The grin that spread over his face wasn’t remotely cool or reserved. “Hell yeah.”

Marinette was blushing prettily and couldn’t quite meet his eyes. “Okay. Good. So...What now?”

“Well,” Luka glanced around at the people milling on the balcony. “I don’t think now’s really the time, but you should know I’m planning to kiss the hell out of you in the very near future.”

A satisfying shiver went through her, and his grin widened at the flush that went all the way down her neck. Then she gave him that devastating little smirk of hers and whispered back, “Well, you’d better do a good job.”

Dead. Gone. Here lies Luka Couffaine, absolutely slain by irresistible pink lips, the most creative mind he has ever known, and a pair of gorgeous blue eyes. He died hopelessly in love and fantastically happy.

And he couldn’t touch her because they were surrounded by people and she was wrapped in a borrowed family heirloom kimono. Damn it.

Luka lifted her hand and kissed the inside of her wrist, keeping his eyes on hers. He smiled against her skin at the catch in her breath and the slight widening of her eyes.

“So,” Luka said, slipping his arm around her waist and tugging her back against his side. “I’m kind of useless at all that ballroom stuff, but I’d still like to dance with you later. I don’t know the steps but I have excellent rhythm.”

“As long as you don’t mind my two left feet,” Marinette snuggled close and he thought if he smiled any wider his face might crack in two.

“I love your feet,” he told her. “Almost as much as I love your hands. Which is about half as much as I love your eyes.”

“Stop,” she giggled.

“Never,” he sighed happily. “You’re just going to have to put up with hearing exactly how awesome I think you are.”

“And here I thought I was gonna be dating a cool older man,” Marinette huffed.

“I am cool, and older,” he chuckled, squeezing her lightly. “I also don’t ever want you to be confused for even one second about what I feel for you.” Her face flooded with color, and he could feel her start to fidget. “Listen, I’m not trying to pressure you,” he told her softly. “I promise I heard what you were telling me, that you’re not completely sure about us yet but you want to try. I don’t ever want you to say anything to me that isn’t completely true in your heart. I’m just telling you the things that I know are true in mine. I know you feel insecure sometimes. I know you worry that you’re not good enough. I just don’t ever want you to be worried about that with me, okay?”

Marinette didn’t answer, but he felt her relax into him, and they stood quietly together for a moment. “I love your hands too,” she murmured. “Especially this one.” She picked up his left hand and turned it over, running her fingertips over the roughened pads of his. “I know you make music with both, but…”

“I think I know what you mean,” he said, taking her right hand gently and running his thumb lightly over the callus on the side her middle finger, where her sketching pencil rested. “It’s just a little more real when you can feel it.”

“Luka! Marinette!” They turned to find Kagami and Adrien coming toward them, still arm in arm. “They’re announcing dinner soon,” Adrien explained. “We figured you’d better swap back before then.”

“Oh, she looks so happy,” Marinette whispered, squeezing Luka’s arm, and it was true. Kagami was glowing, practically floating on air as they approached, and Luka couldn’t help smiling at the sight, though at the same time he kind of wanted to smack Adrien. He took his suit coat back from Marinette and let her go to catch hands with Kagami, and the two girls went giggling back towards the restroom as Adrien came to lean on the rail next to Luka, looking content but not nearly as radiantly happy as his date. Luka felt a pang for Kagami’s sake, but he couldn’t think of anything to say to Adrien that he hadn’t already said.

Speaking of which...

“Hey Adrien,” Luka said softly, watching the girls slip through the door back into the ballroom. “You know all that stuff I said earlier about Marinette and me?”

“Yeah?”

Luka grinned broadly, turning back to face the Paris skyline. “I take it all back.”

***

Luka couldn’t have described a single thing they had for dinner that night. He didn’t hear a word of the mayor’s speech. He couldn’t have said when Jagged interrupted it or why Fang was suddenly on stage. He was barely aware when Adrien and Kagami said their goodbyes, having been forbidden to stay for the afterparty. He was so out of it that he was able to keep his cool and speak normally when Jagged kept dragging them over to meet various colleagues, many of whom were almost as famous as Jagged.

It just all felt like a dream until he was on the dance floor with Marinette, until he could feel her hands behind his neck, her soft hair against his cheek, the sway of her hips under his hands as they moved in slow circles. He spared a moment to be thankful that someone with less pretension or a better sense of their audience had gotten hold of the sound system. Marinette lifted her head from his shoulder and there was a devilish tilt to her smile when she reminded him he’d promised to kiss her when they were alone. Which they weren’t, at the moment, surrounded by a fair number of other dancing couples.

He shot her a smirk of his own. “Keep looking at me like that and we might not make it that long.”

“We could leave now.”

“Yeah?”

“I don’t think we want to be here when Jagged turns this into a real party,” Marinette giggled, “And my parents were pretty generous with my curfew tonight but…”

“Right.” He forgot normal parents had things like curfew. “After this dance then?”

“Okay.”

He pulled her closer and she laid her head on back on his shoulder with a sigh. Tomorrow there would be time to think about taking things slow and “are you sure” and all those smart things they both knew they’d have to deal with, but tonight...

Luka kissed her in the elevator the moment the doors closed, catching her face in his hands and pressing his lips to hers harder than he’d meant to at first. He recovered quickly, kissing her softly but fervently, once, twice, and a third time, pulling away only at the chime announcing the doors’ imminent opening.

Marinette kissed him in the car, shyly at first, but he was more than willing to be patient and encouraging, and her confidence grew accordingly. She left him breathless by the time the car pulled up in front of the bakery.

They kissed and kissed and kissed in the hallway outside of her door, until her phone rang and then abruptly cut off, and her mother called through the door for her to wrap it up and come inside, amusement plain in her voice.

He didn’t take his eyes off her as she backed through the door of her home, her hair ruffled and her cheeks pink, flashing him a smile with thoroughly kissed lips and eyes dancing with laughter at his own disheveled state and lovestruck expression.

When she was gone he straightened his jacket, tucked in his shirt, and smoothed his hair but he wore her smeared lipstick home with pride, grinning like an idiot every time he caught his reflection in the car window.

#quickspins #finding harmony #lukanette #i am lukanette trash i admit it #luka couffaine #marinette dupain-cheng #miraculousladybug #miraculous ladybug #ml fics #backlog

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cheshiresense · 5 years

Note

An AU of Cest La Vie in which Harry is more like Hadrian and strike utter terror into anyone who messes with Orion?

Lmao I feel like we’re leaving Hadrian to hang in his own world T_T But okay, what if Orion grew up with a Harry who was more like Hadrian, yes?

Edit: OMFG THIS GOT LONG I HAVE ZERO SELF-CONTROL IN THIS UNIVERSE AND I FEEL LIKE THERE MIGHT BE SPOILERS.

1. The first time Harry remembers meeting Orion is when he’s four and his parents tell him that his Uncle Siri and Uncle Remy have a son now, his age, and they hope Harry will get along with him. Harry doesn’t really have any friends - he’s met Fred and George and Ron and Neville a few times at the park, but never long enough to play for more than an hour or two. Their parents say it’s not safe to spend too much time outside of their houses at the moment for some reason, but Uncle Siri and Uncle Remy’s house might as well be a second home to Harry, so Harry hopes he’ll be able to make Actual Friends with their new son. So they go, and Harry’s first impression of Orion is black hair and blue eyes and a pale face attached to a boy half-hiding behind Uncle Remy’s leg. Harry’s not sure why but the boy is obviously the one he’s supposed to meet, so he stumbles forward, curious and excited and just a little nervous, and boldly introduces himself. It takes a few moments, but then the other boy mumbles hello and says his name is Orion, and after another few seconds he finally lets go of Uncle Remy’s hand and takes a hesitant step towards Harry instead, so Harry decides they’re off to a great start and promptly drags the boy off to play. Since Orion is new, Harry tells him about all his favourite games, but Orion has to try everything so he’ll know what his favourite games are, and Orion is quiet, not shy like Neville, just quiet, but he also smiles more the longer he plays with Harry, so Harry tries to be patient. By the time dinner swings around, Orion is responding more often, with more than just nods or headshakes, and Mum even has to remind them to eat several times because they’re talking too much. By the time they have to leave, Harry can’t wait to come back.

2. The first time Harry learns Orion is a werewolf is when he’s seven. He sees Orion almost every day now, so it’s that much more obvious when there are a few days every month where he doesn’t, and he’s been complaining about it for years. His parents always tell him that Uncle Sirius and Uncle Remus and Orion are busy (what are they busy with?), they have a family thing (aren’t they their family too?), they’re out of town (where have they gone?), Orion is sick (we should take over some soup!), and so on and so forth. But then he’s seven and sulking at home because this time it’s Uncle Sirius who wants a quiet day in (since when? and can’t Orion just come over to Harry’s instead?), and even Mum and Dad are out doing adult things. Uncle Peter is babysitting though, and Uncle Peter is never around much and always looks a little jumpy but sometimes he tells Harry things about The War, the big dangerous fight that mostly happened before Harry was even born, the one Dad doesn’t like talking about and Mum doesn’t like Harry asking about because he’s too young. Uncle Peter says Harry is mature for his age though, very smart, almost a grownup himself, which is true, so Harry doesn’t rat Uncle Peter out to his mum, who can be really scary, and he doesn’t say anything even when some of the things Uncle Peter tell him maybe-sort-of-kind-of scares him a little. He tells Harry that the bad guy Mum and Dad fought was very evil and commanded whole armies of dark wizards and dangerous monsters, and he killed so many people and hurt so many people, and sometimes people were even forced to hurt and kill other people for him. Today, he’s rambling about werewolf packs and how they were allowed to eat whole villages and steal and bite regular children in exchange for their loyalty, and they were extra dangerous around the full moon each month—- and abruptly, Harry makes the connection. It only takes a calendar and a few more months of observation to confirm his hunch, he even sneaks into Dad’s work files to read about rogue werewolves just to make sure Uncle Peter wasn’t telling tales, and he wasn’t, and then- and then he doesn’t know what to do. He’s had nightmares about werewolves - and vampires, and inferi, and huge spiders the size of buildings that he’s forgotten what Uncle Peter called them - and he can’t help but remember the stories about people being ripped apart and kids never seeing their parents again and turning into monsters themselves. But. But he also knows Orion, knows Uncle Remus too, he’s grown up with them, and they can’t possibly do any of what Uncle Peter says werewolves do. So maybe there are exceptions. Or maybe the bad guy forced the werewolves to eat people. Either way, the monsters in Uncle Peter’s stories can’t be Harry’s best friend, obviously - Orion’s afraid of squirrels for Merlin’s sake, and just last week he spent half an hour throwing up in the toilet because Ron dared him into a marshmallow-eating contest and everyone got grounded. And Uncle Remus wouldn’t hurt a fly, let alone a child. He still gives Harry and Orion piggyback rides even though they’re getting too old for that sort of thing. Scary monsters wouldn’t be like that at all. So Harry makes a decision - he’ll treat Orion like Orion and Uncle Remus like Uncle Remus, and until he meets an actual werewolf monster, he’s going to be brave and he won’t let Uncle Peter’s stories or Dad’s reports scare him.

3. The first time Harry hits someone, he’s ten, and they’re at one of those galas that Mum and Dad reluctantly dress up for. Most of the time, Harry - and Orion - doesn’t have to go, but occasionally, Dad complains about keeping up appearances and Mum frowns and stuffs him into a set of his nice robes. Harry doesn’t mind too much - it’s mostly boring, although he has to remember to smile and say nice things when Ministry people come up to talk to him, which isn’t often. This time, he’s standing with Orion in a corner, each of them sipping at a fizzy drink (they’re only allowed one glass, it’s not alcoholic but it’s very sugary). Then this stuck-up pureblood boy struts over with a smirk and says to Orion without so much as a hello, “I’m surprised they let dirty mutts through the door, Black. Did you have to sit up and beg?”

Harry doesn’t even know what happens until it’s happened. He was told about werewolves a year after he first figured it out. He pretended to be surprised, but he also hugged Orion and Uncle Remus and made sure they knew that he knew they weren’t monsters.

He’s never come across anyone who thought otherwise. Even Uncle Peter - the few times he’s slunk in to join them for dinner - doesn’t treat Orion or Uncle Remus any differently than he does the rest of the family.

So Harry reacts before he even makes the decision to do it. One second he’s staring at Orion’s hunched shoulders and the open scared hurt on his face, and then the pureblood boy is on the ground crying from a broken nose, and a moment later, all the adults are descending on them and shouting.

Hours later, Harry is back home and grounded until next month, but Orion also tackled him with a hug as soon as they flooed through, and he’s allowed to stay and eat ice-cream with Harry, so Harry figures he’s not in too much trouble. Mum scolds him for using physical violence, and Uncle Remus explains in resigned tones that some people are just like that and Harry shouldn’t let it bother him, but Uncle Sirius winks at him from behind everyone’s backs, eyes glittering with something as hot and fierce as the feeling in Harry’s own chest when that boy had insulted Orion, and Dad pulls him aside later and tells him to be more subtle. After all, Marauders don’t get caught.

4. The first time someone at Hogwarts takes a shot at Orion for being a werewolf, Harry’s already had enough, he is ready to throw down. It’s just a third-year, so he spends a month reading up and practicing the few simple spells he’d need, and then he turns a patch of ground into a sinkhole, lures the third-year outside, and leaves him there overnight. Hagrid only finds him in the morning, and the cold and bug bites he gets leaves him stuck in the Hospital Wing for a week. Orion gives him sideways looks for even longer, but some of the tension in his shoulders that’s been there since Dumbledore made the announcement slides away, and the next time someone insults him, his chin doesn’t dip in shame, and he doesn’t give his bully anything more than a cool look of disinterest before turning on his heel and following Harry to their next class. Of course, they still prank the daylights out of the bully by the end of the week.

5. It takes four years of hard work before people learn - never insult Orion Black when word of it can and will get back to Harry Potter. Especially since Harry and Orion’s circle of friends start getting bigger after they enter Hogwarts, with allies in every House, and even the thickest, most bigoted students know better than to turn what feels like half the school against them. So, at least for the rest of their school tenure, being a werewolf doesn’t mean much anymore. New students find out, and they learn the facts or they’re warned against speaking unwisely. At the end of the day, Orion is just another student, albeit probably the most protected in Hogwarts, and Harry makes damn sure every single person knows it.

#headcanon meme: answered #c'est la vie #harry potter #orion black #hp series #headcanon #anonymous

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subtleshenanigans · 5 years

Text

Invader Zim Headcanons:

(Some Of these will cross-over with other people’s I’m sure.)

Irkins are a bug-like species

[[MORE]]

Them big eyes and the fact that Zim uses the word ‘worm(s)’ a lot despite it being an earth creature(?)

Their home language is a clicking/hissing type of tongue. Maybe hissing is used for emphasis and tone which clicks and chirrups are the main phonetic sounds.

The whole pack being a second brain??? Sorta??? Makes me think of cockroaches for some reason.

Irkins hierarchy is based strictly on height and then species. For example: Zim sees Professor Membrane and Miss Bitters as having higher status above other humans due to their height, not accomplishments/occupations. But he still sees himself as being higher than a human.

Irkins are territorial/possessive of what they consider theirs as right of conquest. Successfully invaded a planet? It belongs to the empire but Tallest forbid another Invader of equal or lesser status tries to set foot on it.

Irkins - Zim especially - like to be in small, confined spaces especially like burrows. Warmth or cool depends on individual preference.

Zim picks up on certain human gestures and cues due to the fact that he cannot express with his antennae (because of the wig), and his eyes can’t convey emotion properly due to the contacts.

As much as Dib and Zim hate each other (which has become a personal grudge) they still respect one another in ways.

Zim misses other Irkins and his home planet although Gir and his constant battles with Dib help keep it at bay.

Zim hates bees which is ironic since some aspects of the Irkin empire can be likened to bees (vaguely)

Zim doesn’t exactly bully Dib, since it’s a mutual agreement of hatred between the two and Dib does it to him just as much, but he doesn’t understand/doesn’t really like when others bully Dib. This goes back into Irkins being possessive.

Zim can totally get away with weird food reactions/choices by claiming he’s allergic to certain things or celiac or some-such, since they’re real, common things

You bet he uses his metal legs to gain height advantage

Zim has totally bit people when angry and not wanting to blow his cover

AU Specific:

Zim eventually finds out that he’s been exiled; it hurts him deeply and leaves him in a stuck state of feeling like he doesn’t belong

Dib and Zim become friends to a degree (more like frenemies). They either go on hunts together for like Bigfoot and such, or Zim (being hella chaotic and destructive) helps Dib lure and capture aliens for dissection. (If Zim is willing to steal organs you can’t tell me he wouldn’t be down with this.)

That or Dib would feel sorta bad for him (since they’re similar in ways) and try to teach him how to live on earth. Zim would still get up to chaos though since he’s ‘defective’

Gir is Zim’s friend and closest equivalent to a sibling, even if Unconventionally

Dib gets tall like his father

This greatly irks Zim (haha)

Zim gains a few inches but not much (probably more due to Earth’s gravity maybe?)

Dib learns the Irkin language somehow

Someone on a different post mentioned something about how Zim in equivalency, along with the Tallest, could be in their teens due to the fact that Irkins seemed to have two sets of age: Smeets and Adults. In some accordance with this, I think Zim is in the equivalent of his early twenties. Why? Because it’s a decent age, and the thought of a twenty year old not only fighting but being bested by a twelve year old is hilarious

In all honesty though he’s probably like fifty or seventy since Irkins have got to live hella long

#long post #invader zim #head canon #headcanons #invader zim enter the florpus #fanfic ref #au #dib membrane #Professor membrane #gaz membrane #gir

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peace-coast-island · 4 years

Text

Diary of a Junebug

Gyroids clad in plaid

It’s gyroid hunting time and we’ve got a busy week ahead! Emilie’s back at the camp with a familiar face - Kat - and two new faces - Amy and Natara. Dixie’s joining us too, though she won’t be here until the day after tomorrow.

It’s nice to see Emilie again, especially since we had so much fun at the last gyroid hunt. She’s doing a lot better as she extended her short break from work for a few months longer and time has been good for her. While she’s not working at her main job, Emilie’s been focusing on hobbies, self care, and the agency - her side gig. In fact, she’s been strongly thinking about leaving the bureau and transferring to Dixie’s agency as an agent.

Considering how stressful working in the FBI is and how it’s been burning her out, I think it’s a good idea for Emilie to step down. Also with people like Rocky, Lex, Kat, and Jamie on the team, I know she'll fit right in.

The thing is that it’s gig based so on one hand, you’re not working 40 + hours a week, but you might have times when you’re in the office for six months and then spend the next six months globe hopping. But it’s super flexible and since it’s not like a full time job, it leaves you with plenty of time to focus on other stuff when you’re not on a mission. So those kind of hours might appeal to some and detract others. In Emilie’s case, I think that’s a plus for her.

Even though she’s not doing field work, Emilie’s busy training two new recruits who were handpicked by Dixie - Natara Lakshmi and Amy Leang. Both are students at Spectrum University studying in psychology and computer science respectively. If Dixie chose you to join her team, then it’s a big deal.

Up until today, I never got to really know Natara and Amy that well. All I knew is that they’re friends of Jamie and Delanie so our circles kinda overlapped, but never really meeting up completely. I’m glad that after all these years, our paths finally crossed!

Natara’s an aspiring criminal profiler who not only has strong intuition, but she can also ready people like a book. She began taking an interest in criminology after she and her friends managed to thwart a crooked businessman’s attempt at taking over her father’s company. Although she saved her father’s name, Natara lost his respect as she disobeyed him and put herself in danger.

While her friends are happy that Dixie recruited her - a dream come true for Natara - her family’s not so keen on it. Growing up in a strict Asian family it sometimes feels like you’re twice as pressured to pursue your own ambitions and meet your parents’s expectations. If they contradict each other, you can’t help but blame yourself because you shouldn’t have to struggle so much to gain approval.

At least for Amy, her family’s a lot more supportive. But the pressure to succeed is just as high, as well as the pressure to excel. Her mom works as a data analyst, which is what Amy wants to do too, except instead of finances, she’s interested in law.

Amy’s also a self taught hacker and was notorious for clearing her school’s name when they were accused of leaking test answers. She also played a role in helping Natara take down her father’s rival and was partially responsible for taking down a criminal hacker group - both happened when she was in high school. In short, Amy’s got an interesting history as a vigilante hacker, which I’m pretty sure was what caught Dixie’s eye.

And there’s Kat, who’s been having a crazy year so far. From having to take her mother’s place as queen, becoming a prisoner in space, getting her friends out of trouble multiple times, ending a long war, and reuniting with her presumed dead father - it’s a lot for anyone to handle. Though compared to her father and brother - who never met each other until then - Kat feels like she’s the least disoriented out of the three.

Reuniting with someone you thought was dead for almost two decades is as jarring as it sounds. While things are a bit awkward as Kat’s dad still sees her as a little girl he’s slowly adjusting to having not only one but two almost grown kids. I still can’t get over the image of Micah - the kind of guy who runs headfirst into trouble - hiding behind his sister like a little kid after seeing his father for the first time.

The elder Micah’s adjusting well for someone who was thrown to the frontlines after a long absence - or at least that’s how he comes across to everyone. Now that things have settled down Kat thinks the full impact of everything that has happened is finally getting to him. Since then he’s been keeping himself busy by making up for lost time, which according to Kat’s aunt, is his way of avoiding dealing with his own problems.

After confirming that he’s in fact not okay, Kat, Micah, and their friends staged a coup by forcing him to do absolutely nothing for a month, which he wasn’t too keen on. So they threatened to lock him in his room and tie him down to the bed if they have to. In the end he gave in so now he’s trying to relax as well as make up for sixteen years worth of lost time with his son.

Kat would’ve invited her friends and family to join us for the gyroid hunt but they’re all obviously busy. Everything’s still a bit of a chaotic mess, but it's nothing that Kat and the others can’t handle.

So the theme for this event is a cozy plaid aesthetic, which is totally my thing! After the success of the matcha mint gyroids, Reese and Cyrus enlisted Daisy Jane to help design the furniture we’ll be building with the gyroids. Knowing Daisy Jane, this kind of aesthetic’s totally in her element!

First stop is Lost Lure Creek, where we took the time to catch some fish as my inventory was running low. We had a pretty early start so we’re in no rush to collect gyroids. Plus it’s nice to sit down and hang out with the campers. There were a lot of gyroids hanging from trees so Emilie and Kat had a lot of fun swinging branches as well as finding special fruit and bells hidden under the leaves.

Next stop was the Market Place, where we met up with Isabelle, Tommy, and Timmy. I don’t normally drop by there on a regular basis during my rounds but for gyroid events, it’s a must. It’s also a good thing that we did because Natara found a book that Pecan dropped yesterday. Sometimes there’s a lot of gyroids lying around and sometimes there’s none. We lucked out today!

Then we went to Sunburst Island, where we went bug catching with Bea. I might have gotten a bit distracted with the horned dynastids but I had to catch them in order to shake the trees to get the gyroids so either way I get both. Kat was fascinated by the butterflies, Amy helped Gulliver log in his inventory, and Daisy Jane taught Emilie and Natara how to make flower crowns.

At Saltwater Shores we collected shells, went fishing, and harvested coconuts. There weren’t a lot of gyroids hanging around so we went for a swim for about an hour. Daisy Jane almost went overboard after catching a king red snapper so it took me, Emilie, Kat, Natara, Amy, and Buck to keep her feet on the ground. Looks like we’ll be having a big campfire dinner tonight!

After taking our well deserved break and making a quick stop at the campsite to drop off the big catch, off we headed to Breezy Hollow. I normally stop here at the end so I can restock on fruit without having to go back and forth between hangout sites. Today not only happened to be full of gyroids, but perfect fruit as well! While the others went picking fruit and wildflowers, I restocked my marketplace with grapes and crafting materials. I also bought some lychee and lemons for tonight’s bonfire.

Last stop is OK Motors, a place that I don’t visit too often unless my RV needs tuning up, someone lost something over there, or if I just want to hang out with Beppe, Giovanni, and Carlo. Like the Market Place, gyroids sometimes pop up here and there. Emilie, Kat, Natara, and Amy took turns playing Brake Tapper - Natara won the most caps with Emilie coming in a close second. Amy did fairly well while Kat was all over the place.

Maybe one day I’ll finally have enough caps to trade them in for a t-shirt. But right now I’m more interested in collecting plaid gyroids. Gotta make some trips to Shovelstrike Quarry sometime this week - with a group as big as ours, it won’t take too long for us to get in.

Then it’s back to either the campsite or cabin where we just hang out for a couple hours before going back out to hunt for more gyroids. At the campsite Amy taught Daisy Jane the basics of building a website - which will be very useful for her in the future. Kat showed off some cool spells she learned from her dad, including a fireworks one that’s perfect for tonight. Natara made coconut mango lassi while Emilie baked brownies and I made a pasta salad.

We had a pretty good haul today - not enough to build furniture yet, but it’s a good start. It was a busy but also a kinda chill day. It’s nice seeing Emilie and Kat again and just having a great time with them.

At the bonfire Emilie and KK put together an impromptu show that was fun to watch. Celeste and Natara took turns looking for constellations and nebulas. Kat showed us how to manipulate fireworks into cool shapes (and accidentally caused a few small explosions here and there - nothing serious though, it’s just something that happens from time to time). Amy, Goldie, and Kitt went looking for shells, gyroids, and whatever treasures that were buried in the sand.

While sitting by the waves I can see Daisy Jane sitting by a coconut tree, both of us scribbling in our journals while the memories of today are still fresh in our minds. Book in lap, pages full of words and sketches, ink smudged hands with an uncapped pen, plaid gyroids lying in the sand or hanging from a branch above, all illuminated by the moonlight.

#animal crossing #animal crossing pocket camp #Diary of a Junebug #headcanon ramble

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polygamyff · 4 years

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38. Part 3

I don’t really care for Thomas and his words, I am more thinking on the fact I am getting praised on the news channel, I need to get back to work, quick too because I miss it. I should applaud myself, I have done well, and then I got this little one. Reign resting her head on my shoulder and playing with my beard hair, I don’t know why that has interested her. Raising an eyebrow looking down at her, grabbing her little hand, she looked up at me and I just smiled at Reign. Pressing a kiss to her hand before letting her hand go, this girl really wants all the loving from me. Hugging Reign close, I could be a stay at home dad too, I just want to gather myself and go back to work but I still have that slight pain. Sighing out looking towards the kitchen area, I am so relaxed. You would think I had weed before coming here, which I didn’t, and I have been cutting down on the smoking, the last one I had was before we left. I don’t think Thomas bugs me like he thinks, it will be when Robyn is upset, I will care because when it’s about me I don’t care because I know this already, tell me something new. I know I look like this; I know I am ill; I know I have Naomi still, what else can he say to me. Scrunching my face up, this girl and her hand all in my face, now she out here slapping my face “no” moving her hand, the fact even though I have changed slightly in looks she knows me, like I don’t need anybody’s approval because Reign knows me, and then voices are being raised of course. Thomas is still lingering around, looking over at them again before getting up. I am ill, I am in slight pain, but I will still beat a nigga up. Reign also lifted her head up; she makes me laugh this girl. Walking around the couch “you can’t help yourself but say things, why should you stay if mom said go then go” Robyn said “it’s my house too! Not just hers!” Thomas barked “she wants you” I said to Robyn knowing full well she is fine with me “ok, but that does not make a difference. Why are you being like this” Robyn took Reign from me, she didn’t really want Robyn, she was ok with me “and look at you, billionaire boy. I mean your money can’t buy you health can it” he is funny “it also can’t buy you blood but we all don’t get what we want” Thomas’ face dropped, like I just killed his mother “you know what Thomas, you rode my jet, you stayed at my hotel, you ate my foot knowing full well you was shit to me. You don’t know me Thomas, I can make your life hell. And when you are making my mother in law sad, you really pushing it” stepping to him, Thomas stood up now he is not a small guy himself. In build I am skinny as shit right now “you’re step closer to your grave” he laughed in my face “and so are you” I balled my fist and put every ounce of energy into this because I have been waiting for this moment, punching him straight in his face but I didn’t expect him to just fall straight to the ground “Maurice!” Robyn spat; he fell straight to the ground. I cringed at my hand being in such pain “damn” walking back shaking my hand in pain.

I am more worried about my hand, now I am feeling it but that was built up anger “mom, he is ok. He’s just got concussion” Robyn said “Maurice, what the hell. Is that why you gave me Reign?” I just laughed “well he deserves it, Terry. You want me to take him outside?” she is the boss “the neighbours will see, no” he is getting up now anyways “Thomas, hey. Get up” Terry is being too nice; she is helping him get up “come on” she is helping him up “where did that come from Maurice?” Robyn stood next to me “he deserves it, but now I feel weak as shit for it just don’t” I don’t want to hear Robyn say anything “you!” Thomas pointed at me “Robyn, stay out of the way. Come on then, you think you’re funny. You have nothing” I think I may at this point get my ass beat from this, Terry tried to grab him, but he came at me “no! You stop, no dad!” Robyn stood in front of me “you leave him! You go! Get out!” Robyn shouted “leave us alone” Robyn broke down crying and then so did Reign “leave them alone Thomas, please go” Terry pushed at Thomas and hugged Robyn, she did lowkey save my ass because I don’t think I can do a fight right now with myself like this “ssshh Robbie, it’s ok I am here” Thomas walked off through the kitchen, I think need to sit my ass down to be honest. The door banged shut “I’m sorry” I shouldn’t have done that but I did and he deserved it, wrapping my arms around them both.

Robyn went to CVS for me, she is still upset and I said I would go but she refused and said she will go alone “here, new ice pack for you” Terry said “oh thank you” taking it from her “I was actually waiting on the moment you did that, I don’t blame you at all Maurice. He picked at you but I wish you was well enough for it” placing the ice pack on my hand “same, he would have beat my ass after that” I chuckled “I just didn’t like it, he seems like he was bullying you all, he still stood there and was refusing to move, he was talking shit and I had enough. It has taken it out of me” I laughed “but I made Robyn cry also, are you ok? I didn’t really want to come but then like a dumbass I said it to Robyn, I said that I hate being away from her, that I needed her and I felt lonely so she made me come, I made it worse” shaking my head, I knew this would have happened “don’t say that, you can’t fix what was already broken Maurice. Before you both arrived he was going to his mother’ home because we aren’t getting on, he just hates me, he feels like I allowed Robyn to do this and then he turned it on me saying I lured him in and made him waste his life here, so I said then go. I am just heartbroken and now I have a broken marriage, maybe it was broken already, he said he loved me for my beauty. But I said it to him, I goes you loved Robyn. You adored that girl, a daddy’s girl, it doesn’t make sense to me or her. Then he said she has a new daddy, and I went crazy on him. And he said I should have done what Maurice did, it’s like seeing you and what you did made him trip, but I am just hurt by him. I feel like Robyn probably kept us together, and apparently, he has a new girl. So, he says anyways” this is a mess “I am so sorry, this is like my fault. I am sorry Terry. He really wasn’t the man you loved anyways, I am sorry to say but that guy died, the one you loved” I answered truthfully but me and my big mouth, Terry put her head down “I know” she strained out, moving the ice pack from my hand as I got up, placing the ice pack on the table and sat next to Terry “I am sorry this has happened to you, I am sorry” placing my arm around her “don’t say it is your fault, it was there. You just bought it forward, so thank you for exposing it” I do feel bad “you’re a good son in law” she laughed “I try” I feel bad.

Terry came back downstairs “while she is doing her thing, I have always kept these” she waved some pictures around, she sat back next to me “Terry, I know a lot of people. I can get you with some rich man that deserve you, trust me. You are so beautiful, you can get another man” Terry laughed “you’re funny, I think I need to take a break from men but here” she passed me a photo “I would have dated you looking like a whole meal” Terry is and was fine as hell “stop it but this is Robyn’ father, I kept the pictures” nodding my head seeing her real dad “see, he looks like a street nigga, that smirk with the gold tooth, I see where Robyn got her nose from” I chuckled “I always thought, that. She is just as beautiful as you but she got his features more than when I see Thomas, yeah” noddimg my head “yeah she got her daddy’ feature, you know what. It’s a shame he never got the chance, I think if he was here in this world, he would adore her. Yeah, I can see it. He looks like a good guy though, he got that look in his eye, he liked you. Got that thug pose in the corner store, I see you Terry” I laughed looking over at her “oh my bad, I am sorry. Please don’t cry” I keep making this woman cry “ignore me Maurice, sorry but yeah. I was, I was smitten with him” she took the picture from me “these are such old-style pictures, but this was our first valentines. I didn’t think he would do anything because I mean it was only about a month that we been together, but here” taking the picture from her “Terry, were you a crip? I see these blue colours ma, I am starting to think” Terry laughed out “that is a story for another day, but I was so happy with my rose. Look at my smile, I was so over the moon. We were wearing matching sneakers, I just wish we never argued that night, I wish different and it’s just stupid. He was taken so young and at our peak, and I know he would have liked you Maurice. You know Thomas doesn’t like you but I know he would like you, he really would. He was a character, behind closed doors he was so sweet” smiling at Terry “I appreciate it, you know if you ever want to speak to me I am here for you. It is hard to keep such a thing to yourself. You think it’s something you want to tell her?” I asked, holding the picture out to Terry “what do you think? This is Robyn, she was born and I also found out she would be my only child, she is my blessing” taking the picture from her “she was big and white” I chuckled “It was Rell wasn’t it, it’s sad. I am sad for you both, I feel like he was taken horribly and if he was here, then you would be in a different situation and Robyn would have never been called a whore or be treated like this but I honestly don’t want her to know, not right now” Robyn was chubby as fuck “I agree, I will put these away. They mean a lot to me” Terry needs to catch a break, it’s not fair on her.

Robyn finally came back, with Pizza though “I thought we all need to eat, who can be bothered to cook, and I got you some ointment” she is so cute “cool, Reign fell asleep pretty much when you left. She is in her crib” getting up from the couch “how is your hand? You didn’t break it did you?” shaking my head, walking over to her “I am good, it’s just sore” taking the pizza from her “I love you” pressing a kiss to her lips “I love you too, I just needed some air” Robyn said and I do understand why she needed air, I mean it is a lot to take in with everything. To tell Thomas you’re not coming, her own father it must hurt her. Placing the box on the table “thank you Robbie, for getting us pizza. I was going to cook us something up, but thank you daughter” pulling the chair out and sitting down, I need some real good sleep because I am so tired but I am upset about Terry but like I don’t know what to do “come sit down” pulling the chair out “just washing my hands, be right there” I need to talk to her, I can feel the hurt. I could never do that to Reign, but then it’s not his real daughter so he doesn’t have a heart but still, I couldn’t break her heart like this and I want to honestly kill him for hurting her like this “I am here now” Robyn said as she walked around the table “come, sit with me” patting the chair “you miss me?” she sat down “I did miss you” turning the chair to me “Maurice, you need to stop doing all these things, you don’t have the energy for it. Look at your hand” she grabbed my hand “Robyn, look at me” moving my hand away from her hands “Bonita” Robyn lifted her head and looked at me, she smiles at me but I can see her sadness “I am sorry” lifting my hand up and pushing Robyn’ hair back behind her ear “I am so sorry, it’s his loss. I didn’t want to come for that reason but I am sorry” my thumb lightly grazing the side of her face, Robyn is trying so hard not to cry “I just wanted him to walk me” she blurted out and then the tears came with it “I know you did” hugging Robyn close “family I am here! I am so sorry, I just got caught up, you know me” Leon said and then stopped walking “oh my god Robyn, Oh my god, Maurice!? What is happening?” Leon half shouted in shock.

Wrapping my arm around Robyn, my poor baby is so hurt “Robyn, I am so sorry. What exactly happened? I am so lost?” Leon asked, Terry sat down “as you know Thomas is not happy with Maurice, it’s just escalated and Maurice has punched him and I sent him out” Leon’ face softened “Oh my god, that is awful, I am so upset. But what about Robyn? Why is he being so selfish, what happened to you?” he looked at me “my illness, I stopped eating to be honest that is why” Leon let out an oh “I am sorry Maurice, you poor thing. I feel so upset for you all, why is he doing this? Maurice is a great guy” if only they know the truth “because Leon, it is ongoing. Nothing is ever perfect, Thomas and I just kept it in the bedroom with the arguments but I just right now. I want my daughter to have the best day, they both want a private ceremony to get married Leon” he let out on oh “and all I wanted was for my dad to be happy for me, to walk me down the aisle” Robyn said, Terry put her head down “then, you know what. I will do it, Robyn don’t you dare worry! He always thought I was trash anyways; Robyn stop it! Friend you listen to me, you don’t waste no more tears, I will walk you down that aisle, look at me Robyn!” Leon spat; Robyn looked at him “I will walk you! I would be honoured to give you away” Robyn nodded her head and started to cry again “I am so heartbroken, oh my gosh” my poor Bonita.

Robyn went to bed, she was fed up, so she went to bed and for me, for a guy that has been feeling tired I am awake still. I know Robyn said don’t scratch my leg, but I am, I can’t help myself but now I am in pain, my fault “you want anything to drink?” Terry asked, shaking my head “I will probably go to sleep soon because Robyn did text me, that was twenty minutes ago about coming up, but she hasn’t replied so she could be asleep” Leon sat next to me on the couch “you ok now friend? What is wrong with you now? You need to moisturise, look at your face” I have Robyn saying that and now Leon “it’s the tablets I am on, I know I look very skinny and things. I am better than I was, I just need to shave, I will be good looking again, don’t worry. But I am ok, just stressed a little bit. I don’t like Robyn upset” Leon sighed out “that Thomas, he is such an asshole. I still think he didn’t like me anyways, always side eyed me” Terry finally sat down “Leon, I need to tell you something. Thomas is not Robyn’ real father” Terry just said it, Leon near dropped his drink “what!?” he shouted, “you’re lying!?” Leon spat “I’m not, we decided to not ever tell Robyn this because Thomas was in her life. He’s decided to go against what we both said we would do for her, he has hurt my daughter so much and I can’t take it, Thomas is not her father” Leon looked on in horror “I am telling you this to get an idea of her reaction” Terry said “I feel heartbroken and lied too and it’s not even my life, no. Oh god no, my poor friend” Leon started sniffling, he got up from the couch “I just needed to test it out, get a feel for the reaction and it’s not good” I don’t want her to know this, not before I get married to her, like that is a no “what do you want to do Terry? Either way she is going to be hurt” Leon is actually crying “this is just too sad, mom why?” Leon said, rubbing my face “Leon, I need you to keep quiet for a while” clearing my throat “you tell Thomas, he can do it seeing as he wants to be such a big man in this. I don’t know what to do, do I wait or tell before the marriage. Tell him, he says it and he can explain why he’s such a shit person” I am so angry with him “none of this shit would have happened if he didn’t just be a man, my dad hated everything about this now that nigga can’t stop calling Robyn. Leon, just don’t ever say anything right now” it’s just a mess “I won’t but it’s so sad, I am hurt” I wish I could have beat his ass better “Maurice, are you coming up. Leon why are you crying?” Robyn is awake, I hope she didn’t hear anything “I said his hair looks weird” getting up from the couch “and then he said he would get me fired so I cried” Leon said, Robyn shook her head “stop teasing him Maurice, you know he’s sensitive” Robyn said “I know, but how come you ain’t sleeping? You legit waiting for me?” Robyn went up the steps “yes, I need to do your leg” she is such a wife to me already.

“Ah!” moving my arm away from Robyn “I told you not to scratch it what did you do? Scratch it, look at it Maurice, now this is going to sting when I apply it. I swear to god, you deserve that slap” Robyn gets so violent “boo thang don’t like you abusing me, she gets upset” Robyn shook her head “I will throw that bear in the trash soon, how about that?” I chuckled, she is so violent at times “don’t be mean, anyways” I hissed out, that does sting “how are you feeling? Talk to me” this is a weird sensation, it’s like cooling my skin down too. I moaned out in pleasure, the feeling is so pleasing “mhmmm, keep doing that” I like the feeling “I’m going to put a dressing on it, this will hopefully work and, I am ok I guess. I knew he would be an ass, but your hand is sore, I didn’t want this for you. I didn’t want you stressed Maurice; this is not good for you. I want you to sleep now, rest up too” she says rest up but I am not sure if Thomas has the balls to do it, if he does come and he doses do it then her world is going to fall apart, if he doesn’t then he is a bitch ass and I rather keep it low for after the wedding but I feel like Terry wants to lift this burden from her, she wants to unload it so she can move on, I am not sure at all.

#Chrianna #Chrianna FF #Fanfic #Fanfiction

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