#( he did and he named her evelyn rose )

[libraryofgage]

Addams Family B-Side (3)

Part of: Steve Deserves Good Parents, Actually Debbie and Fester Addams One | Two | Three (you're here!) Rick and Evelyn O'Connell One | Two (on the way!) Harley Quinn One 10th Doctor and Rose One | Two (on the way!) Scooby Gang (there are plans for this one lmao, so plz be patient with me orz)

Did I already post today? Yes. Did I also post two chapters of Modern Steve in 80s Hawkins today? Yes. I am just incredibly productive today, who knows when it's gonna happen again lol

Anyway, finally! The next B-Side! This bitch has been stewing my guys, so I hope you enjoy it lol

There are two memes at the very end of this one, so definitely stick around

As always, if you see any typos, no you didn't 😘

--------

For four weeks, Eddie feels himself losing his mind. He finds gifts in his locker every other day, and he's convinced they're from Steve Harrington. He now has a taxidermied bat, a fancy-looking vial with a skull and crossbones embossed in the glass and filled with mysterious liquid, an actual human skull that Eddie immediately incorporates into his next campaign, and a spider. An actual spider. A live spider that, after a little research, he learns is a fucking Black Widow that seems unnaturally friendly.

Eddie can't stress that part enough. Multiple people have mistaken the spider for an intricate vest patch because it just sits perfectly still over his chest pocket. It only moves to rub its head against Eddie's fingers whenever his hand passes over it, and even then it's careful to avoid hurting him with its pincers.

He names her Nox.

Those aren't the only gifts he's received, but they're the most notable, and Eddie is overwhelmed and flustered by the positive attention he's suddenly receiving.

The other thing driving him crazy is Pubert Addams, a guy Eddie had never paid much attention to before but now considers his mortal enemy. He's convinced Pubert is, at worst, potentially abusive or, at best, delusional and taking advantage of Steve's kindness and inability to brutally turn him down. Or maybe Eddie is the crazy one; he doesn't actually know. Whichever it is, Eddie is ready to take the very nice dagger he now has (gift number 15; yes, Eddie has been counting) and stab him with it.

Because he can't get more than two minutes alone with Steve before Pubert appears out of nowhere. Eddie runs into Steve in the hall while everyone else is in class? Pubert shows up with a hall pass two seconds later and literally waltzes Steve away from him. Eddie finds Steve camped out in the library during study hall? Pubert materializes in the chair next to Steve before Eddie can sit down, leaning far too close as he asks Steve to explain something from their shared Gothic Literature class. Eddie, by some miracle, is behind Steve in the lunch line (and he calls this a miracle because Steve always brings his lunch in a pink box with black skulls, which Eddie considers incredibly brave of him to carry around like it's nothing)? Before Eddie can do more than say hi and get a blinding smile in return, Pubert fucking Addams shows up and drags Steve away while promising to share his lunch.

Eddie is just about to lose the last shred of patience he's struggling to maintain when Steve finds him. Ironically, it's the same bathroom where they first talked, the one with mysterious mold growing in the corner that Eddie is convinced is some new species. It's the only bathroom with a busted smoke detector, and Eddie goes there to get high during his free period.

He's halfway through a joint, smoke curling around him as he sits on the sink counter and tries not to think about what else has been there, when the door swings open, Steve walks in, and Eddie chokes on his inhale.

"Don't die like this," Steve says, stepping closer and patting Eddie's back like they know each other, "It's no fun."

Eddie finally gets himself under control, taking a deep breath and wincing at the way his lungs burn. "No worries," he croaks out, regretting the departure of Steve's hand on his back. "What are you doing here? Please don't tell me you plan to use this bathroom."

"As curious as I am about the bacteria teeming on these toilet seats, no." Steve sounds genuine, like he really does want to swab the toilet seats and see what grows. Instead, he places his bag on the sink and pulls out a familiar vial with a familiar skull and crossbones. "I just came to drink."

"Oh?" Eddie says, leaning forward with a grin. He looks Steve up and down, taking in the pale blue sweater vest and immaculately pressed jeans. "You don't look the drinking type, Stevie."

Steve hums, popping the cork out of the vial and taking a swig from it. "This isn't exactly hard stuff," he says after he swallows, distracted enough that Eddie thinks he misses his eyes lingering on Steve's throat as it bobs.

"Just beer then?"

"What?" Steve asks, looking at Eddie like he's delusional. "No, it's cyanide and vinegar."

He says it with such conviction that Eddie believes him despite knowing cyanide is poison. "Metal," he says, looking away to take another drag of his joint as he struggles to break through his own awkwardness and hold a conversation that will somehow sweep Steve off his feet and make him forget all about Pubert Addams.

Before he can think of something clever and smooth and funny, Steve leans close and raises a hand to his chest. Eddie is about to warn him that Nox is, in fact, real when the spider scuttles onto Steve's fingers and settles in his palm. She does a little up-and-down motion, circles in his hand twice, and rubs her head against his wrist. "You've been taking good care of her," Steve says.

"Uh, yeah. How is she not biting you right now?" Eddie asks, remembering all the times Nox has warningly snapped at others who tried to touch her.

Steve snorts and allows Nox to return to her spot on Eddie's vest. "I raised her," he says, his tone casual like he isn't admitting to showering Eddie with inexplicable gifts for the past four weeks, "of course, she won't bite me."

"So, it has been you," Eddie replies, wanting to hear it from Steve himself.

With a soft hum, Steve takes another sip from his bottle. "Who else would it have been?"

Eddie licks his lips, takes another drag of his joint to brace himself, and hops off the counter. "So, uh, does that mean you li--"

Before the rest of the question can be asked, the bathroom door swings open again, and Eddie feels his eye twitch as Pubert Addams frowns at them. "So, this is where you were," he says, walking over to Steve and putting an arm around his shoulders.

"I told you I was going to the bathroom," Steve says, rolling his eyes as he stuffs the vial back into his bag.

Pubert looks Eddie over, a derisive huff escaping him as he dismisses Eddie and looks at Steve. "On the other side of the school? Really?" he asks, and Eddie would be overthinking what that means if he weren't sure his veins were about to burst.

"We were talking, you know," Eddie says, gaining Pubert's attention again. Steve looks at him, too, his eyes a little brighter.

"I'm sure," Pubert replies, rolling his eyes as he takes Steve's bag. "And now we're leaving." With that, he leads Steve out of the bathroom, the door swinging shut before Steve can do more than smile apologetically and wave.

Anger surges through Eddie, and the shaky drag he takes to finish off his joint does absolutely nothing to soothe it.

He's going to kill Pubert Addams.

--------

Funnily enough, Steve's mother doesn't learn about his crush until he's five weeks into it. When Debbie finally does discover the crush, it's because she walks in on Fester and Steve decorating homemade cookies shaped like anatomically correct hearts. She pauses in the doorway, looking between the two covered in flour and raspberry jam, and asks, "What on earth is going on here?"

Steve looks up, sees this as his chance to finally tell Debbie, and smiles brightly at her. "I'm in love, Mother. He's allergic to raspberry, and Father agreed to help me make him cookies with raspberry filling, so he can feel the same breathlessness I do when I see him," he explains, using his thumb to wipe raspberry jam off his cheek.

Debbie stares at him for a few seconds before looking at Fester. "How long have you known?" she asks.

"Five weeks," Fester admits, looking apologetic. "I wanted to tell you, Pumpkin! But Steve asked me not to so he could tell you himself."

She sighs and walks over to the island, sitting on the edge of a stool and taking one of the cookies for herself. She bites off a pulmonary vein, looking thoughtful as she chews. "I must admit, these are damn good cookies," she finally says, taking one more bite before passing it to Fester to finish. "Tell me about him."

And Steve does. He gushes about Eddie for a solid hour without taking a single breath, spilling everything he's seen Eddie do and how he's reacted to all of Steve's gifts and how he gets so obviously jealous when Pubert butts into their conversations. He tells Debbie about Eddie not screaming when he saw Nox, about him selling drugs, and about his interest in music. Steve laments his hair but eagerly describes the treatment routine he already has in mind.

By the time he's done, the cookies are decorated and his mother's expression has grown a little pained. "Steve, darling, come with me," she says, getting up from the chair and leading him out of the kitchen while Fester starts to clean up.

Steve waits until Debbie has brought him to her spare room to ask, "Did I do something wrong?"

"Well, did you remember my rules about crushes?"

"Yeah. I've talked to him a lot."

Debbie smiles and brings Steve over to the bed, sitting him down and straightening his hair before perching next to him. "Then, you're not in trouble, but you've been going about this all wrong, dear."

"Should I tell Pubert to stop making Eddie jealous?"

"Absolutely not," Debbie says, shaking her head firmly. "In fact, he could try harder. Nothing gets to a man like someone he can't have, especially if he thinks they're in distress."

Steve blinks, frowning slightly as he tries to figure out where, exactly, he's gone wrong. Eddie seems perfectly enamored with him, after all, and Pubert's goading is encouraging his affections, which is the only reason Steve has allowed it to continue. "Did I give him a live spider too soon?" Steve asks, figuring that's the problem here.

"No, that's not...," Debbie trails off, mutters something about Fester being an idiot, and clears her throat. "Steve, your father is the last person you should approach for love advice."

"But...you agreed to marry him, so he must have done something right," Steve says.

Debbie barks a laugh, waving her hand dismissively. "I married your father for his money. I attempted to kill his entire family and only stopped when he promised to give me everything I asked for. I would hardly call him a casanova."

Steve nods along, smiling a little as she speaks. He's heard their great love affair many times, but he doesn't get tired of it. "But you actually love him anyway, right? Father says it's because he showered you with gifts. So, that's what I'm doing."

"I...do love your father," Debbie admits, sighing as though she doesn't know how that happened either. "But it's less because of his gifts and more because...he gave me the devotion I wanted. Anyway, if you learn anything from us, it should be that love comes second."

"What comes first?"

Debbie smiles, the expression positively devious, and Steve can't help returning it. "Obsession," she says, her shoulders rolling back some as pride fills her. "Occupy his every waking thought. Make yourself irresistible. Make him dream of you at night. Overwhelm him with desire until he simply must act on it."

"Oh," Steve says, thinking of how his father acts around Debbie and realizing that obsession never quite went away. But it's worked out well for them, and he knows his mother has experience with luring men into her arms. He nods once and asks, "So, what should I do?"

"I'm so glad you asked," Debbie says, her smile bright and her eyes filled with excitement. "You'll have Eddie falling to his knees before you in no time."

--------

Eddie didn't think it could get worse. He was already attracted to Steve, already distracted by every little movement.

He was wrong. So incredibly wrong.

Because here he is, his mouth dry and his palms sweaty and his cheeks warm because of Steve. He's not even doing anything. Well, that's not true. Steve is curling his tongue around a lollipop before sucking it into his mouth like he'll die without it. But it's more than that. It's the painted-on jeans that hug his legs; it's the pastel pink hoodie (with little bats on the cuffs) that rides up whenever Steve moves to show off a strip of skin just above his waistband; it's the way he finishes the lollipop and pulls out lipgloss, casually telling Pubert it's raspberry flavored as he puts it on.

Eddie swallows around the dryness in his mouth, gripping his locker door so tight that his knuckles turn white as he looks inside it. Sitting innocently on top of everything is a Tupperware container of cookies with raspberry filling (according to the label), and Eddie is ready to eat one just so he can die knowing what Steve's lips taste like.

That's not even the worst of it. The worst is that Steve transfers into Eddie's Music Theory class, smiling innocently while the teacher introduces him and then directs him to sit at the empty desk next to Eddie. When he's close, Eddie realizes Steve smells like cookies and cream ice cream, and he's tempted to ask if Steve smells like his favorite flavor on purpose.

The teacher saves him from the embarrassment of blurting out the question by announcing a project. The teacher then dooms him by telling everyone they're required to work with their desk neighbor. Eddie grips his pen tightly when the teacher tells them to spend the rest of their class time discussing the project.

"So," Steve says, getting Eddie's attention. When he looks over, Steve is leaning forward on his desk, chin propped in his hand as he looks at Eddie. "Want to come over to my place after school? To work on the project, I mean."

Eddie stares at Steve for a few seconds, his tongue stuck in his throat. To his credit, Steve doesn't say anything or call Eddie out for staring at him. He just waits patiently with a little smile curling his lips. Eddie finally clears his throat, his voice coming out a little strained when he says, "Yeah, sure, sounds good. After school. Your place. Project."

Smooth. Real smooth.

When Steve just smiles wider and stretches his arms above his head, pulling his hoodie up, while suggesting they do the project on the evolution of heavy metal music, Eddie realizes he's probably going to die after school.

He can't wait.

-------

Tag List (I think there's still room for a few more people ^_^)

@estrellami-1, @itsall-taken, @mugloversonly, @fandomcartographer, @hippielittlemetalhead, @agree2disagre-kicks, @ledleaf, @just-a-tiny-void, @goodolefashionedloverboi, @ink1177, @maya-custodios-dionach, @littlebluejane, @steddieonbigboy, @ravenpainter, @read-write-thrive, @deadontheinside20, @yeahhhh-suga, @nectandra, @mogami13, @mx-jinxous, @thoughtfulbreadpolice, @anne-bennett-cosplayer, @xoxoladyclara

@zaddipax, @dycte, @breealtair, @geekymagicalpotato, @janea-grill, @juliasthename-adhdismygame, @yikes-a-bee, @wayward-people, @st-fics, @disrespectedgoatman, @bipusssy, @cottagecorebutnaturescaresme, @nightowl14028018, @that-binchh, @your-confused-friend, @irethsune, @goosesister, @strawberryyyenthusiast, @irregular-child, @theverywest

And, finally, a two-for-one meme special because I couldn't decide which was funnier:

#steddie #steddie fic #addams family b side #addams! steve harrington #steve harrington #eddie munson #pubert addams #fester addams #debbie jellinsky #steve deserves good parents actually #my writing #sorry it's been so long the inspiration took a while to hit for this one hfdjks

[gallifreyanhotfive]

Random Doctor Who Facts You Might Not Know, Part 6

The Fourth Doctor once almost drowned in a lake while following giant cat footprints.

While "pimping up" Bessie, the Eleventh Doctor turned her into a monster truck.

The Seventh Doctor takes five to six sugars in his tea.

The Seventh Doctor once admitted that he enjoyed destroying worlds.

The Second Doctor once found parts of the Sixth Doctor's outfit in his TARDIS wardrobe. He decided that he would never wear such a thing.

Khavûl, the main enemy in the "Chronomancer" audio starring the Sixth Doctor, Mel Bush, and Hebe Harrison, is a Drornidian and a Paradox Mage. The planet Drornid would play an important role during the War in Heaven.

In the far future where it is not meaningful to measure time, Evelyn Smythe became a CyberController.

While training to be an astronaut, Steven Taylor played the titular character in a stage production of Hamlet.

The Eighth Doctor has kept kittens in his pockets before.

Chris Cwej has used body bepples, a form of genetic alteration that can change one's physical appearance. He has taken the forms of a person-sized teddy bear and a catboy with tufted ears.

The Doctor was given an avatroid named Badger when he was very young because he needed a tutor, friend, and protector. Badger gives literally almost rib-cracking hugs.

When Rose Tyler and the Tenth Doctor considered getting a pet for the TARDIS, they found a pet store that was run by peaceful Cybermen. Only when Rose protested against the conversion of mice to Cybermice did the Doctor defeat the Cybermen.

The Second Doctor was once seen offering a prayer to "the gods of his own people."

The Eighth Doctor also took Charley Pollard back in time to kill the would-be dictator as a baby but was foiled as well.

The Second Doctor can play the recorder hanging upside down.

Through his forced regenerations, the Doctor lost the ability to make a good soufflé.

The Master once set Jo Grant up on a date with Mike Yates.

Dalek casings are made of polycarbide and dalekanium.

Rose Tyler was once infected with a lagnon grub, so the Tenth Doctor put her into a dream where he was dating Jackie and Mickey had an Amazonian girlfriend. The resulting jealousy drove the grub from her body.

While most future incarnations looked at the First Doctor with deep respect, the Eleventh Doctor did not, calling him a selfish idiot and a coward.

Glitterguns are effective weapons against the Cybermen.

Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28

#doctor who #dw #dr who #classic who #new who #big finish doctor who #big finish audios #big finish #dw eu #doctor who eu #doctor who expanded universe #eighth doctor #fifth doctor #sixth doctor #tenth doctor #first doctor #eleventh doctor #rose tyler #chris cwej #steven taylor #evelyn smythe #second doctor #charley pollard #the master #jo grant #mike yates #war in heaven #mel bush #hebe harrison #fourth doctor

[swiftlyinlove]

Anti-hero ;; Peter Hayes

pairing: Peter Hayes x GN!Reader

summary: Peter Hayes is exhausted of seeing his girlfriend, the only good thing in his life, always rooting for the anti-hero.

warnings: enemies (brief) to lovers, a little angst mixed with fluff, Peter thinks he's undeserving of love, deviation from canon, Evelyn is a manipulative bitch, more book-based than movie-based.

word count: approximately 4.1k.

a/n: Hi! I'm so excited to be publishing my first one-shot here on Tumblr. This one has kinda been sitting in my drafts for a couple of months. never actually saw the movies, I just read the books, but I really liked the way his redemption arc was handled, and I found myself imagining how different it would've been if he had someone who loved him by his side.

I have this thing where I get older but just never wiser

Midnights become my afternoons

Peter couldn't sleep. Maybe it was because he was uneasy on his new surroundings. Maybe it was the fact that everyone in the Bureau of Genetic Welfare knew the terrible things that he'd done, all the sins he committed back in Chicago, and hated him for it. Maybe it was the fact that almost all of his traveling companions hated his guts. Maybe it was all of those combined.

Despite of the cause of the problem, Peter found himself sitting near the peculiar fountain at the center of the Bureau's headquarters. His gaze was fixed on the letter he held delicately in his hand, his eyes not moving away from the swooping, sloping cursive letters. Your handwritting.

Your letter was the only thing he brought with him when he joined Tris and her friends on their quest to explore the world beyond the city's limits. You had written it back when he was serving Jeanine Matthew's and holding Tris and Tobias captive. You had been trying to free the two of them from Jeanine's villainous clutches, while at the same time trying to save Peter from succumbing into his own darkness.

In midnights like that, as Peter read your letter over and over again, he thought he didn't deserve you. You two had met back when you were still initiates at Dauntless - you had left Erudite, along with your good friend Will, while Peter had left his family behind in Candor.

You didn't have the best of starts, he had to admit. You grew up in a very toxic environment, where you had to excel at every single thing that you did in order to receive even the minimum amount of love and approval from your parents. He, on the contrary, was raised by a very loving family, but he simply craved to be the best at everything.

So, when training started and you both competed for the best pontuation in every activity, Peter wasn't exactly thrilled. And neither were you. Hatred started blossoming within the two of you like a rose full of thorns, your frustration towards each other close to the exploding point.

You were a very kind-hearted person, as Peter noticed early in your rivalry. You quickly became friends with Tris, Christina, and even Al. The fact that he seemed to bully Tris the most, since she was transfered from Abnegation, only added fuel to the fire that was your loathe for Peter Hayes.

However, with time, Peter caught himself noticing every little thing you did. He caught notice of how his heart would flutter - but only a little - whenever he saw you helping out your friends, either with training tasks or just normal day-to-day things.

He realized how his gaze would linger on you when you weren't looking, how he couldn't help the way his lips curled up whenever he saw your name placed high on the scoreboard. Hell, he didn't even mind if you scored better than him. Not anymore.

Turned out, the line between love and hate truly was thin. He tried to swallow his feelings, because he was aware of how awful he had been to you and your friends. He was sure you'd never like him back; he would never stand a chance with a good person like you.

It was in the middle of the second stage of initiation that you realized how your banter actually amused you. How Peter's snarky comments would bring a genuine smile to your face, and his absence left you feeling empty. You knew you shouldn't feel that way; he was incredibly mean to your friends, especially Tris, but you couldn't help how you felt.

There was one night in particular that changed everything. You couldn't sleep, so you sat on your bed. Your eyes were immediately pulled towards Peter's bed across the room, where the boy himself tossed and turned, similarly unable to sleep.

You put your shoes on before approaching his bed. “Hey, do you wanna take a walk? I can't sleep. It seems like you can't, either. We could just walk in silence... I just want some company.” You whispered.

He was quick to accept your offer, much to your surprise. In a few moments you were both crossing the transferred initiates' dorm. You cast a look upon Drew and Al's empty beds, but payed it no mind as you and Peter sneaked off onto the dark hallways of the Dauntless headquarters.

"So..." Peter started the conversation, to your delight. "Do you usually have the urge to sneak off the dorms and go on walks with your arch-nemesis in the middle of the night?"

His words made you chuckle. "No. Only you, I suppose." You teased. If the hallways weren't dipped into darkness, you would've been able to see the faint blush rushing to his cheeks due to your comment.

After that, you pretty much talked about everything. About your life before Dauntless, about the families you left behind, about your hopes and fears for the future. You were amazed by how funny, vulnerable and good he could be once he let his walls down. So, when he leaned in to kiss you right as you were telling him about the painted ceiling of your old bedroom back home, you didn't really opose to it.

You decided to keep your relationship secret, at least for a little while. You knew your friends wouldn't be too thrilled with the idea of you dating Peter Hayes.

Especially because, as you'd find out the next morning, Drew and Al had sexually harassed Tris, and also tried to kill her, on that very same night. You couldn't believe your own ears; how could Al, such a sweet boy, do that to his own friend?

It became pretty clear to you that Tris was convinced Drew was only doing Peter's bidding, and Al just came along for the ride. You knew that wasn't true - you noticed the disgusted glint in Peter's eyes when he found out what his alleged friend had done. But there was no way you could change Tris' mind.

Your relationship was filled with discreet, longing glances across the room at lunch, dates in the middle of the night and little notes left in your pockets, telling you how beautiful you looked and how much he missed you. Peter even stopped coming after Tris and the rest of your friends; he couldn't do that to you.

Being with you made him want to be a better person, made him want to fight the darkness within him so he could be the man you deserved.

You were so excited when you passed the initiation in third place - Tris was first and Peter was, obviously, second - that you hugged him without even thinking, in front of everyone, and he was so thrilled that you were willing to be seen with him that he didn't really mind.

Your friends inquired you about your relationship with him after that, about his intentions. Yes, they had noticed Peter's sudden shift in behaviour after you began dating, but that didn't erase all the horrible things he did before.

After you explained everything, you could see the glint of forgiveness in Tris' eyes. She was very happy that you found love, even if it was with him, and the rest or your friends soon followed in her steps and congratulated you.

That was the night you exchanged your first 'I love you's. As fate would have it, that night would also be remembered by History as the night Chicago's experiment turned into a massacre.

When my depression works the graveyard shift

All of the people I've ghosted stand there in the room

Peter closed his eyes, his hold on the letter only tightening slightly as he recalled the events of that fateful night. He remembered being confused as he saw everyone, including a very clumsy Tris, march out of the dorms with soldier like movements.

However, the image that would stick to his brain whenever he remembered that night would be of your soulless eyes looking past him as if he didn't even exist.

The following hours were a bit hazy in his mind. Peter had no idea what was happening, why all of his colleagues were leaving the premises heavily armed, looking like mindless puppets.

But when one of the Dauntless highest class members approached him and told him to guard the halls of the headquarters, it became pretty clear to him that he would be dead if he didn't oblige. And then he would never see you again.

As he roamed the halls, holding his gun tightly with both hands, his mind drifted towards you. He was afraid of so many things. He was afraid of how the city would be once it was all over. He was afraid of getting shot, of being unable to live to see another day.

And yet, his biggest fear was that you would be hurt. He feared that you would be killed, that you'd be another body lying still in the streets full of corpses, mostly from Abnegation.

He didn't know when he would see you again, if he would see you again. The fear and the anxiety of not knowing anything clawed at his insides, begging him to do something other than comply to the enemies' orders. But he couldn't act on his impulses, not without a good plan. So he waited.

When Tris marched into the Dauntless corridors with Caleb, Marcus, and her father, Peter couldn't be more relieved. Maybe she knew where you were, if you were safe.

That relief quickly evaporated once Tris, under the impression that Peter had gladly and willingly allied himself with the enemy, shot him in the arm and dragged him at gunpoint towards the simulation control room, where Four was operating under the influence of the divergent serum.

Peter wasn't too happy to be following Tris and Four to the Amity compound, but he did need to get his wound taken care of. Although all of that was forgotten once he saw you, alive and well, standing next to Johanna Reyes, the leader of the Amity section.

He ran towards you, enveloping you in the tightest hug he could muster. His bullet wound was hurting like hell, yes, but the feeling of you in his arms, again? Nothing could beat it. So, when you felt your neck get wet from the desperate tears running down his face, you only placed a kiss to his temple and stroke the back of his head. He was finally in your arms again. He was finally home.

Your reunion, although emotional, was short lived. Soon the Erudite and the Dauntless traitors invaded the Amity headquarters in order to arrest the Divergents and you parted ways once more - while you had managed to escape with Tris, Four, Caleb and Susan, Peter and Marcus remained behind.

You were devastated. How cruel fate was, to bring you together only to pull you apart, over and over again. You didn't even know if he was alive. Therefore, when you arrived at the Factionless sector, you felt like a big piece of you was missing.

Peter, on the other hand, had nowhere to go after his near encounter with death. He didn't know where you were, nor did he have any friend that he could track down. His only choice was to go back to the Erudite section and beg Jeanine Matthew's to trust him.

He could barely mask his disgust of the spineless woman, but little by little he gained her trust. She thought she could take advantage of his poor little soul, that he was alone in this world with no one else to trust. Oh, how wrong she was.

It was only when Tris surrended to the Erudite and was held captive in their headquarters that you caught wind of Peter's stay in the Erudite headquarters.

You wrote him a letter, the letter he held in his very hands right now, begging him to come home. To save Tris and Tobias, to betray the cruel Jeanine and to come back to you.

And so he mustered a plan. With Cara's help he switched the death serum with a paralytic one, saving Tris from execution and successfully escaping with her and Four. The proud look in your eyes when the three joined you in the Abnegation factor was one he'd never forget. In that moment, he felt invencible.

He felt like he could beat the voice within him that implored for him to succumb to darkness. He felt like he could, finally, be deserving of you.

I should not be left to my own devices

They come with prices and vices

I end up in crisis (tale as old as time)

Peter didn't want you to come with them to the city's limits at first. Only God knew what they would find beyond them, what the world would be like outside of the chaotic Chicago.

But you had been separated so many times before that you couldn't even bare the thought of being left behind in the messed up city while he walked towards the unknown. What would you do if he never returned? If he died, or if he simply found someone else and decided to abandon you?

Therefore you insisted upon going. You wanted to be there for him, for your friends, no matter what was waiting for all of you on the other side of the rusty old train tracks that marked the end of your city, of your whole world. Up until now.

Whatever your group was hoping to find on this expedition, it surely wasn't this. It wasn't the Bureau of Genetic Welfare waiting for you. It wasn't the revelation that all of you, except Tris and maybe Four, were genetically damaged and were isolated from the world with the sole purpose of healing.

It wasn't the knowledge that the government had been watching your actions the entire time, not doing anything while the inhabitants of Chicago killed each other by Jeanine's command.

On nights like this, when he couldn't sleep, Peter could feel the anger overtaking his body. How dare the Bureau stand by watching while multiple lives were being destroyed? How dare they call them damaged and lock them up on the city, disconnecting them from the whole world?

How dare they sit and observe his entire life, completing riping him of his privacy? The privacy of his first kiss, the privacy of his mourning for his fellow classmates and strangers that were murdered in cold blood.

That's why he always brought your letter with him on his late night walks. Your written words soothe him, strip him from his fury towards the Bureau, towards the world.

He can feel his eyes starting to close, sleep slowly dominating his body, so he promptly returns to the dorms. He can feel a smile forming on his lips as he finds you peacefully asleep in your bed - you always looked cute when you slept. Peter carefully slid under the cover next to you, leaning his body against yours. You were his anchor, his home, and he couldn't wish for more.

You woke up at the first signs of dawn, when the sun rays emerged through the windows. A sleepy smile formed on your lips once you took notice of Peter's arms around your waist. You turn around in his arms, planting a delicate kiss on the tip of his nose before carefully getting up. You did your best not to wake him, knowing he was probably tired from his nightly walk.

Despite his best efforts to conceal his angry thoughts from you, you knew what was going on in his head. You knew he resented what you discovered outside the city you've known your whole life. You knew he felt betrayed - of course he did, and so did the rest of you.

And you knew all his wrath was keeping him up at night. You desperately wanted to help him, to comfort him, but you decided it was better to give him some space. You waited patiently for him to come to you, to vent about your current situation. But he never did.

You noticed curiously how Uriah's bed was neatly arranged, despite it being very early. Christina's bed was also empty, you realized. You knew they were getting close lately, a little too close to be just 'friends', and you were very happy for them. After all they went through, with Christina losing Will and Uriah losing Marlene, they deserved to find love again.

You left the provisorial dorms provided to you and your friends by the Bureau while you decided whether you wanted to stay in the facilities or return to Chicago.

You made your way to the cafeteria, humming to whatever song was playing on the Bureau's radio, praying that Peter was finally resting well.

I wake up screaming from dreaming

One day I'll watch as you're leaving

And life will lose all its meaning

For the last time

A few hours later, you were making your way back to the dorms when you heard a guttural scream that sounded a lot like Peter echoing through the room. You rushed towards his bed; luckily enough, everyone was already up and wandering, so it was only the two of you.

“Pete, love, wake up.” You said lovingly as you gently shook his trembling frame. Once his eyes opened and you could see how glossy they were, a few tears already escaping and cascading down his face, your heart broke in two. “It was just a nightmare, everything is okay. I'm right here.”

Your presence seemed to calm him slightly, but flashes from his nightmare kept plaguing his mind. Deep down, he knew it was only a manifestation of his fear; but it felt so real... Your figure, lying lifeless and cold on the ground, seemed so real to him.

He knew his life would lose all its meaning if you weren't in it. Before you, he was ruthless. He was cruel. The only thing he was interested in was coming in first place in everything, even if he had to push people down to get there.

After you... Well, he was a whole different person. You saved him without even knowing he needed to be saved. You made him want to be better, want to be kind. Without you, he was absolutely sure he would be lost.

He couldn't even bare the thought of you leaving him, it was way too painful. But the thought of you dying in his arms while he was completely helpless? That fucking broke his heart, shattered it into a million little pieces.

“Promise me you'll never leave me.” He requested, his voice trembling as you gently wiped away the tears that continued to roll down his cheek. “Please, that's the only thing I'm asking.”

You sat down next to him on the small bed and he immediately threw himself into your open arms, your caresses on his brown curls soothing him. “I know you're afraid of what might happen while we're here, or if we go back to the city. But believe in one thing, I won't go away. Even if I died, I'd come back to haunt your ass.”

Your words made him chuckle, feeling alright for the first time in what felt like forever. Your reassurance melted his heart and he pulled you down so you were lying next to him, snuggling his body closer to yours and letting you rest your head on his chest.

It's me, hi, I'm the problem it's me

At tea time, everybody agrees

It had been a few weeks since Peter's nightmare and things were slowly starting to get better. You often woke up in the middle of the night and found Peter sleeping next to you, his chest slowly rising up and down.

Despite how calm everything around you seemed, you sensed something coming, something big. And, in an apparently random thursday, that something did indeed arrive.

You were outside of the Bureau, training with Tris and Four to keep your combat skills in good shape, while Peter was in the dorm getting dressed after awaking from a well-deserved nap.

As he tied the laces of his black combat boots, a loud ring echoed through his mind, interrupting his actions. His head was throbbing, sending shockwaves of pain through his body, and he sat back down on his bed.

That's when he'd heard it. “Hey, Peter. Guess who finally found you? " Evelyn's voice rang to his head, and his eyes widened.

Shit, he thought, as he recalled the Dauntless graduation day, when Eric had injected the serum on all of the initiates. His hadn't been activated on the night of the massacre, it was true, but he still had it flowing through his veins, and Evelyn could've easily found a way to activate it, or at least to communicate with him through it.

"Didn't know you had the guts to run away, Hayes. It must be exhausting having to live with people who hate you. " Evelyn spoke once more.

“Shut up!" Peter yelled out loud in response. "You don't know anything about me!"

"Sure I do." Evelyn replied. "I know your little girlfriend is with you. It would be a shame if she was suddenly attacked out there by one of my soldiers, wouldn't it?"

Peter took a deep breath, trying to calm his speeding heart and his growing nerves. Tightly closing his trembling hand in a fist, he muttered. "You wouldn't dare."

"Do you really think I wouldn't?" She questioned, but continued before he even had time to answer. "What if we made a deal? You do one little thing for me and I won't kill your girlfriend. How does that sound?"

He thought carefully about his next move. The last thing he wanted was to be under that evil woman's command. But, then again, he couldn't risk losing you. "What do I have to do?" Peter asked, his voice no louder than a whisper.

I'll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror

It must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero

Peter's gun pointed forward towards an all-familiar enemy - Tris -, hands shaking in fear, an aching regret spreading rapidly through his chest like a burning fire.

He doesn't want to do this at all, but it's what's expected of him. It's what Evelyn expects of him, to be a good little puppet. It's what everyone expects of him, to be a villain, to betray the hero in the end. But not you.

No, you don't see him as the villain, like everyone else. If anything, you see him as a hero in his own way. An anti-hero of sorts.

A salty tear slides down his face at the thought of you; what would you say if you saw him like this? Would you be angered by his actions? Would you be disappointed? Would you leave him, like everyone else?

He didn't notice as you walked into the room, your doe eyes falling upon his figure. Your heart started beating faster, but not by anger or fear of him. No, you feared for him.

You feared he would do something he'd regret. You feared the guilt that would soon after invade his brain, filling him with melancholia. But above all else, you feared what would happen if he didn't press the trigger, you feared your friends' reaction.

So you rushed towards him and hugged him from behind. He didn't need to turn around to see it was you. Every bone, every fiber in his body recognized your scent, your embrace.

“You don't need to do this.” You whispered in his ear, tightening your hold on him to remind him that you would always be there.

And so he let go of all the cruel expectations and the ridiculous anger that were sewed into his soul from the moment he was born. With a loud bang, his pistol fell to the marble floor, and he turned around only to bury himself in your embrace.

In front of you, Tris sighed in relief, her face twisting into a somewhat empathic expression. On her left side, Four visibly relaxed, his hands moving to rest on her shoulders.

Peter hadn't realized it, but more tears were now cascading down his face, loud sobs escaping his lips as one of your hands caressed his hair.

“Everything's okay. You're okay.” You muttered. And, for the first time in his life, he believed it. He didn't give a shit about Evelyn or her threats anymore; as long as you were with him, he would always protect you.

#Spotify #divergent #peter hayes #miles teller #peter hayes x reader #peter hayes divergent #peter hayes imagine #peter hayes x you #peter hayes imagines #divergent imagines #divergent one-shot #peter hayes one-shot #fluff #enemies to lovers

[faceeeeee]

All

I love hearing about ppls Ocs :3

Behold- the main cast of assholes and dumbasses! I finally remade their reference sheets (keep in mind that these guys are part of the main cast so I've still got some other ocs, some plot relevant, others not so much)

To keep it brief, here's a summary (plot twist, I did not keep it brief):

In a hypothetical reconstruction of the earth where there is a huge ass continent and some other medium and small ones in a secluded corner, you've got regular human civilization living out their regular life in these small portions of land . All of the territory (except for the big ass continent) is controlled managed by a company known as "P.C.P" (Provide, create, protect. Creative, I know) which is basically the puppeteer of all of society. It's presented as the one that will install order and peace throughout the world by keeping every single little thing in check. They've got tech, they've got the military, they've got the most renowned scientist in the fields of chemistry, biology, physics...you name it...and they've got political control. The C.E.O of this wonderful company is our dear old gal Evelyn! She rose to the ranks cause of....plot reasons (dunno if that would be considered spoilers...) and is the reason all of this shit happens in the first place :) well... it's a mix really of who's at fault (get it? Cause the name of the series is "At fault"?..... I'll see myself out).

Aaanyway, then enters John, a middle-aged man that works in the robotics department of the company that has successfully ascended and has gotten a bonus! How nice :) well he fucks up on day one by stumbling upon some of the companies secrets regarding the big ass continent and is subsequently found out. How does Evelyn react to this? She kills his wife and young daughter OOPSIES. she also sent her workers/police forces to kill him as well but he escapes. Still in shock he hides on a garbage ship in the hopes of getting anywhere else besides P.C.P territory and it basically dumps him into the big ass continent. He wakes up and discovers that the big ass continent has a huge abandoned city filled with vegetation and wacky mutated creatures with varying levels of danger :). Here enter our two other guys: BRK9 or "Berry" is the huge robot dude that was basically abandoned in this unknown territory and is later found and fixed by John to act as his security guard (John is basically preeeetty paranoid at this point and is still in shock and has not registered that his only family's dead). And what do we have here? Berry's sentient and is really fucking annoying to John? Oopsie daisy! Welp, now these two wander around the place and find an annoying fucking furry K!!! (Yes K. Her name is a literal letter don't say anything SHUT UP-). When they first met she basically tried to eat John and kill berry but berry ends up decapitating her.......

But, to John's dismay, K's inmortal!....kinda. She can regenerate any part of her body but she can die of old age or you could just blow her up till there's no piece of flesh left for her to regenerate from. So their whole dynamic is basically grumpy old traumatized man who now wants revenge, an insecure robot that masks their fears with a confident front and is obsessed with his dad (John hates that he calls him that) and a psychotic anthropomorphic lizard that's really fkn stupid and barbaric.

And to answer "What was Evelyn trying to hide?"... she's basically the reason that K exists in the first place and is trying to take control of this deserted continent by sending more and more troops to take over. What's stopping her? The vast amount of mutated things that are constantly killing her troops + K (she actually created K in the hopes of using her as a weapon to conquer the place but deemed her as a nuisance and useless and left her to die. But she escaped and got amnesia by destroying her head whilst escaping...)

And above all of this, whilst our main trio kill one of the troops and ambush their station, through a video call with one of the generals, Evelyn sees that the ex-employee that she thought had been taken care of was still alive! AND THE THING THAT SHE HAD GOTTEN RID OF WAS ALSO ALIVE AND KICKING! oh and a random robot.....

#faceee rambles #At Fault series #oooo a tag would you look at that #If this doesn't make sense I'm so sorry #if you want you can ask a REAL summary in the comments or smt....i dunno..... #ANYWAY SORRY FOR RAMBLING SO MUCH I'LL BE ON MY WAY BYEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #ocs #oc series #original characters

[c4rvey0urnameint0mybedpost]

‼️ WARNING: Some spoilers for the Novel ‘The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo’ and spoilers of quotes that spoil parts of the book‼️

I found myself wondering who Taylor was talking about in ‘…Ready for it?’ With the lyrics

“And he can be my jailer, Burton to this Taylor,”

The lyrics are about Elizabeth Taylor and one of her husbands Richard Burton. Now, I got very excited when I saw it was a reference to Elizabeth Taylor ‘cause, she is one of the inspirations of my favourite book ‘The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo’, wich, if you don’t know, is a queer book about an old Hollywood (around the 1950’s) actress names Evelyn Hugo (Not her real name she had to change it for a couple of reasons) who ends up writing a Tell-All book at the age of 79, and ends up telling the story of her youth as a famous actress in the 50’s through to the 80’s and her “Seven husbands”.

But, it turns out that almost all of her husbands were beards. She ended up falling in love with one of her co-stars, her name was Celia St.James. It’s such a beautiful book and so deeply upsetting, you should read it!

Anyways, Evelyn was a Bisexual woman and Celia was a Lesbian. The book touches on topics like, Homophobia, Biphobia, Racism, Sexism and a lot of other things as you can imagine.

So, the fact that Taylor referenced Elizabeth Taylor has made me so happy! Though, this isn’t to say that it was a reference to Evelyn Hugo, it certainly is fun to think so!

Some of my favourite quotes from the book are:

“Please never forget that the sun rises and sets with your smile. At least to me it does. You’re the only thing on this planet worth worshipping.”

“I spent half my time loving her and the other half hiding how much I loved her.”

“But if you have to go, then go. Go if it hurts. Go if it's time. Just go knowing you were loved, that I will never forget you, that you will live in everything Connor and I do. Go knowing I love you purely, Harry, that you were an amazing father. Go knowing I told you all my secrets. Because you were my best friend.”

“You wonder what it must be like to be a man, to be so confident that the final say is yours.”

“I'm bisexual. Don't ignore half of me so you can fit me into a box.”

“Say to them, “Evelyn Hugo just wants to go home. It’s time for her to go to her daughter, and her, and her best friend, and her mother.” Tell them Evelyn Hugo says good-bye.”

“And just as she was about to leave the mircophone, she said 'And to anyone tempted to kiss the TV tonight, please don't chip your tooth.”

“It’s not wrong,” Celia said. “It shouldn’t be wrong, to love you. How can it be wrong?”

“It’s not wrong, sweetheart. It’s not,” I said. “They’re wrong.”

“The love of my life is gone, and I can't just call her and say I'm sorry and have her come back. She's gone forever. So yes, Monique, that is something I do regret. I regret every second I didn't spend with her. I regret every stupid thing I did that caused her an ounce of pain. I should have chased her down the street the day she left me. I should have begged her to stay. I should have apologized and sent roses and stood on top of the Hollywood sign and shouted, 'I'm in love with Celia St. James!' and let them crucify me for it. That's what I should have done. And now that I don't have her, and I have more money than I could ever use in this lifetime, and my name is cemented in Hollywood history, and I know how hollow it is, I am kicking myself for every single second I chose it over loving her proudly.”

And the most famous one from this book that you may recognise from TikTok;

“No … because they are just husbands. I am Evelyn Hugo. And anyways, I think once people know the truth, they will be much more interested in my wife.”

If you have read all of this, thank you very much for listening to me. I have a lot of feelings about this book. It’s so good, I love it so much.

#taylor swift #gaylor #lgbetty #lgbtq #gaylor swift #friend of dorothea #koincidences #the seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo #evelyn hugo #celia st james #ready for it? #reputation

[holdmytesseract]

Ella gets her first period while Y/N is out of town but, thankfully, Loki is gender-fluid & knows just how to handle his daughter’s first period. He does so with such love & care & respect like the true boss of a dad he is. 💖

Female Nature

☆ The Baby Fever AU ☆

Loki & Ella

Summary: Ella gets her first period, while her mom is out on a shopping trip and therefore not available. Luckily, her dad is.

Warnings: talks about period things, fluff, mentions of gender swapping, Loki being the best dad ever

Word Count: 1,5k

a/n: Sorry for not posting this yesterday as promised. I felt a bit shitty, but today is a brand new day and I feel better! ☺️

That was very interesting to write, I have to say. Thanks @aagn360 for challenging me with this! ☺️ I hope it's okay how I build in the gender-fluid part. 🙈 I never wrote something like this before, so please go easy on me. 🙈

Tagging: @lokisgoodgirl @lovingchoices14 @evelyn-kingsley @jennyggggrrr @acefeather2002 @lulubelle814 @vbecker10 @theaudacitytowrite @lady-rose-moon @fictive-sl0th @aagn360 @mostclevermiss @linaax @peaches1958 @simping-for-marvel @ijuststareatstuffhereok89 @stupidthoughtsinwriting @eleniblue @loki-laufeyson-1054 @multifandom-worlds

Masterlist °☆• Baby Fever Masterlist

It was a quiet day in the Avengers compound today. Rain clattered against the window panes and the sky was grey and dark. Loki had made himself comfortable on the sofa, with a thin, green blanket wrapped around his legs and, of course, a book in his hands. There was no mission waiting for the God, so what else to do on such a day than read a book?

Loki was completely sunken into the story of the book - until some quite loud noises ripped him out of the world he had dived into. Quick footsteps, shuffling, the slam of a door. "Ella?" The God called out his daughter's name, but received no answer. Frowning, he put the book aside, swept the blanket off his body and got up. He made his way from the living room down the hallway and to her room; gently knocking on the door. "Ella?" Again, no answer. He knocked again. Nothing. Slowly, he pressed down the door handle and opened the door, "Princess?" and peeked inside. The room was empty. Frowning even more, Loki backed up and closed the door again. That was the moment, where he heard some quiet noises again - and they were clearly coming from the bathroom. So, without hesitation, the God turned around and walked over to the bathroom. The door was closed shut, so Loki knocked. "Ella?" This time, he got a response, but a shaky and unsteady one. "Y-Yeah?" Loki knew immediately that something was wrong. His fatherly instincts kicking in; with two kids sharpened to the brim. "Everything alright?" "Uh, y-yes, n-no, I, uh..." The teenager stammered out, not knowing what to say to her father - who was frowning even more, if that was even physically possible... "Mom... I need mom. C-Can you get her for me, p-please?" She needed her mother? "I'm sorry, sweetheart, but mom went out on a small shopping trip with Narfi, Jane and your cousin, since it's such a rainy day today. I thought mom told you?" A loud sigh, accompanied by some incoherent words could be heard from the other side of the door. "Yes, she did, but, I-I forgot about it..." Loki could swear that Ella was fighting the tears, according to the sound of her voice, which caused his heart to ache. No father wanted to see or hear his child cry... Never. No matter how old.

"I know you want your mother, but... Maybe I can help you as well? What is it, princess?" "N-No, no, I... Mom is the only one who can help me. I-I just wait here for her." As much as Loki wanted to accept this, he couldn't. He couldn't just leave his daughter like that, could he? "Are you sure about that?" "Yes. S-Sorry, dad, but that's a, uh, women thing..." Once more, the God was frowning. A women th- Ohhh... Suddenly the scales fell from his eyes. Now he knew what Ella's 'problem' was. Or well... He assumed it.

The God stayed quiet for quite a few moments, considering what he should do now. Should he stay? Or walk away? Loki decided for the latter in the end. Quietly, he leaned against the door frame, resting his head on the closed bathroom door. "Is this the first time?" He asked with a gentle voice. For a moment, there was nothing. No response. Not even a peep. But then... "W-What?" Ella's voice urged to his ears, audibly surprised. "Are you having your period for the first time, princess?" Loki wasn't neither afraid, nor ashamed to talk about this topic. In fact, it was actually very important and an absolute natural thing. After meeting and falling in love with you, it became more important to him. "I-I, uh, I..." The God could tell from the sound of his daughter's voice, that she was slightly embarrassed about this, now that he had figured out what the problem was. "You don't have to be embarrassed about this, Ella. It's a natural thing. A part of being a woman. I don't judge you or think it's disgusting. It's not." Loki paused for a short moment, before he continued to speak. "I can help you, if you let me. I know where mom keeps the pads and tampons." Another few seconds ticked by, until he received an answer. "O-Okay... Can you, uh, can you get me something?" Loki smiled to himself, glad that Ella decided to trust him in this. "Of course. Give me a minute, I'll be right back." With those words, Loki went straight to the little sideboard in his and your bedroom; opening the drawer in which he knew you kept your hygiene products. He grabbed different pads and tampons, and made his way back to the bathroom. "Alright, I got it." "Okay." Ella's voice was quiet, still fighting with being not embarrassed about the situation she found herself in. "Is the door locked, Ella?" Loki asked his daughter gently. "Uh, n-no, but..." "I'm not going to come in, I promise. I'm just handing you over the things you need." He tried to give her a better feeling, respecting her privacy. "O-Okay." "Okay." Loki opened the door slowly, but just ajar. Wide enough, that his arm was able to fit through. "There you go." He felt Ella's hands taking the pads and tampons from his hand. "Thanks, dad." Loki closes the door with a smile, happy that she accepted his help. "Of course, princess. No problem at all." With that taken care of, he decided to leave Ella alone now, giving her some space and more privacy. "I'll be in the living room in case you need me." "O-Okay."

Ten minutes later - Loki was already back on the sofa, reading, he heard soft footsteps approaching. Looking up from the book, he saw Ella entering the room. "You okay?" She nodded, with cheeks slightly reddened, hut nevertheless smiling softy at her father. "Can I do something else for you? Do you want a cup of tea? Chocolate? A hot-water bottle?" "Uh, tea would be nice?" "Alright." Loki stood up again, laid his book aside for the second time, "Sit down." and went to the kitchen, in order to make Ella a big cup of peppermint tea. It was her favourite - and Loki knew that, of course.

"Your tea, my princess." Ella couldn't suppress the giggle, which threatened to leave her lips at Loki's gallant choice of words. Her father never failed to make her smile. Never. "Thanks." He gave her a smile as well, plopping on the sofa beside her, while she took a small sip. "Dad, how do you know so much about, uh, period things?" The teenager with pitch black raven curls asked, unable to hold back her curiosity. "From mom?" The God shook his head. "No, actually not. Well, I know some things from your mother, but..." He hesitated. Was he really going to tell this Ella? Was she ready to know it? Maybe this was the perfect opportunity... "But?" She asked; matching blue orbs looking into his. "Well..." Loki started, clearing his throat. "You may believe me or not, but... If I would want to, I could turn myself into a woman." Ella blinked. She had expected a lot, but not this. "Hold on, what? You can turn yourself into a woman? A real woman with, uh, you know?" He nodded. "Yes. I could swap my gender - if I wanted to." Ella's eyes widened. She was clearly surprised now. "Did you ever do it?" "Yes, once. Back when I was a teenager on Asgard. It's a long story, but basically Sif was the reason. After that, I never did it again." "Woah... Just... Woah... Dad... After all those years you still manage to surprise me. I thought I know everything about you… Wait, does mom know?" Loki chuckled, nodding. "She does, yes." "Do you plan on doing it again sometime?" Ella continued to drill her dad with questions - what was completely alright for the God. He didn't have any qualms answering them. "No. I feel more comfortable as a man – the way I was born. It was a one-time thing... And besides, I think your mom prefers for me to stay a man as well." Loki couldn't help but add this slightly ambiguous remark, causing Ella to scrunch her face. "Daaad!" She whined, shaking her head. "I don't wanna know that!" Loki just chuckled in amusement at his daughter's visible disgust, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Sorry, princess. I just couldn't help myself." Ella rolled her eyes, was well aware of her dad's mischievous nature, but nevertheless cuddled closer against his side.

A few silent moments passed. "Are you really okay? I know, I'm not your mother, but-" The teenager immediately shook her head. "You were amazing, dad. Thank you." "Of course. Anything for you."

#the baby fever au #loki x reader #loki laufeyson #loki x female reader #loki x you #loki x y/n #tom hiddleston x reader #loki laufeyson x reader #tom hiddleston characters #loki fluff #loki laufeyson x female reader

[smolvenger]

A Court of Mischief and Purpose, Chapter Four (Loki x fem! Reader, A Court of Thorns and Roses Hiddlesverse AU)

Summary: Sarah J Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses series reimagined with Tom Hiddleston's various characters. England. 1885. You are dying of tuberculosis right before your upcoming wedding to the Lusty Vicar of Aldwinter, Will Ransome. As you lay on what could be your deathbed, the god of mischief Loki appears before you with a deal. He will heal you in time for the wedding...if you spend a week of every month with him. When the time comes to fulfill your end of the bargain, you are introduced to a world full of more magic and danger than you could possibly imagine...

Content Warnings: LOTS OF ANGST AT THE BEGINNING! Cheating (not Loki, but...* takes a long sip of a fun little drink with a straw*...dealing with Will Ransome's canon actions and portraying them as bad so Will fans and Lusty Vicarettes you have been warned). Y/N going absolutely feral because I support women's wrongs. Hurt/Comfort Elements Period Typical Attitudes. Mentions of sex and religion and drinking. Typical and fixable grammar mistakes.

Chapter Summary: You confront Will about his infidelity.

Chapter Word Count: 6K

A03//My Ko-Fi//My Etsy Shop//Masterlist//Wattpad

Taglist: @evelyn-kingsley @jennyggggrrr @five-miles-over @fictive-sl0th @ladycamillewrites @villainousshakespeare @holdmytesseract @eleniblue @twhxhck @lokisgoodgirl @lovelysizzlingbluebird @raqnarokr @holymultiplefandomsbatman @michelleleewise @wolfsmom1 @cheekyscamp @mochie85 @muddyorbsblr (special shout out for a suggestion for this chapter that worked well!)

Chapter One//Chapter Two//Chapter Three

There was silence. Pure silence. Will’s jaw unhinged and his mouth opened, but he did not say a word. The last word rang in the air with the heaviness of a bullet being fired.

 Whore-Whore-Whore.

You glared at him in his beautiful blue eyes. Feeling everything at once looking at him- hatred and adoration, fury and grief and love.

His eyes glared back. You had done it. You had called Cora a whore. You knew he wouldn’t stand it. You could see him tense up, ready to chastise you for what you did. To stand up for her. You could see it in him, see the words forming. Then his jaw closed.  Then he stopped. There was hesitation. You knew he would rush to her defense. And you were ready for a fight. To scold you for what you said- the ugly names you just called his mistress, his real beloved.

 But instead, no, what he asked was this in a quiet, calm tone.

“Y/N, why did you call her that?”

A wave of emotion washed over you. You couldn’t take him anymore- playing ignorant. He should know bloody well why you called her that.

Leaning over, in a split second, you raised your hand and slapped him as hard as you could across his face. So hard, you let out a small grunt as you did. It stung from the swift impact of your hand across his cheek. You could feel the tears welling up already in your eyes as you retreated your hand. He nursed the pink spot on the cheek you once kissed with a hand you once loved to hole.

“Do not lie to me- you know exactly what I mean. I should have done that at the wedding. You- are…you’re having an affair with her Will. Don’t deny it- I saw the love letters! I saw you kiss her!”

You were shaking hard. This was too horrible to be real. This had to be a nightmare. You should have seen the inside of his house, his desk, his tall bookshelves on your wedding day when you were to be brought there as Mrs. Ransome. Not as a fiancée betrayed for another like you were just a toy abandoned by a bored child.  The tears began to make their trails down your face.

“The bishop would counsel us, I remember. He’d tell us we were already considered married…and You dare to break a sacred vow you made before your own God?” you accused.

He began to blink rapidly. His voice remained low.

“I was so…tormented about it…”

“You think you’re the tormented one?!!” you cried.

He held his hands up and continued.

“Cora has endured more than any woman ever should…the things her husband did to her…he’d strangle her, beat her.  I opened up a bit of her collar and saw…saw a bruise, there on her skin. I wanted to…to…comfort her.”

“You could comfort her in ways that don’t involve fucking her in the forest!” you argued, your voice raising.

He kept going on, his voice still quiet.

“She…she…she and I…we are…we are like two bits of one soul…”

“So, which is more important, Will- your cock or my dignity?!” you asked furiously.

He looked up at you. You saw a small flinch from the obscene word, but he remained still. There was another heavy pause.

“Of course, you are more important…” he answered.  “Please have pity on Cora. She has…been through much. She focuses on science, not emotions. She told me…She thinks love is a weakness and it’s not!”

“Her love for you?! Her love for you?!” you cried.

You stood up, gripping the table.

“You promised to love me. You said you could be a devoted fiancée, a devoted husband…So the time we spent together was nothing?! The times you danced with me-they  were for nothing? My every visit to church and every minute I held my tongue and made myself perfect to become your wife was for nothing!? Your gifts-your kisses and promises and declarations-nothing? What of me! Did you forget- you told me every day you loved me! And I love you, Will!  So- is that a weakness? Am I boring?! Am I nothing? Am I nothing to you?! Why is she important and not I? Why is it about her and not I? I’ve known you for years and you now declare to love for a woman you’ve known for four months?! Do you even hear yourself, Will!?”

He frowned and lowered his eyes to the table.

“It wasn’t for nothing, Y/N. I love you…”

You interrupted him.

“Will- you say you love me; you say I am important; you say all of this- but your actions are telling a different story!”

Your voice lowered. You hugged yourself.

“Did you never…. try and resist her? Fight for me? At least try? And did you not think…think to consider…that I’d be hurt?”

This time, he began to tear up a little. But his face remained stoic. He looked off to the side.

“You were dying…. I thought I would lose you forever…and that night, you told me to dance with her.”

Then, suddenly, was a voice in your head. A familiar lilting voice. Too familiar, too like Will’s. But it wasn’t him.

“It’s about time you confronted him, darling.”

You turned around. Was Loki there? Appearing out of the shadows to witness this spectacle? Yet he didn’t appear. Dear God, were you mad?

“No- you’re not mad darling. It’s only your favorite god of mischief here” Loki responded in your head.

“What are you doing?” you thought back.

“Just watching….your thoughts are too loud. Granted, I could be sleeping. But this…this is too interesting.” Loki replied.

You snapped you back to reality, hearing the voice before you.  

“You were…you were dying…you were at death’s door…” Will argued.

“But I was still alive, Will! You thought I was implying for you to fuck her?! No! Dancing is not the same as…as…as an affair! How hard is that to understand?  I said to dance with her! Nothing more!” you responded.”

Your hands curled into fists. He looked back at you with sad eyes and a clenched jaw.

“Do you…realize what this means? This is more than how you have hurt me-When I marry you, you are my foundation for society. My only means of having the money to survive. You’d be the roof over my head- and for our children if we had them! I cannot scrub floors on my own after I marry you- because every penny and every check they give me will go to you! If you leave me and flee with her, I have nothing to protect me. If you took our children with you- I would never get them back because they’d be your children by law, not mine.  I will be dependent on the charity of others all my life, clinging to whatever money you send back. But if you refused to give me one pound to spend it all on Cora-you could legally get away with it! Don’t you realize - this is a threat to my future?!” you cried.

His face softened and he shook his curly head.

“You know I would never do that to you, Y/N…” he replied.

“But you still betrayed me for another woman…is Cora…better than me? Prettier? Superior? What does she have that I lack?” you asked.

He was quiet. He began to blink rapidly.

“You love me…and you told her love isn’t a weakness- so is SHE your weakness?! Or rather-is your love for her your strength and am I the weak one?!” you pressed.

“I…I do love you…but with her I…I…I don’t even have any words to say…” William replied.

You felt your face scrunch up and you felt hot.  Then Loki’s Voice rang in your head again.

 “You should tell where he could shove his Bible, it would be funny!”

But instead, you took his Bible. You held it, feeling the soft brown cover. It was large and worn from so much use over the years. You then looked at him and the book and back at him.

“One thing disturbs me the most- Do you understand what God himself says about this, Will?! What Jesus said about it? How it’s better to pluck your eye out! It’s a commandment, Will- and you dare break it to sleep with her when you promised yourself to me!? How can you go to the pulpit- how can you represent morality in this town?! How can you look at yourself?!”

You wiped off a tear with your hand and continued.

“I loved you because you were open-minded. You weren’t some fire and brimstone Puritan, but you were kind and spoke of love…now I see you were TOO open-minded if you think this is remotely acceptable!” you cried, the Bible shaking in your grip.

This glass of wine I’m having right now is perfect for this. Maybe I should spare one for you too, hm? Loki quipped.

He eyed the book carefully, then he went up to you.

“I must tell you…I went to church right after this morning and I…I prayed. I prayed in the field too, after… I fell on my knees in the church and prayed to God…”

You felt your mouth curl into a snarl. You then lowered your eyes to the Bible. If this was hysteria, you gave into it.

“You know how I like history. And if I recall correctly-The church of England was started by Henry the Eighth-to throw out his own wife who loved him. His wife of many years. To toss her away like she was dirt for another woman. In that case, you’re a perfect vicar.”

You threw the Bible onto the floor-papers flew out. It broke. William ran over, getting onto his knees on the floor in a hurry. He began to hurriedly pick it back up, putting papers back to where they were.

“Love’s not a weakness, is it Will?!Well- it might not be, but I’m about to make you even weaker!” you snarled.

You gave him a sharp kick to the ribs, and he jumped and groaned in pain from your foot. You wished it was possible to kick his crotch. Yet he still fumbled to get the papers and the Bible.

You then knelt to be on his level, flinging your fists to him.  Punching, slapping his beautiful face in a blind fury of the screams and sobs that escaped your throat. He grunted and took some of it, trying to duck what he could while gathering the book. Then he left it and turned to you. Will kept repeating your name, trying to block what hits he could, down on his knees with the floor with you, trying to calm you. It didn’t work.

You glanced at him. The reddish-blonde hair and goatee you once thought- and did think- incredibly handsome. The goatee that tickled the first time he kissed you. The hair that swept in the wind when you walked together. You yanked at his curls to pull it off. He shouted “ah!” and got your arm to stop you. Impulsively, your fingers pinched at the hair of his goatee and plucked at it- trying to rip it out. He let out a cry of pain. Then he grabbed hold of your forearms to keep from attacking him.

“Y/N-Y/N, my love- please!”

“You’re a bastard, Will Ransome! You’re a bastard! A BASTARD!” you shouted.

He finally grabbed your fists. He was so strong, he tried to pull you into an embrace but you pulled away. You felt his large hands become a grip.

“Y/N! I…I love you…I love you so much! Please, Please for-”

He never finished that sentence. You curled up your saliva and spat in his face. He flinched, then released his hand to wipe if off.  You jumped up to your feet. You curled your hands into fists as you backed to the door.

“I loved you, William. I-LOVED you. I gave you everything. I was ready to be this perfect, pristine wife for you-your ministry. I was ready to give you my time, the rest of my youth, my energy, my prayers, my devotion, my virginity, my body- everything! Do you know why I made the bargain? So I could live to be with you-to make you happy. I gave you everything. But now I see the truth.  …”

“Y/N…darling…I do love you…” he pleaded, still on the floor.

You got closer to the door.

“You don’t want a wife, Will. You want a woman to be a martyr for you. To suck her until she’s dry and has nothing left. All while you won’t give her a drop. No one was forcing you to be with Cora, there was no reason- and you slept with her anyway just because you were bored of me. You were bored. She made your cock hard. And you pitied her little sob story and could think of no alternative of consolation than fucking her. And you never considered, even as I was lying in bed, that I needed you there. That my last moments on Earth could be by you, being loved by you-knowing I Was loved and wanted and valued. It would have been better if I died of consumption, believing you still cared about me enough to put my needs before yours…as I did for you…”

You were crying and you could feel snot running from your nose. Your face was hot. Then you turned and looked into those beautiful blue eyes with an overwhelming fury rising in your voice.  

“William, you are a disgrace to the priesthood, to morals, to ethics, to righteousness. You knew very well what your own faith says about this-and you fucked her anyway.”

You turned to open the door. Then returned to look at him as he got up, clinging his Bible and sermon papers.

“Adultery itself is unacceptable But you are more than an adulterer, Will- you’re a hypocrite!”

You slammed the door shut. Then you began running. You knew he’d run after you. You picked up the pace through the dark streets. You were crying. Your lungs burned, but you ran. You never looked at the ocean or the town. Not even a glance to see if he would chase you. You only ran past the streets, right into the forest. Where he couldn’t find you. Where you could be alone.

 You heard a bit of his name calling after you, in an echo. You ran to the shadows of the trees. You hid behind a large oak, the sharp bark prickling your fingers. You heard William’s voice.

“Y/N! Y/N! Come back! Y/N! Where are you?!”

Perhaps you should have fled to someone’s house. You should wake up Stella in her bed-for she, best of everyone, would listen more than speak. She would let you cry into her blue shawls. She would hug you and tell you how it would be better. But she was asleep.

You should have ran home. Ran to cry to your parents. Or anyone in town. But you knew what they would say.

“You’re being irrational. Think of how your reputation will be tarnished should you call it off. And what are you thinking? There was no better match for a lady than William Ransome. So, what if he did something? Men are weak to temptation-it’s just the way they are. Don’t make yourself into a martyr!? You should care first for his home and self being peaceful. You must go through with the marriage! It will be a life of stability with a good, moral man. A good, moral man!”

A very good, moral man indeed, you thought.

You sank into the ground. Tears kept pouring out of you. You nestled up against the tree. Trying to savor what warmth you could. Though there was the rustling of leaves and you heard birds and owls. How peaceful it was when your heart was breaking in pieces.

“Please…I need help…I need to get out of here…I can’t face him…I can’t face anyone…I can’t marry this man. I’m trapped, I’m trapped…” you thought.

It became calm. There were crickets in the night. The sound lulled you. Your emptiness from your rage made you exhausted. Before you knew it, it all became black as you curled up in the forest. Leaving all consciousness as you curled up onto the ground by the tree.

Consciousness arrived. It was still dark in your vision. You felt strong arms holding you up against something warm- flesh like.  And a voice. A familiar voice.

Had William picked you up and carried you back to town? He would. Damn him, he would. That wonderful, horrible man. You didn’t want to open your eyes to see him. You had no strength. You didn’t feel like fighting back. It was as if the crying had drained you dry. You may as well resolve yourself to your fate. Wife to an unfaithful man. You had nothing in you to fight.

Then you felt movement beneath you- something breathing beneath you. A strong smell. You felt hair bristle you. A brushing of lips- a horse.

But you heard…another voice. Another familiar, light, lilting voice. A woman’s voice.

“Poor Y/N! Thank God! Please…please take care of her! Wherever this Asgard is- take care of her!”

Stella! You realized.

“I shall, fair lady. She will be safe there, you have my honored word she shall,” the male voice holding you replied.

He didn’t talk like Will. Then you realized you did recognize it. Henry the Fifth- or Hal!

“But…why was she here? Poor thing- all alone! Do you know? Did something happen?” Stella asked.

“My lady, I do not know. But you must be glad the god of mischief himself is not here and I am. He is capable of many things. And you understand what his powers could do. Anyone who crosses with him soon regrets it.”

“I...I do…” she agreed.

“Then…then I’m off.”

“Please take care of her!”

“We all shall, dear lady.”

There was a sharp turn, and you heard the whinny of a horse. It began to run beneath you. In only a few seconds, there was a blur of light from your closed eyes. The horse kept running. You weren’t fully there yet, but you could hear things, feel things.  It wasn’t time for the bargain yet, but you didn’t care. Darkness overcame you. Before you knew it, it was dark, you felt yourself brought from one pair of arms to another. There was a murmur of voices. Some of them similar. Familiar. Too familiar. An echo. A pebble dropped into the ocean where it rippled. And you were carried.

Finally, you regained enough consciousness to gather that you were in that familiar guest room. You were in Asgard, you realized. In the palace. And right near your bed was Loki. He sat in a chair. A scene you had seen before. The sun was setting there-it was beginning to fall into the purple shadows of night.

“What is it…what’s going on…” you asked.

Loki appeared.

“You ran to the forest and collapsed. You’re in Asgard, Y/N…you’re safe for now…you can process what happened. You can grieve.”

You shook your head.

“You’ll tell me that my grief is excessive…” you said.

“I will say nothing, then.”

“What a challenge for you! But…Will…he…” you began to stutter.

You began blinking. Then you curled up and let the tears fall again.

“He was….everything to me. And now he… My own fiancée. The man I was ready to marry…it’s like he became the serpent and slithered from my side to the bed of another..”

You wiped off tears with your sleeve. You realized you were put into a light nightgown.

“No wonder…Cora’s beautiful and exciting and smart and I’m ugly and boring and nothing…I’m weak compared to her…you can say it, Loki…”

He leaned forward, touching his chin and examining you.

“I will say this- You only look miserable and exhausted…and I did promise you a drink-here. I put the potion mixed with some wine. You need it far more than I right now.”

He handed you the goblet. You took a deep drink. You felt it lull you.

“Get some rest, Y/N. You haven’t slept well in days….”

“H-How…how did you know?” you asked. Taking another sip of the potion.

“Well…in short, darling, I can hear your thoughts. Ever since the bargain, they keep coming to me…”

“Why can’t I hear yours?”

“You should be able to…it’ll take some practice, but you can. But for now…you need to drink your potion and get some sleep, Y/N.”

You cupped both hands around the glass. It was a little bit of red wine, but it was mainly the potion, making the flavor sweeter than normal with some added honey inside. The star marks on your hands seemed a little sore and you rubbed it with your finger. How was it the bargain made you hear each other’s thoughts? Before you could ask, Loki settled the blankets over you. He then walked outside, closing the door with a squeak. As you nestled into the blankets, you heard voices talking in the hallway. Their echoes impossible to ignore.

“So, she’s not a new soldier for this battle? Why her? Wouldn’t the tracker instead be a little more useful?” asked one.

“Don’t be hard on her, Rob. She could be useful. But she should be careful….” Replied another.

“Oh, Jon-don’t push Y/N darling into a battle yet! She fainted in the woods just hours ago! The woman’s distraught!” you heard Loki reply.

“Distraught? What do you mean?” the voice asked.

“Walk down with me, gentlemen, and I’ll explain it in short….” Loki offered.

You heard the footsteps go down the marble hall. Then you could not distinguish any words. The potion lulled you into a deep, blissful sleep.

When you awoke, it was a nice morning. You heard birds- to think you were in a different world and birds still chirruped. Was this the next day? Very likely it was the next day by now in your world, in Midgard. But here, it was morning.

It was Sunday. It would be hard not to think of Will on Sundays.

There was a knock on the door. It was a servant bringing some breakfast. A wooden tray with poached eggs, buttered toast, fresh fruit, and plump sausage links.

“Could I have coffee?” you asked.

The servant blinked.

“What is that?” she asked.

Loki’s voice rang in your head with a sigh.

“Oh, allow me.”

With a whiff of green magic, a blue, porcelain cup with the rich drink appeared on the tray. It warmed your hands as you held it, like a small hug in a cup.

After scarfing it all down, another brought you some clothes. They would be long, flowy robes the blue of a robin’s egg secured with a bronze belt. They were pretty, you had to admit. But you only sat in your room on the chair. Staring out the window. Thinking. Ruminating. Playing the scene that happened last night. Then playing through every memory you had of Will.

There was the time in spring when you played with his dog by throwing sticks for the pet to fetch under the blossoming trees. There was the time he walked around in the muck of the marshes. Mud and dirty got on his clothes and face. So when he returned to town, you cleaned off his face with your handkerchief. The time he proposed, and you through your arms over her broad shoulders and embraced him with a “yes.” Every polite kiss on the hand that scratched from his goatee. Every lovely dance at a party where he looked in your eye as you both moved to swelling string music. Every sermon that you took note of while admiring the grey morning light of the church and on his white robes with green sashes.

Then the letters. The morning in the field. Cora.

 Every flash of his black with the small white flap of the collar that made you smile and your heart race with excitement. The sign that he represented God. Now it was something different. Black on white made your insides watery-once he represented God and now, he represented all things bad and wrong with the life. No- not with life-with men.

There was a knock on the door. Loki opened it. You stayed at the chair, turning to him. He was in his usual black and green robes. His blue eyes bright and his face had a gentle frown, rather than the proud, smug smile that was typical of him.

“How are you now? Slept alright?” he asked.

“Hadn’t slept this well in ages….” You answered.

“Do you…need anything, darling?”

“Don’t call me darling. And no.” you replied.

He took a step forward. You feel yourself lean a little back. The sunshine of outside melted its golden light into the room. It illuminated his face. It made the little embellishments on his clothes glow and patches of it warmed your skin.

“If you need anything, let a servant know. Or me.”

“If you can read my thoughts now, why bother asking?” you asked.

“Just to make sure, Y/N,” he said.

You stood up and crossed your arms.

“Why are you even here? Offering all these things, making me coffee in a cup?  I know why-only offer nice things to me, so I owe you. To force me to sleep with you. How disappointing-You might be a god, but you’re just like all the other men.”

You turned to look out the window. He let in a deep sigh, his eyebrows briefly shooting up. He didn’t reply at your comment.

“The gardens and libraries and every nook of the library is free for you, should you want them.” He offered. Then he closed the door and left.

You did not feel like talking to Thor. As you passed him, you would only smile in greeting.

“Why-Y/N? What’s the matter?” he asked in his booming voice.

“Nothing, just…leave me alone…” you said, increasing your pace.

You curled up in the library. You grabbed volumes of sad romantic poetry. You read and re-read them to cry and cry your heart out. It was a release. It was something- the sadness that never left you.

I was never enough for Will. I’m not enough for him, for anyone… you kept thinking. When the last rumble of your latest crying session ended, you felt raw. Squeezed out like a wrinkled fruit. You noticed tear stains on the pages of the book. When you looked out the window, you realized how much time had passed. It was either the late afternoon or early evening. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

“I’m not in the mood, Loki!” you dismissed.

“I’m not Loki, my lady…” answered a similar voice.

When you opened the door, you saw Prince Hal.  He had two silver glasses of what smelled like wine.

“He told me what happened. And I thought dealing with my father was bad.”

He walked inside. He handed you the wine. It’s dry, rich taste was welcoming. As you wiped your mouth, you noticed the deep red stain on your sleeve. The fireplace to the library crackled with a fresh ember.  Both of you sat on the chair and sipped your glasses.

“So, it was you who brought me here?” you asked.

“Yes. Loki said he heard your cry for help. Your pain. He didn’t tell me why at the time, but he insisted I go and fetch you. He used his magic to send me there- said you deserved a ‘handsome prince on a horse’ to help you. But that his kind of prince would not be preferable to you. Hence me.”

You nestled into the chair. Hal cupped his goblet with one hand and began to take big drinks of it down.

“You said Loki…he told you what…what Will did…” you prodded.

Hal nodded, you could see an auburn curl fall free from his head.

“Yes. He did, he confirmed.

“And you saw Stella?” you asked.

He blinked rapidly. His eyes went to the corner and then back to yours in realization.

“Ah! The maid? That was her name? To be honest, I think she saw me. She was the first to find you,” he recalled.

“The First? She was in the forest at night?” you asked.

“Not night- the early morning. She was up early- I saw she had a basket for picking berries, as maids do. I heard her cry for help. Twas how I found you. I watched the maid pitifully try to carry you and fail- her delicacy not strong enough to carry you back to safety. You should have seen her amazement upon my steed. I told her who I was and who sent me, and she believed me. Then I could carry you like a babe and set us both on the horse and away. Her gentle heart fretted over you, my lady. I had to assure you many times you would be safe here in Asgard.”

You nodded. For the first time, you smiled at her. At the memory of your friend.

“Stella’s a good friend of mine. I’m glad she found me…” you responded.

Hal finished his wine with a big gulp. You weren’t even halfway done.

“You…you loved your intended. And he hurt you…I cannot imagine what it is to be hurt like that,” he said.

You made no comment, staring at the dark red of your wine in your cup. So dark, that it almost looked black. Hal then leaned forward, half ready to spring up from his chair.

“Perhaps…we should go to a tavern here. We’ll have another drink or two. I’ll tell you how I once scared an old man robbing a lord-get your mind off!” he offered with a smile and a wink.

A tavern. A place with low-lives, drunkards, and street walkers. A place where he would be emboldened with drinking and partying. Hal would flirt with you and smile at you. And then he would offer a room with one bed for the night. And it would not be for sleeping. Will seemed calm. He seemed chaste and appropriate. He seemed respectful of you. He seemed focused on God and his position. But his shaking cock could not lie. If this was how vicars acted, then how would this wild prince be like?  No-no you had no taste. No- that was what Hal was after!

“No thank you, Hal. But…thank you for the wine.”

With that, Hal left.

The next two days followed that pattern. You took long baths full of hot water and scented soaps. You walked in the garden, never wanting to talk to anyone-not even Queen Frigga. You went to the library and curled up on a chair watching the fire, mostly to read the sad love poetry and wallow. You cried in every spot. On the garden bench, on the library rug, by a stone column, and on the long, marble steps. You cried in the morning. You cried in the afternoon. You cried at night. You would wake up late at night and begin crying again. You drank wine and stuffed yourself full of every tray of food. But thankfully, with the potion, your sleeping improved. You would awake to orange morning light and the crisp cool of the air of a new day. Refreshed and feeling new energy in you than the heavy weight of insomnia.  

On the third day, Loki knocked on the door again to you. You were just enjoying a cup of coffee (the staff of Asgard figured out how to make some especially for you) and looking over the pages of a book you borrowed from the library.

“Y/N…do you want to return home?”

You shook your head.

“No. I can’t. I’m not ready,” you answered.

“But…anything from your home you would like?” he asked.

“I would like…my clothes. And my journal and embroidery from home.”

“You mean-the bustle and all those heavy skirts?” he asked with a curl of his lips.

You gave him a frown, furrowing your brow.

“Yes, my bustle and skirts!” you insisted.

Loki let out a sigh then tipped his head to the side.

“That can be done.”

“Loki…why are you so kind to me?” you asked, folding your arms in a hug for yourself.

Loki shrugged.

“It’s not a good look on the palace to have a guest be unhappy.”

“You sure do seem a little too grateful just for giving you milk,” you replied.

“I am not an ungrateful man, despite what my father will tell you…” he said. You got up from your chair and took a step closer to him.

“Loki…do you…do you know what’s going on back home? I know Stella saw Hal. And Hal told her I was taken to Asgard.” You asked.

“She’s telling them that you were hurt and was sent to Asgard for help.”

“So, they believe her?”

“Of course, they don’t believe her. They believed in a serpent. Now that they have been proven there is no serpent, but there is me, their imaginations are still running. They keep whispering to each other how you were abducted by the Norse God to be his whore. Doesn’t matter if it’s true or not to them-That’s what they believe. Makes for a good story, don’t you think?”

You decided not to ask about Will.

With a flick of Loki’s hand, out came a dress, corset, bustle, stockings, and petticoats and bustle laid on your bed. The dress was one of your own and a favorite of yours for the day- white with green stripes and pink embellishments. With another snap of his fingers, you saw your old journal and your embroidery, thread, and needles were there on the desk.

You smiled.

“Thank you.”

“Ah- I finally get one from you.”

He went over to the bed, observing the clothes.

“The more I look, the less bad I think they are…. your time’s fashion,” he commented.

“They are mine. They are a part of me- and it’s how I like to dress. I, for one, think your Asgardian dress is strange!” you shot back.

He crossed his arms and then leaned against the wall. You noticed a small laugh escape him in just a exhale. But then he flashed a handsome, winning smile.

“Oh- wait until you meet the others. There’s three- the new one dresses right in your era. But the other two of them are dressed strange, I can tell you that!”

You turned up.

“New men?”

“Yes- the new form. We’re all making a circle of each other for support!”

“For your war!”

“The one from your time is busy right now-so he will very likely be late. But the two others- the ones from the future- they will be here today at breakfast. But…I know that you have been taking your meals alone…I don’t wish to bother you,” Loki shrugged. “Like I said, it’s mainly for a meeting. About this little war. The danger to our worlds and all that.  But you might as well distract yourself. Unless you’re not ready…”

You got up.

“No…I’d like to meet them, please. Just let me get dressed.” You insisted.

He smiled and then left to give you privacy.

You sighed with relief putting on your own fashions. It felt like missing a part of your skin. You didn’t feel like a creature in a zoo repeating a mindless pattern. No, you were a person. Once you were done, you opened the door. Loki was pacing about. He stopped and smiled at you.

“Here- allow me to escort you…”

Loki offered his arm. You hesitated, then You took it and began to walk with him. He felt warm from being so close. Even the leather of his sleeve was warm. He did smile a small smile but offered no remarks to you. That is, until you finally walked into the dining room. Of course, Hal was there, running a hand through his hair.

“Ah! My lady! You’re right here! You can meet them!” Hal said with a greeting smile.

“Who’s them?” you asked.

As if on cue, in walked another gentleman. He had the same look as them if you saw his face- cheekbones and blue eyes. But his skin was a bit tan, and his hair was short. Blonder than the others. He wore strange clothes- you could see a white shirt with a blue jacket and blue pants that matched. Though he looked at you. He at once went up and shook his hand and smiled.

“Oh- you are out and ready? Are you a guest here as well? The woman from Aldwinter?” he asked. His voice was formal and his manners proper, despite the oddity of his clothes.

“Yes, I am,” you confirmed. Loki let you go from his arm as you approached the gentleman.

“Pleasure to meet you- my name is Jonathan Pine.”

You curtsied and he looked at you in amusement. His hand reached out to shake yours, then it retreated.

“Pleased to meet you, I’m Y/N,” you replied dutifully.

Loki let out a little laugh. He stayed standing, pulling up a chair intended to be yours.

“Oh, Jonathan! You do have a weakness for beautiful women in need of help!”

Jonathan shot him a look.

“I’m only greeting her, sir,” he said.

“You’re not at work, Jonathan-and no one’s here to watch you. You can finally relax here…” came another voice.

In walked another similar looking fellow. Only he had redder hair that was a touch longer. He wore a white shirt and dark pants and something funny and dark around his neck. His sleeves were rolled up and you saw a watch around his wrist. But something in his pale face and there was a slight sadness in his eye.  But he looked up at you and they shone.

“Ah, the new girl!” the stranger said.

He went up and shook your hand. You were a little shocked at the intimacy-touching a man you didn’t know!-but went with it.

“I hear Hal gave you quite a ride the other day. Well, I can give you one too if you like,” he said with a wink.

You felt yourself become hot and flustered and fluttered your eyes down. You even frowned and when your eyes went up you glared at him.

“Sir! Do not speak to me in that way when I don’t even know your name!” you said.

“Oh, please- Robert! You don’t even know her name! Robert, this is Y/N. Y/N- this is Doctor Robert Laing. I promise you, he doesn’t bite!” Loki assured.

“Hard” added Robert with a playful shrug.

With that, the men sat at their seats before the food and you.

Loki swept his arms up. “And now I was told the other would be late- we may begin gentlemen…and lady…”

#loki my beloved #tom hiddleston #angst with a happy ending #fanfiction #loki fanfiction #hiddlesverse #tom hiddleston characters #carrie writes #tom hiddelston loki #dammit hiddleston #twhiddleston #tom hiddleston fanfiction #loki fic #loki imagine #loki x reader #loki x fem! reader #loki x you #loki x y/n #loki laufeyson #loki laufeyson x reader #loki laufeyson x fem! reader #loki mcu #loki mcu imagine #fic recs #loki marvel #will ransome #the essex serpent #stella ransome #a court of thorns and roses #a court of thorns and roses au

[deconstructthesoup]

Hello, I'm here as said I would. I've got a few questions. What magic(s) does everyone specialize in/study? Are glyphs back and in use? What were the inspirations for making the fankids the way they are?

Have a great day! Toodles!

Everyone's magic is as follows (and I'll be answering question 2 with that!):

Carmilla: Oracle/Abominations (they're both purple, they're both spooky, and she has a natural talent for Oracle magic while also having been taught Abominations since she was a kid)

Mickey: Bard/Beastkeeping/Illusions (they freaking love music, they freaking love animals, and they freaking love messing with people)

Evan: Healing/Construction (the first one highlights his belief that magic is a tool to help others, and the second one highlights his love for building things)

Lila Rose: Plants/Potions/Oracle (she's naturally gifted at Plants like her mom, she has a keen interest in alchemy, and Oracle magic is as close as she can get to legal necromancy)

Heather: Oracle/Healing (it helps to plan things if you can see the future, and she fully intends on being a doctor someday)

Hector: Bard/Illusions (the two tracks that are often underestimated yet are all about showmanship and not underestimating your opponent? Sign him up!)

Holland: They of course can't use magic organically, but thankfully, the magic of the glyphs has returned thanks to King! Just like their aunt Luz, they see no reason to restrict themselves and dabble in a little of everything.

Jayla: Potions/Abominations (she's never minded getting her hands a little bit messy, and both tracks encourage her to think creatively on the field and in real life)

Silas: Abominations/Construction (two tracks that are some of the physically strongest and are the most useful in a fight)

And as for the inspirations, well...

Carmilla is, obviously, inspired in part by Carmilla---both the classic novella and the fantastic webseries that shares its name. I've noticed a lot of "main" Lumity fankids, i.e. either only children or oldest children, who primarily take after Luz, and while that's incredible to see, I feel like we're kind of missing out on the chance to do one who primarily takes after Amity. Mickey kinda just... sprouted from my imagination, really, I'm still not sure how I landed on them. Their design and personality just popped into my brain.

Evan is named after both Evelyn and Evan Kelmp from Dimension 20's Misfits & Magic series, who is a character that absolutely radiates Hunter vibes (the pitch for his character was "kid who was born to be the Dark Lord and wants absolutely nothing to do with that"). In personality, however, he's primarily inspired by Palamedes from The Locked Tomb, which I thought would fit well for a Huntlow kid. And Lila Rose... I did make her with the idea that she'd mostly take after Willow in terms of personality, but I also loved the thought of a Huntlow kid just being weird. She and Evan are both part Grimwalker, after all. (Plus, I love the mad scientist aesthetic too much to let it die with Philip. His crazy dark cottagecore great-niece can figure out how to use what he learned for good, just to rub it in.)

Heather and Hector were actually originally gonna be Jayla's younger siblings---with Gustholomule being the couple that has no kids but a plethora of pets---but I've seen a lot of really cool fics and fanart of Gus and Matt breaking up and then getting back together due to there being kids in the picture and rebuilding a healthier relationship as a result of that, and... I dunno. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense---of course Gus and Matt, two characters who struggle with anxiety and not being good enough, would have a daughter who's a born overachiever and needs everything to be perfect. And of course Gus and Matt, two characters who have a flair for the dramatic yet tend to hide their inner struggles behind the flash and the confidence, would have a son who's a born thespian and is still learning how to step back from the theatrics and just be real. It just works.

Holland... again, I'm not entirely sure. They're essentially what happens when two incredibly kind alt people raise a kid. I knew that I wanted someone to round out Evan and Carmilla's friend group, and their personality and backstory just sprung from there.

With Jayla, well... I've seen some Skarey fankids who are more femme-leaning, but again, partially inspired by my love for The Locked Tomb, I decided that I wanted Jayla to be butch. And seeing as both of her moms were athletes, I figured that it wouldn't be too unusual for her to be, too. The rest of her personality kinda sprung up around there.

Silas came to me pretty much immediately---I knew that I wanted him to be an entitled popular kid who eventually shifts into a snarky common sense friend a la David Rose or Wallace Wells, and I knew that I wanted him and Evan to be rivals-to-lovers. At the same time, though, I didn't want Boscha to be a bad mom, and I eventually settled on her trying her best but also just not being in a good place mentally, which would absolutely fuel Silas's need to make her happy.

Also, I should clarify---Silas and Evan are not a story of "bully meets victim." The two of them are on equal footing, and their rivalry is based on pure academic pettiness and clashing worldviews. Both of them are dicks to each other, and both of them have instances of needing to grow as people before they can even consider each other friends.

#the owl house #asks #the owl house fankids #lumity #huntlow #gustholomule #skara x viney #boscha toh

[ljfoxie]

OC Questions Tag

I was tagged by @stargazer-sims, thank you.

I'm going to choose Dexter William Maloney and Evelyn Dawn Robertson, my OC's from my Love Drunk universe. I completed their story in TS3 and I started to do TS4 version but different and I got distracted (as I do) then I did Washed Ashore, which was an alternate universe story that I really need to finish. Anyway I did both of them because they are twin souls.

__________

NAME: Dexter William Maloney

NICKNAME: Dexy or Pretty Boy by his Lainie, Dex by everyone else.

GENDER: Male

STAR SIGN: Capricorn

HEIGHT: 5ft 11in

ORIENTATION: Heterosexual

NATIONALITY/ETHNICITY: Irish/White

FAVOURITE FRUIT: Pineapple

FAVOURITE SEASON: Summer

FAVOURITE FLOWER: Tulips, because they're his mum's favourite.

FAVOURITE SCENT: Lainie's perfume, Kylie Minogue: Darling

COFFEE, TEA, or HOT CHOCOLATE: Coffee, he has a machine that his best friend Drew made for him and he likes to experiment with flavour. His favourite is caramel syrup in his coffee.

AVERAGE HOURS OF SLEEP: He suffers from headaches now and again after an accident so it can vary. When it's really bad, he's nigh on an insomniac but Lainie forces him to drink chamomile tea before bed as she knows all about sleep problems.

DOGS or CATS: Dogs, he had one as a boy called Rosco and he was a Rhodesian Ridgeback. He has two dogs with Lainie, Trixie the yellow Labrador and Kizzy the Husky.

DREAM TRIP: Hawaii with Lainie, a lazy beach holiday walking by the ocean and collecting seashells. No kids, just him and his Freckles!

NUMBER OF BLANKETS: He's rarely ever cold, so I'd say one?

RANDOM FACT: Out of all of the numerous tattoos he has, only one is sentimental and that is his daughter Keira's name on his wrist in Irish Gaelic. The rest were a rebellion when his father suddenly passed away of a heart attack when Dexter was 24 years old.

__________

NAME: Evelyn Dawn Robertson Maloney

NICKNAME: She prefers Lainie and hates her name, Dexter calls her Freckles and her mother calls her Evie. Her father calls her monkey but that's a whole other story!

GENDER: Female

STAR SIGN: Leo

HEIGHT: 5ft 3in

ORIENTATION: Heterosexual

NATIONALITY/ETHNICITY: Irish/White

FAVOURITE FRUIT: Watermelon

FAVOURITE SEASON: Autumn for Halloween

FAVOURITE FLOWER: Roses

FAVOURITE SCENT: Dexter, he doesn't wear any scent it's just his natural aroma and it makes her feel giddy.

COFFEE, TEA, or HOT CHOCOLATE: Tea, all kinds but her favourite is plain old green tea, or cat's piss as Dex calls it.

AVERAGE HOURS OF SLEEP: She has bouts of insomnia so knows all the tricks for trying to get sleepy, however they rarely work with her. She suffers from severe anxiety.

DOGS or CATS: Dogs, she's not a great fan of cats but she did have one when she was a teenager but her older sister left the back gate open and she never saw little Socks again. She had two Labradors growing up, her favourite dog breed. She and Dex have a Labrador named Trixie and a Husky named Kizzy, they pretended to adopt them for the kids, but really they were for them.

DREAM TRIP: Anywhere with Dexy, although she would love to go to New Orleans during Mardi Gras, visit the cemeteries and wander around the French Quarter. She's a fan of The Originals and that's where her love for New Orleans began.

NUMBER OF BLANKETS: It depends, some nights it can be just the duvet, other nights it could be two extra blankets. She's inconsistent.

RANDOM FACT: She is a secret fan of The Prodigy, it's something only Dex and her best friend Roxy know about. They're not her usual taste of music but for some reason she gets so much housework done with their tunes in her ears.

—————

I tag @zosa95, @simmersofia, @babolat85, @silverspringsimmer, @akitasimblr and anyone else who would like to do it, feel free to ignore if you don't.

#oc questions #ts4 #sims 4 #the sims 4

[eviexstratford]

So Watch Me Fly | Self-Para

Evelyn was terrified. Which she knew was to be expected. It had been a wonderful visit, even though she had actually missed Gray’s presence at their home. She could at least be happy in the fact that she was indeed giving her poor sister a break from their parent’s relentless bothering. And, now that they had seen for themselves that she was happy and healthy and doing well, they would ease up. So that had been good, and seeing her friends again? Nothing could have been more perfect. She and Landry continued on as if no time at all had past, as best friends did. And Devon? After a bit of awkwardness and obvious lingering guilt on his part, they went on much the same as well. Like the life-long friends that they all were. But too quickly those wonderfully rare few days of catching up were gone, and now it was time. And Evie wondered if she could really do this..

Don't know why I'm frightened I know my way around here

It was time. They had done as they’d planned, Devon going out first and a small bit on his own before she was ‘introduced’ and joined him. In those precious few moments, she took that time to collect herself.

But I'm not in any hurry And I need a moment

To look down at the exquisite costume that Elijah had lovingly and perfectly made, it’s vibrant reds and oranges designed to complement the Flamenco music that she and Dev had chosen. And she had been right, it was almost like he was there with her. Before she knew it though, it was time. One more deep breath and then she was gliding towards Devon on the ice, her smile wide as her ears nearly throbbed from the deafening applause. That was all for her ‘big’ intro, as there would be time for bows later. Now, without missing a beat, she took his hand as they went into the routine that they had been practicing (under the watchful eye of their coach this time) for months. And..it was perfect. Flawless, just as their countless practices had led up to. It made it all worth it, the rushed pain in the butt weekends that she had spent, flying from school to the rink only to fly back again before she felt like they had even accomplished anything. Obviously they had, as Evie was in her element. Shimmering and sparkling, and not just her costume. She herself sparkled as she always had, becoming one with the sounds of Charo’s Caliente’.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QgrirVDH1Y

She and Dev locked eyes and hands, flying apart only to come together again, the chemistry that had always been between them even more evident as they completed the more sensual steps towards the end. Then it was over, at once almost as fast as it started while also seeming to last forever. Devon dipped her before bringing them nose-to-nose as the music ended with the same flourish as they did, laughing and breathless. They parted then, Dev keeping hold of her hand as they took their bows. Her name was chanted, yelled. Signs were held up and roses were already being tossed onto the ice. It really was almost as if she had never left.. The two of them, still hand and hand, then glided off the rink and into the waiting arms of their coaches and friends.

I'm trembling now You can't know how I've missed you

The break was a short one but she enjoyed it. Watching Landry work her magic on the ice was always something special, and she had a moment to text her parents and Jason in the crowds before it was time to go change for her solo skate. This one..it was special. She had designed her costume herself, a confection of ice blue velvet shot through with silver threads that cascaded onto the flowing chiffon skirt. It would make her shimmer once again but in way this time. This was the Evie people were used to seeing: fragile but strong, delicate but capable. Charming and captivating and maybe even a bit theatrical. ‘Flamenco Evelyn’ had given them something different but this was what they were all here to see. The two sides of her; fire and ice. It was ice’s time now, and she was ready. Music that she had carefully chosen swelled as she glided onto the ice once more, the ice her home and the crowds her family.

I'm coming out of make-up The lights already burning Not long until the cameras will start turning And the early morning madness And the magic in the making Yes, everything is as if we never said goodbye

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5erci6mNvQ

The words of the song resonated with her, as did the emotional tone of the singer. Which was why she had picked this version, though it may not have been one of the more common or popular ones. It suited her and that made it hers. Evie started strong and stayed strong, the routine that she had a hand in choreographing like second nature to her now. She knew what was coming, and what’s more..she knew that she was ready for her. Closing her eyes, she sent a prayer to whoever happened to be listening and then simply..went for it. Small body torquing and turning at her will, Evelyn counted the rotations. One, two, three, and then, miraculously..four. She had done it; she had landed a quad! Tears of joy and pride streamed down her face as she finished the routine, this time ending with a soft and graceful bow. Yes, she had done it. She had reached past the pain and darkness of that first year or so after her accident, reached into a place of light and strength and accomplished something she never dreamt that she would. 

And this time will be bigger And brighter than we knew it So watch me fly, we all know I can do it

Pale eyes shimmered with tears as Evelyn looked into the crowds once more, the faces of her friends and family coming into focus as if they were the ones spot lit. She made her waves and blew her kisses, then simply stood and took it all in. Basking in the love of not only those who were there but those who couldn’t be, but whose love had still just as much brought here there. They had brought her to this point and she would be nothing without any of them. After mouthing a final ‘thank you’, she once more skated off the rink and into Landry and Dev’s waiting arms. Yes she was home, but there was also another home in her life now. And she couldn’t wait to get back to it and share her triumph with the new family in her life. She could do that now, knowing she would be back. Her life..was just where it was supposed to be.

@grayxstratford  @quinten-sawyer  @professor-shaw  @liamoftheirish  @xdamienblackx  @elijahxxwilson  @everlasting-unicorn @leibxedelman @lesliestedeman @ava-montgomery​  @margeauxxadkins​

#Evie things #new dreams #headcanon #self para #i know that no one is actually going to read this literal novel lmao #but i had to get it out of me and she wanted to thank everyone who's helped her in this journey! <3

[libraryofgage]

Harlequin Prince

Part of: Steve Deserves Good Parents, Actually Debbie and Fester Addams One | Two Rick and Evelyn O'Connell One Harley Quinn One (you're here!) 10th Doctor and Rose (on the way! might take a little, I have plans for this one) Scooby Gang (there are also plans for this one lmao, so plz be patient with me orz)

I'm a simple woman who believes Steve deserves to be a little unhinged sometimes, and having Harley Quinn as a mother is the perfect excuse to make that happen lol

Anyway, I know I haven't updated some of my other series in a hot minute; I've just been busy with work and a little sick ngl

If you'd like to be tagged for any new parts in this series, let me know!

And, as always, if you see any typos, no you didn't ;)

-------

Steve's earliest memory is of being tucked into bed with a Batman night light plugged into the wall and his mother squeezed in next to him. She's wearing her softest pajamas, and Steve idly rubs the fabric under his thumb. In her lap is a huge book that she flips through, humming "Pop Goes the Weasel" under her breath before finally stopping on a page. "Okay, Dumplin', let's read about Narcissistic Personality Disorder," she finally says, wiggling some to get comfortable before clearing her throat.

Her voice is soft and a little nasally, and Steve obediently closes his eyes when she starts reading. After a few minutes, she gently cards her fingers through his hair, her palm warm as it slides over his scalp. Eventually, he drifts off, his dream so vivid that he still remembers the oversized hammers with their white doctor coats and floating clipboards.

The first time Steve's mother is sent (back) to Arkham, he doesn't realize anything is wrong until Uncle Bruce picks him up from school. Steve had been waiting long after the other kids were picked up by their parents, a misshapen pink-and-blue coaster for his mother that he made in art class in his hands, when one of Uncle Bruce's fancy cars pulled up to the school.

The passenger window rolled down, and Bruce looked almost pained as he met Steve's eyes. "Hop in," he said, leaning over to open the door from the inside.

Steve walked up to the door but didn't get in. "Mom said I should only go home with her," he said, "unless you know our secret code."

"Cognitive Behavioral Therapy."

Steve stood for a moment longer before nodding and climbing into the passenger seat. He closed the door, pulled on his seat belt, and carefully held the coaster in his lap. "Where's Mom?" he asked, watching as Bruce turned down the radio and slowly pulled away from the school.

"Your mother is....going to be away for a while," Bruce said, gripping the steering wheel tighter. "She did something bad, and now she's going to stay in time out because of it."

"Mom says you shouldn't dumb things down just because I'm young. She says it's not good for my development."

Bruce got a slight smile at that, his lips twitching up as he glanced at Steve. "Is that so," he said, his grip on the wheel loosening some. He seemed to think for a moment before saying, "Your mother blew up a warehouse. She was apprehended by Batman and has been sent to Arkham for a few months. Since I'm listed as your godfather, you'll stay with me until she's released."

Steve didn't reply. He just looked down at his coaster and wondered if he'd be able to convince his Uncle Bruce to visit Arkham so he could give it to her.

He did not, in fact, get to visit her at Arkham during that stint. But Steve did get to visit on her next one, which was almost three years later to the day. Steve's first visit to Arkham was on his 8th birthday, and he was chaperoned by Uncle Bruce and Nightwing (he wasn't allowed to call Dick by his real name when he was in costume, so Steve just didn't call him anything at all).

That was also the first time Steve truly experienced Arkham's lax security. Through no fault of his own (and he would continue to argue this point; how did two superheroes let an 8 year old wander off?), Steve had somehow ended up in another part of Arkham altogether.

This hallway had large cells with reinforced glass walls that allowed Steve to look inside. He could name most of the people he passed, recognizing Killer Croc and Riddler and the Penguin by his mother's descriptions of their defining features. Most of them tried talking to Steve, but he pushed ahead, eager to see if his mother was at the end of the hall.

She wasn't. Instead, Steve found another woman. She had green skin and bright red hair and Steve hadn't been able to contain himself. He'd practically squished his face against the glass and asked, "Are you Poison Ivy?"

"Oh, her he talks to," the Penguin said, his tone mean and his voice carrying.

Poison Ivy ignored him, choosing to instead open one eye from where she lay on the bed. She stared at Steve before sitting up. "Do I know you?" she asked.

"Nope! But my mom knows you. She talks about you all the time. She said you're the baddest badass to ever badass," Steve said.

"Oh. You're Harley's kid," Poison Ivy replied, walking over to the glass and crouching down to meet his gaze. "What are you doing all the way over here?"

"It's my birthday, so Uncle Bruce said I could see Mom."

"Well, happy birthday. Now, what are you doing here?"

Steve blinked, looked around the hall again, and realized for the first time that he was, in fact, a bit lost. "Uh, I'm not sure. I was with Uncle Bruce before."

A moment passed between the two of them in which Poison Ivy said nothing while Steve tried to remember how, exactly, he'd ended up here. When he came up blank, he simply shrugged and looked back at her. "Hey, you like plants, right?" he asked.

"Yeah, kid, I like plants," she said, her tone taking on the same inflection his mother's did when he asked something she thinks is obvious.

Steve didn't linger on the tone. Instead, he dug around in his coat pocket for a few seconds, pushing past candy wrappers and erasers until his hand closed around an acorn he'd picked up off the ground a few days ago. He pulled it out and presented it to Poison Ivy on his palm. "Is it still a plant if it fell off the tree?" he asked.

"Yeah," Poison Ivy said, her voice soft like she was staring at something unbelievable. Steve watched as a huge grin spread across her face, her eyes lit up, and she pressed her hands to the glass. "Can you do me a favor, Steve?" she asked.

"Sure! Mom said you're a person I should listen to," he said, starting to close his fingers around the acorn. Now that he was thinking about it, he didn't actually know how to give the acorn to her with the glass between them.

"Your mom is right. You should always listen to me. And her. But mostly me right now," Poison Ivy said, her gaze a bit softer as she looked at Steve. "So, go ahead and put the acorn on the ground and stand as far away as possible."

Steve didn't question her. Whatever Poison Ivy wanted to do would probably be fine. After all, Uncle Bruce didn't warn him about talking to her like he had about the Joker. So, Steve put the acorn down and hurried to the other end of the hall. "Now what?" he shouted.

The only response he got was the acorn shuddering, spinning across the floor, and then bursting open. In the blink of an eye, a tree grew, its roots breaking through the ground and its branches shattering the glass of Poison Ivy's cell. Steve was just thinking that was probably why Poison Ivy told him to stand back when she walked out, rolling her shoulders and breathing like the air is fresh.

She looked at Steve and walked over, standing in front of him for a moment before sweeping him into her arms. "Thanks, kid," she said, opening her hand and letting a tiny purple flower grow from her palm. She tucked it behind Steve's ear. "Now, let's go find your mom."

Of course, Poison Ivy's escape had set off numerous alarms, and Uncle Bruce just about fainted when he saw her carrying Steve while Nightwing looked two seconds from laughing. But Steve's mom had smiled so wide that her cheeks must have hurt after only two seconds when she saw them.

It was, by far, the best birthday Steve had ever had.

‐-----------------------------

Hawkins, Indiana, is...boring. Steve has only been in the town for a few weeks, and he's bored out of his mind. He could have been sent to Metropolis or Central City. Hell, he would have preferred Bludhaven to the absolute snoozefest that is Hawkins. But, no, Uncle Bruce insisted on somewhere safe, which means somewhere boring, which means...Steve will just have to make his own fun.

That's why he's found himself in a dive bar on the edge of town, sitting at the bar as the owner (a woman named Bev who definitely killed her husband; Steve would know, he's met plenty of women who definitely killed their husbands) refuses to give him anything alcoholic. "Listen, kid," she says, her tone hard and unyielding, "I can give you water, a Shirley Temple, or a permanent ban. Which do you prefer."

After a few seconds, Steve sighs, slaps way more money than is necessary on the bar, and says, "Gimme a Shirley Temple."

Bev nods, swipes up the cash, and starts making his drink. He watches her with a slight frown before looking away, noticing another boy his age wiping down a table. He looks, and Steve cannot say this affectionately enough, like a wannabe goon for a motorcycle gang. Between the bandana stuffed into his back pocket, his slightly frizzy hair falling to his shoulders, and the leather jacket/vest combo, the guy is the first reminder of home Steve has seen since arriving in this sleepy town.

When he notices the guy's shoulders tense, Steve looks away to keep from being caught staring. A Shirley Temple is placed in front of him, and Steve represses a sigh, missing the sounds of fights happening behind him as he drinks with Jason.

"Aren't you a little young to be hanging around here?"

Steve slowly takes a sip of his drink, the saccharine cherry flavor washing over his tastebuds, and glances at an older man a few seats down from him. He looks the man over, lingering on the half-tucked shirt, muddy loafers, and circles under his eyes. Without permission, his mother's DSM-V rushes through his mind, a blur of his mother's voice accompanying the page flips. They finally settle on "Adjustment Disorder," accompanied by his mom saying, "Sometimes, that's just a fancy term for a mid-life crisis, Dumplin'."

Without thinking, Steve asks in return, "Aren't you a little old to still be going through a mid-life crisis?"

In Gotham, that might get him a laugh, an eye roll, and possibly an elbow to the ribs from whichever friend accompanied him. Here, it gets him a tense silence that he only thought happened in bad movies gearing up for a fight sequence. Seriously, what is wrong with Hawkins?

"I'll give you one chance to apologize," the guy says, clearly thinking he's being sufficiently threatening.

It takes every ounce of Steve's self-control to keep from laughing at the guy. Does that usually work? Do people usually find this guy threatening? He's got nothing on Alfred, so Steve just can't bring himself to even fake intimidation.

"Yeah, don't hold your breath, man," Steve says, rolling his eyes as he takes another sip. The Shirley Temple isn't bad, but it's not what he was expecting, and it feels like just another disappointment atop a pile of them.

They're building in his chest, now that he thinks about it. Steve is slowly suffocating under the weight of them. They buzz in his lungs, surging through him until the energy is so overwhelming that he has to bounce his leg and tap his finger against his glass to expel some of it. He shouldn't have agreed to leave Gotham, or at the very least, he shouldn't have left the location entirely up to Bruce. Holy shit, that was a dumb decision. He ought to know better.

A sudden, annoyingly harsh drag of chair legs against the floor rings in Steve's ears, making his shoulders tense and his fingers twitch. He looks over to see the guy standing over him, glaring down at Steve like that's supposed to scare him when nothing else has.

Steve sighs, drinking the last of his Shirley Temple before standing. Over the guy's shoulder, he can see the boy his age watching them, and...well, Steve kind of wants to make a good impression on the first person to remind him of home. Plus, a fight sounds great. He'd love a chance to expel some of this disappointment-fueled energy.

The guy suddenly snorts, pulling Steve's attention back. "You're young, kid, so I'll let you off the hook this time around, but learn some respect."

What? Seriously? All of that, and the guy doesn't even start a fight? Does he know how rude that is? He'd get killed in Gotham. "Oh," Steve says, his voice flat, "you're scared of getting your ass kicked."

Somehow, that's what the guy considers the final straw. It wasn't even that good. Like, that's just fucking small talk in Gotham, and Steve can't bring himself to understand what about it was so infuriating that the guy swings his fist.

Either way, Steve happily embraces the fight. His eyes light up, and adrenaline rushes through his veins as he ducks and kicks the guy's left knee. The familiar sound of a bone snapping rings out. Steve's ready for more, hands curled into fists and held up to protect his face, when the guy drops.

After one kick, he drops. Steve blinks, staring down at the guy cursing and holding his knee. He slowly lowers his hands when he realizes this isn't some kind of fake-out diversion and looks at Bev behind the counter. She's frowning at him, hands on her hips, and Steve comes to the conclusion that bar fights are not, in fact, a thing in Hawkins. "Do they usually go down so easy around here?" he asks.

"They usually don't fight at all."

Oh. Holy shit, this place is boring.

Steve sighs and pushes some hair out of his face, frowning slightly. "Well, uh, sorry about the disturbance, then. I'll just...get going," he says, awkwardly pushing his chair in and doing the same for the guy whose kneecap he kicked. Nobody says anything as he leaves, and Steve shoves his hands into his jacket pockets, frustration and disappointment and homesickness building in him.

He's halfway to his car when somebody shouts, "Hey! Wait!"

With a huff, Steve stops and turns, his mood only lightening when he sees the boy that was wiping down tables. He waits patiently, watching as the boy runs up to him and holds out a wad of cash. "Bev said to give this to you," he says.

"What, is my money not good enough?" Steve asks, raising an eyebrow at the cash before looking up and meeting brown eyes.

"No, no," the boy says, "Bev only gives change to people she likes. She said you're welcome to come by and kick Phillip's ass whenever you want."

Steve blinks, studying the boy for any signs of lies. When he doesn't find one, he takes the cash and nods. "Good to know," he says.

"Yeah. Right. Um, I'm going back inside now."

"Hold on," Steve says, grinning when the boy listens and stands still. He takes a step closer, holds out his hand, and says, "My name's Steve. I'm new around here, if you couldn't tell."

The boy stares at his hand for a few seconds before taking it, the rings on his fingers pressing against Steve's skin. "Eddie. I could tell," he says, his shoulders relaxing some. "Where you from?"

"Gotham."

"Holy shit, no wonder you looked so ready for a fight," Eddie says, staring at Steve like he's incomprehensible. Steve tries not to preen under his gaze. "Hawkins must be dead compared to Gotham."

"Yeah," Steve agrees, glancing down at his and Eddie's hands still clasped together despite the handshake being over. "But I think I'll have some fun anyway."

#steddie #steddie fic #harlequin prince #steve harrington #eddie munson #steve deserves good parents actually #bruce wayne #dc comics crossover #harley quinn #poison ivy #this bitch has been sitting in my drafts for so long guys hfjkds #so excited to finally release it into the wild

[minato-division03]

Reiaki’s Thoughts on Okinawa Division

Ace Douglas

“Ohhhhh I didn’t think the ambassador himself would be taking part in this crazy tournament! A big national tournament that doesn’t really involve America, who would’ve thought, huh?”

Reiaki smiled brightly. “I doubt this guy remembers me! I looked pretty different a few years ago, but I used to attend lots of oversees galas when my father and younger brother were still alive, and I’ve seen this guy with his dad a few times! I didn’t really converse with him enough to get a feel of his character, I only ever saw him from afar… Oh well! Maybe ‘cuz of his high status, he has more training with his mic… Eek! That gives me high hopes!”

Evelyn Rose

"Oh, her! She’s a super cute one! I don’t work with her all that often since I don’t really see her for horror films, but she can be a real treat to work with! She’s just the sweetest~ If only you knew how excited I get when I see Evelyn-chan’s name in my client list! She’s big here in Japan, but I sure hope she makes it bigger in Hollywood! I think she’s got what it takes— and I’ve worked with lots of Japanese and Hollywood actors.”

Rashaad Young

"Oh hell yeah, this guy! So I vlogged my first visit to his bar and that did super well! Then when I visited a second time, I got the guy to let me advertise the place some more! We get along pretty well, I’d say! He doesn’t talk about himself all that much— I mean, I don’t, either— but he’s a pretty chill guy and he makes for a good conversation partner.”

Liberty Guild

“I fucking love this lineup! A group full of foreigners? That’s new! Bring it on, you guys! Don’t think just ‘cuz I like you guys, that I plan on letting you guys off easy on the battlefield!” Reiaki’s lips lifted into a cheeky, mischievous smile. “Our team leader gave us instructions, so you guys better give it your all! Bring it on! Man, I’m so excited…!”

#hypnosis mic #hypnosis mic oc #hypmic #hypmic oc #hypnosis mic arb #hypmic arb #okinawa division #liberty guild #ace douglas #evelyn rose #rashaad young #minato division #r.i.p märchen #reiaki suzubayashi

[zuzuexp]

stardewvalleywiki.com/reverie . . . loading . . .

dossier.

quick stats :

name : reverie eden aliases : rev ( by friends only ) , rie ( by family only ) gender : agender , gender apathetic ( any pronouns okay ) sexual orientation : bisexual face : khadijha red thunder occupation : ex managment consultant for jojo mart , floral shop owner birthday : spring 28 lives in : pelican town born in : zuzu city address : the stardrop saloon the rooftop apartment family : brother, sister in law friends : caroline, junimos, sandy, linus, evelyn marriage : yes best gifts : cranberry candy, ice cream, pink cake, solar essence, gold bar, daffodil, plush from crane game

personality :

reverie is a deceptively distant person with a stoic yet captivating presence. beautiful, curiously so, perhaps even chillingly. quiet, thoughtful, rarely the first to speak when entering the room. a sharp eye yet a nearly silent tongue, the combination surely draws in one's curiosity. seemingly aloof, perhaps a bit of fear or maybe wise caution. an instinct to hold back and observe. a wise eye. delicate, sensitive perceptions. expressive when inspired and unyieldingly inquisitive. skilled at reading people and conscious of her own limitations, they knows well enough what other's think of them and what obstacles they must overcome to reach their goals. despite their outwardly detached exterior, reverie is an immeasurably caring and selfless individual, putting their own wants and desires ( and even well-being ) aside for those around them. their greatest fear? bringing pain to those they care about. clear and concise when it comes to decision making. goal oriented with ample restraint and boundless self-control. their greatest ambition? to find and live a peaceful life, to do good, and to make a difference for those around them.

appearance :

neat and tidy, in both appearance and words. proper actions, proper order, properly organized. focused, perhaps to a fault. upright posture, poised. perceptive, piercing gaze. the types of eyes that seems to seek the hidden secrets in one's own.

a cold and unapproachable exterior glamoured in gilt. striking beauty, golden bronze basking in an amber sunset. something that draws the eyes of everyone in the room. a quiet confidence. long lashes, set against fox like features. cascades of silken curls, tied casually out of the way. a slender build, waif-like yet graceful. equal parts refined and unsettling.

history :

trigger warning ( mention of bullying, mention of parental death )

reverie's past is not known to many. they were a happy accident. a miracle that neither of their parents expected, nor thought possible. they don't remember much of their parents reverie six when their parents passed, their brother freshly eighteen and now he was the sole guardian of his little sister. he didn’t complain, not once, even though they probably gave him more than enough reasons to.

reverie was eight when the bullying got so bad they could hardly stand it. by nine, they came home crying every day. their brother tried his best to help to alleviate the stress. he comforted them in the only ways he knew how: keep a sharp look, stony face. when they look at you, don't look away. don't let them see you sweat it. reverie took that to heart.

life didn't get much easier, but reverie never let anyone else see how much anything phased them. the whispers continued, and the rumors, but people were fearful to say such things to their face so at least they could feign ignorance to their vicious words. they went off to university and did well enough and got a job as a consultant and rose through the ranks quickly. they didn't want their brother to worry and knew that becoming financially independent would ease any stress that lingered.

they took the position at jojo corp when they were twenty five, thinking they could build some bridges in the community to help both the company and the people. packing up and moving from the city, they settled in the valley with the hopes of making a difference. however, quickly into the position, reverie realized that the corporation had no intention of becoming a part of the community and it's very existence there was antithesis to the heart of the people. they quit their job and started working odd jobs for the business' in the community. after a few years, he got their flower cart up and running.

schedule :

varies by season, varies by year. their home is a spacious studio apartment above the stardrop saloon. it is a simple rooftop apartment that they moved into when they first moved to the valley. reverie spends most of their time at the old community center where they run a flower cart in the little green area next to the center. they share the greenhouse with caroline, helping to tend to the plants there, as well as cultivates gardens around the valley, most notably in the patch outside of the community center, near the bus stop, outside of joja mart, near the caves, etc. each season, their schedule varies. this is based on what flowers bloom in which season as well as what help is needed around town. they may be found volunteering in any shop in town ( the only exception is joja mart / the movie theatre ). most often, they can be found at the community center or pierre's shop. during their free time not spent working/gardening or volunteering, they spend time in the cindersnap forest, secret woods, or on the beach enjoying the fresh air. on rare occasions, reverie may be found in the calico desert visiting sandy. they are never seen at the joja mart.

relationships :

reverie has a very close relationship with her brother and sister in law. they work in the city, although both sometimes travel for work ( her brother is consulted as a veterinarian for the farms in the valley, her sister in law spends time in other cities as well as calico desert for her work in the fashion industry ). both her brother and sister in law are very well liked amongst everyone they meet. she mostly keeps to herself due to having started off on the wrong foot with the community- when she first came in, she worked for morris / joja corp in their management division. immediately upon her arrival, she felt the tension between the company and the local population. she worked to soothe these issues, however she felt a good relationship with the local population was antithesis to the joja mart model. she quit shortly after this realization. she has very few close friends, however she a few of the townspeople developed relationships with her during her time attempting to make a difference in joja corp.

morris is their disgruntled ex-boss. they have a strained relationship with mayor lewis due to him finding them very cold / distant. pierre was skeptical of them at first, however has been more welcoming of them after they left the position at joja corp. caroline took a liking to them right away, despite her closed off exterior, and offered to teach them skills in gardening. reverie enjoys picking flowers to give to evelyn and they often offers linus food they cook since they always makes too much for one person. their sister in law introduced them to sandy, who shares a love of fashion and florals. their friends may refer to her as rev. due to their stoic / frosty exterior, even those that may not think as negatively of them after their leave from joja corp are still unlikely to approach them. during festivals/events, reverie is often seen alone. others rarely speak of them, and when they do, it is often neutrally or positively about their brother/sister in law/transition from joja corp. most of the townspeople know very little of them personally.

gifts - birthday :

loved: ❛ what a wonderful gift. i will cherish it. ❜

liked: ❛ you remembered? thank you. ❜

neutral: ❛ ah, thank you. ❜

disliked: ❛ hmm? oh. ❜

hated: ❛ … ❜

gifts :

loved  ❛ this is very kind of you. i won't forget it. ❜ cranberry candy, ice cream. pink cake. solar essence. daffodil. plush from crane game.

liked  ❛ thank you for this. ❜   all flowers. all cooked food. all clothing. all art.

neutral  ❛ for me? thank you. ❜ coffee / triple shot espresso. alcohol. tea leaves / green tea. anything forged.

disliked  ❛ oh? okay.. ❜ furniture. monster items. void items. all minerals.

hated:  ❛ … ❜ anything bought at joja mart. joja corp products. trash. scraps.

movies & concessions :

loved: the zuzu city express, the miracle at coldstar ranch. ice cream sandwich. truffle popcorn. stardrop sorbet. star cookie.

liked: wumbus, the brave little sapling. rock candy. sour slimes. cotton candy. cappuccino mouse cake.

neutral: natural wonders. apple slices. jawbreaker. salmon burger. salted peanuts. hummus snack pack.

disliked: journey of the praire king. kale smoothie. black licorice. jasmine tea. fries.

hated: it howls in the rain, mysterium. joja corn. joja cola.

heart events :

two hearts: enter the community center anytime during spring year 1. reverie will be setting up flowers in their floral displays and adjusting the arrangements. when they notice you, they will give you a formal greeting. they explain the business and asks if you are here to buy flowers for anyone special. when you respond by shaking your head no, they offer to help you pick out a nice bouquet when you need one.

four hearts: enter the greenhouse anytime while they are there. reverie is seen tending to various plants and flowers. they don’t seem to notice you at first, but after a few moments they ask if you’re here to tend to the gardens as well. caroline arrives and seems to be continuing a previous conversation with reverie about joja corp, calling them rev. when she notices you, she greets you and offers to teach you how to cultivate a green thumb.

six hearts: enter 2 willow lane between 10am and 12pm during spring year 2. emily and haley will be arguing over some fabric. they notice your arrival and ask your opinion. reverie walks out wearing a edgy modern outfit to which emily and haley take turns styling differently with their fabrics, asking which looks better. you can choose emily’s styling, haley’s styling, or neither styling ( it looks better without ). regardless of the choice, reverie agrees (apparently they mentioned that to the sisters but they hadn’t listened due to the arguing ) and thanks you for speaking up for them.

eight hearts: enter the pelican town between 8am and 10am during summer year 2. reverie is tending the garden outside of the community center, a few junimos bouncing about nearby. reverie notices the spirits don’t run from you and states you must be doing something meaningful to help the community. they explain how they wound up coming to the valley originally working for joja corp and that the junimos came to them while they were attempting to better relations with the community. when they realized the company and morris had no intention of improving things for the local people or ecosystem, they quit their job and opened up the flower shop. they say they are grateful for the junimos and people like caroline who don’t hold their past against them. reverie states that they know they come off as stoic and cold, however the flowers always see them in a warm light. they offer you a flower.

ten hearts: enter the stardrop saloon any night its open anytime after you’ve completed the other heart events. when you enter the stardrop saloon, reverie will be sitting at one of tables off to the side alone. you ask to join them and they agree. you share a drink but when you go to order, gus states the kitchen is out of service. they offer to cook you a meal since they live upstairs. the cutscene changes to rooftop apartment, a rather quaint studio that resides above the saloon. their small, white dog greets you both. reverie states that it was unoccupied for so long before they moved in because no one wanted to deal with the noise from downstairs, but they don’t mind it since it reminds them of the city. they explains how their brother initially recommended they take the job joja corp was offering in the valley since he enjoyed working there and hoped they would to. reverie explains that even though they miss their family, they have made a lot of really good connections and is grateful to everyone for welcoming them in. they make you a random recipe. before you leave, they state you should kiss. you kiss and the cutscene moves to the stars twinkling overhead.

group ten-heart event: reverie does not participate in the group event.

fourteen hearts: exit the farmhouse between 5:30am and 7:30am in spring year 3. you look around the farm for reverie and hear the dog barking. you follow the sound to the shrine for your grandpa. you find reverie exchanging a wilted bouquet for a new one. they state they have been the one up-keeping the flowers at his shrine all along as a way to respect his memory. this automatically gives you 3 points and lights one of the candles on the shrine.

note: if you choose to destroy the community center and replace it with the joja warehouse, there is no way to earn any of reverie’s heart events. community is very important to rev and if you choose the corporation over the community, it will not be possible to trigger any of the heart events in the future or even become their friend.

marriage :

once married, reverie will move into the farmhouse. like other marriage candidates, they will add their own room to the right of the bedroom. they’ll also set up a small studio workshop behind the farmhouse where they’ll sometimes go to admire floral arrangements, play with the puppy, or just enjoy lazy afternoons reading. they may speak to you about different interests they have begun cultivating as they work on finding different passions and seeks a peaceful life. when they leave the farm, its often to go to the community center or greenhouse. on rainy mornings and mornings when reverie stays inside the farmhouse all day, they may offer you coffee or triple shot espresso. on rainy nights, they may offer you dinner: complete breakfast, farmer’s lunch, survival burger, lucky lunch, or fruit salad. on new years’ eve (winter 28), they’ll give you magic rock candy.

quests :

floral arrangement: reverie will randomly request help with an overabundance of floral arrangement orders from the city by bringing them a certain amount of flowers (specific quantity/quality varies) to the flower shop at the community center in the north of pelican town between 6am and 10am. if you walk into pelican town with the items in hand at that time, you will have a cutscene where they are quietly working in a room full of flowers. it is clear the task is too much for one person to handle and reverie is sweating, but does not complain. they will thank you for the delivery. if you offer to help them with the task, you will receive 3x item value and 1 friendship heart. if you do not offer to help, you will receive 50-100 friendship points and 1.5x item value.

fashion assist: in spring of year 2, you will receive a letter from reverie requesting 10 pieces of wool by summer year 2 to assist with her sister in law’s upcoming fashion project. completing this quest will reward the farmer with 1000g and a limited piece of prismatic clothing as a thank you.

#ooc. #long stardew wiki for rev #reverie eden #tw // bullying #tw // parental death

[attapullman]

My Darling Morgan Le Fay, I'd love to fuel any Rhett thoughts/thots for this one has been on my mind alot lately (lol).

Royal and Cecelia have hung onto alot of home movies over the years so one day you and Rhett decide to sit down and watch some of'em and oof were you in for a wild ride with those ones (lol).

The first set was labeled "Shenanigans, 1986" and it featured Royal and John Dutton during their time at college as heads of the Delta Tau Epsilon Fraternity that Rhett later ended up ruling in his own right. John was tending bar that night and was squirting beer into everybody's mouths with the keg nozzle and Royal comes out of nowhere, doing to that beer nozzle what Lewis did to that rose (lol). Rhett was also thoroughly traumatized when he saw his mother and Evelyn Dutton (his aunt and godmother) at spring break in Daytona Beach, Florida participating in a wet t-shirt contest and screeching "You Give Love A Bad Name" like a pair of drunken parrots (lol).

He also discovers one labeled "Roy and Cece, '92-93" and it's videos that Royal took of Cecelia when she was pregnant with Rhett. Hilarious instances include:

Royal arguing with Perry about how Perry's gonna have to suck it up since he's getting a new sibling and he doesn't want to. Cecelia didn't fail to inform him that he had picked a losing argument with a two year old.

Royal catching footage of Cecelia at eight months pregnant, folding up the baby clothes in the nursery and he's singing "She's Havin My Baby". Cecelia gave him the look and told him to get the fuck out but not before he caught her cleavage through her shirt and went "hey pretty mama, mind if I stick my face in there?", she threw her shoe at him two second later.

While Cecelia was in labor and her mother was prepping to deliver Rhett, Royal had asked her "So do ya'll want me to get a double wide shot of this, or pan down?" Cecelia flipped him off and was like, "If ya'll get a shot of anything......and I mean ANYTHING, comin out down there, I'm gonna kick your ass!"

And finally, Cecelia getting the last laugh when Royal has Baby Rhett all snuggled in his little Dumbo elephant blankie and Cecelia being like "Are ya'll cryin?" and he's like "Nope, pollen allergies" and she's like "Roy, it's the end of January" (lol).

Mo-Mo I desperately wanted to share this with you, it's been sitting in my head for too long and I did write it out but it's still there, rent free (lol).

Mary!!

Oh, how I love a stop by from you! And with all these fun little trinkets of the past!

I'm with Rhett traumatized at the wet tshirt contest 😂

I love imagining a world before all the Hole™️ nonsense and Cecelia and Royal are involved parents who are sweet on each other. And Royal as the sappy dad? MY HEART.

♥️

#letters to mo #auroralightsthesky 🪩

[pmwritesandpoems]

A Timeless Hogwarts Legacy: Sparks Fly (4/16)

Fandom: Hogwarts Legacy Main Title: A Timeless Hogwarts Legacy Pairing: Ominis Gaunt/Original Female Character Tags: Romance; Hurt/Comfort; Angst; Fluff; Friendship; Mutual Pining

Chapter: 4/16 Title: Sparks Fly Word count: 9,973

Last Chapters: AO3 (All Chapters): AO3 Tumblr: Chapter 1; Chapter 2; Chapter 3

Last Chapter Preview: “It's too late for me.” Evelyn whispered, her vision blurred with tears.

“It’s never too late.” Ominis rubbed his thumb on the back of her hand. “Who you are is not what you did, Evelyn Rose. At least not to me.” 

Evelyn felt like she was struck by lightning as she heard Ominis. The tears cannot be contained anymore. She let go of his hands and swiftly wrapped her arms around him, overtaken with emotion. Which was quickly returned by the blind Slytherin.

“You’re still an Innocent.” He whispered to her as she cried her heart out on his shoulder.

Reminder:

I won't mention the main character house, you could choose her house yourself

You could change my original character name with yours, I’ll try my best to not mention her skin, hair, and eye colour so you could match it with your own. 

I  am no expert of the Victorian era, the use of the calendar system, etiquette, and many other things from the said era are changed as I see fit to support the story. Several insertions of modern era culture will be present as well to support the story.

You could also read this on AO3.

Enjoy!

p.s. please don't hesitate to comment if you'd like!

4. Sparks Fly

Late Winter, Early 1891

Evelyn found herself climbing the stairs of the Defence Against the Dark Arts tower in the middle of the night once more. The last time she did this was a few days ago, when she ran into Ominis out of the blue, and ended up confessing her greatest sin in tears. 

Her cheeks flushed as the memory of her weeping in his arms flashed through her head. She couldn’t stop herself from blushing every time she saw him after that. It was so humiliating that she felt obligated to avoid ominis for a few days. And how difficult it was to do.

He was everywhere. In the classroom, the corridors, the courtyard, and even at the most remote corner in the library. Every time Evelyn came to a room, he was there. It was almost as though fate was punishing her more. She also had to be terrified of humiliating herself to death in front of him, as if the terrors from her nightmares weren't enough. The terrors that have led her here, wandering in the halls in her nightgown again. The only difference was she wore it with a robe this time.

She only wanted to get some sleep beneath the open skies in her coastal vivarium. Merlin help her if she gets any surprise meetings tonight.

Hoping desperately in her heart, Evelyn continued her journey and tried her best to be as silent as possible when she passed another patrolling prefect. She didn't know why, but they had seemed to increase in number tonight, making it rather difficult for her to move unnoticed. Afraid of getting caught and put into detention, she cast the disillusionment charm on herself and continued her covert voyage. 

Her steps halted as she entered a hallway with a tapestry on one side. She looked around carefully. After, and only after she was sure there was not a single soul around except herself, she dispelled the charm. 

“Having a nightmare again?”

“AH!” Evelyn screamed in surprise. She looked to her right, where a boy with a pulsating red wand appeared out of nowhere. How could she not notice him? Did he cast a disillusionment charm on himself?

“How—”

“Is anyone there?” A sound from the hallway behind her interrupted Evelyn. She didn’t even get a chance to respond as she felt the boy grab her hand after hearing the same voice and pull her along with him, running away from the sound with his wand in front as a guide through the darkness.

Evelyn felt her legs ache as she struggled to match the boy’s pace. It was certainly not fair for her since his step was twice as far as hers. He suddenly turned right, and Evelyn almost stumbled when she took her third step following him, bringing them both to a standstill.

“What is that?!” Evelyn whispered, annoyed, as she tried to see clearly in the darkness. When did it get so dark, she didn’t know. The red light from her partner's wand currently wasn’t enough for her eyes to clearly see what made her almost fall to the floor.

“Stairs,” the boy said quickly as he tightened his grip on her hand, “be careful.”

“Thanks for the warning,” she replied sarcastically and continued to complain in a whisper, “is it so hard to cast Lumos?!”

“Like that could’ve helped me.” The boy answered. The sarcasm and roll of the eyes from the blind boy were not missed by Evelyn. She was going to take her own wand from her pocket when—

“Hello?” Another voice could be heard approaching from the hall they just left, followed by nearing footsteps, stopping her movement.

“Lumos,” the boy whispered to his wand. The crimson light from the tip of it shined brighter under his command, illuminating the surroundings and allowing Evelyn to see the stairs in front of her under its warm glow. Without wasting any more time, the boy tugged on their intertwined hands and began to climb the stairs expertly with his wand in front of him. In panic of being caught, she swiftly followed the boy up with the crimson light helping her to see.

They climbed up for a while until the boy finally stopped and extinguished the light from his wand, causing it to glow like usual. Evelyn felt anxiety as she saw the light dim. She turned, just to see the once-lit stairwell turn dark again, making it nearly impossible for her to see more than five steps below. She couldn’t see if the previous person who followed them had already caught them up or not. Merlin help her if they did, detention was not on her list to do tonight, tomorrow, or ever.

With his hand still holding hers, Evelyn felt the boy turn around. She turned back to find him tilting his head towards the stairs, concentrating with his eyes closed and his brow furrowed. In curiosity, she turned towards the stairs again and did the same. He must have heard something Evelyn definitely couldn’t since his posture became relaxed after a few seconds.

“We’re good,” he let go of Evelyn's hand, “Sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Evelyn answered shyly. A brisk wind passed through her. Confused by it, she turned and finally saw the place he had taken her to. The spinning orbs made from steel were surely a dead giveaway of where she was. She exclaimed in disbelief as she realised she was back to the place of her last embarrassment with the one who she was embarrassed with.

“Here!? Again!?”

“I would lower my voice if I were you.” The boy spoke calmly as he walked to the table near the chalkboard. 

Evelyn huffed, “You’ve said that we’re good.”

“We’re good, but your voice could still echo down,” The boy hovered his wand over the table in front of him, “lower it down, at least until you get further from the stairs.”

Evelyn sighed and approached the boy before asking in a normal voice. “Why did you bring me here, Ominis?” 

“You can go back to the hall and be caught in detention if you like,” Ominis answered curtly with his back on Evelyn. 

“I—”

“Or you can stay here until they’re gone.” His interruption came still in a curt manner as he turned. Evelyn could see his left hand holding a stick that was tied to a jar with a rope. The jar emitted a blue glow. Pale blue, similar to his eyes.

“Bluebell flames.” Evelyn said as she saw the familiar makeshift lantern they had left behind.

Ominis extended his lantern-wielding hand towards her indignantly. “To keep you warm. If you decide to stay.”

“Thank you,” she took the Bluebell Flames lantern from him with trembling hands, “I-I’ll stay.”

“Well then, I shall leave you alone.” He said quickly, pointed his wand towards the stairs and began to walk towards them.

“Wait!” Evelyn called, stopping him from taking any more steps. She approached him and said timidly, “You could…wait here with me. If you’d like.”

Sarcasm could be heard in Ominis's voice. “Would you?” he tilted his head towards her, “like it when I’m near?”

“Of course I—”

“I don’t think so,” interrupted Ominis. His voice came to a whisper as he continued, “Because you certainly don't for the past few days.”

“I—”

Ominis abruptly moved his body towards her. "Why are you avoiding me?" He asked sharply.

“What—” 

“Why?” He cut her off again, his voice full of distress. “Is it something I've done?” He quickly added. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No, Ominis,” she answered with regret. “You’ve done nothing wrong.”

"Then why?" he said, his voice filled with desperate anger. Evelyn panicked and blurted out the first thing that came to her.

“I’m ashamed. I cried my heart out to you, and burdened you with my troubling mind when you already had enough problems,” she hung her head, “I am sorry.”

“Am I not your friend?” Ominis asked with his arms crossed over his chest, clearly annoyed. 

Evelyn looked up, surprised to hear the question. The crimson glow from his wand made him appear scary, prompting her to gaze down once again.

“You are.” She answered timidly.

“Then why are you ashamed of telling me your problems? Why are you ashamed to cry in front of me?” Ominis demanded angrily. “Isn’t that what friends are meant to do?” he lowered his hands and took a step closer, “come to each other’s aid?”

Evelyn lowered her head further. “It is.”

“Then why?” he asked, both of his hands fell on either side, hanging dejectedly.

In all honesty, Evelyn didn’t know either. She really thought it was the embarrassment of realising someone knew your deepest, darkest secret. She couldn’t stop herself from blushing every time she saw him after doing exactly that. But when he put it like that, the answer became void in her head too. They are friends. It’s what friends are meant to do, isn’t it? Share each other's secrets? Comfort and aid one another when they are in need? 

She listened and soothed Sebastian when he wallowed in his guilt over his uncle’s death. She listened and comforted Poppy when she cried about missing her parents. She listened and accompanied Natty when she’s upset because she remembered her late father. Why was it any different when she’s the one being listened to and consoled? Why was it different when Ominis did it to her?

“I don’t know either, Ominis.” She answered dejectedly. “But I always feel embarrassed everytime I’m near you since the last time we met…” Evelyn said, her voice trailing off as she looked at the particular edge where she and Ominis embraced each other tightly the other night, her cheeks getting hotter by the second, “here.”

“Then stop avoiding me and let me help.” He commanded angrily. When he didn’t hear any reaction from her, he sighed tiredly and pleaded, “I almost lost a friend. Don't put me through the agony of believing I'm about to lose another one.”

Guilt struck Evelyn like a Graphorn. Hearing Ominis’s plea made her realise how selfish she was. She hadn't considered how her avoidance of him might hurt him. She solely considered what was best for her and ignored his feelings. He must have been lonely since Sebastian and he still weren't on good terms. And with her avoiding him…he was alone.

Evelyn raised her head and looked straight at him. 

“I’m sorry,” she apologised with all her heart. “I’m so sorry, Ominis.”

“It’s all right. Just…” Ominis said, trailing off as he took a deep breath. “Don’t do it again. Tell me right away if you have any problems, even if it's because of me.”

“I will,” Evelyn nodded, “I promise.”

“All right then,” Ominis nodded and walked to the same edge where they embraced just a couple days ago, “we best get comfortable, those prefects would be patrolling here for a while before they head to the other side of the castle after the commotion you made.” 

Evelyn’s face began to warm up again as her mind decided to relieve the memory of being embraced by him. How she felt his warmth through layers of clothing, how she felt his hands gently caressed her back, and how she felt his breath so close to her as he whispered soothing reassurance to her weeping self.

“Are you avoiding me again?” 

Ominis, already seated on the edge, legs dangling like he had done a few days before, woke her up from her reverie.

“No.” She answered indignantly and added in a much lower voice, whispering, “I’m just too flushed to be near you right now.”

“Pardon?” Ominis asked with his head tilted towards her. Panic rushed in Evelyn’s veins as she realised he might have heard what she said. 

“N-Nothing.” She quickly replied and tried her best to forget her previous thoughts and change the topic as she approached him. 

“Anyway,” she put the bluebell flame lantern on the space on his left and began to sit down beside him, the lantern separating them, “what were you doing?” 

“I was actually on a secret mission of my own before you barged in with your noisy steps,” Ominis said. He said it so seriously that Evelyn instantly believed it.

“Secret mission?” She asked in pure curiosity.

“It’s a secret, so I can’t tell you,” he said quietly and continued with regret, “sorry.”

“Is that why you were hiding when I came to the hallway?” Evelyn whispered. She didn’t know why, but she felt like she was supposed to.

“Yes, don’t tell anyone about it. Otherwise, you'll be cursed before you've even said a single word.” 

Evelyn believed him. With the ominous threat, she truly did. Until she saw the corner of his lips began to tremble as he tried to contain his laugh. 

“Oh, you’re mean!” Evelyn hit his left shoulder playfully as she realised she had been tricked.

“Hey!” Ominis exclaimed between his chuckles, as he rubbed his left shoulder that she hit, “it was a secret mission!”

“Ah…A secret illegal mission,” Evelyn teased as she played along with Ominis’s scheme. “A gaunt heir wandering the halls of Hogwarts at night,” she stroked her chin thoughtfully, “what could he possibly be doing?”

“Not illegal in ‘going to a secret chamber and letting out a monster to kill everyone’ way,” he said while still rubbing his shoulder. “It was more of an illegal ‘I need to get out and get some air when I am forbidden to’ way.”

That came out of nowhere. Of course, Evelyn’s mind focused on the one thing she found so strange to be told as a comparison. 

“Hogwarts has a secret chamber that holds a monster?!”

“Uh…no?” Ominis replied nervously. Which made Evelyn more inclined to believe that it was a fact rather than a lie. Hogwarts had to have a secret chamber, containing a monster that could kill everyone in the school.

“Liar.” Evelyn said while squinting in disbelief at Ominis.

“Tell me about the cave where you defeated Ranrok, and I’ll tell you about the chamber,” Ominis offered. 

That made Evelyn's eyes go wide. She clearly didn’t expect him to ask her about it. Everyone in the school knew about the battle, but they never asked her. They probably didn’t know why Ranrok came and invaded Hogwarts, or why she was there. Let alone suggest that she’s the one who defeated him. The professors probably told some stories to cover it up, and she certainly didn’t know a thing about it. How could he possibly know about it?

Screw it. She preferred to not know about the chamber at all rather than tell him about the magic repository and the whole story following it. It was certainly not on her agenda today to talk about it and cause a ruckus with the professors, who tried their best to keep it secret.

“Next topic!” she said in panic. “How come I didn’t see you earlier?”

Ominis chuckled at her panic before continuing, “I thought you were a prefect, so I hid myself in the shadows,” he answered casually.  “Being blind and accustomed to the darkness has its perks,” he added. “And also, perhaps you couldn’t because I commanded my wand to stop pulsing its waves.”

“You could do it?!”

“Of course,” Ominis shrugged. “It might have its own ‘mind’, but it still listens and obeys me. I told it to stop and became completely ‘blind’ for a few seconds before I realised it was you.”

“I see….” Evelyn said. Her voice trailing off as she tried to think what else she could ask him.

“You haven’t told me your answer yet.” Ominis said out of the blue.

“My answer to what?”

“Are you having a nightmare again?” He asked softly.

“Yeah,” Evelyn answered tiredly. She sighed, “but I got used to it by now.”

“It won’t go away soon.”

The way Ominis said it made Evelyn feel sad. He said it like he knew how it felt. As if he had experienced it himself. She wondered whether the secret mission he had before had something to do with his own battle against nightmare dread. But decided not to ask about it. It’s not exactly her place to ask about it when she also kept it a secret from him and avoided him after she finally told him about it. He would tell her if he wanted too.

“You sound so sure about it.”

“I know it,” Ominis sighed and smiled softly, “But I’m here to help.” He tilted his head towards her, emphasising the genuineness in his voice even more, “if you need it.”

Evelyn smiled, “Thank you, Ominis.”

“And I also wanted to help you figure out your…discomfort around me,” he continued, resolute in his voice. “What do you usually do to calm yourself? Perhaps I could help you in doing so, or simply remind you to do so whenever you feel nervous around me.”

Evelyn was moved by his sincere desire to help her. She felt a peculiar flutter in her chest as she smiled at the genuine friend beside her.  She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to calm herself by focusing on the breeze that blew softly. Being in the same exact position when she cried her heart out to him before surely brought a lot of feelings inside her. 

Here she was, making him do something for her again for the sake of friendship when she hadn’t even given him anything except being a poor one for him. The one who gave her comfort, when all she gave him was hurt.

“I used to count to eighteen,” Evelyn said.

“Why?”

Still closing her eyes, she answered, “Well, my birthday is on the eighteenth of November, my house number is eighteen, and the legal age is eighteen. I guess I just like eighteen.”

Silence came until Ominis spoke timidly, “My birthday is on the eighteenth too. The eighteenth of January.”

Opening her eyes in shock, Evelyn turned her head to the right all of a sudden, accidentally whipping the poor boy’s face with her hair, “Hey, it is today!” 

She then grimaced when she saw him rubbing his cheeks, “Oh Merlin, I’m so sorry!” Her right hand cupped his left cheek, trying to soothe the pain she caused. With her focus only on the handsome face in front of her, Evelyn didn’t even realise she kept her hands on his cheek longer than she should. A soft smile bloomed in her face as she gazed at his face—a smile that, sadly, he would never see. 

“Happy birthday, Ominis.” She continued to rub his left cheek. “I’m sorry I didn’t congratulate you sooner.” 

She felt him smile and heard his shy voice in response, “Thank you. And It’s okay. There aren’t many who know anyway.”

Then, realisation came to Evelyn like a graphorn. She quickly dropped her hand from his cheek and put it above her lap, her head down with shame at her own behaviour—which she actually didn’t regret a bit. 

“I really am sorry.” She apologised again for being late to congratulate him and also, for her last behaviour. Thank Merlin he couldn’t see her right now. Her cheek was probably as red as a tomato. “You’ve been my friend for more than half a year, and I never asked. Sebastian has most likely prepared your present from a month ago and ready to hand it to you at breakfast later.” 

“Well, I wouldn’t have known, since I am currently distancing myself from him right now. As you know, I’m still trying to process all the feelings from…”

Evelyn could feel the sadness herself and didn’t need any more explanation. “Yeah, me too.” She sighed and took a deep breath. “From now on, I will be the first person who congratulates you every year.” She promised. 

“I would like that. If it doesn’t bother you.” Ominis answered timidly. Evelyn couldn’t help but smile as she saw his hopeful face.

“It doesn’t. I’d be happy too,” She said. Silence came again between them until Evelyn groaned, “Ugh, but I still don’t have any presents for you right now!”

“It really is okay, Eve,” Ominis said gently without any hint of disappointment.

“But I wanted to give you one!” She protested. Frustration could be heard as she continued, “And just my luck, I already promised Poppy I would help her after class this afternoon! I can’t go to Hogsmeade without breaking the curfew.” She sighed and began to sway her dangling feet back and forth, thinking hard, until suddenly... she jumped! 

Her mind lit up, she stood straight from her previous place at the edge of the astronomy observation deck. “But I still can go and come back in time if I use the floo powder and run as fast as I can after it!” She exclaimed and then started to rapidly question the startled boy beside her, “Ominis, what do you want? A cake? A book? THE new book of the Nightingale collection? Oh! You probably want something sweet. How about your favourite Honeydukes fudge? I could go to the—”

Evelyn stopped as she felt a hand holding her right arm. The hand then moved down carefully as if trying to find something. It stopped when it found Evelyn’s right hand and clasped it tenderly.  Evelyn was dazed, her mind still comprehending what had just happened. THAT was out of the blue. She had reason to cup his cheek and quickly withdrew her hand. But THIS? 

She heard Ominis chuckle and say, “I am grateful that you’re willing to break the curfew for me. But…” He trailed off as he pulled her back down. She followed the tug, her gaze focused only on their intertwined hands, and sat in her previous place beside him. “I have a better idea,” he continued.

“Wh-what?” Evelyn stuttered as she still felt his hand holding hers even after she sat. His rather rough but warm hands enveloped hers. Her face couldn’t be more red.

“Let me use your technique to calm down.”

After hearing his request, Evelyn's gaze moved to his face, just to see a bright smile adorn it. That caused her mind to become blank. “Huh?” 

Ominis chuckled. “Would you mind if I used your count to eighteen technique whenever I needed to calm myself down? As my birthday gift?”

“W-Why?” Evelyn asked in confusion. She really didn’t have a single idea why he preferred such a gift.

“I just like eighteen.” He shrugged and then rubbed his thumb on her hand, “Like you.”

Evelyn's brain refused to work as she felt his soothing touch, “Uh...huh?” 

“O…kay?” 

Seeing Ominis’s eyebrow raised with concern after he heard her dumb response woke her dead brain. Clearing her throat, and trying as best as she could to not think about their still entwined hands, Evelyn answered with more certainty, “Okay. I wouldn’t mind.”

“Good.” He smiled. “If I may suggest, you probably should start to count now. I could feel and hear your heartbeat accelerating at an alarming pace.” He chuckled. “I can’t have you become brain-dead every time I do this.” Ominis raised their clasped hands.

Evelyn laughed out loud, and he quickly joined. Swaying her dangling feet back and forth, she felt her heart full as the wind breezed through her hair softly, her hand still holding his.

“I’ll try not to.” Evelyn said with a smile. The strange flutter in her chest came back in full force as she remembered what they were doing. “W-Will you do it often?” She asked nervously, gesturing to their intertwined hands.

"I won’t if you don't want me to." He spoke gently.

“I…” 

Evelyn's voice trailed off as she battled to put her emotions into words. She wanted to tell him that when he did it, she felt something within. She wanted to tell him that seeing his hand move towards hers made her stomach flip, that she felt flutters in her chest as she felt his warm skin against hers, that she felt dizzy from all the blood that flowed to her cheeks every time their hands finally entwined. And yet, it also brought her peace of mind, it brought her warmth, and most importantly, it brought her happiness. 

She wanted to tell him that she didn't understand the sensation she felt, but it was just what she desired. She wanted to tell him, she needed it.

Thus, as Evelyn felt his hand begin to slip away, her grasp tightened in response, refusing to let go.

“I want to,” she said sheepishly, holding his hand tightly, “i-it calms me down.”

“Then I’d be glad to do it,” Ominis said with a smile as gentle as his voice. He caressed her hand tenderly and closed his eyes as the air drifted past them.

Silence came between them as Evelyn focused on the boy beside her. How bold he was to sit on the edge without a single hesitation. How kind a friend he was, willing to do anything she needed him to do. How peaceful he looked with his hair flowing slowly as the wind blew gently across it. And how beautiful he was with his long lashes brushing his cheeks as he closed his eyes. The cheek that had its own alluring constellation she would love to—

"I believe they've left." Ominis interrupted Evelyn's thoughts, causing her mind to become blank.

“Who?” 

“The…prefects?” He answered with worry.

Evelyn blinked a few times, and her mind finally started to work again. He was talking about the patrolling prefects. The very reason they were hiding and waiting here in the first place. 

“Oh, yes. Yes, the patrolling prefects,” she responded nervously as she looked down, and dusted off her lap of imaginary dust. Embarrassed.

“We should go back,” Ominis said as he began to prepare himself to stand up, his hand reaching for his wand in his pocket. “I could escort you back to your dorm if you want,” he added.

“Oh, yes…” Evelyn’s voice trailed off once again as she pondered. Did she want this to be over? Did she want to leave? Was it enough? 

The answer came to her mind almost instantly.

“Can we stay?” she asked, causing Ominis to pause his movement to stand up. "Just a few minutes longer?"

He smiled and sat back down, “Of course, Eve.”

The way he pronounced her nickname made Evelyn’s chest feel warm. The way he still held her hand firmly yet with the utmost care made her feel comfortable. The way he smiled sincerely at her made her feel cherished. The way he was there and only there for her, made her feel—

“But we still have to go back to try to get some sleep.”

The boy's remark interrupted Evelyn's thoughts again. She answered with a feigned displeasure, smiling and rolling her eyes at him.

“Yes, mooomm.”

And Evelyn saw sparks fly as she saw him laugh under the stars.

Late Spring, 1891

“Ominis!” Evelyn called at the blond boy a few paces ahead of her. He stopped and turned, his wand could be seen pulsing with red waves. Concern could be heard in his voice as he inquired.

“Evelyn? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” she stopped as she finally reached him, “do I always have a problem when I call for you?”

Ominis said nonchalantly, “You usually do.”

“Well, I don’t,” Evelyn responded indignantly, “not right now.”

“Eve…” Ominis expressed his displeasure, causing her to regret her tease. She threw her hands up in defeat.

“Joking! I was joking!” She said. When she didn't hear back from him, she groaned and continued, “Well, I was wondering if you had any spare time this evening?”

“Evening?” He paused and shrugged, “I guess I have, since Sebastian will have detention instead of studying with me in the common room.”

It’s nice to hear him say Sebastian's name with ease again. And It’s also heartwarming to hear that he began to spend time with Sebastian again. They began to reconcile on Sebastian’s birthday. When Ominis sat out of the blue beside him in the great hall at breakfast.

Evelyn knew how much that gesture meant to the brunette. Ominis had always avoided Sebastian in the shadow of the relic catastrophe. So, Evelyn could understand why Sebastian burst into tears when he found his lost best friend sitting and eating beside him again after being apart for a few months. She remembered seeing Ominis reluctantly pat the weeping boy’s shoulder. A move that Sebastian misinterpreted as an invitation to hug him, which he did, stunning the already shocked blond guy and everyone else at the table. She remembered how she couldn't help but grin at her newly reunited best friends and joined the hug. Never minding the lost and confused stares from the other students.

Evelyn smiled at the memory and continued her talk with Ominis.

“How could you know?”

"I know he would," Ominis sighed, shaking his head, "I saw him being chastised by Madam Scribner earlier."

“Poor him,” Evelyn said in pity for the brunette. 

“He got what he deserved.” Ominis said sternly. 

Evelyn knew Ominis meant no harm. He was actually concerned about his brunette best friend. So she playfully shoved his shoulder with hers.

“Don’t be so mean.”

“I’m tired of watching him always get into trouble.” Ominis murmured with a dejected sigh. “Anyway, why did you ask?”

Evelyn smiled at his question. She put her hands behind her and moved her gaze away from him sheepishly.

“Well,” her feet rocking back and forth, “I’m inviting you to spend the evening together.”

“Just us?” Ominis asked in surprise.

“Just us.”

“I’d be delighted to.”

Ominis’s answer halted her rocking movement. Evelyn swiftly returned her sight to him and flushed as she noticed him smiling.

“G-Great! Maybe after our history of magic class?” 

She could hear him chuckle before he responded, “Okay. Where will we go?”

“You’ll see.”

“I hope I don't regret this.”

Ominis playful remark didn’t go unnoticed by Evelyn who quickly shoved his shoulder to him, earning a good laugh from the young blonde wizard.

After what Ominis said as an insightful history of magic class—Evelyn couldn’t know if it was or not since she slept through it, they found their way to the surrounding castle grounds.

“It’s pretty far from the castle,” Ominis commented as his wand guided him to follow the girl before him.

“Not too far,” Evelyn turned her head back to him, still walking as she continued, “we’re still at the castle grounds.”

They are indeed still at the castle grounds. It’s just a bit far from the main building, nearing the black lake. They walked a few more until Ominis asked out of the blue.

“Are you going to kill me?”

Evelyn came to a halt as she heard the question and quickly turned to the Slytherin behind her.

“W-What?!”

Ominis shrugged at Evelyn’s shock. “You’re taking me far from the castle, bringing me close to the black lake. You could simply murder me and dispose of my body in the lake, never to be found and recovered,” he deadpanned.

Evelyn was gobsmacked when she heard the deadpanned explanation. He was referring to her own joke about him wanting to kill her at the astronomy tower before.

“We have to stop making jokes about killing each other.“

“Oh, but dear, you walked right into it,” Ominis smirked with his hand gesturing to the surrounding environment, “the situation begged me for it.”

His endearment calling went past her as Evelyn groaned in annoyance when he laughed. She walked again, ignoring the laughing boy. They hiked for a while before finally arriving at a clearing she had already designated as her goal when she arranged everything. It was a clear area with a cliff on one side from which the castle could be seen in all its glory.

“We’re here,” Evelyn said as she took a deep breath, relieving the fresh air surrounding her.

“Where is ‘here’?” Ominis asked suspiciously and began to aim his wand at his surroundings while Evelyn resumed her trek.

“Stand right there.” 

“Why?” Ominis asked, but still followed her command, remained standing at his place, not moving even an inch.

Evelyn didn't respond, instead continuing to walk until she was a few feet ahead of the confused boy. She then searched through her enchanted pocket and took out her nab-sack. She then tried to open it, grumbling in the process as she couldn’t find it the first time.

“Eve?!”

“Just trust me!” Evelyn shouted to calm the worried boy. But it didn’t. Ominis was about to take a step forward when the nab-sack finally opened and a white hippogriff leaped out of it. 

The hippogriff almost hit Ominis as it landed right in front of him. Thankfully, Ominis halted his steps as soon as he heard something else was between him and Evelyn. He instantly raised his wand in front of him to defend himself. The Hippogriff flapped its wings in caution and screeched as it saw his glowing wand. 

“Wait!” Evelyn shouted as she ran to the space between Ominis and the hippogriff. 

Ominis lowered his wand in surprise as soon as he heard her, and the hippogriff calmed instantly as soon as it saw him do so. It chirped and tilted its head curiously towards him and his glowing wand.

“Is that—”

“Yes,” Evelyn giggled as she saw the hippogriff’s interest towards Ominis and caressed its neck when she finally stood near it, “this is Highwing. She's the first beast I have ever rescued.”

“The first beast you’ve rescued?!” Ominis asked in shock. 

Evelyn decided not to tell him about her story with Highwing as it could take her hours to finish. Time was essential for what she planned to do. Besides, she was not in the mood to be reprimanded, which Ominis would undoubtedly do if he knew the whole story.

“It’s a long story,” she said quickly. "Ominis, meet Highwing," she continued, motioning with her hand towards him and then to the massive hippogriff.

Evelyn remained still, waiting for Ominis to greet the hippogriff. But he just stood there, holding his wand. Its red pulses drew the hippogriff closer with interest.

“I…don’t know what to do,” Ominis awkwardly confessed.

“You could bow to greet her.” Evelyn suggested, and bow he did not.

Instead, he took a deep breath, placed his wand-wielding hand against his chest, and kneeled. He kneeled in the most graceful way Evelyn had ever seen, full of respect and admiration for the beast beside her. If she had been a hippogriff, she would have bent and kneeled as well in response.

And bent and kneeled the hippogriff did. With one of her front talons bent, Highwing replied to Ominis's greeting with what Evelyn thought was the most courteous bow a hippogriff could offer. Evelyn clearly did not expect it. She was worried that Highwing would reject Ominis since he couldn't see, let alone keep eye contact with it. 

As a result, this change of events stunned and astounded her. It seemed as though Highwing understood his shortcoming and respected him more because of it. Evelyn could only stare in amazement as she gestured her hand towards Highwing and then to the kneeling boy.

“Highwing, meet Ominis, the one I—” Evelyn quickly stopped and cleared her throat, “The one I told you about before, my best friend.”

Evelyn could see the Slytherin boy smiling as addressed him as her best friend. Upon her introduction, the hippogriff rose from its kneeling position and the smiling Slytherin descendant slowly followed.

“She bowed back,” Evelyn added, deciding not to tell him of how the hippogriff gave him the most respectful bow she had ever seen, “that means she gave you the approval.”

“The approval to what?” Ominis asked with frowned brows.

“To come near of course,” Evelyn said, motioning for him to go closer. He approached cautiously, holding his wand in front of him. “Here,” she guided his free hand to touch Highwing’s neck when he was close enough, “there you go.”

“Merlin…” He expressed his surprise and bewilderment while petting the hippogriff. “I can’t believe I’m petting a hippogriff!” 

“And now you’re flying one.”

Evelyn could see Ominis’s panic as he heard what she just said. 

“Wh-what?!”

She giggled at his panic and mounted the hippogriff. Evelyn petted its silky feathers as she gestured it to lower its body. As if it knew what she’s trying to do, the hippogriff kneeled beside Ominis, giving him easier access to mount.

“Come!” She gave her hand to the perplexed boy, who thankfully still had enough understanding to take her hand and mount the beast. He sat behind Evelyn with his wand gripped tightly on his hand, probably trying to make sense of what was happening.

“Hold on tight.” Evelyn instructed the boy and shouted without waiting for his respond, “let’s go Highwing!”

The hippogriff ran towards the cliff as soon as it heard her shout.

“I’m not read—aaaaaaahhh!” Ominis screamed as Highwing let herself and them fall to the cliff

The exhilaration from falling made her forget all the anxiety she should’ve felt as his arms circled around her waist, holding her tightly as they went lower and lower to the ground. Suddenly, Highwing swiftly expanded its wings! Causing the wind to rush through Evelyn’s hair and robe as it continued to fly over the trees. She shouted joyfully, leaving all her worries behind.

“Woohoooo!”

“Aaaaaahhh!!!”

Another shout, well, more of a scream, came to her ears as they coursed through the air, causing her to laugh.

“I thought you said flying was easy!” She teased the screaming boy behind her. 

“Flying with a broom! Not a full grown hippogriff!” Ominis complained as he tightened his embrace of her. 

Evelyn's laughter faded as she realised how frightening it must be for him, struggling to make sense of his surroundings with his wand and his probably overwhelmed senses. She caressed his clenched hand on her waist gently and then gestured for Highwing to slow down. Highwing screeched in response while flapping its wings. It slowed down as it turned towards the black lake and began to descend. Its wings opened on either side, balancing as it coursed right above the black lake. 

Evelyn could feel Ominis’s arms begin to loosen as the gurgling sound of the water could be heard as it touched the hippogriff's feet. Evelyn turned her head towards her back and saw the boy beginning to smile. 

“Open your arms!” She gave him an example by opening her arms on both sides, imitating the currently hovering hippogriff’s wings.

Ominis put his wand in his pocket and followed her example. Amazement came to his face as soon as he felt the wind rushing over his arms. His robes fluttered behind him as he laughed and shouted in excitement.

“This is Amazing!!!”

Evelyn couldn’t help but grin. With the boy’s anxiety dealt with, she turned back and focused on the setting sun in front of her. She had done this a couple times herself. But it had never ceased to amaze her every single time. The sight of the sun setting over the water's horizon, the feeling of wind blowing through her hair, and the happiness coursing through her veins as she felt the warmth of the sun for the day never failed to bring tears to her eyes. 

“It’s incredible, isn’t it?” Evelyn said as she turned her head back. Only to see him smiling at her.

“It is…”

Ominis’s voice seemed to be coming from another world as everything else faded in Evelyn's eyes. Her attention was only on his face, encircled by the golden halo of the final light of the day and adorned with a beautiful smile. A smile that she hoped, was only for her.

“Ah!” Evelyn shrieked as she lost her balance all of a sudden. An arm quickly held her tight as Highwing screeched anxiously, trying to maintain balance by flapping its wings. 

“Careful,” Ominis said gently as he set her back gently to safety. She laughed at the almost disaster and held tightly again to the Hippogriff’s feather. 

“Hold on tight!” She commanded the boy behind her. Only and only after she felt his arms around her, Evelyn shouted to the Hippogriff, “let’s go Highwing!”

The hippogriff happily complied and ascended quickly, two shouts of excitement and laughter could be heard on its trail.

They landed safely in the clearing from where they took off. Evelyn laughed as she unmounted the massive hippogriff, exhilaration still coursing through her veins. She immediately turned to help Ominis climb down, only to be surprised when he did so on his own in the most graceful way possible. Evelyn grinned to herself as she shook her head. Of course, the first time he did it on his own, he succeeded and passed with flying colours. This is Ominis Gaunt. The gracious, warm hearted Ominis Gaunt that captivated Hippogriff’s heart on his first try.

“How was it?” Evelyn asked the blond boy, who did not respond. His pale face was visible, causing Evelyn concern, "Ominis, are—"

"Never, ever, ever do that again." He abruptly cut in. Evelyn felt dread run through her veins and was ready to apologise when she heard him continue.

“Without giving me a warning first.”

She exhaled a sigh of relief and nervously asked him, “You liked it?”

“Liked it? I loved it!” Ominis exclaimed with a beaming smile, bringing a smile to Evelyn’s face. “It was amazing!”

“Well, I thought a flying trip with Highwing might be a nice birthday gift, as I haven’t given you one properly. I’m glad that you loved it,” she said as she walked closer to him, sheepishly tucking a stray strand of her hair behind her ears, "happy belated birthday, Ominis."

“I don’t need another gift from you, Eve.” Ominis said while shaking his head.

Evelyn was at a loss for words and stammered, "I—I thought—Well I—"

“But. That was one of the most joyful events of my life. I may not be ‘seeing’ the trees, the waters, or the sunset, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless. The sorrow of not seeing it pales in comparison to the freedom I felt when the wind cruised through my arms, the surge of excitement I felt when the enormous wings flapped under me, and the happiness I felt as I laughed with you under the final light of the day.”

Ominis paused as he stepped closer to her.

“It was an experience I will cherish all my life,” he held her hand tightly, “Thank you, Eve.”

And Evelyn saw sparks fly when she saw him smile under the golden sun.

Late Spring, A Few Days Before O.W.L, 1891

It was a nice, sunny day. A perfect day to sit outside and just bask in the sunshine. And that was what most of the students decided to do. The grounds near the castle were filled with students, sitting down in groups, trying to forget about the stress of schoolwork and upcoming tests. Including three female fifth-year students that could be seen sitting under the sun near the quidditch pitch.

“Ah, I love the sun.” The Gryffindor one said as she lay herself down, her dark skin glistened under the sun. 

“Me too!” A chirp came from beside her. It was the Hufflepuff girl who quickly followed the Gryffindor and laid down on the grass as well.

Evelyn smiled at her friends and decided to join. She quickly laid herself down on the soft green grass beneath her. 

“Me three!” 

The three of them laughed and the grass beneath them rustled with their laughter, as if laughing in happiness too. 

After the laughter ceased, Evelyn turned her gaze to the clear blue sky above. The clouds above moved slowly, as if to lull her to sleep. The soft sunlight and the gentle breeze made her eyes heavy. She felt peaceful and serene, almost lost in dreamland. Until a voice came and brought her back to reality.

“You guys realise that you’ll get your robes dirty?” 

The smallest of the lying girls—the Hufflepuff to be exact—quickly opened her eyes and squinted to see the one who had disturbed the peace and annoyingly preventing the sun from shining on her. The individual was wearing a green quidditch gown and carrying a gleaming broomstick that was definitely taller than herself, clearly looked like she had just done quidditch practise. The Hufflepuff huffed as she finally recognised her. Who else has the right mind to train for the sport that has been cancelled for the rest of the year? Imelda Reyes is the only answer.

“Dirty of what?” The Hufflepuff asked the standing Slytherin in annoyance, “Grass? Move a bit would you?”

“Yes. Especially you, Onai.” She answered sternly, not moving from her place, and pointed her finger at the Gryffindor, who was still lying with her eyes closed. “Let me remind you that we’ll be having potion class after this, in which I’m currently your partner. You know how serious Professor Sharp is about keeping your cauldron clean and free of foreign objects. I'm not going to let my grades suffer because he sees a stray strand of grass that could blow our cauldron.”

Natsai ‘Natty’ Onai, The Gryffindor, only giggled in response to her ‘worried’ Slytherin friend. 

“Relax, Imelda. I’ll conjure a wind to blow all the grass from my robe later. Let me enjoy the sun for a bit more.” 

Imelda shrugged at her. “Suit yourself. But if Professor Sharp finds—“

“Oh, shut it.” The Hufflepuff suddenly sat up and grabbed the Slytherin girl's robe, causing her to tumble to the grass.

“Poppy!” Imelda exclaimed as she landed on the grass, her rear throbbing from the unexpected collision with the ground.

The other girls giggled at the scene before them. Imelda was fuming, massaging her aching back while Poppy grinned innocently beside her.

“Oh, hush. You’ve fallen from a higher place before.”

“It still hurts!” Imelda grumbled in displeasure.

Poppy might have felt guilty since her giggle faded after that. She scooted closer and hugged the annoyed Slytherin, “Sorry, Imelda.” 

Imelda merely grunted in response and quickly dropped herself towards her back with Poppy still hugging her. The Hufflepuff could only shriek as she felt herself drop to the back all of a sudden. Their bodies landed on the ground with a puff of dust.

Laughter broke instantly. Poppy was the first to laugh, followed by Imelda, Natty, and lastly, Evelyn. Who wasn't exactly sure what made them laugh, but with the stress of the forthcoming test, chose to enjoy the bliss no matter why. For a little while, hers and the others' laughter could be heard for a while before the soothing silence returned. Followed by the chirps of birds and gentle spring breeze.

Evelyn’s eyes gazed at the clouds above, trying to make shapes of those cotton candy look-a-like in the sky. She was beginning to see a familiar shape when Poppy broke the silence.

“I like this, laying around under the sun with you guys makes me feel warm inside,” Poppy sighed blissfully, “do you guys ever feel warm inside?”

“I do.” A spontaneous answer came from Natty. “I feel it right now.”

Evelyn smiled at the sudden confession of emotion from her friends and decided to join, “I do too.”

“Don’t you feel warm too Imelda?” Poppy asked to silent Slytherin beside her, who finally answered after a few seconds of more silence.

“Yes, I feel warm.”

Evelyn snickered when she heard Imelda’s tone. Embarrassed, yet happy tone. Her mind then decided to bring up a certain memory when she also heard a quite familiar tone of voice from Imelda.

“Warmer than when Garreth helped you in Herbology yesterday?”

“Evelyn!” Imelda chided Evelyn with her face turning bright crimson with each passing second.

“Ooooh, someone has a cruuushh,” Poppy joined the teasing with a sing-song voice. It seemed to successfully make Imelda even more nervous as she quickly denied the suggestion.

“I don’t!” 

“I never said it was you.” Poppy responded quickly in wit. 

Evelyn laughed out loud hearing that. Poppy couldn’t hold her laughter any longer and quickly joined. They both were laughing at Imelda’s flushing face when a confession came out of the blue from the silent girl between Evelyn and Poppy.

“I had a crush.”

Evelyn whirled her head towards the Gryffindor girl beside her, “Natty?!”

“What?!” Imelda shot up from her lying position almost at the same time as Evelyn whirled her head. 

“Ooh, how exciting!” Poppy exclaimed as she turned her body so she was lying on her stomach, facing the Zimbabwean witch with her head on both of her hands that were propped up with her elbow.

Natty giggled at her friends' reactions. Every one of their features revealed a look of astonishment as they focused their attention on her. Still lying on her back, she looked up at the sky and continued her confession.

“As I said before, I had a crush. It was a senior. A brave seventh year Gryffindor who helped me adjust to Hogwarts when I first moved here.”

“That was one year ago, right?” Evelyn asked.

“Yes. I had a hard time, especially in using wand to channel my magic. As I said before, we don’t use wands in Uagadou. The senior found it fascinating and we became friends in an instant. They helped me adjust to my wand as I taught them a bit about wandless magic.”

Imelda scoffed as soon as Natty finished her tale. “One house love,” she rolled her eyes, “lame.”

“Then please, do tell us about your cross house love.” Poppy retorted quickly, turning her head towards the Slytherin. Who was silent all the sudden after hearing it. 

Giggle could be heard from Evelyn and Natty as they found their Slytherin friend’s face turning red once again. Satisfied with the reaction she got, Poppy turned her head back to the Zimbabwean Witch. Inquired excitedly.

“Was it love at the first sight?”

Natty went silent for a while, her eyes could be seen like they were searching for the answer. With a frown, she finally answered.

“I don’t like, like them at first. It just…happened. One morning we were practising together and all of a sudden I got this…tingling in my chest when I saw them doing magic without his wand. I thought it was pride. Like a teacher to be proud of her students? But, my stomach flipped when I saw them smiling excitedly, happy that they had successfully done magic without a wand. And I knew it was not it.”

Evelyn's mind came to a stop as she heard what Natty had just said. Tingling in the chest. Stomach flipping. She felt it too. She felt it before. And still felt it every time she saw the smile of a certain Slytherin friend of hers.

“You knew that you liked them right there and then?” Evelyn asked in a quiet voice, afraid of the answer.

Natty shook her head and said, “No.”

Evelyn sighed in relief. No, of course not. What she felt was probably just a fluke. Maybe she ate something bad in the morning and caused it every time she saw him for the whole day. Her stomach was probably still adjusting to the magical cuisine. She was right to decide that she should go see Madam—

“It’s silly, but I actually met with Madan Blainey for it. I knew that was not how the pride of a teacher would feel, as I remembered what my mother told me how she felt when she had a successful class session.” 

THAT made Evelyn’s train of thought suddenly stop. 

“You went to see Madam Blainey,” Imelda giggled in disbelief, “because your stomach flipped when you saw his smile?!”

“I never felt it before,” Natty answered calmly and shrugged, “and my mother told me to go to the hospital wing if I feel anything strange when she’s not around.”

“This is good. By all means, Onai, please continue.” Imelda said with a smirk.

Evelyn, on the other hand, had absolutely no desire to smirk. Natty actually did what she had pondered but hadn't done yet. Anxiety made her unable to do anything except hold her breath while waiting for Natty’s answer. She felt like a panicked train driver, pulling the breaks as hard as she could, trying to stop the train from falling off the cliff. The breaks screeched wildly on the rail as Evelyn heard Natty continue.

“Madam Blainey just smiled at me after I told her what I was feeling. She held my hand—and if I still remember it correctly—said, ‘Natty dear, when you’re at your age, sometimes you feel something out of the ordinary for the first time. And it’s absolutely normal. The tingling you feel in your chest, the flipping you feel in your stomach, and the sparks you see when you see that special someone are the symptoms of what I called, falling in love.’”  

The train in Evelyn’s mind plunged off the cliff and exploded with such force that it made all her other thoughts evaporate.

Falling in love.

The realisation came bearing down on her. Every caught breath, every flush on her cheeks, and every quickening heartbeat, were her own body’s way to tell her of her own feelings. Every flutter she experienced, every tingle she felt, and every spark she saw flying whenever she saw his smile was her own body screaming for her to realise that,

She was falling in love.

“That is sooo romantic!” Poppy exclaimed excitedly, her leg moving up and down on the grass, “how does it feel? Falling in love with someone?”

A soft voice came from Evelyn's lips.

“It’s like being a house of cards, hoping anxiously not to be blown away every time he moves. And yet, you couldn’t—wouldn’t run from him, knowing you wouldn’t get far. Your mind throws away all common sense and makes excuses, willing to fall for him. Willing to leave everything behind and just drown in his blue eyes every time you see them.

You want him to take away the pain of longing, and yet, afraid to move first every time he’s close enough to touch. It's as though you're still with him even when he's not around, haunting you. You're hoping he knows and doesn't know at the same time, because you're embarrassed by your thoughts of him. Because…you see sparks fly, whenever he smiles.”

Evelyn was so engrossed in her own thoughts that she didn't realise she'd stated them aloud for everybody to hear. Her friends, including Natty and Poppy, were sitting up and looking in astonishment at her. Her face reddened from all the attention.

“Wow…Evelyn…” Poppy said in awe, causing Evelyn to be more embarrassed than before. 

“Never knew you'd be such a romantic, Rose,” Imelda smirked, “who’s the lucky blue-eyed person?”

Evelyn quickly sat up, her eyes widened. Did she really say it? Blue eyes? 

“Hmm…did she really say blue eyes?” Natty considered for a moment.

“It couldn’t be Sebastian, could it?” Poppy guessed out of the blue, “he has brown eyes.”

Imelda jumped out of the blue, coming closer to the blushing fifth year. “No. Absolutely not. Nu’uh. I don’t and won’t give my blessing,” she stated firmly. “There are better boys in this school than him. You’d best tell me right now that it’s not him, Rose.”

“I—”

“Hi, Eve.”

Evelyn thanked Merlin for the voice that came out of the blue behind her, saving her from any more damage from the embarrassment and the crushing realisation of her own feelings. Her head turned towards the voice. As it turned out, she was grateful too soon, seeing the blue-eyed boy in her confession was now standing behind her.

Her face went white with dread. He might have heard her. 

“Hey, Ominis!” Poppy greeted the Slytherin boy happily.

“Gaunt,” Imelda nodded her head at him.

“Hello,” Natty greeted him curtly.

“Hello, ladies,” Ominis greeted the ladies present with a polite nod, “sorry to bother your conversation, but I believe Evelyn has an appointment to go.”

Evelyn, who was still drowning in dread, only gaped as she answered nervously, “I-I have?”

“You promised to assist Sebastian and I in studying potions?” Ominis's puzzled question sounded tinged with concern.

Evelyn chose not to be concerned about him having heard her confession. If he did, she would undoubtedly have to face the consequences. But it didn’t have to be right there and then. She quickly forced herself to forget, reset her mind, and focus on the boy’s question instead.

“Oh, yeah. Yes, I did.” She answered with a smile.

“Ready to go?” Ominis said while offering his hand to Evelyn, which she accepted nonchalantly and rose up with his assistance. Her hand remained on his even after she had properly stood up.

That, made Poppy’s and Natty’s eyes widen. 

“Well, I’m sorry our time must be cut short. Let's regroup after the last class, okay?” Evelyn said to the girls, whose surprise she didn't even notice. After seeing the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor nod, she linked her arm to Ominis’s left elbow like she used to and walked away.

Seeing how the pair of friends left, Natty’s and Poppy’s mouths gaped and said the same thing at the same time.

“Oh…”

“What? Why?” Imelda—clearly unaware of what had occurred—questioned the two gaping girls, who instantly grinned after they woke up from their surprise, both acknowledging what just happened. They looked at each other and laughed. 

In frustration, the Slytherin who had been left out, focused on the already distant strolling pair, sensing her friends' laughter had something to do with them. Seeing the intertwined arms, a light bulb suddenly lit up her thoughts. 

“Gaunt?!”

Evelyn and Ominis walked arm in arm towards the Undercroft, where they and Sebastian had promised to meet. His wand guided them both through the mostly empty corridors. With the sun shining brightly, it was expected that most of the students would be outside, as she and the other girls had been. They were halfway through the journey when Evelyn felt Ominis discreetly press his left elbow, which was where her hand held on, to his side.

Evelyn felt her cheek warming up, finally noticed what they were doing and what the gesture meant. They say a gentleman who has reason to suspect that he may be in special favour with the lady with whom he is walking may discreetly press his elbow to his side after she has taken his arm in the formal manner. If he is correct, the lady tightens her grip on his arm; if he is incorrect, she removes her hand from his arm and tells him an excuse to stop the walk. 

She had never considered it before. She only thought of his action of linking her hand on his elbow as a polite way to escort a lady—which was expected from a heir of a family such as his, and only thought of his pressing on her hand as a reassurance, as if he was simply checking if she’s still with him on the journey. But after her previous realisation…it became more serious for her. More…intimate.

With her breath caught, her flushing cheek, and her quickening heartbeat, Evelyn knew this was not a coincidence, as she previously believed. She didn't have to visit Madam Blainey to figure it out. Merlin, she even practically confessed it earlier. The feeling she had was real.

She’s falling for him.

So she tightened her grip on his arm. 

And welcomed the sparks that flew every time she saw him ever since.

#hogwarts legacy #ominis gaunt #ominis x you #hogwarts legacy ominis #sebastian sallow #ominis x y/n #ominis x reader #ominis x oc #wizarding world #hogwarts legacy mc #hogwarts legacy fanfiction #hogwarts legacy fanfic #hogwarts legacy fic #fanfic #fanfiction #ao3 #archive of our own #natty onai #natsai onai #imelda reyes #ominis x mc #ominis imagine #ominis fic #ominis gaunt x mc #ominis gaunt x reader #ominis gaunt x you #ominis gaunt x f!reader #ominis gaunt x f!mc #gaunt #a timeless hogwarts legacy

[holdmytesseract]

Not Your Little Girl Anymore 》 The Baby Fever AU

Loki Laufeyson x fem!Reader

Request:

"So happy to see that your requests are open again😍💚

What about Ella being older and eventually bringing her first bf home… Loki has a hard time accepting it and y/n has to keep him from wanting to intimidate the boy 24/7 but he only does it because he loves Ella to the moon and back. When he realizes that the boy is polite and makes Ella laugh etc. he welcomed him (maybe still a bit reluctantly)🤣☺️

-> for your amazing baby fever AU" - Requested by @fictive-sl0th ! 😄

Summary: The time has come... Ella is bringing home her first boyfriend - much to Loki's horror. It's a whole new situation for the God and he needs to learn that Ella isn't his little girl anymore...

Warnings: none, I'd say... fluff, mentions of pregnancy

Word Count: 2,7k

a/n: We are taking a glimpse into the future with this oneshot, guys! 😄 I talked a lot to @fictive-sl0th about this - and I think the result is very cool! 😁 There's a lot going on in this one! I hope you guys - and especially you, @fictive-sl0th like it as much as I do! 😊 Also, this oneshot reveals, that there is so much more to come in the future! 💚

Tagging: @lokisgoodgirl @lovingchoices14 @evelyn-kingsley @jennyggggrrr @acefeather2002 @lulubelle814 @vbecker10 @theaudacitytowrite @lady-rose-moon @aagn360 @fictive-sl0th @mostclevermiss

If you want to be added to the Loki taglist, please let me know! 😊

MAIN MASTERLIST 》 BABY FEVER AU MASTERLIST

"Sooo... How was school today, sweetheart?" You asked your daughter, while passing over the bowl with salad towards her. Ella shrugged her shoulders, picking almost nervously at her dinner. "Okay, I guess." "That doesn't really sound convincing, princess." Loki chimed in, looking at his teenage daughter as well. The girl shrugged her shoulders again, causing you and your husband to exchange a slightly worried gaze. It was rare for Ella to say something like that. Unlike other kids and teenagers, she loved school. She always had. She loved to learn new things, was utterly smart, and a bookworm - just like her father. No wonder she was the Goddess of Wisdom… You crossed your arms over your chest. "Okay, what's wrong? There's something. I know it. Do you want to talk about it?" You could visibly see, how nervous she became. "Uhhh... It's uhhh..." "You don't have to talk about it, sweetie." You reassured her with a soft smile. Ella was sixteen now, and sixteen wasn't really a - let's say easy age... Puberty and all. You knew that. It's not like you didn't go through that phase of your life, too - and so did Loki. So, you tried to not push her to talk, but she shook her head. "No! I want to talk about it, it's just..." The girl didn't quite find the right words, it seemed. "You know, you can talk with us about anything." Loki tried to reassure her as well, before he took a bite of his salad, "I-It's, uh... I... I... have a... boyfriend." and almost choked on it, as his daughter's words urged to his ears. You patted his back, in order to help him. "Y-You... You have a what?" The God asked in disbelief, every possible warning bell ringing inside his head. "A-A boyfriend." Ella said nervously, fumbling with the hem of her t-shirt. While Loki still needed a moment to recover from the shook, you started to smile. It was sometime about to happen, wasn't it? Ella wasn't a kid anymore. "Oh, that's wonderful sweetie. What's his name?" You tried to give her a good feeling and calm down her nerves - unlike your husband. "His name's Nicholas. H-He's, uh, he's in my science class." You just wanted to answer something, when Loki leapfrogged you. "You have a boyfriend?" He asked once again, still shocked. Ella nodded, uncertainly. "Y-Yes, we-" The God interrupted her, shaking his head. "No, absolutely not. Ella, you are barely sixteen! I didn't have a boyfriend until I was five hundred!" You looked at him, open-mouthed and elbowed him gently in his side. "Loki!" You hissed. "That's a whole other thing! You are a God, babe, with a longer lifespan. You can't compare-" "Wait a second... Boyfriend?" Ella threw in, a bit confused. Both yours and Loki's head snapped towards the teenager. "Don't listen to your father. That's a story for another time, sweetie." You smiled and glared at Loki, signalling him to shut up. "Now... Can we meet Nicholas?" Ella smiled softly. "W-Would you like that?" You nodded. "Of course! Right, Lokes?" You glared at him again, elbowing him once more, when he didn't answer and rather pouted, looking like an offended, little boy. "Yes, darling. Of course."

Only a few days later, you were preparing dinner again - but this time in the knowing, that Ella was bringing her first boyfriend home to join dinner. On one hand, it was somehow surreal and... strange? But on the other hand, you were very happy for your girl - unlike a certain God...

"Lokes... Stop looking so... grumpy and judgemental." You scolded him, while shoving the lasagna into the oven. "We are talking about your daughter's first boyfriend... You can't look as miserable as sin, babe." He had just joined you in the kitchen to get something to drink, looking like that. Now, although, he stood beside you, looking rather like a drowned rat. "I know, love and I am really trying, but it's just..." The God cut off his own sentence to swallow hard. "She's my little girl, Y/N. I-I can't stand the thought of a boy - Norns, man in her life, who isn't me or Thor or the other Avengers... It feels so... wrong." Loki was on the verge of crying now - causing you almost to cry as well. Stupid hormones. "Oh, babe..." You quickly wrapped him up in a tight hug. "I know. I can understand you. I really do. It's hard for you to accept that - what is completely normal, but... As hard as it sounds... She's not your little girl anymore. She's almost an adult. You need to let her go and let her make her own way. It's the first time she's in love - and we both know how special this is and how delicate." You reached your hand up to cup Loki's cheek, causing him to place both his hands on your hips. "You know how important this dinner is for her - and you also know how important you are for her. Ella needs the support of her dad tonight." Loki swallowed once again, your words echoing through his mind. "I'll try." He said finally. "I'll try, but I can't promise. I just want to protect my princess..." "I know. And I love you for that." He smiled. For the first time this day, Loki smiled. "You know me, love. I always just want my precious family to be safe." The God let his hands wander, until they came to rest on your baby bump. Yeah... You were pregnant. Not purposely, though. It was completely unplanned and surprising. A happy surprise. After Ella and Narfi, you actually didn't plan to have another baby. Well... Loki's superior biology had something against it, it seemed... Whoops… You were about to stand on your tiptoes and kiss the man you married, when you got interrupted by quick, small steps entering the kitchen. "Daddy! You gotta help me!" You smiled. Speaking of the devil...

Narfi - your nine-year-old boy rounded the corner, half naked and in all his Jotun glory. While puberty caused Ella's Frost Giant form to somehow magically disappear, seemed Narfi to get the full swig of it. Ella inherited Loki's full magic; Narfi his full Jotun biology. Somehow funny.

The boy ran up to you, short raven curls bouncing wildly. His blue skin almost shimmered underneath the kitchen light. He was beautiful, without a doubt. Loki switched immediately into dad-mode. Letting go of you, he turned around to face Narfi, squatting down to be on eye level with him. "What happened, buddy?" The boy kneaded his fingers nervously, giving his father a half smile. "I, uh, wanted to freeze my orange juice a-and accidentally turned my, uh, whole room into an ice cave." Loki looked at his son, with raised eyebrows. "An ice cave?" "'M sorry, daddy." Narfi apologised; feeling visibly bad about what happened. But when the boy's ruby eyes met his father's oceanic blues and he noticed that Loki was smiling in amusement, Narfi's worries vanished. You just shook your head, smiling as well. "Come on, buddy." Your husband said and stood up, "Let's have a look." before he placed a hand on his son's shoulder; leading him out of the kitchen.

About thirty minutes, after the ice cave problem was solved and Narfi had been picked up by his uncle Thor and his cousin Erik (named after the great Dr. Erik Selvig) for an ice hockey game, you and Loki got prepared to meet Nicholas.

"Better, love?" The God asked with a huff. You placed a kiss on his cheek, nodding. "Very." You had to prevent Loki from wearing his full Asgardian armour - for dinner. "It's an important, formal event, isn't it, darling?" That had been his excuse. Of course, you knew exactly that he just wanted to be intimidating and show off his powers. The protective dad mode - how you called it. Now, he had at least changed into a dark green tunic. You stood on your tiptoes to kiss him, when you heard the main door click open. Ella was home. "Time to meet Nicholas, I'd say." Loki just nodded, visibly feeling uneasy. "Come on, babe." You said, grabbing his hand and intertwining your fingers. "You can do this. Try to stay calm and please be nice. He's just a boy." "Yeah, a boy who gets too close to Ella. I swear, if he breaks her heart, I am going to-" You quickly shut him up with another kiss, then dragged him after you, towards the main door. "Mom? Dad? I-I'm home!" "We're coming, sweetie!"

As soon as you crossed the corner of the hallway, you felt a pair of shy, but also curious brown eyes on you. Nicholas. "Hey, mom, hey dad." Ella smiled softly, stepping closer to hug you both. What you didn't see, was how Loki hugged his princess just a little longer, sending the boy opposite him already a warning glaze, making him swallow hard. You hugged Ella close to you as well, before you turned to the boy with warm hazel eyes and short, very curly, brown hair. "You must be Nicholas." You said, smiling softly at Ella's boyfriend. "I-I am." He answered nervously and quickly cleared his throat. "Y-Yes, I am Nicholas." "Nice to meet you, Nicholas." "I-It's nice to meet you too, Mrs.-" "No, please call me Y/N." You interrupted him immediately with another smile. "Y/N." Nicholas repeated, smiling as well. Then, he turned to Loki and swallowed hard once again. Loki was eyeing him thoroughly and scrutinizingly; both arms crossed over his muscular chest. "Y-You must be Lo- I-I mean, Mr. Laufeyson. N-Nice to m-meet you, Sir." Nicholas stretched out his hand, smiling awkwardly and trying to cover his nervosity and fear. He was clearly intimidated by Loki. Not just because he was Ella's father, no... The boy knew exactly, who was standing in front of him and that he just set foot on the famous Avengers compound… Loki Laufeyson. The God of Mischief and crown prince of Asgard.

Loki still eyed the boy, not moving an inch - until you gave him a gentle nudge with your elbow. Didn't you talk with him exactly about this earlier? You asked him to be nice and accept Ella having a boyfriend - and what was he doing? Exactly that, what he promised to try not to do. You internally rolled your eyes. Of course, this all was new for you as well. Ella suddenly having a boyfriend - but it was normal. It was the path of life and Ella just wasn't a child anymore. You had accepted and acknowledged this. Unlike your husband... "Yes, that I am." Loki said in a rather cool voice, before he reluctantly took Nicholas' offered hand, shaking it. Ella watched the scenes unfold in front of her eyes with a slightly worried look. To break the uneasy tension between the two men, you clapped joyfully your hands. "I think the lasagna is ready. Shall we eat?" Everyone agreed on that and a few minutes later, you were all seated around the dining table.

It took all involved a bit of time to ease up and dive into small talk. How Ella and Nicholas had met. Where he was coming from or what he loved to do in his free time. Simple small talk. The dinner went better than you had expected. You liked Nicholas. He seemed to be a very nice and smart boy. Well... Except for Loki. Loki barely talked, just eyed Nicholas like a hawk.

"Mom, where's Narfi, actually?" "Oh, he's out with your uncle and cousin, watching an ice hockey match." "Ohh, right, yes. You mentioned it. I forgot. Too bad you couldn't meet him yet, Nick... I know you are going to like him. He's such a happy, mischievous little boy." Ella said, giggling. She loved her younger brother to the moon and back and was happy to be a big sister - and she couldn't wait for sibling number two to arrive. You smiled at Ella, then turned your head towards Nicholas. "What about you, Nicholas? Have you got siblings?" "Oh, uh, yes. I have a younger brother, too. His name is Winnie. He's four years younger than me." "Well, I had to wait a bit longer to get a sibling." Ella joked, smiling her dad's identical mischievous smile. You giggled. "That is true, but as a compensation, you are getting a second one now." That caused everyone to have a laugh together – except, of course, one certain God...

After dinner, Loki insisted to do the dishes; saying you were pregnant and needed the rest. Of course, you suspected that this was only half the truth. You knew him now long enough to know, that he presumably did that to escape the situation he was in. But you weren't the only one who noticed it. "I'm going to help dad real quick." Ella announced, standing up. "You okay with this, Nick?" "Of course." The two teenagers smiled lovingly, but also awkwardly at each other; not quite comfortable to share some intimacy in front of your eyes yet. While you and Nicholas stayed behind to have another conversation with each other, Ella went to the kitchen to join her father.

"Dad?" The God's head turned to meet his identical oceanic blue eyes. He smiled softly. "Yes, princess?" Ella stepped closer and started to help Loki. "Is everything alright? You've been quiet the whole evening... Is... Is it Nicholas? Do you not like him?" The young woman asked with worry swinging in her voice. Her father's opinion and thoughts were important for her. He was important for her. If not the most important person in her life. She had always been a daddy's girl - and was ever going to be. Loki smiled at her again, but it wasn't an honest smile. "Perfect, sweet girl." Ella swallowed hard, knew exactly that this was a lie. Lying to the carbon copy of himself? Impossible. The girl's face fell at the realisation. "You don't like him..." Loki cursed himself internally. He wanted to. He really did, but it was so difficult for him to accept this. The God shook his head, sighing. "It's not that, Ella..." "Well, it looks like it. You barely exchanged a word with Nicholas, just stared him to the ground from the first moment you laid eyes upon him." "I know, I know... It's just..." Loki sighed again, before looking his daughter again in the eyes. "This is not quite easy for me, Ella. To see you with a boy, knowing that there's a man now in your life who isn't me, Thor or the other Avengers is disconcerting for me. I am afraid of you. I don't want you to get hurt. You're my little girl, princess..." Ella shook her head, a few tears building up in her eyes. "I understand you, dad. I really do - but I am not a little girl anymore. I know that you just want to protect me, but you don't have to do that. Nicholas isn't a threat." Before Loki could answer something, Ella rushed past him, out of the kitchen and back into the dining room. The God looked down at the ground, sighing. The conversation with his daughter hit him, made him overthink his behaviour. It was still hard for Loki to change his mind about this whole situation, but with the evening passing by, he witnessed how Nicholas made his daughter smile and laugh. Loki recognised, that she was visibly happy. Nicholas made her happy. Perhaps, he judged the boy too fast. When it was time for the young man to go home, he offered Loki once again his hand. This time, he still hesitated a bit, but shook his hand with a soft smile. "Thank you, Mr. Laufeyson." "Call me Loki." The God said with a nod. You smiled up at your husband. It was a start.

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