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multisfabulis · 3 years

Text

Love’s Descent into Madness

Dethronement (Chapter 3/3)

Word Count: 3627

TW: Graphic depictions of violence, gore, decapitation, and major character death

Happy holidays!

I hope everyone likes the ending because writing this was suffering. Winter decided to come early this year and I absolutely hate the cold so a lot of this was written with numb fingers. The past few days have also been tiring and, because I wanted to get this out before Christmas, I had to pull an all-nighter to finish this and rewrite it to make it look pretty so this was a sleep-deprived fic.

Okay, so I have some things I need to explain:

First off, that line about Ayano needing to apply herself more to her schoolwork was actually a reference to a piece of fanart I saw of Saeru (in disguise as Kenjirou) helping Ayano with her homework and subtly taking digs at her the whole time. I just thought of it while I was writing that paragraph and thought it'd be a neat reference. I can't find the Tweet but I'm hoping someone has a link to it!

Second off, that instance of Kenjirou almost ruining Saeru's plan is a bit of foreshadowing to another Kagepro fic I'm in the works of writing. It may not be the next Kagepro fic I write but it IS coming.

Thirdly, the whole meaning behind Azami not being able to die but still being killed. I know it sounds like the "People die when they are killed" meme but let me explain. I needed to think of a way Azami could still die but without anyone telling me "She's immortal, she can't die" so the way I went about it is, the Queen Snake was what let her be immortal. Because that was the snake that, in my fic, marked her as a god, she couldn't die. Once she gave that snake to Marry, she lost her god status, bringing her down to our level. However, because she was still a Gorgon, I made it so that she couldn't die by natural causes, I.E. starvation, sleep deprivation, etc. She was now an immortal mortal, meaning she couldn't die from natural causes BUT she could now be killed. I don't know if this makes a lot of sense but this is the best way I can describe it.

Finally, the ending. It only occurred to me when I was writing the build-up to it that I wanted to make it a sort of dark twist on Kagepro's themes of moving on after a loved one's death. Saeru decides to move on after Azami's death but he regarded her as dead years ago and was the one to kill her. I don't know if it worked the way I wanted it to but I tried my best.

I'm happy this didn't take that long unlike another past project of mine and I hope everyone who's read this enjoyed it!

Read on AO3 | Read on DA | Support me on Ko-fi!

The never-ending world, or the Daze as it was now called, had undergone many changes over the years. It was only natural since it was ordered to swallow up any unfortunate souls that were unlucky enough to die on August 15th and the world needed to accommodate for its ever increasing number of occupants. Yet there were some things that never changed, no matter how much time had passed. Absence truly did make the heart grow fonder.

He was in very familiar territory. Casually strolling through the dark woods revealed a large clearing where a small decrepit house stood. The moon’s radiance acted as if it were a spotlight, shining down upon it to let him know she was here. It may be an inferior replica but there was no mistaking it. Saeru was home.

It had been several years since his departure from the Daze. The rest of his siblings were gone, having ventured out to the real world in their human vessels and he couldn’t blame them for leaving. Who’d want to stay in a place where the only company you had was a good-for-nothing has-been of a queen? That’s why he followed the example his four siblings set and escaped when the opportunity presented itself. He really wanted to thank them when he had the chance.

The body he left in was a person by the name of Tateyama Kenjirou. A hardworking teacher and devoted family man, he and Saeru met when he and his wife were caught in a landslide. Saeru promised to bring her back if the man allowed him to reside in his body and he accepted his terms of the bargain. That was how their unlikely partnership began, union between human and snake.

It felt simply amazing to have a body to control. While it had taken him some time to adapt and familiarize himself with human behavior, he nevertheless reveled in it. No longer was he a snake relegated to devising plans. He had the means to carry them out himself and no one would be none the wiser. At least, that’s what he believed before a certain idiotic girl proved him wrong.

He had to give her some credit. Not only did she figure out most of his plan just by reading her father’s research but she learned of his existence all due to a small yet sloppy mistake. If she only applied that amount of effort into her schoolwork, then she wouldn’t have been as stupid as she led herself to believe. There was, however, one thing she didn’t take into account.

She thought killing herself would stop him from going after everyone. What she didn’t think about was the advantage her death would give him. One less person to worry about ruining his plan and she left behind a perfectly traumatized helper. The damn brat was like putty in his hands; a few convincing threats to his precious “family” and a deal with the devil was made.

But then the dear old professor kept butting into his business. There were several times over the past two years where he came out because he wanted to spend some “quality time” with the remainder of his family. There was one instance he could recall in which his plan was almost thwarted but Saeru was able to take back the reins. It was too easy to pull the wool over his partner’s eyes and trick him into thinking he was dreaming. It wasn’t like he was lying to him, he was just using the information he knew about humans to his benefit.

Today was when his plan was truly enacted. All the necessary people had arrived, including his traitorous sibling. Konoha, as they were now called, seemed to have forgotten what the humans did to their real family all those years ago and had allied with them. Their compassion for them had its perks, though. It only took one well-aimed bullet to strike them down, leaving them open for a permanent takeover.

The resulting bloodbath was nothing short of marvelous. Having a body, especially one such as his, meant much more fun and creative ways to play with his toys. Spines breaking as they hit concrete walls and organs hitting the floor with a wet slap was like music to his ears. He even ripped out a pathetic shut-in’s throat with his bare hands just because he could and it was oh so enjoyable to hear him choke on his own blood. Too bad it was over all too soon.

The crybaby brat was left as the sole survivor. He knew what she was capable of and she was the essential component. Yet, he couldn’t help feeling a small sort of kinship with her, which he found funny. He was, in a way, her subject and she his queen but it felt as if they were equals. Perhaps, if he had her powers, he too could rewind time to the point he would’ve taken a different path. To spend more time with the one he loved above all else… That was a dream best left in the past.

He decided to leave her be so she’d be able to mourn her losses. He needed to use the little time he had to take care of unfinished business. He fled from the scene by going through the portal she created in the midst of her despair.

He found himself in what seemed to be a white void. The floor beneath him rippled when his feet touched the surface and he realized he was standing on water. His reflection stared back at him when he cast his eyes downward. The body his sibling graciously gifted to him allowed him to change it however he wanted and he liked the changes he made. A vessel specifically tailored just for him was such a wonderful thing and it was a shame to have to give it up.

A pair of small black horns stuck out of long dark hair tied into a braid. Black scales painted the edges of his face and eyes, trailing down his neck before concealing themselves under the layers of clothes. He kept his red eyes and fangs from when he was a snake so he’d still be recognizable. Blood coated his hands and stained the only article of pristine white clothing he wore, which he hoped would intimidate his prey. She’d never see this coming.

Finding an exit out of the void was simple. All he had to do was take a step and he was in an entirely different place. There were an endless amount of stairs and corridors leading to doors, most of what he could see on fire. The heat was surprisingly pleasant as he wandered around the seemingly limitless labyrinth. It was then he spotted a tangle of black hair with a sliver of red hastily entering one of the doors. With a rush of adrenaline running through his veins, he ran towards the door. It had been so long since he played his favorite game of cat and mouse.

He chased her through many areas of the Daze. One was of a ruined city where the setting sun gave way too many shadows for her to hide in. Another was of an urban landscape, not unlike a major street intersection, where there were dozens of blood splatters decorating the asphalt. It was after he cut across a nighttime city he arrived at his destination.

Mother was inside. The house she and her wretched human “family” lived and laughed in for the few years they stayed there. It was fitting for her and him to settle their issues in the same place their troubles began. She’ll regret leaving behind the ones that truly loved her.

He walked up to the house. Overgrown grass crept over the foundation and ivy crawled all along the flaky walls. There were broken shards of glass inside the windows, which would make it hard for trespassers to sneak in without alerting anyone. Parts of the roof had collapsed inward and the front door was hanging on by a thread. Mother’s really let the place go, hasn’t she?

He stopped just before the door. How did he want to approach this? She had to know he was here so there was no need in being stealthy. He then did the next best thing, which was to kick the door down till he was inside. He smashed through it, reducing it to mere splinters. That was easy.

The room he was in now was the same room he proposed the idea of creating this world to Mother. It was empty, save for a few pieces of overturned furniture scattered about the place and debris from the roof. Moonlight shone down from above, illuminating the room, though it wasn’t necessary. He could see perfectly well in the dark, despite the limitations of his “human” body.

There were two doors that stood in front of him. Beyond them were bedrooms, one being that brat Shion’s and the other Mother’s. It was a coin toss as to which room she was hiding in and he hated wasting time with trivial matters like this. Besides, even if he did end up picking the wrong choice, she wouldn’t get away undetected. His hearing was almost as good as hers and she knew that.

An idea sprang into his mind to try luring her out. He stood at the wall separating the two rooms, wound up his fist, and punched it. The sheer power in the hit caused a crater to form in the wall as dust sprinkled down from the ceiling. He heard something fall from behind the left door and a sharp intake of breath. The corners of his mouth curved up as he tried to fight back a laugh. There she was.

Keeping his excitement in check, he pushed open the door. Inside the room were the remains of a bed with two nightstands on either side of it and an empty window over to the right. He didn’t need the light coming in from a hole in the ceiling to see her. Mother sat in a corner of the room, her whole body shaking.

She hadn’t changed at all. She still had the same cascade of raven hair tied up with a red ribbon, the same black dress. The same red eyes resembling his own were now staring at him in pure fear. It must’ve been quite the shock for her to see Saeru walking around and being able to express his moods in a more effective way. She’d finally know how much and how deep his feelings ran.

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it, Mother?” he asked, putting on a fake smile.

When she didn’t respond, he continued on with, “Nothing to say to me? Not even a welcome home? I know the last time we talked was years ago but I thought you’d still have some love in your heart for me. But I guess not.”

She still hadn’t said anything. He was getting rather annoyed at the silent treatment, even if it did bring him a modicum of amusement. Does she really think staying quiet in this situation will save her? Well, he had a way of making her talk and he deserved to brag about his accomplishments.

“If you can’t already tell, I paid a visit to the real world,” he said, noting the sudden pique of interest. “It’s changed so much since our time out there. I’ve met so many interesting people during my trip, including the kids my siblings are inhabiting the bodies of. I even got the chance to meet your successor, what was her name again? Ah, right, Marry.”

He saw the quick flash of anger across her face as she asked, “What did you do to her?”

“You can rest easy,” he replied, his temper beginning to flare up. “I haven’t laid a finger on that crybaby brat’s head. She’s all right, physically, at least.”

It was then her eyes wandered down to his blood-soaked hands. Gone was the anger as horror came to replace it at the grisly sight. He wondered when she’d notice that and he was pleased to know her reaction was how he predicted it to be. Her imagination had to be running wild with all the ways that blood got on his hands. The temptation of telling her his gruesome acts was there but this was more fun.

“Her mind, though, must be forever scarred,” he said with a dissonant smile. “I imagine her heart shattered to pieces after I killed her friends.”

“Why are you doing this?!” she demanded, her teary eyes full of fury. “Why must you hurt me so?”

All the fun he was having at her expense evaporated. Was she being serious? Did she really have the gall to ask why he was doing all this? Maybe it was time to remind her of the fault she held in this.

“I think the better question is, why did you choose them over us? Why did you abandon us?” He crouched down and rested his cheek on his hand.

“What are you talking about? I never abandoned you or your siblings! I tried my best to have the two most important things in my life get along without any issue.” She gestured to him with her hand. “You were the only one who had a problem with it!”

His eyes narrowing, he asked in indignation, “How could you expect me to not have a problem with it? How could you forget all the pain, all the suffering, all the torment the humans dealt on to you? How could you run off with that man and bear his child after everything they’ve done to you?”

It was at this point she stood up. He did as well, noticing the hard glint of stubbornness in her eyes. He already knew what was coming and he didn’t want to hear the same old, tired speech.

“Tsukihiko was different. He was kind to me, he cared for me.” She put a hand on her chest, where her heart was. “He loved me. He was treated the same way I was so---”

“So you thought you and him were the same? Please,” he interrupted, scoffing at the ridiculousness of the thought. “You and that man were never the same and you know why? He was but a mere mortal and you a god. You will never belong with the humans, no matter how much you try and forget that fact.”

“What do you want from me? An apology, is that it?” she asked, exasperated. He wanted much more than empty platitudes.

“What I want is for you to understand exactly how much you’ve hurt me.” He took a couple steps toward her, causing dust to rain down on top of him. “You refused to heed my warnings, took that brat’s side over mine, and you tried to leave me behind in this world. Who does that to someone they once claimed to love? Someone whose only crime was loving them?

“You’ve become the very thing you’ve never wanted to be.” He locked eyes with her and gave voice to all the pain and scorn he felt. “You’re a monster.”

It was as if he stabbed her through the gut with a knife. Tears spilled over as she fell to her knees, holding her head in her hands. It was bad enough for the humans to call her that when they knew nothing about her. It must’ve been like a betrayal to hear that come from someone she once considered to be her closest friend. Still, he got a dark sense of satisfaction seeing her break down. It served her right to feel only a fraction of the pain he’s dealt with for years.

“And yet--” he paused as she looked up at him-- “despite everything you did to me, I still love you. I was created to serve you and be with you for however long you wanted but I grew to genuinely love you. How could I not?”

She withdrew further into the corner after he stepped closer. The question he wanted, needed to ask leapt into his mind. A simple yes or no question and whatever her answer was would determine what he’d do next.

“It’s because of my love for you I ask,” he began, paying close attention to her face, “if you still hold some fondness for the humans. Do you still love your family?”

Without any hesitance in her voice, she replied with, “Of course I do. I’ll always love them. Tsukihiko, Shion, Marry…I love them all from the bottom of my heart.”

That was the answer he feared to hear. Her saying that proved to him she was too far gone and needed to be put out of her misery. They took everything away from her, from her happiness to her sanity. It’s because he loved her he’d be willing to give her the sweet release she deserved.

He started walking towards her. She tried to crawl away from him but found herself cornered with no means of escape. A wicked grin split across his face as he came into the moon’s silvery ray of light. He stopped just short of her, towering above her small, trembling form.

“What are you going to do to me?” she asked, scared for her life. “Whatever it is, I can’t die.”

“Oh, Mother…” He knelt down in front of her and cupped her cheeks. Her scales were smooth to the touch as he wiped away her tears. “You’re right in that you can’t die. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be killed.”

His smile growing ever larger, he said, “You lost your immortality the moment you passed on your crown.”

Her eyes widened in horror as his hands slid down to her neck. He could feel her pulse thudding against his palms, his slender fingers wrapped around her throat. She softly whimpered and he leaned in close. He whispered into her ear his final words before her denouement.

“Goodnight, Mother.”

It wasn’t hard to crush her windpipe. Her nails dug into his arms in a desperate attempt to fight back but he merely brushed them off. He knew she was close to death when her eyes started to roll to the back of her head. Then he had an idea to end this in something more similar to his style.

Her skin began to tear apart as he pulled her head up like a weed. The sound of her neck breaking echoed in the empty house. He finally ripped her head off her shoulders, blood pouring out of the stump as he stood up. Her body slumped onto the floor, the moon’s light reflected off the crimson pool.

Mother’s bright red eyes were now dull and lifeless. Her mouth lolled open and what little saliva she had trickled out of the corners. He could see just a sliver of her vertebrae sticking out of the bottom of her neck. He untied the ribbon holding her hair up, wiped the spit away with his sleeve, and shut her eyes. Her dark tresses felt soft on his skin as he touched their foreheads together.

“We’ll be together forever, right, Mother?” he said with a depraved smile before crazed laughter spilled out of his mouth like a stream.

It was only a matter of waiting now before time was reset. How far back it’d go, he didn’t know. Even if it was as far back to the beginning, he’d remember the events of this loop an do them again. He’d do them again and again to his heart’s content and no one would be able to stop him.

The only thing he wouldn’t commit again was his act of matricide. It was a one time thing and it was done to give him “closure” or whatever the humans called it. Mother warped into someone he didn’t recognize and he needed to accept that the person he knew had died a long time ago. At least he’ll always have his memories of her kept close to his heart.

It was time to look forward and move ahead to the future. Whatever the next summers brought, he was sure to enjoy every last bit.

#airi's writing #snake of clearing eyes #azami #fanfiction #kagerou project #canon divergence #violence tw #gore tw #decapitation tw #major character death tw

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jiminwreckedme · 4 years

Text

The Beautiful Deception.

Chapter 1

| Masterlist | Trailer | Prologue | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |

Member - Bts OT7

Genre - Thriller, Mystery, Angst, (Smut)

Word count - 5K

Summary - When your ex-boyfriend’s wife goes missing, you are the only one who can help him find her. But in a world where everyone is a friend and everyone is a culprit, where lies are decorated with the best ornaments of facade, where everybody and nobody is right, how will you find out what happened to the woman he loves?

Without falling for him all over again?

Rating - NC17 for mature themes of the whole series.

No warnings for this chapter

15th February 2017

As you stand outside the cafe, hand on the handle of the glass door, you’re barely able to recognize it. A place so close to your heart, a place where you made so many memories - it no longer looks the same. Not the furniture, not the things on the menu, not even what you feel as you stand at its entrance. Nothing is the same.

You’re jerked out of both your lost thoughts and into the cafe, as the waiter, whom you didn’t see approaching the door, opens it for you from inside causing you to slightly stumble in.

“Oh my, I’m so sorry.” He apologizes embarrassed as you run your hands through your hair, pushing your fringes back to where they belong, tucked behind your ear, and walk in slowly. “I didn’t see you holding the door.”

“It’s fine, it’s my fault, I was just….It’s ok.” You brush it off, slightly smiling, finally taking a proper look at him, eyes squinting in recognition.

You know him…..not his name though, but you remember his face really well. You’d seen him working in this cafe back in the day, since you were in high school. His hair looked just as curly but it seemed to have been colored a lighter shade of brown, his expression was just as excited, but cheeks a little rosier, a little chubbier. He’s probably doing well then. The thought makes you so happy.

He smiles back at you, holding his hands behind his back, “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you.”

“Yeah.” You nod slowly, “Quite a while.”

“What brings you here again all of a sudden?” He raises his eyebrows and then shakes his head furiously, muttering. “You’re here for coffee of course, what a stupid question.”

Coffee. Sure, that’s what you were here for.

“Yeah I’ll take a-”

“Cappuccino? The usual order yeah?”

“Yeah,” You smile, frowning curiously, “You….How do you still remember?”

“It hasn’t even been that long since you were here.” He laughs as he fishes out a notebook from the front pocket of his apron and the pencil from behind his ear. “Why don’t you sit down? I’ll get it for you.”

And with that he walks away leaving you with a sad smile as you slowly walk into the cafe. ‘Hasn’t been that long since you were here?’ Is that how fast the world was moving? It had been 3 years, 3 years since you last came here and he spoke to you like he saw you just a few months back. Were you the only one stuck in the past?

“The usual cappuccino for you?”

You turn around to see the same boy bowing to a lady who seems to have just walked in.

“No, the usual Americano for me.” She replies, taking her extra huge sunglasses off slowly, smiling a little.

“Ah yes yes,” The waiter rubs the back of his head, turning red. “To go yeah?”

As she nods and the waiter rushes away sheepishly smiling at you, you let out a small laugh. So your cappuccino was just a lucky guess. Of course, that made sense, why would someone remember something about someone 3 years later? Except you, you remember everything.

You ignore the throbbing pain starting in your head and look around. The cafe looked quite packed, never before had you seen so much crowd here. That’s one of the things you’ve always liked about this place. It was always quiet, empty, barely inhabited. Maybe 3 years ago, standing in the cafe crowded like this would have been hard for you. But you’re not the same person anymore. Nothing is ever the same after walking through fire. It molds to fit into something new all the time. So had you.

Yet you still choose to walk past all the tables and go to the one all the way at the back, in the corner of the cafe, far from the crowd. As you sit, you run your hands across the ridged surface of the bare round wooden table. The last time you were here, they were all square with a red and white checked table cloth, glass tops above with the menu under. The slowly turning ceiling fans above were also gone, but it was cool even on such a sunny day. Probably central air conditioning. The baristas had a change of uniform as well - they no longer wore those lemon yellow ones, now it was shades of black and grey. A pity, you really liked that soft color, there was something pleasant about it. The tiles had changed, the windows seemed different too but you couldn’t really tell since they were hidden behind the blinds and the paintings on the walls were replaced with plants that creeped from the floor till the high ceiling.

The only thing that didn’t change was the jukebox all the way on the other side of the cafe, that looked somehow out of place in the current setting but you like it there. There’s at least something that you recognize and that makes you feel a little warm, a little at home. Taking out your phone you quickly click a picture, capturing the one thing here that was a symbol of your past.

“I’d advise you not to do that.” Your waiter puts your cup of coffee down on the table before he points at the sign on the wall.

No Photography.

“Oh,” You put down your phone quickly looking around, “I didn’t know, it wasn’t there before-”

“That’s alright, it was put up recently. It took a while for me to get used to as well. As long as you don’t use flash and are not obvious it shouldn't be a problem.” He winks at you.

You softly laugh before squinting at the sign curiously. “Although, what kind of cafe doesn’t allow photography?”

“There was a big problem here a few months ago. Some legal issues.” He sighs. “A woman claimed her stalker kept taking photos of her here or something, I’m not really sure, but basically the new boss didn’t want any legal trouble so he just put up a sign. And those cameras.” He points at something right above you. You look up to see the round black mold with it’s tiny red light sitting there, looking at everything.

“This place has changed a lot hasn’t it?” You slowly blow the steam off your coffee and take a sip.

“Everything changes with time doesn’t it?”

It does, it really does. There were 3 things for which you always chose to come here - the coffee, the music, and the smile of someone who cared for you. The coffee tasted the same but it wasn’t as comforting anymore. The music sounded the same but it wasn’t comforting either. Would his smile at least be comforting after so many years? Would he even smile seeing you?

“Let me know if you need anything.”

You nod, “Thanks….uh....?”

“Myung.” He rolls his eyes playfully. “I remember everything about you Y/n, how can you forget so soon?”

You can feel your ears getting red from embarrassment. “I’m sorry, I-”

“It’s fine, it’s alright.” He shakes his hand laughing and starts walking backward, “Call me if you need anything.”

You nod, sipping on your coffee again, turning to look out of the window, into the city.

How did you find yourself here after so many years? Rather why?

10th February 2017

“Congratulations, you two!”

“Look at them, they look meant to be!”

“Imagine how the kids are going to turn out, absolutely beautiful!”

You can feel the pink rise in your cheeks as you and the man whose hand you hold, make your way from the car towards the hall, the crowd parting as you did, tabloid photographers capturing photos from all sorts of different angles, flashes going off everywhere, people’s comments getting louder and more excited. Stopping right before the large oak doors, the both of you turn to face the crowd, his arm around your shoulder, yours around his waist as you waved, smiling at the squealing crowd. He turns to you, looking down at you a little despite you wearing heels to try and match his height, “Shall we?”

You nod and he holds out his hand, making you smile and put your hand in his as he opens the door to a much smaller crowd but it erupts into much louder cheers. You look around beaming at the people closest to you - your family, friends, colleagues - just the people you wanted to celebrate this occasion with you.

The moment you take a few steps in, people rush towards you, congratulating you, taking your hand to see the ring, teasing you endlessly making you turn from pink to absolute red.

“Look at this stone.” Your grandmother gently holds your hand, a fond look on her face. “How could you let us know about this so late? There’s just 4 days left for the wedding!”

“Because it took her years to say yes.” Your fiance appears from behind laughing a little, “I didn’t want to delay the wedding any longer.”

Your grandmother places her hand on your cheek slightly tearing up, “It doesn’t matter if she took months or years to say that, as long as she’s happy when she says it.” You turn your head slightly, kissing her hand softly. “May you always be with the one who makes the happiest person in the world, my child.”

Your smile falters a little but you hide it, forcing yourself to smile wider and nod.

And then all of a sudden, out of nowhere, the band starts playing and your uncle rushes to grab your aunt and start dancing to the music. You hear laughs ring across the hall at the sight of the lady in their long embroided evening gown and the man in his white suit shaking to 90s Jazz tunes and grabbing more people to join them in the center. Resisting your efforts, you are also pushed into the circle in the middle and laughing, you dance along, momentarily forgetting the forceful smile that you had adorned for quite some time now. It’s only when you stop to catch your breath that you realize how tired you are. Breaking apart from the crowd you proceed to grab a glass of water from the buffet table which held the dishes you had spent the last few weeks very carefully selecting.

“Your phone has been ringing.”

You turn to see your sister standing behind you, her left hand extended out to hand you your phone, while her eyes were busy on her own phone as she flipped through the pictures of the party that she was clicking.

“Who is it?”

You grab a neatly iced cupcake on the tray nearby, devouring it hungrily, as your sister replies, still not looking up. “Don’t know, didn’t pick it up, but it’s not a local call, it’s some different country code.”

You frown confused, stuffing a piece of chocolate into your mouth. “Who would call me from outside London? Literally our whole family is here-”

You turn around at the sound of your ringtone.

Your sister quickly takes a look at the screen. “It’s the same number.”

Watching you wipe your hands with a tissue, she impatiently leaves the phone on the table next to you and disappears into the crowd. Sighing, you walk closer and look over at the screen flashing the number, and suddenly the world stops.

You can’t hear the music, everything around seems to be moving much slower, getting more blur by the minute.

That number.

You know that number. Even after so many years you recognized it.

Hands shaking you pick up your phone, simply staring at the number flashing on your screen. You can’t bring yourself to lift it. You can’t bring yourself to cut it. You are unable to do anything. To move, to think, to act. You just couldn’t.

“Where are you lost? I’ve been calling out to you for so long.”

You turn around and see your fiance walking up to you, face bright from all the laughter and dance. “Put this aside Y/n, let’s go!”

He takes the now silent phone from your hand leaving it on the table and playfully drags you back into the celebration, to become a part of all those joyful faces before you. But you can’t.

You can only find yourself turning around and watching your phone carefully as it’s screen lights up once more with a call as though that’s the only thing in the world that matters to you.

11th February 2017

It’s almost close to an hour now.

You are standing under the shower as it releases thousands of lukewarm drops, darkening your hair, trickling down your back. The water gets warmer and warmer as it courses down your body, down the curves, tracing your shape as it rolled down.

It’s been 3 years. Three years since you last saw him. Why now? Why did he have to reach out now, after so many years? When you had finally forgotten him, put everything behind you and thought you moved on, just why?

Suddenly the water turns ice cold and your eyes fly open. He wasn't in trouble for anything was he? He was okay right?

You swallow on nothing in panic, simply staring at the tiled wall before you. You’re blinking multiple times and there’s a hundred different thoughts running through your head. You hurriedly switch off the faucet, barely wrapping yourself in your bathrobe, still dripping wet as you rush out of the bathroom into your room, grabbing your phone from the dresser.

You should call him. Why though? Why did you have to call him?

But your fingers as though by habit had already typed out his number. Even after so many years, you remembered everything about him so well.

You stare at the screen, a finger hovering over the call button. He didn't deserve it. Even if he was in trouble he didn't deserve it, did he? After all you went through, he couldn't possibly think it was alright to ask you for help?

You clear the number off the screen, shaking your head, determined. You are not going to think about this anymore.

But despite everything he had called you then….it could mean he had no other choice? Did he call you because he was desperate and you are his last option?

You run a hand through your wet hair frustrated, your breaths getting faster, deeper. Before you even consciously knew what you were doing, your fingers shaking, had dialed out his number and called him.

And the phone rings.

It rings and rings and rings and you stand, heart beating faster by the second, eyes shifting nervously, cold drops trailing down your neck and it rings and rings and rings…

….only to end in a high pitched beep, followed by an uncomfortable deafening silence.

After a soft sigh leaves you when you finally breathe out, the sound of dripping water is the only thing you hear in your room as you stand unmoving till the sun sets.

12th February 2017

You absentmindedly kick the stone out of the way as you make your way down the garden of your backyard. The gardener gives you a small bow as you pass by him but you didn’t even see him. As he continues pruning the bush a little confused, you walk down even more confused. You run your fingers on the unlit screen of your phone, clutching it hard.

Why did he call you? And if he wanted to talk to you, why didn’t he pick your call?

You attempt to kick another stone out of your way, a little too carelessly this time and end up tripping over it but luckily into the arms of the man you didn’t even know was behind you, trailing the path you took all this while.

“Careful.” You straighten yourself as he holds you tighter. “Where are you lost?”

You turn to face him. There’s a small smile dancing on his lips, but you can see concern shining in his eyes. Wrapping your arms around his waist you rest your head on his shoulder, looking over it. “Are you ok?” He holds you gently, as you feel your heart racing in your rib cage against his chest.

“Hold me for a while, please.”

And he does, softly caressing your hair, placing a soft kiss on the skin of your shoulder. You watch the sun setting over his shoulder, spraying colors all across the sky. It was such a beautiful moment but you are not even a little at peace. Your heart is not slowing down, your mind is not at rest, you are not even a little calm by being in the arms of this man, why?

You feel your phone vibrate in your hands and bring it up to your eye level behind him and squint a little at the screen.

A voice message. From the same number.

And suddenly there’s a sinking, turning feeling in your stomach and you feel something rise at the back of your throat. Was it fear or disgust or something else? You didn’t know, you simply pushed yourself out of the embrace you were locked in with a strong jerk, staggering to the edge of the sidewalk, bend over the bushes and throw up. As you proceed into a coughing fit, your companion grabs you by the shoulder, helping you stand upright, rubbing your back, worried.

“I’ll get you some water.” He makes you sit on the bench a few feet away, waiting till you finally manage to stop staring at gravel by your feet and look up at his concerned face and nod softly. As he rushes away, leaving you by yourself, you wipe your lips with the back of your hand, wincing at the acidic taste in your mouth. What was that?

As you sit grasping the edge of the bench, the thumping feeling in your chest is getting softer and softer and your breaths slow down and get more regular and all the millions of thoughts racing through your head become just one thought.

You glance over at the phone beside you and hesitatingly hover your finger over it for a whole minute before touching it softly allowing the screen to light up.

The notification sits on the top of the screen, waiting for you, but you clench your fist tightly. You don’t want to open it.

13th February 2017

You look at the woman before you. Her face is blank as a canvas.

There's no smile, no tears, no expression, nothing - if one saw her face, they would have no idea what she's thinking, what she's feeling. But not you. You know exactly what.

She's hurting. The parts of her that broke years ago, the parts that she swept up and dumped aside are all pricking her once more. But somewhere deep down, there’s a warm feeling as well, that maybe she would finally get the chance to heal, maybe finally get the explanation that she deserved so she can fix her broken heart and put it in the hands of someone else without the fear of it shattering this time.

But as soon as the warmth rises in her, a cold shiver over runs it. What if that doesn't happen? What if instead she breaks even more? What if she ruins everything that she managed to put together over the last few years?

There is a ring shining on the finger of her left hand, there's a man who loves her, there's a future ahead of her that's waiting to finally put a smile to that blank face, what if she ruins everything?

You look down at your hands resting on your lap, your phone nested between them. His voice softly plays though the everlasting silence of your room.

“Y/n, I…..I need your help, please Y/n I cannot trust or ask anyone but you, please help me, come back Y/n…..please”

You tilt your neck up, blinking hurriedly at the ceiling, refusing to let your eyes react to his voice and the desperation in it. But when you look at the woman ahead of you, it's not a blank canvas anymore - there's a tear drop streaming down her face. She had decided. The woman in the mirror had decided.

And within 10 minutes, the room looks different from what it was before. Your wardrobe had lost a significant number of clothes, all casual ones, clothes to wear in the season of spring. Your phone, your charger, your wallet, all your essentials, they were all no longer in their original place. The shoes that you always wore for travelling just left a dusty mark behind and the seat on which you were sitting in front of the dressing table now has a depression in it, a result of your unmoving posture for hours together. And there's a piece of paper fluttering beneath a beautiful diamond reflecting light all across the room and on the handwritten message scribbled beneath it.

“I'm sorry.

You are the only who deserves an explanation from me, but what can I explain when I don't understand myself.

I don't know what I am doing. I don't know if this is right or wrong. I don't know what will be the result of it. But I know that for the first time in very long, I am listening to my heart. Every time I did that before, I ended up hurting but I figured, how could I possibly be more hurt, how can anything break me more?

So I want to take my chances. As an heiress I've always been trained to conceal the storm inside me and show the world a smiling face. But it's killing me on the inside, I don't want to live like that anymore. So I'm going. I'm taking my chances and going to finally clear away that which is inside me.

I don't know what to say but thank you, you were there for me, guiding me through a darkness that I never thought I could get out of and you will be there tomorrow waiting for me to walk down the aisle.

But I'm sorry, I'm sorry to leave you like this. I can only hope to return as a woman who will genuinely smile at you at the altar, who will wear this ring without feeling it's weight as a burden, who will leave behind that darkness and be with you in the light.

I’m sorry.”

And as you and the woman in the mirror set off to make things right again, already miles away from your house heading to your destination, the man you are to wed tomorrow clutches the ring tightly in his hand, his tears slightly staining the paper.

He looks into the mirror before him with a sad smile on his face.

“I will wait for you Y/n. Always have and always will.”

14th February 2017

You stand in the balcony, arms resting on the railing, leaning out to take a deep breath of the air around you with your eyes shut.

You missed this city. It had been years but still it had its way of comforting you. Even when you watched it unblinking, through the cab window on the way to the hotel, and didn’t recognize it one bit, it provided solace. The streets were different, there were new high rise buildings, there were a bunch of cafes and chicken shops you had never seen before, there were suddenly so many big LED screens flashing ads of actors and bands. Nothing about the city was the same except the peace it made you feel.

You fish your phone out of your pocket and click a picture of the sky. It had been years since you were under it, you wanted a picture, a memory that gave you some happiness. Other memories in this city gave you so much pain.

You walk back into your room and fall backwards into the softness of your bed. As your hair fans out around behind you, you stare at the false ceiling and its delicate designs, fingers tapping on the phone in your hands. You were here. After almost 11 hours of flying, you were here in Seoul for almost 16 hours now. And all 16 hours you were only in your room.

Sometimes you’d walk to your suitcase to unpack it and start taking out clothes. Then you’d think. You had no idea why he called you here. You had no idea how long you needed to stay here. Moreover, you didn’t want to stay for long, so why should you unpack? And then you would proceed to place all your clothes back in the suitcase and sit down and think. You had to meet him first to know how long you were going to need to stay. You needed to contact him first for that, let him know you are here. And so then you would reach for your phone. And suddenly your mind would scream something else at you.

What were you doing? You really had no idea what you were doing. You had no idea if you wanted to meet him or not. Your hands shake at the thought of seeing him again. Your head hurts every time you hear his voice message pleading for help. You want to throw up every time you think about how you left everything behind and ran to this man over a simple voice message. You immediately take your suitcase and things, wear your shoes and rush to the door only to stop pushing the handle down half way.

But you had already done the damage. You left the note for your fiance, you left your house a day before your wedding, you had left the city and flew to another. You had done so much damage already.You were so close to what you had come for, you might as well get it. Get that explanation you wanted - the true reason you came here. Find out why after so many years he remembered you again and why he didn’t even think of you once all this while. And so then you walk back into your room and leave your suitcase where it was again only to think about unpacking it a few minutes later and repeat the cycle of events. You had done the same thing about six times now. Unpacking, packing, trying to leave and then coming back.

Your head is blasting with pain, you need to come to a decision fast.

Getting up, you grab the bottle of water and the strip of medicines in the side pocket of your handbag and pop a pill in your mouth. Taking a deep breath you sit down on the sofa across the bed and get a hold of yourself. Just do it Y/n, get it done. That’s for the best of everyone. You unlock your phone, type a few words and hit send without thinking too much and toss the phone onto the bed before you. You sink back into the softness of the couch and close your eyes refusing to let yourself think so much about it.

Within seconds, you hear a soft ding and your eyes fly open to see the screen of your phone light up. He replied. This was it. This was the beginning of everything getting better. Right?

Before you can bring yourself to gain the energy to get up and go see, the soft throbbing in your head forces you to shut your eyes and lulls you into a deep slumber as you remember the first thing you had said to him in 3 years.

“I’m here.”

15th February 2017 - Present day

10 am, usual place. That was all he said in reply.

He didn’t mention when, you knew it was the next day. He didn’t mention where, you knew it was this cafe. Even after so many years, like always, he barely spoke and yet you understood.

You wince at the sudden sunlight falling on the profile of your face and turn slightly to see someone raising the blinds. It’s so pretty, the way the light streams in, illuminating everything in its path yet you couldn’t see a thing. All that's visible are the silhouettes of the people scattered across the cafe. You can hear them laughing, you can hear them talking, yet you couldn’t see their faces. It’s so strange, kind of like you were there, you were watching everything but you also weren’t - no one so much as even looked at you, you were just as invisible to them as they were to you. It’s a fascinating sight, and entirely forgetting what the waiter said earlier about not taking photos, you snap a picture with your phone before quickly bringing it down and hiding it between your thighs, eyes widening as the realization washes over.

Slightly muttering a bunch of words describing your absentmindedness, you slowly bring out the phone and look down at it, staring at the picture, fascinated by how your eyes could barely see the details of the sight before you but your camera had managed to capture it.

And you’re so immersed in that tiny device in your hand, you don’t hear the soft ding of the door when it knocks against the bell hanging above as it opens, or the footsteps getting progressively louder as someone walks towards you. You don’t notice till a shadow casts over you, blocking that soft sunlight and you look up to see the already obscured face covered by a cap. And as you swallow a strange unknown fear, every cell in your body recognizes him before his voice leaves him as a whisper.

“Y/n.”

“Yoongi.”

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animeniacss · 4 years

Text

What I Want - BadBoy! Taehyung x Reader - Chapter 8 - Seoul Christmas Festival

Synopsis: You are an innocent, excitable new girl, moving all the way to Korea due to your dad’s new job. As you anxiously learn about the new world around you and how you’ll make your mark, you stumble into none other than bad boy Kim Taehyung and his band of six crazy friends. He seems to be bothered but you, something he doesn’t even understand. Will you be able to tolerate the shenanigans of Taehyung and his rowdy friends, or will you fall victim to his charms just like everyone else?

Featuring Jihyo and Dahyun (TWICE) as your friends, and BTS members as Taehyung’s group of friends.

Genre: Romance, BadBoy!V, BadBoy!BTS, High School Romance, Drama

Length: approx. 4k words

Chapter 8 - Seoul Christmas Festival

“The Seoul Christmas Festival, hm?” your mother asked as she stood in the kitchen, doing the dishes. You were leaning against the island counter, taking a sip from your soda as you watched your mother work.

“Yeah. Dahyun was showing me the website where you can buy tickets the other day.” You said. “And she said that there’s tons of food and games, and it’s really pretty at night when all the lights come on. I’m really excited.”

“Then let’s hope that next weekend comes quickly.” Your mother smiled, glancing over at you to see you looking towards your phone. When she saw you smile, she couldn’t help but find herself smiling as well. “Is that Taehyung?” she asked. You immediately put your phone on the table, screen side down.

“What? No!” You said quickly. When you saw your mom smile widen a bit in amusement, you sighed. “He just sent me a picture of the tickets…” you said softly. Holding up your phone, you showed your mother a picture. Taehyung was taking a picture of himself with the two tickets in front of his face. The text underneath read:

December 15, be ready! n_n

“December 15th…” You said to your mom. “That’s when we’re going.” Your mother smiled.

“Then you need to make sure you pick the groceries up early that day so you have the rest of the day to yourself.” She said. “Okay?” You nodded, eyes still focused on the picture.

“Yeah, I hear you…” you said. “I’ll get them nice and early…” As you looked at the top of your phone, you blinked. “I should probably find something to wear.” You said.

“But the 15th is like three days away.” Your mom pointed out as she turned in your direction. However, she saw you were already rushing up the steps and most likely didn’t even hear what she said. It made her chuckle. “Oh to be young…” she hummed, turning back to finish the dishes.

Up in your room, you looked at the text once again, simply replying with a smiley face before heading towards your closet. You flung it open and began searching for a nice winter outfit to wear on the fifteenth. You had a lot of options, you, Jihyo, and Dahyun went shopping a couple of times at the start of winter, in hopes of finding some cute outfits quickly. You did, and you were hoping one of them would work for your date. After what seemed like forever, you found it, the perfect outfit. A white turtleneck long-sleeved shirt with a high waist black skirt and some black leggings. You had a pair of thigh-high boots that you had been meaning to wear, along with a beige coat. Gathering up some matching accessories like a scarf, some gloves, and a winter hat, you set them all on your desk chair. Glancing at yourself in the mirror, you moved some hair out of your face and hummed. “Maybe I’ll curl my hair…” you said softly, trying to picture what the end result would look like. You were so busy that you didn’t hear your brother come in until he spoke up.

“Mom said you have a date with Taehyung-ah…” He said, and you turned towards him. He was standing up against your door, arms crossed.

“…Yeah, we’re going to the Seoul Christmas Festival this weekend…” you stated. He nodded.

“He was really nice when he came over that one time.” He said. “But Dad told me he isn’t a good student…” You nodded your head.

“Yeah…I know that.” You said simply. “But he’s been doing better lately.” After a moment, you pursed your lips. “Does that bother you?” You watched your brother walk over to you. At first, he didn’t say anything, and you smiled, nudging him. “What’s got you acting this way? You trying to protect me, or something?” you teased. Your brother’s race went red in embarrassment, and he looked away, pouting.

“No, not really…I don’t care what you do…” he said. After a moment, he glanced at you. “…But is he really bad? Like… he won’t hurt you or anything right?” You thought back to the past times that Taehyung has yelled at you, and how much they hurt you. Hearing the slight worry in your brother’s voice honestly took you off your guard, but you didn’t want your brother worrying. You smiled, ruffling his hair.

“He won’t hurt me.” You said. “I promise. And even if he did, I know you and Dad will be there to beat him up.” Your brother nodded, a small grin forming on his face.

“Damn right!” He said. “If he does anything to hurt you, I’m short enough, I can punch him right in the crotch so he doesn’t hurt anyone ever again!” You laughed a bit. “Okay? I’ll make sure to tell him that when he comes to pick you up too!”

“Okay…” you said happily. “I’ll make sure you do.” Your brother nodded. You saw him hesitate for a minute before he quickly gave you a hug. Your brother was a good kid, but a typical little boy, being only 10, and he wasn’t a fan of showing affection to you, at least not as much as when he was a kid. You gave him a squeeze. “Same goes for you, okay? When you start dating. Any girl that breaks your heart will have to deal with me.” Your brother immediately pulled away from you, eyes wide.

“Gross! No way!” He said quickly. You laughed again as your brother rushed out of the room. “You’re so stupid!” He shouted before closing the door. You sighed, leaning back in your seat as you looked up at your ceiling

“How did I get so lucky?” you mumbled to yourself.

Taehyung, meanwhile, he was sitting in Jimin’s house, arms crossed as he rested against the couch. Jimin and Jungkook were playing Overwatch like they always do when the group gets together and relaxed. Jin was in the kitchen, with permission from Jimin, to cook the group lunch. J-Hope and Suga were watching the younger boys play video games, each cheering on a different boy. Namjoon was sitting beside Taehyung. He was reading a book, glasses on as he tried to immerse himself in the story despite the absolute chaos going on around him. Taehyung looked at him, pursing his lips.

“Hyung, you look ridiculous. What are you even reading?” Namjoon glanced up.

“Demian, by Hermann Hesse.” He replied. “I picked it up, and it’s actually pretty good.” Taehyung rolled his eyes. “Why do you look so frustrated?” Namjoon closed his book and sat up straighter. “You should be thrilled…your date is coming up.” When he saw Taehyung looked away, Namjoon knew his dilemma right away. “Are you nervous, Taehyung?”

“He’s nervous?!” J-Hope asked, eyes wide as he and the others, except Jungkook, glanced over.

“No!” Taehyung said. “I’m not nervous, we’re just going to some festival in Cheonggye Plaza, get some food and walk around. I’m not nervous.”

“Then why are you so quiet?” Jungkook asked curiously, his face never leaving the TV screen as he continued to play. “Normally you’re never like this. If you’re nervous, then you’re nervous. This is probably your first date anyway.”

“No it’s not!” Taehyung responded, and the other guys laughed a bit. “I just want to get it over with…waiting is awful.” Namjoon patted his back.

“It’s only a few days away, don’t worry.” He assured. “Just relax until then.”

“Panic the night before.” Jungkook said simply, and J-Hope laughed, shoving Jungkook in response. Taehyung sighed, falling over and laying down on his side, resting his head on a pillow.

The anxiousness the both of you felt made the next few days drag on. You couldn’t handle it!! However, Saturday eventually rolled around the two of you were getting ready. You were in your room, wearing the outfit you had picked out, and you were currently trying to curl your hair. As you laid the last piece of your hair down, the curls bouncing comfortably at your shoulder, you leaned forward, searching for some of your make up in your drawer. You didn’t normally do heavy make up for events such as school, but when there were big events, you would be sure you looked your best. And this, to you, was a big event. You pulled out your mascara, your eyes widening slightly as you applied it to your eyes.

I wonder if Taehyung is getting himself overly ready, or if I’m just being anxious. You thought to yourself as you leaned closer to your mirror, trying to get an idea of what you should add. Little did you know, Taehyung was getting ready himself, looking at his closet that consisted of more black and leather than he thought he had, and the door to his house was heard opening. Taehyung was about to go see who it was until he heard a loud:

“TAEHYUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNG!” He groaned, hearing Jin’s voice as multiple footsteps were heard heading towards his room. They walked in. “Oh look at you! Is that what you’re wearing?”

“No.” Taehyung said. “I don’t know what to wear.”

“Good thing Jungkook and I brought you some stuff to try.” Jimin said, the duo each holding up a bag of stuff. Taehyung chuckled.

“I mean…I can wear this.” He said.

“What, and look like you’re going to a funeral?” Yoongi asked, poking his head into the closet. “You need to wear something that matches her personality. This hellscape in here is not that.” Taehyung frowned at his Hyung as Jimin and Jungkook began spreading the clothes onto the bed. They were giving Taehyung suggestions, the older boys looking in Taehyung’s closet in hopes of finding anything salvageable. As Taehyung was looking at one of the shirts Jungkook offered a white sweater that was a bit fuzzy. Just as Taehyung was about to comment, he heard something in the closet fall.

“….Hyun-“

“It was Jin-Hyung!” Namjoon called, turning from the closet to look at Taehyung, who didn’t look convinced. He blinked, and Taehyung sighed.

“…How are you the smartest one out of us again?” He asked curiously, regarding a few snickers from the others. He turned back to Jungkook. “That'll work.” He said, taking the sweater. He pushed past the others in the closet, grabbing a pair of leather pants.” This should work fine.” He said. “Now can you all leave, so I can get ready?” He asked. As he heard his friends whine and beg to stay longer, Jin and Yoongi shared a glance as they led their younger friends out the door.

“Good luck~” Jin beamed, waving him off. Yoongi waved as well as they all left. Taehyung closed his bedroom door as he looked at the sweater and pants. Running a hand through his hair as he got himself ready.

Back at your house, you stood in the living room, resting against the back of the couch as your watched a TV show that your brother had on, something he enjoyed but honestly you had no interest in it. He said it was some TV show a friend got him into. As you watched, you kept glancing at your phone. Taehyung had told you he would be at your house around noon, and it was already 11:45. Last time you heard from him, he said he was on his way. That was ten minutes ago.

“When’s that Taehyung kid getting here?” Your father asked from the kitchen.

“Soon.” You replied. Suddenly, you heard a knock at the door. Standing up straight, your eyes lit up. As you headed to the door, your father and brother were out of their seats and heading towards the door. “Wha- what are you guys doing?” You watched as your brother and father opened the door to the house, and you scurried behind them. You stood behind your brother and got a glimpse at Taehyung. He was resting against the door frame for a moment, but the moment he saw your father and brother, he stood upright.

“Oh uh….” He coughed, glancing at you. He saw how red in the face you were, and you covered your face in total embarrassment.

“Hello Mr. Kim.” Your father said simply. “Where are you two headed?”

"To the uh…the Seoul Christmas Festival.’ He said simply.

“And what time will you have her home?” he asked.

“…7?”

“5.”

“DAD!” You snapped, glaring at him. “Stop it.” You walked past your brother, fixing your bag. “We’ll be back tonight, so stop being so embarrassing!” You said, turning to Taehyung. “Are you ready?” Taehyung looked at you, nodding.

“Yeah, let’s go.” He said. You looked at your brother and father, seeing your mother was now behind them and dragging them back inside.

“Have fun, honey.” She smiled, closing the door. You sighed, and Taehyung began to laugh.

“What’s so funny?!” You asked as the two of you began to walk in the direction of the station that would take you to the festival. “That was the most embarrassing thing I have probably ever experienced in my life, and you’re laughing?!” Hearing you shout at him made Taehyung only laugh harder, having to stop and rest his hand on a nearby telephone pole to calm himself. Seeing him laugh this hard made you blush harder. “Why was that too funny?”

“The look on your face…” he choked out. You frowned, punching him in the arm. “Ow!” He looked at you, rubbing his arm as his laughter almost immediately stopped. You smirked, putting your hands behind your back as you turned on your heel.

“We should get going. The train will leave without us if you stand here laughing your brains out over something so stupid.”

“It wasn’t stupid.” Taehyung said, quickening his pace a bit just to catch up with you.

When you arrived at the station, you got your tickets and made your way to the platform to wait. It was crowded, most people dressed in Christmas themed outfits. “You think a lot of people here are going to the festival too?” you asked curiously. Taehyung shrugged, glancing around at the people as well, some of whom were with significant others, others with friends, children with their parents, and even people going solo. As your train pulled up, people got off and started shuffling onto the platform. You shifted closer to Taehyung, grabbing hold of his arm in hopes of not getting separated from him. He glanced down at you, seeing you stare straight ahead at the train before you. Once the doors were cleared, you tugged at his arm a bit.

“Let’s go.” You said, glancing up at him. Taehyung nodded, leading you onto the train. Despite all of the people that got off the train, it was still a crowded train. As people got on, you looked for somewhere to sit, but to no avail. It seats were filled with the elderly, pregnant women or mothers with young children or people who were sleeping after a long, soothing ride. As you slid yourself up against the door as it closed, you looked at Taehyung. He was glaring at the other men in the cart, some of whom were glancing in your direction. It made you a bit uncomfortable, and you gripped your bag tightly, holding it close to your chest as you tried to make yourself as small as possible. Taehyung, noticing that you were a bit uneasy in the cart, stood closer to you. He leaned forward a bit, his arm resting above your head as he used his body to keep you shielded from everyone else, but kept enough distance to keep you from being uncomfortable. The closeness you two were sharing at this moment made you feel safer, and you looked out the window of the train door as you flew down the tracks and towards Seoul.

Ding. Next stop, Seoul Train Station. Next stop, Seoul Train Station. You heard the intercom speaker announce. The train slowly came to a stop, and you backed up, and your back slightly brushing up against Taehyung as you waited for the door to open. You both got off and made your way out of the platform and into the streets of Seoul. It was a bit of a walk to the area that was Festival was being held, but when you both got there, you were thrilled. Everything around you screamed Christmas, from the garland wrapped around every pillar and banister to the different rooms and venues selling Christmas themed snacks and merchandise, and not to mention the enormous Christmas tree that was a centerpiece. Christmas music in both English and Korean played throughout the area. You grinned.

“This looks amazing!” You shouted, clasping your hands together. “Wow, so pretty…” Taehyung looked around as well, nodding.

“Yeah, they really go all out huh?” He glanced down at you. “Where do you want to go first?” You rubbed your hands together and shivered just a bit as the door to the venue opened a few times, allowing a cool breeze to hit you.

“Let’s go shopping.” You beamed, pointing to a few different tables and stores of Christmas gifts. Taehyung nodded, and the two of you made your way over. You spent a lot of time shopping, looking at Christmas decorations, and Taehyung even took a picture of you in one of those cardboard cutouts of a snowman, which made him laugh uncontrollably. You both spent a bunch of time just exploring, and when you got tired, you found somewhere to sit and would just people watch. That was the most fun, Taehyung was making cracks towards different people that walked by that, while probably a bit rude, making you unable to control yourself because they were just too funny.

“This guy overhears looks like a Christmas snow globe, do you think that was intentional?” He asked, and you shoving him as you both busted into laughter.

“You’re awful, Taehyung!” You snapped, covering your mouth a bit. Taehyung grinned.

“You’re laughing too, so you’re just as bad as me, if not worse!” He pointed out. As you two tried to contain your laughter, you felt a close breeze come from the entrance once again. “Alright, anything else you want to do or see?” he asked. Your eyes scanned the nearby festivities and then you pointed straight ahead.

“…Hot chocolate?” you asked. Nodding in agreement, the two of you headed towards a nearby stand that had a cute redheaded young adult selling hot chocolate. Taehyung purchased you each a cup, and you brought the warm liquid to your lips, taking a deep breath as you let it envelop you. As you sipped it, you felt warm already. You took the moment of Taehyung resting against the wall to sip his to look around and get an idea of what you wanted to do. Then, you nudged Taehyung and pointed over to a big, red part of the area that had two huge words written on it: SANTA’S WORKSHOP! “We should go to see Santa!” You beamed.

“Santa? Really?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at your childlike enthusiasm.

“Uhhh yes? You don’t go to a Christmas festival and not see Santa!” You said. “Look, we don’t have to take a picture, I just want to say hi.” You said simply. “Please?” Taking another sip of his hot cocoa, he glanced down at you.

“…You won’t let me say no, will you?” he asked. You simply shook your head, grinning as the two of you headed in the direction of the workshop. As you went inside, you saw that it was much bigger than it looked from the outside. The place had tons of Christmas things to buy, small toys and games for young children to use, and of course, the big man himself sitting on a big red seat in the middle. He was saying hello to tons of children and teenagers who passed by, an enthusiastic grin on his face. You approached the bar and smiled, waving to the man in red. He looked at you and waved back, grinning. “Enjoying yourself?” Tae asked, looking around at all of the screaming kids and overly enthusiastic parents. He watched as a young boy ran up to his mother, a reindeer doll clutched in his hands as he eagerly waved it around. He was shouting at his mother to “please buy this for me, eomma! I want it so bad!” As the mother was about to respond, the father came and scooped the little boy up, making him giggle a bit as he showed him the reindeer. He couldn’t really hear the conversation after that, but it looked like the boy was getting that stuffed reindeer because he hugged his father incredibly tight. Taehyung glanced back at you, and saw you were eagerly talking to Santa about “being on the nice list” and “wanting a stuffed teddy bear”.

He really didn’t want to be in here right now.

“Hey…” he said gently, his hand resting on your back. You glanced over at him. “I’ll be outside.”

“You okay?” you asked curiously. Taehyung nodded.

“Yeah. I just need a bit of air. Stay a bit, I’ll be right out here.” You were hesitant, but he smiled a bit, ruffling your hair. Then, without another word, he headed out the door of the workshop. He waved his hand back when Santa called out for him to have a good holiday, then he disappeared behind other people who made their way in. You weren’t sure if you should follow him, it seemed like he kind of wanted to be alone. Was he okay? As much as you wanted to go find him, you knew to bother him may just may him angry again, so you decided to go find something you buy.

“There has to be something here that can cheer him up.” You mumbled to yourself as you looked over the shelves.

Meanwhile, Taehyung had taken himself all the way outside the venue, resting against a pole. He watched as people walked in and walked out, holiday spirit clogging the air. He was starting to get frustrated with it, but he couldn’t let you know. Digging into his pocket, he pulled out a cigarette and a lighter. He clicked the lighter a few times, mumbling words of encouragement in hopes that would get the damn thing to work. When it didn’t, Taehyung groaned, tossing it in the trash.

“Fucking piece of shit.” He muttered, leaning his head against the pole, the unlit cigarette just hanging in his mouth. As he was standing there silently, he heard a voice, his eyes fell towards it.

“Need a light?”

As you left Santa’s Workshop, clutching a small bag in your hands, you began searching for Taehyung. There were tons of people, but everywhere you looked, you didn’t see him. You scanned the nearby area for a few minutes, though it felt like forever before you eventually made your way outside of the venue. You looked around out there from the top of the steps. Just as you were about to call his name, you saw him.

Taehyung was standing up against a pole, leaning down slightly as some was leaning in towards him as well, and they were talking. Getting a close look, you saw it was a girl, about your height, with long black hair, and piercing eyes. Taehyung was puffing out cigarette smoke as he spoke to her, his other hand in his pocket. She was up against him slightly, and he didn’t seem to really mind. In fact, he was kind of smiling about it. As you watched the duo, you felt a bit jealous.

Did he knows this girl? Why would they be so close together if they weren’t? You couldn’t make any sense of it, but you knew it bothered you very, very much. As you desperately tried to make any sense of the scene before you. After a moment of watching, you headed down towards them. You watched this girl place her hand on Taehyung’s chest, and he only responded with a chuckle as he took another drag of his cigarette. As you pushed through a few people and got close to them, you held the bag of the stuffed animal in your hand.

“…Taehyung?”

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matrixaffiliate · 5 years

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Patient

I'm going hiking tomorrow so you get an early update! Hooray! Next chapter goes up June 15th.

FFN and AO3

Chapter 3

After dating Harry Potter for five months, Ginny was able to see the difference between him being suave and him being nervous. At first, she had mistaken his nervousness as a sort of cool aloofness, but now she knew better, like right now.

"What has gotten into you?" Ginny tried not to chuckle as Harry slowly surveyed her bookshelf for the millionth time.

Harry's hands stuck in his pockets, probably to keep them out of his hair. Ginny found that she often needed to find things for her hands to do to keep them out of his hair.

"I was thinking, it'd be rather dull to look at places on my own."

Ginny forced her face to stay neutral as she watched him from her couch. "I suppose it could be."

Harry kept his face blank but his right hand slipped up into his hair, "But I thought if you came with me, it would be less tedious."

"I'm so glad that I'm an assuage to tedium," Ginny couldn't stop herself from cracking a smile. Harry rolled his eyes.

"I'm trying to ask you to look for a place with me without it sounding like I'm pushing our relationship too fast."

Ginny crossed the small space to Harry's side, gently pulling his hand from his hair. "I'd love to tag along while you look for a new home."

Relief washed over Harry's face and Ginny laughed.

"Thank you, I've been dreading this something awful."

"Really?" She laughed, "I thought you'd be excited to have your own space. The empty nester thing my dad likes to talk about."

Harry was quiet a beat too long as he looked off at the floor.

"Did I say something?" Ginny wrapped her arms around Harry's middle, pulling him close to her as she looked up at him, trying to get him to make eye contact.

Harry avoided her eyes as he spoke, "It's, it's different for me than it is for your dad. I was never meant to be Teddy's parent, but I've thrown my life into being everything I could for him. Now that he doesn't need me, now that I've raised him as best I can, I don't know what's next. Of course, there's still work and whatnot but I don't know what to do with myself." He shook his head and ran his hand into his hair again. "I must sound pathetic."

Ginny's heart nearly broke for him.

"Oh, Harry," she squeezed her arms tightly around him. "Teddy will still need you, just in a different way now. And you absolutely are not pathetic, you're the adult picking up where his life was originally going after taking seventeen years off to raise and care for your godson."

Harry grimaced, "Can I not start right where I left off. I was right hopeless back then."

Ginny pretended to consider his comment and Harry rolled his eyes.

"Enough of you," he tickled her sides and Ginny shrieked as his fingers worked their way under her shirt.

"Stop!" She laughed, "I can't breathe!"

Harry's fingers slowed, but only slightly. "I'm sorry, I thought you were implying I was hopeless."

Ginny managed to catch her breath, but only just. Harry's eyes stared down at her with a gleam that felt intense in a way she hadn't seen before. It left her grasping at the memories of breathing.

"You're not hopeless," it came out in a whisper. She was pinned under his stare, immobile from his eyes more than his arms holding her in place.

One of his hands slid up her side and brushed against her cheek, tucking her hair behind her ear. When he spoke, all joking had gone out of his voice.

"I think I am, actually, but in a good way." A small upturn of his lip gave Ginny's heart an electric shock. "I'm hopeless for you Ginny."

It was a cheesy line, but just like that he pulled the little air she'd managed to breathe in right out of her lungs. It was alright though because Harry felt the need to follow up his declaration with a kiss, breathing air back into her.

If she thought his stare was intense, his kiss made it seem tame. His kiss was borderline desperate, as though he needed her air as much as she needed his. His left hand gripped her waist, holding her as close to him as possible, while his right hand cupped the back of her neck, controlling this kiss in every way, and Ginny surrendered. She responded with equal fervor. Her fingers found his hair of their own accord. Then one hand was couldn't resist the magnetism of his chest and slid down to run slowly over his shirt and then crawl back up under it.

Ginny needed him to know, to feel exactly how much she cared about him, how much she…

She didn't want to say it first, it was a thing she had. She never said it first in her past relationships. Some stupid book she read forever ago and couldn't even remember the name of made it out to be better to wait for the guy to say it, and two decades later she was still influenced by the stupid thing.

But tangled up with Harry at this moment, Ginny wanted to say it. She wanted to breathe it into his ear before pulling back to see it in his face and hear it fall from his lips. She wanted him to know that she had fallen in love with him, and she wanted to know he loved her too.

And somewhere in those thoughts, actions played out in reality and not in her head.

Harry stiffened and pulled back to look down at her. "Did, did you just say…?"

Ginny bit her lip and cursed her inability to control her tongue in the moment, well in the moments with Harry. There was no going back now though, she'd obviously said it out loud and he'd most certainly heard her. She might as well own it.

Ginny swallowed and nodded, "I love you."

Harry's smile rivaled the sun as it lit up his face. "Good, because I love you too."

If Ginny thought the kiss before had been desperate, she was quickly shown how much Harry Potter could outdo himself. Ginny's senses were overloaded. Harry's hands and lips were everywhere, his voice was oscillating between growls and quiet whispered 'I love you's that sent her heart rate skyrocketing. He spun her into the wall and pressed his body against hers, as though if he tried hard enough they'd become a part of each other, a part of the wall pressed against her back.

It was heaven, and Ginny never wanted to come down.

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

"You're picking me up right at noon, then?" Ginny looked down at her schedule while she listened to Harry's reply.

"A bit after, we'll meet the estate agent at her office and then she'll drive us to the three homes she could arrange today before dropping us back at her office." Even with the promise of Ginny helping him find a place it had still taken two months for Harry to get his act together and get an estate agent.

"Perfect, then I'll be able to spend the rest of the day convincing you to pick my favorite one."

"What if you don't like any of them?" Harry's laughter made Ginny's heart sing.

"Then this poor woman will have to drag us around again." Ginny grinned as she spoke into the phone, "Because I'm pretty taken with the idea of making you pick my favorite home in exchange for assuaging the tedium of house hunting."

Harry laughed again. "I love you."

Ginny tried to keep her swooning to a minimum. Two months into saying it and she still felt her stomach dance every time Harry uttered the words.

"I love you too," Ginny sighed, "but you have a meeting in five minutes so I should let you go."

Harry chuckled, "How do you have my schedule memorized? If I don't have alarms going off on my phone I forget everything."

"You forget that my job is just an over glorified calendar keeper," She was joking, but Ginny couldn't help but smile as she looked around her office. "I'll see you in a few hours."

"I love you," Harry's voice was warm and Ginny wished she was sitting on his desk instead of in her office.

"I love you too, now get to work."

They disconnected and Ginny sighed happily as she took in her office. It felt like she'd been in it for years and not barely eight months. And as much as she hated admitting it, she was starting to like wedding coordinating. She was realizing how much she hadn't understood about the position before taking it on. She didn't need to pretend that every couple was going to live a fairy tale, she just needed to remember that they were happy now and that was what really mattered. Ginny especially liked that no bride was a client for longer than 12-18 months. She'd never have to deal with a Umbridge-like-nightmare for years on end again. It was true, she had told Emily that she was going to bail the moment Vic's wedding was done and she had another position, but Ginny was finding that the desire to find that new position was fading fast.

She'd never admit it out loud, but Ginny loved being a wedding coordinator, and admitting it to herself left a smile on her face all the way through to Harry picking her up just after noon.

"I missed you," Harry pulled her into him and kissed her.

"You saw me yesterday."

"We've already established that I'm hopeless for you," Harry pressed kisses along her jaw up to her ear.

"And we've also established we have an appointment to keep," Ginny chuckled but her body still melted against his.

Harry groaned but pulled back to open the car door for her, "Yes, dear."

Ginny looked up into his face, "I think I sense the tiniest bit of sarcasm in your tone, sir."

Harry grinned, "You really don't need to call me 'sir,' Gin."

Ginny laughed and shook her head as she climbed into the car. "You're absolutely ridiculous, you know?"

"Only for you," Harry winked at her.

The estate agent's office wasn't very far from Ginny's office and within thirty minutes she'd been introduced to Kelsey and they were sitting in Kelsey's car, Ginny in the front seat at Harry's insistence, as they made their way to the first home.

"I've found some really beautiful houses for you two," Kelsey said to Ginny.

Ginny grinned at the thought of Kelsey thinking she and Harry were buying a home together. She decided not to correct her, Harry could do that if he really wanted to. Ginny's heart did a little dance when he leaned forward and nodded in Kelsey's direction.

"We're excited to see them."

"Buying a home is an exciting time, and I'm going to do my absolute best to make it a painless process."

"We'll get along well I think," Ginny laughed, "I'm a wedding coordinator and that's exactly what my job is, just with weddings instead of house hunting."

Kelsey smiled at her, "This first place is smaller, built right after the war, but it's on a sizeable piece of land so lots of room to expand and grow, and I think it's magical."

Ginny forced herself not to laugh. This had to be exactly what she sounded like as she took brides around. She glanced back at Harry who smirked at her. Yep, she sounded just like Kelsey.

"And here we are," Kelsey pulled in front of a small home.

Ginny looked out the window and realized Kelsey was right, this place was magical. The house looked quite a bit like Ted and Vic's home actually. The same sort of wrought iron fence blocked off the front garden, but rather than the two stories of Harry's current home it was a single story home.

"Let's go inside," Harry stepped out and opened her door. "I want to know what you think."

The home was cozy, and at first, Ginny really loved the idea of Harry having a home that was like the one he lived in currently. But the more of the house they saw, the more she noticed Harry's disinterest.

"I want to see the back garden," Ginny grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him through the back door, shutting it behind them.

Harry quirked a brow, "Gin, darling, I am positive Kelsey can still see us."

Ginny rolled her eyes, he could be such a boy some days. "Do you not like the house?"

Harry blinked, "It's fine."

"Really? Because you look like someone is trying to sell you an insurance policy on your telly."

Harry laughed, making Ginny break into a smile. "Alright, you caught me, I'm not really into the house."

"Then tell Kelsey," Ginny pointed back at the door.

"But you're having fun," Harry looked confused. "Why should we stop just because I don't like the house?"

"Because you're the one buying the house, dummy."

"Oi!" Harry poked her side and Ginny jumped closer to him, laughing as he capitalized on her proximity to tickle her sides.

"Fine," she cried, "you're not a dummy, you're a sexy, intelligent bloke who needs to pull his head out of his arse and tell Kelsey you want to see the next house."

Harry's fingers stopped tickling and pulled her against him. He held her a moment before sighing. "Alright, let's go tell Kelsey it's time to move on."

And on they went. The next home was a bit better, built within the last ten years and had all the modern upgrades. But after some prodding by Ginny, both figuratively and literally, Harry finally admitted he was hoping for something with more character.

"I think you'll love this last one then," Kelsey nodded as they climbed back into the car. "It's a Georgian style home but the owners have completely updated it. It's a treasure."

Ginny smiled, "See, love, all you have to do is speak up and Kelsey can work her magic."

Apparently, Kelsey specialized in black magic.

Ginny didn't realize it until she got out of the car to see the last home. It was beautiful, the brickwork shown like it had just been laid, and the simple garden was well groomed. But as she turned to comment to Harry, he sat stone-faced in the backseat of the car, staring straight ahead.

"Harry?" Ginny shared a confused look with Kelsey.

"I'll just go get the door opened and meet you inside," Kelsey fiddled with her phone.

"Thank you," Ginny gave her an encouraging smile before turning back to her boyfriend-turned-statue in the back of the car.

"Harry," she opened the door and peered at him, "what's going on?"

Harry continued to stare straight ahead like his life depended on it.

"Harry please say something, you're worrying me."

"This was my parents' home." His voice was tight and he sounded angry, but his words fell like lead weights on Ginny's heart.

She stared a moment, not sure what to do. Part of her really wanted to see the house, to see this part of Harry that he never talked about. But the other part of her wanted to do the right thing and tell him they'd leave now.

Harry spared her the decision.

"You should go in. I'll wait here."

Ginny hesitated, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, you should." His voice had lost the anger it held before and now sounded dead, devoid of any emotion at all.

Ginny bit her lip and looked back at Kelsey waiting for her at the door.

"I'll just take a quick look around and then we'll head back."

Harry nodded but still wouldn't look at her. Ginny shut the door and then hurried to Kelsey.

"Harry's feeling a bit dizzy at the moment. He'll join us if it gets better."

Kelsey frowned. "We can come back another day."

"Let me take a quick look, and then I can describe it to him. Along with that and the listing images he can decide if this is one he wants to see himself."

Kelsey nodded and stepped into the house, guiding Ginny in with her.

It took Ginny's breath away. The entrance was grand, the normally cramped entries to these homes had been blown out into an open concept, rising the full two stories of the house; the stairs leading to the second floor were beautiful and Ginny followed in a daze as Kelsey took her on a quick tour.

Everything was brand new and exactly what Ginny would have picked out if she'd been asked her preference. The back garden was a child's dream with so much space to play, a treehouse, and a large playset. The kitchen opened to the back patio, creating the illusion that the house didn't actually end with the outside, the outside was just the next room.

Kelsey led her up the beautiful staircase with a continual narrative on all the current owners had done to give the old home a modern update. The master suite was luxurious and walking into the other bedrooms gave Ginny the feeling that little children would come bursting behind her at any moment to jump on the beds. She could see herself here, she could see her family here, she could see her life here.

It was perfect.

It was heartbreaking.

Ginny kept catching glimpses in her mind's eye of a little Harry running about with his mum; of teenage Harry kicking a ball around in the back garden with his dad; of Harry and his mates in the treehouse; of Harry waking up in one of these rooms; of Harry going to bed in one of these rooms; of Harry waving goodbye to his family from the front door for the last time.

"This is lovely," Ginny forced a smile for Kelsey, "I'll talk with Harry about it and we'll let you know if he wants to come back."

Ginny wanted to come back. Ginny wanted to come back with all her belongings and never leave.

"Of course," Kelsey's smile was far more genuine than Ginny's, "and the owners aren't living here, it's all staged, so we can come back any time that's convenient."

"Thank you, Kelsey, you've been wonderful."

Ginny braced herself as they walked back to Kelsey's car. Harry still sat in the backseat, his elbows now resting on his knees, his head resting in his hands.

"Poor bloke," Kelsey shook her head before very carefully opening the door.

"Harry," Ginny opened the back door, "let me sit next to you."

Harry gave a shuddering sigh before scooting over, his position not changing enough for her to see his face as he moved to make space.

The ride back to Kelsey's office was awful. Kelsey kept glancing back at Harry, not budging from his melancholy position, and Ginny was left to sit next to him with a hand on his shoulder like it was enough.

It wasn't.

It absolutely wasn't enough.

When finally they arrived back at the estate office, Ginny pulled Harry into his car, took his keys from his pocket, and drove them home - well, technically Ted and Vic's home, but she didn't give a damn right now whose name was on the house. That drive was not only quicker because she was focusing on driving rather than how powerless she felt, but also because Harry finally straightened upright and she could see his face. She wasn't sure which was worse though. In Kelsey's car Harry seemed to be in anguish. In his own car, he seemed dead. His face was devoid of any emotion, like a statue, beautiful but lifeless.

When she parked in the drive, Harry finally spoke. "I'm going for a run" He stepped out of the car slowly, his movements rigid.

"Alone?" Ginny couldn't keep the panic from her voice. She didn't fully understand what was going on with him, but she did know Harry wasn't himself and she didn't want him off on his own in his current state.

Harry paused and looked at her, his face remaining statuesque, but his eyes started to show a small spark of himself. "On the treadmill, in my room."

Ginny released the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. It came out in a whoosh of relief and left her feeling a bit lightheaded.

"Ok, I'll make dinner when you finish your run."

Harry nodded, his eyes losing their spark as he started to turn from her. Why was he closing himself off to everything? Why wouldn't he trust her to help him? Why was his grief still so fresh?

Ginny wasn't a stranger to watching people mourn, her mother had lost her twin brothers while they were serving in the military. And her mum definitely had a day or two during Ginny's childhood where it affected her like it was yesterday even though it happened before Ginny had been born, but it was different with Harry. Her mum could laugh about the good times she had with her brothers. She smiled at the similarities between her brothers and her own twin sons. She was happy to have been with them for the time they'd been able to have.

Harry didn't do any of those things.

Harry clammed up any time his parents or Ted's parents were mentioned, and Ginny kept forgetting there were godparents because Harry would never speak of them. She hadn't even seen pictures of them. None were in the house that she knew of. Something was off in how Harry handled his grief, but Ginny wasn't sure what the cause was. The evidence of it was everywhere around her as she stood in the living room, listening to the thump, thump, thump of Harry's steps on the treadmill above her, looking for pictures of Harry's family. What wasn't evident was the root of the problem.

"Aunt Ginny!"

Ginny spun just in time to catch Vic's hug.

"How'd house hunting go?" Ted waggled his eyebrows at her. He'd been just a touch pleased with himself when Ginny mentioned she'd be helping Harry pick out his home.

Ginny sighed and shook her head. "Fate is a fickle mistress."

Ted's eyebrows lowered and his forehead creased with his frown. "What do you mean? Did it not go well?"

"We looked at three places today," Ginny looked around the room again, looking for pictures that would not appear, "and the third, by coincidence, happened to be Harry's childhood home."

Ted let out a low whistle. "I'd love to see that."

Ginny looked up sharply. "You've never seen it?"

Ted shook his head, his bitterness seeping into his frown.

"Where are the pictures, Ted?" Ginny looked at him closely. "Where are the pictures of your parents, of Harry's parents, of his godparents?"

Ted shook his head and huffed, "I've got all the pictures of my parents in my room."

"What about their things? Your mother's jewelry, your father's watches, where are those?"

Ted more or less fell on the sofa and threw his head back, looking up at the ceiling. He didn't look almost twenty anymore, now he looked so much older as the strain and stress pulled on his features.

"I have everything that belonged to my parents and grandparents, Harry made sure of that. A lot of it is in boxes in the attic, but he told me it's all there. I don't know about his parents or godparents. I'd like to hope they're somewhere in the attic too, but trust me, there's no point in asking."

"We could show her your boxes," Vic sat next to him on the sofa, taking his arm and pulling it around her shoulders. "You said looking through the pictures helps sometimes."

Ted held Vic for a long moment and Ginny envied her niece, envied that she could do something, that she could help, that Ted would let her help.

Finally, Ted looked over at her and spoke, "You alright getting a bit dusty?"

Ginny chuckled, "Absolutely."

Ted first took her and Vic to his room where Ginny found two full walls plastered with pictures of a beautiful woman with bubble gum pink hair and a rugged looking gentleman with a smile that was so full of mischief it made him look fifteen years younger. It also happened to be the smile that Ted had inherited.

"I like to think, with their pictures here, that they can watch over me." Ted's voice was quiet and there was a small sad smile on his lips.

"You should put some of these out in the other rooms."

Ted didn't look at her, just shook his head and stood and headed for the attic, beckoning them to follow. Vic gave Ginny a sad smile before following her fiance.

Ginny's frown was set in place as she climbed the ladder Ted had pulled down. Ted had already started opening old cardboard boxes when she made it up behind Vic.

"This one has all the pictures that were in albums of my folks and me." He touched a box with his foot. "And all these here have my parents' and grandparents' things."

Ginny peered over Vic's shoulder to the album she held and smiled at an engagement picture of Ted's parents. A large lump formed in her throat when she noticed that the ring on Vic's hand was the same ring on Ted's mother. Then Vic turned the page and Ginny stared in wonder as she looked at a picture of a man who had to be Harry's dad.

They were identical in appearance, except for their eyes.

"That's James," Ted pointed to the man Ginny had been staring at. "And that's Dad," his finger moved to the next man in the picture, "and that's Sirius."

Ginny smiled at the trio. They looked like they would have been the best people in the world to know. The picture looked to be from Ted's parents' wedding, based on the tuxedos they were wearing.

"Here," Ted reached over Vic and turned the page. "This is Lily, Mum, and Marlene."

Ginny's eyes went wide as she looked down at the woman who gave Harry his captivating green eyes. Her hair was red, but a much darker shade than Ginny's own. And her smile was wide and full of happiness. Ted's mum looked like all of the brides that Ginny had coordinated weddings for, joyously and superbly happy.

Vic continued to turn the pages of her in-laws' wedding album, but Ginny was scanning the poorly lit attic. Ted was right, if Harry kept anything from his parents and godparents, it would be up here. Slowly she moved through the space, reading Harry's handwriting scrawled across the boxes. As she moved to the furthest, darkest corner from the attic opening, she pulled out the flashlight on her phone to better read the writing on the boxes. She had to brush the dust off, the layer at least a couple of centimeters thick, but she felt her heart rate pick up at what she had found.

The box simply said "Mum and Dad." Ginny brushed off the dust from the next box and the next. Each had "Mum and Dad" written across the top. She found ten medium sized boxes that all apparently held Harry's parents' personal items and eight boxes that had one word written across the top "Black."

Ginny fought within herself. She wanted to pull the lid off of every box and lay everything out on the floor, inspect every single item. She wanted to find the Potter's wedding album. She wanted to find Harry's baby album. She wanted to see pictures of Harry growing up, of his friends, of his primary school, of him being awkward in A-levels. She desperately wanted access to this part of Harry's life. But if he wanted to share it with her, he probably would have already. She knew he hated to talk about anything that happened before he became Ted's sole guardian. And she would bet her next paycheck he'd be upset if she went through them without asking.

Her hand rested against one of the boxes, waiting for her brain to make a decision.

"Gin."

Ginny bit her lip and tensed. She hadn't heard Harry come into the attic with them, and apparently, Ted and Vic didn't think to announce him.

"Gin," his voice was tight, and at first Ginny thought he was angry. But when she turned to look at him, there was nothing angry in his expression; there was only fear.

"Sorry," she dropped her hand from the box.

Harry reached for her hand as it fell, pulling her back from the dark end of the attic toward the ladder. Vic and Ted watched them silently, but Ted's eyes betrayed his pain.

"You're taking those with you when you move out." Ted didn't look up from his parents' wedding album as he addressed his godfather.

Harry didn't respond, he didn't even look at Ted, just climbed down the ladder and offered Ginny his hand. Ginny stared down at him, feeling a mixture of confusion, sadness, and frustration.

"I'll get dinner going," she smiled at Vic who was watching with a bit of apprehension in her face. Vic nodded but watched Ted like he might be a ticking time bomb. Ginny didn't blame her, while Ted's face was as calm as Harry's had been when they made it home, his voice lacked that dead quality Harry's had taken on. Ted was not happy, he was not indifferent, he was hurt and he was upset.

Ginny climbed down the ladder, taking Harry's hand. She started for the kitchen, but Harry pulled her again, heading for his bedroom. Ginny followed, still too caught up in her own emotions to really know what she actually felt about the situation. Harry quietly shut the door behind them. He released her hand and walked to the window, leaning against the frame and looking out into the back garden.

Ginny sat on the bed, trying to collect her thoughts.

"What did you think?"

Harry's voice pulled her back out of her head. She tilted her head trying to guess what he was referring to.

"The house," he clarified, seeming to catch on to her confusion.

"Oh."

"You didn't like it." It wasn't a question.

"No!" Ginny tried to keep the panic out of her voice. "It was perfect! I loved it!"

Harry continued to stare out the window. "So you want me to pick that one?"

Ginny shook her head, "I'd never make you do that."

"What did they change? Kelsey said it's been updated."

"I don't know what's different."

"Then tell me what it looks like now."

Ginny wanted him to look at her. She wanted him to seem alive again, because aside from his pulse, he was no more alive than the family he buried nearly 21 years ago.

"Harry," she hedged.

"Did they restore the hardwood floors?"

"Yes," she huffed.

Harry waited, silently staring out the window. Ginny sighed and shook her head before telling him how absolutely wonderful his childhood home was, how everything was exactly what she would want.

How it simply felt like home.

Harry's expression didn't change, he didn't even shift his posture. When Ginny fell silent, Harry took a deep breath.

"I'll ask Vic and Ted to get you back to your car. I have a client who needs me for a meeting tonight." He pushed off the wall and took Ginny's hand, pulling her to her feet. He slowly brought his lips to hers, his hands cradling her neck and face.

Ginny threw herself into his kiss, trying desperately to pull him back to her, to bring life back to his eyes, his expression, his voice, his being. Harry's kiss was slow, savouring each second as it ticked past.

"I love you," he whispered against her before pulling back entirely and walking to the door.

"Harry," Ginny called out. He paused but didn't turn. "I love you too, no matter what."

Harry's shoulders dropped and he walked out the door, leaving Ginny standing in the middle of his bedroom, more confused than ever.

#Patient #hinny #hinny fanfic #harry x ginny #harry potter x ginny weasley #harry potter #ginny weasley #harry potter fanfiction #muggle AU #au #wedding coordinator au #wedding planner au #tedoire #teddy x vic #teddy x victoire #teddy lupin #victoire weasley

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psychoangiethings · 5 years

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The Bloodline [Roman Godfrey x Reader]

Warning: Adult themes & language, murder

Other tags: Magic, friends to lovers, slow build, nightmares, witches, upirs

Summary: After very suspicious car crash that killed both of her parents, Abigail Wolff moves in with her aunt to Hemlock Grove only to discover a truly interesting family history which her father kept from her. As she awakens her powers, something much older and terrifying is coming after her. Or maybe not after her at all.

Chapter 8

Masterlist

Chapter 9 - Drive faster

15th December 2016

It was early in the evening when I yelled into the house I'm going for a run which was a code for practising in the forest. In every grimoire I read that every witch has to be in perfect balance with nature so I thought how will I get there? The answer was really simple, all I had to do was let my power flow through me with my hands in the ground and try to feel the life and power of earth. Just to get on the same page without hurting anyone or myself, get to know each other. It became easier when I was deeper in the forest, not afraid of someone walking onto me.

So, wearing my oldest pants, that once had beatiful dark blue colour, and shirt with long sleeves and a thin vest, I went out. During those days I tried to go there as many times as possible, to gain my balance. I even found a place that reminded me of Amira and her battle. Well, kind of. I sat down in a circle I made of stones earlier and sighed. The stones were signaling me where I felt good and in harmony.

For no reason I recalled my dialogue with Peter few weeks ago when I went to him because I really needed to know what did he know. About me, about supernatural and what was he willing to share.

"What are you doing here?" Peter told me leaning against the doorframe, hair dishevelled wearing only pants. "I don't have time for you," he mumbled and tried to close the door.

I grabbed it with my hand. "And I'm not convinced, so let me in." He did. Obviously not thrilled but offered a beer anyway and when I declined he opened it for himself.Inside the trailer looked slightly better. Still I got the impression of being able to quickly grab your important stuff and leave the town if shit hits the fan. Smart thinking.

Peter sat on the sofa in front of me and sighed. "So?"

"So I put one and one together. Why the hell didn't you tell me?"

"Straight to the point. Fair enough. You have to be more specific. Didn't tell you what?" He took another sip and relaxed into the sofa.

"I wondered why Erika invited your mother and then it hit me. She knows about Erika. She knows about me. So what are you? Gypsy witches?"

"Don't be ridiculous."

"I'm not joking, Peter. I'm fed up with half-truths and lies, so tell me what are you, people? Or should I look at that myself?" I said and pointed with a finger at my right eye.

"I knew the difference the moment I saw you that day with Roman. Wondered why you have that and what does it do," he mumbled and lit up a cigarrete. "Just look at me and tell me what do you see."

I could tell he was curious but so was I. Besides my hallucinations I've never used it for its rightful purpose. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to shut it down too. Maybe it was time to find out. "Lerath ma garem. Open, my eye." Even hours and hours of practising couldn't prepare me for what I saw. There was the slightest hint of wolfish ears created by white smoke above his head and in front of his face there was a wolf's face with dark eyes and bared teeth. "O-okay?" I breathed out nervously and sat down on the table's corner. "So, werewolf, then?" I reached out to the smoke as he nodded, curious if it was solid or my hand would go trough. It did, but wolf opened its mouth as if he wanted to bite me, then the tongue came out and 'licked' my palm. I shivered and closed my eyes.

"What do you see? What did you do?"

"Your wolf side. It's acting on its own behalf."

That day I discovered part of the truth and wasn't ready to use my eye again. If I was able to see under the surface of supernatural beings, to see what they truly were, what else I was capable of? It scared me to death as much as I didn't know how to turn it off. After visiting Peter I kept staring on the ground because I didn't want to see and the following day I woke up, it was gone. I needed to learn how to shut it down plus tomorrow was my first day on Hemlock Grove High School. It would be shitty if something happened, right? If Roman started a gossip about a girl who lived with her aunt after her parents died and didn't show up at school right away, probably because of sulking and drowning in depression, I would be freak from the moment I'd stepped on the school ground.

Right, Roman. Alongside with Peter I didn't saw him at all. Lynda barely showed at our house and Erika... Well, let's say we had a few dialogues about important things -my powers, who's Amira and what the hell were those shadows, my right eye - and the shitty ones - what do you want to wear to school tomorrow? Should I give you a ride or pick you up?

Erika didn't know who was Amira or what was the meaning of my right eye. She didn't saw werewolves as I did so that sucked and even one of our oldest grimoires didn't mention this ability. Or Amira. While reading all those pages I got frustrated. There was absolutely nothing that would help me against that prick from my dream and it seemed that evil forces went radio silent. No attacks, no dreams, no nothing!

"Well, maybe he'll be like Voldemort. He will wait for his attempt to kill me till the end of the year." That was my way to coping with things. Sarcasm and irony. And my balance was getting a bit off. "Sorry, sorry. Less talking and more focusing, got it," I mumbled and closed my eyes.

Waking up next morning was a great pain in the ass. No, I didn't overslept. Basically I slept only four hours and woke up whole hour before my alarm. And since laying in bed wasn't my thing, I got up to prepare myself and got some food in me. Since I moved in here, during the last weeks I walked throughalmost whole town so I knew my way to school. The beauty of this town was there were no ugly yellow buses. If you had a car, you could use it, or walk there or be ashamed for the rest of your life and be remembered as the kid whose parents drove him to school everyday. I chose option B. Getting there on my feet wasn't something hard even though overwhelming majority of teenagers in Hemlock Grove drove a car. So when I picked up my bag and decided to go I still got plenty of time before it even started. Not wanting to face Erika that morning got me determined to avoid her at all costs. I've had my share of nervous talking and stupid questions yesterday.

Hemlock Grove High School was nice looking building. Erika told me earlier to go straight to principal's office, just to introduce myself and got my schedule. Saying principal was thrilled to see me would be a bit strong word. Maybe excited and definitely curious. I patiently answered every question - in a way - and then got annoyed. Wanting to know a student in a few minutes is telling something about you. Firstly - you're just curious. Secondly - you couldn't find a single filth so you want to know if the person in question is really an angel. Or in my case, you wait with dropping the bomb to the end.

"I am really sorry for what happened to you, but here you can have a new beginning, find a new friends. No one here knows about what happened, so you can relax." Well, obviously someone knows, I wanted to add but said only thanks and got out of the office.

While looking in the schedule I knew shit about what room was where and walked past the big terrarium with a snake at least three times till I gave up, leaned against it and started a monolog with school snake. This day couldn't get even worse.

"Hey there, Wolff." Correction - it could and in that moment just did. It came from behind me and I would recognize that voice anywhere. Roman fucking Godfrey. "Don't tell me you can talk with snakes too. For most would be enough your eyes to call you a witch," he joked and stopped in front of me.

"Yeah, they also called freckles the Devil's mark. So," I gave him a forced smile and looked at my schedule again. Fucking chemistry.

"I'm not even surprised you know this kind of thing."

I almost forgot how persistent he was. I wasn't convinced every rich and spoiled child was bad, no. I was convinced that the money and power they had made them capable of anything and their counting on contacts they had in higher places made them dangerous. Roman grew up in those circles, even those fucking pretty green eyes were telling 'Look, I'm a trouble but I promise you will enjoy it'. Nope, nothing for me.

"You know where's the chemistry classroom?" I asked instead with a sigh and tried to calm myself. The last thing I needed was blow this day and reveal myself as a witch.

"I'll come with you. I've got that too."

Of course I was going to the same class as he did. I groaned. It was getting better and better.

For better or worse I did manage to ignore him for most of the classes. Some we shared, some we didn't. And students of Hemlock Grove High School couldn't care less about me which was nice change. So my first day was rather boring. In the middle of our biology class I decided to shorten my time with a little walk to school bathrooms and back. Since it was last class of the day I doubted our teacher would let me. But he did and wasn't making some stupid remarks how soon the class will end and how I'm not some five year old child so I can wait.

Surprisingly, I stood in front of big white door with 'GIRLS' in shock. Not because the door was made out of some freakingly rare wood, or the notice on door was written badly. There was this moaning, again. Just to made myself sure I slightly opened the door and looked inside. Only one cubicle was closed and inside was definitely more than one person.

"Ah, yes! Right there!" A breathy moan filled whole bathroom. O-okay, so the 'BOYS' it is then. As I was closing the door again, my eyes dropped to the floor where I saw feet with a very expensive shoes. Looked familiar, though. Where did I-

"Yes! Oh, Roman!"

"What the fuck?" I so not whispered but it certainly wasn't that loud and closed the door, which kind of louder was. So he is a manwhore. Fucking girls in his car in empty parking lot, fucking them during class in school. I made disgusted noise and went back to the class.

After the bell ringed for the end of class, which was almost in the moment I came back in classroom, I tried not to think about what I heard and saw. He really had some balls to fuck around in school.

And I wasn't fucking looking where I was going, that's how I much wanted to get out so I bumped in someone. With the corner of my eye I saw bandaged hands and a phone on some kind of string. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I wasn't looking," I mumbled and carried on.

Finally able to breath outside, I tried to get around other students who were laughing and making plans for the rest of the day. I didn't get very far, still on school ground as car pulled over before me. A small retro red Jaguar. The driver rolled down the window.

"You have to be kidding me! Seriously, Godfrey?"

He just grinned and raised one of his eyebrows. "Hop in, I'll give you a ride."

I crossed my arms. "No, thanks. I know what kind of rides do you give and I think I'll pass."

"C'mon, Wolff."

"What if I catch something?"

"Like what?"

"Like some kind of disease. Who knows what're you doing in there." I looked around and realized some students were curiously watching us.

"Don't make a scene and get your ass in here."

"Fine."

Surprisingly there was no awkward silence in the car. Still I cheekily started to play with buttons of his car radio. He frowned a bit but said nothing. "What? I'm not riding with you in total silence," I justified my actions and then relaxed in my seat. It was nice car, comfortable and totally out of my league.

"You have the oddest luck to walk on me in the most peculiar moments," he said after a while and looked at me. I indicated with my hands he should be watching the road and not me.

"I wouldn't call it a luck but yeah. I've heard enough for the rest of my life I think."

"Ah, don't be a prude."

I chuckled and rolled my eyes. "I'm not! I just think you have some serious balls if you're whoring aroung in public places."

"Who's saying I'm whoring? I don't have a girlfriend."

"Sorry, I meant sleeping around, then," I corrected myself sarcastically and looked out of window. The forest was completely different in day time but something wasn't quite right. In the road curve I thought I saw a man, standing there somewhere. What? I moved closer to the window and looked to the both sides but nothing.

Amira.

"Godfrey?" I asked weakily, colour disappearing from my face.

He hummed in answer and when I wasn't saying anything he quickly turned his head to me. "You okay? Sick or something?"

How could he not feel the coldness? The sudden sickening feeling. A shiver ran down my spine. Maybe it was a witch thing? "No. Drive faster."

Something dangerous flicked in his eyes as he grinned and stepped on the gas.

#hemlock grove #hemlock grove fanfiction #roman godfrey x reader #roman godfrey/ofc #Roman Godfrey #demons #witches #soul #upirs #peter rumancek

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bringmetolife-pwff · 4 years

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Part One: Chapter Eight - One step forward two steps back

"Yes," Evelyn nodded her head adjusting her glasses as she Skyped with the CEO, David McCreight, of Anthropologie. "That should work. I will discuss it with my assistant, Samantha, and see how it works out."

She could hear his American accent and always found it funny when she met people all around the world how everyone seemed to have their own accent. Eve had a very close relationship with Anthropologie as she had been with them since she started working for Teen Vogue. She had written a piece on their clothing and had met the David during it all as well.

Since then, David had seen something special in Evelyn's work and was the one who reached out to her when he heard she had designed her own line.

"Perfect," he said as he smiled at her. "So if all goes well, we should have your new line in our stores on June 6th and online June 15th."

She nodded her head agreeing with him as she wrote it all down in her notes needing to discuss things with Sam.

"I'll make sure the parcels are shipped before the end of May. That way you'll have enough time to set up displays and things of that sort."

"Alright, I think that's the gist of it all. Did you have any questions for me?" David asked her.

"I don't," Evelyn shook her head. "Everything has been answered already."

"So you'll get back to me tomorrow after you meet with your assistant and we will get everything handled by then. Evelyn, it's always a pleasure talking to you."

"You as well," she smiled at him. "Talk soon, David."

***

"So what d'you think?" Evelyn asked Samantha as she bit her fingernails as Samantha looked over the paperwork and the logistics. "Does it all look good?"

Sam studied the paperwork that had been faxed over. It was all in accordance to everything Evelyn and David had discussed over on Skype.

"I believe so, yes," Sam agreed nodding her head. "Besides, we all trust David, he hasn't done anything to prove otherwise. I'd say go for it."

"Okay," she let out a sigh of relief never having really doubted David in the first place. "Let's do it."

***

Evelyn lied.

She didn't have work today. She just used it as an excuse to wallow in self-pity and stupidity.

Technically, she did have work. She was working from home having Skype calls with the CEO of H&M and Anthropologie about how to work in her Spring 2007 line into their stores.

She had received at least three calls from William so far and it was only twelve o'clock. Sighing as she listened to the third.

"Hey Eve," his voice sounded exhausted. "Did something happened last night? Or did I say something wrong? Please call me back so I can try to fix it."

"Will rang for me today asking about you. Wondering if you're okay. Are you okay?" her sister asked startling her at first, not realising she was in the room.

"I'm fine," Eve mumbled.

"Obviously not," a snort came out from Vivienne. "You want to talk about what happened?" Evelyn glared at her sister. "Or what didn't happen?"

"Nothing happened..."

"Okay, I'll tell you what happened," Evelyn decided after a few moments of silence giving in and wanting to discuss it with somebody. "Well, I met his brother Harry last night, which I think was a shock to the both of us as I don't believe he thought he would be coming over. Anyway, he asked if he were interrupting anything and Will just replied with 'no, we're just having dinner.'"

"Oh, come off it," exclaimed Vivienne. "That's what's got your knickers in a twist?"

"I knew I shouldn't have told you," Evelyn cried out embarrassed for her actions as she hid her face in her hands as her sister laughed quietly.

"Oh Eve, that's not what I meant, sorry. What I meant was I don't think Will meant it as that. I think it was something said and that was your perception of it all. I don't believe he meant any harm by his comment at all."

"Well, it doesn't matter anyway," Evelyn said shrugging her shoulders looking up at her sister. "Why would he want to date me anyhow? Think about it. I've just come out of a relationship, being engaged no less. I would not be the type of girl he brings home."

"It's like that saying," Vivienne said to her sister after she finished explaining everything that happened the other night.

"What saying?" Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she drank warm water with lemon.

"You know," she began. "The one mum used to always say to us when we were younger. One step forward two steps back. Just when we would be making progress on something we did we chickened out and decided to back out. But mum would always talk some rightful sense into us and sort us out. We ended up finishing it in the end."

"I am not backing out," Evelyn spoke up getting annoyed at her sister.

"Oh really? Is that what you call it? Hm, that's odd. What are you so afraid of, Evelyn?"

"I'm afraid of getting hurt again, all right?!"

"So what? Are you just going to not date anyone? Are you going to stop seeing Will just because of that? You can't live like that, Evelyn!"

"Why not? It works out better this way. I mean he's said it himself that he doesn't want his relationship to end up like his parents."

"Yeah, but at least he's trying! At least he's opening himself up and becoming vulnerable."

"Can we stop talking this and William?" Evelyn grew frustrated again. "If you like William so much why don't you date him?" she shouted feeling frustrated with her emotions.

Vivienne open and closed her mouth shocked at her sister. Ultimately deciding it was best to leave the room and she closed the front door quietly as she left. She knew she probably pushed her sister too much but she was only trying to get Evelyn to see what was right in front of before it was too late.

Unfortunately, it didn't work.

***

Deciding to get out of the apartment as well, Evelyn grabbed her laptop, mobile and other necessities leaving the door locked on her way out. She drove to a little café that had free wifi.

"You decided to meet up today, aye?" That familiar British accent woke her up out of the work that she had been doing, startling her even.

"Oh, sorry, Tom," Evelyn spoke guilty as she looked at the man sheepishly.

His blonde hair was slightly long and curly as he had just gotten done filming his new movie, Unrelated. She couldn't wait to see it as she had heard him talk about it so much and she was proud of her good friend.

"Hi Tom," she smiled at him getting out of her chair as she hugged him. Peeking over his shoulder, she spotted the camera.

"I see you brought your friends along," she pointed out the paparazzi without looking at them smiling up at him instead.

"Ah, well, you see, I can never seem to get rid of them. They follow me everywhere I go," he shrugged his shoulders so casually as though it rolled off the tip of his tongue. Like he had to constantly say it, and maybe he did, Evelyn thought.

"Oh shush, you," she playfully pushed him rolling her eyes at the actor.

"So what have you got?" he asked pointing at her drink.

"A latte, would you fancy anything?" she asked as she looked up from her drink that had a design of a heart on top.

"Sure, but I can get it. You sit."

"Tom, it's my treat. Really. I asked for you to meet me here."

"That doesn't mean I can't buy my own things," he pointed out staring at the woman who had been his good friend for years now. "I'll be back."

She shook her head with a smile on her face, thankful they were still good friends even after all these years. Evelyn had decided to wear a letter print waist shirt dress that day as her hair was loosely curled and no makeup on. She had decided to wash it off after her business meeting with David, finding it pointless to do since she was only meeting with a friend. Tom came back with his latte and a scone as well.

"So, how've you been?" He asked her after he took a sip of his latte warming up his hands a bit as he rubbed them together to cause some friction.

"I've been all right. Busy but good busy. How was filming the last bit of your movie?"

"Oh, it was great fun. We all remain close still."

"Brilliant! Happy for ya that you finished it off. Is Shannon going to be your date to the premiere?"

Shannon Valentine was Tom's girlfriend of three years. She was an actress and had gone on plenty of holidays with Eve and the two were good friends.

"Of course! I'm pretty chuffed to see her soon it's been a couple weeks."

"It's been a couple weeks for you but a month for me!" Evelyn exclaimed. "We have to all get together soon."

"We will have to set something up, I'm sure. I know she misses you. She asks about you constantly, must say I'm a bit jealous sometimes."

"You afraid she'll leave you for me one day?" she teases making him laugh out loud drawing attention to the duo.

"I've missed this," Evelyn tells Tom with a sigh.

"I have too," he smiles sincerely at her. "We'll have to set up a holiday with all of us soon."

***

"Where'd you go?" Vivienne asked as she heard the door close seeing her sister.

"Out. Met up with Tom. You?"

"Out," Vivienne shrugged her shoulders. "Went shopping on Dover Street."

Dover Street was Vivienne, Eve's and their mum's favourite place to shop as it had all of the high street luxury brands. They didn't shop their often -- but when they did, they bought only what they absolutely loved. Only now had she seen the bags Vivienne was holding.

"I'm sorry," the two sisters blurted out at the same time having a good chuckle at the end.

"I'm sorry -- I shouldn't have said that to you," Evelyn spoke up. "I know I completely overreacted with William but the truth is I think I'm trying to find any reason to stop my feelings for him from going any further than friendship."

"But why?" Vivienne asked confused as she sat down next to her sister. "I guess I just don't understand. I know that you're worried about your past but you don't know what the future will hold. None of us do. But if you push him away even further I'm afraid you might not even be friends then at that point because the damage will already be done. But let's just say that you and William do eventually date, which I hope you do, everyone has a past. Bloody hell, have you met his family?" Vivienne asked with sarcasm as the two girls giggled again.

"Will you call him back and let him know your feelings?" Vivienne asked her trying persuade her to reach out to the man.

"I can't," Evelyn's voice cracked. "Not until I sort things out."

"Well just think about it," she patted her arm and left the room leaving her in her thoughts.

#bringmetolife-pwff prince William princewilliamfanfic britishroyalfamily prince harry kate middleton romance fanfiction

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acetokens · 6 years

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My (post game) opinions on the ndrv3 cast

Alright, before the game came out I made this post where I basically vomited out my opinions on how I felt about the newly revealed ndrv3 cast onto a post and it was 50% jokes, 50% venting at fangirls. But now I've actually played the game, delved into the fandom and looked at the changes between the Japanese and English versions, I feel I can make a more genuine list of how I feel about all these good kids that deserved better. I realize my opinions are just that, and I’m probably yelling into the void here. But I felt I had to do a followup to the last post because MY GOD WAS I WRONG ABOUT (MOST) THINGS. I've listed every character in ‘favorite to least favorite’ order for convenience sake. Also this post will contain Spoilers. You have been warned.

Placed under a break for your skipping convenience. Ya’ll are welcome.

1. Himiko Yumeno - I absolutely adore everything about Himiko. Her design, her lazy attitude, her voice (NYEH), her development across the game to become a more driven and energetic person...I found her really funny, really cute and oddly relatable. Himiko is probably in my top 5 DR characters of all time. Which is even crazier when I remember she’s one of the few survivors. I've never had a favorite character who survives a killing game before. So unlike past Dangan Ronpa games where my interest sorta dies off by Chapter 6, Himiko kept me fully invested in everything until the end. She’s a special bean and I love her.

2. Gonta Gokuhara - Continuing the DR trend of a Big Guy who’s a Big Friend, Gonta was so good and so pure and so friendly and deserved so much better. He was always trying to do his best and protect everyone until the very end. R.I.P Gonta. You were a true gentleman. Chapter 4 can suck my ass.

3. Tenko Chabashira - I literally D E S P I S E D Tenko when she was first revealed. I hated her stupid, sexist guts. But come Ndrv3′s release and Tenko turned out to be a dorky, kind, protective and strong willed girl who was skilled enough to be admirable but pathetic enough to be pitiable at the same time. I loved her undying adoration of Himiko (even if it was a bit creepy at times) and the two make a really cute ship. I was expecting some kind of tragic backstory in her FTE’s to explain why she hates men (I believe she mentions a drunken father at one point, and I really wish they went more into that), and the lack of a reasonable explanation for such a strong hatred is what prevents her from sharing (or even taking) the top spot in my book. But misandry aside, Tenko is a Great Gal and I wanna hug her. Although she’d probably bodyslam me.

4. Kirumi Tojou - Kirumi was my favorite when all the characters were revealed at first. I made multiple posts about how I’d die for her and how she was beautiful and whatnot and I was confident about two things when the game came out: 1) She’d be my favorite. And 2) She’d die - following in the footsteps of all previous ‘best girls’ before her. And well, I did really like her. Just...not as much as I thought I would. Kirumi is efficient, brave, elegant, caring and has a really cool design. But her talent occupies most of who she is as a person, and she isn't too dissimilar to most maid characters in anime or manga. So it made her quite predictable at times and I feel they could’ve done so much more with her..ah well. Kirumi is still a super awesome maid and a great Mom. Even if she hates being called that.

5. Kaede Akamatsu - Ahh...I remember when I was wishing someone else would be our protagonist when she was first announced...I think I cursed it. Because Kaede was just *incredible*. She was headstrong, perceptive, kind and left such a big impact on me after Chapter 1. You know that ‘Do It For Her’ meme? Yeah, that about summarizes the rest of Ndrv3 for me. Also Kaede is a huge gay and all the Ndrv3 girls are her girlfriends, pass it on.

6. Ryouma Hoshi - Congratulations to Ryouma for being the only non-standard design character not to be terrible. Far from it, in fact. Ryouma is a badass! A lil’ badass with such a depressing backstory and death that when they showed his motive video, I let out a single manly tear. Or several. Or many. I just...I just want this man to be happy...

7. Miu Iruma - Miu has zipped up and down my lists more than any other character. I had her ranked highly pre-game, lowly during the game, and mid/high post-game. Her design and talent are really cool and she makes several neat inventions over the course of the game, but her personality was so damn prickly and vulgar that I found her really offputting while she was alive. It was only after finishing her FTE’s and seeing her Love Hotel scene that I realized holy shit this girl has some serious trust and abandonment issues. It put all of her behavior in perspective and I began to feel really sorry for her all of a sudden. The hurt/comfort potential here is just WAITING to be uncovered but, alas, most Miu fanfics I've come across are just smut or crackfics. Out of all the Ndrv3 girls, Miu deserves the most headpats. Lots and lots of headpats.

8. Kaito Momota - A good, supportive friend and an effective comic relief. His optimism was a bit grating for me now and again (I never like it when DR plays the ‘’Oh we should just believe in him/her because s/he’s our friend :)’’ card because of how biased it always is. Like, DR will sometimes bend over backwards and completely 180 its own rules to make sure certain characters survive. In a game where finding the truth by objective evidence and fact is key, the times where it just says ‘’nah fuck the truth who needs proof just b e l i e v e’’ just feel so...stupid). But criticisms of the series aside, Kaito is a bro and he’s great. Who doesn’t love the luminary of the stars?

9. Kokichi Ouma - I realise putting the most popular character at 9th is going to make hoards of fangirls despise me but!!!! I don’t dislike Kokichi. In fact I like him a lot. His character is probably the most enjoyable to analyze out of everyone, his interactions are hilarious but also disturbing, the Kokichi memes are funny, and I too think the changes they made to his dialogue in the English translation was utter bullshit (almost as greater character assassination as Mukuro in the DR3 anime). But, I really love most of the characters in the game which leaves characters I’m torn on (like Kokichi or Kiyo) hovering at a position which makes it seem like I dislike them when actually I enjoy them immensely. Just...not as consistently as some of the others. Also Chapter 4 was an kick to the nads that I can’t get over. Sorry Kokichi.

10. Korekiyo Shinguuji - I was prepared to LOVE this guy so much. Seriously. I was ready for the moment where it would turn out creepy noodle man would be turn out to be a Wholesome noodle man. But uh, I think I’m with the rest of the fandom when I say that Korekiyo’s reveal as the SHSL incestuous serial killer made me drop him faster than Kirumi dropped in her execution (sorry). So, now I've establish Kork is the *real* Worst Boy...why did I put him at 10th? Why not 15th? Especially considering he killed Tenko? Truthfully, it’s the memes. Just...the Kork memes. And the fact he’s such an awful person and so obviously a murderer that it becomes genuinely hilarious to me. And his design is my favorite out of all of them. I’m so split on him. So, so split...

11. K1-B0 - Keebo made me laugh a bunch of times, and I enjoyed him more than I thought I would initially. Also his upgrades in Chapter 6 were badass as fuck. But I just don’t really feel the same affection for him like I do other characters. I’m afraid cute robot girls will always be my weakspot. Cute robot boys...not so much. (Although I’m all for Agender! Keebo that’s my jam).

12. Shuichi Saihara - This is the point in my list where I finally reach true neutral. I have no feelings on Shuichi either way. He’s deeper and has a more interesting plot arc than Makoto, which makes him a more effective protagonist in my opinion. But Hinata will always be the best protagonist in my book. And I just keep picturing what it would’ve been like if Kaede survived instead...

13. Rantaro Amami - I never understood why he was uber popular before the game came out and I don’t think I understand why he’s so popular now either. I have no negative feelings on the guy; he’s mysterious and has a ‘big brother’ attitude that I like. But the poor dude just died too quickly for me to feel anything for him.

14. Maki Harukawa - I only dislike three characters in this game. Maki is one of them. I knew *exactly* what kind of character she was going to be and I knew I wouldn’t like her much and I knew she was going to survive. I didn’t guess she was going to be an assassin! But outside of that, There isn’t much going for me for me. The tsundere is never an archetype I like and the fact the deaths in Chapters 2 and 5 are partly her fault and no one calls her out on it is kinda frustrating also.

15. Angie Yonaga - Angie’s creepiness is her most appealing trait to me. That should explain how low the bar is set here. Its difficult to write what I feel about her without coming across as a salty atheist (because most of her problems revolve around her use of her god to manipulate people) so I’m just going to leave it there.

16. Tsumugi Shirogane - Y’know I distinctly remember labelling Tsumugi as ‘’Hifumi but likable’’ on my previous Ndrv3 opinion post. I was wrong. She was hovering around mid/low level for me while I played the game, and I often forgot she existed (kinda funny considering her self admitted plainness) and her references were quite obscure a lot of the time so I didn’t find her funny either. I didn’t dislike her, I just forgot her. Then Chapter 6 happened and everyone knows the rest. It’d be difficult to truly ‘like’ Tsumugi after her reveal as the mastermind, after all. Although she was certainly entertaining when she started cosplaying as all the previous characters and I did like how her eyes glowed when she went all DanganRonpa crazy. I did actually consider putting her above Angie for those reasons, but if I dropped Kokichi’s placement because he killed Gonta then I’d be a hypocrite if I didn’t slamdunk Tsumugi into last place for technically being responsible for everyones’ deaths as well (well, responsible as part of Team DanganRonpa. I understand it wasn’t *entirely* her behind it all). You know there’s a problem when *Hifumi* looks pure in comparison...

If you read through all of this, then congratulations? I don’t know how to end long ass posts like this...just pretend I said something witty.

I need sleep.

#Opinions are subjective #no seriously I am so tired #I think my logic trailed off at the end there but you get the picture #Hopefully

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k-sunday · 4 years

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“I see that you really are happy with Makenzie and I am so happy for you. This is my goodbye forever even though you will not see it. I will never reach out to you again and we will not meet for coffee. The apology I deserve for the shitty choices you’ve made and the absolute garbage way you’ve treated me this last month will come far too late. We will not get coffee the next time I’m in Rifle. I won’t even think about wanting to see you. When I come back to Rifle I will be fully healed from this and I won’t even care about what you’re doing. I will want nothing to do with you. I won’t pretend that you never existed, but I won’t hope to reconnect with you in the future. I want nothing to do with you. The door is closed and I feel stupid for just now closing it because it’s clear you closed yours on October 27th when you decided you wanted to actually date Makenzie. I know I hurt you with what I did to you in the past, but I was young and it in NO WAY compares to what you’ve done to me this past month. You are something from my past and a damn good lesson to have learned. I’m grateful for the things you’ve taught me Joshua, and the person I’ve become, and the lesson you taught me about picking my future someone: Not someone who would ever EVER think about doing anything like this to me. I’ve been hoping that if we were really meant to be the universe would figure it out and after all of this bullshit we’d find each other. But the universe doesn’t get to decide that, we do. Our actions reflect whether we actually believe we really were meant. and nothing you have done this last month has shown that. So nothing I will do for the rest of my life will show that I choose you. I will never choose you again. I don’t want to be your friend, and I don’t want to talk to you. This is something that you will never be able to patch up. If you and Makenzie don’t work out, which I have to believe you won’t because you guys started on total heartbreak (which is EXACTLY how we started and look how we fucking turned out) and I can’t imagine that you don’t constantly look for me in her, and that even though youre with her, the grief of losing me will hit you out of the blue and that will put a strain on your relationship. Even if you don’t work out and you end up single and you try to find me again, it will be too late. You will not have the girl you had before. I broke up with you on October 15th because I was planning to marry you while you were falling in love with another girl. And you lead me to believe that it was my fault. Youre family thinks it was my fault. That I broke YOUR heart. That’s fucked up Joshua. I hope you live with yourself KNOWING the fucked up choices you made to someone who totally, and unforgivingly loved you. You were my Bestfriend. My person. You will never be that person to me again. We won’t even be friends. I thought I had said everything I wanted to say in the letter that I sent you but I guess that wasn’t true because I’ve still been waiting for you. (And I’m sure you never even read the letter). Waiting for you to come to your senses, realize we were supposed to be together and that all of this was fucked up. Waiting for you to ask me to get on the next flight out there, and I would have. I’m not waiting anymore. I deserve better than this. I deserve better than you. I am a good person, I am a kind person, and I will find a love that will be greater than anything we ever thought we had. While you try to convince yourself that you found that in Makenzie. I hope you have a great life Joshua because you’re a good person too. But I don’t want anything to do with it. So now I’m going to do something that I said I never would do: I am going to block you. If it’s an emergency you can get ahold of me through your mom. But you will never be allowed into my life again. The door is closed, the chapter is finished and the era is over. Good Bye Joshua Gavin Arnold.”

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mysteryfanfictheatre3000 · 7 years

Text

Back to the Frollo, Chapter 19

Warning: Esmeralda gets assaulted. Yup. And more absolutely appalling racism.

Darling, please try to eat something", Claude Frollo gently persuaded as I picked over my breakfast. My eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep; I felt wiped out. Claude was naturally worried about me, for I hadn't eaten nor slept since Jules' death three days ago. My mind focused on Renee, who, with the exception of Phoebus, truly had no family.

But… Phoebus is still around. She has family.

Pushing my plate aside, I finally said to Claude, "What if I took Renée home? I mean, I think she could adjust to the 20th Century. I should've taken both of them - that summer." Claude kissed my hands and replied, "My love, I remember when you asked me that same question: 'Come to the 20th Century with me'." He allowed himself to chuckle a bit from the memory of our parting that summer. Then Claude continued, "Nisha, please realize that Renee would never adjust to your 20th Century. She'd be so overwhelmed, so utterly lost -- Just as I'm still somewhat lost whenever I visit your time."

Actually, she is a child and thus has better neuroplasticity. So she would adjust much better. There is literally no reason for the author to not bring this child to the 20th century other than the fact that she wouldn’t be immune to our diseases or used to our food, which is a moot point because the author’s ignored this thus far.

I thought over what he said; and, yes, Claude still has a tough time coping with 20th Century life. I very well couldn't ask a 15th Century pre-teen to come live with me. It would only confuse Renee at a time when she needed all the love and support from familiar faces. "Where is Renee? Still at the Chateau d'Arcy?" Claude walked over to the little table and poured two cups of coffee. He replied, "No, my dearest. She is at Notre Dame, visiting Quasimodo." Claude sighed as he added, "Phoebus is with her." I looked at Claude in slight puzzlement as he handed me a coffee cup. "I take it Phoebus has yet to find Esmeralda." Claude only nodded as I continued. "She's the key to all this, you know. She's the one who can finger Malus' accomplice." Claude suspected a particular person however, he needed proof, and Esmeralda was the only one who could positively identify him.

No, leave Esmeralda alone! Don’t bring her into this nonsense even more than she has to be!

Claude Frollo grew strangely silent, then, finally said angrily, "I should've had Esmeralda dragged from the cathedral. Damn Phoebus! 'Falling in love' with her - You see what has happened since!" I nodded, as my thoughts turned to Phoebus. Poor guy. Although I've known him a few days, I felt a little empathy towards him, now that he'd suffered a broken marriage and the loss of a relative.

”Though we set out for lands unknown, they’re lands we’ll share.” -Esmeralda to Phoebus, hugging him

“No!” Esmeralda, jumping in front of Phoebus and sacrificing her own safety to stop him from being arrested

But they’re totally not in love! Esmeralda’s a witch!

I sat silently as Claude continued to berate Esmeralda. I paid no particular attention to what he was saying, as images of the past few years swirled in my mind. How odd, that certain decisions and actions could affect so many lives.I couldn't hold in my emotions any longer; I felt a tear fall from my eye, the first tears shed in three days. Claude, still pacing the room and damning Esmeralda, suddenly changed his mood as I began to speak in a stammering voice.

Actually, pacing around yelling at Esmeralda for something she is in no way responsible for is pretty in character for him. This won’t last long, I bet.

"It's all so crazy...Oh Claude!...those poor kids...Everything's happening so fast..." That said, I broke down in uncontrollable sobs. Claude Frollo rushed to my side; I welcomed his warm embrace and loving words. "My love, Danisha, my sweet love", he began reassuredly. "Everything will be all right, my dear -- There, there, Nisha -- Let it all out, love." He carried me back to the bed and cradled me as I cried.

Ugh, just let her cry. No one likes her.

Somehow, through the depths of my grief, I felt a slight twinge of resentment towards Esmeralda. After all, she's as much to blame for all this mess. Why won't she come clean? Why won't she identify Malus' accomplice?

Because she doesn’t know him and has nothing to do with this stupid thing?

I pushed those thoughts from my mind as Claude continued to hold and kiss me. He's so sweet to me...I really think things will be all right. He was just as warm and comforting on that last day -- that summer...

************ [long sappy passage about them leaving each other, cut for time because it was awful and stupid] "Pardon the intrusion on this tender moment, but I do believe we're ready to go", said Fern. I guess this is it... Claude walked with us to the car. I squeezed his hand tightly as Fern unlocked the doors. "Oh Claude! How I wish you were coming with me!", I said, my voice quavering. I then invited him to the 20th Century, "just for a day. We can go the State Fair. There's so much I want to show you." Claude just kissed me again, saying, "My love, we've had this conversation before. You know I would never fit in your time, just as you would never fully be happy here. I love you so dearly; I'd never deprive you of your happiness."

Well, he wouldn’t know, seeing as he’s never been to her time! Ugh, the angst.

I understood completely. A few days ago, Claude had asked me to be his wife, but knowing his weakness for women, and there were many, I politely refused. Besides, as he said, I would never fully adjust to life in the 15th Century.

Is he not a member of the clergy? How would he marry her?

I watched Claude Frollo as Fern started the motor. He sadly smiled as I waved good-bye. I could read his lips as he silently said, "I love you." My eyes were locked on Claude as Fern steered the car onto the main road. Just before Fern floored the accelerator and depressed that button, I looked back one more time. All I could see was a blurry figure astride a black stallion; then, I was engulfed by a bright, white light...

Thank God that’s over… right? Right? Dear God, let me be right.

************ I was already dressed when Claude returned to his chambers. I was beginning to feel somewhat happy again, although my mind was still on the recent tragic events. ...perhaps it was all for the best... Claude kissed my lips, then said, "Ready to go, my love?" We were going to Notre Dame to visit Quasimodo. He too, was stung by the news of Phoebus' failed marriage to Esmeralda. "And I trusted her!", Quasi said to me the day after Jules' death. Poor Quasi - duped!He really needed our support.

This constant berating of Esmeralda is beyond annoying to read. Leave her alone, she didn’t ask for this! Why must you do this to her?

"Darling, you look stunning!" Claude was referring to my attire of a smart, floor-length purple dress and that black mink cloak he gave me last Christmas.

No one cares.

Come to think of it, I was wearing this cloak on that day after the Feast of Fools, when I encountered that sham Claude Frollo... We heard raised voices coming from the Place de Notre-Dame. "Whatever is going on?", Claude asked a nearby guard. "Your Grace", began the sergeant, "it's Captain Phoebus! He's found his wife -- la Esmeralda." Claude Frollo's expression was - well - I don't think I've ever seen an expression quite like it. "Arrest the gypsy witch!", demanded Claude, then he turned to me and said, "Finally, I'll make that conspiring vixen pay for her crimes."

NO. “Conspiring vixen?!” She was a Romani person in a time when they were hated by most (even more than the racism against them now!) who danced to make money, because shocking enough, people have to eat.

I watched Phoebus and Esmeralda argue; her rough-edged voice grated on my nerves like a file on steel bars. I then said to Claude, "Wait a minute, baby. Let me take care of something."

Yeah, not like she has many musical numbers and makes money by singing and dancing for people... but sure, Esmeralda’s voice is SO grating!

Claude looked puzzled. "My dear, I've waited all this time. Surely you understand that..." I interrupted him, "Oh no, sugarbritches." I kissed him, adding, "I know you want this gal, but I have some unfinished business of my own." I left Claude's side and walked over to Phoebus and Esmeralda. Poor Phoebus appeared bewildered and weary from Esmeralda's griping.

Griping?! This woman has been hunted, groped, assaulted and almost murdered. She’s nearly died multiple times at Frollo’s hands. If that happened to me, I’d gripe too! Esmeralda should be doing a lot more than griping. Like stabbing someone. I’d support that.

She carried on how she "was never in love" with Phoebus, and that she just used Quasi to "finally let Frollo get what was coming to him; then that New World gal had to spoil everything!" I tapped Esmeralda on the shoulder; she wheeled around to face me. "Do I know you?", she coldly asked. My gaze was as cool and level as hers. "I believe we've met a couple of years ago. But as the Minister of Justice says...No matter." Her eyes widened in sheer astonishment when she realized just who was standing before her.

Astonishment that she’s met the worst human being to ever exist on this cruel, cruel Earth?

"You! I've should've known..." That said, she hauled off and tried to land a perfect right jab, but I was quicker. My hand blocked hers; then I gave her the 'sistah' treatment, much to the amusement of the crowd, especially for Claude Frollo. "Look here, babee," I said in a raised, full-o'-sass voice, "I don't know WHAT kind of scam you pullin', but it ain't cool. Know what I'm sayin', sugah?"

And here we go with the stupid, racist yammering again with the annoying fake accent. Oh, shut up. Just let Esmeralda deck her already!

Esmeralda looked at me with big green eyes; the poor girl didn't know what hit her! She stood motionless as I continued to give her what I called "The Big Payback".

Poor girl is right. I want to hug Esme :(

"And just where do you get off usin' good folks like my buddy, Quasimodo. That was lowdown and low-class. Messin' with a sweet kid like Quas. That boy's like my family. And you don't wanna mess with my family!" Esmeralda's eyes were full of fire as she began to speak.

You know what’s low class? Treating a 20-something man like a stupid child. Going on screaming, racist rants against Roma randomly with no reason to. Treating a genocidal maniac like a defenseless baby and treating the victim of several violent crimes like she asked for it. That’s low class.

"Are you quite finished?", she said through clenched teeth. I shot back the "I'm-gonna-knock-you-out" look as I kept assaulting the gypsy with my words. NOTICE FROM THE AUTHOR: The remainder of FrolloFreak's vocal chastisement of Esme can't be printed, because it's UNPRINTABLE! The rest is cool, though. :-)

I don’t even want to know what she was going to put here. The bits she did actually include are horrible in every way, so the fact that she wrote something so racist and terrible she didn’t want to include it worries me.

Esmeralda was livid! She trembled with rage, so totally outdone that this postmodern American 'sistah' had verbally tore her apart. "You filthy-mouthed..." , Esmeralda said, as she tried to sock me. Blocking her blow, I then said to her, "Honey, I'm not a violent person. I prefer to take you out with words. But..."

i swear to god, if she-

I removed my cloak and hat, handed them to a nearby woman, then hauled off and knocked Esmeralda to the ground. I think I broke a tooth because she was holding her jaw, and I believe I saw a tear. Esmeralda knew she had been bested.

What the fuck? Did she just punch an innocent woman in the face and knock her down for absolutely no reason? What the fuck?!

I put on my cloak and hat as Claude summoned the guards to take Esmeralda away to the Palace of Justice. As the soldiers put her in shackles, I walked up to her, squared my shoulders proudly, and in a firm, clear voice, said, "Baby, let me give you some advice. The next time you give a man an almost lap-dance, get him all hot and sweaty, and don't follow through...Honey, don't expect him to be too accommodating the second time." That said, the soldiers dragged the gypsy dancer away.

Yes, it’s all Esme’s fault here! Obviously she was asking for it all! And why is she being arrested and put in shackles for being punched by a crazy lady?! What does the universe have against Esmeralda here!?

“Why me, of all people?”- Esmeralda, as Frollo grabs her in her cell and TRIES TO FUCKING RAPE HER

Claude Frollo, who stood nearby during the entire episode, endeavored to keep his utter amusement in check. He walked up next to me, and laughingly said in my ear, "My love, that was...I can't describe it!"

I have no words either, because that’s just messed up!

He then led me through the cathedral doors; Quasimodo was standing at the foot of the bell tower steps. Quasi embraced me, saying, "I guessed Esmeralda had it coming to her. Gee", Quasi glanced over at Phoebus who had just walked in the cathedral with Renee. "Poor Phoebus. And I was mad at him for nothing."

NO. SHE DID NOT. Poor Esmeralda! I don’t even want to know what’s going to happen to her now… I almost wish she’d just die and ascend to heaven already. She’d be in a better place. Seriously, if all these characters died in a bloodbath I’d be happy, because the nice ones would go to heaven and Danisha and Frollo would go to the “fiery pit.”

And I actually am sort of sympathetic for Phoebus! He just saw his wife get assaulted and then dragged away by soldiers!

Claude then said to his young charge, "Dear boy, why don't you show Renee the cathedral." He turned to me, adding, "Malus never saw fit to bring his siblings to church; Renee hasn't set foot inside since her parents' death." Claude, sensing that his bleak words may have a negative affect on Renee, then said to Quasi, "Besides, I would like to be alone with this charming lady." A broad smile spread across Claude Frollo's face. He took my hand into his, saying to Quasi, "Run along, boy. Then you can bring little Renee to the belltower", his voice lowered to a whisper as he told Quasi, "But not now!"

Wait, not only did she hit a woman in the face and knock her down and then have her arrested, she did this in front of an eleven-year-old? What the fuck?!

Claude gave me a quick wink; Quasi even returned the wink as Quasimodo met Renee and Phoebus at the far end of Notre Dame. I then turned to Claude and asked, "What was that all about?"

You’re a sick, twisted person, that’s what it’s about!

Claude held my hand tightly, then leaned over and said, his words punctuated with deep chuckles, "I have something to say to you. A compliment, no less..." I knew he was referring to that little altercation outside. Now even I couldn't keep from giggling as Claude and I ascended the belltower steps.

Actually, the more I read this, the more I think Frollo and Danisha are actually made for each other. Both are screwed up, incredibly racist sociopaths who hate Esmeralda.

#back to the frollo #The Hunchback of Notre Dame #Claude Frollo #danisha #esmeralda

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