#amalia harper

[the-guild-codex-and-other-things]

Amalia: We have good news and bad news.

Robin: . . . Give me the bad news first.

Amalia: The fire we started in the kitchen is out of control.

Robin: The what-

Zylas, holding a perfectly toasted Pop-Tart: You don't want to hear the good news?

#The Guild Codex #The Guild Codex: Demonized #Amalia Harper #Robin Page #Zylas #Zylas et Vh'alyir #Incorrect Quotes #Source Unknown #Amalia and Zylas would only unite for dumb reasons and it would end terribly

[crownprincessoftherusalkas]

Valentine's Day Special

Tori: Protip about relationships, you can call them all sorts of cheesy shit and they have to sit there 'cause they love you. I call my boyfriend "lover." If I ask him "who's the cutest boy in the whole world?" he has to sit there, whole six feet of grown-ass man with a news anchor voice and say "I am."

~

Kit, texting Lienna: If you were here I'd offer you a segment of my orange

~

Amalia: I wanna date someone cuter than me, but sadly, I am the cutest

~

Zak: Each time I tell you those three words I mean them more and more...leave me alone.

~

Robin: Have you seen my boyfriend? Look at him! He’s so beautiful!

Amalia: Didn’t he want to kill you last week?

Robin: Irrelevant.

#the guild codex #the guild codex: spellbound #the guild codex: warped #the guild codex: demonized #the guild codex: unveiled #tori dawson #robin page #kit morris #Mention: ezra rowe #Mention: zylas et vh'alyir #zak andrii #amalia harper #lienna shen

[transkang]

trying to figure out how to draw ‘em + some mc stuff (harper is there because i drew her & dev wayyy back in december, before i knew she was out of commission)

#it lives within #lincoln mcquoid #abel flint #amalia de león #jocelyn wu #sorry for bad composition crimes i truly just slapped this together without any thought #rowan lakhani #harper vance #devon song #drawings

[mirelamoretti]

Alter:

ewige 29 Jahre alt

Wesen:

Hybrid (halb Hexe/halb Dämon)

Familie:

kleine Schwester von @chaosqueenmoretti

Mutter von Harper Alyssa & Levin Elio Moretti

Tante von Amalia, Romy, Nathen & Kian

Beziehungsstatus:

Nicht verfügbar!

Wohnort(e):

London & New York

Wire:

mirelamoretti

#fakevz #userfakevz #rpg

[cadybear420]

Lucas/Jo Wedding Details (with some edits by me).

Source for questions

How long were they together before they got engaged?

4 years. They started dating sometime in their senior year of high school, and got engaged while Lucas was in his final year of college.

Who proposed and how?

(screenshots from @itlivesproject)

Going by the ILW timeline, Lucas. He proposes after the memorial when they're back at their shared home.

With Jo spending all these years helping Noah, and Lucas studying at college, she'd been a little more unsure of how he felt about their relationship and how close they actually were. But once she heard "these four years we've been together? We've had our ups and downs, but ultimately, we're here. You and I", that was how she knew he felt confident about their relationship, and it made her feel confident too.

(more screenshots from @itlivesproject, for the ring description)

I do think Jo is also the type to propose, though she probably wouldn't have done so as soon as Lucas did, for the aforementioned reason of her being more unsure.

How long was the engagement?

One year, they waited until Lucas had graduated from college and then they married in early-mid July. It was kind of a tough call, because Jo really wanted a summer wedding, but Lucas wanted to take Jo's last name and kinda preferred for "Lucas Hunter" to show up on his diploma. But they managed to work things out.

Where was the Wedding?

The ceremony takes place in an area next to a small river/lake just outside of Westchester, and the reception takes place in the ballroom of a nearby hotel.

Colors/Theme?

(Backgrounds from the Choices game assets)

Lucas being Lucas, he also adores rustic old-fashioned aesthetics, and Jo shares his enjoyment of that, so that tends to be a bit of a recurring theme.

Big Wedding or Small?

They only invite their closest friends and family.

Who did most of the planning?

Mostly Lucas because he's the organized planner type, but both of them did have equal say in it.

Tell me about the cake!

(Images used/edited from the Choices game assets)

A layered duo-flavor cake, chocolate and pink champagne.

What about the flowers?

(Images from the Choices game assets)

Mostly light-colored roses.

(Images from the Choices game assets)

Jo's bouquet. The two plan to do a little twist to the bouquet toss.

Their attire?

Lucas wears a nice, form-fitting suit. He isn't quite as interested in wearing dresses or more skin-showing clothing as Aiden is, and tends to prefer very form-fitting clothing. And he knows how much Jo loves it too. Seriously, she would not, does not, and will never shut the fuck up about how well his hoco suit hugged his waist and hips. So he goes with a fairly form-fitting old-fashioned tux. And since they're reversing the garter toss tradition, he chooses to wear one over the suit.

Jo was initially torn between suit or dress. She tends to prefer pant suits, but she also sometimes likes a big long gown to hide, er, certain things under it. In the end, she chooses to go with a combination: a wedding gown with a suit jacket over it.

Wedding Party?

Jo's bridal party consists of:

Ava, who is her maid of honor

Lily

Stacy

Harper Addison (my ILB demigirl MC)

Imogen

Danni

Amalia

Jocelyn

Lucas's groom party consists of

Andy, who is his best man

Dan

Noah

Tom

Parker

Abel

Cedric (my ILW m!MC)

Connor

Lincoln

Fun fact, Ava is the maid of honor for Jo because I've always had this headcanon that of the ILITW group, Ava and Jo had been extra close friends as kids. Almost as much as Jo and Jane were.

Which traditions were important to them? Which ones did they skip?

Lucas likes rustic old-fashioned aesthetics a lot, so they do use some aspects from that a bit. But most traditions might be reversed or have a little twist on them.

The two meet at the start of the aisle and then walk down together.

Jo carries the bouquet, but she hands it over to Lucas for him to do the bouquet toss.

Meanwhile, the garter toss gets a full role-reversal with Lucas being the one to wear it and Jo being the one to toss it.

Their first dance starts with a role-reversed ballroom waltz, then morphs into an upbeat Roaring 20's style dance that is mostly gender neutral.

After the ceremony, the reception went as follows:

First, is the first dance.

Bouquet and garter tosses are next. Tom caught the bouquet and Harper Addison caught the garter.

Dinner and cake next. Cue Jo playfully smushing cake into his face to get icing all over his mouth.

Toasts. IDK about the rest of the characters, but Ava has been preparing the ultimate roast for them ever since she heard of Lucas's plans to propose.

Last, is the actual party.

What about something that was uniquely ‘them’?

Probably the way they utilize a lot of "old fashioned" aesthetics, with a lot of role-reversed/GNC elements.

What’s their favorite memory of the day?

All of them. They can't decide on one. Though for Jo it'd probably have to be their wedding night when they, ahem, "consummate" their marriage.

Where did they go for their honeymoon?

(Backgrounds from the Choices game assets)

After spending the wedding night together at the hotel, the two would spend a two-week honeymoon in Vegas.

#choices stories you play #choices #choices game #choices stories we play #choices stories we play fandom #ilitw lucas #jo x lucas #lucas x jo #lucas thomas #choices it lives in the woods #it lives anthology #it lives series #it lives in the woods #ilitw mc #choices ilitw #ilitw #jo hunter (ilitw mc) #mc x lucas #lucas x mc #cadybear's headcanons #ilitw headcanons #cadybear's ilitw headcanons #ilitw f!mc #cadybear's edits #my edits #my edit #ilitw edits

[itlivesproject]

What are each of the mod’s favorite scenes or just little moments?

mod shionch

In ch 15, when you choose to make out with Lincoln, there's a pretty cute moment with him. He takes care of you, and then you sit on the couch, and it's all so intimate and heartwarming. In ch 17, if you haven't kissed Amalia before and it's your first kiss, the conversation is very cute. Every scene where Dan is present. Gah, it's so hard to choose. Basically, my favorite chapters: ch 5, ch 9, ch 11-13, ch 15, ch 17, ch 19, ch 21, ch 23.

mod eri

so... I haven't actually played the game yet past ch 12 to form an honest opinion/remember the little details 😅 cause even though I already know everything that happens and have for a long time, it's different to actually experience it. I can speak about scenes I've written though and I can say I had the most fun writing the ch 11 nightmare sequence and the ch 21 descriptions for when you find some... rather nasty sights

mod win

Some favorite scenes are the ch 9 post failed ritual part, the seance, basically all of ch 16, any Linky hookup heh, the ch 18 Lincoln Rowan tree scene, Amalia’s conversation with ro after she comes back in ch 19, Harper showing up during the battle, Parker being like “it’s a safety hazard!”, Annie’s ghost in the climax 🥺, ILITW!MC killing evil Rowan lol, noah x mc’s epilogue scene, the power Rowan ending. Small things, I love ghost Noah’s love for his beanie, I love when ghost noah says “shit,” I love when your non-LI friends tell you you’re their bestie, I love Connor and noah grilling together, I actually really like all the different combinations of LIs at the depression bar in the epilogue and there’s some funny stuff there, especially the joss/linc one, I love The Hickey moment, I love when you choose “rock and roll” during the horror fight, oh I LOVE the cuddle variant in the Lincoln epilogue scene, especially if you have Maurice. I think I’ll leave it at this.

#anon #ask #mod eri #mod shionch #mod win

[ila-appreciationweek]

The Thing With Feathers

We are posting this on behalf of JCR/Departer on the ILW discord, who does not have a tumblr but who has been participating in ILAW. Art by @oh-so-youre-a-nerd.

Pairings: Connor x MC Word Count: 9499 Premise: The battle is won and the Power contained. What comes next? Takes place during and after Ch. 23 of ILW.

“Hope” is the thing with feathers -

That perches in the soul -

And sings the tune without the words -

And never stops - at all -

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -

And sore must be the storm -

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm

I’ve heard it in the chillest land -

And on the strangest Sea -

Yet - never - in Extremity,

It asked a crumb - of me.

- Emily Dickinson, “‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers”

- I -

The partially cured horrors with more on the loose. A failed blood moon ritual. Everest Snow merging with his human self. Lincoln McQuoid’s watch retrieved from the lake below, restoring him to life after a gruesome death. Learning the unfiltered truth about Matthias, his grisly demise, and how he became the new anchor. Discovering the full history behind Westchester’s problems and the source of the Power. Realizing that the Power was merely contained, and that Matthias-as-anchor would eventually need replacing.

None of this compared to what Demelza was asked to do in the aftermath.

Demelza received a phone call from Jocelyn’s parents the day after the carnival, asking for her help in sorting through Jocelyn’s belongings and moving everything out of her apartment after the funeral.

“Why me?” Demelza asked, still reeling from learning who was on the other line.

“We didn’t really know our daughter,” Jocelyn’s mother – Susan – admitted. “Jocelyn was never home growing up. She had been spending most of her time with you and your group of friends over the past couple of months… at least that’s what we saw whenever she updated her Pictagram.”

“I’ll do it,” Demelza said. “I’ll come over and help you and the rest of your family.” She pretended not to hear the heartbreaking sob that had escaped Susan’s lips before hanging up the phone.

Demelza’s eyes fell upon the beleaguered group, exhausted from the day’s events. Harper’s blond hair was pulled into a knot at the back of his head, and he kept his broken leg elevated on a folding chair Demelza found in the closet. He and Parker held hands at the kitchen table, and Danni, Imogene, and Tom sat with them. They each nursed a large, steaming mug of coffee. Elliot sat next to Harper with a cup of hot chocolate. Noah lay on the couch in a deep sleep recovering from using the Power earlier in the cave. Demelza and Connor’s patchwork quilt covered him, and he held Kenna, his stuffed animal moose, in the crook of his left arm. Lincoln stood over the couch and kept a protective eye on Noah while Connor sat in front of the fireplace, enraptured by the flames therein. Connor’s flaxen hair was wet and his skin dewy from a hot shower. He was wrapped in a fleece blanket the color of the sea, and bandages covered his forehead and arms from the cuts and scrapes he sustained while in the cave. He turned and gave Demelza a soft smile, and she was grateful to have him back.

Amalia sat in the chair next adjacent to the couch with her head in her hands. Her body and mind were exhausted, yet she could not sleep. Abel and Everest stood together in the corner. Abel rubbed circles on Everest’s back as his long, brown curls shielded his tear-streaked face.

Everest had emerged from the cave with Abel, Amalia, and Lincoln, with the latter’s watch hidden beneath his tightened grasp. Lincoln had stood next to Everest, his eyes haunted and bearing a new knowledge that was still too old yet impossible to name.

“The watch would only let me save one person!” Everest had cried. “I brought back Lincoln, but I couldn’t save Jocelyn!” He looked at the group and said, “I would’ve brought her back too if I could. I’m sorry.”

Everest’s face had crumpled as he slouched over and sobbed. His loud guttural cries had hit the air like lightning in reverse. Abel had put his arms around Everest and kissed the side of his head as a means of comfort.

“Don’t blame yourself, Everest,” Abel had said, his voice low, serious, and gentle all at the same time. “You’ve been our rock through this whole ordeal and have looked out for everyone else’s safety over your own. You did everything you could. You stopped the Blood Moon Ritual and put an end to Matthias’ evil deeds. You healed Connor. You saved Lincoln. You protected Noah and kept him from becoming the next anchor.” Abel had cupped Everest’s face in his hands with tenderness and said, “You can rest now.”

“I’m sorry, Demelza,” Everest had choked out. He removed his glasses and wiped his eyes before putting them back on again. “I can’t stay here. I must move on, and I hate that me doing that means you can’t. I know how much you and Connor wanted to leave Westchester after all this.”

“It’s okay, Everest,” Demelza had responded truthfully. She put a comforting hand on his shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “I knew that I wouldn’t be able to leave when you told me Matthias became the new anchor. The problem’s taken care of for the next two hundred fifty years due to Matthias reaching that age here on earth.” She smiled despite everything. “That gives me and the rest of the Power Keepers time to come up with a contingency plan when that time comes, but we’re hoping it won’t. We’ll keep building our tribe and doing our research, and figure out a way to heal the Power without hurting anyone or needing another anchor again. Besides, Westchester needs a constant to see them through everything, and who can do that better than me?”

“Thank you for understanding.”

Demelza cleared her throat and brought herself back to the present. “That was Jocelyn’s mom on the phone. Her funeral is set for the end of this week. She wants me to help her go through Jocelyn’s things afterwards.”

Connor stood from his spot by the fire and let his blanket fall to the ground. He strode over to Demelza and wrapped his arms around her. He smelled of peppermint soap, pine, and campfire from sitting by the hearth. “Do you need my help?” he asked.

“No,” she said. “This is something I have to do on my own.”

- II -

Jocelyn’s funeral fell on a frigid, albeit sunny day with a cloudless blue sky. Susan, Jocelyn’s father Henry, younger sister Jasmine, and grandfather George greeted visitors at the funeral home, where Jocelyn’s service was just one of several that took place there over the past few days. A magnificent arrangement of hydrangeas, irises, lilacs, and orchids in various shades of purple covered the closed casket. Jocelyn’s former and current students shuffled in, each of them placing a handwritten card and colorful origami animal in amongst the flowers. Fellow teachers and the principal at the middle school she had worked at came, as did her track and field coach and professors at Westchester Community College. Her teammates, former high school cross country coach, and extended family were all in attendance.

Demelza even saw Cody’s mother present. She looked like her late son, but had a pinched, hollow face lined face like an old, well-used map folded several times over. Prominent crow’s feet sat on the edges of her eyes and her mouth was turned downwards, and Demelza knew it had not moved from that position in the past four years. She hugged Susan the moment she came in and the two women remained in an embrace for several long moments before the service started.

Britney slipped in moments before with shorter hair and the edges of her face sharper than they had ever been. She kept her arms folded and her gaze downward, knowing she was out of place here. Even though Britney and Jocelyn were close in middle school and high school, Jocelyn died as a stranger to her.

Demelza felt fidgety and on edge throughout the memorial. Connor kept his arm around her, serving as a calming force to her nerves. Harper, Parker, Elliot, Danni, and Imogene never had the opportunity to know Jocelyn well but came and showed their support. Tom sat with Noah, Sunny, Luis, and the rest of the witches, their expressions serious and eyes wondering what might have been. Lincoln kept his head down, suppressing his remorse and survivor’s guilt. Amalia’s dark eyes shone with unshed tears whilst Abel and Everest let theirs flow freely. Everest turned into Abel and brought him close, his shoulders heaving as he sobbed into Abel’s chest. Demelza turned away from the sight and knew Everest could not stay in Westchester, nor could she ask it of him.

She squirmed in her seat throughout the rest of the funeral. Connor put his hand on her knee as Jocelyn’s family, her old coaches, coworkers, and former students spoke about her. Demelza felt as though she was hearing about a person she didn’t truly know. She let her eyes wander during the picture slideshow Jocelyn’s sister compiled because she knew she wouldn’t recognize the person onscreen.

- III -

Everyone had kept to themselves after the funeral. Connor went to the shed to do some metal and woodworking. Noah went back into the woods, desiring to hear, commune, and find solace there again. Abel and Lincoln returned to their respective apartments for the last time, packing up their belongings and confirming the release from their contracts. Amalia got her car washed and vacuumed, and Everest deep cleaned the room he and Amalia had shared. Harper, Parker, Elliot, Danni, Imogene, and Tom had returned to Pine Springs.

Demelza thought about this as she left the café where she had helped see Abel and Everest off. Amalia and Lincoln were leaving the next day, and they didn’t plan on returning, save for the memorial Demelza had scheduled two months from now. She wanted the opportunity for herself and her friends to honor Jocelyn and everyone else lost to the Power in their own way. She got into her car, drove to Jocelyn’s old apartment complex, and mused on the walls being built amidst a tragic loss. Jocelyn had done the same after losing Cody.

Demelza knew it was up to her to keep those walls down and be the unifying force of the group – the constant – they all needed. She parked her car in the small, dingy parking lot and headed toward Jocelyn’s apartment, where the front door hung ajar. Several large garbage bags filled to the brims and knotted tightly sat outside, waiting to be taken down to the dumpster. Demelza tried not to think about all the trash inside as she stepped into the place where Jocelyn had once lived and breathed.

Henry and George cleaned the small kitchen and arranged for movers to take the old furniture and decorations to Goodwill. Meanwhile, Jasmine packed up the non-perishable food items for the local food bank and put the linens in another box. She took those boxes down to her car while Susan went through Jocelyn’s clothes. She placed each item into a “donate” or “toss” pile, but folded Jocelyn’s favorite denim jacket gently and set it aside. Demelza disinfected and cleaned the bathroom after Susan and Jasmine finished removing everything inside, then moved onto dusting, sweeping, and cleaning the sitting room.

After the movers left with the furniture and decorations, Susan and Henry brought out three boxes from her old room. Demelza gulped as George and Jasmine joined them, knowing what was ahead.

Jasmine opened the first box and pulled out a red, white, and blue plaid hybrid sweatshirt. Demelza recognized it immediately, as it had once belonged to Cody. She turned away from Jocelyn’s family and placed a hand over her mouth to keep herself from gagging. The coat still smelled like him: of Abercrombie and Fitch Oud Amour cologne, Axe antiperspirant spray, and salty sweat.

“Sorry,” Demelza coughed. “Just something I wasn’t expecting.”

“I never liked Cody,” Jasmine commented. “He was a jerk and yet Jocelyn always chose him over me.” She threw the sweatshirt on the ground in disgust.

Susan folded the sweatshirt with a frown and placed it next to Jocelyn’s denim jacket. “I wish we did more, Henry. We should’ve kept a better eye on her.”

“You didn’t know,” Demelza said. “Jocelyn was a private person. You can’t beat yourselves up over this.” She held Susan’s gaze and said, “Jocelyn was trying. She wanted to be better… but you could’ve – should’ve – loved for her who she was instead of who you wanted her to be.”

Henry turned away; he looked shameful.

“I’m sorry,” Demelza told them. Again. “I should’ve done more too.”

She spent the rest of the day helping Jocelyn’s family sort through the rest of her personal items contained in the boxes. Photographs of Jocelyn with Britney and Cody. Cross country and track team pictures. Numerous commemorative plaques, medals, and trophies from athletic competitions. Cross country and track shirts signed by her coaches and teammates. Brittle and dried flower corsages from school dances she attended with Cody that perfumed the air around them. Numerous scrapbooks Susan put together with painstaking effort documenting Jocelyn’s life. Mixed CDs with playlists Britney and Cody had curated just for her. Written notes Jocelyn had shared with Cody. A single polaroid of Jocelyn and Cody cheek-to-cheek with too wide grins and squinty eyes.

Demelza paused as she picked up an old, used copy of The Giver from inside the last box. She opened the book and gasped at the written inscription therein:

Dear Jocelyn,

Don’t lose hope. You’re getting there. You’re doing better than you think. Nothing is ever truly broken or lost unless you make it so. You can be and make the change you wish to see.

One day you’ll look back and realize how far you’ve come. I’m proud of you already.

Your friend,

-Everest

Demelza swallowed the lump that formed in her throat and wiped the tears from her eyes. Everest saw the best in Jocelyn despite knowing her past. He forgave her even after learning that she had tracked him and fed that information to Matthias. He reconciled the person Jocelyn used to be with the person she was becoming or at least wanted to be. He hated himself for not being able to save Jocelyn even though he couldn’t.

Demelza noticed a piece of paper peeking out about a hundred pages in. She opened the book to that spot and came across Jocelyn’s untidy scrawl written with a purple pen on a lined piece of paper ripped from a miniature notebook. Ink stains and smudges covered the edges but could not mask what Jocelyn had written down:

“Hope” is the thing with feathers -

That perches in the soul -

And sings the tune without the words -

And never stops - at all -

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -

And sore must be the storm -

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm -

I’ve heard it in the chillest land -

And on the strangest Sea -

Yet - never - in Extremity,

It asked a crumb - of me.

By: Emily Dickinson

Demelza sniffed and read the poem again.

Hope.

It was a fragile thing, light and breakable like the gossamer wings of a bird in flight. It could slip away in the night without you having ever known it was there in the first place.

Yet hope remained constant and reserved a place for itself in your soul once you kept it; always singing, withstanding the storms of life, keeping you warm in the coldest chills, remaining calm upon the unsteady seas, and never asking for anything in return.

Jocelyn had hope despite herself. Hope for her future happiness. Hope in her apologies. Hope in her newfound friendships. Hope for the chance to move forward. Hope for a world where the Power would never hurt anyone again.

This part of Jocelyn remained tethered to the earth in a way no one else could see but that would live on past the rest of them.

Henry noticed Demelza looking at the paper upon which Jocelyn had written the poem and the book from whence it came. “Do you want to take those things with you? Something of Jocelyn’s for you to keep?”

“Yes,” Demelza answered. “Thank you.”

Demelza decided she would send Everest’s book back to him. She had seen him reading it in the cabin during their downtime. Everest had said The Giver was his favorite book and that his father had often read it to him.

Demelza stood from her place on the floor and hugged each member of Jocelyn’s family before leaving the apartment for good. Demelza hauled all the trash bags to the dumpster so they wouldn’t need to. Then, she folded the piece of paper - evidence of a life once lived - and placed it inside her wallet so she would always carry Jocelyn’s memory and hope for a better world with her wherever she went.

- IV -

Connor had presented Demelza with a custom-made engagement ring after the memorial she hosted just for their core group. Demelza had accepted and smiled upon seeing it placed on her left ring finger, knowing that Connor knew her innermost parts. He knew the sinews that bound her flesh and bones together, the blood that flowed freely through her veins. He knew her fierce and mighty heart, determined soul, and how hard she fought for the people she loved.

Demelza reflected on this as she lay on the warm sands of Moorea, Tahiti four months later. She and Connor flew around the world for a much-needed, month-long respite after they caught the last horror and administered the half-baked cure Harper and Sunny had provided. It gave the victims their minds and sanity back, but left them with ashen skin, vampiric teeth, and claws sharper than that of any animal. Doctors from the best hospitals still worked with them on the aftereffects while scientists had attributed the cause to acid rain. Demelza was grateful for Connor and his true and unconditional love for her, how he had told her that they did all they could, and to put aside the what if’s and that what might have been of the situation.

She grabbed a handful of the pale gold, soft silt of sand, let it run through her fingers, and remembered the memorial hosted in her parents’ backyard. She had provided the champagne and firewood while Lincoln took time away from sorting Matthias’ affairs and giving away his millions of dollars to join them. Amalia took another road trip back to Westchester from Portland before beginning her final year at the University of Oregon. Harper, Parker, Danni, Imogene, Tom, Elliot, and his boyfriend Robbie had made the drive down from Pine Springs. Noah had grilled chicken and hamburgers for the main course and brought homemade side dishes and desserts, having rediscovered his passion for culinary arts. Demelza had known Abel and Everest wouldn’t be in attendance and understood why. She had received a note from Everest after mailing his book back to him, letting her know that he and Abel had settled in northern California and were happy with their new lives.

Demelza continued running her fingers through the sand as she watched the ocean waves break onto the shore. The surf went forward and backward like clockwork, keeping time with the rhythm of nature. The Westchester woods had gotten their groove back, but Demelza knew nature would eventually run its course and that Matthias-as-anchor would eventually need replacing to keep things in harmony. But Demelza knew she wouldn’t be alone in that task or in finding a way to heal the Power without sacrificing an innocent life.

“Hey, you,” Connor whispered in her ear. He sat down next to her, kissed her freckled shoulder and pulled her close. He fixed his grey eyes on the sea and looked calm and relaxed for the first time in years. His eyes were clear and radiant, posture no longer slouched with carrying burdens and sorrows others could not see, and his skin emitted an effervescent glow from his time spent in the Tahitian sunshine. Connor’s hair lightened from his time outside and he had gotten a much-needed trim right before they left on their vacation. His hair was still long but looked much healthier than it had before.

“Hey yourself,” Demelza said. She cupped Connor’s face in her hands and kissed him hard. He tasted like mango, coconut, and chocolate. “How was your walk?”

“It would’ve been better if you came too,” Connor answered. He stretched his long legs out in front of him, kissed Demelza’s temple, and ran his gentle hand through her hair. “We should get married when we get back. It’s time to move forward.”

Demelza nodded. “You’re right.” She leaned into Connor’s chest, and he wrapped his arms around her again. “I’m grateful we don’t have to deal with the Power by ourselves anymore. We can finally start our lives – and throw the best party of the century while doing it. We’ll have it in our backyard. Sunny, Luis, and the witches can help us decorate. Noah and his friends at culinary school can help us with the menu and taste testing. He’s only in his first semester and is itching for a project already. We’ll invite our friends, keep things small and intimate.”

“What about your parents?”

Demelza knew on a certain level she couldn’t shut her parents out of her wedding. They were the only blood family she had left, the distance having only grown wider with age. Their siblings and parents – both sets of Demelza’s grandparents – were long dead. Demelza’s mother and father had given her life just as the sun had started setting on theirs. They had started making more of an effort after what happened at the homecoming dance those years ago. But they were strangers, nonetheless.

“They can come,” she said. “They can be the family ghosts like they’ve always been.” She looked up at Connor and asked, “What about your dad?”

“I haven’t heard from him since he filed for divorce from my mom,” he said. “My dad didn’t even call after she died. He wouldn’t have cared if something had happened to me. Why would I want him to come?”

“We’re two peas in a pod,” Demelza said. “No extended family whatsoever.” She didn’t possess the heart to add that Connor didn't have any blood relatives left either. That would always hang in the air between them like smoke after a fire. Connor’s dead family – both literally and figuratively – would always linger, having seeped into every crevice imaginable even though the flames were long put out.

She trailed a finger down Connor’s taut stomach, making patterns on his six-pack and twirling the line of blond hair stretching down his stomach. “It’s partly why I want to make babies with you – lots of them.”

Connor grinned and flipped Demelza over onto her side. He undid her black bikini top, sticky from the summer heat and tossed it aside before Demelza grabbed his hand and guided it downward between her thighs. His grin grew wicked, and he said, “Let's have some fun first.”

- V -

The wedding occurred three months later beneath a wooden stick arch interwoven with freesias, garden roses, larkspur, peonies, wildflowers, and angel feather grass in every color imaginable. It stood in front of the pine trees in their backyard, and beneath the yellow, orange, pink, and purple hues of the sunset. Multicolored paper lanterns floated midair above the semicircle of gold chairs facing the archway. The air smelled of honeysuckle, rosemary, and sage.

Demelza faced Connor, their smiles wide and close to bursting. Demelza donned pearl earrings with a flower crown and lace veil that fell straight past her shoulders and nearly touched the train of her vintage wedding dress. Connor wore a new suit and black bow tie that fit him perfectly with a boutonnière that matched the flowers in Demelza’s hair and the bouquet she held in her manicured hands.

They went without bridesmaids and groomsmen due to the small, intimate nature of their wedding. Demelza’s parents sat in the center of the semicircle, and it pained her to see how old they really were. Noah came with his girlfriend Chelsea Vincenzo, a fellow culinary student from a large Italian American family that owned a pizza parlor in the next town over and had embraced him as a second son. Harper sat with Parker, Elliot, and Robbie; both couples were stronger than ever. Danni had her camera in tow and sat between Imogene and Tom. Amalia and Lincoln were there, each talking turns along with Abel in calming Everest and pulling him from the ledge. Abel had told them that they would stay for the wedding and reception but had a quick turnaround time; Demelza and Connor understood and were grateful Abel and Everest had made the sacrifice to come. Sunny and Luis stood under the archway with them as co-officiators, and the rest of the Westchester witches came and mingled with Connor’s high school friends.

A golden chair sat empty amidst the wedding guests, the very spot where Jocelyn should’ve been – alive and celebrating with them. Demelza knew the chair was also for Stacy and Mayor Green, evidence of a family forever fractured by death. She thought of Andy, Ava, Dan, Jane, Lily, and Lucas, and how their lives were cut short, their potential never realized.

Connor noticed Demelza staring at the vacant chair and squeezed her hands. “I miss them too,” he said. “But they’re here in spirit. They want us to be happy.”

“I know.”

The ceremony went smoothly. Sunny and Luis pronounced Connor and Demelza as husband and wife whilst the sunset faded into the blue-black sky above. Sunny and Luis waved their hands, sending the paper lanterns up into the air, where they burst and trailed flecks of gold and miniature translucent baubles filled with light. The full moon became visible amidst a vast display of stars and the constellations, which were visible for all to see and gave off a glowing, radiant light.

Everyone congregated to the other side of the manicured lawn, where they sat united at a long table with Queen Anne’s lace running down the center with fairy lights illuminating from the mason jars placed alongside the sprays of floral arrangements like Demelza’s bouquet. They feasted on a menu Demelza and Connor had curated with the help of Noah, Chelsea, and their classmates at culinary school: bruschetta; garlic knots; Caprese and Italian chopped salads; roasted vegetables; spinach ravioli; vegetarian lasagna; margherita, pepperoni, and prosciutto pizzas. The red wine and assorted Italian cream sodas flowed whilst a folk band played instrumental versions of Demelza and Connor’s favorite songs in the background. The chocolate wedding cake came out along with various gelato flavors, bombolini, cannoli, and cups of cappuccinos, espressos, and lattes.

The conversation never stalled and soon everyone left the table to dance. The tempo picked up the pace in time to everyone’s movements and vibrant conversation; even Demelza’s mother and father loosened up.

Demelza and Connor took turns dancing with each other, Demelza’s parents, and their friends, getting caught up on how they were. They learned of Harper’s time in medical school and him pursuing neonatology along with Parker heading a Big Brother/Big Sister program in Pine Springs; Elliot and Robbie researching colleges and apartments together; Imogene’s time in veterinary school and her volunteer work rescuing and rehoming abused animals; Tom’s graduate studies in robotics; Danni’s journalistic work being picked up by national news wires; Amalia’s law school applications and studying for the LSAT; Abel’s acceptance of a large monetary grant giving him the opportunity to explore archaeological sites in Central and South America; Everest’s time in college, following in his father’s footsteps pursuing pediatric medicine, and the help he received from Harper regarding prerequisites and the application process for medical school; and how Lincoln embraced more artistic mediums and began taking on clients.

Demelza stepped away and approached Noah, who stood off to the side with a glass of water. He smiled as Chelsea led Luis, Sunny, Elliot, Robbie, Danni, Amalia, Abel, Everest, Connor, and his high school friends in dancing the tarantella.

“Needed a break, Marshall? I did.”

“Me too,” Noah said. “Planning and successfully carrying out a reception menu is a lot of work.” He took a sip of water and grinned even wider. His honey brown eyes were glassy, with everything he felt brimming the surface, but he was present, nonetheless. “I still tire easily. But at least I can sleep this off before working the dinner shift tomorrow.”

“You were fantastic, Noah,” Demelza told him. She threw her arm around his shoulders and said, “You’ll be in demand for all sorts of events at this rate.” She watched as Chelsea continued dancing with the other guests, her long black curls bouncing with every twirl. “You work in the kitchen at the restaurant Chelsea’s family owns?”

Noah nodded. “I don’t need to. The money from the settlement the city gave me will cover me for the rest of my life. Who knew coming back from the dead, having a kidnapping cover story, a selfish mom, a dad who decided to show up out of nowhere, and the coroner botching everything for not confirming my identity with DNA four years ago could be so beneficial, right? But I like having something to do when I’m not at school. Sometimes Chelsea’s dad lets me get creative with the menu.”

Demelza noticed Noah mentioning his parents. She knew his mother had played the victim and would never acknowledge how much she had hurt her son. He had severed ties with her after realizing that she would never change. But his father had left shortly after Jane died those years ago and was never heard from again.

Until now.

"Your dad contacted you?" Demelza said. "How did that turn out?"

“He lives in Spokane and wants to reconnect, but I don't know if I want to. My dad wasn't there for me back then, so what right does he have to be in my life now?" Noah said. "I think he only got in contact with me for damage control and to make himself look good. He has another family, Demelza. Where would I fit into that?"

"You never know," Demelza responded. "I'm sure your dad has his reasons for leaving and not being around all these years. Maybe he didn't have a choice."

"It's possible," Noah said. "It wouldn't surprise me if my mom forced him to stay away after the divorce. She is the most toxic person I've ever met in my life - and that's saying a lot. It's a huge part of why I cut her off. Chelsea's parents treat me better than she ever did."

Demelza’s eyes fell on Chelsea sharing a joke with Imogene and Tom, her olive skin shining, and burgundy lips parted in a smile revealing two perfect rows of straight white teeth. "Do you think she’s the one?”

“I do,” Noah said. “I know it’s still early stages, but we’ve talked about getting married and having a family together. We’ll date longer, get through school, and get Baby Jane’s established first, though.” He paused for a moment. Tears fell from his sad eyes as his bottom lip quivered. “I wish Jane could’ve met Chelsea. She would’ve loved her.”

“Jane would be so proud of you, Noah. She wouldn’t want you to be sad. She wouldn’t want you staying stuck in the past.” Demelza hugged Noah and told him, “Keep living your best life, Marshall. You’re one of the lucky ones.”

- VI -

The dancing went past midnight. The band packed up their instruments while everyone saw Demelza and Connor off in his Camaro decorated with Just Married! bunting, balloons, flower streamers, and tin cans secured to the back. The moon was still out and the constellations still shone brightly above them.

Demelza reached for Connor’s hand in the center and interlaced her fingers with his. He smiled and squeezed her hand while he drove, the tin cans clanging against the road beneath them.

“I love you,” Connor told her. “Everything we’ve been through brought us here. It was all worth it.”

“I love you too,” Demelza replied. She kissed Connor’s hand and said, “I know you wanted to leave Westchester after everything. I feel stupid asking you this, but you’re okay with staying here?”

Connor ran his thumb over Demelza’s fingers, his hand staying clasped in hers. “You’re not stupid, Demelza. You’re the best person I know. A stupid, selfish person would’ve seen someone else’s distress and ignored it. You saw a need and answered the call. We have a home and a life in Westchester, and people helping us out with the Power. We’ll get there - and all the while, you’ll be the glue holding everyone together.”

Demelza and Connor reached a stop sign. He gave her hand another squeeze and said, “Whenever you find yourself needing a break from being the constant, come to me and I’ll take it on for a while. We have Noah, Sunny, Luis, the witches, and our friends in Pine Springs helping us too. We’re not alone in this. We’re not responsible for the world’s problems. Our children won’t be, either.”

“You always know what to tell me,” she said, thinking of the past four years they spent together: when their eyes locked on the same windy road for the first time in years; his concern upon seeing her covered in bruises and teaching her self-defense; when Connor sacrificed his own plans to help her, Stacy, and their friends after learning about the Power; the way he always put her needs ahead of his; the moments he put his life on the line for her. “You keep your word. You’re not just talk.”

“I hope not!” Connor laughed. He winked at Demelza playfully and said, “I like to think I keep my word both in and outside the bedroom.”

“Oh, stop!” Demelza exclaimed. “I know you do; and we have two weeks on the Amalfi Coast for you to have your way with me.”

They reached their destination for the next two days: a ritzy hotel with a view of the lake and mountains where they would rest before flying to Amalfi, Italy for their honeymoon. The concierge checked them in and had a valet bring their luggage to their suite. Two bottles of chilled rosé in an ice bucket with accompanying champagne glasses, a large pot of hot chamomile tea on a warmer with cream, sugar, and two teacups, a tray of various finger sandwiches, a charcuterie board, and a platter of chocolate covered strawberries with a large bouquet of yellow roses on the entry room table greeted them as they walked in.

Demelza looked at everything therein and said, “I’m stuffed. Who on earth thinks we still have room in our stomachs for all this?”

Connor held up an envelope with their names on it. “I think we both know the answer to that question.”

He opened the envelope, took out a vintage greeting card decorated with artwork of a bride and groom riding off in an old school Rolls Royce, and read:

Dear Connor and Demelza,

Congratulations on the wedding! We figured you’d enjoy these post-coital snacks.

Noah and Everest wanted to bake you a “Congrats on the wedding sex!” cake, but we (Abel and Amalia - the greatest people you’ll ever know) put our feet down. You’re welcome for us insisting on something classy. That, and we know more than enough about what you do behind closed doors.

Enjoy your honeymoon and please don’t scar the other guests the way you did us.

Love,

-Amalia, Abel, Everest, and Noah

Demelza and Connor looked at each other before falling over on top of each other in a fit of laughter.

“Oh God,” Demelza said. She pinched the bridge of her nose and lay her head atop Connor’s chest. “You don’t think Noah picked up on anything or saw us going at it when he was a ghost, do you?”

“He hasn’t said anything about it,” Connor said. “Maybe he’s blocked out the memory.” He ran a finger across Demelza’s cheekbone. “You’re beautiful.”

“You’re handsome.” Demelza reached up with her hand and began undoing Connor’s bow tie and unbuttoning his shirt. She had a lot of practice. “You want to take this to the bedroom?”

Connor nodded, grabbed her hand, and pulled her up along with him. He held her in his arms and carried her bridal style into the bedroom, where they looked forward to the rest of their lives and the future awaiting them on the horizon.

- VII -

“This was not how I imagined us spending our first wedding anniversary,” Demelza grunted. She arched her back and groaned as hot sweat seeped into her hair and hospital gown, and accumulated at her forehead before falling down her face, neck, and the rest of her body.

“You're doing great, sweetheart,” Connor soothed. He held a bowl of cold water and dipped a washcloth inside before using it to wipe Demelza’s face and neck clean. He set the bowl and washcloth down on the end table, grabbed her hand in his, and placed his other hand softly on her head. "You got this. The doctor said it won't be long now."

"That - was - forever - ago," Demelza panted. A rough contraction rippled through her body, and she cried out in pain as Connor squeezed her hand and held her close.

“Breathe through it, sweetheart,” he encouraged her. “You can do it.” He hit the call button as his eyes locked with Demelza’s, both of them realizing that their lives would soon change forever.

The pregnancy hadn’t shocked Connor and Demelza, but they weren’t expecting it either. Children were always in the cards and Demelza and Connor had an active sex life, but she was always consistent and up to date with her birth control. She had also just resumed college and wanted to wait a few years. Demelza had never considered that she was pregnant until she and Connor attended the All Hallows Eve party hosted by Sunny, Luis, and the rest of the Westchester witches. Sunny didn’t greet her and Connor as “the lovers” or “the soulmates” as they usually did, but rather as “the family.”

Demelza had made an appointment the next day and Connor came with her. He told her she could terminate if she wanted and that they could wait longer before having children. Demelza had considered it, but her gaze locked on the ultrasound screen and she saw a miniature Connor with his floppy halcyon hair and her brown eyes running happily through a meadow on a cloudless day. She couldn’t let the image in her mind go or do away with what the two of them had made together after seeing that.

Demelza’s mother and father were thrilled at the news. She had mixed feelings about it. The knowledge that they would be better grandparents to her child than they were as parents to her felt like an unhealed wound. But Demelza knew she couldn’t deprive her child the experience of knowing his grandparents; nor could she ignore their endeavors to be better and the improvements they had made, especially when Connor didn’t have any family left.

Amalia, Abel, Everest, and Lincoln weren’t surprised when Connor and Demelza had told them she was pregnant during their monthly FaceTime chat.

“The two of you were always going at it in the cabin,” Amalia had reasoned. “I can never look at or into kitchen pantries the same way again.”

“You were always so loud,” Everest had said. “I had to listen to the Relaxing Whale Sounds album on Spotify with the volume on full blast just to block you out and get myself to sleep at night.” This earned him laughter from the group and a hard, albeit affectionate slap on the shoulder from Abel.

Demelza and Connor had blushed as Abel said, “Now he can’t sleep without listening to it for at least an hour beforehand.” He grinned widely and added, “We’re excited for you! I’ll send you all the parenting books I have and help get the little one’s library started.”

Lincoln had chuckled and said, “You both were always so obvious. You’ll be amazing parents, though. I’ll block off a few days to get the nursery painted and add on any artistic touches you want.”

Noah and Chelsea, Harper and Parker, Elliot and Robbie, Danni, Imogene, and Tom had responded with enthusiasm. They got together with Sunny, Luis, the witches, Demelza’s parents, and Connor’s high school friends and threw a lakeside baby shower for her and Connor a month before her due date. Noah and Chelsea had planned the menu again with fresh fruit cups, Greek salad, saffron rice, fresh hummus and bean dips with homemade pita bread, Mediterranean chicken kabobs, falafel pitas, baklava, lemon cake, and non-caffeinated sweet iced tea.

Amalia and Lincoln also celebrated with them. He had flown in from Las Vegas on the same day she drove down from Portland on her way to California before starting law school at Stanford University. She had sorted through all the gifts, clothes, and supplies Demelza and Connor had received, and organized the parenting guides, children’s books, and presents Abel and Everest sent over. Abel was busy preparing for his first big archaeological dig in the Patagonian region and Everest was occupied with summer classes, but they had sent their love. Lincoln had painted the nursery, and helped Connor and Noah with moving and arranging the baby furniture Connor had built.

Everything was ready yet Demelza felt far away from it all. The doctor and three nurses came in and began preparing for the delivery, and she found herself wanting to turn back time.

“Connor, I’m scared,” she admitted amidst the flurry of nurses getting her into position. “This happened so fast. What if I’m bad at this parenting thing? What if I end up hurting him?”

“Demelza, look at me,” Connor told her. He pressed his forehead to hers and said, “You’re an amazing mom and you'll keep getting better with time. You being worried about messing things up when our son isn’t even here yet shows how much you love him already.” He kissed her on both cheeks, laced his fingers with hers, and said, “I’m right here with you. I’m not going anywhere.”

The doctor looked up from the foot of the bed and said, “Someone’s ready to make his debut. We can have him out with five pushes if you’ll bear down in three, two, one…”

Demelza pushed, and felt her hand tighten in Connor’s grasp. She accidentally bit her tongue and tasted blood while the coppery scent wafted past her nostrils and made her feel lightheaded. Connor squeezed her hand harder, which brought her back into focus.

Demelza pushed a second time and sensed more people entering the room; but when she looked, it was just Connor, the doctor, and nurses until a familiar voice like honey on the rock pierced the air.

“This kid is going to be so lucky growing up knowing from the beginning that it’s okay to be different; and with you taking him to see Sunny, Luis, and the rest of the witch coven all the time.”

Ava. She smiled and had a casual, edgy elegance about her even in death that Demelza could never hope to achieve in life. She said, “Have Luis teach the kid how to make fire with his fingertips. That’ll come in handy when he gets older.”

“That is completely irresponsible, Ava.”

Lucas. He gave Ava a long, serious look like a professor reprimanding an irresponsible student before turning to Demelza. Ava rolled her eyes but grinned at him and Demelza before taking off. Lucas relaxed his stare as a smile twitched at the corner of his mouth and traveled upward before meeting his eyes.

“Demelza, please teach your child the proper fire safety protocols and how to use a fire extinguisher,” he advised. “The last thing Westchester needs after the past few years are roaring fires everywhere. Really though, your child is so lucky to have you as his mother.”

Dan came into view next. His countenance was a light upon Demelza and she felt his grin illuminate the space around her. “Your son is already loved by so many people he has yet to meet. I know you won’t let him forget that.”

“Of course she won’t.”

Andy. He stood tall and was at peace with himself. “Demelza, you’re going to love and accept your child for who they are, just like you did with me.”

“And me.”

Lily. She looked calm and content with herself and her surroundings and possessed a security about herself she never had before. “You always looked out for me and anyone who needed it. You still do. I know your son will follow in your footsteps and do the same.”

Demelza pushed for the third time and locked eyes with Stacy. She was radiant and full of confidence. “Keep going! You’re almost there!” she exclaimed. “I’ll always be looking after my nephew even when you can’t see me. Make sure he knows how much his Aunt Stacy loves him, okay?”

Demelza nodded as the doctor said, “I see the baby’s head.” She looked up, turned her attention towards Connor, and added, “He takes after his dad with all that blond hair.”

Connor let a joyous laugh escape from his lips and looked at Demelza with tears brimming the surface of his eyelashes. “Did you hear that, sweetheart? Our son has the same hair as me!”

“I knew he would,” Demelza wheezed. She leaned back and recentered her focus as Connor released his grip on her and wiped the sweat off her face and neck again. He kissed her forehead and gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze before taking hold of her hand once more.

The doctor looked at Demelza and said, “We should be able to have him out with two more pushes. Are you ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

Demelza leaned into herself, and felt her body contort into something she didn’t know as she pushed for the fourth time. “I'm tired,” she whispered to herself. "I don't think I can do this anymore.”

“Yes, you can.”

Jane.

Demelza still never fully captured what Jane had looked and sounded like in the void, or fully grasped who she would’ve been, had she not died. Yet Jane stood next to her with a commanding presence, unwavering gaze, long auburn waves, and the same pale brown eyes as her twin brother that she knew so well.

“Keep your eye on the horizon,” Jane said. “Just like you did when you looked inside yourself and saved Noah. Just like you will when your son grows up and needs help navigating the path ahead.” She paused, as though listening for something at the door. “I need to go. You have one more visitor.”

“Wait! Please don’t leave!” Demelza whimpered. “I just got you back.” She felt Jane’s presence diminish as her body took control of each extremity and bent them into something unrecognizable. She sensed someone new standing next to her and moaned. “Please… help me… whoever you are.”

A familiar, deadpan voice surrounded her. “You know, whenever I found myself feeling tired during cross country or track practice, my coach would always tell me to push through it; just like you’re doing now.”

Demelza blinked and found herself facing Jocelyn. Her left eye was restored, and her face no longer bore the deep, dark gashes from Power-controlled monsters. Jocelyn looked older and more mature, like she had fully grown into her facial features. She wore her long brown hair pulled back with a tortoise shell clip, which emphasized her angular bone structure and the distinctive contours of her face. Demelza never realized how striking Jocelyn truly was; then again, she had never bothered to look, let alone see.

“You’ve been hearing that a lot though,” Jocelyn said. “You’re probably sick of it. My coach would also tell me to pick my knees up so I could run faster and get to the finish line quicker; but I don’t think you can do that right now.” She gave Demelza a sharp look and said, “I don’t know what you’re freaking out about. Nobody’s ever really ready to become a parent, you know? Those parenting books from Indiana Jones can only help so much. It’s all about what you do or don’t do, and honestly? You and Breakfast Club already love the hell out of your kid. Everyone’s just frothing at the mouth to make you both Parents of the Year.”

“Gee, thanks,” Demelza grumbled sarcastically. “What’s your point?”

Jocelyn stared at her and said, “Just do it! Like the Nike commercials! They told me to buy their running shoes, so I did.”

“Oh, Jocelyn.”

“You know what I mean!” she snapped. “When it’s your kid, you just have to dive right in and accept the good, bad, and ugly of everything! It’s not about making yourself look good to other people or molding your kid in your image, it’s about letting him be his own person and loving him regardless!”

She hesitated for a moment and added, “I think you and Connor will be good parents, Demelza. I know you’ll both love your kid no matter what… you won’t force him to be someone he’s not… the way my parents did to me. But I’m grateful you helped them get closure. Thanks for doing that.”

“You’re welcome, Joss.” Demelza coughed and felt an intense pain course through her. She knew it was time for that fifth and final push.

Jocelyn noticed the change in Demelza and said, “I’ll help see you through this last stretch. Do what the doctor tells you.”

She nodded and pushed at the doctor’s instruction. She felt Jocelyn leave just as her son slid through one limb at a time and finally entered the world.

“He’s here!” the doctor said, exhilarated. She held him up for Demelza and Connor to see. “The time of birth is 3:49 in the afternoon!”

Connor threw his arms around Demelza as their son cried in the background, making his presence known. “You did it, sweetheart! You were wonderful!” He kissed Demelza, set her gently back against the bed, and tucked her hair back. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” Demelza said, placing a hand on Connor’s cheek. “I couldn’t have done this without you.” Her eyes found the station in the back, where two of the nurses cleaned the baby, took his measurements, and checked his vitals. She saw his head full of blond hair and noticed he had long arms and legs, big feet, and large hands for a newborn. “Go check on him,” she told Connor.

Connor nodded and gave her another kiss before taking off. She lay still and took deep breaths in through her nose and out through mouth as the doctor cleaned her up. The third nurse switched out her pillow, lowered the front of her hospital gown, and wiped her hair and skin down with fresh water before cleaning the foot of the bed.

Demelza watched while Connor cut the umbilical cord with jittery hands. His eyes were luminous and smile so wide she thought his face would split in half. Then the nurses wrapped the baby in a soft blue blanket and placed him in Connor’s arms. His expression changed to one of awe and reverence as he held his son for the first time.

Demelza knew Connor became a new person at that moment. A whole new level of healing was underway. The cracks engraved deep inside Connor would never disappear or restore what was lost. But the baby filled those crevices with gold and brought back a sense of peace Connor had spent years yearning for.

Demelza’s eyes met Connor’s as he walked over and placed the baby directly on her chest. His skin met hers as she put her hands on his back, inhaling his sweet newborn scent. She felt the gold flow through her veins and noticed how weightless her son felt upon her.

“Hi,” Demelza said. “I’m your mom. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

He made eye contact with Demelza and yawned before burrowing into her. He fell asleep with one hand resting on her shoulder and the other one next to her collarbone.

Connor wrapped his arms around both her and their son. He kissed her on the side of her head and said, “The nurses told me our son will be big and tall when he grows up. I can’t wrap my brain around that. It was the strangest thing. I held him and felt as though I was holding a bag of feathers.”

Demelza thought of the poem Jocelyn had written down on notebook paper and once used as a bookmark. It still sat in Demelza’s wallet and the memory of finding it felt as though it had happened a lifetime ago.

Now it manifested in the part of her soul that lived and breathed outside her body and kept her warm all the same.

Hope.

- VIII -

Demelza and Connor found themselves in their own hospital room a few hours later. She felt refreshed from showering and wore a long and loose nursing top, a pair of Connor’s well-worn plaid pajama pants, and fuzzy red socks. She held their son and laid against Connor on the hospital bed with the clean, crisp sheets, comforter, and pillows he insisted on bringing from home. Connor had also showered and changed into sweatpants, an old Portland Trail Blazers shirt, and socks that matched Demelza’s. He reached over and stroked their son’s forehead, nose, and both cheeks with a gentle finger before letting him take hold of it in his newborn grasp.

“He has your eyes,” Connor said. “It’s hard to tell right now, but I can’t wait to see you in them when he’s older.”

“He looks like you,” Demelza said. “You have no idea how happy that makes me.” She smiled at the baby and said, “We love you, little guy. We’re so excited to be your mom and dad.”

“The little guy needs a name. We can’t keep calling him that for the rest of his life and the hospital won’t discharge us until we fill out the birth certificate.”

Demelza nodded and thought of the world her son was just born into. It contained pockets of natural beauty, histories older than time itself, hidden discoveries, and untold stories. Yet the world had withstood endless abuse, witnessed countless evils, and wasn’t immune from corruption or those who would use the gifts bestowed upon them to hurt others.

Her son didn’t come into a world where he would have to worry about the Power hurting those he loved the way she and Connor once did.

Rather, he came into one that possessed a fragile, delicate hope, yet offered a new way forward whilst still carrying the wisdom of the past.

Demelza thought of those who had passed on, and how they returned to lift her up and provide her with the strength she needed to deliver him.

She knew what the perfect name would be.

“How about Atlas?” Demelza suggested. “It’s a book of maps that holds the past, present, the way ahead, and hope for the future.” Her gaze turned from her son, to Connor, and back again. “Atlas Connor Green. His middle name will be for you.”

Connor smiled before releasing his finger from Atlas’ grip and retrieving his phone from the end table. He spent a few minutes scrolling and turned the screen towards her. He had pulled up a baby names website that listed the meaning and origin of their son’s new name: bearer of the heavens, from Greek mythology.

“It’s perfect,” Connor said. He set his phone down and ran a soft hand through Atlas’ hair. A far off, wistful look came over his face. “Atlas came into this world with heaven at his back. They were all there - my sister, Jocelyn, everyone we’ve lost - they all came together to bring him here to us.”

“I know,” Demelza said. “I’ll never forget them; and we’ll make sure Atlas knows them too.”

Connor bent down and kissed Atlas atop his head before resting his lips on Demelza’s. “Happy anniversary sweetheart,” he told her. “I have so many reasons why I’ll never forget this day.”

“Happy anniversary, love,” Demelza replied. She smiled down upon their new son.

“Happy birthday, Atlas. Welcome to the world, to this place with feathers.”

#ilaw #connor x mc #ilitw #it lives in the woods #connor green #it lives within #ilw

[gutsfics]

I have like. Zero energy today to do anything more than this. so here r some info pages for my It Lives mcs! if you wanna know more about any of them feel free to shoot me an ask <3

Devi Casil

ILITW MC

he/him, but any pronouns work

genderqueer

born October 3rd, 1999

died 3 days before his 18th birthday & was resurrected half a month before his 22nd

5'10 but wears thick soled stompy goth boots that bring him over 6'

LI: Noah

on somewhat shaky terms with Jory because he's kind of pissed that Jory gets to live a more normal life. he tries not to let that effect their relationship but man. it's hard.

on horrible terms with Dent

because of the murder.

fucking shreds at Through The Fire And The Flames on Guitar Hero, even after he comes back to life and struggles with his motor function

his hair is actually 3C curls and the under half is dyed purple

more info can be found about him here

Harper Vance

ILB MC

he/him

trans man

born April 13, 1998

5'4

LI: Tom

he's super friendly and cheerful, and way too psyched about get into fights. he wants to be a pro wrestler

at the same time, he'll try and defuse fights by saying "woah, hey I'm just a little guy! and it's my birthday! I'm just a little birthday boy. you wouldn't hit a little birthday boy?" it really depends on the context of the fight

"has killed before" is in reference to Richard

"will kill again" is in reference to Dent

he and Jory are chill

wishes he could have helped Grandma Josephine move on more peacefully

lowkey struggles with the fact that he killed someone, even if that someone was a huge jackass that really deserved it. especially because that someone's son is dating his brother. plus like who's he supposed to tell? how is he supposed to get therapy for that? "hey i killed someone but it's okay because he tried to kill me first"? yeah. no.

Jory Fields

ILW MC, blood ending

he/him

trans man

born July 7, 1999

died in August 2016 but was brought back by Loha the same day

6'0

LI: Abel

really sarcastic most of the time, but knows when to dial it back. there's being a jokster and there's being a dick and he knows where that line is

lost his eye. wears an eyepatch so people know he can't see through it, but has a bunch of neat prosthetics, which he jokingly compares to wearing lingerie under regular clothes. like having a spicy little secret throught the day.

........he's probably wearing lingerie under his regular clothes, actually

as much as he loves his fully human life, sometimes he feels a sort of.... survivor's guilt? for not fixing the breach and giving his friends the oppertunity to live a more normal, human life.

but ultimately he is very happy with his decision. he loves his life with his silly dorky husband and wouldn't trade it for anything

he did fix Amalia's college issues the second he realized he could! he'd never forgive himself if he hadn't

he did enjoy fighting monsters, but he's glad he doesn't have to anymore

Arthur "Dent" Hemmings

ILW MC, betrayal ending

he/him

the group's token cis boy :(

born January 1, 1999

died in August 2016 but was brought back by Loha the same day

5'8

had the strongest relationship with Lincoln before Everything Went Down, but didn't end up dating him because Joss overheard him being a dick about stringing everyone along

he was also FWB with Jocelyn

and he fucked Luis

and Marianthe

and he wanted to fuck Abel as well but he wasn't close enough with him

and yet for some reason he was Deeply Offended when Connor called him a slut, despite the fact he knew full well he was toying with everyone's emotions with no intentions to stop 🤔

ultimately (obviously) he ends up with Matthias

or maybe he kills Matthias to have the power all to himself

or he could have been sacrificed by Devi to become the new anchor

OR. maybe he and Matthias got a divorce and now he's living it up using his powers to manipulate mansplain malewife people into giving him nice things

honestly i love all of these endings for him & they're all equally canon. in my heart.

anyway. he's an agressive asshole who puts himself first & will royally fuck over everyone around him if it means he gets to have his fun

he did Not fix Lia's college issues. or tell anyone that he's the power made human until he was forced to

he would have just let Connor stay a horror had Noah and Devi not been there

The Real Dent Hemmings absolutely hates what faker Dent is doing with his life and had a hard time moving on because of it. he was still a bit of a brash asshole, but he wouldn't have done any of the shitty things faker Dent did

honestly if Real Dent had been the one to make the final decision, he would have merged with the power to close the breach for good. he's a hardass, but he'll do the right thing no matter what

---

@ila-appreciationweek

#ilaw #it lives anthology #oc: Devfield #oc: Harper Vance #oc: Jory Fields #oc: Dent Hemmings

[apalooka]

It Lives Within | Chapter 14: Purification | Choices

It Lives Within Home Page

Choices may vary based on if Noah or ILITW MC survived.

For convenience sake, ILITW MC will be referred to as "Devon". ILB MC will be referred to as “Harper”.

Choice 1 This Choice is timed!

Kick! (MC Nerve -5)

Thrash! (MC Nerve -5) - You have died.

Think! (MC Nerve +1) ⬅ Correct

If time runs out, you Thrash! (MC Nerve -5) - You have died.

Choice 2 This Choice is timed!

Kick it in the face! (MC Nerve +1) ⬅ Correct

Try to outswim it! (MC Nerve -5) - You have died.

Use your Power! (MC Nerve -5) - if you’ve chosen more BLOOD options / (MC Nerve +1) ⬅ Correct - if you’ve chosen more SHADOW options

If time runs out, you try to Swim! (MC Nerve -5) - You have died.

Choice 3 This Choice is timed!

Blast it with my Powers! (MC Nerve -10) - if you’ve chosen more BLOOD options / (MC Nerve +5) ⬅ Correct - if you’ve chosen more SHADOW options

Slash it with my knife! (MC Nerve +5) ⬅ Correct

Do nothing! (MC Nerve -5) - You have died.

If time runs out, you Do Nothing! (MC Nerve -5) - You have died.

LORE DOC claimed if you chose all the Correct answers and killed the fish.

Choice 4

Would you help me look for them? (No effect)

Did you do something to them? (No effect)

What did you do to them?! (No effect)

(AMALIA Nerve -5, LINCOLN Nerve -5, JOCELYN Nerve -5, ABEL Nerve -5)

(AMALIA Nerve +2, JOCELYN Nerve +2, ABEL Nerve +2, LINCOLN Nerve +2)

Choice 5

Tell them the truth. (+AMALIA, +ABEL, +JOCELYN, +LINCOLN)

Apologize. (No effect)

(CONNOR Nerve +5)

Choice 6

I’d love to! (--)

Takeout’s fine. (--)

Choice 7

Amalia. (+AMALIA)

Jocelyn. (+JOCELYN)

Lincoln. (+LINCOLN)

Abel. (+ABEL)

Choice 8 - only appears if you’re romancing whoever you sit by

But the company’s better.❤️ (No effect)

This place is pricey for a reason. (No effect)

Choice 9

Whiskey. (No effect)

A cocktail. (No effect)

A mocktail. (No effect)

Choice 10

No thanks (No effect)

Hell yeah. (No effect)

Choice 11

Had a threesome. (No effect)

Joined the mile high club. (Go to Choice 13)

Choice 12

I can’t imagine myself doing it. (No effect)

I’d like to try. (No effect)

I have no idea if I’d want to do it. (No effect)

Choice 13

Have. (No effect)

Haven’t. (No effect)

Choice 14

Have. (No effect)

Haven’t. (Go to Choice 16)

Choice 15

Visiting family. (No effect)

Vacationing. (No effect)

Studying. (No effect)

Choice 16 - Only appears if “Devon” survived.

Calm. (JOCELYN Nerve +2)

Sad. (JOCELYN Nerve +1)

Angry. (JOCELYN Nerve -2)

(+AMALIA, +ABEL, +JOCELYN, +LINCOLN) (CONNOR Nerve +10, AMALIA Nerve +8, ABEL Nerve +8, JOCELYN Nerve +8, LINCOLN Nerve +8)

(ABEL Nerve -5)

Choice 17

Don’t be sorry. (+ABEL) (ABEL Nerve +2)

How could you keep this from us? (-ABEL) (ABEL Nerve -10)

It’s okay.❤️ (+ABEL) - Only appears if romancing Abel

Choice 18

Hug him.❤️ (+ABEL)

Tell the woman to leave. (-ABEL)

Pull him away. (+ABEL)

Choice 19

Say goodnight to Abel. (+ABEL) (Go to Choice 25)

Kiss Abel goodnight.❤️ (+ABEL)

Go to bed. (Go to Choice 25)

Choice 20

Absolutely.❤️ (No effect)

Not tonight. (Go to Choice 25)

Choice 21

Prove it. (No effect)

Well I’ve got more game. (Go to Choice 23)

Choice 22

Smack his ass back. (No effect)

Get turned on. (No effect)

Protest. (No effect)

Choice 23

Everything. (No effect)

Everything (fade to black). (No effect)

To make out. (No effect)

-Insert sexy choices here. lol

Choice 24

Lay against his chest. (No effect)

Spoon his back. (No effect)

Choice 25

I’m sure you’ll help the kid find his sister/brother. (CONNOR Nerve +2)

You shouldn’t be waiting time on that. (CONNOR Nerve -2)

Chapter 14 Complete

4 out of 6 Collectibles Found 7 out of 9 Lore Docs Found

<< It Lives Within Choices: Index

< Chapter 13: A Thousand Lies

> Chapter 15: Mirror to the Past

#ilw #ilw guide #It Lives Within #it lives within guide #it lives within chapter 14 #ilw ch 14 #i lied #i got most of the path done #just the romance choices left

[choicesficwriterscreations]

Fics of the Week - Nov 20 - 26, 2022

🖤 = Adult Content/18+ 🔥 = NSFW/18+ Only

AMERICA'S MOST ELIGIBLE

Waiting Game | Carson Stewart x MC - @peonyblossom

BLADES OF LIGHT AND SHADOW

One More Light | Tyril Starfury x F!Elf!MC - @aallotarenunelma Still Breathing | Tyril Starfury x F!Elf!MC - @starlight-starfury 🖤

IT LIVES IN THE WOODS

And They Were Roommates Part 2 | Amalia x M!MC - @aces-and-angels 🔥

OPEN HEART

RED CARPET DIARIES

Sapphic Styles Interview for Transgender Awareness Month | Thomas Hunt x NB!MC - @peonyblossom

THE ROYAL ROMANCE

All is Fair in Love & War | Liam Rys x MC - @tessa-liam Harper & Drake's Scrapbook - Drakes Cabin | Drake Walker - @karahalloway Little Palace | Drake Walker x Olivia Nevrakis - @delightfullysweet Love Drabble | Maxwell Beaumont x F!OC - @alj4890 Show You Off | Liam Rys x MC - @emkay512 Sleepless in New York (Series) | Drake Walker x F!OC - @karahalloway Chapter 8: Minutes to Midnight Thankful: A Bad Romance One-Shot | Multiple Pairings - @angelasscribbles The Agreement (Series) | Liam Rys x MC, Drake Walker x MC - @angelasscribbles Chapter 6: Happily Ever After

WAKE THE DEAD

Grateful Hearts | Eli Sipes x F!MC - @jerzwriter

#choices fanfic #americas most eligible #blades of light and shadow #it lives in the woods #red carpet diaries #the royal romance #wake the dead #open heart #choices fic writers creations #cfwc fics of the week #playchoices fanfics

[aces-and-angels]

Title: Intervention

A/N: This deviates a bit from what has happened if you fight w/ Lincoln and have played up to chapter 16, but I still thought it'd be nice to share- lovers of angst with a happy ending, enjoy❤️

Pairing: Lincoln x MC (M!Rowan)

Summary: Set sometime after chapter 15 of ILW by @itlivesproject. Two weeks after the fallout, Lincoln gets an unexpected visitor.

Dedicating this to mother @linkysmommy 

nsfw below, minors dni

A knock at the front door drew Lincoln’s attention away from his sketchpad. He wasn’t expecting any deliveries, didn’t order any takeout, and made a concerted effort to not know any of his neighbors. Figuring that whoever was there would eventually give up, he continued with sketching a tattoo design for his latest client.

“Lincoln?” A familiar voice called out, her knocks becoming more insistent. The hell? He stood up from the couch to answer the door, eyes widening at the sight of the person on the other side. “Good, you’re home.”

“Amalia? What are you doing here? How’d you figure out where I live?” 

“That’s not important,” she stated simply, “I’m here to talk.”

“About what?” 

“You and Rowan.”

Rowan. Hearing his name made his chest tighten uncomfortably. He couldn’t forget how his eyes, usually so warm, kind, turned hostile. Hurt. All because of him. 

“There’s nothing to talk about,” he bit out, “now, if you don’t mind-” she slammed her hand against the door, stopping him from closing it completely. 

“I spent the last half hour driving all over town trying to find your building. I’m not leaving until we talk.” Her stare was unwavering, as was the hold she had on his door. She quirked her eyebrow at him as he struggled to push against her weight. 

“Fine,” he scoffed, begrudgingly stepping aside to let her pass. She was quick to make herself comfortable on his couch while he opted to stand by the door, arms crossed over his chest.

“Something happened between you two,” Amalia jumped right in. 

"Nothing happened," his jaw clenched, eyes pointedly looking anywhere but in her direction.

"Save it, McQuoid. You’ve clearly been avoiding us, and Ro's been off since the séance."

"How'd that go?" He tried to convince himself that he was only trying to deflect her attention away from him. It's not like he needed to know if he was okay or anything.

"You've always been nothing but a self-absorbed, scared, selfish little kid!"

Yeah, he didn't care. At all.

"Well, Ro got possessed by Harper," she started to answer, "but he's fine now! Ava got rid of her," she quickly added, seeing the worry flash across his face. She also didn't miss how his muscles visibly relaxed at the rest of her explanation. 

"That's good," he muttered, now focusing on the steady drip of his kitchen sink.

Drip. Drip. Drip. 

"Lincoln, look at me," her voice was cautious, as if she was speaking to a spooked animal. "What happened that day?"

"He didn't tell you?" he mumbled faintly, his eyes flickered up to her. She shook her head, concern etched on her face. Sighing, he made his way to sit beside her. His head hung low, loose strands of hair falling over his face. He busied his fingers by toying with the hair tie around his wrist. With a shaky breath, he began to speak. “He came by to ask me to join you all that day.” She leaned forward, silently encouraging him to continue. “I told him no.” 

“That’s it?” she asked incredulously. He bit the inside of his cheek, his mouth tightening into a thin line. 

“You’re not the only one who’s lost people! I lost my whole goddamn family and you don’t see me moping!” 

He gazed up at the wall where his mother’s painting used to be. “No, it’s not,” his voice dwindled to a hoarse whisper before falling silent once more. The hum of his refrigerator was the only sound that cut through the quiet. Several minutes pass as Amalia sat by him, unmoving, patiently waiting for him to elaborate. 

“You both are so stubborn,” she huffed, realizing that he won’t budge. 

“I’m no-”

“Hush,” she interrupted, her tone firm, “you had your chance. It’s my turn now.” She shifted her body to face him directly. “I don’t know what Ro said to you, but I do know that your name has come up in conversation every single day for the past month.” 

“It has?” Despite all the hurt and anger, Lincoln’s heart still picked up at that. 

She smirked at him knowingly. “It has. He wouldn’t shut up about the tattoo you gave him for days.” Flustered, he turned away from her, awkwardly clearing his throat as he tried to ignore how warm his cheeks were getting. “I’ve never seen him look that happy in years,” she whispered softly, “I think he makes you happy too.” His body stiffened. He didn’t dare look at her, afraid that his face would reveal what he desperately tried to hide. His mind betrayed him yet again as it drifted to that night at his dad’s mansion. 

“You deserve to be happy, Lincoln. And if kissing me makes you happy, then I’m more than willing to help you out.” 

“It’s been two weeks,” Amalia’s voice snapped him out of his trance, “and I can tell he regrets whatever he said, even if he’s too stubborn to say it out loud.” She stood up, ready to leave him with his thoughts. Her hand lingered on the doorknob for a moment. “If you reach out now, I bet he’d listen,” she encouraged, glancing at him one last time before closing the door behind her.  

Her words echoed in his head, but so did Rowan’s. The memories warred with each other, opening up wounds he’d much rather keep closed. Yet, he found himself staring down at Rowan’s contact photo on his cell phone. He posed with a teasing wink and shit-eating grin. Handsome bastard. During one of their training sessions, Rowan had stolen his phone to take a bunch of selfies. So many that he had to delete most of them to clear up his storage. He’d spent an embarrassing amount of time scrolling through them all before he did, secretly saving one out of the hundreds. 

His heart raced, its pulse thumping loudly in his ears, as his thumb hovered over the call button. Doubt crept up, even with Amalia’s reassurance. What if she was wrong? He wouldn’t forgive himself, he still hasn’t. He’d spent his days alone and angry- angry at Adrian Kim, angry at his dad, angry at himself. It consumed him entirely, leaving him tired. More importantly, he was tired of being angry at him. Deciding to take a leap of faith, he took a deep breath, and pressed dial. 

---

Ten minutes later, Lincoln heard a knock at the door. This time, he was ready to answer it. “Hi.” 

“Hey,” Rowan greeted quietly. He tugged nervously at his sleeve, unsure what to do next. 

“Right, uh, come in,” he gestured him inside. They both stood awkwardly in the middle of his living room, neither of them willing to start talking. 

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Lincoln looked up, his breath hitched when he saw that Rowan was already looking right at him.

Drip. Drip. Drip. 

He’s not sure who moved first, but suddenly they were much closer. Close enough for him to see the light freckles that scattered his face. Close enough that there was no way he could miss how his eyes drifted down to his lips. 

Drip. Drip. Drip. 

They were only a breath apart now. His hands found their way to his waist. “I’m sorry, Lincoln,” Rowan whispered, each word making his lips brush against his. All he would need to do is tilt his head slightly for them to touch completely. 

“So am I.” 

“Can I kiss you now?” Rowan’s voice broke as he gazed at him with a hopeful look in in his eyes. 

“God, yes.” He leaned in, moaning softly as his body practically slumped in relief at the feel of his lips on his. Rowan pulled him in closer, backing them further into his living room. A small yelp escaped from Lincoln’s lips as they fell onto the couch.

“I missed you so much,” he said in between each kiss.

“So did I,” he gasped, pulling at his bottom lip with his teeth, which earned him a deep groan from the man on top of him. His head tilted back as he felt his lips trail kisses down his neck, savoring the delicious weight of his body on his. Everything was hazy, the only thing his brain could register was the warmth emanating from his skin, the way his mouth sucked right below his ear. His body moved on its own, grinding against his thighs to release the tension building between his legs. Even with them still being fully clothed, he could feel how hard they both were. “Rowan,” he moaned breathily, tangling his fingers through his hair. Soft kisses were placed along his collarbone, each sending a shiver through his body. Before he could go any lower, he placed a firm hand on his shoulder. “Rowan, wait.” 

“What is it?” He lifted his head, his eyes slightly unfocused.

“Are you sure?” Instead of answering with words, Rowan gave him one long, deep kiss that left him breathless.

“Does that answer your question?” He moved his hand up to caress his face, looking down at him with pure adoration. Normally, he wouldn’t be able to handle such an intense gaze. But when it came to Rowan, he could never seem to pull himself away, no matter how hard he tried. 

“Mostly,” he chuckled faintly, leaning into his touch, “I still want to hear you say it, though.” A pleasant warmth settled in his chest at the sight of his smile.

“I want you, Lincoln.” With that, their lips joined together once more. Bit by bit, their clothes turned into a scattered pile on the floor. Rowan's tongue glided over his abs, making his muscles tense whenever he drifted just below his navel. “Someone’s excited,” he smirked up at him.

“Rowan, please,” he whined in frustration as his mouth moved to kiss his mound. His hips bucked up, but were pushed back down as he continued to kiss him everywhere but where he needed him most. 

“What is it, baby? I want to hear you say it,” he purred, throwing his words back at him. The rasp in his voice only turned him on even more. 

 “I-I need you,” he stammered out. 

“You need me to what, exactly?” he feigned ignorance, taking pleasure at watching him squirm.

“I need you to touch me,” he pleaded, his hands trying to push his head down. 

“I am touching you,” his hands squeezed his thighs to prove his point. “You’ll need to be more specific.” His mouth hovered right above him, the warmth of his breath making his cock twitch. 

Swallowing his pride, he gave in. “I need your mouth on my dick. Now.” 

“Was that so hard?” he cooed, batting his eyes mockingly at him. 

“Shut up and blow me already,” he groaned, choking on the sound as he felt soft lips wrap around his head. It took everything in him not to thrust up. His tongue swirled around his head before flattening out to take more of him in his mouth. “Oh-” he threw his forearm over his eyes, muffling his moans into the couch cushions under his cheek. 

"Don’t hold back,” he gently pried his arm off his face, “I want to hear you.” A strangled moan escaped his lips as he hollowed out his cheeks, sucking him harder. His head bobbed up and down, his hand stroking whatever his mouth couldn’t reach. 

“Oh fuck,” he cried out, writhing under his touch. He was reduced to a panting mess, overwhelmed by sensation. His muscles tightened, toes curling as he felt himself beginning to come undone. “Wait,” with great effort, he pulled him off before he could finish. “I want you inside me,” he rasped out, chest heaving. A dark look flashed on Rowan’s face, sending a thrill down his spine. 

“Where do you keep your lube?” he asked, his voice much rougher than before. 

“Behind you,” he pointed his chin towards the drawer, “condoms are there too.” Rowan quickly got up to get what they needed, placing the bottle of lube on the coffee table beside them. He ripped the foil wrapper with his teeth, giving him a sultry gaze through hooded eyes as he rolled the condom onto his cock. 

“On your knees, handsome.” His cheeks flushed at the nickname, but he obeyed, turning over to expose his ass to him. He heard him pump lube onto his fingers, shivering in anticipation when he felt him settle behind him. He let out a shaky moan as a finger pressed into his hole.

“Ah-” 

“Feel good?” 

“Very. Keep going,” he groaned as Rowan inserted a second finger. He moaned loudly when he felt them crook up inside of him. “Oh god, there!” His fingers continued to pump in and out until his breath became fast and heavy. “I think I’m ready,” he panted.

“So am I,” Rowan groaned, stroking his cock lightly with more lube before lining himself up to his entrance. He slowly pushed in, both of them moaning in relief. Lincoln can’t help but clench around him. Then, he threw his head back as he thrusted into him all at once. His pace was unrelenting, each thrust nudging the couch against the side table. He faintly heard something shatter on the floor, but he was too lost in his pleasure to care. “God, you feel amazing.”

“Rowan, I- oh fuck,” his knees buckled, unable to support himself back up. Rowan growled, wrapping his arm around him to pull him flush against his chest. 

“Let it out, baby,” he moaned hotly in his ear, sending another wave of tremors down his body. Trembling under his touch, Lincoln reached down to stroke his cock in time with his thrusts, frantically chasing his release. He came with a shattered gasp, whimpering from overstimulation as Rowan continues to thrust into him. It didn’t take long for him to come undone as well. Both sated, they collapse onto the couch.  

"I think -hah- we broke something,” Lincoln huffed, his words muffled into the couch cushion. 

“I’ll buy you a new one,” Rowan answered, equally breathless. 

“You don’t even know what it is yet,” he laughed softly. 

“I’m sure I can afford it,” he lazily pressed a kiss to his shoulder as his hand stroked at his back. He pulled out once he was able to catch his breath, maneuvering their bodies so that they could spoon each other. 

“We should probably get cleaned up,” Lincoln mumbled, contradicting himself as he nuzzled into his chest.  

“In a minute,” Rowan sighed happily, pulling him in closer, “I’m not done holding you yet.”  

---

~end of side story~

#lincoln mcquoid #lincoln x mc #amalia de león #amalia stays being a supportive bestie #my fic #ilw fic #n*fw #it lives within #it lives in the woods #ilw #ilitw #ilb #it lives beneath #it lives series #it lives project #it lives anthology #playchoices #choices #originally I was gonna end this fic at linc calling mc #but then I had to add the spice #bc bottom lincoln must be cherished

[the-guild-codex-and-other-things]

Amalia: It really sucks when you're trying to strangle your demons and a midget gets in your way.

Robin: First of all, I have a name! And I am not a midget! Second of all, Zylas would kill you.

#The Guild Codex #The Guild Codex: Demonized #Amalia Harper #Robin Page

[crownprincessoftherusalkas]

Amalia: Zylas get off the counter!

Zylas, the homicidal demon, crouching on the countertop as usual: The way you talk to me, it is as though you do not care that I have deadly powers.

#the guild codex #the guild codex: demonized #amalia harper #zylas et vh'alyir #You know for a fact he thinks that they're the weirdos

[littledemonlilith]

Steckbrief: Venus

Name: Venus Isabelle-Lina Moretti Spitzname: Nennt mich einfach Lina, Isa Alter: ewig 18 (ca 200 Jahre in Dämonenjahren) Diagnosen: DID/OSDD (Multiple Persönlichkeit), PTBS, Essstörung, Angststörung, Borderline Geschwister: Lilith @littledemonlilith , Arela @chaosqueenmoretti , Mirela @mirelamoretti , Arian, Jared @jaredty Tante von: Amalia @mademoisellofwitch , Harper-Allyssa @harperallyssa , Michael @michaelmorettiallen Love interest: ihre beiden Seelengefährten, William & Caleb (Polyamor) Suche:

Freunde, beste Freundin, andere Betroffene die sie vielleicht noch aus der Zeit der Psychiatrie kennt (in der sie leider sehr traumatische Erfahrungen machen musste)

#roleplay #rpg #fakevz

[femslashrevolution]

Changes to the Popular Pairing List

Over nearly 9 years of Femslash Revolution, we have watched the popularity of many, many pairings rise and fall again. In order to better reflect this, we have decided to switch how we define our popular pairing list, which determines which pairings are too popular to be posted on Rarepair Thursdays.

Previously, posts were added to the list when they had appeared on the blog over 20 times across its whole duration. Under the new system, we will look at the number of appearances in the 10,000 most recent posts, which reflects approximately the last 18 months of content. Any pairing with more than 10 posts in that time span will be added to the list, while older pairings which no longer receive so many posts will be removed.

The full contents of the new Popular Pairing List appears below the cut.

Abby Holland x Harper Caldwell (Happiest Season)

Abigail x Tallie (The World to Come)

Addy Hanlon x Beth Cassidy (Dare Me)

Adena El Amin x Kat Edison (The Bold Type)

Adora x Catra (She Ra: Princess of Power)

Aerith Gainsborough x Tifa Lockhart (Final Fantasy)

Aino Minako x Hino Rei (Sailor Moon)

AJ Campos x Paige Evans (Crush)

Alana Bloom x Margot Verger (Hannibal)

Alex Danvers x Kelly Olsen (Supergirl)

Alex Nunez x Paige Michalchuk (Degrassi: The Next Generation)

Alexis Rose x Twyla Sands (Schitt’s Creek)

Alicia x Leighton (The Sex Lives of College Girls)

Alina Starkov x Genya Safin (Shadow and Bone)

Allison Argent x Lydia Martin (Teen Wolf)

Allison McRoberts x Patty O'Connor (Kevin Can F**k Himself)

Alyssa Greene x Emma Nolan (The Prom)

Amae Rali x Elida Al Feyr (Vagrant Queen)

Amalia True x Penance Adair (The Nevers)

Amanda Clarke x Emily Thorne (Revenge)

Amanita Caplan x Nomi Marks (Sense8)

Amity Blight x Luz Noceda (The Owl House)

Amy Silva x Kirsten Longacre (Vigil)

Ana Servin x Mariana Herrera (Madre solo hay dos)

Andi Agosti x Emília Alo (Rebelde)

Andi Mack x Buffy Driscoll (Andi Mack)

Andrea Sachs x Miranda Priestly (The Devil Wears Prada)

Andromache of Scythia x Quynh (The Old Guard)

Aneela x Delle Seyah Kendry (Killjoys)

Anissa Pierce x Grace Choi (Black Lightning; DCU)

Ann Walker x Anne Lister (Gentleman Jack)

Anne Shirley x Diana Barry (Anne of Green Gables; Anne With An E)

Anne Shirley x Diana Barry x Ruby Gillis (Anne With An E)

April Stevens x Sterling Wesley (Teenage Bounty Hunters)

April Young x Rebekah Mikaelson (The Vampire Diaries)

Arizona Robbins x Callie Torres (Grey’s Anatomy)

Asahina Aoi x Ogami Sakura (Dangan Ronpa)

Asami Sato x Korra (The Legend of Korra)

Aster Flores x Ellie Chu (The Half Of It)

Audrey Jensen x Emma Duval (MTV Scream)

Aurora x Mulan (Once Upon A Time)

Ava Daniels x Deborah Vance (Hacks)

Ava Sharpe x Sara Lance (Legends of Tomorrow)

Ava Silva x Sister Beatrice (Warrior Nun)

Barbara Howard x Melissa Schemmenti (Abbott Elementary)

Beauregard Lionett x Jester Lavorre (Critical Role)

Beauregard Lionett x Yasha Nydoorin (Critical Role)

Beca Mitchell x Chloe Beale (Pitch Perfect)

Becky Baker x Imogen Moreno (Degrassi: The Next Generation)

Bella Swan x Rosalie Hale (Twilight)

Bellatrix Lestrange x Hermione Granger (Harry Potter)

Bernadetta von Varley x Edelgard von Hresvelg (Fire Emblem)

Blair Waldorf x Jenny Humphrey (Gossip Girl)

Blake Belladonna x Yang Xiao Long (RWBY)

Bobbie Draper x Chrisjen Avasarala (The Expanse)

Bonnibel Bubblegum x Marceline Abadeer (Adventure Time)

Bonnie Bennett x Nora Hildegard (The Vampire Diaries)

Bradley Jackson x Laura Peterson (The Morning Show)

Brittany Pierce x Santana Lopez (Glee)

Buffy Summers x Faith Lehane (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Caitlin Snow x Iris West (The Flash)

Caitlyn x Vi (Arcane: League of Legends; League of Legends)

Calliope Burns x Juliette Fairmont (First Kill)

Cameron Howe x Donna Clark (Halt and Catch Fire)

Camina Drummer x Naomi Nagata (The Expanse)

Candace Powell x Lilly Fortenberry (Astrid and Lilly Save The World)

Carina Deluca x Maya Bishop (Station 19)

Carol Danvers x Maria Rambeau (Marvel Cinematic Universe)

Caroline Forbes x Valerie Tulle (The Vampire Diaries)

Carrie x Flynn (Julie and the Phantoms)

Casey Gardner x Izzie (Atypical)

Cassandra x Rapunzel (Disney Princesses)

Charlotte Murchison x Mary Anning (Ammonite)

Cheryl Blossom x Toni Topaz (Riverdale)

Christina Braithwhite x Ruby Baptiste (Lovecraft Country)

Christine Chapel x Nyota Uhura (Star Trek: The Original Series)

Claire Novak x Kaia Nieves (Wayward Sisters)

Clarke Griffin x Lexa (The 100)

Clary Fray x Isabelle Lightwood (The Mortal Instruments)

Cora Hale x Lydia Martin (Teen Wolf)

Cosima Niehaus x Delphine Cormier (Orphan Black)

Cristina Soto x Joana Bianchi (Skam Spain)

Dana x Rachel (Mythic Quest)

Dani Clayton x Jamie (The Haunting of Bly Manor)

Dani Núñez x Gigi Ghorbani (The L Word)

Dani Ramos x Grace (Terminator: Dark Fate)

Daphne Blake x Velma Dinkley (Scooby Doo)

Debbie Ocean x Lou (Ocean’s Eight)

Deena Johnson x Samantha Fraser (Fear Street)

Dina x Ellie (The Last of Us)

Dina x Sydney Novak (I Am Not Okay With This)

Dinah Lance x Helena Bertinelli (DCU)

Dot Campbell x Fatin Jadmani (The Wilds)

Eleanor Shellstrop x Tahani Al Jamil (The Good Place)

Eleven x Max Mayfield (Stranger Things)

Ellen Waverly x Pam Horton (For All Mankind)

Elphaba Thropp x Glinda Upland (Wicked)

Elsa x Honeymaren (Disney Princesses)

Emily Dickinson x Sue Gilbert (Dickinson; Wild Nights With Emily)

Emily Prentiss x Jennifer Jareau (Criminal Minds)

Emma Swan x Regina Mills (Once Upon A Time)

Eve x Mazikeen (Lucifer)

Eve Polastri x Villanelle (Killing Eve)

Fatin Jadmani x Leah Rilke (The Wilds)

Fatou Jallow x Kieu My Vu (Druck)

Finch x Josie Saltzman (Legacies)

Fleur Delacour x Hermione Granger (Harry Potter)

Flynn x Julie Molina (Julie and the Phantoms)

Fran x Marla Grayson (I Care A Lot)

Francesca Findabair x Fringilla Vigo (The Witcher)

Frankie Bergstein x Grace Hanson (Grace and Frankie)

Gabrielle x Xena (Xena: Warrior Princess)

Ginny Weasley x Hermione Granger (Harry Potter)

Ginny Weasley x Luna Lovegood (Harry Potter)

Greta Moreno x Riley Luo (Generation)

Gwendolyn Briggs x Mildred Ratched (Ratched)

Haniwa x Wren (See)

Hannah Miller x Sarah Fier (Fear Street)

Harleen Quinzel x Pamela Isley (DCU)

Helen Sinclair x Liv Chenka (Doctor Who)

Helena Wells x Myka Bering (Warehouse 13)

Héloïse x Marianne (Portrait of a Lady on Fire)

Hen Wilson x Karen Wilson (911)

Hermione Granger x Narcissa Malfoy (Harry Potter)

Hermione Granger x Pansy Parkinson (Harry Potter)

Himemiya Anthy x Tenjou Utena (Revolutionary Girl Utena)

Hope Mikaelson x Josie Saltzman (Legacies)

Hope Mikaelson x Lizzie Saltzman (Legacies)

Imogen Temult x Laudna (Critical Role)

Jackie x Shauna Shipman (Yellowjackets)

Jadzia Dax x Kira Nerys (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)

Jen Harding x Judy Hale (Dead to Me)

Jennifer Check x Needy Lesnicki (Jennifer’s Body)

Jeong Seo hyeon x Suzy Choi (Mine)

Joan x Zoey Clarke (Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist)

Joann Owosekun x Keyla Detmer (Star Trek: Discovery)

Jules Thomas x Ophelia Mayer (Sweet Vicious)

Jules Vaughn x Rue Bennett (Euphoria)

Kaioh Michiru x Tenoh Haruka (Sailor Moon)

Kara Danvers x Lena Luthor (Supergirl)

Karolina Dean x Nico Minoru (Marvel Comics; Runaways)

Kate Whistler x Lucy Tara (NCIS: Hawai'i)

Kathryn Janeway x Seven of Nine (Star Trek: Voyager)

Keeley Jones x Rebecca Welton (Ted Lasso)

Kelly x Yorkie (Black Mirror)

Kim Kelly x Lindsay Weir (Freaks and Geeks)

Kira Yukimura x Malia Tate (Teen Wolf)

Lady Hideko x Sook Hee (The Handmaiden)

Lauren Bloom x Leyla Shinwari (New Amsterdam)

Lavender Brown x Parvati Patil (Harry Potter)

Lucy Westenra x Mina Murray (Dracula)

Margaery Tyrell x Sansa Stark (A Song of Ice and Fire)

Maria Hill x Natasha Romanoff (Marvel Cinematic Universe; Marvel Comics)

Max Baker x Sophie Sanchez (Ginny & Georgia)

Maya Hart x Riley Matthews (Girl Meets World)

Mencía Blanco Commerford x Rebeka Parrilla de Bormujo Ávalos (Elite)

Michael Burnham x Philippa Georgiou (Star Trek: Discovery)

Moiraine Damodred x Siuan Sanche (Wheel of Time)

Molly x Nick (No Good Nick)

Namaari x Raya (Raya and the Last Dragon)

Nancy Wheeler x Robin Buckley (Stranger Things)

Neopolitan x Yang Xiao Long (RWBY)

Nicole Haught x Waverly Earp (Wynonna Earp)

Nyota Uhura x T'Pring (Star Trek)

Nyssa al Ghul x Sara Lance (Arrow)

Paris Geller x Rory Gilmore (Gilmore Girls)

Raelle Collar x Scylla Ramshorn (Motherland: Fort Salem)

Raffi Musiker x Seven of Nine (Star Trek: Picard)

Regina Mills x Ruby (Once Upon A Time)

Rey x Rose Tico (Star Wars)

River Song x Thirteenth Doctor (Doctor Who)

Root x Sameen Shaw (Person of Interest)

Ryan Wilder x Sophie Moore (Batwoman)

Seo Ji wan x Yoon Sol (Nevertheless)

Shane McCutcheon x Tess Van De Berg (The L Word)

Shelby Goodkind x Toni Shalifoe (The Wilds)

Tara Maclay x Willow Rosenberg (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Thirteenth Doctor x Yasmin Khan (Doctor Who)

Tissaia de Vries x Yennefer of Vengerberg (The Witcher)

Vivian Shing x Wilhelmina Pang (Saving Face)

Weiss Schnee x Yang Xiao Long (RWBY)

#femslash #femslash revolution #femslashrevolution #wlw #shipping #popular pairing list #mod post #Rarepair Thursdays

[cadybear420]

Masterlist of all my important Choices MCs (and their LIs). (NOTE: List is subject to frequent updates)

Unlinked and uncolored MCs do not have a sprite made for them yet.

You're welcome to ask me questions about any of these MCs! Yes, even the ones that I haven't fleshed out as much yet, it will help me build their characters better.

Anthology Profiles: AKA Singular Profile Braindump Posts for the Series that go through different MCs (eg. HSS, ILS, Untameable, RWB)

HSS: Jordan Price (Prime f!MC), Evie Ayana (OG f!MC), Cher Lee (HSS:CA f!MC)

ILS: Jo Hunter (Woods f!MC), Harper Addison Vance-Fisher (Beneath demigirl!MC), Cedric Zhao (Within m!MC)

MCs with Completed and Thorough Profiles

OG HSS f!MC: Evie Ayana (LI: Aiden Zhou)

MCs with Basic Simple Profiles

ILW m!MC: Cedric Zhao (LI: Jocelyn Wu, but also likes Amalia De Leon)

MCs for stories where I've completed playthroughs with their "official" story routes (links go to images of the MC sprite, profiles still pending)

ILITW f!MC: Jo Hunter (LI: Lucas Thomas, but also likes Andy Kang and Connor Green)

ILB genderfluid demigirl MC: Harper Addison Vance-Fisher (LI: either Tom Sato or Parker Shaw, most likely Tom)

BP f!MC: Cady Asshunter (LI: has trysts with all of them)

TNA f!MC: Eh IDC (LI: White Samuel Dalton)

MCs for stories where their specific story routes are in progress or need a replay (links go to images of the MC sprite, profiles still pending)

HSS Prime f!MC: Jordan Price (LI: ends up with Julian Castillo in OG HSS's prom)

HSS:CA f!MC: Cher Lee (LI: Ajay Bhandari) and her trans m!Twin Bear Lee

ES f!MC: Emilia Harris (LI: undecided)

TRR f!MC: Lew Asshunter (LI: East Asian Liam "Sexy Thicc Man" Rys)

BB trans f!MC Jasmine Yin (LI: White Adrian Raines, Kamilah Sayeed, and Jax Matsuo; can't decide which of them she becomes closest with though)

PM m!MC: [Name Still Pending] (LI: Black f!Hayden Young and Sloane Washington)

AME m!MC: [Name Still Pending] (LI: Probably MacKenzie Harris)

TH:M f!MC: Otto (LI: none, she's had and still somewhat has the hots for Ansel Crane and they have at least one hatefuck hookup)

MAH f!MC: Peggy Stone (LI: White Tyler Woods)

TPA f!MC: Jane Bond (LI: Agent Callum "Booty Galore" Grey, undecided which version)

DLS m!MC: Dick Ryder (LI: Hispanic Charlotte King, or rather "Peg" King)

MCs for stories where I haven't even started their "official" playthrough yet (links go to images of the MC sprite, profiles still pending)

OG HSS m!MC: Alan Parke (LI: either Emma Hawkins, Maria Flores, or both)

OG HSS f!MC: Violet Jones (LI: Michael Harrison)

ES m!MC: BJ Kingsley (LI: Estela Montoya)

PM f!MC: Penny (LI: Probably m!Hayden Young but I'm not sure)

AME f!MC: Jamie MacLeod (LI: Marries Jen Espinoza on the show, but her true love is Carson Stewart and she ends in a threeway poly relationship with them)

ROD f!MC: Adelaide Zhou (LI: Most probably Colt Kaneko)

TH:M m!MC: Bill (LI: Eris Huang)

LOA f!MC: Anjali Bhandari (LI: East Asian!Gabe Ricci, Aislinn Tanaka, and Joaquin Morales)

COP f!MC: Roslyn Rose (LI: m!Trystan Thorne, not sure which version)

MCs I have planned for stories I haven't even touched yet (links go to images of the MC sprite, profiles still pending)

TE f!MC: [Name Still Pending] (LI: Either Beckett Harrington or Griffin Langley)

Alpha m!MC: [Name Still Pending] (LI: East Asian f!Channing Lowe)

Alpha f!MC: Luna (LI: None, she is not interested in Channing and prefers to clap the cheeks of Asher and Markus)

#i'm not tagging all of these books or mcs #choices stories you play #choices #choices game #choices stories we play #choices stories we play fandom #choices mcs #cadybear's mcs #meet my mc #meet my mcs #cadybear's masterlists